The arrow of cosmic seeds

At least when it comes to the characters, it's a bit like a madhouse. Although the film has macabre humor and Nordic irony, it has a rather serious and dark undertone. Here, we simultaneously laugh at life, celebrate it, and explore the impact of tragedy on the human psyche. Anders Thomas Jensen (Riders of Justice, Adam's Apples) is the next figure in the line of notable Danish filmmakers.

Two shades of mythical coldness

I read David Howarth's book Die Alone (1955) and noticed that it has been made into two films. Arne Skouen's Nine Lives (1957) and this Harald Zwart's The 12th Man (2017). An incredibly amazing survival story about a Norwegian soldier who, instead of carrying out a planned sabotage mission, flees the Nazis in perhaps the most barren and unforgiving terrain in the world. It also tells of people's selfless desire to help, even at the risk of the helpers risking their own lives and the lives of their families. The film is also excellent.

Born in a balloon

While vacationing in England, a Canadian man is suddenly embroiled in international espionage and is suspected of murdering a young woman! And the whole of Britain is after him. The trip to London has suddenly become a nightmare! 9 Steps, from 1935, is a wonderfully crafted suspense film by Alfred Hitchcock.

A headache to eternity

Although it took several years before the notorious terrorist leader Osama bin Laden was captured, this documentary is a great testament to the intense intelligence work that went into finding and killing him. Slow but very determined research work by CIA analysts. And finally, a precision-executed operation by special forces.

Going to buried in the frozen ground

Such a wicked fun to watch. A very genre-conscious and action-packed war film. While the previous movie Sisu (2022) focused on killing Nazis, now the fucking Russians get their share in Sisu: Road to Revenge. A lonely and very quiet, but honest and stubborn Finnish warrior, he cares little about the superior enemy and simply crushes them one by one to get his way. Nothing more than straightforward action, but works amazingly well.

Unfinished bloodshed

This isn't the first Korean film to combine naive humor with a serious suspense story. And let's be honest, it hasn't worked before. The film is about chasing a serial killer and the story is also dulled by overly long fight scenes. A well-made thriller otherwise.

Cursed with wickedness

Frankly, it's pretty shitty. A fantasy adventure film about the coexistence of humans and troll-like creatures on a remote island. There is hardly any background to the story or characters, and therefore the film does not engage the viewer at any point.

Throw caution to the thoughtless wind

Danish Christian's son has joined ISIS in Syria and to get her back he is pretending to be a heretic. Even participating in their atrocities. But how do you wean a boy from fundamentalist brainwashing in a violent kingdom of infidels? This is a pretty good attempt to portray an exceptionally cruel group and ideology, but overall it falls a bit flat, and it's not particularly thrilling. 

Life is filled with its little miseries

Withstood the test of time exceptionally well. Although they have had their share of hits with Airplane, The Naked Gun and Police Squad!, Top Secret (1984) is one of Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker and David Zucker's most enjoyable films. An American rock and roll icon travels to perform behind the Iron Curtain and suddenly finds himself part of a counter-revolution. The ageless and utterly hilarious jokes and Val Kilmer's brilliant performance make this a cult classic.

It's hell to pay when the fiddler stops

Movies are too long these days, you could skip half an hour of each without anyone noticing and then you get this short 18-minute short film that you could easily watch for two hours! The Singers is an incredibly captivating and beautiful story about a group of men in a suburban bar wondering who sings the best. The men's interaction brings sunlight and magic to the dark drinking den.