The immigration experience is a subject that often dominates Scandinavian television and films. We are often shown poverty and violence; gang violence and police brutality. Rarely are we shown colour, love, food and family. Kaveh Tehrani’s Listen Up! (Hør her’a!) … Continue reading Listen Up! (Hør her’a!) – Film Review
At this time of year, when you’re faced with sideways rain, gale force winds and seemingly endless darkness, a trip to somewhere sunny sounds like the perfect antidote. Perhaps you’ve even considered the spending time amongst the azure seas, golden … Continue reading La Palma on Netflix: Disaster Meets Family Drama
For many people, the Swedish reggae-pop four-piece Ace of Base played a formative part of their youth. Whether it was their first experience of dance music in a club, cheesy pop that was pleasant to listen to in the car … Continue reading Ace of Base Documentary: Behind the Music and Fame
There’s an effortless romance often associated with biker gangs on screen. The open road, the faded denim, the sense of community. But that’s not the approach that director and series co-creator Milad Alami has taken to Bullshit, Viaplay’s new six-part … Continue reading Bullshit – Viaplay’s Danish biker gang series review
Christmas can be the most magical time of year. Full of tradition and warmth, it can often be a time for reflection, too. And, if you’re dealing with grief or loss in any way, memories of Christmas past may bubble … Continue reading The Snow Sister – Film Review
Based on a true story. Five little words that can make all the difference to your viewing experience. And whilst The Helicopter Heist doesn’t ever print them on screen, this is a crime drama that firmly has its basis in … Continue reading The Helicopter Heist – A must watch crime thriller on Netflix
Jens Henrik Jensen’s Oxen book series consists of six thrillers, each centred around the titular character. A war veteran suffering from PTSD, Niels Oxen rejects conventional life and the trappings of the city. Instead, he prefers to spend time in … Continue reading Oxen – The explosive, pacy new Channel 4 thriller
Family life can be chaos. It can be arguments and everyone not liking the same dinner and forgetting something important for a special occasion. But it can also be love and laughter and everyone pulling together in the same direction. … Continue reading Let Go Film Review – Netflix’s emotional new family drama
Ensemble dramedies are a television staple. We are invited into the lives of friends, family and loved ones for a brief moment and are guided gently through their trials and triumphs. It’s a genre that feels familiar; cosy. It’s perhaps … Continue reading In-Depth Review of Viaplay’s All and Eva TV Series
“We get to follow people into their homes, where we normally might not, to avoid judgement and to prevent characters becoming one-sided or stereotypical.” As Nordic Watchlist sits down with Sara Shirpey, who gives an outstanding performance in the Viaplay … Continue reading Sara Shirpey talks representation, social media and tackling sensitive issues in Viaplay’s Taelgia
Edvard Munch (1863 – 1944) is, undoubtedly, best known for The Scream. An expressionist symbol of human angst, his distinctive style of art is celebrated as being deeply human and meaningful. But it was not always the way. Rejected by … Continue reading Munch – Film Review
If you look at the poster for Jens Östberg’s Taelgia, you can’t help but notice a map containing the interwoven stories of its key characters. But, perhaps, another interpretation is that this is an image of veins, streaking their way … Continue reading Viaplay’s Taelgia: A Powerful Portrayal of Tensions and Consequences
“When I have my day off, and I’m going out on my bike, people are laughing because there are so many visitors from Belgium, Spain, Italy and Germany doing set tours and it’s like seeing Pippi Longstocking in her own … Continue reading Alexandra Rapaport discusses Veronika, ghosts and surprising set tours
Created by Katja Juras and Anna Ströman Lindblom, all eight episodes of Veronika are available for your binge-watching pleasure on Viaplay USA. The ghostly police thriller follows the titular character, played by Alexandra Rappaport, as she pieces together several cold … Continue reading Watch Veronika on Viaplay USA | Engrossing Scandinavian Thriller Series
The thought of a long, hot, parent-free summer might sound ideal for some. No alarms to be met; no uniforms to don; just endless hours doing whatever you want. But for the sisters at the heart of Mika Gustafson’s Paradise … Continue reading Paradise is Burning – Film Review
Erling Braut Haaland is actually the second person in his family to pull on a Manchester City jersey and play for the club. His father, Alfie, had a spell at “the Citizens” in 2000, meaning that Erling was actually born … Continue reading Haaland – The Big Decision: Football Documentary on Viaplay
Boarding school, in film and television terms, tends to fall into one of two categories. There’s either the sweet, rosy glow of nostalgia that reflects on class barriers being broken, lifelong friendships being made and lessons being learned. Or there’s … Continue reading Discover ‘Evil’ the brutal new TV Series on Walter Presents
If you’re looking for a break from fictional detectives in hot pursuit of cold-blooded killers, you might want to check out some true crime instead. We’ve all been there, hitting “next episode” as fast as we can, convinced we have … Continue reading Seven True Crime Documentaries to Watch on Viaplay
It might not be physically possible to die of second-hand embarrassment, but watching Ernst de Geer’s feature-length debut, you may experience feelings that come very close to it. A satire on start-ups and do-gooders, keeping up appearances and millennial conference … Continue reading The Hypnosis – Film Review
Scandinavian crime dramas have been thrilling avid readers, cinema-goers and TV binge-watchers for years. But what about true crime? You perhaps don’t think of notorious serial killers when you think of Nordic countries, but documentary film-maker John Mork leads a … Continue reading Secrets of Peter Mangs: True Crime Documentary Series
A global pandemic has sewn division and distrust. Restrictions are in place as to where you can go and what you can purchase at the shops. Non-stop news updates become the norm. Disinfectant sprays are everywhere. It all sounds a … Continue reading The Fortress Preview – Viaplay’s brand new thriller!
You’ll have no doubt seen the news that Netflix has found its Harry Hole. The popular fictional detective, from the mind of acclaimed author Jo Nesbø, will be played by Tobias Santelmann (Exit, The Fortress, The Last Kingdom). The series … Continue reading Six Scandi Detective Series to Watch Before Detective Hole
Documentaries occupy that rare space between personal and cinematic; educational and entertaining. There were several Scandinavian entries at this year’s Sheffield Docfest and Nordic Watchlist was lucky enough to catch a couple of these films on their digital portal. LIFE … Continue reading Scandinavian Entries at Sheffield DocFest: Nordic Watchlist Highlights
There must be countless films about holidays to Paris. It’s the city where young lovers meet amidst the glittering backdrop of the Eiffel Tower; where history, art and literature converge; where gastronomy is both traditional and innovative. It’s a city … Continue reading Sofie Gråbøl Shines in ‘Rose’: A Touching Story of Family and Illness
The Swedish artist and mystic, Hilma af Klint, appears to have been one of life’s great talents who was simply too ahead of her time to be fully appreciated and understood. Inspired by theosophic practices, she believed that “High Masters” … Continue reading Hilma – Film Review
Cinema loves food because food is cinematic. You’ve seen Boiling Point, The Menu, Burnt. The sounds of a kitchen – chopping, boiling, stirring, tasting – lend themselves to a familiar yet exciting auditory experience. Presented well, food is a visual … Continue reading The Most Remote Restaurant in the World – Film Review
There are certain images that immediately have more than a whiff of a scam about them. It’s the beige hotel walls and busy carpeting; the fold-down seats; the pulldown projector and pop-up banners. Its the overly enthusiastic speaker bellowing into … Continue reading Lie to Me – Film Review
