jkcarlo Reviews

Mary Magdalene (2018)

Look beyond form

[10/10 · 3 July 2020]

Of course you can argue, that this cant be what Jesus looks like or this was not how Mary Magdalene was like or how history went - but then you will miss an important message of the movie; That the kingdom of God is not something external - it is internal

IT IS WITHIN YOU

• And if it is within you, then it is yours to have FOREVER!

It is not attained by hate, resistance or anger - but by showing love, kindness and forgiveness in every thought, word and action (also towards your own mistakes and evil inside). For every loving thought, word and action you make growes within you - and through you it groves in other people

"The Kingdom of God is like a seed. A single grain of mustard seed. Which a women took and sowed in her garden. And it grew. And it grew. And the birds in the air made nests in its branches."

Every time you choose love over hate, Every time you choose peace over conflict Forgiveness over grudge

THEN THE KINGDOM WITHIN IS YOURS.

Svart Lucia (1992)

A personal help

[10/10 · 17 September 2019]

This movie was an inspiration to me in a time of strugle when I was young an had some personal mental issues. I could identify with the story of impossible love an the feeling of beeing trapped in your own personal nightmare you cannot communicate even to the people close to you. Thank you for making this movie at a time in my life when it Was most needed. Jesper

First Man (2018)

So realistic made it turns boring

[3/10 · 1 June 2019]

Its not enough to make a movie that is true to where the story takes place in the history of time. It also has to capture the viewer. This is absolutely not the case here. You get a lot of fragments and small clips with men smoking cigarets, talking and discussing things, numbers being mentioned and spacecraft expressions being said out loud - things that you dont understand unless you are a spacecraft ingenier. There are clips with a child and a woman in various situations at home while daddy is up in space - all made to look like a documentary - which is all fine - if only it would capture the viewer. But it just dont. Instead it seperates the viewer from the story beeing told making it boring to be frank - which is quite impressiv in a way when you think of the fact that this is a movie about one of the biggest achievements in mankind - The first man on the moon

Paula (I) (2016)

A true masterpiece

[10/10 · 27 August 2018]

Carla Juri plays the famous german painter, Paula, who is living in the late 18th century where women painters - to say it the least - are unheard of.

Strong-willed Paula has to go her own way and overcome many obstacles to pursue her dream of becoming a famous painter. Soon not only her friendships (among others with the famous poet Rainer Maria Rilke) and marrige are at stake - her very own personal freedom soon seems to be too.

I saw Carla Juri for the first time in the wird and bizar movie, Wetlands (2013). Already then it was clear to me that she had an unique talent for acting. In paula her talent truely unfolds, and Carla Juri dilevers a performance of and international accting star.

German movies was reborn with the brilliant "Downfall" (2004) soon to be followed by "The lifes of the others" (2006). Since then a number of great german movies was made and Paula more than confirms Germanys position when it comes to make movies in the top of the international leauge.

As you soon will come to see for yourself Paula is not only yet antother great German movie - Paula is "a true masterpiece"

Idealisten (2015)

Major cover up

[10/10 · 1 August 2018]

This movie is about an international cover up of unbeliveable proportions.

During the cold war an american airplane chrashes in Thule base, Greenland carrying 4 neuclear bombs. One pilot dies in the chrash and in the afterward clean up the workers get poluted with plotonium and get sick and die.

However, as danish journalist, Poul Brinck, many years later starts asking the quistions no one wants to answer, both the danish as well as the american goverment firmly denie any connection between the many deaths and the dangerous plotonium polution after the plane chrash.

But this is not all. As its turns out, the danish and american government has kept yet a much bigger secret hidden - not only for the danish and the american population - but for the whole world.

This is director Christina Rosendahls second serious movie. Peter Plaugbor delievers a remarkeble performance as the idealistic journalist, Poul Brinck. With "Idealisten" Christina Rosendahl enters the big stage of serious movie makers.

Daddy and Them (2001)

Funny, fine and different

[8/10 · 28 July 2018]

I followed Billy Bob Thornton through his career as an actor and to me he stands out - whether you like his acting or not! I always injoyed most of the characters he portrayed.

Also this movie from 2001 stands out to me. A Movie he both wrote and directed. So if you are a Billy Bob Thornton fan it is a must see!

The first thing I noticed was the characteristic humor in the movie. You cannot label a certain humor. Your either like it or you dont. I simply loved the humor in this movie and the strange family characters its portraying. It is outstanding! Truely hilarious!

The ongoing theme of the movie is the love life of the to lead characters, Claude and Ruby, played by Billy Bob and Laura Dern, and their struggle with the green monster: jealousy - which must have been an issue to Billy Bob Thornton himself in his personal life I reckon - as it is to most people living in a relationship.

Billy Bob Thornton has done a fine job directing and writing this movie. And as always - he playes it very, very convincing - and different than most.

So why should you watch this movie? - Simply because you have to! Its to funny, fine and different to miss out on!

Ordinary World (I) (2016)

Nice and easy going midtlife crises

[7/10 · 27 July 2018]

Once in a punk, rock band - all of a sudden married, with house and kids. What the hell happened?

This is exactly the theme of this easy going movie about a man hitting a midlife crisis as he is about to turn 40. The fine thing about this movie is that it unfolds in its own pace which in fact makes it very realistic and believeable.

In the lead roles you find Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day who makes a fine performance as a mittle age father facing the cruel realities of living in a "ordinary world". Joe Armstrong clearly reveales his talent as an actor. Also Selma Blair playing his wife Karen and Madisyn Shipman who plays their oldest daugther does really fine performances.

A fine movie about growing older, how to be parrents and last but not least finding out about the things that truely matters to us all.

Felicia's Journey (1999)

Beaty and the beast

[8/10 · 26 July 2018]

This movie is rare. Its extremely simple told. (must be a low budget) - but with wit and intelligence. Well played by both Beaty (Elaine Cassidy*) and beast (Bob Hoskins).

* Why havent we seen more to Elaine Cassidy? - She is a beautiful and super talented actress - She playes her part of the naive but goodhearted girl, Felicia, who in the search of her one true love runs directly into the arms of the innocent looking, but underneath monster beast, catering chief Joe (Bob Hoskins).

This one will crawl underneath your skin.

Logan Lucky (2017)

Lucky - I dont think so!

[5/10 · 25 July 2018]

This movie is neither bad nor god. It is a an attempt of making a funny and exciting heist movie that in fact is neither.

The movie is not bad played by the actors*. Not even bad directed by Steven Söderberg - who generally has a talent of making movies with a realistic edge due to his way of shooting scenes with quiet sequences that speak for themselves - Its just that in this case it is a funny mixture of Söderbergs stile and mixed with humor and action scenes that does not match with the genre.

*However: Is Adam driver not a wrong cast to play Jimmys one armed brother?

Maybe Söderberg should look towards Guy Ritchies brilliant movie Snatch (maybe he did?) - Now there is a mixture that comes out both funny, exciting and brilliant even.

But you know - This movie tends to either impress or the opposite. So maybe you will call Logan Lucky differently than I did?

Who knows

Whiplash (2014)

A masterpiece - Straight up!

[10/10 · 14 July 2018]

Just do yourself a favour - watch this movie! Its both fascinating, surprising and chocking - made with a lot of charm and wit! A masterpiece - Straight up!

Mother! (2017)

Loves to hate women

[1/10 · 9 July 2018]

I used to be fascinated with Darron Aranofsky´s movis. Except for the brilliant The Wrestler (and partly The Swan). I am just not any more. It seems like a dark cloud wont leave some directors mind- or they never managed to realize that even if there is malice and evil in the world - the sun stil rises and shine ON ALL PEOPLE EVERY DAY !!!

Danish director Lars Von Trier (Braking the Waves, Anti Christ) and Alejandro Inarritu (21 grams, Buituful, The birdman) operates in the same genre (movies where things go from bad to worse, particularly when it comes to the leading women characters). The directors all trying to point out that life is meaningless - and at the same time forgetting that if life truely was meaningless, there would be no point in pointing that out either (what would be the point)!!!

Alejandro Inarritu though leaves a window open for hope for the human race and life in general (personally I was truely fascinated by his movie The birdman). Only a window though but never the less.

If you truely like this type of genre I recommend masterpieces like Inarritu "The Birdman", Lars Von Triers "Anti Christ" - or Aronofskys own masterpiece "The Wrestler" - or if you simply cant get it dark enough allow yourself to dwell into this this movie; a cinematic abyss of a human soul in psychotic dispair.

A Horrible Woman (2017)

Are women evil?

[7/10 · 3 June 2018]

Well - according to the Bibel they are! Eve let herself seduce by the snake in eden and ate the forbidden fruit - yet Adam did nothing to stop neither her nor himself of doing so! So who is in fact the evil of the two?

This is exactly the dilemma in this new brilliant danish movie. A young man falls in love with a young attractive woman and soon find - not only his appartment - but also himself changed completely upside down. Soon not only all of his stuff, hobbies and friends are secondery in the will of his newfound love. The very man he once was seems to be too.

Are women simply manipulating and evil or are men simply to weak to finally say: enough is enough?

Well - I will let you (and your partner) be the judge of that. Not matter what your conclusion will be. This movie is a must see!

Christine (2016)

Master portrait of a darkened mind

[10/10 · 27 April 2018]

This movie tells the brilliant story about an ambitious woman - on the outside she is tv reporter with high demands both on herself and her workplace - on the inside however she is slowely falling apart.

Rebecca Hall dilevers no more than an outstanding caracter portrait of an disillusioned woman whos talents as a both funny, ethic and caring tv reporter are overlooked by her male chauvinist boss played very convincing by Tracy Letts (Lady Bird, The big short). Credits to the director (Antonio Campos) for displaying the seventies milimeter exactly and leading the actors all around to strong performances.

This movie is based on true events, and will shake you to your bones and make you wonder - what just happened here!

Long Story Short (2015)

Finally a danish movie worth watching

[8/10 · 21 April 2018]

This movies describes the ups and downs for a group of friends in their different love life relationships displayed through 8 different party get togethers. Trine Dyrholm (Love is all you need) shines as always, this time playing a lesbian who face life bitter sweat realities when getting twins while living in a guy relationship. Also Mille Lehfeldt (Flammen & Citronen) stands out in the movie with her caracter Ellen - a confused, but loving "spinster", who dont know how and when to commit in a relationship - and when not. Mille Lehfeldt, no doubt has her skills as an actor from her mother, Kirsten Lehfeldt (Flamberede Hjerter). All my credit to the director, May el-Toukhy for making a movie, both fun, interessting and not least very intertaining.

The Reunion 3 (2016)

Danish comedy hit rock bottom

[1/10 · 10 December 2017]

You would think that danish movies are at its best with prior movie hits like Pelle the Conqueror, Babets Feast, Nightwatch, Pusher, The celebration and The hunt - not to mention danish top actors like Ulrich Thompsen, Trine Dyrholm, Ghita Nørby and Mads Mikkelsen. But no!

This movie is like a nice cop of tea - with no tea in it. The story line is thinner than thin: Two old friends are bringing a third friend to a seminar to get him laid. To get sympathy from the girls they decide to bring their friends paralyzed father - but as things are not going the way planned by the two old friends they hire a prostitute to "speed up the process"

Not the most advanced storyline in the world. But I guess much can be saved by the acting and the dialog in the movie alone. However this is also not the case here. In fact you could argue that both acting and dialog is none existing. If you want to bring any credibility into the dialog and acting at all the first thing you would have to do is to stop talking like you are a child playing a simple role play. Second you would have to act like you actually believe in the character you are playing.

A movie is not funny only because you want it to be. It is funny because you have 1: talent and 2: a great idea you simply have to make into a movie and 3: you make the movie coming directly from you own heart and soul.

I guess not in this case

Café (II) (2011)

A message of a higher truth

[10/10 · 21 August 2017]

This movie is made more like a TV-series. But don't let the form of the movie get in your way. It contains a beautiful messages for humans to consider.

Could it be, that there is more to life than what meets the eye? Could it be, that this experience called life we all have is "made up"? Only for us to realize an even higher truth?

Do yourself a favour. Watch this movie regardless whether you like its form or not. And allow yourself to take in the message of the movie and believe. Remember.

Life communicate with us all the time. In books we read. In movies we see. Through people we meet. If only we dare listen to the message life continually keeps "whispering" in our ears - maybe you and I will be the next persons to "wake up" to the message of a "higher truth"

Peaceful Warrior (2006)

Magnificent - This one will change your view on life forever!

[10/10 · 26 June 2017]

This rare movie is one of those very, very few that could change your life - forever. It is a movie, that tells the story of the fear of failure and inner emptiness we all encounter in life - but it also tells the story of a hidden treasure within - if we just dare to look inside - we will find it.

Go on a journey that will transform - not only your view on life - but the view of WHO YOU Truly ARE!

Look closer, look within!

The Neon Demon (2016)

Empty as a shell

[1/10 · 5 June 2017]

Its no secret that Refn makes extremely violent movies (like a broad numbers of other directors) - But in his first one, Pusher (which was outstanding), made over two decades ago, you could certainly defend that violent approach due to the great story being told.

However in The Neon Demon Refn seems to loose his ground dwelling into explicit violence and leaving out any reasonable reason why (I am sure he will disagree). The movie is simply without any substance and the story lacks a reasonable meaning - it comes out empty as a shell in my humble view.

Once before Refn tried to copy masters like Andrei Tarkovsky (Mirror, Ivan´s childhood), Stanley Kubrick (A clockwork orange, 2001:A space odyssey) and David Lynch (Twin Peaks, Lost Highway) half psychotic/half sane universe when he made Fear X and Only God Forgives, but in my opinion Refn simply does not have the talent for this type of genre which The Neon Demon so obviously demonstrates.

It is not that Refn cant make movies. He has made af number of strong movies like Pusher, Bronson and the international Box office succes Drive. But with The Neon Demon it just seems like Refn is more fascinated with meaningless violence and trying to be someone HE IS SO CLEARLY NOT.