Our movie screening programme March – April 2010
Dir. Jacques Audiard. France 2009. 2hrs 35mins. In French with English subtitles.
Now ShowingBuy tickets
After picking up a BAFTA at this year’s ceremony and being nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, we’re proud to be able to bring back Jacques Audiard’s (The Beat That My Heart Skipped) outstanding drama.
A Prophet is one of the most electrifying, authentic and engaging films to ever hit our screens. Malik (a marvellous performance from newcomer Tahar Rahim) is an uneducated teenager stepping into a French prison after being given three years for attacking a policeman. Once there, he’s at the mercy of his surroundings and is taken in by the Corsican mafia and kingpin Cesar (a brilliant Niels Arestrup), who begins to use him for errands and murders, and who inadvertently starts Malik’s rise to power….
“The film shows Audiard to be the biggest beast in new French cinema.” The Guardian
Dir. Tom Ford. USA 2009. 1hr 41mins.
BBFC Consumer Advice: Contains suicide theme, moderate threat, drug references and nudity.
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Clothing designer Tom Ford swaps fashion for film with this incredible debut feature, a tale of love interrupted based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood. Set in Los Angeles in 1962, it is the story of George Falconer (Colin Firth) a gay British College professor struggling to live his life after the sudden death of his long-term partner (Matthew Goode, Brideshead Revisited). The film follows George through a single day as he tries to find meaning to his life amidst his loss. A Single Man is a powerful film.
Dir. Michael Hoffman. Germany, Russia & UK. 1hr 52mins.
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A fabulous cast, including Golden Globe nominees Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer, light up the screen in this entertaining drama about the last days of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. Mirren plays Tolstoy’s (Plummer) long suffering wife Sofya who, after being married to him for 48 years and bearing 13 of his children, is beside herself over her husband’s decision to leave the rights to his literary works not to her, but to the Russian people. Sofya, desperate to hold on to the work for the family by any means necessary, uses all her feminine wiles in an effort to get her husband to change his mind, but faces stiff competition from his scheming disciple Chertkov (Paul Giamatti)….
“Helen Mirren is a lusty, roaring wonder.” Rolling Stone
Dir. Jean Pierre Jeunet. France 2009. 1hr 40mins. In French with English subtitles.
BBFC consumer advice: Contains moderate violence and sex and references to hard drugs.
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This magnificent black comedy from Amelie director Jean Pierre Jeunet tells the story of Bazil (Daniel Boon), a mild-mannered video shop worker, who, after a lengthy hospital stay caused by a stray bullet, finds himself unemployed and living on the street. Adopted by an underground society called the Micmacs, Bazil decides to take revenge on the weapons manufacturers who put him in this predicament and sets about coming up with a plan to bring them down, with the help of a new found family of friends.
Chock full of quirky characters, played by Jeunet regulars André Dussollier, Dominique Pinon and Yolande Moreau, Micmacs is a dazzlingly, pacy and wonderfully witty satire that will make you fall in love with Jeunet all over again.
Micmacs will also be screening as part of The Learning Revolution Language Café on Tuesday 2 March at 6.25pm. Language Café is a series of international foreign language classics which can be enjoyed on their own or accompanied by a free get-together after the show where you can talk about the film in its native tongue. See our mini-site for more info! Watch our Language Café video on Learning Revolution.
Dir. Thierry Guetta. USA & UK 2009. 1hr 26mins.
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A fantastic docu-comedy about the antics of infamous street artist Banksy. Born (allegedly) in the UK, now in his 30s, the man has made a name for himself by creating politically charged street art in the most unlikely of places, from Israel to the USA, via lots of UK cities, he’s produced books and art exhibitions, all whilst maintaining his anonymity.
French filmmaker and fan of street art Thierry Guetta teams up with the illusive artist to document the creation of a number of street art pieces – and the often clumsy and entertaining mishaps and run-ins with the authorities they make on the way. Think a high-brow version of Jackass, intriguing, entertaining and fun!
“A raucously entertaining postmodern survey of guerrilla street art.” Variety
Dir. Lucrecia Martel. Argentina, France, Italy & Spain 2008. 1hr 29mins. In Spanish with English subtitles.
BBFC consumer advice: Contains one use of strong language.
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Lucretia Martel’s incredible mystery tells the story of Veronica, a middle-aged woman who after accidentally hitting ‘something’ with her car becomes gradually more and more unhinged as she begins to believe that she may have killed a little boy.
Throbbing with menace and gripping in its ambiguity, Veronica’s story will grasp you and not let go as you’re propelled through her internal world of shocked detachment as the rest of her normal life goes on around her and she becomes more and more disengaged. Unforgettable – don’t miss it!
Dir. Michael Moore. USA 2009. 2hrs 7mins.
BBFC consumer advice: Contains strong language.
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After taking on American gun culture, the Bush administration and America’s health care crisis, filmmaker Michael Moore turns his attention to the collapse of the world’s banking institutions and the effect of the credit crunch on the little people. As ever, Moore tells a great story with this engaging film where he rips Wall Street to shreds and implicates the US government in yet more shady dealings.
This is vintage Moore, with the human aspect played up brilliantly, from the widow who found out that her husband’s blue chip employers had insured his life for millions in the event of his death, to the sit-in strike of a factory which captivated America’s people and politicians. An utterly entertaining and emotional return to form for Moore that should appeal to anyone whose pockets feel a little lighter of late.
Dir. Lone Scherfig. USA 2009. 1hr 40mins.
BBFC Consumer Advice: Contains moderate sex references.
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After having several of his books turned into films, author Nick Hornby (About a Boy, High Fidelity) decides to cut out the middle man and make a screenplay of his own with this witty and eagerly anticipated comedy drama.
An Education stars Carey Mulligan (Pride and Prejudice) as Jenny, a young woman full of promise and intent to study at Oxford. But when she meets older man David (Peter Sarsgaard, Garden State), he leads Jenny to believe that she can learn some things outside the classroom, casting doubt on her future plans….
An Education contains the same superbly constructed story and absorbing characters that have made Hornby’s books so essential, with excellent direction from Lone Scherfig (Italian for Beginners), and a great supporting cast, including Alfred Molina and Emma Thompson.
Dir. Kathryn Bigelow. USA 2009. 2hrs 11mins.
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One of last year’s best films makes a welcome return to the Tyneside. Winner of six awards at this year’s BAFTAs, including Best Film and Best Director, this gripping and suspenseful film from Point Break director Kathryn Bigelow tells the story of a group of bomb squad technicians risking life and limb in one of the world’s most dangerous places.
The film focuses on William James (Jeremy Renner), a cocky sergeant whose reckless attitude towards bomb disposal both shocks and frustrates his new subordinates, as they discover that James may just love his job a bit too much. An absolute must-see!
New Print
Dir. Howard Hawks. USA 1953. 1hr 31mins.
Sunday 7 – Wednesday 10 MarchBuy tickets
Howard Hawks’ ludicrously fun musical returns with a new print that makes star Marilyn Monroe look even more stunning than ever before. Monroe and Jane Russell play showgirls Lorelei and Dorothy, who take a transatlantic cruise in search of love. But when Lorelei finds herself in a compromising position with the owner of a diamond mine, the girls have to use all their wits to get out of trouble. Featuring the classic showstopper Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a hoot from start to finish.
“One of the most charming, entertaining musicals of the 1950’s” Empire
Film Night in the Tyneside Bar:
East Asian Horror
Dir. Park Chan-wook. South Korea 2003. 2hrs.
Wednesday 10 March, 9.00pm, Tyneside Bar, Free entry
Taken from his ordinary life without reason and imprisoned in solitary confinement. Oh Dae-soo (Choi Min-sik) has no choice but to bide his time in his own personal hell, when suddenly without warning he is released after fifteen arduous years.
Given five days by his mysterious tormentor to track him down, Oh Dae-soo embarks on a violent quest of revenge and redemption in order to answer the questions that have been haunting him for the past fifteen years.
One of the most spectacular films to come out of South Korea and winner of the grand prix of the jury at Cannes, Oldboy propelled director Park Chan-wook onto the world stage, and is a modern classic of Asian cinema.
Check out our new Learning Revolution video and photo galleries.
“A dark and thrillingly horrible adventure into the realms of the unthinkable.” The Guardian
Film Night in the Tyneside Bar:
Vitamin C
Dir. Joachim Hasler. Germany 1968. 1hr 31mins. In German with English subtitles.
Thursday 11 March, 9.00pm, Tyneside Bar, Free entry
Prepare yourselves for Germany's answer to Grease. Hot Summer is a true treat for every film connoisseur; a weirdly culturally loaded musical set in a summer camp where a group of guys and a bunch of girls get together and have a whole lot of kooky fun. Full of gaudy colour and vintage sensibilities this is a one of a kind charmer.
Check out our new Learning Revolution video and photo galleries.
Dir. Neils Adren Opplev. Sweden, Denmark & Germany 2010. 2hrs 33mins. In Swedish with English subtitles.
Starts Friday 12 MarchBuy tickets
Based on the bestselling literary phenomenon by Swedish author Stieg Larsson, this incredible adaptation is sure to be loved by gazillions of people. Mysterious computer hacker Lisbeth Salander and disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist unite to solve the case of a missing girl.
The unlikely duo form a fragile alliance as they dig into the past of a secretive and dysfunctional, high profile family. But as they unravel the dark mystery, they begin to find their own lives under threat. An edge of your seat thriller that acts as an excellent opener to the Millennium trilogy, continuing later this year.
Dir. Martin Scorsese. USA 2009. 2hrs 18mins.
Starts Friday 12 March
Legendary director Martin Scorsese returns for this electrifying adaptation of the novel by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River).
Shutter Island is the sinister story of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo, Zodiac), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the coast of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island’s fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane. But when a hurricane hits and an inmate riot breaks out, Daniels and Aule find themselves trapped on this terrifying island….
Also featuring Ben Kingsley and Max Von Sydow, Shutter Island is a truly outstanding thriller from one of the masters of cinema.
Language Café
Dir. Guillermo del Toro. Spain, Mexico & USA 2006. 1hr 59mins. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Sunday 14 March, 5.25pm
Guillermo Del Toro’s amazing elaborate fantasy is now a legend all of it’s own. Taking place against the backdrop of Spain in the aftermath of the civil war, whilst her stepfather fights the anti-Franco guerrillas, twelve year-old Ofelia encounters several strange and magical creatures who offer her a tantalising glimpse of an alternate world. But first she is given three tasks to complete – and before the moon is full….
Film screenings: £7/£6 concessions. Language café entry: FREE.
Language Café is a series of international foreign language classics which can be enjoyed on their own or accompanied by a free get-together after the show where you can talk about the film in its native tongue. Watch our Language Café video on Learning Revolution.
Dir. Leslie Iwerks. USA & Canada 2009. 1hr 13mins.
Monday 15 March, 6.30pm
After making Downstream, the short documentary about one of the most polluting oil operators in the world, Oscar nominated director Leslie Iwerks goes deep behind-the-scenes into the strip-mined world of Northern Alberta, Canada.
Narrated by Canadian actress and environmentalist Neve Campbell (Scream), this feature documentary explores the battle between industry, government, local communities and environmentalists over the development of the oil sands of Canada. A heart-wrenching story of the price of dirty oil.
This screening will include an introduction from Neve Campbell and a panel discussion including director Leslie Iwerks and representatives from the Co-operative and World Wildlife Fund UK live via satellite.
Price: £7/£6 concessions.
Newcastle ScienceFest
Dir. George Lucas. USA 1971. 1hr 35mins.
Monday 15 March, 6.00pmBuy tickets
Before George Lucas was making films about a Galaxy far, far away... he made this little gem of a movie about a futuristic world where bald, drone like workers are forced to take drugs to control their emotions.
When THX 1138 (Robert Duvall) and his mate LUH 3417 decide to stop taking their medication they suddenly discover their humanity. It’s not long, however before they become imprisoned for this crime. Separated from LUH, THX, along with rebel SEN (Donald Pleasance), embark on a journey to find her. A remarkable debut feature that has gone on to become a classic sci-fi movie.
A lively post film discussion will follow the screening of this cult classic.
Newcastle ScienceFest
Dir. James Whale. USA 1931. 1hr 7mins.
Wednesday 17 March, 6.00pmBuy tickets
This masterpiece from legendary horror director James Whale is the definitive film version of Mary Shelley’s story, featuring an iconic performance from Boris Karloff as the monster.
Scientist Henry Frankenstein and his hunchbacked assistant Fritz attempt to create life using dead human tissue. But the monster becomes an angry outcast mistreated by his creators and hunted by the community.
A chilling and heartbreaking tale that still manages to be just as powerful as it was on it release 80 years ago. A post-film discussion will take place after the show.
“Absolutely unmissable.” Empire
Dir. Robert Kenner. USA 2010. 1hr 34mins.
Tuesday 16 & Wednesday 17 March
How much do you really know about the food we buy in our supermarkets? This fascinating and slightly terrifying Oscar-nominated documentary is a real eye-opener.
Filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on America’s food industry, revealing how the corporations that control their food supplies and put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of farmers, the safety of workers and the environment.
Featuring interviews from experts such as Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser and some surprising insights (like that you can go to jail in Colorado for criticising the ground beef that’s produced there!), Food Inc. is a smart, shocking and powerful film that offers plenty of food for thought (sorry!).
Film Night in the Tyneside Bar:
East Asian Horror
Dir. Takashi Miike. Japan 2001. 1hr 53mins.
Wednesday 17 March, 9.00pm, Tyneside Bar, Free entry
Takashi Miike takes us on an unforgettable ride that takes the extreme to new levels of ridiculousness! A horror-comedy musical via animation, karaoke, romance, zombies and volcanoes, Katakuris is nothing if not completely unique!
The Katakuri family have dreamed of opening their own guest house and finally, using their father’s redundancy pay, achieve their dream in Japan’s countryside. Unfortunately things don’t go as smoothly as they should and every guest who graces the guest house dies – by suicide, accident or murder – in order to save the business the family decide to hide the bodies sending them descending into a spiral of lies, fear and horror… not to mention one very angry volcano!
Winner of the special jury prize at the Gérardmer film festival The Happiness of the Katakuris is one of the craziest cinematic experiences around!
Check out our new Learning Revolution video and photo galleries.
“Reaches cheerfully ludicrous heights to which few films even aspire!” Time Out
Film Night in the Tyneside Bar:
Vitamin C
Dir. Roman Polanski. Poland 1962. 1hr 34mins. In Polish with English subtitles.
Thursday 18 March, 9.00pm, Tyneside Bar, Free entry
Roman Polanski first full length feature is a brilliantly crafted piece of work that ranks as one of the finest debut films ever. When a wealthy couple take a young hitchhiker on their sailboat it starts a rivalry between the two men for the affections of the journalist's much younger wife, leading to some rather hostile action. One of the best Polish films
Check out our new Learning Revolution video and photo galleries.
Dirs. Glenn Ficarra & John Requa. France & USA 2010. 1hr 37mins.
Starts Friday 19 March
Despite the presence of Jim Carrey don’t be fooled into thinking this is just another daft comedy, I Love You Phillip Morris is an emotional and heartwarming film that tells the improbable true story of charismatic conman Steven Russell, starring Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor.
Carrey is Steven, a happily married police officer who, after being involved a near-fatal car accident, decides to stop living in the closet and reveal that he is gay. Steven’s new extravagant lifestyle leads to him being sent to prison, where he meets and falls in love with his cellmate, the sensitive, soft spoken Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor).
Further proof that Carrey can do a lot more then just crazy rubber-faced antics, I Love you Phillip Morris is a fabulous film with two lead performances that you’ll be rooting for from start to finish.
Film Night in the Tyneside Bar:
Vitamin C
Dir. Lukas Moodysson. Sweeden, Denmark & Italy 2001. 1hr 56mins. In Swedish with English subtitles.
Thursday 25 March, 9.00pm, Tyneside Bar, Free entry
A tale of life on a Stockholm commune in the mid-'70s. After suffering more than her share of abuse from her husband, Rolf (Michael Nyqvist), Elisabeth (Lisa Lindgren) takes her two children, Stefan (Sam Kessel) and Eva (Emma Samuelsson), to a commune run by her brother Göran (Gustav Hammarsten).
Life at the commune is crowded with people with laid-back attitudes towards sex, nudity, and recreational drug use, prompting plenty of political debate. But Elizabeth's presence starts to have a strange effect on the other residents, prompting them to reassess what is actually important to them.
A super quirky and affectionate piece of european cinema.
This film was due to be screened on Thursday 4th March, however, due to a change in our schedules Together is now being screened on Thursday 25th March. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes.
Check out our new Learning Revolution video and photo galleries.
Dir. Scott Cooper. USA 2009. 1hr 52mins.
Starts Friday 26 March
Jeff ‘The Dude’ Bridges swaps his White Russian for an acoustic guitar as he turns into veteran country singer/songwriter ‘Bad’ Blake for his Golden Globe winning, Oscar nominated role in actor Scott Cooper’s affecting debut feature. When we meet Bad, he is a broken man, worn down by the usual suspects of women, booze and a life on the road, fading into obscurity after once been a huge country star.
But Bad get’s a shot at salvation with the help of journalist Jean (an excellent Oscar nominated Maggie Gyllenhaal) who discovers the man behind the musican, and ends up falling for him. Both Bridges and Gyllenhaal are captivating breathing new life into this funny and moving story of redemption.
“Bridges gives the best performance of the past twelve months, and indeed possibly the next.” The Times
Dir. Mia Hansen-Løve. Germany & France 2009. Running time TBC. In French with English subtitles.
Starts Friday 26 March
A brilliantly bitter-sweet French drama. Grégoire Canvel has everything he wants; a wife he loves, three wonderful children and a great job as a film producer. Grégoire also seems to have been able to strike the right balance between his job and his home life. But when Grégoire’s prestigious production company plunges into debt, Grégoire’s begins to despair as his life starts to collapse around him.
Winning the Jury Special Prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Father of My Children is an insightful examination that is guaranteed not to leave a dry eye in the house.
New British Cinema Quarterly
Dir. Gilles Borg. UK 2009. 1hr 20mins.
Monday 29 March, 6.00pm
A charming comedy with a big heart, 1234 will have you grinning from ear to ear. It’s the tale of Stevie, who endures a job he despises alongside call centre colleague and drummer extraordinaire Neil. When they persuade the ambitious Billy and talented Emily to start a new band, the possibility they might be onto something good emerges, and with a demo to tout, they set off down the well-trodden path of record companies and gig venues in hopes of conquering the British indie music scene….
New British Cinema Quarterly is an exciting new touring programme showcasing the work of four British filmmakers with distinctive and original films selected from the UK’s major film festivals. This screening will feature a Q&A with a member of the film’s production team.
Dir. Matthew Vaughn. UK & USA 2010. Running time TBC.
Starts Friday 2 April
Prepare yourself for what will possibly be the most awesome movie this year! Stardust director Matthew Vaughn’s adapts Mark Millar’s cult comic book in this highly controversial and ridiculously entertaining film that tells the story of a geeky high school student who decides to become a super-hero, even though he has no superpowers.
Starring Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy), Nicolas Cage and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin’ in Superbad), Kick-Ass has all the super-cool fight sequences you’d expect from a comic-book movie, but with the addition of a wickedly dark sense of humour that makes it the perfect anti-dote for anyone whose had their fill of caped crusaders. Come get some!
Dir. Tom Harper. UK 2009. 1hr 33mins.
Starts Friday 2 April
This debut feature from BAFTA award winning short film maker Tom Harper and writer Jack Thorne (TV’s Skins) is a skilfully constructed drama about the teenage angst and fear starring Thomas Turgoose (This is England, Somers Town).
Best friends David (Turgoose) and Emily (Holly Grainger, Awaydays) love their carefree life on a coastal caravan park. When David learns that Emily is being forced to move away, he helps her hide out in a remote cave on the beach. But their innocent secret soon becomes complicated, as David watches the police close in on his missing friend.
Harper manages to take what seems like a regular coming of age drama and turn it into something much more grown-up, bolstered by its promising young leads.
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi, Iran 2009. 1hr 46mins. In Persian with English subtitles.
BBFC classification advice: Contains moderate injury detail.
Kasi az gorbehaye irani khabar nadareh
Starts Friday 2 April
Previewed at this years’ Northern Lights Film Festival, this quirky and original exploration into the underground music scene of Iran’s capital, Tehran, won the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes 2009.
The plot follows a teenage boy and girl, just released from prison, with dreams of starting a band and leaving Iran. Travelling to Tehran they find themselves in the thick of a subculture of rappers, indie rockers and metal heads. The focus on the hope and rebellion that music can inspire is given a political underpinning by director Ghobadi, and this brilliant film is utterly entertaining and thoroughly moving.
Dir. Warwick Thornton. Australia 2009. 1hr 41mins. In Aboriginal and English with English subtitles.
Starts Friday 2 April
Native Australian director Warwick Thornton makes his feature length debut with, as he puts it, a ‘survival love story’. The lives of two young aboriginal teens, Samson and Delilah, are changed forever when a tragic incident hits their remote and poor community in the Australian outback. The two are thrown together and escape to Alice Springs for a new start.
Speech light (Samson only talks once in the entire film) and atmosphere heavy, Thornton successfully captures and explores the finer points of first loves whilst offering an immersive glimpse into a world little-explored in modern cinema.
“Like no Australian film I’ve ever seen. Timeless and also utterly contemporary, it will leave heart’s bruised but aching with joy.” The Daily Telegraph
Dir. Jessica Hausner. Austria, Germany & France 2009. 1hr 40mins.
Starts Friday 2 April
Winner of several awards at last year’s Venice Film Festival, this luminous film tells the story of Christine (Sylvie Testud) a young wheelchair bound woman who goes on an organised tour to the city of Lourdes in hope of finding a cure at the iconic site of pilgrimage.
Directed by Jessica Hausner (Lovely Rita, Hotel), Lourdes is a complex, moving film about faith, featuring a stunning performance from Testud that show’s why she is regarded in France as one of the finest actresses of her generation.
Dir. Dany Boon. France 2008. 1hr 46mins. In French with English subtitles.
BBFC consumer advice: contains strong language.
Sunday 4 & Monday 5 April
20,000,000 French film-goers can’t be wrong! Postponed from January, here’s your chance to review the most successful French comedy of all time as an Easter treat.
Provençal postmaster Philippe bungles his attempt to gain a transfer to the exotic Côte d’Azur and is instead ‘sentenced’ to two years among the offal-loving, lisping burghers of Bergues in the cold north of France. Can he find his feet in the land of frost and fricadelle-et-frites, or ever come to grasp the intricacies of Ch’ti, the incomprehensible local dialect…?
Dir. Luca Guadagnino. Italy 2009. 2hrs. In Italian & Russian with English subtitles.
Starts Friday 9 April
A towering performance stands at the heart of this visual feast from Luca Guadagnino. An aristocratic Milanese family gather to celebrate a birthday, and a surprise announcement begins a series of events that throws their cultivated world into complete disarray.
Part King Lear, part Madame Bovary, this searing family drama features a dazzling Tilda Swinton as Russian matriarch Emma. The film is presented as a series of exquisitely photographed scenes that belie the frenzy of emotions throbbing beneath the surface. How long can the seemingly perfect lives on display last? And when everything has come out in the open, who will be left standing?
“See this film by any means necessary” Time Out
Dir. Hirokazu Koreeda. Japan 2009. 1hr 55mins. In Japanese with English subtitles.
Starts Friday 9 April
The new film from director Hirokazu Koreeda (After Life) is an entrancing family-drama that brilliantly reworks the classic Tokyo Story. Still Walking chronicles a reunion between the Yokoyama family, who are meeting up to mark the fifteenth anniversary of the death of their elder brother, who died rescuing a drowning boy. Throughout the day we are given a insight into their lives, perfectly demonstrating exactly what makes modern families tick. A subtle, brilliantly observed film that will stay with you forever. Superb.
“This is a higher order of story-telling, and this gentle, lovely film is impossible to watch without a lump in your throat.” The Guardian
Dir. Drew Barrymore. USA 2010. 1hr 51mins.
BBFC consumer advice: Contains moderate language, drug and sex references.
Starts Friday 9 April
Drew Barrymore helps us to forget she was ever in those Charlie’s Angels films with her excellent directorial debut based on script-writer Shauna Cross’ novel Derby Girl and starring Juno’s Ellen Page.
Page plays the wonderfully named Bliss Cavendar, a teenage misfit who decides to swap her life as a small town beauty pageant contestant for the rowdy world of roller derby, a full contact roller skating sport.
A fantastic female cast, that also includes Marcia Gay Harden (Mystic River), Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers) and Kristen Wiig (Adventureland), coupled with Barrymore’s breezy direction make Whip It it a funny, feminine-fuelled film that you can't help but get swept up by.
Cult Classic
Dir. Mamoru Oshii. Japan & USA 1995. 1hr 22mins.
Monday 12 April, 8.45pm
A sensational animated film from the producers of the landmark Akira. Set in 2029, the film tells the story of a cyborg sent by Japan’s secret police force to find the Puppet Master, a sinister computer terrorist who has the ability to hack into the minds of his enemies. If you’ve been looking to get into Anime but haven’t been sure where to start then this is the perfect introduction, a thrilling and visually breathtaking film that will reveal why this genre is loved so much.
Monday night is Student night!
Bring your NUS card to any regular screening after 5.00pm and get in for just £3.50*. *Price excludes special events or Classic Circle.
Monday night student deal
Get a bottle of Corona, Becks, Heineken or Coke for £1.50 when you hand in your student ticket at our Tyneside Bar.
Dirs. Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant. UK 2009. Running time TBC.
Starts Wednesday 14 April
A coming of age tale from those funny lads behind The Office and Extras, Cemetery Junction is the fantastic first feature from Ricky Gevais and Stephen Merchant.
Set in Gervais’ hometown of Reading in the 1970s, the plot follows two young friends working as building society clerks and their struggles with life, love and what comes next after their first ‘proper job’. Gervais describes the film as a blend of his trailblazing series The Office, and US-made 1960s office drama Mad Men.
While the plot is held together by an emotive thread, there are still plenty of irresistible laugh out loud moments that crop up throughout, as you would expect from a Gervais-penned script. Marvellous stuff.
Dir. Roman Polanski. France, Germany & UK 2010. 2hrs 8mins.
Starts Friday 16 April
Winner of the Silver Bear at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, The Ghost is an outstanding political thriller from master auteur Roman Polanski based on the novel by Robert Harris and starring Ewan McGregor.
McGregor plays The Ghost, a successful British ghostwriter who agrees to complete the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) after his predecessor, Lang’s long-term aide, died in an unfortunate accident. But when The Ghost uncovers some dark secrets about Lang he finds his own life in jeopardy.
Featuring an all star cast that also includes Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams and Tom Wilkinson, The Ghost is an intelligent, topical and suspenseful film, proving Polanski has lost none of his touch.
New Print
Dir. Alfred Hitchcock. USA 1960. 1hr 44mins.
Starts Friday 16 April
The film that gave showering a bad name returns to scare a whole new generation. Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller has lost none of its shock value, with everything from the creepy setting of the Bates Motel, to the unforgettable score, and of course that shower scene proving just as terrifying now as it was 50 years ago. An iconic masterpiece that shows all the Saws and Hostels exactly how it’s done. Don’t miss this chance to see Psycho on the big screen!
Dir. Jonan Grimonprez. Belgium, Germany and Netherlands. 1hr 20mins.
Starts Friday 16 April
Previewed at the AV Festival 10, Double Take is an ingenious mockumentary that sees Belgian artist and filmmaker Johan Grimonprez use an assemblage of TV and newsreel material to muse on Alfred Hitchcock’s unique persona and humour, holding up his legendary films of the late 1950s and early 1960s against the climate of Bomb-era political anxiety.
The film plays on Hitchcock’s preoccupation with doubles and even features him meeting his own doppelgänger. Grimonprez achieved international acclaim with his film essay, Dial H-I-S-T-O-R-Y, which premiered at Documenta X in 1997. The perfect partner for Psycho.
Cult Classic
Dir. Roger Avary. USA & Germany 2002. 1hr 50mins.
Monday 19 April, 8.45pm
Following on from our screening of American Psycho in February, we bring another Bret Easton Ellis adaptation to the Tyneside. Focusing on the lives and loves of a group of spoiled, sexually promiscuous, bohemian college students in the 1980s as they flit from one drug-alcohol-and-sex drenched party to the next, this wickedly dark comedy is like American Pie on an overdose, featuring a great turn from former Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek playing an unhinged, drug dealing student.
Monday night is Student night!
Bring your NUS card to any regular screening after 5.00pm and get in for just £3.50*. *Price excludes special events or Classic Circle.
Monday night student deal
Get a bottle of Corona, Becks, Heineken or Coke for £1.50 when you hand in your student ticket at our Tyneside Bar.
