Category Archives: Norwegian

Norwegian

The Trip(2021) Movie Review

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Lisa and Lars have been going through a rough patch in their marriage. They decide to spend some time together at Lars’s father’s lakeside cabin to patch things up… except that neither intends to do that; they each plan to murder the other for the insurance money! It won’t be as easy as either of them think with each gaining the upper hand at times. Then a treat emerges that endangers both of them; Petter, Dave and Roy, a trio of escaped killers were hiding in the attic and now plan to do unpleasant things to Lisa and Lars. Things are about to get nasty.

If you like your comedy pitch black then this is for you. The plot may not have great depth but serves to first put the leads at each other’s throats before introducing a threat to them both. The earlier scenes in the cabin are laugh out loud funny. This means when the unpleasantness in the basement starts it is quite a shock as it threatens to go into ‘Straw Dogs’ territory. The humour does return; much of it at the same time as we witness wince inducing violence. The various weapons employed are quite original as well as guaranteeing a lot of gory damage. The cast is solid; most obviously Noomi Rapace and Aksel Hennie as Lisa and Lars respectively. The setting was great; scenic and remote enough to mean we can believe the activities won’t be seen or heard by others. Overall I’d definitely recommend this to fans of gory comedies; it was even better than I’d hoped.

These comments are based on watching the film in Norwegian with English subtitles.

Review by Tweekums

Norwegian

The Ash Lad: In the Hall of the Mountain King (2017)

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So, Norwegian critics have been pretty much butchering this movie. Which is a little strange. On the other hand, Norwegian movie critics don’t typically like this kind of movie. No. Boring, dark, dramatic movies that no one (other than the critics) really wants to see, that’s what they like! So when someone tries to make an entertaining movie, a movie that sort of breaks the mold, oh yeah, let’s reign fire down upon it!

Anyway!

Askeladden (or Ash Lad as it is internationally) starts off really good. It looks great. I like the visual style. Very strong colors, (something critics have been complaining about), nice nature shots, some cool set pieces. I thought it suited the story very well.

It’s very well paced, never boring. Has some actually pretty awesome scenes. There is especially one scene, or sequence that I just loved. It’s really cool, and the rest of the movie can’t quite keep up, because it’s that cool. But that’s my personal opinion of course.

The acting is decent for the most part. Some of the actors speak in a different dialect than they actually have, so for a language person like me, some lines are a little stiff. The script is not the best, but I don’t think it’s that important. This is a family movie, more for kids than adults, and I don’t think the dialogue is that extremely important. (unlike other critics)

There are lots of references to different fairy tales, exactly what I wanted. There are also several effect shots, which I thought was pretty damn good. Maybe once or twice, it’s not quite as good as it could have been, but that’s a very minor issue.

I liked the first half or so the best, but all in all I was entertained. I hope this one does well in the theaters, because I want more!

Review by Finfrosk86

Norwegian

Next Door (2005)

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Naboer tells the story of John, having recently been left by his girlfriend, he retreats into self imposed isolation in his somewhat claustrophobic apartment. As the story unfolds (some parts in flashback) John is approached by his alluring neighbor who seduces/drags him into an underworld of sadism and mysterious undercurrents of retribution for something John does not yet understand. Definitely unique in it’s storytelling, Naboer treads on well told paths of scorned women terrorizing unsuspecting man, adding it’s own twist which is sure to leave you replaying the movie in your mind.

Naboer is like a full bodied wine who’s bouquet unfolds slowly in your mouth and just when you thought you had it figured, the aftertaste hits your senses and shocks you into the realization of what you have really been drinking. I have to admit that there were times, even when I had the movie figured it out, that I was concerned it would turn into a patronizing “gee see how we fooled ya!” moment. However, the director pulled it off. With a clever blend of atmosphere and suspense, the movie relies less on your powers of observation and strives more to tickle your senses and ultimately leave you with an uneasy, somewhat grotesque feeling as it winds to a close. Rather than slowly drag out the ending, he drops it right on your head and then allows the explanation to seep slowly from the screen making an all too simple answer seem unbelievably full bodied and satisfying.

The kicker to this film is the incredible 112 minute running time! Had this dragged out for another hour, no doubt this would have left a sour taste. Instead you are thoroughly engrossed in the pace and momentum and knowing that the film must race to reach it’s conclusion only heightens the anticipation and elevates the sense of closure.

I would compare this film certainly to Polanski in it’s sense of style and cinematography, but also to Christopher Nolan’s Memento in the way that it delivers a one-two punch desert after a very satisfying meal.

The acting is superb with a stand out performance by Kristoffer Joner, making an unlikable protagonist compelling and empathetic. The rest of the cast is fantastic and quite realistic playing some very tense, scary and perverse characters.

See it, experience it, and then look forward to more of what this director has to offer.

Review by MovieMaddis