Anyone who intends to review this movie will have to take into consideration the earlier film, Með Allt Á Hreinu, to which Í Takt Við Tímann is a sequel. 20 years after Með Allt á Hreinu ended, the story picks up again. Harpa and Stinni (whose parting at the end of the first movie was not entirely voluntary) are living separate lives but have never forgotten about each other. Stuðmenn, the band they were both members of, is now a miserable trio playing in bars in Spain, and Dúddi, their former roadie, has discovered new-ageism and become a "guru". None of them are entirely happy with their lot, and things start heating up between Harpa and Stinni when Stuðmenn re-form (without Harpa) and enter a band competition where they will be competing with the band Harpa's son is in. Like the first film, this one is full of good music and funny incidents. The humour is the same as in the earlier film - for example the costumes Stuðmenn always perform in, each more ridiculous than the last - and it's a nice way to spend a couple of hours. The movie is a bit self-conscious, and it feels staged in a way the first film was not. Með Allt Á Hreinu is a tough act to follow, and although this is a funny and well-made movie, I don't think it will ever reach the cult status of the previous effort.
Reviews
17 Reviews
The Man Who Planted Trees
(1987)
Pure magic
3 March 2004
The first time I saw this film I sat in front of the TV and watched it like I had been hypnotized. The animation technique and the colours are breathtaking and I really, really wish I had seen it on the big screen. I'm sure the experience would have been sublime.
This is the kind if film that leaves the viewer (unless she/he is totally insensitive) full of awe and wonder at the determination shown by the protagonist, who, in the course of a lifetime, plants a forest.
Whether you view it as a simple and beautiful story about planting trees and loving nature, or as a fable with a deeper meaning, this film is absolutely wonderful.
I would buy it in a heartbeat if it ever came out on DVD.
This is the kind if film that leaves the viewer (unless she/he is totally insensitive) full of awe and wonder at the determination shown by the protagonist, who, in the course of a lifetime, plants a forest.
Whether you view it as a simple and beautiful story about planting trees and loving nature, or as a fable with a deeper meaning, this film is absolutely wonderful.
I would buy it in a heartbeat if it ever came out on DVD.
Devdas
(I) (2002)
Beautiful and boring
2 March 2004
Lovely colours, gorgeous costumes, sumptuous sets and utterly, utterly boring. I fell asleep twice trying to watch this movie. The dance scenes are great, but that's about it. Shahrukh Khan's acting is so wooden it's unbelievable and he has no chemistry with either of his female co-stars. If you want see him give a good performance, watch Dil Se - he's so much better in that film.
The story could have been told better in half the time, especially by cutting down some of the scenes of Khan's character feeling sorry for himself. I'm giving it 5 out of 10 for the dance scenes and the settings.
The story could have been told better in half the time, especially by cutting down some of the scenes of Khan's character feeling sorry for himself. I'm giving it 5 out of 10 for the dance scenes and the settings.
The Million Dollar Duck
(1971)
I would have loved this when I was 6 years old...
16 February 2004
...too bad I'm not 6 any more.
Not one of Disney's better efforts. If you want to watch an enjoyable
movie, this isn't it - it's just too silly. Not that I have anything against
silly movies, but this one isn't funny-silly, it's just silly.
It has the usual cast of Disney stock characters: the kind but
flawed - in this instance avaricious - male hero, the giddy and
empty-headed female hero, the cute kid, the nosy neighbours and
the stupid officials. Oh, and don't forget the cute animal, this time a
goose that has about as much personality as a blank page.
It may be possible to make a good movie about a goose that lays
golden eggs - and this isn't it.
Not one of Disney's better efforts. If you want to watch an enjoyable
movie, this isn't it - it's just too silly. Not that I have anything against
silly movies, but this one isn't funny-silly, it's just silly.
It has the usual cast of Disney stock characters: the kind but
flawed - in this instance avaricious - male hero, the giddy and
empty-headed female hero, the cute kid, the nosy neighbours and
the stupid officials. Oh, and don't forget the cute animal, this time a
goose that has about as much personality as a blank page.
It may be possible to make a good movie about a goose that lays
golden eggs - and this isn't it.
Makes 'Wild Wild West' look good by comparison
17 January 2004
Flat characters, bad use of their literary backgrounds and "talents". Could do with more story and fewer explosions. Injecting a bit of humour into the story would have been a good start - science fantasies of the 'alternative past' kind are in their nature ridiculous and ones that take themselves seriously are even worse. At least there was humour in 'Wild Wild West'.
The Twins
(1981)
one of the best family films ever made in Iceland
7 January 2004
Based on the classic novel by Guðrún Helgadóttir, this film is still very funny and has wide appeal to audiences of all ages. It is somewhat dated, but that only serves to make it funnier. The film covers the adventures of twin brothers Jón Oddur and Jón Bjarni, who get up to a lot of mischief - not Home Alone style, but rather real things that real kids might do.
Stella on Holiday
(1986)
Stella gets her groove back
13 June 2003
This is one of the most popular comedy films ever made in Iceland. It tells the story of Stella, a tired Icelandic housewife who hasn't had a holiday in years (the title translates as "Stella takes a Holiday"). Others involved are her husband and two kids, the husband's mistress and a Swedish gentleman who has come to Iceland to participate in an alcoholic rehab program. The film is as funny as ever, maybe even funnier now than when it was made, because the fashions and hairstyles are well and truly out of style and very cheesy.
Could have been much better
15 May 2003
This TV film suffers from being too long, and from playing quite heavily on certain stereotypes of the Irish. Leaving out the 'happy Irish leprechauns doing the Riverdance' scenes would have improved things immensely. The special effects are pretty good for a TV film, and the actors are mostly good in their roles, especially Colm Meaney as Seamus Muldoon. It's unfortunate that Irish legends are so twisted in the story, especially where the Banshee has been turned into some kind of benevolent spirit, played by a very bored-looking Whoopi Goldberg.
Stagy but good
20 January 2003
Maggie Smith is superb in this film, and all the other actors are very good in their roles. The only thing I have to say against the film is that it is too stagy - it's basically a play brought to the screen and never quite gets away from it.
Ikíngut
(2000)
excellent family entertainment
2 January 2003
This film sends a strong message about superstition and prejudice, but also about enduring friendship, in a story about a small boy from Greenland who drifts on an iceberg to Iceland and is mistaken for a demon by the superstitious villagers who find him.
The Scarlet Pimpernel
(1999–2000)
Severely lacking in the necessary dash and wit, but will do if you've never seen the other versions or read the book...
8 October 2002
Having read the books and seen the 1982 Anthony Andrews/Jane
Seymour version, I have to say that this is not good at all.
According to the books, Percy is supposed to be a seemingly
foppish aristocrat when he's being Percy, and witty and clever
when he's being the Pimpernel, but here he just looks bored as
Percy and mean as the Pimpernel. Marguerite is supposed to be
the most beautiful woman in Europe, not a tired and frumpy-looking matron (she looks middle-aged, probably due to
bad make-up). Richard E. Grant has done much better things, and
Elizabeth McGovern's acting is uninspired and flat. The wit and
dash of the books and the Andrews/Seymour film is here replaced
by brawn and flashy editing that just don't make the cut.
I might add that to a person who hasn't seen any previous version
or read the book, it would probably look ok.
Seymour version, I have to say that this is not good at all.
According to the books, Percy is supposed to be a seemingly
foppish aristocrat when he's being Percy, and witty and clever
when he's being the Pimpernel, but here he just looks bored as
Percy and mean as the Pimpernel. Marguerite is supposed to be
the most beautiful woman in Europe, not a tired and frumpy-looking matron (she looks middle-aged, probably due to
bad make-up). Richard E. Grant has done much better things, and
Elizabeth McGovern's acting is uninspired and flat. The wit and
dash of the books and the Andrews/Seymour film is here replaced
by brawn and flashy editing that just don't make the cut.
I might add that to a person who hasn't seen any previous version
or read the book, it would probably look ok.
Sommer i Tyrol
(1964)
Good fun and plenty of music
8 October 2002
This is a Danish film version of "The White Horse Inn", filmed on
location in Austria. It is presented here as a musical, rather than
as an operetta, which makes it suitable for a wider audience. Dirch
Passer (as Leopold) is at his best here, and the other actors are
well fitted to their roles, especially Ove Sprogøe as Leopold's rival,
Sigismund. There is none of the vulgarity that can be found in
some of Passer's later films, only light-hearted humour and
romance. Oh, and the landscape is breathtaking.
location in Austria. It is presented here as a musical, rather than
as an operetta, which makes it suitable for a wider audience. Dirch
Passer (as Leopold) is at his best here, and the other actors are
well fitted to their roles, especially Ove Sprogøe as Leopold's rival,
Sigismund. There is none of the vulgarity that can be found in
some of Passer's later films, only light-hearted humour and
romance. Oh, and the landscape is breathtaking.
The Kingdom
(1994–2022)
Dark and brilliant
30 September 2002
This mini-series teems with weird characters, supernatural happenings, horror and creepiness. I have mixed feelings about the story itself, but there is no denying that it is brilliant in many ways: superb acting, great directing, and the way colour is used to create an atmosphere of dread and hopelessness. And it ends with a cliffhanger - I wonder if von Trier will make Riget III to bring it to a conclusion...
Støvsugerbanden
(1963)
A sly dig at the 'juvenile delinquent' genre
30 September 2002
A deliciously sly dig at juvenile delinquent movies and gangster films. The delinquents in this film are senior citizens, and the responsible ones are their grandchildren. The seniors all behave as if they've seen too many American gangster movies, which is very funny in the context of Danish retirement homes. The title of the film translates as "The Vacuum-cleaner Gang", and is a reference to their inventive use of an ultra-silent portable vacuum cleaner as an instrument of crime.
Mansfield Park
(1983)
Faithful to the novel and sooooooo boooooring!
30 September 2002
This is, as other reviewers have commented on, a very faithful adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, which is the best thing I can say about it. The acting is so stagy that it looks like a theatre piece taken off the stage, and most of the actors are obviously uncomfortable in their roles, something a good director would have noticed and tried to amend. Although the novel is enjoyable to read and I wouldn't cut a word out of it, the story simply doesn't have enough movement to go over well on the screen without some editing. It might have been better to make a shorter and less boring film - I nearly fell asleep watching it.
The Battle of the Sexes
(1960)
Great adaptation of Thurber's story
30 September 2002
I read Thurber's short story, "The Catbird Seat" as a part of my English course in school, and thoroughly enjoyed it then. Seeing the film version (years later) was a real treat. Peter Sellers was very good as the shy and sneaky Mr. Martin, but Constance Cummings reduced Miss Barrows to a caricature. Her breakdown at the end of the film comes across as contrived - she makes it look as if Miss Barrows is pretending to cry to get sympathy. Other than that, it is a thoroughly enjoyable film to watch.
Don Olsen kommer til byen
(1964)
Definitely worth watching
25 September 2002
A very good Danish comedy film about Thorsen (played by Dirch Passer), a small-town merchant whose life is thrown into turmoil when he innocently offers to pay for a meal for Don Olsen, a retired printer and philosopher, who is passing through the little town of Middelkøbing. Their midnight adventure with the horse is one of the funniest drinking scenes I have seen in a movie.
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