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joelburman
Reviews
Moonlight Serenade (2009)
Really underrated Gem!
Since being a big fan of Amy Adams I just watched this one without knowing anything about it and was pleasantly surprised. I normally don't like movies with this kind of musical theme. I like that they keep the script simple and realistic and most characters felt genuinely real.
A different approach was also the use of the songs in the film. They weren't set up like individual numbers like in most musicals, instead they came on and of without warning and in a somewhat repetitive way but it really gave another depth to the mood of the film.
The only thing seem a little lowbudget was the camera-work (mostly tripod shots) and the office sets who were very studio looking in a bad way.
Finally Amy Adams shines like always and really show how versatile she is as an actress being able to play both drama and comedy.
Rött och svart (1980)
A movie which never was to be finished...
This film was shot by Swedish director Bo Widerberg entirely by himself because he couldn't get funds from the Swedish filminstitute. When asking for money to edit the film together they refused and the film was archived at the Swedish archive for moving image and Sound. Today the sound rolls are lost and the film will never be finished.
The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968)
Interesting Metafilm
This movie surprised me a whole lot. It is about a movie production about a former Superstar actress named Lylah Clare both the role as Lylah and the actress portraying her is played by the stunning Kim Novak.
The film has a complicated structure that is hard to follow sometimes. The ending is especially good and I will not give it away but it will probably surprise most of you. Kim Novak looks better than ever in some scenes and she shows that she can act. However, she is more or less portraying the same role that she played for the rest of her career. You may wonder how much she really acted? Sometimes it feels like she played herself in her movies.
Mannen på taket (1976)
Best Swedish triller so far!
This movie by Bo Widerberg is the peak performance in his career as I see it. It mixes realism with outstanding action sequences that still today haven't been done this good in Sweden. I haven't seen Mannen pa mallorca by Widerberg but that might be the one that ties this film. My favourite scene is probably when Martin Beck is on stakeout in an apartment where he tries to spot the killer. The scene is very well made and the old lady who owns the apartment is mostly concerned that Martin drinks his coffe and eat his cookies. It's pure magic. The best actor in this movie is Hakan Serner in a minor role, he portray the dull everyday life perfectly and it is very easy to imagine that this guy has been in the force way to long. A must see!
Kärlek 65 (1965)
Widerberg's best?
This movie is one of the most personal ever made by a Swedish director. Of course Ingmar Bergman's movies was also about himself but this film is different than those of Bergman. Widerberg tells the story of a director during one of his productions. It is quite obvious that the movie is about Bo because the film brings up the motifs that he used when directing. It becomes very personal when the directors wife accuses him of not caring for his Daughter, the exception of this was of course when he gave her minor roles in some of his film's. This make you both alienated and attached to the movie and it very good done.
Some other good sides is the use of very bad takes sometimes, it's not bloopers or anything but the could have been made better technically and this is done to alienate the audience. This is a must see especially if you like movies that are about movies and/or alienating of the audience. I consider it being Widerberg's next best movie after Mannen pa taket.
Teenage Caveman (2002)
Interesting showcase by Larry Clark!
When zapping around i came right in the middle of this spectacular movie by the director of Kids, Larry Clark. I thought instantly that this was a sequel or a film inspired by that movie. One of the scenes are really long and shows teens at a party try different drugs and having group sex with each other. The movie as a whole is not as good as Kids but it is cool that Larry has the same style in his movies even when doing a more commercial sci-fi film which this is. The social criticism is still present and even some of his stylish motifs in aesthethics are used in the film. But remember the movie may be too strong for many viewers.