Lucybespro
It is a performances centric movie
Lidia Draper
Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
Chrysanthepop
Here's a refreshing delightful horror-spoof from Denmark. Usually parents tend to say no to their kids when it comes to horror movies but with 'Vikaren' they should make an exception as it would be wrong to deprive children from the sheer entertaining experience of this film. Yet, this film isn't restricted to children as adults can easily enjoy it. Ole Bornedal and Henrik Prip have written a superb screenplay meshing it with both humour, irony and horror while telling a linear story. The washed out colours and score bring that horror movie feel. The cinematography and special effects are topnotch. Then there's the outstanding performance of Paprika Steen as Ulla Harms. The use of a lesser actress could have easily ruined the film. Steen beautifully carries the role very naturally and with an amazing balance between restraint and over-the-top acting she just proves what a masterful actress she is. The child actors also do a good job. 'Vikaren' is sheer fun and one of the best examples of family entertainment. It doesn't go over the top in delivering its message while maintaining a fine gradient such that both adults and children could enjoy it to the full.
kosmasp
... they're all the same ... well actually this one isn't really quite as the others (as you might have read in the synopsis and/or seen in the movie).The main actress is also the main selling point of this movie. She is really great and it shows that she has fun with her role and the overall story.The kids and the parents are good too, the story has some neat twists (although most of them are pretty easy to spot), but it never achieves a status of greatness as I would call it. Something is still missing, to make this movie great. It might also be the fact, that once you've seen a few movies, like this one, it doesn't affect you as much. Soild Film then, with which you shouldn't be disappointed ... but expect to get to excited about it either!
Michael O'Keefe
The Ghost House Underground presents an entry from Denmark with not a lot of special effects, but it sustains suspense and anxiety. A small-town sixth-grade class gets a substitute teacher. She is blond, long, lean and lanky with all the finesse of a Nazi interrogator. She treats the children rudely and sadistically taunts each and every one as she indulges in mind control. The children try to alert their clueless parents, but Miss Ulla(Paprika Steen)finds it too easy to manipulate them. Carl(Jonas Wandschneider)and Phillip(Nikolaj Falkenberg-Klok)convinces the class to take matters into their own hands. Upon some snooping they find reason enough to believe the substitute is from another planet.
Argemaluco
Sometimes,the cultural context of a movie results very interesting and it adds points to the film itself,independently of its intrinsic quality.As examples,I can mention The Art of Devil 2,a very good horror film which does not only work because of its good moments of tension and the fact that it is unpredictable,but also because of the creepy atmosphere of Thai marshes;or These Girls,a cold and mediocre romantic comedy which wins some points for its portrait of the working-class Canadian culture.Now,I can add to that list The Substitute,an excellent combination of horror and sci-fi which is very interesting for many things,specially for portraying a culture with the exact twist of urban sophistication and rural innocence.The modest premise from this film is perfectly well developed by director and co-screenwriter Ole Bornedal,whose previous movie,I Am Dina,had been very bad for its extremely boring screenplay and the pathetic performance from the main actress.Now,Bornedal has enormously redeemed himself on both fields because,as a co-screenwriter,he built an ingenious and dynamic screenplay full of black humor and,as a director,he could get a brilliant performance from the main actress,Paprika Steen,who completely becomes on her character and never seems to be acting.Also,Bornedal drove the film at a perfect rhythm and got some excellent moments of tension,whilethe movie resulted completely unpredictable to me because there were so many ingenious twists that it was impossible to predict what could happen next.Besides,the main concept behind the movie is audacious and provocative.The only fail I found on this movie was that the brief special effects did not fit with the tone and style of the movie.But,that's a minor fail.The Substitute is a brilliant movie which I recommend with a lot of enthusiasm.I clearly took a very nice surprise with this movie.
