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Reviews
Heftig og begeistret (2001)
Not as Cool and Crazy as I hoped
What I thought was lacking an introduction, end, and a message, the Norwegian documentary, Cool and Crazy directed by Knut Erik Jensen, was quite different from any Hollywood style documentary I've ever seen. The documentary followed an all male choir based in a small, rural fishing town in Berlevåg, Norway. As the male choir is composed of mainly older men, the majority of the documentary included personal interviews with the various choir members sharing life stories. Expecting an emphasized message of some sort or to be persuaded to act on a certain social problem, I was slightly confused about what the exact purpose and intent of the documentary was. While I felt slightly disconnected from what was happening on screen, I noticed there were outstanding aspects of Norwegian culture portrayed, overly simplistic camera shots and dialogue, and a sense of nostalgia being expressed through many of the men in the choir.
One overarching Norwegian aspect that is fundamental to Cool and Crazy is the portrayal of rural vs. urban landscape and the importance of nature and the environment to the Norwegian population. We see the extreme rural setting of Berlevåg during the various songs the entire choir sings throughout the documentary. For example, the first song the audience gets to watch is the choir singing in a barren, tundra setting with choir standing in mostly empty land. Throughout the documentary there are many still shots of solely the land and environment. Along with the emphasized idea of rural versus urban setting, another idea that is present in many Norwegian films is outsiders coming together and forming sense of family. The theme of outsiders in society is extremely apparent in each of the personal interviews because most of the men are living alone in an extremely small town. Many of the singers talk about their past lives with their loved ones, however many of them are now independent. All of them slowly becoming outsiders during their life, but they all discuss how the choir brings them together and forms a support system for one another. One singer says that choir practices are his favorite part of the day. The audience is given a close look at how landscape, nature, and the environment play a part of the Norwegian culture in a rural setting, as well as the role outsiders have in society.
In order to emphasize the setting and role of outsiders in the documentary extremely simple camera shots were utilized, as well as no added or pre-written dialogue during the film. The still shots of the landscape and environment that stayed on the screen for longer durations of time allows the viewer to really take in the cold, empty, rural land. I think these still shots were taken to impact the mood of the viewer, creating a sense of simplicity. Along with the continuous still camera shots, there is not added dialogue to the documentary. The only talking that carries the documentary are the interviews of the choir members. This is an interesting choice to centralize all the communication in Cool and Crazy on solely interviews. I thought this style of interaction was slightly boring because the interviews differed so much from each other that there wasn't a central theme or idea for the documentary to build off of. Other then the men all being in the same choir, it was though for me to follow along because there were just so many men sharing parts of their life stories. I had trouble extracting any sort of take home message from the documentary due to the way the filming jumped from interview to interview with no apparent connections.
By the end of the documentary, I started trace a sense of nostalgia that was expressed in the various interviews. The nostalgia beamed through when the men from the choir would talk about their past women and how they were so beautiful, how they missed them, and how those were the "good days". During one of the interviews a man commented on how he had tamed down immensely with women compared to back in the day. I think this idea of remembering and reminiscing the past is universally a significant aspect of people's lives, and this is what allows the viewer and the men being interviewed to make a connection.
While some interesting stories were shared throughout the interviews in Cool and Crazy, I had high hopes for this Norwegian documentary about the famous all men's choir from Berlevåg, but wasn't quite satisfied with what I watched on screen. Though there were interesting aspects of Norway's culture exhibited and the universal sense of nostalgia presented in the documentary that caught my attention, I think director Knut Erik Jensen could have created a slightly more cohesive, entertaining, and engaging documentary.
Låt den rätte komma in (2008)
Letting a vampire in
Vampires are commonly thought of as insensitive, harmful, and vengeful, however Eli, one of the protagonists in Let the Right One In, demonstrates that not every vampire is so harsh. The Swedish film, Let the Right One In, by director Tomas Alfredson is perfect combination of horror and drama that follows the start and growth of young Oskar and twelve-year old Eli's friendship that turns into a relationship. Oskar, a physically small, blonde twelve-year-old lives in an apartment with his mother and is constantly being bullied at school. Eli is a mysterious stranger who moves into the apartment next door to Oskar with an older man and starts to get to know Oskar though he is quite oblivious for a while of Eli's true identity. Alfredson's makes this seemingly strange storyline into a huge success through putting huge emphasis on the setting throughout the film, adding extra intense focus on images and imagery throughout the film, and highlighting the theme of outsiders and alienation of members in society.
While watching Let the Right One In, I thought the setting took on a huge presence within each scene due to the harsh characteristics of the beyond freezing winter in suburb of Stockholm. Not only does the choice of filming during the frigid winter in Sweden act as a crucial aspect to the plot of the movie, but also has a significant influence on the mood during many of the scenes. The various events throughout the plot including disposing and reappearing bodies and revealing characteristics of Eli's true identity as a vampire depend on the harsh winter setting to move the plot along. For example, we are given hints about Eli's vampire identity from her ability to withstand the cold while wearing minimal clothing and the dark, bleak winter allowing for her to be outside more then she would be able to in other circumstances. Along with this idea, the setting has a huge impact on the mood of the film. The winter, consistently freezing and bleak, adds to the dark, underlying suspense in each scene. Imagining this movie being filmed during the summer would completely alter the mood of the film; ultimately changing the way the audience reacts to the frightening, suspenseful scenes.
As Alfredson places emphasis on the setting of his film, he also utilizes imagery in an exceptional way that causes the audience to have their eyes glues to the screen the entire time. The images being a central focus throughout the movie is highlighted by the basic and minimal use of dialogue in many scenes. Especially at the beginning of the film, when there are solely minor conversations between characters, the images that the audience members view on screen are extremely meaningful. We learn a lot about Oskar, Eli, and other secondary characters more through their actions and facial expression rather then what they say. I think this is an extremely important element throughout the film because of the huge reactions Alfredson draws from the viewer when he directs the film through visual exploration.
A major theme that Tomas Alfredson highlights in Let the Right One In is the portrayal of "outsiders" in society. Both protagonists, Oskar and Eli, struggle with the continuous alienation from society. Oskar's outsider presence is shown through his multiple encounters with the boys who bully him at school and the beginning scene where he is talking and playing "make believe" with himself. Oskar seems to consistently be alone, not interacting with any part of society. The only significant interaction in Oskar's life we witness is the relationship that is formed with Eli, and even then, Eli's alienation from society is more then Oskar's. The audience witnesses the extreme alienation of both Oskar and Eli as their friendship evolves. The coming together of Oskar and Eli, two complete outsiders in society is intriguing to watch due to the support and eventual acceptance they have for one another. Eli supports Oskar and gives him advice on how to deal with the bullying he faces at school and how to achieve relief and revenge. Through this support, the two alienated characters accept each other as outsiders, and are able to feel accepted while completely separated from much of society.
Overall, I think director Tomas Alfredson does an exceptional job drawing catching the viewers attention and drawing them in through the specific setting of the film, the focus on images rather then dialogue, and the important theme of outsiders in society. Each of these elements makes Let the Right One In a film that the audience
Musta jää (2007)
A Love-Triangle Approaching Black Ice
Never once was there a dull, uneventful moment during the film, "Black Ice". Finish director, Petri Kotwica successfully pieces together an exceptional, suspenseful, and riveting film about Saara, a middle-aged woman, seeking revenge on her cheating husband, Leo, an architect and professor, and Tuuli, the student and "girlfriend" of Leo. The ultimate question asked is, How far does one go to achieve revenge? Saara finds out about Leo's affair the evening of her birthday, and the next day goes to visit him at his office to find an e-mail from Tuuli, the young student Leo has a "relationship" with. Saara finds a picture of Tuuli and where she lives on the campus and immediately goes to find her and follow her, ending up at the karate class Tuuli instructs. Without much thought, Saara has joined the beginner's class and from this initial encounter, the two women form a seemingly strong relationship, although Saara has introduced herself to Tuuli as a Christa Ericcson, in attempt to cover up her true identity. As this relationship progresses, Leo is attempting to juggle his relationships with Tuuli and Christa, eventually leading to utter chaos and devastation in each of their lives.
Throughout "Black Ice" director, Petri Kotwica, draws upon various themes throughout the film, such as infidelity, sex/gender, revenge, and betrayal. While each of these major ideas are constantly seen during the movie, the theme of betrayal seems to be emphasized, as it was the basis of many decisions each character made amidst the suspenseful events. Including Saara's discovery of her husbands affair, Leo ending his relationship with Tuuli, his flirtatious actions at the costume party, and Tuuli's realization of Christa's real identity, each of these moments and others depict the extent to which humans prioritize their needs and feelings before others regardless of the effect it has on the people around them. In congruence with the overarching theme of betrayal, the reoccurring idea of seeking revenge drives many of the events that end in betrayal. As Saara seeks revenge on Tuuli for sleeping with Leo, the seemingly strong and "true" friendship Saara (Christa) and Tuuli form is completely destroyed, leaving Tuuli amidst feelings of complete betrayal by Saara. The revenge and betrayal we witness in "Black Ice" constantly reminds the audience just how brutal humanity can be when people are stuck in extremely emotional states.
The love triangle story line is a perfect situation to be able to explore humans in instances of revenge and betrayal. While Saara (Christa) is forming a strong connection to Tuuli, Saara'a love for Leo is back and fourth the more she learns about her husband's secrets, as Tuuli's love for Leo is crushed and slowly fades once he breaks up with her and then see's him at the costume party with other students. Leo attempts to juggle both of his relationships, eventually ending in betrayal by both of them. In comparison to Hollywood films, there is nothing quite like the love triangle depicted in "Black Ice".
The plot was extremely interesting and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, impatiently waiting to see what would happen next. The skillful use of foreshadowing by Kotwica gets the viewer guessing what will happen next, however the creative and unique plot made it so the unraveling of the events was always unexpected. Throughout the film, I never knew what was going to happen next, which carried the plot along enabling the suspenseful and thrilling scenes to build on each other, ultimately making the end of the film to leave the viewer in shock. The acting and story line was extremely well done and added to the element of suspense, but I think the music and sound effects used throughout the film that truly instilled suspenseful and thrilling feelings in me as the events unfolded. The music allows for the viewer to connect emotionally with what was happening on screen. For example, while Saara was stalking Tuuli in the beginning of the movie, from being in her residence hall on campus to following her as she rides her bike to the karate studio, the suspenseful, slightly creepy music made me feel as if I was stalking Tuuli as well. The connection the music creates with the audience and events on screen amplifies the emotional response the viewer has to each scene.
Finish films being known for their tragic and devastating endings, "Black Ice" not only captures devastation in the end, but also a shock factor triggering much emotion that makes it a must see.
Hawaii, Oslo (2004)
Chaos within a Small World
Within the happenings of a twenty-four hour time period, the saying "what a small world" is perfectly captured by director Erik Poppe in this multi award winning film, Hawii, Oslo. The Norwegian film released in 2004 delivers a thrilling plot with a mix of people crossing each other's paths one way or another. Amongst multitude of events all happening during the sweltering hot 24-hours in Oslo, Poppe utilizes various creative filming techniques and intense, emotion-triggering music to make the viewer remember this day they watch on screen forever.
We are introduced to Leon, a man living in an institution, waiting hopefully on his birthday for the arrival of Asa, the lady he promised to marry ten years back. While waiting for her arrival, Leon's brother, in prison for armed robbery, is allowed to go visit and celebrate the day with Leon. Though the prison puts trust in him to visit Leon, he has a secret plan to rob a bank and flee with his brother. As Asa makes her way to reunite with Leon she comes across two young boys, Magne and Mikkel, extremely lost in the world while processing their father's death and about to be separated by the foster care system, who steal her purse. Asa catches Magne, the younger of the two boys, and comes to find the disaster of an apartment and poor conditions the boys have been living in. A little later in the film, the boys' mother, whom recently attempted suicide, appears at the father's funeral because of the notice Magnus leaves her. We also encounter Frode, Milla, and their newborn son Aaron, who has a serious heart defect in need of an expensive surgery. Frode holds on to hope, as Milla has lost hers,and goes on a desperate search for 900,000 kroner to pay for a surgery. Frode unexpectedly crosses paths in a bank with Leon's brother and later in a park with Leon, ending up with the stolen money from Leon's brother's robbery. As extremely chaotic each of the characters lives unravels, each of them interacts with Vidar, a worker at the institution where Leon stays. While Vidar can foresee future events through the dreams he has, he is given insight into each of the people's lives we are following. While conflicted about whether what he knows is a part of reality or just a dream, he runs around Oslo attempting to save the people that might be in danger.
From parts of the movie being filmed using a hand-held camera technique to the raw close-up shots on the faces of the actors during moments of pure intensity and emotion, Poppe flawlessly instills the emotion being portrayed on screen within the audience members. The hand-held camera shots made me feels as if I was one with the event occurring on the screen. The close-up shots during extremely important events, from the reunion of Leon and Asa to the tragic death at the end, allow us to relate to the scene as if we were standing right there with the actors. Both of these techniques utilized by Poppe create such an important connection between the film and audience members.
To further reflect the emotions shown on screen into the viewers, purposefully selected music complements the climaxes of many scenes. The music takes the place of much of the verbal exchange that would otherwise occur between characters. The replaced verbal interaction by music ultimately causes the thoughts of the actors up to interpretation by the audience member. The music sets up a certain mood that correlates perfectly with the scene that may not have been able to be achieved by solely verbal interaction between characters.
With help of the camera techniques and music throughout Hawaii, Oslo, we see the character struggle to accept, uncover, and understand their various realities, as well as the search for the true meaning of sacrifice and acceptance. The way each character deals with either sacrifice or acceptance within the reality they are facing make the viewer realize the complexity of each situation that occurs on screen. While living in complete truth and acceptance of ones reality may seems easy, we are able to see and experience the struggle it really takes through the characters in Hawaii, Oslo.
Among the multitude of incredible aspects Poppe's multiple award winning film, Hawaii, Oslo incorporates, the filming techniques to the intense character-audience connection are some of the most influential parts of the film. These aspects allow the chaotic day in Oslo to impact the viewer as if they were standing in the exact scene. Hawaii, Oslo is a film you will want to see, if not for the creatively constructed piece of art Poppe has put together, but to see how small a world could really be.