Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Roy Hart If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Marva-nova Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Winifred The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

tothemax311 Kitchen Stories in a Nordic comedy that explores the hilarious, but real, social interaction that can take place between strangers along with the strong life-long friendship that can be created over a cup of coffee.Kitchen Stories, a Norwegian/ Swedish film by Bent Hamer, takes place in Norway during the 1950's. Kitchen stories tells the tale of Swedish kitchen efficiency researchers who go to Norway to study single Norwegian men's habits. The movie follows the Swedish researcher Folke Nilsson as he attempts to study the habits of lonely and stubborn Isak Bjørvik. Nilsson, following the strict rules of the research institution not to interact with its host, finds it hard to begin observing and continue doing so as Bjørvik beings to avoid the kitchen as he begins to regret is decision for signing up for the experiment and becomes strongly averse having Nilsson observe his movements. As a result Nilsson becomes upset and seeks a new host. Eventually, however, the men overcome their disapproval of one another and learn that they have much in common as two lonely men. From here a friendship forms that progresses from initial shy interactions to opening up and having comfortable conversations with one another over a cup of coffee. The movie continues to follow this friendship, and tests it's true strength as both become faced with different life challenges. Kitchen Stories offers a look into a variety of elements of historical and contemporary Nordic culture that observe the odd social-interaction behaviors that many foreigners, including myself, have witnessed from first impressions to a lasting friendship. However the film also explores the recent globalization of Nordic cinema by introducing a mixed cast and crew of Norwegians and Swedes as they offer a reflection on their past relations with each other after WWII.As soon as we meet Bjørvik we are introduced to the typical avoidance behavior between people that many will first encounter when they meet someone from the Nordic countries. Bjørvik completely ignores, and also goes out of his way to avoid Nilsson. As Bjørvik gets more and more irritated with Nilsson he starts to resort to passive aggressive techniques to upset Nilsson, such as turning off the lights while he moves around the room so Nilsson can't watch him, or turning the facet to drip before he leaves the kitchen. Soon the two men are in an all out passive-aggressive war on each other. As soon as one does something the others is able to retaliate with a different move. Eventually the tables are turned as we learn that Bjørvik becomes the observer from a small peep hole above as he watch Nilsson in his high-chair. The trick is now on Nilsson as Bjørvik, from the safety of his room upstairs, where he has moved part of his kitchen to cook, watches Nilsson. Despite these early interactions of avoidance and passive-aggressiveness, the two men soon reconcile.This reconciliation takes on the formation of a friendship between the two men. One day, when Bjørvik runs out of tobacco Nilsson takes the chance to offer a peace-offering between the two by tossing Bjørvik some of his own tobacco. Bjørvik, at first shocked by this gesture, soon responds by shyly leaving Nilsson a cup of coffee as he leaves the room. By leaving the cup of coffee Bjørvik has left the Nordic symbol of invitation into ones home. Eventually the two share coffee with each other and as they interact more and more, learn they share much in common with each other. Nilsson also learns, that since he has broken his contract with the research institution not to interact with the host, that work isn't everything, and that as a lone man himself, friendship is the most important thing you can have. The progression of this friendship is seamless as Hamer sets a slow-pace for the film which allows for every movement and set of dialogue that Bjørvik and Nilsson say to expose not only the comedic aspects of this friendship, but the strength of the friendship that is forming. We see this friendship tested in the film throughout many parts, but the first strong sign of friendship comes when Bjørvik saves Nilsson and his trailer on the train tracks from a local man who has become jealous of Bjørvik's friendship with Nilsson. Also, in addition to my research of the film Kitchen Stories, I found that there was some importance in the fact that the film took place during the post-WWI era. During the war, with Norway on one side and Sweden as neutral, mistrust was formed between the two countries and after the two remained cautious when interacting with one another. With this knowledge we could take the story of Kitchen Stories to a whole new level and observe it as a conversation not only on the social interactions between common Nordic people and the importance of friendship, but also as a reflection on Norwegian and Swedish relations after the war.This multi-Nordic cultural aspect that is taken with the film is also a reflection on the globalization of Nordic film and the importance of expanding Nordic film to a broader audience. Before the Nordic film used to be about a specific country and their specific traits- for which they were critiqued. However, today the countries are working together to achieve film that isn't country specific, but that is universal and include Nordic elements.Overall, Kitchen Stories is a beautiful slowly paced film that draws out the awkwardness and humor in Nordic social life, reconciles differences from the past, and looks at the importance and strength of friendship.

klenke-677-363172 Going into the showing of Kitchen Stories, I had no idea what to expect. I hadn't seen the trailer or heard anything about the plot of the film, and from the title I envisioned a generic, blandly heartwarming dramedy about Norwegian housewives. Thank goodness I was wrong! There is nothing bland about this film, although it does manage (almost despite itself) to be heartwarming. But there are no Norwegian housewives to be seen. Instead, Kitchen Stories is based on the premise of a Swedish firm studying the kitchen habits of single men, in order to design a more efficient kitchen. The plot itself is so Nordic—what other society would have the organizational power or the interest to study such an obscure topic? But even though this movie screams "Scandinavia!," it is definitely enjoyable for an audience of any nationality.One of the most unique aspects of Kitchen Stories, and a hallmark of its director, Bent Hamer, is that all of the characters are old, stuffy white men. Despite the similarity of the characters' demographics, however, each one distinguishes himself through an abundance of personality. We have Folke, the law-abiding, uptight Swedish man who believes in the importance of his position as an observer of kitchen habits and whose idea of an exciting night is to gorge himself on the Swedish food his aunt has sent to him. Then there is Isak, the older Norwegian man that Folke is observing. Isak is silent and surly, but we soon begin to love him as he sabotages Folke's observations and begins to make observations of his own. He joined the study only because the promoters promised that he would get a horse if he participated—turns out that they meant a carved wooden horse, not a real one. There is also Folke's supervisor, who keeps tabs on all the observers in the area and makes sure that they are not breaking any rules by interacting with the subjects they are supposed to watch.To protect the integrity of the study, Folke and the other observers are not allowed to interact with their subjects, even to say good morning or have a cup of coffee. These strict rules result in the hilarious picture of Folke sitting on a high wooden chair in a corner of Isak's kitchen, watching silently and intently as Isak walks to the cupboard, takes out an egg, and sits back down at the kitchen table. The sound of Folke's pencil scratching as he records Isak's every move, and the look that Isak gives him before leaving the kitchen and slamming the door, is where the true comedic value of the film can be found. This is a Nordic film, not an American comedy, and as a result there are no ridiculous antics or impossible circumstances, but Kitchen Stories uses its own brand of quiet, awkward humor that works wonderfully well.Of course, Folke and Isak can no longer stand the pressure of seeing each other every day and not speaking, so slowly and carefully a friendship begins to develop, based on conversations about how Swedish food is different from Norwegian food and the health of Isak's horse. Isak's friend, Grant, is appalled that Isak has deigned to speak to the Swedish intruder and becomes jealous as he sees their friendship blossoming. The affection that these men have for one another is truly touching, mainly because the conversations they have and the coffee they drink together are the highlights of their simple lives.Kitchen Stories is a superb example of how successful a simple, low-budget film can be. The actors playing Folke and Isak stand out in terms of their subtlety and attention to character details and portrayal of emotion. There wasn't one moment in the film where I became unconvinced of their characters' integrity. Bent Hamer has done an outstanding job in directing this film and lays emphasis exactly where it is required to show the strong emotions running beneath the calm surface of these stoic men's lives. The sparse cleanliness of Isak's house and the care with which he goes about his daily activities tells a lot about the kind of life lived by many older people in Norway, and his acceptance of Folke reminds us that older adults are still capable of forming new friendships, beating down their prejudices, and feeling love.Because of its honesty and simplicity, Kitchen Stories has become one of my favorite Nordic films. At different points it is funny and touching, but always enjoyable. The only drawback may be a slightly slow pacing within the film, but I think that that is unavoidable considering the subject matter. I would not hesitate to recommend this film to anyone who can appreciate the smaller joys in life.

nanlee This film explores how simply friendships can start between two outwardly different people, through a post WWII Swedish kitchen research project. It has wonderful actors who thankfully never hammed it up, and effective cinematography that moved the plot instead of dazzled (again, thankfully). The period Scandinavian jazz and pop score was fresh and never overpowered the story's quiet energy.There are a few possible mysteries by the movie's end. The final moments could be seen as vague. Did an illness, suicide, or natural death occur? Why would the jealous Grant befriend Folke by the very last scene, or did he? Also, there was one conversation about bear meat that reminded me of the oysters/snails conversation in Spartacus - but maybe I'm reading too much into it!The best short fiction shows the characters' inner worlds through carefully chosen details and dialogue. Without being talky or ever getting soapy, Kitchen Stories made me feel like I was in that tiny dwelling with Isak and Folke, researching a growing friendship rather than appliance use.

Roland E. Zwick We humans are, by nature, a thoroughly inquisitive lot. We can't help but want to know what it is that makes everything - including the people around us - "tick." But can that curiosity, which has done so much to enlighten and advance us as a species, also wind up draining all the spontaneity and fun out of life? If everything is catalogued and labeled and put into little boxes, what happens to that sense of mystery that makes life worth living? The Swedish film "Kitchen Stories" is an ingenious little satire about mankind's insatiable propensity to study and analyze every damn thing in life and to subject even our most mundane daily activities to the rigors of scientific enquiry.It's the 1950's and a group of Swedish researchers have descended on Norway to study "the kitchen habits of the single male," a truly pressing concern if ever there was one. The project involves setting up an "observer" in a volunteer's kitchen in order to watch and record the subject's every move, leading, hopefully, to kitchen designs that will prove more fruitful and productive for the average citizen. The proviso is that there is to be no fraternizing whatsoever between the two parties, otherwise the "objective" nature of the experiment will be ruined. This is truly life as lived under a microscope, and the question early on becomes who will be the first to "crack" under the pressure of this totally unnatural state of affairs, the observer or the observed. And just how meaningful and reliable could information gleaned from such a contrived, unnatural setup be anyway? Given the complexity of human nature, how much can such a study truly tell us about ourselves and what we're really like? The film focuses on two men who are caught up in the study: Isak, the relatively reluctant subject, and Nilsson, the analyst who takes up residence in Isak's kitchen, perched high above him on a five foot tall chair made especially for the occasion. At first, the air is tense between the two men, for Isak is not shy about showing his obvious resentment of this nonstop intrusion and prying into his daily life. But, after a few days, the mood thaws out and the two men become fast friends, drawn to each other by their common humanity and need for companionship. Soon, they are breaking all the "rules" of the study, sharing food, beverages and conversation with untoward abandon.Some people may see this film as an allegory of life under a totalitarian regime, with the individual's every move being observed, recorded and monitored by an authoritarian power. I see it more as a simple study in human nature, as two men triumph over a dehumanized institution. Either way, the film does an interesting job showing just how easily the observer can become the observed if he lets his guard down. The film boasts excellent performances from Joachim Calmeyer as Isak, Tomas Norstrom as Nilsson, Bjorn Floberg as Isak's jealous friend, Grant, and Reine Brynolfsson as Nilsson's serious, Nervous Nelly boss who, like Grant, can't abide the intimacy he sees developing between evaluator and subject (albeit for totally different reasons)."Kitchen Stories" is a quiet, almost muted film in which the characters rarely speak above a whisper, reflecting the somber mood of both the clinical experiment and the stark winter background against which the story takes place. Yet, there is warmth and humor in the relationship between Isak and Nilsson, and a great deal of quirky humor in both the premise and director Bent Hamer's sly execution of it. This is a film for those in search of the unique and the offbeat.