Troels Lyby Movies

You don't necessarily need arms and legs to boogie with the best, as evidenced in this playful tale of an adventurous worm who strives to keep the insect world dancing to the funky sounds of classic disco. Barry is an optimistic invertebrate at the bottom of the food chain. Just when it starts to seem that Barry will wind up working a desk job at the local compost industry, his father gives him an old box of office supplies with a vintage disco record buried deep inside. From the moment those first notes hit his ears, Barry's body starts to move and he's completely hooked. This is his ticket to a more exciting life, and if he can assemble a band in time they may have a shot at winning the upcoming annual song contest. Just as Barry sets out in search of some talented musicians, however, the contest organizers inform him that worms are ineligible to compete. Undaunted, Barry continues his efforts to form a band that isn't afraid of the funk. Just as the band begins to get in the groove, tragedy strikes and they are scooped out of the ground and prepared to be sold as live bait. Now, with his band in a vending machine and his future as the king of disco on the line, Barry must summon the courage to keep boogie fever alive despite the fact that the odds are stacked overwhelmingly against him. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Danish theater director Hella Joof segues into feature directing with her 2002 debut Shake It All About. Madly in love, Jacob (Mads Mikkelsen) and Jorgen (Troels Lyby) hope to make it official and wed sometime next summer. However, one fateful night Jacob and Caroline (Charlotte Munck) -- Jorgen's sister -- share an unexpected kiss that makes Jacob's heart flutter with the sudden realization that he not only loves Caroline, but that he is also in love with a woman. As the two begin their secret, tempestuous fling, Jorgen begins to suspect something is amiss and he finally confronts Jacob -- who promptly confesses to his infidelity. Rightfully enraged, Jorgen storms out of the house and gets injured in a car wreck. As Jacob decides to patch things up with Jorgen, Caroline informs him that she is probably carrying his child. While the news is exhilarating, Jacob is not exactly eager to inform Jorgen of this development -- much less Caroline's husband Tom (Jesper Lohmann) -- which leaves Jacob with some tough decisions to make that will affect the futures of nearly all his friends and family. Shake It All About was selected for inclusion into the Cinema of Tomorrow program at the 2002 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide

Jonas Elmer made this black-and-white Danish movie by taking the funds provided for a short film and escalating the project economically into a full feature, commercially successful in Denmark. Julie (Sidse Babett Knudsen) taught her boyfriend Rene (Martin Kongstad) all about sex, but now she suspects him of seeing another woman. Unemployed Mogens (Bjarne Henriksen), who's occupied Julie's sofa for the past three years, watches soccer on Julie's TV-set with his buddies, including novelist wannabe Thomas and soccer fan Steffan (Nicolaj Kopernikus Christiansen). All have different agendas: Julie gets Steffan to help her break into Rene's place; Thomas uses binoculars to check out the babe across from Julie's apartment; and Mogens, who needs cash for soccer tickets, runs a scam on a recent widow to his later regret and shame. Shown at the 1998 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide