A perfect Christmas Turkey

10:00 mareku 0 Comments

How better have your christmas meal then with a real Kelly Bronze Turkey. These special bred Turkeys are the best there are and they are very simple to prepare: No basting necessary - the trick is a low temperature (140C) and start baking with the bird with his breast down. We had a huge bird, so I guess we"ll have turkey for the next couple of days in one way or the other...

It's a wonderful movie

09:44 mareku 0 Comments

This is the season to watch some classic movies and because of the bank crisis we couldn't resist to watch "It's a wonderful life" again. In this "uber" Capra Mr. Deed, Mr Smith and all his other famous characters come together in George Bailey. James Stewart is -as always- great: you can see his inner struggle.

I love It's a Wonderful Life because it teaches us that family, friendship, and virtue are the true definitions of wealth.
In 1947, however, the FBI considered this anti-consumerist message as subversive Communist propaganda (read original FBI memo).

The FBI specifically detested the way Mr. Potter was portrayed:

The casting of Lionel Barrymore as a "scrooge-type" resulted in the loathsome Mr. Potter becoming the most hated person in the film. According to the official FBI report, "this was a common trick used by the communists."

Maybe because of Madoff and all the other the think a little bit different now...

By the wayL Is it really true that every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings? :-)

Do the Swedes hate Victor Muller?

15:00 mareku 0 Comments

When watching SVT I saw that they already name him VUCTOR Muller... ;-)

Angels in America

09:49 mareku 0 Comments

Tony Kushners' Angels in America is one of the plays you must see in your life. I went to the performance of Toneelgroep Amsterdam with Hans Kesting and Barry Atsma.
It is quite a play: 5 hours - but worth it all. 

Flickan som lekte med elden - osammanhängande bilden

10:57 mareku 0 Comments

"Flickan som lekte med elden" i uppföljaren till "Män som hatar kvinnor" men hälften så bra...
Som actionfilm är det knappast rafflande – slagsmålen är få, fast jag misstänker att misshandeln av Paolo Roberto (spelas av Paolo själv) blir en publikfavorit – men spänningshalten är högre än i Män som hatar kvinnor. En bra bidragande orsak är att filmen utspelar sig med Stockholm som kuliss. Det har man mjölkat till sista droppen med bilder på Gamla Stan i skymningsljus och häng på populära kaféer.

Jag har två svåra invändningar mot Flickan som lekte med elden. Liksom i andra svenska genrefilmer beter sig skådespelarna som om de drog in extrapengar på fikarasten. Det är trist att behöva vrida sig i skam när någon som Lena Endre öppnar munnen. Värst är den konstanta mattan av förprogrammerad stämningsmusik – ömsom romantisk, ömsom dramatisk. I en ödesmättad scen tycker jag mig faktiskt höra syntetiskt dånande kyrkklockor. Det hör hemma i en billig tysk tv-serie, inte i en biosalong.

Let it snow! - and let's build something out of it

09:53 mareku 0 Comments

When you are plannng to build your snowman this weekend, take some cues from the Sapporo snow festival which every year creates the most wonderful sculptures out of snow...