Lasse Hallström is a Swedish filmmaker international well known for his films My Life as a Dog (1985), What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) and The Cider House Rules (1999). More recently though, the Oscar nominated director has been working on films that offer pleasant and predictable escapism such as the Nicholas Sparks’ adaptations Safe Haven and Dear John, as well as The Hundred Foot Journey. While there is nothing wrong with this lighter style of filmmaking, it’s nice to see him deal with grittier material again in The Hypnotist, the first Swedish language film he’s made in 25 years.
Lasse Hallström is a Swedish filmmaker international well known for his films My Life as a Dog (1985), What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) and The Cider House Rules (1999). More recently though, the Oscar nominated director has been working on films that offer pleasant and predictable escapism such as the Nicholas Sparks’ adaptations Safe Haven and Dear John, as well as The Hundred Foot Journey. While there is nothing wrong with this lighter style of filmmaking, it’s nice to see him deal with grittier material again in The Hypnotist, the first Swedish language film he’s made in 25 years.
Here are my picks for the week:
The Hypnotist (Hypnotisören)
Starring: Lena Olin, Mikael Persbrandt & Tobias Zilliacus
Directed by: Lasse Hallström
Screening: Rialto World, Monday 22nd September, 8.30pm
Following in the footsteps of numerous Scandinavian authors, Lars Kepler’s The Hypnotist is the latest crime thriller to be adapted to the big screen. The Lars Kepler books are actually written by husband and wife team of Alexander and Alexandra Ahndoril, and their main character is Joona Linna, Chief Inspector at the National Police in Stockholm. A highly respected police officer, Linna (Zilliacus) isn’t afraid to use unconventional methods to solve a crime and in The Hypnotist, he recruits a disgraced doctor to use hypnosis on a comatose witness to solve a mass murder. It’s pretty much what you expect from the Scandi-noir scene; a slickly produced, tense, and well acted thriller lead by a quietly determine hero with personal issues.
Good Ol’ Freda (2013)
Starring: Freda Kelly, Paul McCartney & Billy Kinsley
Directed by: Ryan White
Screening: Rialto Documentary, Thursday 25th September, 8.30pm
For the decade the world was rocked by The Beatles many people moved in and out of their inner circle, but shy Liverpudlian teenager Freda Kelly remained employed by the fab four for eleven years. In this charming documentary, a rare film made with the support of the living Beatles and featuring original Beatles music, Freda shares her stories of being the band’s devoted secretary and friend. It came about almost by accident when Freda asked a friend if her nephew (who happened to be filmmaker Ryan White) to pop over and record some of her stories as a home video for her family. Ryan didn’t know his aunt’s friend had worked for The Beatles, but was blown away by her stories and storytelling skills. After a grueling two years of meetings, submitting scripts and screening the film, he was granted permission to use The Beatles music in the film. Don’t expect new revelations about a thoroughly documented band, but this is a refreshing perspective from a frank and entertaining storyteller.
Southcliffe (2013) SERIES FINAL
Starring: Rory Kinnear, Sean Harris, Shirley Henderson, Anatol Yuse
Directed by: Sean Durkin
Screening: Rialto British, Sunday 28th September, 8.30pm
The final episode in this 2014 Bafta awarding winning television series kicks off a year after ex-solider Stephen Morton’s (Harris) tragic killing spree in the sleepy British town of Southcliffe. Reporter David Whitehead (Kinnear) returns to Southcliffe to face his own demons, and finds a town still struggling to come to grips with this traumatizing event. Directed by Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy Mary Marlene), Southcliffe'swriter is Tony Grisoni, whose credits include several Terry Gilliam screenplays plus co-scripting Kevin Macdonald’s recent thriller How I Live Now. With its non-linear narrative Durkin and Grisoni aren’t so concerned with the grisly act itself, but its shattering emotional and psychological aftermath. The final episode in this high quality drama screens this Sunday on Rialto British.