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Reviews
Himlens hjärta (2008)
Clever intimate play
I saw this movie on the premier at the Berlinale Festival and liked it a lot. It felt a little like watching a theater play: only four characters and two settings. It showed some really good acting of all four -well known Swedish - actors. Especially with all the close ups and the lack of much "physical acting". The story has a really clever twist right at the beginning which sets the course for the following events.
The two couples - Susanna and Lars / Ulf and Ann - have a discussion over dinner about cheating. Lars and Ann say that they never even thought about cheating and that they cannot approve of it it any case. Susanna and Ulf say that they might approve of it, when one really falls in love with someone else. They say one has to follow ones heart even if it ends your marriage. Lars and Ann are shocked that their spouses think that way. They fear that they cannot trust their partners anymore. That and the lack of passion in their relationships leads to an affair between Lars and Ann. They really fall in love because they understand each other and finally get the affection they longed for along time. Susanne and Ulf don't suspect anything, but soon Lars confesses the affair to his wife Susanna. Despite what Susanna said on that first dinner night (Follow your heart even if you have to sacrifice your marriage!), she doesn't show any understanding for her husband and her friend now that she is being betrayed...see for yourself how that ends. I don't know if I liked the ending - it sure is not what you expect. This movie can be compared to Mike Nichols' "Closer", it's just more realistic.
När mörkret faller (2006)
Very Intense
I saw this movie just last week on the Berlin International Film Festival because it's a Swedish movie and I had the chance to watch in original language there. I did not know anything about it and was very surprised how good it was! Although it started at 9:30 p.m. and was very long (134 Minutes), it never gets boring and it was truly worth staying up so late. It was very intense and gripping! Especially the episode about the "honour murder" where a young woman is killed by her own family because she dishonored the family by having a boyfriend. Her sister is traumatized and struggles to deal with that. When she decides to go to the police she puts her own life in danger.
But also the other stories are great: A female prize winning and tough journalist has experienced domestic violence for many years until she finally has the courage to report her husband to the police. Since her husband worked for the same newspaper and was a journalist, too she looses her friends and colleagues because they believe that she only exaggerated.
And the owner of a disco witnessed an shooting in front of his location in which one of his bouncers who is a very good friend gets shot in the leg. He refuses to take money from the shooter for not testifying although all other witnesses do so. As a consequence he has to live in fear for himself and the ones he loves.
I recommend this movie to people who liked the other movies from the same director Nilsson (Den tredje vagen - The Third Wave) and "L.A. Crash".
I see a lot of movies and have already seen many of this years Oscar Nominees. But none of the movies I saw lately moved me like this one. That film really would deserve a nomination next year. I don't understand why it wasn't in the competition here in Berlin!
I hope the movie will come to the cinemas in many countries, at least here in Germany. I deserves to be seen.