Evil - 2003

Movie #125

5 stars

Adapted from a best-selling novel, this Swedish drama follows rebellious teenager Erik (Andreas Wilson) as he's expelled from high school for fighting and sent to the prestigious Stjärsnberg Academy. Having endured many beatings from his father, Erik is dismayed to face a similar threat from the academy's senior students, who bully the younger ones mercilessly. But this time, Erik is determined not to crack and lash out in violence.

Cast: Andreas Wilson, Henrik Lundstrom, Gustaf Skarsgard, Jesper Salen, Marie Richardson, Johan Rabaeus, Kjell Bergqvist, Linda Gyllenberg

Director: Mikael Hafstrom


Tagline: It's time to take a stand.

Filming Location: Stockholm, Sweden

This film is amazing! The viewer first sees Erik as "evil" after he beats up a classmate. The mother is portrayed as a somewhat pitiful character as she simply ignores the beatings that Erik receives from the stepfather. It is evident why Erik is "evil"...he wants to take his pain and suffering and transfer it to other people.

So, why the complete change by Erik? My hypothesis....its the school uniform. Once his mom sells some of her belongings in order to enroll Erik in a boarding school. Erik puts the uniform on and he feels that he can now be someone that is respected.

The viewer sees the good characters as good and the bad characters as reallly bad.

Trivia:

• 120 people turned up for audition of the role of Erik Ponti.
• After the film's final fight scene, Fredrik af Trampe asked a make-up girl take a Polaroid of him in his post-fight make up, which featured blood coming out of his mouth and nostrils. He gave the picture to his mother, who had it framed and still has it on her bedside table.
• The movie is based on a novel by Jan Guillou. Jan Guillou attended a boarding school himself when he was a teenager and the novel is partly based on his own experience

Overall Recommendation: You have gotttt to watch this!!!!!!!!

Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - 2009

Movie #95

5 Stars

Synopsis: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and rebellious computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) team up to investigate the unsolved disappearance of wealthy Henrik Vanger's (Sven-Bertil Taube) teen niece (Ewa Fröling), only to uncover dark secrets about Vanger's powerful family.

Cast: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Sven-Bertil Taube, Peter Haber, Lena Endre, Peter Andersson, Marika Lagercrantz, Ingvar Hirdwall, Björn Granath, Ewa Fröling


Director: Niels Arden Oplev





This movie was awesome. Yes...it is basically 3 hours long but I never had the feeling that you always feel when watching long movies....*ok- i think this could be the ending*...I actually didn't really want it to end....yeah sure I wanted to know who the killer was but the movie held my attention. Noomi Rapace did an excellentttt job. The character is so awesome. There are just so many layers to her that you never really get to know but at the same time its not like you have to know in order to like the character.
Ok- so now I am going to vent a little bit....WHY THE HELL DO THEY NEED TO MAKE AN AMERICAN VERSION?!?!?! All the people out there that don't like to read subtitles...suck it up! Compared to some of the subtitled movies I have watched...this movie is not bad at all. I think they are making a huge mistake...you cannot replicate these performances. And come on...Carey Mulligan as Lisbeth...I don't think so!














Overall recommendation: AMERICA: SUCK IT UP AND READ THE SUBTITLES!!! no wonder this country is slowing going down the shi**er

Trivia: (courtesy of IMDB)
Noomi Rapace took her motorcycle license as a preparation for the movie.

In an interview on the BBC Breakfast programme, Noomi Rapace stated she prepared for seven months for her role. She was on a strict diet, took kick boxing lessons and had her eyebrow and nose pierced.



Just to get a little better picture of how well Noomi transformed herself...