Tag: Scandinavian

The Drama (2026) | REVIEW

Robert Pattinson and Zendaya in Krstoffer Borgli’s THE DRAMA — PHOTO: A24 (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Kristoffer Borgli — Screenplay by Kristoffer Borgli.

The Drama is one of the most heavily anticipated wedding films in recent years. But it isn’t just any wedding film; it is also the third feature film from Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli, best known for his sophomore effort (and English-language debut), Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage, about a university professor who, much to his surprise, starts popping up in people’s dreams around the world. His latest film has a similarly fascinating premise, but one that is much more grounded in reality. The Drama is an American-set dark, cringe rom-com with psychological elements about relationships, performativity, outrage, and the skeletons in our closets. It has all the makings of what could very well end up being one of the most hotly debated and divisive films of the year, partly due to the way it touches on difficult and very dark subject matter. On first viewing, I found it to be an intriguing conversation starter that also manages to be a thoroughly entertaining film, perhaps especially because of one of the particularly well-tuned central performances, but also because of key and clever visual and textual storytelling decisions.

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Sentimental Value (2025) | REVIEW

Stellan Skarsgård as Gustav Borg in Joachim Trier’s SENTIMENTAL VALUE — PHOTO: NEON / NORDISK FILM (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Joachim Trier — Screenplay by Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt.

Like Thomas Vinterberg and Ruben Östlund, the Danish-born Norwegian auteur Joachim Trier is part of a select group of Scandinavian filmmakers who, in recent years, have broken through across the pond, exemplified by their prestigious Academy Award nominations. Trier, best known for his critically acclaimed Oslo trilogy (including the films (1) Reprise, (2) Oslo 31. August, and (3) The Worst Person in the World), has made several modern films that work as ruminations and meditations on the modern human experience, as his films cover themes, to name just a few, such as growing up, turning a corner in life, feeling unfulfilled, and feeling socially excluded. In recent years, some of my favorite reviews to write have been of the films in his excellent Oslo trilogy, two-thirds of which I consider genuine masterpieces (and, to add to that, Reprise is a fantastic debut film, despite arguably being the lesser of the three). Naturally, every new film of his is a major event to me. His latest film, Sentimental Value (original title: Affeksjonsverdi), continues Trier’s hot streak.

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REVIEW: Den Skyldige (2018)

Danish Theatrical Release Poster – Nordisk Film

The following is a review of Den Skyldige (also known as ‘The Guilty’) — Directed by Gustav Möller.

The Danish single-location thriller, Den Skyldige, is the debut film of Swedish-born director Gustav Möller, a former student at the National Film School of Denmark, and it revolves around a frustrated police officer at an emergency call center.  Continue reading “REVIEW: Den Skyldige (2018)” →