Evil [DVD, 2005, Region 1]

About the movie

Evil (Ondskan) is based on a partly autobiographical novel by one of Sweden's most famous novelists, Jan Guillou. It is not a horror movie, but rather an intelligent and very interesting movie from Sweden.

Evil was nominated for an Oscar in the foreign language category in 2004. The film is directed by Mikael Håfström.

Evil tells the story of Eric Ponti, a troubled 16 year old in the 1950's, who is thrown out of his school for violent behavior and is sent to a Swedish boarding school to finish his degree. Eric's step-father is extremely abusive and aggressive, and strongly infuences his behavior.

We follow Eric as he takes on his new environment and is exposed to a fraternity style hierarchy. The movie calls into question where "evil" behavior originates. What evil behavior is inate to the individual? What evil behavoir is caused by years of perpetuation of social stigmas and miserable traditions based on classist hierarchies?

Andreas Wilson who plays the main character Eric Ponti gives an extremely memorable and believable performance. In fact, all the actors in this film are amazing. A great movie, hightly recommended.

Product details

• Actors: Andreas Wilson, Henrik Lundström, Gustaf Skarsgård, Linda Zilliacus, Jesper Salén
• Directors: Mikael Håfström
• Writers: Mikael Håfström, Hans Gunnarsson, Jan Guillou, Klas Östergren
• Producers: H.P. Lundh, Hans Lönnerheden, Ingemar Leijonborg
• Format: Closed-captioned, Colour, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language Finnish, Swedish
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
• Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: 27 Jun 2006
• Run Time: 113 minutes

Links to Evil (DVD) at amazon US, amazon UK, and amazon CAN.

Paradise ( Paradiset ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Sweden ]

This movie is based on Liza Marklund's crime fiction novel Paradise. Colin Nutley's prequel to his 2001 film Deadline, Paradise tells the story of how tabloid reporter Annika Bengtzon (Helena Bergström) cracked her first big story. On the low-end of the totem pole at the tabloid where she is employed, Annika receives a call from Rebecca Björkstig (Lisa Nilsson) encouraging her to write a story about a domestic abuse protection and recovery foundation known as Paradise. Having had first-hand experience with that problem, Annika is sympathetic to Paradise's aims.

After taking a call from a distressed woman named Aida (Suzanna Dilber) in which Aida claims to have an abusive significant other, Annika puts Aida into the Paradise program. However, Annika does some investigative work and discovers that Aida may be involved in a shooting and that Paradise may not be what it seems.

• PAL/Region 2 DVD: WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada.
• LANGUAGES: Swedish
• Subtitles: Danish, English, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
• Dolby Digital 5.1 )
• ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.85:1)
• SPECIAL FEATURES: Biographies, Filmographies, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s)

Links to Paradise (DVD) at amazon US and amazon UK.

Deadline (Sprängaren) (The Bomber) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import

This movie is based on the crime fiction novel The Bomber by Liza Marklund.

The Victoria stadium is totally destroyed in a bomb attack and Christina Furhage, in charge of the Olympic Games in Stockholm, dies with it. Why did someone destroy the stadium and why is Christina murdered? The police desperately seek for clues that will lead them to the perpetrator but without any luck. As the Olympic Games draws near the situation becomes more desperate. Annika Bengtzon, a reporter for Kvällsposten, se a connection that no one else sees and without understanding it she starts a carousel that in the end will threaten her own life.

• Actors: Helena Bergström, Örjan Ramberg, Brasse Brännström, Reine Brynolfsson, Pernilla August
• Directors: Colin Nutley
• PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada.
• LANGUAGES: English (Dolby Digital 2.0), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Classification: 15
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: 18 Jan 2005
• Run Time: 128 minutes

Links to this movie at amazon US and amazon UK.