Author: Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen

Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen is an aspiring film and television critic from Denmark. Jeffrey graduated from the University of Copenhagen in 2018, and he holds a Master of Arts degree in English Studies with a minor in Film and Media Studies. Harry Potter fans will want to know that he is a Ravenclaw. Star Wars fans will be interested in knowing that he loves Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Cineastes will want to know that his favorite film of the first decade of the 21st Century is Guillermo Del Toro's El Laberinto del Fauno.

REVIEW: Klovn: The Final (2020)

Danish Theatrical Release Poster — Nordisk Film

The following is a review of Klovn: The Final — Directed by Mikkel Nørgaard.

The Final is the third and supposedly final film entry in the wildly popular Danish comedy series known as Klovn (which means clown), a Danish comedy franchise inspired by Curb Your Enthusiasm starring two of Denmark’s most popular comedians, Casper Christensen and Frank Hvam, playing fictionalized versions of themselves. Casper Christensen, who recently appeared in Chris Addison’s Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway-led comedy The Hustle, could be called Denmark’s Jerry Seinfeld, but his character on the show is very different. The Casper character is a womanizing sexual addict, who constantly gets his best friend Frank into trouble. Frank Hvam’s character is the ‘Larry David’ of Klovn. The Frank-character makes many embarrassing blunders, and his partnership with Casper Christensen always gets him into trouble with his wife and their friends. Continue reading “REVIEW: Klovn: The Final (2020)” →

7th I’m Jeffrey Rex Awards, Part Two – 2019

This is it. We are finally here where it all matters. This is where I highlight the best technical achievements and performances of the year. This is where I get a chance to recognize all of my favorite films that I saw this past year. As always, I also have a lifetime achievement film award at the end of the post, so don’t forget about that one. For the full list of nominees, go here. Continue reading “7th I’m Jeffrey Rex Awards, Part Two – 2019” →

Parasite Won Best Picture and Made History – Special Features #62

What happened at the 92nd Academy Awards was incredible. Just ask most Oscar experts and they will agree. This was, based on statistics and precursor awards results, supposed to be Sam Mendes’ and 1917‘s night. Though I desperately wanted Parasite to win all of the night’s biggest awards, my head was telling me no. Therefore, in my final predictions, I went with the safe bet and said 1917 would win Best Director and Best Picture. I’ve never been so happy to be wrong about an Oscar-prediction. In the end, the latest South Korean masterpiece — Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite — won the night’s two biggest awards (as well as two other prestigious golden statuettes). The Academy made the right choice. This time, in my opinion, the Best Picture winner is actually the best film of the year. The Academy finally got it right, as they say. Continue reading “Parasite Won Best Picture and Made History – Special Features #62” →

Final 92nd Academy Awards Predictions: Winners – Special Features #61

It’s time. This awards season has been rather short. This has been both been a good and a bad thing, though Film Twitter seems convinced that it’s only been a bad thing. Sure, AMPAS’ predictions were somewhat disappointing, and, frustratingly, many of the upcoming winners seem obvious at this point. It almost feels like only a little bit more than a handful of categories are competitive going into the big night. Today, I’m giving my final predictions for the big Oscar night — the Super Bowl for the film community.
Continue reading “Final 92nd Academy Awards Predictions: Winners – Special Features #61” →

REVIEW: Birds of Prey (2020)

Theatrical Release Poster – Warner Bros. Pictures

The following is a review of Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) — Directed by Cathy Yan.

In 2016, David Ayer’s messy and displeasing Suicide Squad embiggened the then fairly new cinematic universe from DC Films and Warner Bros. Pictures. Although it somehow won itself an Academy Award, the film was rightfully panned by critics, including me. I often think back on that film as being one of the absolute worst superhero films of the last decade. Therefore, at first glance, a spin-off from Suicide Squad, which is exactly what Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey is, shouldn’t appeal to me at all. However, this film promised to not just focus on the most entertaining character from Ayer’s film, it also promised a more colorful, more fun, and more feminine approach to a cinematic universe that could benefit from some levity and brightness. Thankfully, although I have some issues with her film, Cathy Yan has successfully brought the film’s characters to life in an entertaining way. Continue reading “REVIEW: Birds of Prey (2020)” →

IJR Awards 2019: Film Nominations Announced

It is finally time for me to announce my own personal film nominations for the 7th I’m Jeffrey Rex Awards. Sure, we’re in 2020 now, but I needed some time to watch some of the films that weren’t released until January 2020 in Denmark to properly celebrate 2019 films.

There will be a couple of surprises here, and I’m not just talking about the nominees. There are a couple of completely new categories listed below. Each new category will have an asterisk next to it. Well, let’s get to it. Continue reading “IJR Awards 2019: Film Nominations Announced” →

REVIEW: Uncut Gems (2019)

Theatrical Release Poster – A24

The following is a review of Uncut Gems — Directed by Josh & Benny Safdie.

“Keep an eye on the Safdie Brothers.” — I ended my short review of 2017’s Good Time thusly. When I watched that film I don’t think I knew of the Safdies Brothers’ early career as young but already somewhat prolific independent filmmakers. To me, they were (and, in a way, still are) exciting newcomers to the world stage of cinema. Good Time was a brilliant but anxiety-inducing nightmare that gave us Robert Pattinson’s finest performance, thus far. That film showcased the Safdies’ talents as directors both with the exquisite mastering of tension and anxiousness, as well as the ability to pull out awards-worthy performances from actors who have a tendency to be pigeonholed. With Uncut Gems, the filmmaking duo has done it again. Adam Sandler delivers his finest performance since 2017’s The Meyerowitz Stories in the Safdies’ Good Time-follow-up, which is even more nailbiting and even more impressive. Continue reading “REVIEW: Uncut Gems (2019)” →

2020 Watchlist: Eight Danish Films To Look Forward To – Special Features #60

Still image from the trailer for ‘Krudttønden (2020),’ SF Studios

I think 2019 was a very good year for Danish films. Sure, the great Danish selection, Dronningen (int. title: Queen of Hearts), was not nominated in the Best International Feature Film-category at the Oscars, but it was one of several noteworthy Danish films from 2019. There were exciting debut films, as well as strong follow-ups from proven filmmakers. But here’s the thing. I think 2020 is going to be even better. There are many Danish films in 2020 that I am looking forward to, and today I want to talk about eight of these films. So, if you have any interest in Scandinavian films, then read more below. Continue reading “2020 Watchlist: Eight Danish Films To Look Forward To – Special Features #60” →

REVIEW: Troop Zero (2020)

Release Poster – Amazon Studios

The following is a review of Troop Zero — Directed by Amber Finlayson & Katie Ellwood (also known as Bert & Bertie).

Bert & Bertie’s Troop Zero is a feel-good dramedy about a young girl, Christmas Flint (played by Mckenna Grace), who looks to the stars in search of life and her mother. She lives in a trailer park with her widowed father, Ramsey (played by Jim Gaffigan), who has told his daughter that her mother is among the stars, comets, and meteors. Because of this Christmas is obsessed with space, and she sometimes uses odd descriptions to describe people in her life. For example, Christmas, at one point, calls Miss Rayleen (played by Viola Davis) an “an intergalactic warrior,” even though she is nothing of the sort. One day, Christmas overhears that girl scout troops will compete at a jamboree to have their voices recorded by NASA and sent into space. This is a dream come true for the perennially bullied Christmas, so she begins to assemble a group of misfits to compete as a girl scout troop at the jamboree, but she soon learns that the girl scout community will not easily accept unique newcomers. Continue reading “REVIEW: Troop Zero (2020)” →

REVIEW: A Fall From Grace (2020)

Release Poster

The following is a review of A Fall From Grace — Directed by Tyler Perry.

Tyler Perry is a prolific cinematic triple-threat. Perry often both writes, directs, and stars in his own films, which, at least in the US, are well-known. His claim to fame is a series of films that, for the uninitiated, look like nothing more than a rip-off of Big Momma’s House. I think it’s safe to say that while Perry may be well-known in America, Perry and his Madea-character have not made it big outside of North America. I have never seen any of those films, which Spike Lee has previously criticized profusely, and I don’t think anyone I know in Denmark has either. But, for cineastes, his reputation precedes him nonetheless. However, I think it is fair to say that Tyler Perry’s A Fall From Grace is one of the worst and most absurd original films that Netflix has released. Continue reading “REVIEW: A Fall From Grace (2020)” →