ChristofferSlotte Reviews

Stormskerry Maja (2024)

Great film! Beautiful, moving, stays with you a long time

[10/10 · 19 January 2024]

The TV series about this story came out in 1975 and was a masterpiece. My expectations for this version were therefore not high. A modern Maja for our time, it was said. Will they change the whole story, perhaps?

How wrong I was! One part of the movie in the middle could maybe have been shortened a little bit but otherwise the film was perfect. Maja was very different here than 49 years ago. She was stronger and happier and had a greater sense of humor. She was also more playful. I don't know what kind of woman the real Maja was (yes, there was a real Maja and a real Janne!) but I guess she must have been very much like this Maja. The actors playing Maja and Janne were perfect.

Some key scenes were very different in this version compared to the 1975 version, but they were no less moving. One of the most moving episodes from the 1975 version was in fact longer and more detailed here and left a greater impression on me. Director Tiina Lymi added details that were literally surprising, but they added to the beauty of the film. In one scene I really wondered what on earth the director was thinking. That very scene was one of the strongest in the whole movie, so Lymi knew what she was doing! They couldn't have done that in 1975. The budget probably would not have allowed it.

Any scenes that were left out from this new version did not hurt the story in my opinion. The incidents that moved me the most in 1977 when I saw the series were all in this version - different but still very powerful.

Lapua 1976 (2023)

A moving film with a message

[9/10 · 2 September 2023]

This is a story about various people in Lapua in Finland in April 1976. Their lives are affected by an explosion in a local factory. I remember this day very well. It was the largest accident in Finland after WW II, I think. Finland literally stopped that day.

This movie is very moving and I honestly think it is one of the best Finnish movies I have seen in a long time. It transferred me to this small community and I felt that I almost became a part of these people's lives.

The music was haunting at times and reminded me of the music used in Titanic and Pearl Harbor. When this music comes you sort of stop, stand still and reflect.

Song of Norway (1970)

Loved this movie!

[9/10 · 9 July 2020]

I saw this movie again after it got a proper DVD release and loved it. Now I realize how beautiful Norway is! I was there once but there were no fiords or mountains where I was. Now I also realize how beautiful Grieg's music is - when you listen to it while seeing the beauty of Norway! This is a great movie in my opinion.

Tolkien (2019)

great and moving film

[9/10 · 4 May 2019]

I was fortunate enough to work as an extra in one of Dome Karukoski's films in 2008, so naturally I wanted to know how my director has progressed.

This is a moving film about the author's youth and his passion for languages and fairy tales. I recognized myself. I also love fairy tales and have a passion for movies instead of languages, as Tolkien had.

The film shows the importance of following your dreams and also the importance of strong friendship and the bonds between friends and how wars can hurt us.

The keywords of the film are passion, dreams, bonds.

Moving and engaging film, great locations, fine acting and fine directing. I hope Dome gets a chance to direct more international films in the future.

First Man (2018)

Great movie. The actual moon landing almost made me cry. (Very minor spoilers)

[10/10 · 12 October 2018]

Apollo 13 was great. So was this movie. It is a movie about the space program and about the hardships that the astronauts faced and about Neil as a person. The actual moon landing was supposed to be a climax. It is indeed a climax. I felt I was there. Exciting, dramatic and also a history lesson.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Spectacular!

[10/10 · 11 December 2013]

Nr 1 was spectacular. This one was SPECTACULAR with capital letters. It felt like 5 hrs but not because it was boring. Oh no, on the contrary. It felt longer because there simply was so much going on. Just like in the old Republic serials there seemed to be a spectacular action scene almost every 5 minutes. I may be wrong, but I wonder if this one even had almost as much action as the 3 LOTR movies taken together. The rest was magnificent, too. The characters, sets and locations etc. I just can't understand HOW they could pull off something as spectacular as this. There should be limits to what you can achieve - but maybe there aren't

Where Once We Walked (2011– )

Interesting series about people in Helsinki in the early 1900s

[9/10 · 5 January 2012]

I have grown up in Helsinki, which I feel will always be my home. That is why I watched this TV series with great interest. The book, which I still haven't read, is long and in my opinion the series should have been longer in order to incorporate everything. But maybe that just wasn't possible.

I'm still grateful for the series and think it was well-made and well- played. It showed one of the darkest parts of our city's history and the people who were young at that time. It was therefore easy for me to relate to the protagonists. I worked in the series myself for only one evening but would like to express a great thanks to those who really made it - the director and the main actors + all the others. My wish is that we will one day see a longer version maybe on DVD that would include possible deleted scenes from the series or from the earlier released feature film version.

I for once felt the magic of my beloved hometown while watching this series. When I see old photos of Helsinki or read about days gone by there is a certain warm and longing feeling that comes over me. I also feel it in certain parts of Helsinki where once I walked and will walk again and again and it's a very strong feeling. I wondered prior to watching this series if that feeling would come over me again while watching. It did - and with such an intensity that I'll read the book in order to get more of it.

Some people have complained about the violent scenes during the civil war. Should they have been cut? I don't think so. War is cruel and civil war in particular. I think we should all be told what happened and how cruel it indeed was.

A previous reviewer wrote that you don't hear any Finnish in this series and thus get the impression that nobody speaks Finnish in Helsinki. This impression is wrong, of course, since the majority of the people here are Finnish-speaking. But on the other hand, as local a film expert here has stated: While watching hundreds of other Finnish movies you will hear no Swedish spoken, which also gives a wrong impression of Helsinki.

False Trail (2011)

Very intense, very exciting

[18 November 2011]

Sundvall's movies often deal with the same theme: A lone person fighting against an evil establishment. Nevertheless, he always succeeds in making great movies. This movie, too, was very exciting and very intense. It was even more intense then Jägarna 1, its predecessor. The acting was first- rate. Especially Lassgård and Stormare did absolutely magnificent jobs.

The nature sceneries were great to watch, too, especially for me who have never yet seen that part of Sweden or Finland.

I'm most likely going to buy this one when it is (very soon) released on DVD and blu-ray.

Arn: The Knight Templar (2007)

Better than I expected

[9/10 · 20 January 2008]

I heard this movie didn't get the best kinds of reviews so I decided to watch it while in Stockholm.

...minor spoilers coming...

I was wrong. It was magical and it actually seemed even better a few days after I watched it. Don't expect another Gladiator or Kingdom of Heaven. These movies were fantastic but this one was quite different, but not the least bit less good. As someone here pointed out you will not see big battles like in Gladiator but a medieval epic can be good even without these huge battles, can it not? I am a big fan of medieval action so I know what I am talking about.

Fortunately (?) I never read the books so I can't compare the movie to them. I also liked the actors chosen for the film. They were not too well-known and therefore good choices.

I'm glad the film was shot in Sweden and not in Eastern Europe. The Swedish locations were absolutely right for this film and Romanian or Slovakian locations (who ARE otherwise fabulous) would have been wrong for this particular film.

The Nativity Story (2006)

Very good

[9/10 · 15 November 2006]

I liked this film. If you like traditional biblical films faithful to the Bible, this movie is for you. My opinion is that Jesus should be portrayed with respect and truthfulness (which wasn't the case with Last Temptation of Christ in 1988). In this movie he was portrayed as just as he should be.

Very minor spoiler ahead The film also contained many episodes not mentioned in the Bible, but these episodes most certainly occurred with the principals in the story (for instance Mary being afraid to marry a man she didn't know etc.). In this way, the film gives depth to this so familiar story. Catherine Hardwicke has done a great job.

Lupaus (2005)

Great film! A hymn to the brave women in WW II

[10/10 · 28 December 2005]

This is a great film. It tells the story of two sisters + a friend of them who all three served in the Lotta organization during the Finnish-Russian wars in 1939-40 and 1941-44.

The film shows how hardships, difficulties and death change a person and how you can cope with practically unbearable situations when you are forced to. Very few films, if any, have been made about the "lottas". The film The Unknown Soldier was about the Finnish soldier. This film is, as someone pointed out, about the unknown lotta.

The three young main actresses were great. I'm sure we will see more of them in the future.

MINOR SPOILER AHEAD

On interesting point: the so called Porkkala parenthesis (Porkkala was surrendered to the Russians and the inhabitants there had to move.) gets a place in the film, too.

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Best Emmerich movie I've seen!

[13 May 2004]

I enjoyed Independence Day and Godzilla - the only Emmerich movies I have seen. This one was even better.

We have seen the trailers I don't know how many times and I was afraid that there would be nothing more to see in the actual film. I was wrong. There is a lot more.

The suspense builds up nicely, the special effects are great and what you see is truly spectacular.

In movies like this it often happens that the effects become the main thing and that the characters aren't developed. This was not the case with this movie. We get to know main characters and we care about them.

Another positive point about Day After Tomorrow: it has no violence, no sex and no foul language and is still very enjoyable.

I have a feeling this is going to be a big box office hit.

Elina: As If I Wasn't There (2002)

Great film

[13 March 2003]

I am used to action movies and to movies about the power of vengeance. This is a movie about the power of forgiveness. Everyone should see it.

It is photographed in northern Sweden in a very beautiful landscape. The actors, especially the little girl protagonist, are just great.

Gladiator (2000)

10+ (out of 10)

[25 May 2000]

I have waited for this movie almost a year. It's easy to be disappointed then. I was not. I have seen the movie twice, and will see it again.

Actually, we have seen it all before: We saw Titanic go down in many movies, but never as realistically as in the movie from 1997. We saw D-day in The Longest Day, but when we saw Saving Pvt. Ryan in 1998 we felt we were there. We have seen gladiators fight and ancient Rome hundreds of times, but this was something different. Why? Because of the possibilities of modern technique. You actually felt you could almost smell what you saw.

But Gladiator wasn't just special effects - it was a dramatic story as well.

Ridley Scott, I thank you for bringing back the genre I love so much, the historical epic. Let's hope the era for these films starts again.

There is only one bad thing with this film: it will lose very much on the small TV screen. See it on the big screen while you can!

Ben-Hur (1959)

THE film

[12 May 2000]

Together with The ten commandments (1956), this is THE film. It has everything: story, sceneries, drama, message, the greatest action scene ever filmed (the race) and even a humorous scene. I have watched it 16 times and will absolutely watch it another 16 times. You never get bored with this movie. Unfortunatley, it shouldn't be seen on a small video screen - where you usually watch it nowadays.

Without Warning (1980)

GREAT

[18 April 2000]

I'm probably a bit odd, but I just loved this film. It is one of the very best horror movies I have seen. So far, I have seen it at least six times. I can't explain why. It has that "something". It is scary, eerie, it has a good-looking heroine and the monster shows up in the end and the tension also builds up towards the end.