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.
New films to our region include superhero action with Captain America: Civil War (12A); comedy drama with Florence Foster Jenkins (PG) and family animation with Robinson Crusoe (PG) & Norm of the North. In addition there is chance to see a couple of strong drama movies that
were released last year but did not make it to any of the local cinemas. These are Couple in a Hole (12A) and Victoria (15).
Movies that have disappeared from the local screens include 10 Cloverfield Lane; Kung Fu Panda 3 and Midnight Special. Films that are coming to an end of their screening include Eye in the Sky and The Boy. However we do have the return of the family comedy Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.
The Jungle Book is still the must see movie of the moment. For alternatives there is drama with Bastille Day, Eddie the Eagle and Eye in the Sky. For horror try Friend Request whilst for fantasy there is The Huntsman: Winter’s War.
Educational movies on offer include speed cycling with Battle Mountain and a warning of mans adverse effect on the planet in Racing Extinction.
Finally the Vue is having a Captain America marathon on the 28th April, showing First Avenger; Winter Soldier and the forthcoming Captain America: Civil War.
Reviews
Bastille Day
Director: James Watkins
Certificate: 15
Cast includes: Richard Madden, Idris Elba, Charlotte Le Bon
Michael Mason (Madden) is a pickpocket working in Paris. He steals a
bag but finds it contains a bomb and this brings him to the notice of
Sean Briar (Elba) who is a CIA agent. Briar recruits Mason and uses his
skills to help him combat a terrorist threat and corruption within the
French police. Some aspects of the plot are not quite believable, but
the film is an excellent thriller with a number of very impressive set
pieces. An enjoyable movie.
Eye in the Sky
Director: Gavin Hood
Certificate: 15
Cast includes: Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman
Colonel Katherine Powell (Mirren) is tasked with capturing a terrorist
who is attending a meeting in Kenya. The meeting room is bugged and a
drone used to provide surveillance. Powell discovers the terrorists are
actually planning suicide bombing attacks and so she seeks authority to
call in a missile attack on the building. However there is a chance
any attack will result in civilian casualties. The movie is a gripping
and well received drama that explores some of the moral issues of drone
warfare.
Friend Request
Director: Simon Verhoeven
Certificate: 15
Cast includes: Alycia Debnam-Carey, Liesl Ahlers
Laura (Debnam-Carey) is a popular college student and an avid user of
social media. She received a friend request from an unknown girl Marina
(Ahlers) but finds her new friend is stalking her. Subsequently Marina
commits suicide but her spirit continues to stalk Laura. Despite some
occasional rough lines, this is an effective horror story that delivers
enough twists to keep the plot interesting and provides some real
scares.
The Jungle Book
Director: Jon Favreau
Certificate: PG
Cast includes: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba
Based on Rudyard Kipling’s works, this is a reworking of a the well
known classic using live action and CGI. Mowgli (Sethi) is an orphaned
boy raised by a wolf and thence by Bagheera (Kingsley) a black panther.
Mowgli alienates the Bengal tiger Shere Khan (Elba) and so must make
his way to humankind for safety, meeting the well known characters Baloo
and Kaa on the way. Subsequently he returns to the jungle to face
Shere Khan. The movie is a good example a remake that improves on the
original. An excellent movie that will entertain all ages.
Zootropolis (Zootopia)
Director: Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush
Certificate: PG
Cast includes: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman
This is a comedy animation set in the city of Zootropolis which is
populated by animals. Judy Hopps (Goodwin) is a rabbit rookie police
officer. She parters with a con-artist fox Nick Wilde (Bateman) to
solve the mystery of a missing husband. An excellently made fun movie
that will appeal to a wide range of ages.