Better Late Then Never

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Blistering performances.

I happened upon this film being played on IFC, and was pleasantly surprised. I concur with another reviewer's compliment on how the filmmaker allows the subjects to explain themselves and their beliefs without making judgment. In the end, the documentary does not seem to take a position either way, rather it simply documents Icelanders who believe in the "invisible world" and it's invisible beings.The people interviewed in the film seem entirely of sound mind and body, and, in any case, seem to believe what they are saying.What I found most compelling about the film is the way director Jean-Michel Roux and his crew crafted the film. The combination of images of Iceland, the ambient score, and the composition and style of cinematography give the film an almost narrative feel. The subjects seem entirely believable, which when combined with the style, makes this film so intriguing.

I caught this because the title was interesting and I had spent a little time in Iceland.The first compliment I have to pay to the film makers is how they let the people explain themselves without imposing their own judgment. Unlike the many documentaries about similar subjects that infest U.S. cable channels at the moment, this film is presented so that the viewer can make their own decisions about the people presented. When presenting such supernatural subjects, most documentaries take a side on the subject. These days every strange idea is presented as an astounding truth with any skeptical opinion either edited in a way to make the skeptic seem foolish or really in agreement with the documentary.Here we have a large number of rational people who have felt that they have come in contact with supernatural entities, elves, sea serpents, aliens, ghosts and so forth. It's the Icelandic demeanor that helps us listen to the stories. Their generally calm way of expressing themselves allows the audience a chance to hear what they are saying and reflect on what these people believe they have experienced. It's also the fact that seeing and experiencing these entities is not considered as odd in Iceland as here in the US so the people can talk without being defensive.Recommended to anyone interested in the supernatural, if you believe in it or not.

This film is probably one of the most captivating documentaries about a side of Iceland that everyone wants to understand better... It's showing this week on the Sundance Channel. Make sure you record it during one of the showings listed below. Watch it more than once. If the Supernatural is not your favorite subject matter, stick with the movie through the very end and you may change your mind. The version I watched twice in 2004 was 90 minutes long, so I am interested to see if I miss the 5 minutes they cut.The filmmaker Jean Michel Roux made several trips to Iceland for this project to record the stories told by everyone he wanted to put in the movie. Then he had the footage in Icelandic written in French and then he returned to conduct interviews based on the stories the people told only having to translate the final interviews again into French for him to edit the film. He got the idea to do this film when he was doing location scouting for a fictional Sci-Fi film he was developing.The soundtrack is equally moving featuring Hector Zazou, The Residents, Biosphere and Gorecki. This movie was so popular at the San Francisco Film Festival last year that they had to add two more screenings, totaling 4 screenings. If you want to know what the atmosphere is truly like, you have to visit Iceland, but if you just want to get about 85 minutes inside the remote country and meet its most fascinating residents, then you really must see this movie. Tell as many people you know who are even just remotely curious about Iceland or about the Supernatural.

Jean Michel Roux Documentary is giving you the chance to broad your vision about what reality of the world is. Each scene is like a painting, beautiful and intense. The music from Hector Zazou and Biosphere melt in the pictures and gives a real breath to a very creative ensemble. It shows you also that a documentary can be subjective in its form but scrupulously objective in his testimonies.I always thought Bjork was an Elf, now I know about Elves cities are hidden in between the frames of our reality, like a 25th image...This film gives you a strong sentiment of joy and respect, and also a strong feeling of humility toward our poor modern way of perception.IMHO this is state of art film made by true Artist. A DVD to buy with Geoffrey Reggio trilogy !CheersJM