The Vikings (1958)
Arte, Deutsch
I don’t know if it’s my age or the actual situation, but I am enjoying 1950s historical adventure films more these days than earlier. Big stars, big action, big love triangle. Costuming that looks so good that you don’t care that it’s hundreds of years out of place. “But Radish, it’s so sexist!” Yes, the 8th century was different. Don’t care. Shut up and enjoy the sword fights.
Draft Day (2014)
Netflix, original English
Mr Radish thought it was really exciting. I was annoyed by most of the supporting characters–a woman who was married to an NFL coach for decades would surely understand the importance of not distracting the general manager during the draft with something that could wait a few days–and spent the two hours noticing how different the German subtitles were from the dialog. Players’ names were changed to German idioms; and football terminology was omitted altogether. In %CURRENT_YEAR% German fans of American football know the name “Roethlisberger” and also know what a sack is. I understand they were aiming for a broader audience, but in doing so the experience is diminished.
Uh-oh. That’s a theme in the next movie…have I become what I despise?
If you like the NFL, it’s a good watch. If you’re as disillusioned with the league as I am, skip it.
Sprængfarlig Bombe (2006)
Netflix, original Danish with English subtitles
In a previous life I occasionally saw movies–excuse me, viewed films–with auteurs who dissected the camera dissolves, lighting choices, and hidden meanings in the characters’ sweaters (I can’t make that up! It was a Twyker film!) in the parking lot for what felt like hours afterwards. I haven’t thought about them in years, but I saw them in this movie.
Tonny, our everyman hero, accidentally buys tickets to a violently pretentious art-house film praised by Danish critics and media, and decides to find the director Claus and get his money back. He’s injured on the set of the sequel, and in lieu of a monetary settlement, demands to write and co-direct the next film, something normal people will actually enjoy seeing. Claus does not want normal people to enjoy his films. Claus wants to educate normal people about their bad taste.
I laughed a lot.
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