Congratulations to those who have survived another school holiday. I’m not a big fan of routine, but after 2 weeks of the kids turning the house upside down by morning tea, eating a week’s groceries every 3 days, and insisting on a daily ‘dance-off’ to Daft Punk, I am reminded of the benefits of the school routine. And anyway, I’m out of dance moves.
My first highlight of the week is light and delightful, so put your feet up and enjoy a little Gallic humour...
Congratulations to those who have survived another school holiday. I’m not a big fan of routine, but after 2 weeks of the kids turning the house upside down by morning tea, eating a week’s groceries every 3 days, and insisting on a daily ‘dance-off’ to Daft Punk, I am reminded of the benefits of the school routine. And anyway, I’m out of dance moves.
My first highlight of the week is light and delightful, so put your feet up and enjoy a little Gallic humour.
Directed by: Philippe Le Guay
Starring: Fabrice Luchini, Sandrine Kiberlain, Natalia Verbeke
Screening: Tuesday 30th July, 8.30pm
Women on the 6th Floor is charming, feel-good French fun for a Tuesday evening. Set in the 60s, this period comedy follows in the footsteps of American film The Help, but is somewhat lighter and breezier. It’s the story of middle class stockbroker Jean-Louis (Luchini) who falls for his new Spanish maid Maria (Verbeke). He discovers life’s more enjoyable living with the maids on the 6th floor rather than in a luxurious apartment with his snobby wife. Director Philippe Le Guay’s film considers the wealthy to live pointless, uptight lives; while the less fortunate really know how to live. It’s a little clichéd but, the critique on class aside, Women on the 6th Floor is first and foremost a sweet, feel-good romantic comedy.
Directed by: Julia Gavras
Starring: William Hurt, Isabella Rossellini and Joanna Lumley
Screening: Saturday 3rd August, 8.30pm
The best thing about writer-director Julia Gavras’s drama about ageing is watching William Hurt and Isabella Rossellini at work. Every gesture and glance is a delight to watch as they simply and effectively make their presence felt on screen. The film follows a married couple struggling to cope with the ideas of retirement and growing old. Adam (Hurt), a prestigious architect with no plans to retire, is more interested in branching into new architectural areas and replacing his nice jerseys with leather jackets better suited to a man 40 years younger. Mary (Rossellini), his wife, has one case of memory loss and immediately fits out their beautiful apartment with handrails and walking frames. The contrasting responses to aging drive Adam and Mary apart; it’s up to their kids to try and keep them together.
Directed by: Martin Witz
Starring: Albert Hofmann
Screening: Friday 2nd August, 8.30pm
Returning to Rialto Channel in August is Double Exposure, a documentary series where complementing documentaries are played over two consecutive nights (Thursday and Friday) to give double the insight on a range of subjects.
Double Exposure begins on Thursday (1st August at 8.30pm) with Magic Trip, a documentary about counter-culture icon Ken Kesey (author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) and his 1964 LSD fuelled bus trip across America, co-directed by Oscar winning filmmaker Alex Gibney. Kesey and his mates known as the Merry Band of Pranksters also appear on Friday night, in the documentary The Substance: Albert Hoffman’s LSD. The fascinating story of LSD, it traces its history from discovery in a Basle chemistry lab and through decades of experiments conducted by scientists, the CIA, psychiatrists and artists as they try to understand the effect of this enigmatic drug.
Have a good week.