Greetings again from the darkness. I’ve always been enamored with movies which are paced so deliberately that it can easily seem like not much is happening, when actually we drift from dark comedy to tenderness to tragedy. It’s likely why I’ve been drawn to films from Iceland, including this one from writer-director Elfar Adalsteins (END OF SENTENCE, 2019) who has adapted the 2005 novel from renowned Icelandic author Jon Kalman Stefansson. The culture in this small village is such that folks mostly keep to themselves, and nature is a constant companion.
A three-minute opening monologue from the narrator is part poetry and part informative. We learn the village has neither a church nor a graveyard. The surrounding water and mountains provide stunning beauty around these folks living mostly simple lives. We tour the knitting factory and learn that it’s actually profitable. We get to know some of the folks in the village and see how they dutifully go about their daily lives.
Director Adalsteins structures this less as a cohesive story and more as individual vignettes that tie to a theme. Due to powerful dreams, the respected CEO of the factory studies Latin and dives headlong into Astronomy and a pursuit of metaphysical knowledge. A laborer falls victim to intense lust, and his wife holds him accountable. A career law enforcement officer (and widower) doesn’t understand his sensitive and artistic son, and goes to an extreme to have this son follow in his footsteps. A lovelorn clinical physician encourages a shy, quiet man to act. A local woman enthusiastically pursues her culinary dream. These are all pieces of a community populated by folks who don’t wear their emotions on their sleeves – in fact, stoicism is the norm.
What we find is that obsession exists even within stoicism. And so does tragedy. And so does happiness. A lecture on things that matter has much less impact than local friends forming a band for a community dance. The town’s first restaurant not only serves delicious meals, but also inspires friends to gather and support each other. Even the simplest of lives are not that simple. Emotions are brewing under the surface. And though this village seems inextricably tied to the effects of nature, what these folks share with every other corner of the universe is that happiness is fleeting, and tomorrow is not guaranteed. For those that share my appreciation for less conventional storytelling at a meticulous pace, filmmaker Elfar Adalsteins delivers.
Opens in NYC on September 20 and in Los Angeles on September 27. Nationwide release to follow.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. Part of my attraction to arthouse films is the often-unconventional path to storytelling that the filmmakers take – sometimes expending more effort on the look and style than on the characters and plot. These films once only had life in film festivals, and today many also carry on in the streaming revolution. I’ll go ahead and admit upfront that this latest from Argentinian filmmaker Lisandro Alonso (JUAJA, 2014) and co-writers Martin Caamano and Fabian Casas is a bit esoteric for my tastes … although it looks beautiful.
Greetings again from the darkness. Eighteen-year-old Elliott is counting down the twenty-two days remaining until she leaves home for her freshman year of college. For anyone who was once 18 or has raised an 18-year-old, you know that 22 days is the future. Writer-director Megan Park follows up her excellent feature film debut, THE FALLOUT (2021), with a different tone, albeit another one that focuses on the stress of being a teenager.
Greetings again from the darkness. After the lukewarm reception at last year’s Toronto Film Festival, and complaints about the ending, director Anand Tucker (SHOPGIRL 2005, HILLARY AND JACKIE 1998) called the cast back for re-shoots. Oscar nominated writer Patrick Marber (NOTES ON A SCANDAL, 2006) adapted the 2015 novel, “Curtain Call”, by Anthony Quinn (a former film critic, not related to the two-time Oscar winner with the same name). Although I can’t comment on the original version, this one provides a bit of entertainment.
Greetings again from the darkness. Many of us (perhaps too many) are drawn to the dark side – topics that dig into the ugly side of human nature that Mr. Rogers mostly avoided in his neighborhood. A quick look at the popularity of true crime shows provides proof of the fascination that corresponds to those who don’t subscribe to the golden rule. Writer-director Pascal Plante has a track record of film festival success and his latest fits the mold – fascinating to watch with a twist that may have viewers questioning their own assumptions.
Greetings again from the darkness. I don’t know why. I wish I could explain it. So many movies I admire or find intriguing are not the kind of movies that one would describe as uplifting, likable, or even watchable multiple times. The first feature film from writer-director Luna Carmoon is yet another for that category. It’s simultaneously compelling and unpleasant – a difficult movie to watch with an unrelatable lead character. And yet, I couldn’t turn away. The film won multiple awards at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, so obviously I’m not the only one drawn to this.
Greetings again from the darkness. ‘Coming of Age’ films typically lean heavily into either comedy or tragedy. In his first feature film, writer-director Sean Wang (Oscar nominated for his documentary short NAI NAI & WAI PO, 2023) takes a different approach. While he certainly injects some humor, it’s isolation and awkwardness – that feeling of not fitting in – that takes center stage. It’s quite possible, even likely, that some of this is autobiographical for director Wang. That’s a safe statement since most every teenager can relate to bits of this story.
Greetings again from the darkness. The mistreatment of kids is something that causes a physical reaction for me. It’s not just the intellectual and emotional effects – my entire body reacts by shifting into some mode that’s a cross between aggression, sickness, and denial. No matter how much we wish child trafficking wasn’t occurring, we know that it is … and reminders are crucial in keeping the awareness and discussions (and kids) alive. That’s the role of the first feature film from writer-director Mohit Ramchandani.
Greetings again from the darkness. As a lifelong avid baseball fan, I recall the 1973 season when relief pitcher Tug McGraw (father of country performer and actor Tim McGraw) elevated the phrase “You Gotta Believe” to the rallying cry for his New York Mets team that year (they ultimately lost the World Series to the Oakland A’s). So, I’ll admit to a touch of skepticism when I saw this was a baseball movie. Director Ty Roberts and writer Lane Garrison previously collaborated on 12 MIGHTY ORPHANS (2020) and THE IRON ORCHARD (2018), and after watching this one, I’ll give them full credit for bringing very human stories of real people to the screen.
Greetings again from the darkness. It seems wrong (and a bit cheap and obvious) to use the word “unorthodox” to describe this latest movie from writer-director Nathan Silver (STINKING HEAVEN, 2015) and co-writer C. Mason Wells. However, that description fits … even if a bit too perfectly. The word also accurately describes the look and camera work from cinematographer Sean Price Williams, using harsh close-ups for immediacy and a filtered soft look for connection.
