The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

David Fincher couldn't resist making his own film adaptation of the wildly successful mystery novels (I've heard they read exactly like the movies...) even though the original (released just 2 years previous) was very well made and popular.

This version is no tamer than the Swedish version. It is brutally graphic in its telling of the investigation into serial/ritual murders, Lisbeth's abuse, and the original mystery of the missing girl. The acting and style are stellar with an unrelenting pace.

I still can't figure out why they had to make another almost identical version, but it was well done none the less.

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Fanny och Alexander (1982)

Fanny and Alexander is one of Ingmar Bergman's most celebrated films. It is the intimate account of a brother and sister born into the aristocracy of 19th century Sweden. The story begins at Christmas time where opulence is exposed as a deep root for the sadness in the family. It carries through a death into the bleak and cheerless world of a bishop's manse. The third chapter of this grand film is punctuated by the surreal inside a Jewish home.

Bergman helps us interpret these worlds through the discerning eyes of children. One does not necessarily leave the film filled with hope making it tough to watch at times. The engaged viewer should finish with more wisdom though, making it quite worthwhile.

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Luftslottet som sprängdes (2009)

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is the final installation of the Millenium series and it culminates with the recovering and mysterious Lisbeth standing trial for murders. The trilogy moves from a mystery disconnected to our heroine in book/movie I to a focus on the identity of our heroine in book/move III.

As I mentioned in the last review of Played with Fire, the implausibility of the whole story detracts from what could be a far more engaging story. That conceded, it is an exciting albeit disturbing conclusion to a fascinating character sketch.

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Flickan som lekte med elden (2009)

The intense follow up to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Lisbeth is now the tracked as she is accused of murders related to a sex trafficking ring. She keeps her ally from the first movie at an arms length as they both search for the real culprits.

The Girl Who Played with Fire continues the theme of independence, strength, and justice only to demonstrate again that none of these is completely possible, despite their ability to drive a superhero story like this one.

The movie is pretty cool because it's set in Sweden instead of New York or L.A. or London. It's also blatantly far-fetched which both adds to the intensity and kicks it down a couple notches in my mind because it's more difficult to buy in.

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Låt den rätte komma in (2008)

Let the Right One In is an intimate and gory tale of revenge and love. It is far less glamourous than other vampire movies made - kind of gritty like the Night Watch and Day Watch films from Russia - perhaps because it comes from Sweden, not the United States.

A boy, low on the social status at school, befriends a new neighbour girl who doesn't leave her apartment much. Her father involves himself in collecting fresh blood in some of the most graphic and disturbing scenes of any film I've seen - his daughter feeds on the blood as she is an ancient and lonely vampire.

The relationship between the two young ones is both disturbing and comforting. Not an easy film by any means and there does run the risk of glorifying some of the violence, but I believe the frankness of the scenes pushes us from enjoying them. I'm not a vampire flick fan, but the film is very well made.

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Så som i himmelen (2004)

This Swedish film, As it is in Heaven, is one of the most beautiful stories of restoration and sacrifice I have ever been told.

A famous classical musician returns to his boyhood home when his health diminishes. Though he seeks solitude and an opportunity to enjoy the natural world, he is seduced into leading the local tiny church choir. As the choir develops, the town is changed.

The final seconds of the film are perhaps the most poignant and subtle moments of any film. I loved it! I shouldn't have lost the Academy Award to The Sea Inside.

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Män som hatar kvinnor (2009)

Tremendous Swedish film! They will have to do extremely well to match this with the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It's quite brutal throughout the film, but it doesn't gloss over the subjects like so many American films do with similar subjects.

The tough girl recedes now and then and we see a hurt, coping young woman. I look forward to the sequels to see how her journey goes.

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