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.
There is a good selection of new and recent movies appearing in local
cinemas during this period. We have family entertainment with the
fantasy A Monster Calls (12A); a musical animation Sing (U) and the animation based on a trading card game YU-GI-OH! The Dark Dimension. Drama comes with Manchester by the Sea and the sequel to Trainspotting in T2 Trainspotting (18). Finally there is the biographical war drama Hacksaw Ridge.
The big draws at the moment are the romantic musical comedy La La Land and the black comedy sequel T2 Trainspotting
Science fiction this period comes with the established movies Arrival; Passengers and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
For earthbound drama there is tragedy in Collateral Damage and Manchester by the Sea. Also we have psychological horror in Split; crime drama with Live by Night; action in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage: biographical wartime action in Hacksaw Ridge and family reunion in Lion.
Family entertainment is well represented with a mixture of old and new. There are the animations Ballerina; Moana; Sing; Storks and Trolls as well as the fantasies A Monster Calls and Fantastic Beasts and where to Find Them.
High culture this period comes with National Theatre Live: Amadeus and The Royal Opera: Il Trovatore.
A film of note is Ghost in the Shell being shown by
the Dukes. This is the original Anime version that precedes the
Hollywood remake. Finally, the lift at the Vue is currently out of
action.
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.
La La Land
Director: Damien Chazelle
Certificate: 12A
Cast Includes: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling
Mia (Stone) works as a barista during the day but aspires to be an
actress. She is involved in a road rage incident with Sebastian
(Gosling) a jazz pianist. The two subsequently meet again and start to
fall for each other as they try to satisfy their ambitions, she
attending auditions and he playing in dingy bars as he plans to open his
own jazz club. However the daily drudge of trying to live their dreams
starts to take its toll. This movie, set in modern day Los Angeles, is
brilliantly written and very well acted. Excellent musical
entertainment.
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.