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31 October 2011

We ask our newest Denizen to uncover the three must-see films this month.

Our newest Denizen Michelle’s passion for art house film began with a love of the French language after an exchange to France during her teenage years. Trained as a journalist, she spent the first few years of her working life as a general reporter then as an arts and entertainment journalist before changing career paths to work for Rialto Cinemas. She’ll be delivering film reviews monthly on The Denizen as our newest cultural contributor – her first stop: the three must-see films this month.

BEGINNERS

Beginners imaginatively explores the hilarity, confusion, and surprises of love through the evolving consciousness of Oliver (Ewan McGregor) with both wit and depth. Oliver meets the irreverent and unpredictable Anna (Mélanie Laurent) only months after his father Hal (Christopher Plummer) has passed away. This new love floods Oliver with memories of his father who – following 44 years of marriage – came out of the closet at age 75 to live a full, energized, and wonderfully tumultuous gay life. The upheavals of Hal’s new honesty, by turns funny and moving, brought father and son closer than they’d ever been able to be. Now Oliver endeavors to love Anna with all the bravery, humor, and hope that his father taught him.

“A quietly moving, delicately mounted romantic drama that touches the heart with resorting to melodrama or an over-reliance on conflict.” Jim Schembri, The Age

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent
Season starts: 10 November
Director: Mike Mills
Rating: M offensive language & sexual references

PINA

Pina is a unique feature-length dance film with the ensemble of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, featuring the unique and inspiring art of the great German choreographer, who died in the summer of 2009. Writer and Director Wim Wenders takes the audience on a sensual, visually stunning journey of discovery: straight onto the stage with the legendary Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch ensemble, he follows the dancers out of the theatre into the city and the surrounding areas of Wuppertal – the place, which for 35 years was the home and centre for Pina Bausch’s creativity.

“Combines a haunting elegy for the avant-garde choreographer Pina Bausch with a wondrously surreal evocation of her work.” Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

Director & Writer: Wim Wenders
Season starts: 17 November
Rating: PG

THE WHISTLEBLOWER

Disturbingly, this powerful and engaging thriller about the horror of sexual trafficking in a supposedly civilized world is inspired by actual events. Kathy Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) plays a Nebraskan police officer who takes a job working as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia. Her expectations of helping to rebuild a devastated country are dashed when she uncovers a dangerous reality of corruption, cover-up and intrigue amid a world of private contractors and multinational diplomatic doubletalk.

“Weisz is made for this kind of role; from “Constant Gardener” to “Enemy at the Gates,” few actors can do absolute, unshakable conviction so well on screen.”  Rob Thomas, Capital Times

Starring: Rachel Weisz, Monica Bellucci, Vanessa Redgrave
Director: Larysa Kondracki
Season starts: 24 November

These films are screening nationwide in Rialto Cinemas.