‘Leaning Towards Solace', Sigur Ros' New Valtari Mystery Film Experiment

‘Leaning Towards Solace’ starts with 'Dauðalogn', my favorite Sigur Ros’ song off their last album, and then uses ‘Varúð’, as the soundtrack of  a 12-minute-mini film featuring half-fallen-angel-half-broken-ballerina Elle Fanning, and John Hawkes, which incarnates an alcoholic-damaged father a la Sean Penn – I don’t know I think he looks a little bit like him.

This is the last installment of the Valtari Mystery Film Experiment, in which the band commissioned artists to make short films out of their songs, and director Floria Sigismondi didn’t spare any drama for this one. Filmed in a desolated desert ghost town, which seems abandoned by the rest of the earth, the film may have had some sort of ‘Paris Texas’ envy, but it’s trying too much to be artsy-edgy.

Honestly, I don’t think these narrative voices were necessary, Sigur Ros’ music is mysterious, they call it ‘Mystery Film Experiment’, and they serve us explanations! That killed it for me… That said the visuals are interesting even stunning at time, and the unexpected ending is totally mindfucking and may ruin the whole thing for many, or actually save it!