gustafsundberg Reviews

Some Guy Who Kills People (2011)

Not so bad it's good. Only bad in a very good way.

[9/10 · 11 October 2011]

Saw this movie during the Flimmer film-festival i Norrköping, Sweden on the 9th of October 2011.

This movie is about some guy who kills people. There's the main storyline, and it's completely enough for making an intriguing and compelling story.

The movie itself is a perfect blend between a classic B-movie and a block buster movie. The dialogue is a bit cheesy and the special effects simple. However, none of this drags the movie down, instead it adds to the movie, presenting an unique and remarkable experience that is hard to find.

I didn't know any of the actors of this movie before I watched it( well, I've seen Lucy Davis in "The office"). But I must say that all of them did a very good job portraying their characters. Barry Bostwick is incredibly funny as the sheriff, and Kevin Corrigan does a good job playing the slightly disturbed and depressed main character.

But the actor that truly puts on a performance is Ariel Gade. She does a so good job she could be the next Jodie Foster or Dakota Fanning in my opinion (I'm talking about child actors).

This movie is not so bad it's good. It's bad in a good way.

The closest similarity I can find to this movie, is the video-game "Deadly Premonition", which much like this movie, despite technical difficulties manages to tell an amazing and engaging story. Sometimes it's over the top, sometimes it's spot on. In one scene I'm laughing hard, and in another I'm deeply involved concerned about the characters' situation.

The only thing that I would have changed with the movie is the ending, which I thought was a bit abrupt and hastened. Other that that, it's a fun and well done story that has you interested during the whole playtime.

I can recommend this movie to anyone who would fancy some dark comedy, thrilling excitement or just would like something to do on a Friday night. This movie excels in every kind of way, and is well worth a 9/10.

Bobby Fischer Against the World (2011)

Amazingly well-made documentary

[9/10 · 6 October 2011]

Saw this documentary during the "Flimmer Filmfestival" in Norrköping, Sweden on the 6th of October 2011.

I just have to say that this is a great documentary. It follows and explains the life of World Champion Chess player Bobby Fischer, from his childhood to present. Everything from the stunning interviews to the background music in this documentary is so well thought of. It's a documentary that has you on the edge of your seat during the whole playtime, telling an amazing, fun and also sad story about a man that changed the world.

I would recommend anyone to go and see this brilliant depiction of a man's life and his inner struggle with himself. 9/10 stars.

För kärleken (2010)

A good idea, poorly performed

[5/10 · 29 July 2010]

I was very excited when I first heard about this movie, finally a Swedish film that goes in a another direction and has big ambitions. And the fact that Danny Glover acted couldn't surprise me more.

The film is about several people with individual problems taking place during a ordinary day in Sweden. We find an African man and the verge an economical breakdown, a stressed business women, a former TV-star and a struggling father among the cast. These peoples' individual stories is later melted into one, when they by a chance are involved in a car accident.

Now, I have just returned from the cinema and seen the movie, and I am unfortunately rather displeased.

The acting is sometimes to much and not much is impressing despite a good line-up of Swedish (and one American) actors. The script feels silly at times and the execution of the events that takes place sometimes feels rather unbelievable.

The theme about immigration, discrimination and racism shines through too much at times making the movie a annoying school book instead of a cleverly told story.

It's sad because I had high hopes for this film, but now I just feel a big empty "nothing". It didn't spoke to me at all and had some serious flaws. The only actor that gives a great performance is according to me Ulf Brunnberg that portrays the old worn out TV-profile.

"Dear Alice", or "För kärleken" as it's called in Sweden doesn't manage to impress me,but it's still a positive try for Swedish movie industry. Therefore i give this movie 5 out of 10 points.

Panic Room (2002)

Nice start....

[5/10 · 18 April 2010]

But unfortunately it continues in a bad performance throughout the movie. Jodie Foster doesn't exactly do her best performance, and the same goes with Withtaker. Although these two people were the movie's good parts. The rest is just a confusing mess with a bunch of plot-holes.

The entire script is just an annoying piece of fail which unfortunately keep the viewer looking for holes. So I will, as most people already have done, make a list of things I found strange with this movie.

1,Why doesn't the burglars use the microphone close to the bed? 2,Wouldn't it be more appropriate with a common surveillance system like all other houses, instead of a locked room without any food? 3, Why doesn't the movie handle daughter's diabetic problem? It just appears out of nowhere 4,How did her husband get in? Why didn't they at least lock the front door? 5, Why does Withtaker let go of the money when it is safely inside his collar? He could try to stash them or at least keep them. 6, How could the burglar that got hit with the sledgehammer survive? How could he walk after falling down 4 meters? How could he after this have the powers to assault a woman when his hand is completely destroyed? 7, What is the purpose of stealing the money? Who has stashed it? Why is it there? 8, Why does Jodie walk right past her husband when she sees him lying "dead" on the bed? 9, Why does the criminals accept that Jodie destroys the camera system? She could potentially bring the police. 10, Why doesn't the daughter stab the two men with the syringe earlier? 11, Why is Jodie's face so weird in the end just before they cut to black? What does she see? It just stops so sudden.

You could probably fill in with more stuff. I just did this to ease my heart a bit, and somehow prove my point.

Bottom line: This movie has some good parts. I really liked the opening credits, the magnificent camera work and the CGI. But this movie doesn't get onto you. It doesn't play on your emotional strings. Predictable plot, blatant characters and a bunch of plot-holes makes it hard for this film to really suck you in and make you participate in the action.

I give this movie a 5 out of a 10, because it's still a entertaining flick, at least it gives you one or two laughs ;).

Gustaf

I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

Confusion when Carrey and Macgregor hits the big screen

[6/10 · 27 February 2010]

My expectations for this movie wasn't high. To be honest I had no expectations at all. But the cinema was fully booked and I were glad when I found the last two tickets to the premiere.

On arrival I noticed that there were about 12 people seated. Something that gave me a odd feeling. Jim Carrey has always been a personal favourite of mine, and I try to watch his more "non-physical" (You know what I'm talking about) movies as fast as I can. And this one was no exception.

I love you Philip Morris is about a con-man named Steven Russell, who after a car-crash decides to live a new kind of life, a life as gay. He ends up in prison and meets another homosexual man, called Philip Morris. Together they start a new life as partners.

Throughout the film I had troubles determine where it was going. Was this supposed to be a serious drama or a hilarious comedy? In the beginning we are told jokes with sexual innuendos and we watch Jim Carrey hurt himself in different ways. But after a while it's a totally different impression that the viewer receives. I feel that this movie has troubles in defining what it wants to say and be.

Regarding the gay theme, you can expect some pretty shocking scenes. But I think that the movie still give the Homosexual man a fair chance. It's not those stereotypical gay characters you use to see in other movies. Of course there are some pretty predictable gestures and voices uttered by Jim and Evan. But it's still a human portrait of two persons and their love that "crosses all boarders".

This is a pretty good movie but I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed when the credits rolled. Some of the jokes are funny, some of them are not. Don't expect either a new Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind or a hysterical Ace Ventura. It's good, but it's not great.

Therefore I give "I love you Philip Morris" 6 out of 10

c/o Segemyhr (1998–2004)

Amazing comedy!

[9/10 · 6 November 2009]

I do not agree with any of the following writers. C/o Segemyrh is a hilarious sitcom, In my opinion, one of the best. And which TV program doesn't have a laughing track nowadays? You can see it almost everywhere, even from studios where the audience is at the current location ("Hål i väggen"). I really don't think that Johan Ulvesson or Olle Sarri overact at all, they are both playing two very energetic characters so I think they are doing a great job. Swedish comedy can't get any better than this. Great plot, funny jokes and a nice mix of actors make this a truly worth-watching series.

Maybe it's a bit hard to understand all of the jokes for a foreign person, but being a swede, this is some funny stuff :)

Except from season 4, which i think is awfully bad ;)

Wanted (2008)

Middle Milk

[5/10 · 12 September 2008]

Just back from watching Wanted on the premiere. It started off pretty good but after about 30 minutes i knew what was waiting. Lots of bullet time scenes, slow motion, you name it... fun in the beginning but a bit tiring in the end.

The story is quite hard to really take seriously as with a couple of scenes, the whole cinema laughed AT the movie when the main character got badly hurt ( of course in slow motion:P). Angelina Jolie doesn't say much and Morgan Freeman is not at his best.

Have you seen "Snatch"? It got loads of nice camera angles and clipping techniques but when this movie tries it just get confusing... OK, it's not totally worthless, the special effects is good and....yeah, good special effects.

I liked the end but had a hard time with the rest. This is what we in Sweden say about a movie that is not great or bad... Middle milk.

//

Gustaf