2 Swedish films you must see!

Sweden, known as a peaceful country that offers great offshore accounts, is also known for world renown films.  Ingmar Bergman (Fanny and Alexander, Wild Strawberries) and my favorite Swedish director, Lasse Halstrom (My Life as a Dog, Cider House Rules) are filmmakers that focus on relationships whether they be twisted, unhealthy and the family next door. 

The following two films delves deep into the relationships of people and how sometimes friendships brings strange bedfellows.  Let The Right One In (1993), is a movie that was released in a micro-small amount of theatres.  A movie about a boy named Oskar, who befriends a little girl who happens to be a vampire.  The movie is Fright Night meets My Life is a Dog.   It’s a horror film but what makes you horrified is the fact that you really care about the two main characters.  We don’t see this in American horror films; usually we hate all the victims and root for that one female character that is not as obnoxious as the rest of the cast. 

Director Tomas Alfredson reinvigorates the vampire genre with this scary and interesting film based on a popular European novel.  Children with adult problems have been a common theme but when injected with horror, it takes the genre to another level.  The following scene is a sample of that kind of storytelling.  The movie is available on DVD and Netflix BUT PLEASE NOTE: There is an American version that has mixed reviews, stick to the original and please don’t be turned off by the subtitles.  

WARNING THE CLIP BELOW IS THE FINALE SCENE, I WAS TRYING TO ADD ANOTHER SCENE, WITH NO SUCCESS!  SORRY!

Our second film is Evil (Ondskan), directed by Mikael Hafstrom and it was nominated for best foreign film in 2004. It is a dark tale that tackles the issue of anger management. It doesn’t offer solutions but it does portray the cause and effects of violence. In fact, you can call it the Swedish Clockwork Orange to an extent.

Without giving too much away (I never do) the protagonist of the film is a violent and real talented fighter at his school. His mother realizes she must step in before she loses his son through his rage and sends him to an expensive boarding school. Erik’s mother has sold many of her belonging to pay for the school and makes him promise not to cause trouble, to go to school and study without incident. Unfortunately, there are sadistic rich students, who are evil, disgusting and arrogant. Erik must make a decision in how to handle his new environment without breaking a promise to his mother.

Evil is at times difficult to watch and every character has a flaw. But the brutality and honesty of the film is what makes you watch from beginning to end.

Both films can be found on netflix and feel free to shoot me a message whether you like the film or not!