For up to date local cinema links and day-by-day listings of what’s showing on local screens every week visit the Virtual-Lancaster Cinema Page. Read on for the weekly round-up, and reviews.
Three new releases make it to the cinema this week. There is drama with Collateral Beauty (12A); comedy animation in Monster Trucks (PG) and the adult comedy Why Him (15). Otherwise, there is little change to listings, with the loss of just one movie Bad Santa 2.
Science fiction remains well represented with Arrival; Passengers and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Also on offer is Fantasy from J K Rowling in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Drama is supplied with Collateral Beauty and Sully: Miracle on the Hudson. Romance comes with forbidden love in A United Kingdom and the wartime epic Allied.
Adult comedy comes with Office Christmas Party and Why Him. For more family oriented entertainment there is Ballerina; Moana; Monster Trucks; Storks and Trolls
High Culture this period comes with Bolshoi Ballet: The Nutcracker and National Theatre Encore: No Man’s Land
The festive season is not complete without a classic Christmas movie, and two are on offer with It’s A Wonderful Life and The Muppet Christmas Carol.
We wish you a Merry Christmas, one and all.
Reviews
A United Kingdom
Director: Amma Asante
Certificate: 12A
Cast includes: David Oyelowo Rosamund Pike
Based on the book ‘Colour Bar’ by Susan Williams, the film is a
romantic drama based on the real life romance between Sir Seretse Khama,
king of Botswana and Ruth Williams. Seretse and Ruth met in London, in
the 1940’s, fell in love and subsequently married. However the marriage
was opposed by their families, the couple becoming ostracised by their
friends. Governments were also involved as South Africa had recently
introduced their system of apartheid and they pressured the British
government with threats of economic sanctions if the marriage was
allowed to go ahead. This is a fine period romance with excellent
costumes, impressive cinematography and exotic backdrops. The film
concentrates on the human drama faced by the couple and rather glosses
over the political complexities, but it is not the worse for that. The
movie has received good reviews.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Director: David Yates
Certificate: 12A
Cast includes: Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Morton, Ezra Miller, Johnny Depp, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Colin Farrell
This is a Harry Potter prequel, inspired by J K Rowling’s book of the
same name. The movie is set in the 1920’s, where Newt Scamander is a
magizoologist, collecting and studying magical creatures. He visits New
Your City where several of these creatures escape from his suitcase.
He collects about him a group of allies to try to recapture the beasts.
However New York at this time has been under a reign of terror from the
dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Depp) and in the era of suspicion the
creatures are believed to be responsible for an attack. Hence Percival
Graves (Farrell), a director of magical secrets, declares war on
Scamander and his helpers. This is a wonderful film and a fine tribute
to the creativity of Rawlings. There are lots of plots, strange people
and weird and wonderful beasts. The movie has received favourable
reviews, but is perhaps a little darker than the Harry Potter series.
Moana
Director: Ron Clements and John Musker
Certificate: PG
Cast includes: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson
A Walt Disney animated fantasy adventure. Moana (Cravalho) is the
teenage daughter of the chief of a Polynesian island. However the fish
and island produce become less abundant and hence Moana undertakes a
nautical quest to find the magical amulet Te Fiti’s heart and the
demigod Maui (Johnson). The quest involves monsters and battles This
is a magical film, with music, comedy and a good dose of adventure. It
is extremely well produced and has received excellent reviews from both
critics and audience. A must see movie for all ages.
Passengers
Director: Morten Tyldum
Certificate: 12A
Cast includes Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt
The rocket ‘Starship Avalon’ is on a 120 year voyage from earth to the
colony planet Homestead II, transporting over 5000 people who are
travelling in hibernation pods is a state of suspended animation.
However two of the pods open prematurely releasing their occupants while
they are still 90 years from their destination. These are journalist
Aurora Dunn (Lawrence) and mechanical engineer Jim Preston (Pratt). They
are drawn to each other and romance blossoms. However they need to
understand the apparent malfunction that released them early from their
hibernation and decide how to respond to their plight. They discover
that the pods are not the only problem and the spaceship and its entire
cargo is in jeopardy. This is a science fiction movie with a good
helpings of romance, suspense and action. An entertaining movie.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Director: Gareth Edwards
Certificate: PG
Cast includes: Diego Luna, Mads Mikkelsen, Felicity Jones
This movie is set just before the events of the original Star Wars.
There are rumours circulating that the Galactic Empire are about to
construct a horrendous new weapon, a ‘Death Star’ designed by Galen Erso
(Mikkelson) A small team of rebels led by his daughter Jyn Erso
(Jones) and Cassian Ander (Luna) strive to find the designer and steal
the design schematics. The movie hosts new and familiar aliens who
strive to ‘use the force’ and it comes with breathtaking special
effects. This is more gritty that the familiar star wars offering, more
of a war move with a higher body count and more muddied ethics. The
movie has been well received and will delight audiences. It breaks new
ground from the classic Star Wars, but only just.
Storks
Director: Nicholas Stoller, Doug Sweetland
Certificate: U
Cast Includes: Kelsey Grammer, Andy Samberg, Katie Crown, Anton Starkman
Conerstone used to be in the business of delivering babies and
most of its employees are stalks. However CEO stalk Hunter (Grammer)
discontinued the service for the more lucrative business of delivering
parcels. The business receives a letter from Nate (Starkman) a
neglected boy who wants a baby brother and Tulip (Crown), a woman
working for Cornerstone, causes the baby machine to create a girl in
response to the letter. Now Tulip and her stork friend Junior (Samberg)
must deliver the baby before Hunter finds out. This involves their
facing a pack of wolves, militant penguins and an avalanche. This is a
bizarre, non stop and fun packed movie that will appeal to all ages. It
has been well received by the critics and is sure to please.