Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz's buddy comedy Land Ho! follows former brothers-in-law Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson) and Colin (Paul Eenhoorn) as they travel through Iceland. The pair of 70-year-olds find themselves in need of an adventure to break out of their rut, and soon the extroverted Mitch has talked Colin into the trip. Along the way they have various amorous encounters, and attempt to recapture the spirit of their youth.
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The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.
what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.
what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Imagine your ex-brother-in-law invites you on a trip to Iceland: first-class air tickets, nice hotels, good restaurants, a comfortable rented van. Now imagine your ex-brother-in-law is a dirty old man, obsessed with younger women, who spouts unwanted unsolicited advise, and is a generally all around annoying person. Unfortunately, Colin, portrayed by Paul Eenhoom, failed to remember those facets of Mitch, played by Earl Lynn Nelson, and ended up spending far too much time in his company. The audience will also find they have spent more time than necessary with Mitch, who may have a generous heart, but is a boorish companion. Written and directed by Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens, "Land Ho" is described as a road trip movie, but the film, which is short on road and long on talk, could be more aptly compared to "My Dinner with Andre" than to "Easy Rider," although Mitch does like to inhale regularly.Obviously shot on a low budget, perhaps as a labor of love, the film is somewhat amateurish, the acting seemingly non-professional, and the writing unfocused. While set in glorious Iceland, the movie fails to celebrate the island's natural beauty. Instead, Mitch talks and talks, Colin listens and listens; the film might just have well cut the travel budget and been set in Ohio. Perhaps spending 90 minutes in the company of two elderly gentlemen, who share anecdotes and wisdom gleaned from their lives throughout a motor trip together, could have fueled an intriguing film. However, listening to Mitch impart silly advice to embarrassed newly weds, offer tips on dressing to an embarrassed niece, or graphically describe women to an embarrassed Colin wears thin. While "Land Ho" is earnest and not truly bad, the movie is overly talky, and the audience will leave both admiring the tolerant Colin for his infinite patience and hoping no ex-in-laws show up with similar offers of "free" travel.
It made me laugh, it made me cringe. But I KNOW people like the characters in this movie, warts and all and that's why I found the film so appealing--in real life, not everyone speaks in complete sentences, or has a clever retort; sometimes, people are clumsy and there are awkward pauses--and there's plenty of that in this film. That might drive some people nuts, but I found it to be a feature, not a bug. The scenes of Iceland were breathtaking, it was like a travelogue in some respects, but (I keep coming back to this) I liked the dialogue; it seemed very unscripted, the way that real people talk. The conversations between the American and Australian ex-brothers in law were hilarious at times and annoying at other times, and poignant, still, at others, and the work just seemed more like a goofy reality-type documentary than a film. It will most assuredly NOT be to everyone's taste--it is a weird film, one feels almost like a voyeur watching it, but I found it a good use of my time. If your tastes are a bit oddball, you will get a kick out of this film--let it unroll at its own pace, ya can't force it...!
besides the wonderful screenplay this movie has little to offer. cant comment on the story, seen too many like this, so nothing new here. but it does full justice to the natural beauty of Iceland. the hummer was super. the old folks were comic. wouldn't wast any time let alone money on this. and the scene where he kisses the girl, that was the only attempt at romance. the time they get lost and sleep out, he has not got his head covered n survived? the spa...............every place seems to have hot water in plenty. not worth the watch. see it on Nat Geo instead. besides the wonderful screenplay this movie has little to offer. cant comment on the story, seen too many like this, so nothing new here. but it does full justice to the natural beauty of Iceland. the hummer was super. the old folks were comic. wouldn't wast any time let alone money on this. and the scene where he kisses the girl, that was the only attempt at romance. the time they get lost and sleep out, he has not got his head covered n survived? the spa...............every place seems to have hot water in plenty. not worth the watch. see it on Nat Geo instead
Greetings again from the darkness. Extra credit goes to the writer/director team of Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz for their indie spirit and unique character-driven adventure - a rare Iceland based comedy. The former Film School classmates bring color of personality and color of terrain to the forefront.Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson) and Colin (Paul Eenhoorn) are former brothers-in-law, once married to sisters. The polar opposites are each battling loneliness and aging, and Mitch (the gregarious one) basically forces Colin (the reserved one) into a spontaneous vacation with him to Iceland. After this, we watch what amounts to a an AARP Road Trip Buddy film.Mitch's bravura masks his loss of purpose and fear of mortality, while Colin mostly just shakes his head at each vulgar thought spoken without filter by Mitch. Despite the obvious differences in personality, the two come across as real guys soaking up the adventure. While Colin enjoys his solo hike that ends with a dip in the hot springs, Mitch sips his scotch while pestering a honeymooning couple (one of which is played by well known cinematographer Ben Kasulke) with questions about their private time in the room. He means no harm, he just thrives on fun ... whether it's his or someone else's.Mitch and Colin have a definite on screen connection, and what makes this fascinating is that while Paul Eenhoorn is an established Australian actor, Earl Lynn Nelson is a real life retired surgeon who has only recently begun acting. Mr. Nelson's comfort in front of the camera is obvious whether he is telling his much younger cousin she has a "hot ass", or toking on weed at the hotel. Many long time actors would have struggled in this role, but Nelson ... while not always likable, leaves no doubt about his search for fun.Other than the two lead actors, the landscape of Iceland is a key to the look and feel of the film. The panoramas are beautifully filmed, and if somehow a few people actually see the film, it would not be surprising is Iceland tourism spikes. Though the film offers no life lessons, and offers little in defense of "getting old sucks", this little senior citizen character study is a worthy entry into the "gray cinema" genre.