JinRoz
For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!
Borserie
it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.
Matylda Swan
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.
Claudio Carvalho
Once upon the time the seven year-old Nikolas loses his parent and his little sister Anna in an accident in the frozen lake. The poor villagers decide to adopt the boy sharing him among the six families: every Christmas Nikolas should move to another home. After six years, the families do not find fish and none of them is able to stay with Nikolas for the next year.The grumpy carpenter Iisakki offers to the villagers to stay with Nikolas and teach him a profession. In the beginning, Nikolas is treated roughly by Iisakki; however, Nikolas makes toys for the children in his village during the nights. When Iisakki discovers what Nikolas is doing, he helps him to make the toys. In the Christmas, Iisakki helps him to distribute the gifts. Year after year, Nikolas and Iisakki continue the tradition.When Iisakki's estranged sons visit and invite their father to move to the big city to live with them, Iisakki delivers a small fortune to him. Nikolas uses the money to follow the tradition of giving a gift to every child on Christmas.The Finish "Joulutarina" is one of the best Christmas movies I have ever seen, showing the wonderful story of Santa Claus. I regret that only today I have found this film and not in the Christmas Eve to see with the whole family together. Unfortunately the Brazilian DVD is dubbed in Portuguese and does not offer the original language. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Uma História de Natal" ("A Christmas Story")
evanfusco
One of the more believable and realistic Santa movies I've ever seen. It is set in Lapland and is well acted with beautiful scenery and costumes. It's a great story for kids to see about how Santa came to be, why he gives presents and why he cares for children as he does.The original Finish is clearly dubbed over, but as that goes it's not really disruptive to the story at all. There's no fluffy magic or elves or flying reindeer or anything like that. But a much more believable story of a man and how the myth of Santa has grown.Highly recommended to add to your young children's annual Christmas movie list.
Olli Kuitunen
This film is one mixed bag. Technically it couldn't be any better. The cinematography by Mika Orasmaa is masterful and the soundtrack by Leri Leskinen does not fall short of the visuals. The Lappish scenery is magnificent and the movie props and costumes create a remarkably romantic and fairy tale-like atmosphere without losing a sense of reality. I was captivated by the execution of the film.That being said, the acting is highly inconsistent - at best great (Kari Väänänen) and at worst performed by a former Finnish idols runner-up, Antti Tuisku (you can't make that up). This may or may not be a problem with the dubbed English version, but it sure as hell stands out like a sore thumb in the Finnish-spoken original here and there. The dialogue, it must be said, at times makes George Lucas seem like a pretty decent screenwriter.As for the story, it may not be for everyone. There are scenes that border the questionable for a children's' movie about Santa, although certainly none of them spoil the film (or Christmas for that matter). It's not a sugar-coated Disney flick, but it's also neither depressing nor without humor or joy. Bottom line, all's well that ends well.
Wqdi
OK, so the scenery was great and the photography nice, but that's not why I rented this DVD. I wanted to see a nice heartwarming Christmas story. This was not what I considered to be a good "family" picture. It is dark and depressing at parts. I'm sure the translation loses something and the way people see "Santa" is different overseas.In the Netherlands they have an assistant to Saint Nick that frightens bad children, so not every culture is the same. Parts of the English dubbing were so poor the characters simply grumbled or made noises to cover lip movement of the original Finnish.But, taking all the high points and low points together about this film I would still not recommend it for American kids under 10.Obviously I did not enjoy this dark and poorly told story of Finnish/Lapland Santa Clause. I don't think most Americans will relate to the story.
