Film and Theatre

Reviews

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THE DESCENDANTS

Reviewed by Lucy Popescu 28/01/12

The Descendents richly deserves its multiple Oscar nominations. Based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, this bittersweet, comic-drama about one family’s attempts to deal with trauma is beautifully acted and directed. It’s also an impressively detailed study in bereavement that is not afraid to laugh at life’s darker moments.

Matt King (George Clooney) is a wealthy lawyer whose wife is lying in a coma after a speedboat accident. Matt, used to playing the “understudy” to his headstrong, dominant wife, is thrust into the role of sole parent. Suddenly, he has to deal with sulky, ten-year old, Scottie (a memorable debut from Amara Miller) and beg the assistance of his equally difficult, adolescent daughter Alexandra. (Excellently acted by Shailene Woodley). To complicate matters, Matt learns that his wife has been having an affair.

The picture-postcard Hawaiian setting, with its stunning beaches and verdant valleys, throws into sharp relief the family’s pain. As Matt remarks, “paradise can go f*** itself.”

We follow the family on their emotional journey from miscomprehension and anger to grief and, finally, acceptance and Alexandra’s difficult rite of passage into adulthood.

Director Alexander Payne (who also co-scripts), strikes the perfect balance between pathos and humour.

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THE HOUSE OF BERNADA ALBA at The Almeida Theatre

Reviewed by Lucy Popescu 31/01/2012

Emily Mann's adaptation of Federico GarcíaLorca's 1936 classic transports us from Spain to Iran. Bernarda Alba (Shoreh Aghdashloo) is the tyrannical mother of five daughters. She keeps them closeted away and her elderly, disorientated mother locked in a room. As a result, all are burning with desire and desperate to flee their claustrophobic confinement.

When the eldest daughter become engaged to a much younger man it is obvious to all he is after her fortune. But two other daughters are also in love with the man and the youngest, the headstrong Adela (Hara Yannas), appears to have won his heart.

The play explores how social control is often tied to religion; where “to be born a woman is the worst punishment.”Given the recent crackdown on dissent in Iran, director Bijan Sheibani (himself of Iranian descent) makes a well-judged, political decision to give Lorca’s play this contemporary resonance.

There are two supremely theatrical moments – early on, when the stage fills with women clad in burkas for a funeral lament and Bernarda’s closing shout for silence. The play ends in tragedy but that final act of tyranny is like a call to arms. A laudably ambitious and courageous production.

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SHAME

Reviewed by Steven James Martin 24/1/12

Steve McQueen's Shame is a bleak but compelling portrait of Brandon, a dysfunctional, emotionally-alienated sex addict. Beautifully shot and expertly directed, it features outstanding performances from Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan.

Brandon (Fassbender) is a slick young executive living in New York, outwardly successful but internally tormented by his compulsive urge for casual sex. When troubled sister Sissy turns up at his flat and intrudes on his well-ordered routines, Brandon is forced to confront his problems.

Fassbender delivers an Oscar-worthy performance, superbly portraying Brandon’s vulnerability, loneliness and unsatisfying existence in the heart of Manhattan. And Mulligan complements perfectly, as the fragile Sissy, herself battling personal inadequacies and the siblings’ shared, troubled past.

McQueen crafts the tale through lingering close-ups and long takes. There are graphic scenes of sex and nudity, but they are rarely erotic, presenting both Brandon’s extreme behaviour and his joyless and introspective isolation.

At times Shame is slow-moving and McQueen offers no easy resolution to the issues raised. Yet driven by star performances, he has made an intensely dark and gritty second feature film.

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THE ARTIST

Reviewed by Lucy Popescu 14/01/2012

It’s Hollywood, 1927, and silent movie star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is at the height of his success.

The Artist opens with the premiere of Valentin’s latest hit. Afterwards, he meets budding actress Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), who cheekily steals a kiss. The followingday, when filming a scene in Valentin’s next film, they lock eyes and you know it’s love.

A year later, Valentin begins to worry that the arrival of the talkies spells the end of his career. Peppy adapts and finds stardom. Valentin refuses to move with the times and swiftly discovers he’s no longer in demand.

French director, Michel Hazanavicius plays with the old conventions of cinema, complete with soaring music to accompany the action, and makes it captivating for a modern audience. Filmed in black and white (and mainly silent), Hazanavicius pays homage to the art of silent movies, their innocence and simplicity, and creates a story that is as much about a love of film as it is about the two protagonists own slow burning relationship.

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REASONS TO BE PRETTY at The Almeida Theatre

Reviewed by Charles Palliser 23rd November 2011

Photo by Keith Pattison

A superb production of a very interesting and provocative play.  What are the consequences when a young woman learns her boyfriend doesn’t think she’s good looking, though he adores her?

In the riveting opening argument between Steph and Greg we witness the man’s baffled incomprehension in the face of his girlfriend’s anger and insecurity, vividly bringing to life their whole frank relationship, as it dies before us.

Then in contrast, another couple’s relationship breaks down because of their dishonesty.

Neil LaBute’s dialogue is characteristically witty and foul mouthed and the acting, direction and staging,  give the performance a pace and rhythm that keep the audience on edge.

The actors bring the characters completely to life.  Especially Tom Burke as Greg, the well intentioned victim of his own decency. However, Greg is the best written character and the one the audience is invited to identify with.

In his presentation of the other three, LaBute relies on stereotypes and caricature.  Some will feel he loads the dice in favour of Greg, but the main issue in this compelling production – how much truth can a relationship survive? -is left open for the audience to think about.

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WUTHERING HEIGHTS

Reviewed by Lucy Popescu 12/11/2011

Andrea Arnold’s bold, visceral adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic won’t appeal to purists. The Earnshaw family who adopt Heathcliff, Solomon Glave/James Howson) a young orphan found roaming the streets of Liverpool, live on the windswept Yorkshire moors in a run down farmhouse. Heathcliff is black rather than the dark-haired gypsy of the original. Cathy (Shannon Beer/Kaya Scodelario) is portrayed as an almost feral child while her brother, Hindley (Lee Shaw) is a volatile skinhead.

When Mr Earnshaw dies, and Hindley inherits the farm, Heathcliff is sent to sleep with the animals and is frequently beaten. His devotion to Cathy is unwavering but after she agrees to marry their well-heeled neighbour, Edgar Linton (James Northcote).A tortured Heathcliff packs his bag and sets off across the moors. He returns a wealthy man, rents a room from Hindley and tries to win back Cathy.

Arnold’s film concentrates on the first half of the book – Cathy and Heathcliff’s doomed love affair. Although it fails to convey their all-consuming passion, Robbie Ryan’s astonishing cinematography is the film’s redeeming feature. His hand held camera perfectly conveys Heathcliff’s turmoil. The landscape’s stark beauty is represented in carefully framed shots while the close-ups of animals being slaughtered, the glowering skies and endless mud and blood is a reminder of the harshness of country life and the gothic elements of Brontë’s original.

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THE IDES OF MARCH

Reviewed by Steven J Martin 8th November 2011

The Ides of March is an intelligent political drama.  Featuring an ensemble cast that includes Ryan Gosling and George Clooney.  And directed by George Clooney who cleverly scripts it with Grant Heskivm and Beau Willimon. It is well paced, even if its message is nothing new.

Clooney plays well-groomed Governor Mike Morris, a presidential hopeful who is closing in on the democratic nomination for the White House. Supporting him is his ‘brain trust’ Stephen (Ryan Gosling), the man behind the man. As Stephen gets involved in a compromising situation with intern Molly (Evan Rachel Wood) and the political games of two party advisors (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti), his idealism is tested and his innocence is lost amid Machiavellian struggles for power.

Its sharp dialogue recalls TV show The West Wing, with frequent plot twists, fast pacing and convincing acting resulting in a gripping tale. Despite this the moral of the story, encompassed in the title, is nothing new – politics aspires to noble ideals but too often descends into low skulduggery, with the triumph of personal ambition.

That politics can be immoral will come as no surprise, and may make Ides of March slightly forgettable, particularly as the politics of the film have little impact compared to graver contemporary political problems. Despite this, Clooney's latest feature is enjoyable and engaging entertainment, with an excellent performance from Gosling as its lead.

 

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WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

Reviewed by Caroline Scally

Exacting close-ups from the start, an interesting sound track and gripping performances are evident throughout this disturbing drama.

Highlights are Kevin in his nappy, as a handsome youth (Ezra Miller) and his tormenting manipulative put downs of his parents. 

Tilda Swinton is compelling as mother and never falters.Absolutely believable in her attempt to do her best, as the mystified and helpless un-confrontational wife and mother.

But powerless to affect Kevin's evil tendencies, juxtaposed by her husband’s (John.C.Reilly) delusional adulation of his son the possibility of nurture winning over nature fades away.

The audience is forced to participate in the everyday constant tension exacerbated by the excruciatingly slow, exacting cinematography and memory clips of disengaged moments and relationships.

However, the repeated visual metaphors of impending blood red violence without scream out loud horror is unbearable, as the extent of what Kevin is capable of becomes apparent within the context of this Middle American suburban family. 

The glaring flaw and frustration in the storyline and what is quite incomprehensible to the audience is, "why they did NOT talk about Kevin.”

I would rate this film over 18 not 15 as billed. It is disturbing and upsetting in content. Not entertainment but very well made challenging viewing.

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SLEEPING BEAUTY

Reviewed by Sophie Monks Kaufman 20/10/2011

 

Anyone expecting Julia Leigh’s directorial debut to be a reimagining of the wholesome fairy tale is in for a rude awakening.

Lucy (Emily Browning), a college student, is the titular beauty who falls into deep sleeps courtesy of the drugged contents of a china cup, fed routinely to her by Clara (Rachael Blake), an elegant, blonde forty-something.  The drugging is consensual, a step in a seedy business arrangement whereby Lucy is paid handsomely by Clara to come to her lavish home and have her unconscious body pawed by old men.  When Lucy awakes she is driven back to her life with no knowledge of what has befallen her in the preceding hours. The only rule of this arrangement is “no penetration”.

Browning is captivating and carries the film through almost every scene but is also inscrutable, shedding no layers as she sheds her clothes.  For a film that exploits her youthful beauty so continuously this has the awkward effect of transforming viewers into her clients.  Sadly we're left to view an unwholesome character, with an absence of self grappling and too many, disengaged almost hollow interactions.

Leigh’s lingering direction gives ample time to drink in the riches provided by Clara’s mansion and Lucy’s face but with no three-dimensional characters in sight, everything feels chilly and superficial, leaving the viewer wishing for the arrival of a handsome prince to wake the characters up to a warmer world.

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MELANCHOLIA

Reviewed by Sophie Monks Kaufman 20/10/2011

 

Lars von Trier, the king of abstract cinema has created an extraordinary and surprisingly sensible film with a mutually enhancing double storyline. The first is a realistic and powerful portrayal of depression, the second is a science-fiction narrative about the end of the world.

The film opens with the most disastrous wedding party in cinema history. At the luxury hotel her rich brother-in-law, John (Kiefer Sutherland), has hired, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) lapses into a depressive spiral culminating in golf-course-based sex with a wedding guest. This leaves her with no job, no husband and no tolerance from her loved ones. Havoc wreaks, she descends into catatonic gloom and it’s onto the next half of the film. This is depicted from the point of view of her sister, Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and coloured by impending doom as the new planet, Melancholia, progresses on its collision course towards Earth.

Dunst delivers a career- best performance as a character that burns with aversion to all humanity. Claire’s young son Leo (Cameron Spurr) is the only person to escape her scorn. The primal life she breathes into Justine’s nihilism overshadows Gainsbourg, who has a more conventional but equally frightened character to play in Claire. It’s not a level playing field; von Trier has given Dunst the role he sympathises with, and as the planet Melancholia draws ever closer –fulfilling a depressive’s darkest wishes– she emerges as the acerbically wise centre of the plot, a dignity usually denied to depressives.

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THE SKIN I LIVE IN

Reviewed by Steven Martin 22 / 8 / 2011

 

The Skin I Live In is a bioethical thriller combining absurd melodrama with genuine tragedy and loss, and is as creepy as it is captivating.

The film is a triumph to Pedro Almodóvar’s attention to detail, Jose Luis Alcaine's cinematography and a wonderfully dark performance  given by Antonio Banderas.

Dr Robert Ledgard (Banderas) is a wealthy plastic surgeon at the height of his profession. At lectures he discusses cutting-edge advances in face-transplant surgery – while at his expansive villa, these theoretical musings are transformed into disturbing reality. Vera (Elena Anaya) is his patient and captive, kept in a high-tech prison and dressed in a skin-tight flesh-toned outfit to protect her new skin.

As the plot twists and turns we are brought deeper into a web of intrigue, the conclusions of which become evident in the revelatory third act. But what matters is the journey. Each scene impeccably choreographed, with lavish design, featuring tones of flesh and steel and combined with a Hitchcockian score to create an intense, anticipatory mood.

The tale is convoluted, implausible but thoroughly gripping. Enjoy the ride, and don’t question the outcome.

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BEGINNERS

Reviewed by Steven Martin 2/8/2011

Mike Mills’ offbeat romantic comedy Beginners is an examination of family, love and fresh starts. It is both poignant and funny. The narrative is handled with affection and sensitivity, and only occasionally does the script step over into art-house twee.

Oliver (Ewan McGregor) is a graphic artist who is barely coping with the recent death of his father Hal (Christopher Plummer). The twist. His father was gay, and didn’t tell his son until the death of his wife four years previously. Flashbacks to the past show Oliver’s childhood with his lonely and frustrated mother and his closeness to his liberated father. Back in the present, Oliver takes fledgling first steps in a new relationship with unpredictable French actress Anna (Mélanie Laurent).

McGregor’s performance as the central protagonist is understated and subtle, yet Christopher Plummer steals the show as Hal, a gay man freed from the confines of a previous times social norms. Plummer portrays Hal’s battle with cancer and his fragile mortality with humour. Meanwhile the huge social changes that assisted Hal’s liberation are cleverly shown with sporadic slideshows  of  " what pretty/the president  looked like in the 1950s”.

Beginners is at times too slight – Oliver’s fledgling relationship with Anna seems underdeveloped, while his emotional responses to his father’s dramatic revelations about his sexuality enormously restrained. However this doesn’t detract from Mills’ semi-autobiographical work being incredibly sincere, moving and disarming.

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A SEPARATION

Reviewed by Raphaelle Schwarzberg 4/07/2011

A Separation is a powerful and restrained drama that intertwines family estrangement, social tension, religious observance, and complexmoral dilemmas.  The film is gripping from beginning to end.  With a relentless twisting and turning of the plot. Farhadi presents a nuanced fresco of contemporary Iranian society.

The film begins with the story of Nader and Simin, a couple in crisis.After Simin’s failed attempt to attain a divorce, she goes back to live with her family.   Left without someone to take care of his father, Nader has to hire Razieh,  a pious and poor woman.   An implacable series of unfortunate events follows,leading to a bitter judicial fight between liberal middle-class Nader and Simin, and Razieh and her hot-tempered, unemployed husband, Hodjat.

Portraying  differences between people from a range of class and religious backgrounds Farhadi manages to do this with great subtlety.

The director had temporarily lost authorization to make the film after supporting jailed Iranian film director Jafar Panahi,  a political opponent to the regime.  The fact that A Separation ultimately received international recognition at the Berlin Film Festival and passed Iranian censorship is a striking feat. The price of success might have been the absence of any overt political criticism in his film.

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POTICHE

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke and Raphaelle Schwarzberg 20/6/2011

 

Potiche is a quasi-farcical, almost ‘Carry-On’ style comedy, that bluntly portrays the struggle between wealth and worker. Set in a parochial French town in the 1970’s, the story unfolds through the eyes of Suzanne Pujol (a ‘trophy wife’). Her late father’s umbrella factory is now run by her irritable and unlovable husband Mr. Pujol; an absolute caricature of the bourgeois capitalist, a man whose hatred for the worker can been seen in the irascible fury of his movements.

Amidst violent strikes, resulting in her husband’s collapse of health, Suzanne (under the wing of communist Mayor Babin) steps forward to diffuse the situation. As she gains more and more responsibility her initial passivity and forced cheerfulness makes way for a diplomacy and care that is loved by all (except maybe her husband).

Although the film is not overtly serious it does manage a strong critique of French politics, whilst somehow retaining its comic charm. Francois Ozon (director) followed the Presidential campaign of Ségolène Royal with a film maker’s interest, and it's obvious that the story of Potiche harbours certain parallels.

 

By bringing together some of the most famous names in French cinema,in particular the long standing (on-screen) relationship of Catherine Deneuve (Suzanne) and Gérard Depardieu (Babin), Ozon provides
substance to what is on first glance a rather obvious project. The stark disregard for subtlety is what (rather oddly) determines Potiche’s originality, making the film lighthearted yet socially relevant.

 

Ah, tout était tellement mieux à l’époque de grand-papa…

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SENNA

Reviewed by Steven Martin 7 / 6 / 2011

Senna is an enthralling and extremely moving portrait of the three-time Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna. With no-one to tell the story, just archive footage, and the help of Senna’s family in Brazil, it reconstructs the racing driver’s illustrious career.

The film traces his development from karting to Formula One and problems that arose in the Honda-McClaren team. The dramatic tension arises from his fractious rivalry with Alain Prost, and combustible run-ins with F1 chief Jean-Marie Balestre. Back in Brazil, his burgeoning celebrity led to mass adulation, diverting attention during their economic crisis.

Director Asif Kapadia's use of in-car footage in particular is dramatic and intense, particularly on the big screen, but adds an unnerving proximity to the racing driver's final moments. A litany of comments, such as Prost’s ‘he thinks that he can’t kill himself’, adds further poignancy to the tragic ending.

Senna as a film successfully presents a racing legend – his enthusiasm, humility, proud patriotism, intense Christian faith and passion for racing.  His life was tragically short – and this documentary is excellent in recreating the inherent drama and tragedy of his remarkable story.

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SUBMARINE

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke 27/3/11

Submarine is a lovely example of hybridized cinema; bringing together the eccentricities of French style and American Indy cool to realise a further depth to the British Rom Com. Think ‘Wonders Years’ plus Goddard.

An adaptation of Jon Dunthorne’s 2008 novel of the same name, the story is a unique portrayal of Welsh rural existence in the 1980’s, presented through the innocent but fantastic eyes of Oliver Tate.

Oliver is a school boy whose pretensions for intellectual grandeur (he reads the dictionary and lists Nietzsche among his favourite authors) disguises his social unpopularity and comically directs the audience through a range of existential dilemmas. He falls for Jordana, a self-assured and quasi-nihilistic girl who’s reciprocal feelings catch Oliver off-guard.

Alongside the central drama of Oliver and Jordana (an utterly sweet chemistry) is the tale of the parents. Oliver has been monitoring their lack of sexual activity for the past seven months, and when his mothers bizarre ‘new-age’ ex moves back to the village Oliver feels obliged to motivate his depressed and overtly polite father into action, whilst he instigates a vendetta against the obnoxious rival.

Richard’s Ayoade debut feature film is a wonderful alternative to the ‘coming of age’ movie. He has brilliantly re-invigorated the age-old British couple in their polite failure to satisfy one another (Sally Hawkings & Noah Taylor), and casted excellently for Oliver and Jordana (Craig Roberts & Yasmin Paige). Paddy Considine as the invasive charletton is also very good, although if there is anything questionable about this film it is maybe the sheer over elaboration of his character.

Submarine is an enjoyable tribute to cinema and at the same time a cheerful and very funny tale; It will be interesting to see Ayoade’s next project.

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NORWEGIAN WOOD

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke 14/3/11

Rarely have I left a cinema so relaxed. ‘Norwegian Wood’ is a truly calm film, and although I wouldn’t recommend it as one for a busy Saturday night, when coupled with the Screen’s most comfortable of seats (and a week-day afternoon), it is almost perfect.

Murukami’s most famous novel is beautifully adapted to screen; drawing on the stunning Japanese countryside and a musical score that is both harrowing and wistful; Tran Anh Hung’s visual interpretation is definitely up to the standard of its literary counterpart.

The story centres on Watanabe (Kenichi Matsuyama), a young and studious romantic, numbed by the suicide of his best friend, Kizuki. As Watanabe falls for Naoko (Kizuki’s childhood girl friend) he becomes caught between a responsibility to hold firm on his love, and the growing obsessions and psychological frailties of a distraught and sexually insecure Naoko (Rinko Kikuchi). When another girl (Midori) enters the scene Watanabe must choose between Naoko’s tragic surrealism and the possibility of release.

Without being overly obtuse the film travels between scenes with a dream-like serenity, colourfully encapsulating the various terrains, and opening up a clear space for the very good actors to perform. Norwegian Wood is an elegant piece of cinema; a sensual experience of sound and vision.

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LE QUATTRO VOLTE

Reviewed by Steven Martin 28 / 5 / 2011

 

Le Quattro Volte (‘the four times’) is a quiet and meditative film about life in a small medieval village in Calabria, Southern Italy.  Perhaps not to everyone’s tastes, it is a treat if you’re in a contemplative mood and can accept it on its own terms.

By day, an elderly shepherd tends to his goats on the hills surrounding the village.   By night, he drinks a strange mixture which he believes will cure his sickness – dust collected from the floor of the village church, mixed into his drinking water.   After his somewhat inevitable death, attention shifts to his surroundings. His mischievous dog unwittingly releases the herd of goats.  A new goat is born, and takes its first steps.  A tree is felled, for use in a local festival, and charcoal is made using traditional methods.

Le Quattro Volte is unhurried and reflective, taking its time to reveal its linkages and secrets. There is no dialogue, though plenty of excellent animal direction. Framed with exquisite precision and patience, Frammartino has directed a beautiful ode to the cyclical nature of life, from birth to death, and the inter-connectedness of nature and the seasons.

Never feeling forced or contrived, the filmis humorous, touching, and original. Some may find the lack of dialogue and conventional plot obtuse, but I found its depiction of the rhythms of a Calabrian village enchanting.

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ATTACK THE BLOCK

Reviewed by Steven Martin  20/5/2011

Joe Cornish (of Adam and Joe fame) has directed an excellent first feature film in Attack the Block, fusing action-adventure escapism, in the best of Speilberg traditions, with social commentary and the realism of inner city South London.

Billed as ‘inner city versus outer space’, Attack the Block follows a street gang led by Moses (the excellent John Boyega) as they battle oncoming aliens.  After mugging nurse Sam (Jodie Whittaker), the two become unlikely allies, teaming up against a common enemy as the aliens invade a council block.  An excellent supporting cast help provide the laughs and shocks– Junmayn Hunter as the drug dealer Hi-Hatz, Luke Treadaway as the middle-class Brewis and the loveable nine year olds, Probs (Sammy Williams) and Mayhem (Michael Ajao).

The movie is propelled along by fast-paced action, with character shading coming gradually as the leads are transformed from hoodied stereotypes into sympathetic individuals. At the same time, Cornish’s treatment of social issues is respectful and never patronising. The only caveat is that the shocks could have been scarier.

Aliens invade a tower block...on the face of it a tenuous premise. However, with the skill and sincerity of Cornish's direction, and the exuberance of a youthful cast, the finished product is an undeniable success.

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13 ASSASSINS

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke

‘13 Assassins’ is a great film that transcends genre. However as a Samurai epic it has everything you could want: solemn speeches, a nihilistic war lord, heroic swordsmen, and a 45 minute battle scene that completes the fate of its heroes.

Japan in the 19th century is enjoying a time of peace. This peace is then threatened by the whimsical brutality of Lord Naritsugu, second in line to the Shogun. When Shinzamon Shimada is quietly asked by Sir Doi to assassinate the heir, he must gather together the most talented Samurai’s and apprehend an army of over 200.

From start to finish the film is a meditation on death. It begins with a brutally real depiction of ‘Hari kari’ (suicide by disembowelment), a form of death used to escape life tainted by disgrace. In comparison to the dignity of ‘Hari kari’ we witness the continual execution of innocent peasants and servants by the nihilistic heir; a person whose respect for life is deformed by his attempt to control and enforce death. Naritsugu’s relation to death comes full circle, and the final scenes reveal an artificially calm persona imbued with ignorance and fear. Between these two extremes is the Samurai’s battle death; a paradoxical hope, in that in order to occur peace must be broken and yet this break is of course undesirable.

The message is clear; death is a necessary component of life, it is not outside but within life and like anything should be faced with courage and dignity. Death should not be valued by a ‘when’, no one is too young to die or too old to live. It should be valued as qualitative,a performance; a good death or a feared death. Maybe, as ‘Westerners’, this film can teach us a lot; it certainly reminded me of Japanese stoicism, in the aftermath of the recent tsunami.

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OUTSIDE THE LAW

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke 9/5/2011

‘Outside the Law’ is a moving film about revolution, freedom and family; its release amidst the Arab Spring makes it even more significant and timely.

The story tracks three Algerian brothers whose family’s land is unjustly re-appropriated by French colonists. As young (and now urbanised) adults the brothers are caught in a harrowing expression of French imperialism. On the very same day that France itself gained independence from Germany, an Algerian demonstration was met by a ridiculously un-proportionallevel of Force; with sniper and machine gun fire arbitrarily killing hundreds at random and many more being arrested without reason (I honestly didn’t blink for 10 minutes).

Abdelkader (the most intellectual of the brothers) is imprisoned in France, the oldest brother Messaoud fights for France in Indochina and the youngest Said, stays to care for their now widowed mother. When the brothers are finally re-united in a Paris shanty town, the two eldest (having been radicalised in prison and the army) quickly join Algeria’s National Liberation Front (FLN) and attempt to expand their homelands fight with whatever means required.

Although it touches on the sentimental, Rachid Bouchareb’s direction is a tremendous attempt at questioning the one-dimensional standard we prescribe to those named ‘terrorists’. It cleverly examines how the political crushes the personal (what does it mean to be the family of a militant?), and how the militant must enter a process of de-humanisation in order to succeed towards justice.

This is a well crafted thriller that holds your attention (even if probably too long) with strong performances throughout and a subject matter of definite relevance.

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SOURCE CODE (12A)

Reviewed by Steven Martin 6 / 4 /11

Propelled along by Ben Ripley’s well-crafted script and Duncan Jones’s deft direction, Source Code is an enjoyable and entertaining sci-fi action thriller. While it lacks the bleakness and stripped down quality of Jones’s fantastic directorial debut Moon, it is built extremely well – with efficient pacing, exciting visuals, and an edgy performance from lead Jake Gyllenhaal.

 

Gyllenhaal plays US army helicopter pilot Colter Stevens. His mission  is to ‘relive’ an eight minute fragment of memory from train bomb victim Sean Fentress in order to identify the bomber, who is planning to plant a second, more deadly device in downtown Chicago.

 

In the process of reliving these eight minutes repeatedly, Stevens engages with the perceived reality, in particular Fentress’s companion Christina (Michelle Monaghan). Yet the more interesting relationship on offer is that in the ‘real’ world, between Stevens and Captain Goodwin (Vera Farmiga), a military officer working on the controversial scientific project.

 

As with Moon, Source Code is driven by themes of isolation, inevitability and altered reality. In exploring these themes to their conclusion, I felt the ending slightly betrayed the film’s internal logic.  Yet this is a small caveat. The film is tightly paced and well-written, and Jones has demonstrated that he can direct a smart, gripping action thriller.

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ANIMAL KINGDOM

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke 8/3/2011

I was surprised to see that our most reliable of references, Time-Out, had stingily brandished a mediocre three out of five stars for David Michord’s debut.  In my eyes this is one of the most interesting and innovative attempts at the (often worn) ‘crime-family’ genre. Aside from this , it’s definitely one of the best Australian films to surface for a long while.

With a beautiful display of stylised camera work, the film follows teen hermit Josh (Jamie Frenchville) in the aftermath of his mothers overdose and subsequent death. Forced to live with his grandmother and uncles he is quickly educated in the true ways of his family; drugs, crime and ingrained paranoia, all tied together by the grandmothers dark maternal obsession.

The family are a focal target for the renegade and corrupt police unit whose idea of justice is more akin to Mexico than Melbourne. As the family quickly falls apart, Josh become more and more integral, both for the family and the police; “ a rock and hard place if ever there was....”

How can one grieve when time won’t allow for it? This dilemma permeates the film. Our central character is almost numb, barely saying a word; he stands silent as loved ones fall.  Like all great gangster films the contradiction between survival and release is paramount, emancipation always requires affiliation and when affiliation is criminal, release is that much harder.

Superbly written, acted and produced, Animal Kingdom is undoubtedly one of the best films this year.

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INSIDE JOB

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke 28/2/2010

‘Inside Job’ is an important and urgent project; however, whether it fulfils its role as the first major on screen response to our current financial predicament is debatable.

In the style of Michael Moore, first time director Charles Ferguson attempts to clarify the recent economic crisis and its obscure causes. Oscillating between interviews (with investment bankers, politicians and academics) and factual graphics, the film is held together by the narration of Hollywood actor Mat Damon. Although it does attempt a linear diagnosis, a beginning, middle and end (even if this end has not quite ended), the bombardment of facts, figure and sound-bite responses to stark questions can be confusing and disconcerting.

Any film like this is of course dependent on who takes part, and although at first amusing, one becomes very quickly bored by the sentence ‘so and so…declined to be interviewed for this film’. The general argument, which appears to structure the film as a whole, points a massive finger at the ‘self-interested’ personalities (and their implicit bond) that ran away with risk and greed. Although this is of course true, over-determining it as the only cause fails to question the system itself, the system that has allowed such people to prosper.

And so this film is definitely not a revolutionary intervention, but is almost reactionary: By concentrating on only individuals it reinforces the capitalist logic, i.e. that this mess has nothing to do with capitalism itself but only with those who have broken its rules and veered off its well set path. When individualism is the sole dictum, then individualism is all we have.

This film is important, if only because our situation is important. Documentaries like this must first of all be good films, secondly they must be accessible, and finally they must pre-pose an ethic of reaction, one that is collective and frank. It fails on all three counts.

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NEVER LET ME GO

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke 21/2/2011

Watching a trailer for  ‘Never Let Me Go’ one would assume a tale of love, friendship and jealousy. And although these are primary elements, they are played out within an intensely brutal backdrop of dystopia and bio-ethical nightmares. The dramatic and early twist prevents me delving too deep into the story and so for the sake of all those unaware I will attempt a subtle critique.

We join the tale in 1978 at a seemingly idyllic English boarding school.  The central character Kathy and her more out-going best friend Ruth spark up a relationship with unconfident and lonely Tommy. Kathy’s love for Tommy is obvious; however it is the more forth-right Ruth who, out of youthful jealousy and insecurity, manages to seduce the innocent boy into a relationship that will continue till adulthood.

The love triangle is enveloped within a more dramatic and horrific drama, one that we know  little of outside the affects it bears on the three friends.  Through a reinterpretation of the last thirty years, the story imagines the extreme possibilities that could occur when bio-medical possibilities reinscribe a split society in which some are merely a means for others survival.

 There are some clever parts to this adaption of the Kazuo Ishiguro novel.  The partial perspective of the society that we are offered, determined solely by the three characters we follow, is an interesting attempt to depart from a more traditional and heroic format,  in which good/evil,  inside/outside are clearly defined.

On the whole however, this is not a particularly good film. There is no real effort to manipulate the audience, and apart from the initial twist one is underwhelmed by the plots direction and result. The acting doesn’t help:  Keira Knightly is not at her (already very mediocre) best, and Andrew Garfield as Tommy is unbelievable and almost annoying.

This could have been a very good film  (I’m sure the book is excellent),  but it relies too much on the originality of the plot and not enough on a good execution of the cinematic craft.

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TRUE GRIT

Review of ‘True Grit’ By Charlie Clarke

‘True Grit’ is probably not the Cohen Brother’s best film (‘Fargo’, ‘Big Lebowski’, ‘No Country…’), but it sits high on a list that has very few mishaps. Although a re-make, the brothers insist that the original book is the main inspiration, and so rather than an updated eulogy to the 1969 classic, we find here a character film determined by obscure Southern accents spouting robust and perfect lines.

The film moves quickly. Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), a 14 year old, tough talking and single minded farm girl seeks to avenge her father’s callous murderer Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), an allusive but not altogether brilliant bandit. She hires U.S. marshal “Rooster” Coburn (Jeff Bridges), an over-weight drunkard, whose ‘mean’ reputation precedes him, and whose death toll grows without check. Alongside this unlikely couple is a Texas Ranger (Matt Damon), ironically named ‘LaBoeuf’, whose aim is also the capture of Chaney (wanted for the previous killing of a Texas Senator), and whose Texan pride clashes comically with Coburn.

The three set off in hunt of Chaney. Things happen, people die.

Like many of their films a single moral point is evident (Justice/retribution), though as usual this point is never dominant and artificial. The indiscernible mutterings of Coburn or the steely ‘cut-downs’ of Mattie Ross make this film. Unmistakably a Western, it transcends the genre only with the unnameable quality that is ‘Cohenesque’.

Two great performances (Bridges/Damon) surround the precocious young Steinfeld, who as a centre point to the story is wonderful, and utterly endearing.

If you have ever enjoyed these film makers before, then you will almost certainly enjoy this.

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BRIGHTON ROCK

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke 7/2/2011

‘Brighton Rock’ is a well acted and solid re-make of the 1947 adaptation of Graham Green’s classic crime thriller.

Re-positioned amidst the mod/rock riots of 1964 Brighton, the film follows ‘Pinkie’ Brown (Sam Riley, Control)  a young up-and-coming gangster who seizes his opportunity to take charge when a power vacuum is accidentally created via the unintended murder of his ‘father-figure’ boss.

When Pinkie avenges the killing  (committed by rival gang member Fred Hale)  with cold blooded force, he and his remaining men  (galvanised by fear from hanging)  must cover their tracks.   Rose (Andrea Riseborough),  the one witness, must be bought on side, and so Pinkie, with his overtly ‘mean guy’ charm, begins a journey of seduction that tragically subsumes the lonely and deluded girl.

Where the book is a devastatingly neutral assessment of universal themes; obsession, delusion, love, sin and justice, this film is more concerned with the ambiguity of Pinkie’s care for Rose, i.e. does he or doesn’t he?

Although it’s superbly acted in parts, with the leading ladies Helen Mirren and Riseborough herself, being particularly good, and it definitely imbues a specifically sixties style  (beautifully constructed cinematography), it certainly does have its faults.  The landscape of rioting teenagers is never fully sutured to the storyline and thus fails to appear as anything more than a contingent side issue.  It also concentrates too much on the Pinkie/Rose dynamic, at the expense of other characters and scenes developed in Green’s book.

However, this is a very watchable and enjoyable film when taken as it is,  and as everyone knows ‘the book is always the book’.

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BLACK SWAN

Reviewed  by Charlie Clarke 25/01/2011

 

Just like his masterpiece ‘Requiem for a Dream’ and his previous film ‘The Wrestler’, Darren Aronofski’s ‘Black Swan’ is a fascinating meditation on the psychology of embodiment.

 Nina (Natalie Portman) is a dedicated New York ballerina, whose big chance is granted when artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) chooses her to replace his ‘ageing’ star and lover Beth for his new interpretation of Swan Lake.

Oppressed by her former ballet dancing mother, the incessant pressure of Leroy, and her own mental instabilities, Nina must overcome innocence and sexual rigidity in order to blossom, not just as Odette the ‘white swan’, but also as Odile the licentious and aggressively seductive ‘black swan’.

As Nina’s reality becomes more and more unsure she herself becomes indistinguishable from the two swans, and there oppositional traits play out within her confused mind. The antagonisms of Swan Lake are re-enacted within the drama of the film, with Lily (Mila Kunis), a dancer more suited to the role of black swan appearing to usurp Nina from her stardom, and Leroy (now encapsulating Prince Siegfried) mediating between the two.

 

This is an excellent ‘psycho-drama/horror’, original, unnerving and wonderfully acted (Portman is mesmerizing).However, this is not a film for everyone and definitely not the relaxing option one might assume when reading the words ‘ballet drama’.

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THE KING'S SPEECH

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke

‘The King’s Speech’ is a beautifully crafted film that deals with a moment of royal history that is rarely depicted; George VI (Colin firth) and his stammer. Director Tom Hooper (‘The Damned United’) is proving to be a master of biography, and with this his most acclaimed project, he has consolidated a reputation far removed from his early television shifts on EastEnders and Byker Grove. 

The film transverses the very human struggle of ‘Bertie’ (later George VI) whose role as heir was famously overshadowed by the infamous relations of his older brother Edward and the divorcee Mrs Simpson.  As the likelihood of his coronation as King increases, Bertie’s stammer becomes more pronounced, each failed cure intensifying his vocal insecurities.   When his wife (Helena Bonham Carter) searched out an eccentric Australian speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush) a reluctant Prince finally begins to foresee some hope.

The intimate friendship that develops between the two is heightened by the superb acting of both Firth and Rush. As the therapist challenges the monarch, gradually unravelling the ‘man’ beneath the dignitaries.  Hooper presents the audience with something over and above the mere recollection of a historical subject. The film is a mediation on power and duty, as well human fragility.  It conveys with real incite the importance of speech, as necessary for a king, in an England that is discovering the wonders of national radio.  Amongst the fear of pre-WW2 Britain, and juxtaposed with the great speeches of Hitler and Mussolini, we look at a King who has no constitutional power but a good heart, overcoming his disability toperform for his people.

This is a superbly acted and directed piece of cinema storytelling, possibly one of the most interesting attempts at a Royal feature film for a long time.

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BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY at Hoxton Hall

Reviewed by Marion Amos  10/11/10

Recreational drug taking and casual sex are not obvious themes for any musical, but in this energetically choreographed production each scenario expresses them in an appropriately wanton style.

Set in 1980s New York, Bright Lights, Big City, follows a week in the life of Jamie (Paul Ayres), a disillusioned young writer in meltdown after the death of his mother (Lori Hayley Fox) and departure of his wife, Amanda (Rachael Wooding). We follow his descent into clubland, as events spiral out of his control - eventually leading to the loss of his thankless job as proof reader.
But younger brother Michael (Matthew Gent) seems determined to help him come to terms with his melancholy, and an evening with a philosophy student Vicki (Jodie Jacobs), offers a glimmer of hope for the future.

With an exceptional high-octane opening dance number, the ten-strong cast burst onto the small stage to twist and shimmy,  whilst belting out vocals which filled the lofty Victorian ceiling to full capacity.

The pop-rock music and lyrics are the work of Glaswegian Paul Scott Goodman,  capturing the ethos of 80s excess with some funny light hearted lines and strong harmonies.

Rachael Wooding definitely stole the show with her svelte and sexy performance as Amanda, a self obsessed wannabe super model.  Rietta Austin's booming vocals as the blousy Clara were also a treat.

The musical runs until 25 November 2010.

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THE HOUSE OF GAMES AT THE ALMEIDA THEATRE

Reveiwed by Marian Amos 3/11/11

This engaging and entertaining debut stage adaptation of David Mamet’s 1987 screenplay is a pacey psychological thriller of scams, cons and crime.

Dr Margaret Ford (Nancy Carroll), psychoanalyst and author of a bestselling book about compulsion is treating a young out-of-control man called Billy (Al Weaver), who confides his life is at risk owing to a substantial gambling debt.   Driven by a combination of fascination and boredom with her life, Margaret seeks out the eponymous gambling den to confront its boss and chief con-artist, Mike (Michael Landes).

However, Margaret finds herself drawn to his charisma, slick trickery and sexuality.  She is sucked into his gritty gang world of Chicago hustlers,  fascinated by their ribald poker-table patter of machismo and menace, and starts accumulating ideas for her new book.
The action darts from the sterility of Margaret’s sparse consulting room,  into the murky depths of the private club, where live Blues intensifies the atmosphere.  This dialogue-driven drama enthralls its' audience as con after con is revealed.

Carroll gives a fine performance as Margaret managing to switch from savvy professional to wide-eyed apprentice whilst Trevor Cooper exudes excellence with his portrayal of the pot-bellied small-time crook George, who wisecracks his way around the underworld.

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SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER AT HOXTON HALL

Reviewed by Helen Murphy 19/10/10

During a time of economic doom and gloom it was wonderful to have an up-beat evening’s entertainment at Hoxton Hall.  Their production of Goldsmith’s ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ was a delightful concoction of mimicry, slapstick and comic timing.

Graham Dickson plays the part of Mr Hardcastle, an elderly Bertie Wooster type-character, with much aplomb.  This gentleman is arranging a marriage for his daughter Kate, (Claire Cordier).  The suitor Marlowe, (Robert Fawsitt), and the son of an old friend, who has a reputation for being shy and bashful in the company of ladies.  Although reputed to have extensive experience with women of a different class!

When Marlowe and his friend Hastings (Alex Marx), arrive at Hardcastle’s house they are under the mistaken impression that it is the local Inn.  Much to Hardcastle’s indignity, Marlow treats him like an Inn Keeper demanding food and drink.  Marlow, mistaking Kate for a servant, wastes no time in declaring his lust if not his love for her.  Kate realises Marlow’s mistake and joins in the charade with the infectious enthusiasm of a naughty minx.

A special mention must be made about Gabriella Best’s portrayal of the demented Mrs Hardcastle scrambling around lost in the forest.  It's tragic farce at its best.Tom Shepherd is superb as The Butler/Sir Charles.Gabriella Schmidt as Constance and Jack Chedburn who plays Tony, complete a strong cast.  This was a laugh-out-loud production from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

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PIECES OF VINCENT

Reveiwed by Paul Titley 20/9/'10

This production of David Watson’s play is fantastic. The set is both wonderful and vital. It is a triumph of the imaginative use of studio space with four stages unconventionally arranged along the perimeter walls and with the audience sat on cushions in the middle.

The audience is drawn into the centre of events, and the play opens with a film projected onto the four walls. This allows the audience to be virtual passengers in a journey along a Donegal road, with views from each perspective. This marriage of seating and setting is a brilliant device.

The play is in eight short acts, which touch separately on the lives of a sad Policeman and his wife in Northern Ireland, a tormented music teacher and his gifted pianist, two disaffected young men, a disenchanted wife and a lonely grandmother. Their stories become linked in one terrible incident in London and through the life of a modern day artist named Vincent.

David Watson’s tale is not a love story, but it is a play about love and particularly about loss and letting go. He uses the eight acts to portray fragments of a life; and they are presented like pieces of a chronological puzzle pulled from a box. It is not in order, but neither is it random. It is a delightful treasure of a piece with great characterisations by all the cast.

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THE ALCHEMIST AT HOXTON HALL

Reviewed by Paul Titley 3/9/’10

Ben Johnson’s classic satire of human gullibility has been brilliantly crafted and brought up to date in this very funny production. Rachel Parish’s contemporary version treats the audience to a fast and furious fest on the folly of greed.  The original was 17th Century, but this is a thoroughly modern, very 21st Century take.

The Alchemist is full of golden performances with great comedic characterisations from all the cast; but whilst doubling up of parts allowed the actors to show their versatility, the production would benefit from some pruning. One and three-quarter hours without an interval - and especially given the hectic pace - the play is a tad too long.

However, don’t miss it! The script is amusing and the acting extremely good. It feels unfair not to mention them all, but Rose-Marie Christian as Danny was virtuoso, while Hugh Darbyshire’s unforgettable portrayal of the twat Edwin deservedly drew the heartiest laughter. Wonderful performances were also turned in by Jon Foster, Zoe Ford, Elisa Armstrong, Claire Quinn, Thomas Blyth, Freya Alderson and Nick Whitley. The play runs at Hoxton Hall until the 10th of September,  so see it soon or miss a treat.

 

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THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke

4/11/2009

This carcass of a film motivates interest via the sad and infamous death of Heath Ledger, who died during the film’s production. His introduction to the story as a hanging shadow, dancing unconsciously over the Thames, is a sinister reminder of the difficult circumstances that engineered this films collapse into awkwardness and unfulfilled potential.

 

Gilliam’s unique animation stands alone, deserted by plot structure and script; it plays landscape for the ‘good Vs evil’ genre to which this film might be assigned. Dr Parnassus lives an existence of extremes; as a philosophic monk in the Middle Ages he obtains immortality, through a wager with Mr. Nick (Tom Waites), a suave and energetic incarnation of the devil. When the Dr meets his ‘one true love’ the curse of immortality comes to the fore. Taking advantage of the doctor’s instinctive desire for a flutter, Mr. Nick exchanges the ‘curse’ of immortality for ‘ the return of his youth’,on the promise that he gives him his daughter when she’s sixteen.In order to hold on to his beloved, Dr Parnassus must win the souls of five modern day Londoners before they are distracted by the devil’s smile.

 

It may be that the lack of suspense and character development in this film can only be put down to Gilliam’s real affection for the dead actor.One may recommend this film as tribute to his loss, and find interest in Johnny Depp and his other A-list replacements.

This week's films

 

Please scroll down for RICH MIX, RIO CINEMA and HACKNEY PICTUREHOUSE film listings

83 Upper St, Islington, N1 ONU
020 7226 3520

0871 906 9060 (75p charge) 

Screen on the Green

Ticket prices:

Members:Premier Adults £11.50  Standard Member £9.00 Non Members :Premier Adult £12.50 Standard Adult £10.00 Child£7.50 Standard Group of 10: £90

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE (15)

Fri 3rd, Mon 6th-Wed 8th: 15.45, 18.20, 20.55:Sat 4th: 15.45, 18.20, 20.55, 23.30:Sun 5th: 15.15, 17.20, 20.25:Thu 9th: 16.10, 22.00: Baby Club: Wed 8th:12.00:  101 mins:Cast: Hugh Dancy, Elizabeth Olsen, Brady Corbet, Christopher Abbott, Hugh Dancy, Elizabeth Olsen, Brady Corbet, Christopher Abbott:Dirs: Sean Durkin, Sean Durkin: ThrillerMartha Marcy May Marlene is a powerful psychological thriller starring Elizabeth Olsen as Martha, a damaged woman haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, who attempts to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult and its charismatic leader (John Hawkes). Seeking help from her estranged older sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) and brother-in-law (Hugh Dancy), Martha is unable and unwilling to reveal the truth about her disappearance.

Kids’ Club:HORRID HENRY (U)

Sat 4th: 10.30:  93 mins:Dir: Nick Moore:Cast: Richard E. Grant, Anjelica Huston, Theo Stevenson.Horrid Henry finds himself doing things he never ever thought he'd do, and then some.

THE DESCENDANTS (15)

Wed 1st,Thu 2nd:15.15, 18.00, 20.45: Baby Club: Wed 1st: 12.00: 115 mins:Cast:George Clooney:Drama:From Alexander Payne, the creator of the Oscar-winning Sideways, set in Hawaii, The Descendants is a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic journey for Matt King (George Clooney) an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki. The event leads to a rapprochement with his young daughters while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family's land handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries.

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (15)

Sat 4th: 15.15,Sun 5th: 12.4599 mins:Dir: Simon Curtis:Cast: Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Judi Dench In the early summer of 1956, 23 year-old Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), just down from Oxford and determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on the set of 'The Prince and the Showgirl'.

 

NT Live:TRAVELLING LIGHT

Thu 9th:18.45   150 mins:Dir: Nicholas Hytner:Cast: Antony Sher, Damien Molony, Lauren O'Neill Nicholas Wright’s new play is a funny and fascinating tribute to the Eastern European immigrants who became major players in Hollywood’s golden age.

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS: DON’T THINK (PG)

Fri 3rd:23.30  88 mins:Dir:Adam Smith: For nearly two decades, the Chemical Brothers "mind-bending" audiovisual live show has played to packed houses and festivals across the globe, but it has never been captured on film until now. Originally captured in 2011, at the iconic Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, this event captures the synesthetic barrage of sound, film and light and the transforming effect it has on its audience. Fans will also be able to gain access to never-before-seen behind the scenes footage and an exclusive interview with Adam Smith, the concert's director and visual creator of live shows.
Info & Booking 020 76137498, www.richmix.org.uk. 35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA. Liverpool Street TubePrices, Mon – Fri before 5pm £7.70, concessions £6.00, after 5pm and Sat & Sun £9.00, concessions £6.50, Family ticket Mon – Fri before 5pm 1 adult & 2 children £16.00, 2 adults & 1 Child £18, 2 adults & 2 children £22.00.Family ticket after 5pm and Sat & Sun 1 adult & 2 children £18.00, 2 adults & 1 Child £21, 2 adults & 2 children £26.00. Child £5.50, children under 2 are freeRich Mix is fully Accessible for wheelchairs and all cinema screens have a fully integrated infra red system for guests who are hard of hearing.

J. EDGAR (15)

Wed 1st, Thurs 2nd: 14.00: Drama:137 mins:Dir: Clint Eastwood:Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi WattsJ. Edgar explores the public and private life of one of the most powerful, controversial and enigmatic figures of the 20th century. As the face of law enforcement in America for almost fifty years, J. Edgar Hoover was feared and admired, reviled and revered. But behind closed doors, he held secrets that would have destroyed his image, his career and his life.

Kids’ Cine Time:DOLPHIN TALE (U)

£1.50:Sat 3rd,Sun 4th: 12.00:Martin Smith / Running Time: 113mins: WaltzA story centered on the friendship between a boy and a dolphin whose tail was lost in a crab trap.

THE ARTIST (PG)

Wed 1st,Thurs 2nd: 15.30, 18.00, 20.30:The Artist (PG)Fri 3rd– Thur 9th:  15.30, 18.00, 20.30  Hollywood 1927. George Valentin is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career and see him fall into oblivion. For young extra Peppy Miller, it seems the sky's the limit - major movie stardom awaits. The Artist tells the story of their interlinked destinies.

CARNAGE(15)

Fri 3rd– Thur 9th: 15.15, 17.30, 19.25, 21.15 Comedy: 80 mins:Dir: Roman Polanski:Cast: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Dirs: Charles Comedy ‘Carnage’, from master director Roman Polanski, tells the story of two families who attempt to reconcile their children’s differences over a civilised dinner that rapidly degenerates into a chaotically childish war of attrition. Featuring a stellar cast that includes Kate Winslet (The Reader), Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) and Jodie Foster (The Silence of the Lambs), ‘Carnage’ is an uncomfortable but hilarious study of the real characters that lurk behind the polite facades of respectable parents.

THE DESCENDANTS(15)

Wed 1st,Thurs 2nd: 15.45, 18.15, 21.00,Fri 3rd– Thur 9th: 15.45, 18.15, 21.00:Parents and Babies:Mon 6th: 12.00:Senior Screening:Tues 7th: 15.45     Please see the Everyman Screen On The Green for details and summary.

SHAME (18)

Wed 1st,Thurs 2nd: 16.45, 19.00, 21.15:Please read Steve Martin's review on the left hand side of this page.

 

107 Kingsland High Street,  E8 2PB
020 7241 9410

mail@riocinema.org.uk
www.riocinema.org.uk/

Ticket Prices

Phone bookings 2-8pm or online go to www. Booking fee 50p for one ticket, £1 for two tickets or more. Friends of the Rio- free. Payment by most credit and debit cards (not American Express).

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS (12A)

Sat 4th:23.30::Parents & Babies only:Tues 7th: 12.30 Digital

Kids cinema: GNOMEO AND JULIET(U)

Sat 4th: 11.00:Tues 7th:16.00

THE DESCENDANTS (15)

We 1st,Thurs 4th:13.15 (not Thurs), 15.45 ),18.15, 20.50:Fri 3rd-Thur 9th:13.15 (Fri, Sat, Mon,only)15.45( not Sun. Tue, Wed)18.15, 20.50: Parents & Babies only: Thur 9th:12.45

Please see the Everyman Screen On The Green for details and summary.

LES ENFANTS DU PARADIS (PG)

Sun 5th:14.00

Classic Matinee: JANE EYRE (PG)

Wed 8th:14.30: Digital

 

Fri 27th-Thurs 2nd Feb

THE DESCENDANTS (15):12.50 (Not Wed), 15.30, 18.10, 20.50

CORIOLANUS (15):12.20 (Sat/Mon Only), 15.20 (Fri/Wed/Thu Only), 18.00 (Tue/Sun Only), 21.00 (Sat/Wed Only)

SHAME (18):12.40 (Not Sat/Tue/Thu), 15.40 (Not Mon/Wed), 18.20, 20.40

THE ARTIST (PG):13.00 (Not Mon/Wed), 15.50 (Not Tue/Thu), 18.30, 21.00

J.EDGAR (15):12.20 (Fri Only), 15.00 (Not Fri/Wed/Thu), 18.00 (Sat/Wed Only), 20.30* (Not Fri/Sat/Wed)

THE IRON LADY (12A):Contains real images of moderate violence, injury detail and brief nudity

12.20 (Sun/Tue/Wed Only), 13.20 (Sat Only), 18.00 (Fri/Mon/Thu Only)

SILVER SCREENOver 60’s can enjoy any film for £4 before 17.00 on Tuesdays & Thursdays with complimentary tea/coffee and biscuits

BIG SCREAM! (Parent and Baby Club):THE DESCENDANTS (15):Wednesday 1 February: 11.0

Fri 3rd Feb – Thur 9thFeb

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE (15):13.30, 16.00, 18.20, 20.40 (Not Thu)

CARNAGE (15):14.00 (Not Sat), 14.45 (Sat Only), 16.10 (Not Sat), 18.30* (Not Sat), 19.00 (Sat Only), 20.30 (Sat Only), 21.00*Monday Screening is Subtitled Access Screening

YOUNG ADULT (15):13.20 (Not Fri/Sat), 15.40, 18.00 (Not Tue), 20.30 (Not Sat)

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS: DON’T THINK (PG):Fri/Sat only 23.00

THE DESCENDANTS (15):12.30 (Not Thu), 15.20 (Not Fri/Sat), 18.10 (Not Sat/Thu), 20.50 (Not Sat), 21.10 (Sat Only)

HUGO 2D (U):Sat Only: 12.00

MONEYBALL (12A)*Contains infrequent strong language:Fri 3rd Sat 4 Feb: 22.30

ULTRA CULTURE PRESENTS…TEENAGE WASTELAND

Including… 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, NOT ANOTHER TEEN MOVIE, SCREAM 2, MALLRATS and ELECTION:Sat 4th

More Details at http://www.ultraculture.co.uk/teenagewasteland

KIDS’ CLUB:CORALINE (PG)Saturday 4 February, 10.30am Plus fun and games from 10.00am

FILM THEORY CLASSES:EALING COMEDIES:Starts Monday 6 February, 19.00 – limited numbers

PICTUREHOUSE DOCS BOMBAY BEACH (15):Tuesday 7 February, 18.30

SILVER SCREEN: Over 60’s can enjoy any film for £4 before 17.00 on Tuesdays & Thursdays with complimentary tea/coffee and biscuits

BIG SCREAM! (Parent and Baby Club):CARNAGE (15):Wednesday 8 February, 11.00am

REMINISCENCE SCREENING:THE LAVENDER HILL MOB (U):Thursday 9 February, 13.00

NT LIVE:TRAVELLING LIGHT:Thursday 9 February, 19.00