Sigur Rós: Heima

An absolute masterpiece...visually astonishing and deeply moving.

The juxtaposition of opposites is seen and heard throughout this film (ex: light and shadow, life and death, motion and stillness, perfection and imperfection, young and old) which suggests the circularity of life. Heima also presents the viewer with an all-encompassing look at the beauty of Iceland as a segment of a much larger picture, Earth.

This film is perfectly accentuated by the music of Sigur Ros as well as the free spirited attitude of the members of their band. Altogether, this film transcends the genre of music documentary (rockumentary) and takes it to an entirely new level with beauty that will bring tears to your eyes.

The Icelandic band Sigur Ros craft otherworldly songs with lyrics drifting between their native tongue and an invented language called 'Hopelandic.' I have long found their music to be both distinctive and enjoyable but continue to harbour some unresolved feelings about the band. I find their music to be rather less subtle than post-rock contemporaries such as Mogwai and Labradford and cannot help but regard their invented lyrical language with a degree of cynicism. Being an admirer of the band but not exactly their greatest fan, I approached Heima, their feature-length film, with a little trepidation. However, I regard the film as a triumph.'Heima' is an Icelandic word for 'home' and this film is accordingly as much about Iceland as the Sigur Rose, who must surely have surpassed Bjork as their country's most famous musical export. I have myself visited Iceland to view its stunning scenery but was nevertheless left breathless by some of the cinematography in this film. The beautiful landscapes of Iceland serve as the backdrop for many of the band's songs, whilst further footage of desolate lava fields, picturesque villages and mammoth glaciers is interspersed between the performances recorded in live venues and the interviews conducted with individual band-members.Sigur Ros choose some remarkable locations in which to play their music. The band illuminate obscure corners of Iceland, most remarkably when they stage a live performance in a disused factory in an abandoned fishing town. The interviews with the band feature some frank and sometimes-humorous recollections and I found it fascinating to watch the way that Icelandic people reacted to the music being performed.The songs of Sigur Ros and the footage of Iceland combine to make this a film that is much more than a straightforward performance video. This is instead a powerful evocation of Iceland through the eyes and ears of the band. For anyone with a passing interest in Sigur Ros or in Iceland this film will be compelling viewing.

In the summer of 2006 (although you'd never know being in Iceland!) local heroes Sigur Ros returned to their 'Heima' or homeland to put on a series of free and unusual shows. Firstly they wanted to give a gift to the people of Iceland, it seems that very little ever happens in this barren land, and secondly they wanted to take the music back to where it originated. If you have ever heard a Sigur Ros album you will know it's a beautiful, sweeping, moving and often a sparse affair much like the land it came from. It is at times harsh, cold and jarring like the countryside and its elements but at other times it is warm, different and special like the country and its people. With varying crew sizes they play a series of gigs from an abandoned hillside cottage to a dam protest site, a volcanic ash plain and haunting disused fishing factory to name but a few and ending in the most attended show in the country's capital Reykjavik. Peppered with interviews from the bands main and secondary members the film isn't just a live showcase and at times has some startling natural and artistic visuals to accompany the incredible music. Whether you are a fan of the band or just looking to see a great music film you can't go far wrong with this movie it is an audiovisual experience unrivalled in its approach to the band and their roots. I always said that Sigur Ros' music should soundtrack a film and now it does their own.

Astonishing landscapes, amazing filming, music of beauty.. I was deeply touched by this movie.. Sigur Ros is a band so special and really talented. Seeing the landscapes of Iceland one can understand how the weather, the scenery, the people, affect their music and the way they write these songs. I think this movie is a must for all fans, as well as for people who don't know Sigur Ros yet. The general idea is that after a long series of tours and international activity, they wanted to get back in Iceland to perform a series of live performances for their own people. The places they chose to play live are unbelievable each one affecting their set and the way they sound. A 10 for me!

Having been lucky enough to be able to attend the Melbourne Premier of Heima, as well as privileged to see Sigur Ros perform live in the past, I expect Heima to be good, even great...

I didn't expect it to be a night of pure magic.

With the release of Heima, which is part documentary, part live DVD, Sigur Ros have cemented themselves as not influential musicians, but also as artists who have crossed over into the film genre with sublime results.

Heima traces the journey undertaken by Sigur Ros at the end of 2006, following their Takk world tour. As a way of giving something back to their country, as well as to the people of Iceland, they performed a set of free unannounced concerts.

Heima is a beautiful journey through both Iceland and Sigur Ros' return home.

Takk Sigur Ros.... Takk....