There’s not a lot of science fiction on Rialto Channel, so I’m excited to say that this week my first pick must be the quietly compelling indie sci-fi Monsters (Saturday 13th October, 8.30pm).
There’s not a lot of science fiction on Rialto Channel, so I’m excited to say that this week my first pick must be the quietly compelling indie sci-fi Monsters (Saturday 13th October, 8.30pm).
Monsters was written, directed and shot by British visual effects specialist Gareth Edwards, on a tight budget with a crew of 4 and pretty much a cast of 2. Using a high-speed digital camera, the filming took place in Guatemala, Belize and Mexico, over three weeks. Considering this, Monster’s is a very impressive effort.
It sounds like your average sci-fi film - a NASA probe lands in Mexico, bringing with it giant squid like alien “creatures” that the American government quarantines with a large, pointless wall. But it’s not.
Beautifully shot, this film is dreamy, sparse and moody. Taking its cue from District 9 it’s an allegory about immigration, as well as telling the story of its two heroes, Andrew (Scoot McNairy) and Sam (Whitney Able). Andrew is a photojournalist who has been given the responsibility of getting his boss’ daughter Sam out of the infected zone and back into America.
It’s a fine example of what can be done on a limited budget; and those creatures sure add some unnerving suspense.
Teenage romantic comedies are also relatively rare on Rialto Channel, but this week you can gather the whole family together to enjoy Chalet Girl (Monday 8th October, 8.30pm).
Chalet Girl stars Felicity Jones as Kim, a spunky 19-year-old tomboy and skateboarding champ who quits skating to support her unemployed father (Bill Bailey). Kim heads to Switzerland to work as a chalet girl for a wealthy family where she catches the eye of Jonny (Ed Westwick), the son of her employer (Bill Nighy), and becomes a world-class snowboarder.
It’s a rom-com, so it’s predictable, formulaic and a little cheesy, but this unassuming and sassy British film does a good job of giving the classic Cinderella premise a modern day working over.
Finally this week, don’t miss the unashamedly sentimental, feel good and picturesque My Afternoons With Margueritte (Tuesday 9th October, 8.30pm).
If you loved French director Jean Becker’s Conversations With My Gardener, then his adaptation of Marie-Sabine Roger’s novel La tête en friche should also appeal.
Gérard Depardieu stars as Germain, a mostly illiterate man in his fifties, who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Margueritte (Gisèle Casadesus), a kind and erudite woman he meets in a park. Margueritte shares her love of books with Germain, instilling in him a sense of self confidence that will ultimately change his life.
Becker hand-picked Casadesus and Depardieu for these roles, and given Casadesus was 95-years-old when she took the job, it’s an astonishing performance.
Enjoy