Volcano

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Audience Member Watching director Rúnar Rúnarsson's feature debut now cannot circumvent this epithet "the Icelandic version of AMOUR (2012)", only VOLCANO came one year earlier. Compared to AMOUR, it does't match the former's metaphorical conceit, but as a debut, Rúnarsson adeptly chronicles this slow-burner with unadorned humanism and uncompromising dedication. keep reading my review on my blog: http://wp.me/p1eXom-1Xs Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Nominated for the Golden Camera award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, <i>Eldfjall</i> is an ignored Icelandic jewel that tells the story of a man whose name was Isak Borg 54 years before, and Carl Fredricksen 2 years before, and has had tons of other names in a numerous amount of films beforehand, including hundreds of uninspired and flat Hollywood dramas. So why should you be interested in watching the same story of an aged man that has been distanced from his family and wants to make ammends while confronting his past? The reasons are very simple. The art of cinema relies not on the story that is being told, but on how you tell that story. Rúnar Rúnarsson understands this, and creates a humble, but powerful drama about valuing those closest to our lives, especially family, while fighting our inner demons. One of the most dangerous demons (if not the most dangerous) is the total lack of interest to keep living, not only because it consumes you, but also because the price is paid by everybody else, too. The final reason I'll provide is this: family detachment is a real issue, and also the desire to die. It is a human concern that we should never forget. Personally, it doesn't matter how many times the same story or issue is told in film or in any other media, I will always pay attention because this problem is relevant, and the way in which each person decides to confront such issues is different, and not always correct. Once the ending credits start rolling, you'll be left cold in your seat with a certain feel of powerlessness that will prevent you from getting up until the melancholic score stops. On an unrelated additional note, the film resembles the emotional impact, some dramatic elements and the imagery used by Victor Sjöstrom in his 1917 masterpiece <i>Terje Vigen (A Man There Was)</i>, a resemblance that I find particularly interesting. 87/100 Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Subject very similar to Haneke's Amour. Not much to be said really. It's not as emotionally engaging as it should be. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member A film about an old, grumpy man and his kind wife. Things happen and all I can say is that it will move you. There are some amazing acting here and plenty of pretty imagery. The created atmosphere is fantastic. The great lightning makes it look pure, just as the story. I also like the thing with his boat a lot. A real, true, heart breaking and powerful film about love and family. This great full lenght debut from director Runar Runarsson put him on my map. Quite impressive since he was only 33 or so when it was in production. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Hard hitting and difficult to watch; I've not seen Haneke's Amour, but I hear this follows a similar premise. Against the wishes of his adult children, a man decides to care for his barely-conscious wife - who has suffered a serious stroke - at home. Well acted, never drifts into melodrama and tenderly deals with what amounts to a raw love story. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member touching portrait of a man who struggles to connect. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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