Medea (dir. Lars von Trier): human struggle against forces of Nature and God in a beautiful and emotional film
Lars von Trier, “Medea” (1988) Originally made for TV and with a script based on that other
Category: Northern European Films
Reviews of films from Finland, Greenland, Iceland and countries traditionally considered part of Scandinavia (Denmark Norway, Sweden). I’ve included Estonia and Latvia in this category as these countries have historic links to Sweden.
WikiRebels: competent documentary on Wikileaks brushes the surface to maintain “balance”
Jesper Huor and Bosse Lindquist, “WikiRebels” (2010) Made for Sveriges Television AB (SVT), this documentary
Northern European Films | Russian and Soviet Films
The Sampo: good-looking film with a moral let down by watered-down story and wooden acting
Risto Orko and Alexander Ptushko, “The Sampo” (1959) A joint Finnish-Soviet fantasy production aimed at
Eastern European Films | Northern European Films | Russian and Soviet Films
Pilot Pirx’s Inquest: thoughtful low-budget sci-fi film about how humans and other intelligent beings can co-exist
Marek Pestrak, “Pilot Pirx’s Inquest” / “Test Pilota Pirxa” / “Doznanie Pilota Pirksa” (1979) A joint
Dead Snow: a mishmash of previous zombie movie plot twist and character stereotypes
Tommy Wirkola, “Dead Snow” (2009) For laughs, gore and stunning mountain scenery you can’t go
Frostbiten: comedy/horror vampire story lacking in teeth
Anders Banke, “Frostbiten” (2006) ‘Tis a Swedish vampire movie that begins with a shot of
Corruption, authoritarianism, oppression of women and intolerance are a hidden presence in “Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages”
Benjamin Christensen, “Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages” (1922) Intended as a study on how superstition
The Man without a Past: heart-warming comedy about need for “identity” to survive in modern society
Aki Kaurismäki, “The Man without a Past” (2002) A heart-warming comedy about a man who
Brink of Life: sympathetic and unromantic 1950’s investigation of pregnancy and childbirth
Ingmar Bergman, “Brink of Life” (1958) Even in these supposedly more “liberal” times when no
Metropia: dystopian science fiction animated film offers little that’s fresh
Tarik Saleh, “Metropia” (2009) Set in a future post-apocalyptic Europe in 2024, where all underground