Trondheim’s International Film festival is at an end, and I had an absolutely fabulous time. I watched a lot of movies, though I wish I’d seen even more. Here is a list of the movies I saw, with links to the reviews posted on radiorevolt.no! The dice rolls are in parenthesis, with a short explanation after.
Category: movie
Getaway From Me
Movie: Drive (2011)
I had heard nothing but good things about this film, and many have urged me to check it out. Turns out, it’s actually quite polarizing. A trip to metacritic’s user reviews turns up a score of zeros and tens, with practically no middle-ground. Drive is essentially a stylized – what some would call artsy – film with no substance, at least none I could find. So, I guess you’ll like it if it’s your style.
Kosmorama: Trondheim’s International Film-festival
This week we at Filmofil, Radio Revolt, are covering Kosmorama. I’ll be watching as many movies as I can. Please cross your fingers that my cold doesn’t get any worse. Last night I saw The Woman in Black and I have a feeling its impact was dulled thanks to the pounding in my head.
If you want to keep yourself up to date, go to radiorevolt.no for all the latest reviews, updated as we watch them!
On Saturday, or Sunday, I’ll do a big round-up here with links to all the movies I saw. There are four of us, however, so there’s LOTS more to read and enjoy!
The Film with the uncomfortable scenes
Movie: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011, aka the American version) 
We continue my quest to watch the Oscar winners with the remaking of the Swedish hit, based on the novel by Stieg Larsson. If you don’t remember which Oscar it won, that’s because it was Best Film Editing, which I actually don’t agree with, but more on that later. Before we get to the review, we need full disclosure: I have not seen the Swedish version, nor have I read the books.
Good things come to those who wait
Movie: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
A true spy movie that gives us nothing cheaply, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is packed so full of talent that its only true loss is that it can’t give enough screen time to all the actors. The first half might be a tad confusing and for some it might appear slow and bloated (or maybe even pretentious or Oscar baiting) but for the patient movie-goer it’s a riveting portrayal of a group of ordinary men in extraordinary jobs.
Radio Review: This Means War.
Some people might not know this yet, but I am actually on the radio! Radio Revolt is the student radio in Trondheim, and I am part of their awesome movie show: Filmofil. I will be doing on average one review every week. All in Norwegian of course, but I can give you a tagline in English here and the dice roll.
This weeks movie was This Means War, an action rom-com starring Chris Pine, Tom Hardy and Reese Witherspoon. In all honestly, I wish this movie had just cut off the rom part and just gone with action comedy. I think Pine and Hardy could have made a fine duo.
Dice roll: 3
Initiating Unnecessary Third Sequel
Movie: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)
Hollywood never wants a franchise to end, and that’s perfectly understandable from a economic point of view: franchises are brand recognition. The advertising is halfway done before you’ve even started. That’s why we’re getting a Spiderman reboot, and why the Borne Trilogy is getting revamped with a new Borne – incidentally starring Jeremy Renner, who plays a key role in Mission Impossible 4: appealing to the younger generation. He’s not replacing Cruise, but he’s there to make sure everyone has someone to drool over. Let’s face facts, Tom Cruise may still be an A-list actor, but he’s on the same slippery slope Bruce Willis, Stallone and the others have already slid down. He’s not sliding just yet, mind, but it’s clear he could not have carried the male lead alone, even though he tries to steal the show as much as possible.
Bald guys are sexy
Movie: 50/50 (2011)
It was on The Daily Show I first heard about the movie 50/50. Seth Rogen was on, and he talked about how he and his friend Will Reiser wanted to tell a cancer story that was a bit different. Will Reiser himself had cancer, and drew on his experiences while writing. It shows in the finished product, especially in the dialogue. It’s personal and emotional, but also funny and truthful. The only downside is that it does seem to lack the depth it aimed for.
A movie with too much time on its hands
Movie: In Time (2011)
Despite my opinion that The Social Network is a well-made yet overrated movie, it did show me that Justin Timberlake could act, so I was looking forward to seeing him in a starring role. The idea behind In Time seemed exciting as well: a world where people live until they’re 25 and then get one year on their clock, with the ability to buy/earn more. Time literally becomes money, and the rich become essentially immortal while the poor struggle while keeping track of their hours, minutes and seconds.
Swing and Miss
Movie: Sucker Punch (2011).
From what little I’ve come across about this movie, I’ve gathered it’s a love it or hate it kind of experience. I admit I had a few love it moments during the course of my viewing, but in the end this movie failed to draw me in. It also confused me needlessly without the usual corresponding fascination that deliberately confusing films tend to strive for. I’m also very sorry, for I can never ignore a good pun: it’s a swing and miss for Sucker Punch.
Film Dice 