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The Summer Book

The Summer Book Review: A Brilliant 5-Star Page-to-Screen Triumph

Nordic Watchlist

Adapting Tove Jansson’s celebrated 1972 semi-autobiographical novel The Summer Book for international theatrical distribution was a delicate undertaking.

In our latest feature at Nordic Watchlist, we review the film—starring Glenn Close, Anders Danielsen Lie, and Emily Matthews—and sit down with director Charlie McDowell (The One I Love, Windfall) to examine how he preserved the authentically Nordic, understated tone of Jansson’s work while shifting its episodic narrative structure for cinema audiences. Continue reading The Summer Book Review: A Brilliant 5-Star Page-to-Screen Triumph

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Vigdís Pálsdóttir Interview

Behind The Fires: Vigdís Pálsdóttir on Iceland’s Volcanic Drama

Nordic Watchlist

“Humanity builds its little homes and cities, and nature can just wipe us out…” We caught up with Icelandic actress Vigdís Hrefna Pálsdóttir over a video call to discuss starring in The Fires, hanging out of helicopters over live eruptions, collaborating with Pilou Asbæk, and working with director Ugla Hauksdóttir. Out now on Digital in the UK! Continue reading Behind The Fires: Vigdís Pálsdóttir on Iceland’s Volcanic Drama

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Locarno 2026: Anders Danielsen Lie and Kathrine Thorborg Johansen Star in Maria Bäck’s Brave New Love

Locarno 2026: Anders Danielsen Lie and Kathrine Thorborg Johansen Star in Maria Bäck’s Brave New Love

Nordic Watchlist

Anders Danielsen Lie and Kathrine Thorborg Johansen star in Maria Bäck’s ‘Brave New Love’, heading to Locarno 2026. Read the synopsis & details at Nordic Watchlist. Continue reading Locarno 2026: Anders Danielsen Lie and Kathrine Thorborg Johansen Star in Maria Bäck’s Brave New Love

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The Depths Yrsa Sigurdardottir book review

The Depths Review: Yrsa Sigurdardóttir’s Chilling Thriller

Nordic Watchlist

Just released – The Depths, the third book in Yrsa Sigurdardottir’s The Black Ice series.

Set against the dark and unforgiving waters of the North Atlantic, The Depths is a chilling thriller that intertwines long-buried secrets, family tragedy, and murder with masterful precision.

With expertly controlled pacing, richly atmospheric settings, and a climactic twist that lands with the force of a tidal wave, The Depths demonstrates why Yrsa Sigurdardóttir remains one of the leading voices in Nordic noir.

Read the full review now Continue reading The Depths Review: Yrsa Sigurdardóttir’s Chilling Thriller

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The Hotel Manager’s Guide to Murder Review: Icelandic Thriller

Nordic Watchlist

What if one careless sentence turned a struggling hotel supervisor into a corporate fixer… and a murder accomplice? Erlendur Arason’s The Hotel Manager’s Guide to Murder blends Nordic Noir, dark humour and corporate intrigue into a thriller where office politics can be just as dangerous as a killer on the loose. When Torfi accidentally convinces his bosses that he knows too much about their shady dealings, he finds himself promoted, paid off, and drawn into a deadly conspiracy he barely understands.

Our latest review explores why this Icelandic debut is far more than a conventional crime novel. Read the full review on our website via the link in bio. Continue reading The Hotel Manager’s Guide to Murder Review: Icelandic Thriller

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The Sommerdahl Murders Season 4 Review: Sunny Danish Crime

The Sommerdahl Murders Season 4 Review: Sunny Danish Crime

Nordic Watchlist

The Sommerdahl Murders may have you reaching for your sunglasses If you think that all Nordic Police procedural TV series take place in the bleak gloom of Scandinavian winters, all monochrome with brooding soundtracks, The Sommerdahl Murders may have you … Continue reading The Sommerdahl Murders Season 4 Review: Sunny Danish Crime

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Suplex - TV Series Review

Suplex Review: Josephine Park Shines in a Gripping Danish Mystery Thriller

Nordic Watchlist

A slow-burn, sweltering Danish mystery that handles its tension like a tight wrestling hold, slowly tightening its grip until you are completely hooked The last time we saw wrestling play such a visceral role and metaphor in Nordic cinema was … Continue reading Suplex Review: Josephine Park Shines in a Gripping Danish Mystery Thriller

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Interview: Anders Thomas Jensen on ‘The Last Viking’

Nordic Watchlist

Danish filmmaker Anders Thomas Jensen returns with The Last Viking, a masterful blend of pitch-black comedy, visceral violence, and deep emotional resonance. Known for his long-standing collaborations with the cream of Danish cinema, Jensen’s latest feature pushes his regular ensemble … Continue reading Interview: Anders Thomas Jensen on ‘The Last Viking’

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Sauna Elf Book Review: A Darkly Beautiful Nordic Horror Grounded in Finnish Folklore

Nordic Watchlist

We review Aki Mäkiaho’s atmospheric horror novel Sauna Elf, a chilling yet beautifully written journey through centuries of Finnish folklore, sacred rituals, and bloody purification.

If you love distinct, folklore-driven Nordic literature, this one is an absolute must-read. Just be careful the next time you look under the sauna bench… Continue reading Sauna Elf Book Review: A Darkly Beautiful Nordic Horror Grounded in Finnish Folklore

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The Irresistible Rise of Diêm Camille

The Irresistible Rise of Diêm Camille

Nordic Watchlist

Whether she is navigating the high-octane sets of Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth or redefining Danish television with her history-making series Bad Bitch, Diêm Camille is a force of nature. We caught up with the multi-hyphenate star to discuss her transition from the “family-friendly” world of The Sommerdahl Murders to the global stage, and why her latest project, The Barbershop, is her most personal story yet. Continue reading The Irresistible Rise of Diêm Camille

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Black Sands Season 2 review

Black Sands Season 2 Review: Dark Small-Town Secrets Unravel on Viaplay

Nordic Watchlist

Dark small-town secrets and brutal coincidences collide in the gripping second season of Black Sands on Viaplay. Read our official 4-star review exploring the powerful performances, visually striking direction, and deep familial scars defining this must-watch Icelandic noir return. Continue reading Black Sands Season 2 Review: Dark Small-Town Secrets Unravel on Viaplay

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Insomnia (1997) Review: Skarsgård Shines in the Original Nordic Noir Masterpiece

Insomnia (1997) Review: Skarsgård Shines in the Original Nordic Noir Masterpiece

Team Nordic Watchlist

Before the Hollywood remake, there was the blinding white heat of the Norwegian original. Erik Skjoldbjærg’s Insomnia is a psychological descent into a land where the sun never sets and guilt has nowhere to hide. With a 4K restoration on the horizon, we revisit Stellan Skarsgård’s haunting portrayal of a detective rotting from the inside out. Continue reading Insomnia (1997) Review: Skarsgård Shines in the Original Nordic Noir Masterpiece

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Review of APEX: Baltasar Kormákur’s Survival Thriller on Netflix

Nordic Watchlist

Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton face off in the Australian wilderness in APEX.

Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur returns to his survival thriller roots with this high-stakes game of cat and mouse. From intense rock climbing to an already iconic dance scene, this is the perfect popcorn watch for your next Netflix night.

Read our full review of the latest survival hit from the director of Everest and Katla! Continue reading Review of APEX: Baltasar Kormákur’s Survival Thriller on Netflix

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Under the Blazing Sun by Jenny Lund Madsen book review

Under the Blazing Sun Review: A Brilliant and Chilling Meta-Thriller

Nordic Watchlist

A sun-drenched villa, a reluctant crime writer, and a murder she can’t outrun, Jenny Lund Madsen’s Under the Blazing Sun follows Hannah, a novelist who looks down on crime fiction—until she’s forced to live inside one, becoming the prime suspect in a chilling Sicilian murder. With tangled relationships, Mafia danger, and a story packed with sharp humour and clever twists, this thriller plays with the genre while delivering all the suspense you’d expect. Read our review online now… Continue reading Under the Blazing Sun Review: A Brilliant and Chilling Meta-Thriller

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Hide And Seek by Søren Sveistrup – Book Review

Nordic Watchlist

Nursery rhymes aren’t meant to be this terrifying… Hide and Seek, Søren Sveistrup’s follow up to The Chestnut Man, sees a childhood game turn deadly. The most chilling weapon here though isn’t a blade, but a text message.

Ahead of the TV adaptation on Netflix next month, get ahead of the game and read our review of the book behind the new series. Continue reading Hide And Seek by Søren Sveistrup – Book Review

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Reykjavík Fusion: A Culinary Thriller with a Dark Twist

Nordic Watchlist

Nordic Watchlist reviews brand new Icelandic thriller, Reykjavík Fusion, as it arrives to MHZ Choice Icelandic crime, kitchen, thriller Reykjavík Fusion follows Jónas, a highly talented chef as he is released from prison. The crime? Burning down his previous restaurant … Continue reading Reykjavík Fusion: A Culinary Thriller with a Dark Twist

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Portrait of a Confused Father – Home Videos, Healing and Heartbreak via the ‘Manosphere’

Team Nordic Watchlist

Gunnar Hall Jensen’s Portrait of a Confused Father begins with a gut punch. We open on grainy home‑video footage of baby Jonathan – crawling, tumbling, laughing – accompanied by a weary, affectionate voiceover about the weight of parenthood and the parallel burden of documenting a life. Continue reading Portrait of a Confused Father – Home Videos, Healing and Heartbreak via the ‘Manosphere’