Brasse Brannstrom Movies
The plight of displaced Finnish children sent to Sweden and Denmark to escape the horrors of World War II are explored in director Klaus Härö's tale of a young boy failing to adapt to his strange, and sometimes harsh, new surroundings. Following the death of his father, nine-year-old Eero (Topi Majaniemi) is sent by his mother to live with a foster family in rural Sweden for the duration of the war. Eero is begrudgingly accepted by a surrogate mother who had been hoping for a young girl to help with the chores, and he's mocked by his classmates for his frightened reaction to passing planes. Eero's already troubled childhood is further complicated when his resentful foster mother takes it upon herself to act as a filter for his mother's incoming letters. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
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. Paradise is an adaptation of one of a popular series of novels written by Liza Marklund. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helena Bergström, Niklas Hjulstrom, (more)
- 2000
Nine of Sweden's leading actresses are brought together in this unconventional comedy-drama about a group of actresses awaiting a casting announcement. A major American film producer is looking for a Swedish actress to play the title role in a big-budget remake of the classic Greta Garbo vehicle Queen Christina, and a handful of women who were in talks for the role wait with bated breath for the decision to be declared. Rebecca (Lena Endre), married to hunky matinee idol Ake (Mikael Persbrandt), is spending her 40th birthday waiting for word on the role. Alexandra (Suzanne Reuter) will be shooting a TV commercial, to be directed by Rolf (Brasse Brannstrom). Rolf used to be involved with Cecilia (Marie Richardson), who lately is nearly as well known for the fact that she's pregnant and not identifying the father as she is for her acting. Cecilia appears on a morning chat show with Georgina (Ewa Froling), who used to be in love with Gregor (Peter Haber), Alexandra's current husband. Stella (Helena Bergstrom) is a defiantly out lesbian who is having an affair with Karin (Marika Lagercrantz), the wife of film director Magnus (Rolf Lassgard). Stella also happens to be starring in Magnus' latest project, along with Ake and Molly (Pernilla August). Meanwhile, Git (Gunilla Roor) is in a session with her analyst, trying to come to terms with her feelings about her work, and Evior (Stina Ekblad) is in rehearsal for a musical, and reaching the regrettable conclusion that she can neither dance nor sing. In keeping with the film's tangled onscreen relationships, Helena Bergstrom, who plays a lesbian sleeping with her director's wife, is married to Colin Nutley, Gossip's writer and director. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pernilla August, Helena Bergström, (more)
- 1990
In this movie, the feuding neighbors from the popular Norwegia television show entitled Long Live Suburbia! quite by accident have chosen to go on vacation at the same time, and to the same place--to the remote Canary Islands. Once they discover that their hated foes are not only on the island, but are in the same tour group on the island, they torment one another with even more abandon. By the end of the film, all the original cast are being shipped home on stretchers, and their long-suffering Norwegian tour guide has gone all the way 'round the bend. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brasse Brannstrom, Elsa Lystad, (more)
- 1989
This musical comedy is taken from Torbjorn Egner's best-selling novel from 1955. Police Chief Bastian (Brasse Brannstrom) oversees the law and order of his town, an idyllic toyland. Aunt Sophie (Kjersti Dovidgan) is the local sourpuss who won't let her niece attend the annual festival celebration. A trio of benevolent robbers kidnap Aunt Sophie after they have tempting dreams of delicious food. The robbers are eventually rehabilitated and their pet lion finds a job in a circus. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brasse Brannstrom, Kjersti Dovigen, (more)
- 1989
Fans of World War Two history will be attracted to this very long made-for-TV epic drama, which follows a Swedish family during the war. The compromises and privations of wartime are the main focus of the film, and the story includes several unlikely romances. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helene Egelund, Helena Bergström, (more)
- 1985
Three married women gather to spend Christmas Eve in Olso and then retire to a posh hotel in southern Sweden where they engage in the same kind of conversations, wishful thinking, and petty arguments that characterized the comedy Wives in 1976. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Katja Medboe
In 1959 Sweden, young Ingemar (Anton Glanzelius) lives with his dying mother and his nasty older brother. He survives all of life's knocks by comparing himself to those who are worse off--such as Laika, the little Russian space dog who was rocketed to his death and had nothing to say in the matter. Ingemar begins to identify with Laika more and more as his mother's health deteriorates, at times dropping to all fours and baying at the moon. When his mother is advised to get some peace and quiet away from her children, Ingemar is sent to live with his loveable uncle and aunt. For the first time, the boy is surrounded by relatives and classmates who pose no threat and who genuinely like him. He even has a sexual awakening. When his mother dies, he no longer rationalizes his misfortunes by comparing himself to those less fortunate; from now on, he can conjure up pleasant memories of his summer away from home to sustain him through the hard times. My Life as a Dog (Mitt Liv Som Hund) is based on the autobiographical novel by Reidar Jonsson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anton Glanzelius, Anki Liden, (more)
- 1983
This is a visually opulent story -- geared to a young adult level -- of King Charles the XII of Sweden and how he once tried for five years (1709-1714) to convince the Turks to help him conquer Czar Peter the Great of Russia -- and failed. According to this filmed version of history, seen through the eyes of a Swedish lieutenant, the Turks were equally willing to join with the Russians, or just send Charles back to Sweden. The line between tragedy and farce blurs as the king and his lieutenant try to find a way out of their predicament. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gösta Ekman, Jr., Lasse Aberg, (more)
- 1983
In this conventional comedy about a stand-up trio who come together again after a 16-year-hiatus to write material for a friend's wedding, the actors add enough of their talents to the script to lighten up the movie, but the narrative is still rather ordinary. Two of the trio were married to each other but have been divorced for awhile. When the ex-wife starts to fall for the other member of the trio -- who is newly-divorced himself, her ex-husband begins to feel pangs of jealousy. Their real problem, however, is how to come up with new material for their skit at the wedding since the years and adulthood seem to have altered their original viewpoints on what is funny. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brasse Brannstrom, Magnus Haerenstam, (more)
