Sep 26, 2018

Movie Review: A Serious Game (2016)

Rating: (4.5 stars out of 5)
Cast: Sverrir Gudnason, Karin Franz Korlof, Liv Mjones
Director: Pernilla August
Writer: Lone Scherfig, Hjalmar Soderberg (novel)
Genre: Love Story, Drama
Run Time: 115 min
Premiere Date: 9 September 2016
Country: Sweden
Awards: Guldbagge Awards 2017,
Price: FREE
Screening Location: Nay Pyi Taw Cinema, Yangon, Myanmar
Event: European Film Festival

Synopsis
A Serious Game is a pensive adaptation of a 1912 novel by Hjalmar Soderberg. This is the third movie version of the book. Both film and book are iconic and a staple in Swedish culture. It's a forbidden love story fueled by passion that endured through the years, leaving casualties in its wake. At the end of the film, the 2 protagonists got what they wanted, but not exactly what they expected.

Movie
The sexual tension kept being wound-up and wound-up until you feel your balls getting blue-black. You knew it will explode anytime with enough octane to ruin eveyone's lives in its wake. Despite the unraveling, you still feel restrain...perhaps a last hurrah for any human consideration left for the ear-marked casualties. I saw the mounting sexual tension more than I felt it. Thus, there was no lingering moment left after the film finished.

Ending Thoughts
You simply cannot throw logic into a romantic situation and expect things to fall in order. Romance and sex are two very powerful forces that have caused empires to collapse and kings to abdicate. If it means leaving your family behind, cutting ties with old friends, seeing people kill themselves, and walking away from wealth into uncertain security, then so be it. Genetic evolution overules social constraints.

I guess the ultimate twist in the movie is that the guy didn't end up with the lady but he found freedom by leaving a loveless marriage. Same for the girl - she didn't end up with the guy but regained her freedom and her child. Perhaps it's not your typical happy ending but at least it's a meaningful ending.

--- TheLoneRider
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Yangon (city), Myanmar

IMPORTANT PLACES

Yangon International Airport

HOTEL

Beautyland Hotel II - central location, backpacker friendly, affordable, breakfast & laundry included

RESTAURANT

The Social House - Kitchen & Tap - international food, cold beer, chill vibe, fun crowd

CONDO RENTAL-SALE

2 Ward, Mayangone Township - REDUCED !!!, 1950 ft², 2 master bedrooms, full kitchen

USEFUL INFORMATION

How to Get to Downtown Yangon from the Yangon International Airport (RGN)

take the shuttle bus from Airport to Downtown Yangon, it costs MMK 500. It passes through the main artery of Yangon.

Yangon Travel Tips

useful site: Wiki Travel Yangon

USEFUL INFORMATION

(as of Jan 2020)

Myanmar FYI / Travel Tips

accommodation - not all destinations in Myanmar can accommodate foreign travelers. Walk-in hotel guests could be refused. Better make an online booking, or make sure the hotel you wish to stay, at is listed in the online booking sites (Agoda, Booking.com, etc.)
local time - adjust time 30 mins behind from Thailand (if arriving from Thailand)
Burmese people - Burmese people are new to what's happening to Myanmar - being opened-up to the rest of the world. They remain friendly, helpful and curious. Tourism being new, the culture is not yet corrupted by it.

General Travel Tips

arrive early - in case there is a snag (visa snag, documentation snag, transport ticket snag, etc.), you will have ample time to troubleshoot the problem if you arrive early (to the airport, to the bus terminal, etc.)
put detailed itinerary on the Calendar apps of your smart-phone according to timelines - this is where you do all your thinking and planning. Once written down, you don't have to think anymore while you are on the journey...you just follow the steps. This frees your mind for something else that might happen while you are already en route
avoiding scams - as a general rule, I ignore the touts or anyone I don't know who call out to me. The calling comes in many forms - "Hi! Where are you from?", "Excuse me! Excuse me!", "Where are you going?". I don't look them in the eye and I remain non-verbal with them. If you reply to them, you just gave them an 'in' to hound you. In order not to look rude, I smile and wave the 'not interested' hand to them, without looking at them.
power bank - hand-carry your power bank. Do not check it in. You can be called in when you are already inside the plane to go all the way to the loading dock so you can personally remove the power bank...and chances are, you'll have to surrender it to them. And you might delay the plane departure!

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