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Reviews
I Am Dina (2002)
This movie's sick and fantastic
First I was sick, then I was enthralled, in the end I was totally convinced that this is one movie worth seeing. I totally agree with other comments noting that the acting should have been kept in Norwegian, but alas, international budgets require international language.
But - but - the awkward phrases are soon forgotten when you're sucked into the powerful story of a psychotic Norwegian woman, battling with her past, the men around her and her own role in a very restricted provincial community. Dina is by no means the weakest woman potrayed on screen, rather her person will probably go over into film history as *the* strongest and most strong-willed female heroine ever in Scandinavian movie history.
The story's gaudy, vulgar, perverse and absolutely mesmerizing. I found myself hating this woman and yet feel very strongly for her. See it, and see if you agree with this uncompromising story.
At klappe med een hånd (2001)
Charming simplicity
This movie comes in the middle of a revival of the Danish comedy genre and without achieving brilliance it does charm with a host of good acting, believable lines and above all a terrific performance from veteran actor Jens Okking.
Focusing on the accidental relationship between an undertaker and a middle-aged businessman who just has to sort out one last thing before retiring with his wealth after the death of his long ill wife, the film tells a story about knowing what you want from life, settling scores and the importance of love and self development. Themes that might sound heavy but are elegantly handled.
In the second main character of the film, actor Peter Gantzler makes a very credible person of the restrained undertaker-turned-chauffeur, and the mellow interplay between Okking and Gantzler is the main achievement of this small gem.
The camerawork and editing is functional without interrupting the story and the score is very well picked. Everything works and the film's short length makes it a tight and all together enjoyable story. A real feel good film. Not fantastic, but heart warming.
Rukajärven tie (1999)
A problematic war movie...
This movie has gathered huge crowds in Finland, but as an outsider with only a superficial grasp of Finnish history you loose a lot of the points.
Focusing on a small Finnish bicycle unit as they penetrate into Russian held territory in 1941 the film has a lot of poetic moments and a high degree of tension in some scenes. Just seeing combat from a Finnish perspective is interesting for anyone brought up on mainstream American war tales, but there are problems...
As said in another comment, there is a lack of realism in the unit tactics displayed and some fighting scenes are ridiculous (especially the last unnecessary heroic showdown). Given that the soldiers portrayed are veterans of the Winter War they do *not* act sensible.
Well, that might be a minor point had it attempted a more thorough investigation of the motives of the soldiers and the inherent conflicts that must arise given the situation. Instead it centers on a banal lovestory as seen many times before in Northern European films. Mandatory nakedness, melancholia and a touch og golden light is the name of the game. Argh!
For those of you that don't know, Finland was an ally of Germany at this point, though they probably had no other choice, and the fighting in this film is not heroically defensive, but offensive. Nationalist sentiment was high at this point and just a tiny bit racist, ala the German kind. Had it more explicitly discussed these topics and the views of the soldiers in the unit, it might be more interesting for a foreign audience and in the end more balanced.
Instead it avoids discussing if there was a real need for the Continuation War and the huge drains it made on Finland. There are attempts at portraying conflicts among soldiers of different background, but no more.
As it goes it's mainly a crowd pleaser for the Finnish audience, showing that war is hell, love triumphs and the Finns were heroic, after all (which they were, but was it worth the losses?).
Riget (1994)
A small note
Much has been said about this series (even that it is Dutch, damn you Americans!), so I'll only state that this is a mile-stone in Danish film making, marking the start of the Dogma concept and the Renaissance of Danish movie making. Next time you see a Danish movie is playing, go see it, we're in top shape.
Bonus: When Trier is appearing in the show, he's actually wearing the tuxedo of world famous Carl th. Dreyer.