The Madame in Black, or "Svarta Madam" in its native language, is a film about a supernatural being that was burned at the stake centuries ago, and comes back when someone says its name three times while looking in a mirror--not unlike the "Bloody Marry" children's game. The film begins with a narrative about the Svarta Madam, then cuts to the early 90s, where two kids are about to play the game. From there, it cuts to present day, and the rest of the film seems to take place over the course of one night.
First of all, the cinematography was impressive. The picture was crisp and detailed, the camera moved smoothly, and the choices for lighting and coloring worked really well with the horror genre.
As far as I could tell, the acting was good. I don't speak Swedish, so I couldn't be 100% sure, but the delivery of lines seemed pretty good, and the emotions felt real enough. Nothing about the acting took me out of the film.
When it comes to the plot, things get a bit murky. A character was displaced from the other characters, and aside from an initial question, the other characters don't acknowledge this character's existence again. Secondly, around the climax of the film, it was becoming confusing what the sequence of events were; what was imagined, what was a dream, etc. Aside from those things, however, the plot was serviceable for the film.
I enjoyed watching this film, and I look forward to seeing more from this director. Indie film makers are important for the integrity of film-making. It's preferable that film doesn't grow too inbred, isolated to one city, where everyone thinks the same.