Songs from the Second Floor

One critic described this film as being "Slapstick Ingmar Bergman"; it's a great joke, and in many ways a true one. I've never seen a movie like this before, and I haven't laughed so hard at one in years. Every single scene has something off-beat or funny happening in it, so that you may want to see it more than once. (I watched it twice in one day!) The best bit occurs when the businesspeople decide on a rash course of action to save the faltering economy. I won't spoil it for you but trust me, it's one of the blackest comic moments in all of film. Don't miss it!

i am taking the time to write these few words only as a contradiction to a pathetic comment i have stumbled upon when surfing the site for details on "songs from the second floor". without intentions to carry out a lengthy and tiring essay on this marvelous cinematic work i only wish to say that the sheer brilliance of this movie will linger on in the mind of every serious cinema lover long after it's actual experience. "songs" is a tour de force of cinematography and 'mis en scene' . the splendor of it's frame compositions , the complexities of it's visual perspectives, all are a cinephile's pleasure feast. packed with sharp humor as well as deep philosophical themes , this film is a must for anyone who is touched by visual art .

Of the 11 films I saw at this years Vancouver International Film Festival, this was one of the best. Definitely not a film for the masses, but if you're tired of seeing so-so hollywood formula and you and don't mind a shot of bizarre, then this is the film for you. I doubt it will come back for a commercial run, as it is not the kind of film the multiplex crowd would appreciate. If, however, like me, you are a fan of Terry Gilliam and don't mind a slower pace, there is much to recommend this film. Made up of a series of short vignettes, some related and some not, it weaves a story of apocalyptic chaos. A story some of us were expecting to happen Jan.1,2000.

The unmoving camera stares into the lives of a society on the brink. Maybe ours in the near future. A movie that will demand discussion afterwards.A bomb shelter in the blighted landscape of Californication.

SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR is honestly one of the best films I have seen so far in my years of cinematic appreciation. Alice, below, nailed it in her analysis, and there's little I can add that would be useful. I also agree with the critics who compared it to what would happen if Monty Python set their sights on Bergman. The film is both a character study and a meditation on humanity, filled with transcendent moments of beauty that left me completely stunned. It is also a biting satire of corporate greed and its effects on society, and the search for hope in a dying, empty world filled with people who've basically given up. SONGS is a great film that everybody should see.

I would just like to say that, those who don´t like this movie must have a heart of stone and a mind that´s so blocked that you can´t see the connections to our society and the ways of man. Our loneliness, our longing for love, our inability to communicate. This film broke my heart, but at the same time it was a wholesome experience, and I was glued to the screen for as long as it lasted. I will never forget the pictures from this film, they still linger inside of me. It´s just so beautiful.

I recommend everyone to see this film! If you´re prepared for an inner journey.(And I know that some people are afraid of this kind of "deep" stuff)Not if you just want entertainment for the moment. If you want to see an action-loaded flick or a nice love comedy instead, fine, do so. But I say: If you´ll only see one and only one more film in your life, see this one!