One of the worst movies I have seen. Totally weird movie and nothing really works. The most hilarious scene is the one where the eyless white bitch tries to warm up the guy. Disturbing noises. Why on earth Ladytron's song is in this movie..?? yaiks.

Murmansk takes it's first steps after Sonic Youth, Queens of the Stone Age and Placebo on their first album which was released 2008. There is raw sounds and a lot of effects on the album. Playing and singing work just perfectly together.

The singer Lauras voice is almost pure perfection. Her voice has different levels and can be both beautiful and raw. My band was once supporting them on gig and I was stunned at the soundcheck how emotional her voice was.

The album kind of starts from the second song (Vague Language). Nothing But The Moon grows beautifully. The album is full of surprises.

This movie tells a story about film director Guido Anselmi who is suffering from director's block. Main character who is played by Marcello Mastroianni doesn't get inspiration and because of that is anxious. He has no script for his movie. Actresses demand informations about their roles but there isn't any. The fuss keeps going on around the poor director who hasn't got a clue about the movie he is making.

The other theme of the movie is Guido's relationships. Wife Luisa (Anouk Aimèe) is descreet and classy. Lover Clara (Sandra Milo) is irresolute. Crush Claudia (Claudia Cardinale) is his salvation.

The third theme is Guido's inner world and childhood...or recollections about childhood. Guido feels that he has caused shame to his mother. He has distant relations to his mother and father. Recollections about childhood opens up Guidos personality and helps to understand the situation in which he is.

The movie has lots of dream like chapters. Guido tries to get the big picture of himself and his relationships through these memories. I found pairs from the dream like chapters: black-white, approval-abnegation.

Finally Guido finds his salvation by excepting himself as he is. This comes from giving up all the pressures.

Drama, craziness, glamour of black and white film..I like. The movie is brilliant visually.

Jesus must die. The human nature is evil and antichrist lives in the human nature. Nature is part of humanity. The movie consists of strong symbolism. The married couple are like Adam and Eve in Eden. Three kings came to Jesus in bible. Despair, grief and pain (the three kings) come in a form of animals in the movie. I guess it’s not a coincidence either that the couple are wearing yellow and black jackets in one of the scenes at the forest. After all yellow and black together symbolizes danger. And things starts to get dangerous at the movie. Sexualism brings pleasure but is deathly dangerous. The character which is played by Charlotte Gainsbourg is the “witch” who is struggling with guilt from her babys death. She also has issues about the closest people leaving her. The character which is played by Willem Dafoe wanders at his wifes mind. When curtains are open and the truth starts to come to light wicked things start to happen. The movie has a couple of disturbing scenes so it’s not for sensible viewers. The movie is both realistic and dreamlike. I think that in the end of the movie the faceless people are witches who are burned to death centuries ago.

Happiness is about little things. Joy is strawberries and fresh milk. Happy family (Jof & Maria & their angelic child Mikael) offers a moment of tranquillity to knight who plays chess of life and death with death. The knight values the moment in his heart. Death isn’t so scary when you feel that you have accomplished something that counts. The black death is on a rampage in Europe. So the film is based in somewhere 14th century. I found the sequel with people carrying wooden christ at the village very dark and impressive. Crying people and monks whipping themselves. Religious man preaches that you all are going to die. The film is beautiful in a dark way. The happy family brings some light to it. What is more Jof and Maria are actors who support themselves by performing comedies. Near the end the knight and his crew dance the deathdance on the cliff. Jof and Maria wakes up and sun shines on them. Death didn’t catch them ,yet. And life goes on in especially Jof’s and Maria’s son Mikael. Is it a coincidence that characters name is the same that the highest archangel has?

At first I thought the singer is a woman. The voice makes it easier to listen to this album. I think the voice is commercial but the music is not too commercial. The voice brings poppish notes to album. The voice also gives room to other instruments. If only the voice had more varioty. I can’t help thinking of The Mars Volta when I listen him singing.
And what about the music then? It’s experimental, progressive, pop and has interesting hooks. The music kind of flows from song to another song. I like the drummers work on this album.
The album is promising at the beginning. The album is kind of easy to listen to althought it takes several times to listen to this for oneself sink into the songs. Something in the song Kicking Your Cross Down remainds me of Die so Fluid. I guess it’s the song melody. Good album but I remained missing something. This is good background music. And not in a bad way!

The albums atmosphere is dark but beautiful. Sad but somehow comforting. Very intimidating. There is a glimpse of hope in the between. Some of the songs are like twisted lullabies. I can’t imagine many singers who would do a record like this but Nico keeps everything in a neat package. Nicos voice guides through the album. I like to listen this album when I’m alone. The album comforts me in a strange way. And she was a great visionary.