Songs From The Second Floor, A Euro Art-Set Lullaby

This is one of the most difficult reviews I've ever had to write. Really. The worst sort of movie review for me is one where I feel totally out of my realm. Not that the film surpasseth understanding for me, oh, no sir/ma'am. I'm a very smart lad and you will not be able to buck me from the mental mount. It's being matched with material that I fear that I'm not equipped to review on an even keel. For example, I generally don't write reviews for romance movies. Not that I don't appreciate romance, I do, very much. You won't find a more romantic fellow than me. But romance stories strike me as making romance and that kind of love the point of being for the characters involved, when in real life, that is not why human beings live. Romance and love is something we all want, but if that is what you base your life around, your life will be an unstable emotional rollercoaster, subject to the dizzying highs and dismal lows that such a mindset will inevitably bring. I love a well written story with romance as an element, but the reason for it being? William Shakespear wrote one bad play, in my awesome opinion, Romeo and Juliet. Awful. I don't buy it for a second. Romeo is a sap, Juliet is a spoiled tart, the only character with character is Mercutio. He should have gone to star in the action adventure sequel, having not died, but the Bard had to have his Epic Fail. Ok. Everyone has one.

Another genre I just don't get is the arty Euro movie. Now, I have several foreign films in my DVD library. One of the most chilling and inventive zombie films of the last decade was They Came Back. Thing is, you have to deal with subtitles or speak French to take in this film. I have no problem doing that for a good movie. Same with the ghost story House Of Voices. One film I'm very much looking forward to is what is regarded as one of the best vampire movies to come along in a long time (definitely not Twilight), the Swedish movie Let The Right One In. There is much to recommend the Eurocentric art set films, but I'm afraid I must report that Songs From The Second Floor fails to cut the mustard.

The DVD cover blurbs compare the film to work by Romero, Monty Python and Ingmar Bergman. Now, I must admit, I'm not up on the ouvre of Bergman, but I do get Romero and Python. And I must double take at such claims. Monty Python films are filled with sharp, witty dialogue, sarcastic, silly barbs at sacred cows and power that be. Romero's films are social satires and commentaries masking as horror movies. They all work because among all their other virtues, they emotionally engage the viewer. The viewer has a sense of emotional stakes. What they have to say MATTERS to the filmmakers, obviously, and they clearly want it to matter to the viewer. Those films succeed because the filmmakers succeed in their goal.

Now, Songs From The Second Floor begins with a series of vignettes, showing people living their lives and doing or being subjected to absurd scenarios. Some were cringe inducing, such as the bad stage magician almost REALLY sawing someone in half, but others just got a mild wtf, such as continually showing this guy who almost got sawed in half in pain, going about things...in pain. Ok.

There is the guy automated out of his job. There is the son of the man who almost sawed that dude in half quoting philosophical lines to his brother, a poet who has gone crazy. Got it so far? Also, there apparently is an unending traffic jam extended throughout the city. Oh, and a large group of people walking around in the back ground engaging in self flaggelation.

Oh, and you have some kind of board meeting to discuss financial news and try to suss out why people are acting like this. Kind of walking around aimlessly.

Well, let me tell you, faithful movie goer. Between the monotone dialogue, the ham fisted shots at religion and the general pointlessness of the affair, it would seem they are trying to make a statement about the absurdity of life and how it all is a futile exercise.

Now, I don't agree with that view, but I don't have to agree with a film to enjoy it or think it worthwhile. But you have to bring something besides a flat, an oh so flat statement. You have to engage me, help me see your view, rather than merely lay it out as "obvious".

Many of your Euro art movies, IMO, do just that. And they, many of them, seem to perpetuate this idea about the absurdity of existence.

I got that. You might even make a compelling case for it. But you have to make me care about it.

In this, and in being a worthwhile movie watching experience in general, I'm afraid Songs From The Second Floor gets put into the DVD basement.

2 Geeks out of ten. And that's being kind.