I’ve picked an eclectic mix of films to highlight this week on Rialto Channel. There’s a romantic comedy from Danish award winning director Susanne Bier, a quirky morbid, black comedy staring Matt Lucas, and a documentary about the lead singer of metal band Tool’s foray into wine making. Surely, there’s something here for everyone.
I’ve picked an eclectic mix of films to highlight this week on Rialto Channel. There’s a romantic comedy from Danish award winning director Susanne Bier, a quirky morbid, black comedy staring Matt Lucas, and a documentary about the lead singer of metal band Tool’s foray into wine making. Surely, there’s something here for everyone.
Here are my picks for the week:
Love is All You Need (2013)
Staring: Pierce Brosnan & Trine Dyrholm
Directed by: Susanne Bier
Screening: Rialto World, Monday 29th September, 8.30pm
From Susanne Bier, the award-winning Danish director of In A Better World and After the Wedding, comes a multilingual romantic comedy staring Pierce Brosnan & Trine Dyrholm. A picturesque and pleasantly enjoyable comedy that’s set in Denmark and in Sorrento Italy, Love Is All You Need is lighter than Biers previous films. It tells the story about a couple of dysfunctional families brought together by a wedding, and even though it doesn’t escape the trappings of a predictable rom-com, it has a lovely mixed of poignant and fun moments. It also has the most divine settings – you’ll be googling ‘Villas in Sorrento to hire’ before you know it.
Blood Into Wine (2010)
Starring: Maynard James Keenan, Milla Jovovich & Patton Oswalt
Directed by: Ryan Page & Christopher Pomerenke
Screening: Rialto Documentary, Thursday 2nd October, 8.30pm
This is a fascinating look at the development of a new wine region in America, the Verde Valley in Arizona. It follows Tool lead singer Maynard James Keenan as he begins a new phase in his life, starting up vineyards in the Arizona highlands. Setting up a vineyard might sounds like a romantic thing to do, but Keenan’s journey shows you just how tough, time consuming and expensive it is. The factual side to this documentary is really interesting, and Keenan himself is a fascinating guy; articulate, polite, knowledgeable and self-aware. However directors Ryan Page & Christopher Pomerenke have added some lame gags and celebrity appearances into this documentary that don’t quite work. For the most part though this documentary will appeal to both fans of metal band Tool and viticulture.
Small Apartments (2013)
Staring: Matt Lucas, James Marsden, Rebel Wilson & Billy Crystal
Directed by: Jonas Åkerlund
Screening:Rialto Selection, Saturday 4th October, 8.30pm
At first it’s hard what to make of this offbeat, morbid, dark comedy. Adapted by and based on Chris Millis prize-winning novella, Small Apartments tells the story of an over weight hermit with alopecia (Lucas) who only wears y-fronts and dreams of living in Switzerland, who kills his landlord and must dispose of the body. A raft of colourful characters played by a cast fully invested in their roles (Billy Crystal, James Caan and Johnny Knoxville) make up this ensemble piece. However no matter how wacky Millis’ characters are, or how cool and stylized Åkerlund’s visual style is, this film never quite sits right until its surprisingly heartfelt conclusion.