mega_bio_blaster

I was visiting in Reykjavik a few months back and wandering the downtown area as lone travelers often find themselves doing I spotted an open cinema event. Turns out it was a screening event for student films fresh out of the Icelandic Film School. Now, even though I don't understand the local tongue, I know quality when I see it, and that screening was packed full of it. But one film stood out from the pack, or should I say film - According to its director (Arnar Benjaminsson) it's soon to be a web series. That "film" was Svarti Skafrenningurinn (or "Black Snow Circle" as google translate most vigilantly informs me), probably the best genre parody film since Spy Hard. Don't believe me? You should have been there as the seats roared with laughter, and even though I don't speak the language, the film (or "series") relies heavily on visual gags that translate to every language. Well, there was a short bit in English that poked fun at our majesty the Queen, but I'm not so stuck up that I couldn't take the Joke. And there was action too, loads off it! Almost enough to fill two, perhaps three Nolan's worth of Bat-flicks. Or at least I think there was, I was fairly drunk. As excellent as the direction was it would be unfair to conclude this review without mentioning its excellent cast. Sturla Fridriksson has a star quality too him that might best be described a cross between a male Julia Roberts and Zac Efron. Gudni Lindal Benedikterson is hilarious as the Evil Facebooker and Monika Ewa Orlowska might just be Iceland's Audrey Hepburn. But as good as they were, a minor character stole the show. A handsome card fort building villain back at the Facebooker's lair. I don't know his name and I don't think he's mentioned in the cast list, but I'd like to see more of him in the future.

In short, an A+ for me and I liked the producing, the executive producing and especially the co-producing, but the supervising producing was the best I've ever seen!

I had the pleasure of seeing the series as a whole at a preliminary screening when visiting in Reykjavik a while back, and I must say; This is perhaps the strongest internet web series debut I've seen since The Guild. Well, at least I think it was since I don't speak the native language. But I think I got the gist of it, and I like the references, in particular a Lynchian nod during a dream sequence I won't spoil further. If I'd have to criticize it slightly, I'd say that the characters of Jorge, Pedro and Alejandro are perhaps a bit underdeveloped, but that could be fixed with a sequel/spin-off.

To summarize: Bravo Gudni Lindal Benediktsson, bravo Alexander Dantes Erlendsson and everyone else involved. Keep it up and you'll have a bright future ahead of you!

Oh, and least I forget; I liked the producing, the executive producing and especially the co-producing, but the supervising producing was the best I've ever seen!