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Reviews
Lilja 4-ever (2002)
stunning, simply stunning
This movie is in no way perfect. The storyline is not always logical. A couple of scenes are overdone or awkward or simply amateurish. But in the end, that means nothing. This movie is all about making us feel for the characters. And in that respect it's brilliant. The director, Lukas Moodysson, has an uncanny knack for bringing true emotions to the screen. This is without doubt one of the most harrowing and devastating movies I've ever seen. I saw it two days ago, and I still can't get it off of my mind. I cried in the theater, something I haven't done since... well... probably ever. I consider myself a rather cynical moviegoer. Mostly the characters in movies don't move me very much. I just enjoy the ride and try my best to suspend disbelief. But in this movie it's simply impossible to not feel for the main characters (Lilja and Volodja). Oksana Akinshina simply I S Lilja. Her journey in a downward spiral from bad to worse into hell simply breaks your heart. Because it doesn't help telling yourself it's just a movie. Because we all know it isn't. This kind of thing is happening all around us all the time. And we, the decent ordinary citizens, simply don't care to see it or do anything about it. The movie is a must-see. Even though you'll probably be depressed for days, and well might lose some of your faith in the goodness of man. It's a 10. And if Lukas Moodysson keeps this up he might well end up a bigger name than Ingmar Bergman. No joke. Now excuse me, I must go cry some more for poor Lilja...
Sprängaren (2001)
Slow - but good (from a journalists perspective)
Well, what can I say. This movie is a slow, typical swedish crime story on the silver screen. As such, it's nothing spectacular. But since I'm a journalist, I can appreciate the many scenes taking place at the newspaper. They are good, if only a little too tame. If people only knew how cynical journalists really are, they'd be chocked. Sometimes reality's more extreme than fiction...
The Godfather Part II (1974)
Brilliant, in all respects
This movie may be called a sequel, but is just as brilliant, or even better, than the "The Godfather". I'm usually picky, but it's really hard to find flaws in this film. The acting is brilliant (how could it not be, with Al Pacino and Robert de Niro putting on their best performances). The storyline is beyond reproach (the result of a collaboration between the author of "The Godfather", Mario Puzo, and the brilliant filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola). It is cold, sweet and majestic. This movie is a masterpiece from beginning to end. It effortlessly connects to "The Godfather" (incorporating parts from the book that were left out in that movie). The fall of Michael Corleone is, brilliantly, put in contrast to the rise to fame of his father Vito. Watch it, love it. If you don't, well then good movies probably just ain't your thing...