Lovers of the Arctic Circle

This is one of the best films I have seen, I could say, in my entire life. I don't usually comment if it isn't that way. The film is a masterpiece, a very strong union of every thing that we could want and ask of a film. The story is complex, yes, but it has been set for our eyes in a simple, yet involving way. Then the spectacle really begins, when you feast your eyes on the images passing in front of you. You feel the cold, the warm, the lonely, Ana, Otto, the love.... you feel the story as if it were yours, and believe me, it is. The images achieved by director Julio Medem and cinematographer Gonzalo Berridi are breathtaking, they arouse and touch you, you have the sensation of having seen all that beauty before or the contrary, of never having seen images so beautiful in your entire life, or both. Is life a constant clash of coincidences? I don't know, but watch this film even if it's not by coincidence. You will breathe, love, think, love, see, love different afterwards. This is poetry, this is art, and this is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about cinema, and why it will always be so. My vote?.... Would a 10/10 be enough??? I'm not sure, make that 11.

I was loving this movie for the longest time, but near the end it was trying too hard to maintain its palindromic structure. When filmmakers put style over substance, it detracts from the film. ****MILD SPOILERS**** It would have been perfect if they had just met up at the end and stayed with each other for the rest of their lives. If you think that sounds cheesy or cliched, just think to yourself what the last drama was where a couple actually fell in love and stayed there. You might say that that never happens, but this film was stressing the magical aspect of life. It would have made more sense if they had lived happily ever after at the end. ****MAJOR SPOILERS**** Besides, I'm not even 100% sure what happened at the very end of this movie. Again, the filmmaker was stressing his construction too harshly. But I'm pretty sure Ana died (and her meeting with Otto was just her dying dream). This is an incredible let down! The film still had potential to be great until the very end. There's just no payoff. Even though the characters were not particularly well developed (and they didn't need to be, really; like I said above, this film was more of a magical fairy tale than a piece of realism), I had an emotional bond with them (or more likely, with their situation). I was feeling rather elated throughout the whole movie, but after it ended, there was no feelings to be felt. I would have given it at least an 8, and maybe as high as a 9 on the imdb grading scale, but I have to give it a 7/10. It was worth watching, but it will dissolve quickly from my memory.

I have seen all Medem´s films and I have to say he´s quite original in the treatment of plots, direction and so on, but I found this film a bit boring and too long. There was little action, it´s not that I like only action films but I felt as if it didn´t progress, everytime the same. I hope Lucia y el sexo is different because I have´nt seen it yet.

"Lovers of the Artic Circle (Los Amantes del Círculo Polar)" was basically "Next Stop Wonderland" crossed with "Map of the Human Heart" about a couple who fall in love as children and continue star-crossed throughout their lives. The critics decried the theme of coincidence but it does in fact happen, so it was sweet here. And yes they are both easy on the eyes and maybe that it's in Spanish makes them seem even more romantic. I liked that the parents were real people who have problems and lives and grow and change. The story line goes from each's perspective in flashbacks and current, illuminating thoughts and motivations, which seems to be a trend in movie-making. Quite beautiful cinematography. (originally written 5/2/1999)

Although there is some thought that went into the movie, most of it must have been written when someone was high on more than life. It's way too long on "coincidences" and short on logic. I suppose we could follow around a collection of such people who are always running out of gas or hitting buses, or being hit by them and then claim that it's just coincidence things didn't work out. I suppose some love all the juxtapositions and how they determine the characters' lives. Frankly, I think it's just silly. And I have a great deal of trouble feeling empathy for the hero who jumps out of his plane (which he is piloting) with a parachute on, instead of merely landing the plane in the town where his lover is. That would be too pedestrian. He'd rather hang in a tree to create a parallel to earlier events. Such writing ploys, when abused, make plots seem ridiculous, as it does in this movie. But it's all part of destiny, isn't it? Or so the Spanish would have us believe for this movie would only really appeal to them. The overriding force of fate is obviously so much a part of Spanish thinking. I was reminded of Ángel de Saavedra "Don Alvaro o La Fuerza del sino" which Verdi used for La forza del Destino, to much better advantage. "5" is generous.

"Lovers Of The Arctic Circle" When "Map Of The Human Heart" is one of my favorite movies, I can't fault this film for almost stealing the entire concept. A Spanish language film about two children who meet at school and fall in love with each other. Through the years, the two manage to carry out a sexual relationship even as their respective parents marry each other and outside forces try to separate them. The rest of the film is nearly a scene by scene recreation of 1993's "Map". But I stress that I liked this film. Cinematographer Gonzalo F. Berridi and Director Julio Medem make a very specific effort to make their film visually memorable. Some of the shots on display here are breathtaking. Leads Najwa Nimri and Fele Martinez do a wonderful job as the two lovers. Their scenes of courtship are fascinating to watch and Medem sharply chooses to show both sides of the story. By understanding the two perspectives on this plot, the film is that much more satisfying. I enjoyed this story. I applaud the effort the filmmakers made to not tell this story in any way I might have suspected. It's a slippery slope when it comes to melodramatic romance, yet the film is graceful and competent. ---------------- 8

Ana and Otto met when they were children. She was running in the woods after hearing of her father's death; he was running to get a football. When they met, he fell for her immediately and she could see her dead father inside him. Sadly coincidences lead her mother to fall in love with his father and, before long, they are brother and sister. Over the years though, their affection grows and they begin a relationship that is so secret that they barely know it themselves. In this circle of love and life, strange things occur that they see from different perspectives. This film is the sort of foreign art-house cinema that will make some viewers pull their hair or fall asleep with boredom, so maybe be careful if you are the type of viewer more at home with Porky's rather than anything cerebral; but for everyone else this strange yet engaging film is well worth a look. The plot is about a stepbrother and sister who are sort of in love but to just describe it as that is to do it an injustice. It is much more than that, not all necessarily good, but all interesting enough to watch. The plot movies in little circles – like their names, it has a palindromic effect with one large circle and lots of little ones within; it is very smartly written and I did enjoy it for this. This doesn't help the heart of the film though, and at times I did find it very cold and uninvolving – the characters weren't really real enough and I found the coincidences to actually stop the story being moving and occasionally did make it feel gimmicky. It is also knowingly weird at times and that also put me off; but the overall effect is good. The cast are little more than players within this tricky little film and, as such, they mainly struggle to deliver real characters. Ono and Anna are played pretty flat and cold but it is at least good that they were played consistently over the generation jumps and each acting partnership. It is not really their fault because the film is more interested in the ironies of the circling life and coincidences rather than getting to the heart of the characters – they try hard but this is not a film to watch for strong acting performances. Overall this is a good film but one that may leave many viewers cold and unimpressed by the gimmicks; however many others will be won over by the clever delivery that is filled with mini circles within circles all within the overall palindrome of the total product. At times the cold telling is a bit distracting and the coincidences are not as deep as the film would have us believe but generally it is worth a shot and is a memorable little film.

Unlike all the other comments here i didn't like it. This movie just didn't seem to get a grip on me. I found the Ana/Otto narrative boring, and didn't care much for the characters. The whole coincidence theme was very much to my dislike. It was a very long sit thru this one.

And this one does. The names of the protagonists are palindromes, Otto and Ana. Life may be a palindrome. There is much talk of circles. The beginning of the movie may be the end. Coincidences abound. Missed chances, never more exemplified than by the two lovers sitting unaware of each other in a cafe and moving along on another path for a while. Haunting images of caribou, planes crashing, red buses, accidents that may or may not be happening. Newspaper headlines that could cover many similar events. Destiny. Can we create our own? Is there just one soulmate out there for each of us? How does this movie end? All unknowns. I was challenged, uplifted and mystified. Technically, the subtitles were very poor in places - white on white, frustrating. Musically, very sombre, rather unnecessary. Children Ana and Otto beautiful, understated. 7 out of 10.