In The House
“Utterly assured, breathtakingly executed and riotously funny, this is a delight,” writes Total Film.
Celebrated auteur François Ozon (The Swimming Pool) is nothing if not provocative, and his new black comedy was a breakout hit at this year’s French Film Festival. Starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Fabrice Luchini, it takes a satiric look at the art of storytelling itself.
Jaded high school literature teacher Germain (Luchini) despairs at the quality of his students’ writing until he reads a story that is both compelling and disturbingly voyeuristic. His precocious student, Claude (Ernst Umhauer), writes of manipulating his way into his friend’s house and of his fascination with his friend’s mother (Emanuelle Seigner). Germain’s passion for teaching is reawakened and he offers Claude some private lessons in his own home. Big mistake, as gradually Germain and his wife start to feature in Claude’s new stories.
Ozon plays with these characters unmercifully and with us – the audience for participating in this whole cynical process. Yes you will be challenged, and then vastly amused.
MA15+ from June 27. (Unpreviewed)
* Thanks to Transmission Films we have 10 double in-season passes to give away. See our giveaways page for details.
The Look Of Love
The internet has turned “stroke mags” into an historical oddity, but many men (of a certain age) may fondly remember the anatomical lessons they once provided. They also turned Paul Raymond into Britain’s richest man.
Raymond (Steve Coogan) was a Soho nightclub owner whose magazines (Men Only, Club) generated a hugely profitable publishing, theatre and property empire. Michael Winterbottom’s film focuses on his battles with the law and also the relationships with three most women in his life: his wife Jean (Anna Friel), girlfriend Fiona (Tamsin Egerton) and daughter Debbie (Imogen Poots), who for a while took over the running of his business while at the same time (“thanks Dad!”) acquiring a serious coke habit.
Winterbottom has teamed with Coogan before in the wild (24-Hour Party People) the weird (Cock ‘n Bull Story) and the wonderful (The Trip) and they’ve all been both hugely successful and great fun. In this tawdry tale of a rich, ruthless and totally amoral porn baron, they’ve excelled themselves. MA15+ from June 27
* Thanks to Madman Entertainment we have 5 double in-season passes to give away. See our giveaways page for details.
Exclusive Dendy Newtown
Mud
The deep-fried lingo is laid on so thick you may need subtitles, but there’s no doubting the beauty of Jeff Nichols’ deft return to form after the difficult Take Shelter.
Two teenage boys (Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland) learn about life, love and heartbreak after agreeing to help a stranger called “Mud” who they discover living on a Mississippi island.
Mathew McConaughey (who just goes on getting better and better) plays the loner who has made one mistake too many. In a “bad piece of business” he killed the boyfriend of Juniper (Reece Witherspoon) a white trash beauty he’s hopelessly in love with.
In some rather too busy plotting – everyone is cast adrift. But Nichol’s third feature is most assuredly right on track – it’s easily the most involving and enjoyable coming-of-age movies in years.
M15+ on now
Art House Pick
Satellite Boy
Catriona McKenzie’s debut feature works as both a fable and stunning advertising for WA Tourism.
It’s also a very welcome change from the dark and troublesome way Indigenous Australian life is usually depicted – as a “problem” to be solved (by us).
All young Pete (Cameron Wallaby) needs to save his Kimberley home (an abandoned cinema) from destruction by a mining company is a bike, a bag of chips, some native survival skills supplied by his old granddaddy (David Gulpilli) and a whole lot of good hearted hokum. Magic! Goodbye mining multinationals!
PG from June 20
Reviews by Russell Edwards
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