>>>Agree with you on 'The Piano'. Great performances from Sam Neill, Harvey Keitel and Anna Paquin as well.
>>>
>>>My favourite movie of the last decade has been the German film'The lives of others'. It won the foreign language oscar in 2006 I think, and gets better with each repeat viewing.
>>>
>>>Another antipodean film worth viewing is 'Animal Kingdom'. Wonderful performances from all the cast especially Jackie Weaver and Ben Mendelssohn who have got a lot of Hollywood attention as a result.
>>>
>>>Thanks for the earlier heads up re 'Justified'. Always been an Elmore Leonard fan and had never heard of the series here - I am now on season 3 via DVD.
>>>
>>>Have you tried any Nordic Noir? Borgen, The Killing, The Bridge etc
>>>
>>>Andy
>>
>>Completely agree about "The Lives of Others" Absolutely riveting. I too have watched it a couple times.
>>
>>Don't know Animal Kingdom so will now look for it. (I picture a very cute little girl - was she the one nominated for Actress? but I thought the movie may have been release here under a slightly different name )
>>
>>I do know some Nordic noir ( you had me at noir ) I watched the American version of The Killing and have audio books of the first two Danish (?) books on deck. Saw both versions of Dragon Tattoo and appreciate the atmospherics but wasn't as captivated by it as lot of people were.
>>
>>My current favorite in that category is Jens Lapidus "Easy Money". Translated from Swedish. I am astounded at the translation. I don't think I have ever read anything with language so deft that I would have thought it was originally written in English by a very skilled English writer. An amazing sense of translating underworld slang in a way that rings true in English and yet gives a sense of place (Stockholm) where the the gangsters are a real mix of Swedes, Serbs, various Africans and other Europeans. Terrific book.
>>
>>I tend to watch any Danish or Swedish gangster stuff I find on Netflix and generally like them.
>
>Seriously, give Jo Nesbo a shot if you haven't yet. I have read all of his books and can relate completely with his lead character, Harry Hole. Yes, that's really his name.

Yes, I have them here, just haven't got to them. Remember noticing the name. Reminded me of the Len Deighton character (played by Michael Caine in the movies) Harry Palmer.