Leif Andree Movies

A man's effort to reunite his family unwittingly uncovers some painful secrets in this drama from Sweden. Magnus (Per Graffman) is a photographer who wants to do something special for his mother Elisabeth (Basia Frydman) in honor of her upcoming seventy-fifth birthday. Magnus thinks it would be good to get the family together for a group portrait, since there aren't any pictures of his parents and siblings all together, and his father is in poor health. But as Magnus tries to reunite his family for a sitting, the sad history of his mother's life is played out for the cameras. As a young woman, Elisabeth (played in her youth by Alexandra Rapaport) was left pregnant by a brief dalliance with her lover, and she was forced to give up the child. Despondent, Elisabeth found comfort when she fell in love with Lars (Mikael Persbrandt), but after they were married, he revealed himself as an alcoholic who didn't much care for children and often lashed out at their son. Elisabeth's depression returned as her relationship with Lars became increasingly distant, and all these years later, Magnus's efforts to bring the family together for a reunion opens more wounds than it heals, especially as he tries to find the daughter his mother gave away before she was married. Inga Tarar (aka No Tears) was the first directorial effort from veteran producer Hakan Bjerking. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Director Bent Hamer's comedy drama Salmer Fra Kjøkkenet (Kitchen Stories) is based on the real-life social experiments conducted in Sweden during the 1950s. In the years following WWII, a research institute sets out to modernize the home kitchen by observing a handful of rural Norwegian bachelors. In the small town of Landstad, middle-aged Isak (Joachim Calmeyer) is one such research subject who regrets ever agreeing to participate in the study. Nevertheless, he is observed by Folke (Tomas Norström), and the two develop a strange friendship until the observer becomes sick. This causes a problem with Folke's boss (Reine Brynolfsson) and Isak's friend Grant (Bjørn Floberg). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

In this black comedy, Gunnar (Dan Ekbord) and Rolf (Peter Haber) are a pair of well-known authors who decide to collaborate on a play. Shutting themselves in Rolf's house, they block out plans to pen a thriller inspired by conspiracy theories surrounding the recent death of the Swedish prime minister. A reporter who learns that the two wordsmiths are working together on a project hides outside the house with surveillance equipment, hoping to get the inside scoop. When Gunnar and Rolf hear a disturbance outside, they're convinced a wild animal is waiting, and they grab their hunting rifles; however, they accidentally kill the reporter and now have to figure out what to do with the corpse and what to tell the authorities. Hur Som Helst Ar Han Javligt Dod was shot on videotape and later transferred to 35 mm film for theatrical distribution. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In what has to be one of the worst ideas in Christmas party planning history, Swedish house wife Sara (Katarina Ewerlof) decides to celebrate the yuletide season with her three ex-husbands and their families. Though her current spouse Janne (Peter Haber) initially is quite opposed, he eventually gives in. At first, the party -- filled with adults and children alike -- recalls the gauzy warmth of the famous Christmas scene in Fanny and Alexander (1982). Then the booze kicks in. Families start infighting. Janne grows increasingly annoyed as the guests make repeated references to having sex with his wife. And during dinner, Sara announces that she is pregnant. This strikes Janne as odd considering that he had a vasectomy a year before. Soon the party devolves into utter chaos. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Kalle Blomkvist is only twelve, but this doesn't make him any less effective when he becomes a freelance private detective. He and his buddies band together to solve a murder. One of them has witnessed something so important that the murderer has tried to poison the girl with some doctored chocolates. Their investigation leads them to confront the culprit in a scary abandoned house. The story is based on 1940s-era children's novels by Astrid Lindgren. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

The rabbit-like man in this story is a teacher, who is regularly abused by his students, is humiliated by the school administration, and is routinely ignored by his television newscaster father. His wife, however, wonders what he has been doing with the suspiciously long time between the end of his school day and his appearances at home. Meanwhile, a series of rapes has been taking place in the region, and the teacher's father, who hosts a television crime show, begins to investigate them. As it becomes clearer to him that his own son has probably been committing the crimes, he confronts him, with unsatisfactory results. He continues his investigations, and finally accumulates enough evidence that he must go to the police. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

This horror feature send-up concerns an actor/director (Etienne Glaser) trying to talk his two female employers into letting his crew shoot a film about real people. The crew plays practical jokes that involve severed limbs and lots of blood in this tongue-in-cheek look at the horror film-factory that exposes the colorful carnage. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide