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Tag archives for Behind Blue Skies

Closing time. You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.

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We are finally here, at the end of the road. You are reading my last post in the Sweden.se’s film blog. I do admit that it’s a little emotional. My face isn’t leaking but I am ready with some tissues so if it breaks out I can wipe and type.

As a final goodbye here at the end of the year I do feel the urge to share my thoughts of what I consider being the most interesting and fun films & events of 2010. I didn’t just want to do a regular top 5 list. Those are so easily forgettable after reading. Instead I wanted to mix it up a little. I hope you enjoy.

My three favorite Swedish films of the year are:

Behind Blue Skies (Himlen är oskyldigt blå).
This was easily my number one of 2010. It’s a beautiful film with a huge heart and some fantastic acting.

Simple Simon (I rymden finns inga känslor)
Sweden’s choice in the run for the Oscars is a very lovable film which hopefully will win the love of a lot of people around  the world.

Easy Money (Snabba Cash)
This is a film I haven’t mentioned in the blog. The reason for that is that it had a very early 2010 release. It’s based on a book by the same name by Jens Lapidus. Easy Money is a film that no doubt has flaws but at the same time it showed that Swedish crime film can do more than just watered down cop films.

Films people should have seen but didn’t.

Trust Me (Puss).
A very likable film with True Blood’s own Alexander Skarsgård. It’s directed by Johan Kling who did a film called Darling a few years back. Darling is considered being one of Swedens best films of this decade and Trust Me isn’t that far behind.

Psalm 21.
A film that scared basically everyone that went to see it. Sadly a lot of people skipped this one.

Best film where Swedes were involved.

A Better World (Hämnden).
This film which stars Mikael Persbrandt is my favorite Scandinavian film of 2010. The emotions and actors in this film are just mind blowing.

Shanghai.
Directed with a perfect hand by Swede Mikael Håfström. It’s a film noir that basically makes love to your eyes.

Best event of 2010.

Uppsala Short Film Festival. Even if ticket prices are going up (Buu!) they still deliver a very high standard when it comes to films( Yeay!). Stockholm Film Festival was a great one but the very narrow selection of Swedish films forces this festival to take the backseat.

Where the hell are you hiding?

Lukas Moodysson.
The director that took the world by storm a few years back has put the filmmaking hat on the shelf for a while and will be releasing his first book in 21 years this coming March. The book titled Death & Co is about a boy by the name of Lucas whose dad suddenly dies.

It’s an oldie but goodie. Swedish films that you just can’t miss.

Let The Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in).
The vampire film that already has a Hollywood remake (Let Me In) is considered by the very famous English film magazine Empire to be number 15 when it comes to the 100 Best Films of all time.

In Bed With Santa (Tomten är far till alla barnen)
All I have to say about this one is that if you think you have a dysfunctional family around Christmas, just check this one out.

And there we have it people, the latest of the greatest when it comes to Swedish cinema. I sincerely hope you have enjoyed reading my blog. I hope it’s been a fun read as much of an interesting look at Swedish cinema. Like I wrote in my last post I really don’t know when or even if I’ll be back but with fingers crossed it feel s pretty good.

What will I do now? I’m actually off to Asia for a few months to recharge my batteries. If you would like to follow my journey you may do so here or on my Twitter.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

(And no, that’s NOT me in the video)

Chris Gardner - Film

December 9, 2010

Sleepless in Stockholm

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It’s time to get my gameface on. Its the night before the festival and I really need to sleep. Bright and early tomorrow I’m off to Central station to grab the first train to Uppsala. However I’m restless and want to share something quickly. Ladies and gentlemen. I want to introduce you to the best Swedish film of the year. People, this is Behind Blue Skies. Behind Blue Skies, this is people.

Martin is a young guy that needs a break. He lives with an abusive father and his mom is miserable. His best friend invites him out to Sandhamn. As a “Stockholm for dummies” I can say that Sandhamn is situated on Sandön, an island which is located in the Stockholm Archipelago. There he meets Gösta, who runs the inn where he works. One thing leads to the other and suddenly he’s a part of what later turns out to be the largest drug bust in Swedish history. The film takes place during the 70′s and is based on true events.

This is truly a great film. Everything from the acting to the eye for detail is fantastic. If we skip a very awkward first scene and some weak parts in the middle it would be a Swedish classic. The problems I had with Bill Skarsgårds acting in Simple Simon is basically gone in this film. He carries his own and triumphs as one of the strongest things in Behind Blue Skies.

I hope everybody knows by now that this week I’ll be covering Uppsala Short Film Festival like the paparazzi covers Angelina and Brad. The important stuff will be coming up on the blog but if you’re a sucker for details you can get an even more in-depth look of the festival if you check me out on Twitter. Enough with me jabbering, it’s time for me to get some rest. I have a train to catch.

Chris Gardner - Film

October 25, 2010

Ground control to Major Bill. Take your protein pills and get your acting on

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Simon is NOT having a good time. The scene is from Simple Simon. Photo: NIKLAS JOHANSSON

When discussions over the Academy Award comes up, Swedish film isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Actually it’s not even the second. It may be harsh coming from a SWEDISH film blogger and all but it’s the truth. I wish it rained golden statues over Swedish film but we’re not there, yet. However let us not forget that we do have some excellent films that go a long way and actually make it to the red carpet in Hollywood. We just need that extra push, that extra twist and a little more “umph” or panache if you will.

This year Sweden’s contribution to the Academy Awards is Simple Simon or as it’s named in Sweden, I rymden finns inga känslor, which means “In space there aren’t any emotions”. It’s directed by first timer Andreas Öhman. The film is about an 18 year old kid with Asperger’s syndrome. His name is Simon and he lives at home with his parents. On a daily basis he drives them nuts. The reason for this is that he only listens to his older brother. One day they decide that Simon should move in with his older brother and from that moment on, everything changes. Sam, his older brother, gets dumped because she can’t stand Simon. This gives Simon a mission. He needs to find his brother a new girlfriend. Even if he doesn’t want one.

Sorry, no subtitles.

Could this be the film that brings a little golden man back to Sweden? Yes. Will it? No, but I really hope so. This year the foreign films around the world are really top notch so the competition is hard. However, this film has a huge heart. The story is beautiful and you leave the cinema with a smile so big that you actually forget the weaker parts. I wish the acting was a little better and some scenes a little tighter but overall it was a great little film.

Later this week I will be reviewing Behind Blue Skies (Himlen är oskyldigt blå) and the reason for this, other than both being interesting films, is because the actor Bill Skarsgård is one of the leads in both of them. He is the latest in a long line of Skarsgårds to be a success on the silver screen. All of them are good actors so whatever that family is drinking I hope they never stop. Skarsgård is now a stamp of quality, kind of like the IKEA of acting.

No subtitles here either.

Next week like you (should) know is Uppsala Short Film Festival and I will be all over it. I will try seeing as much as possible and share as much as possible here on the blog. Writing what I think of every single film is something I can not do. It would take way to much time and it would end up with me seeing 3 films the entire week. Don’t worry, modern technology is our friend (most of the time) so I will be using Twitter to cover even more of the festival. There I will give quick thoughts and try to be as up to date as humanly possible. You don’t have to have a Twitter account to read it, but it makes it easier to follow.

See you in a few days.

Chris Gardner - Film

October 21, 2010