· web viewso, a word of caution that across our network, venues have found audiences for these...

MOVIOLA WINTER-SPRING FILMS MENU 2019

JAN-FEB-MAR-APR

CLOSING DATE: 10th December

(If we do not receive your choice for January by this date

we will not be able to process your booking)

Below are 28 film titles including 12 Cinematheque specials

for you to consider for January to April season.

Please take a moment to read through the introductory notes

before jumping into the menu.

Even if you are a seasoned Moviola partner,

please follow the booking instructions on the next page.

This will help us to process your requests quickly and accurately.

The Summer 2019 season starts on May 1 and ends on Aug 31.

A new menu for that season will be sent to you at the beginning of March.

Do not book films for May 1 and after from this menu.

Many Thanks

Toby Walkley

Programme Director Moviola, November 2018

WINTER-SPRING MENU 2019 - JAN 1 to APR 30

Welcome!

We hope you enjoy perusing the new menu, where you will find a diverse and eclectic mix of new titles for the coming season.

Im sure it hasnt escaped anyone that the big hitter of this season is Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, already a phenomenon like the first film and guaranteed to bring in audiences again and again, its one not to miss and is available from the start of the season. Following the sensation that was The Greatest Showman, Hollywood seems to have caught the musical bug. We have the new version of A Star Is Born, already breaking box office records and getting brilliant reviews, and Bohemian Rhapsody, the biopic of Freddie Mercury. While were in biopic territory, Damien Chazelle (La La Land) directs Ryan Gosling in First Man, a dazzling look at the life of Neil Armstrong. If youre a fan of The Right Stuff or Apollo 13, this one is for you. It performed poorly in big cinemas, but dont let this put you off, as the performances and visuals are breath-taking.

We also have a special pre-release of Mike Leighs searing new drama Peterloo, about the famous uprising, available to us from the start of the season, four months ahead of the DVD being released commercially; one to book if youd like a more exclusive attraction! Some other great dramas this season include the searing and political The Children Act, starring Emma Thompson, The Wife with Glenn Close, a new adaptation of Chekhovs The Seagull and the explosive Widows, based on the story by Lynda La Plante. For something a little scary, try The Little Stranger, for something a bit gentler the intriguing Puzzle starring Kelly MacDonald, and for comedy, Madame with Toni Collette.

As seems to be the current trend, we also have a couple of films that will seem rather familiar. Christopher Robin (following this years Goodbye Christopher Robin) is Disneys live action/animated fantasy based on the books of AA Milne, starring Ewan Macgregor, and King of Thieves (following this years underrated but well received The Hatton Garden Job), about the aforementioned robbery. This new version has a higher budget and bigger stars, most notably Sir Michael Caine. Also in the realm of the remake, we have the new version of Papillon. I havent seen this yet but from the trailer, the visuals look stunning and its another interesting turn from Rami Malek, fresh from playing Freddie Mercury.

Toward the end of the season, and from the makers of Philomena, we also have Stan & Ollie, a fantastic looking biopic of Laurel & Hardy, getting rave reviews at the London Film Festival! This title will also be available on the Summer menu, so if youre struggling to fit it in with your choices, you can always wait and show it then instead.

As with last season, we will also be running our Cinematheque menu in conjunction with the BFI and you will find details of these titles in the Cinematheque section of this menu.

Have fun choosing your films for the new season, and as always, if you have any questions about bookings or would like help or advice in planning your new season of films, please dont hesitate to let me know

Best wishes

The Moviola Team, November 2019

Further information on all the films, including synopses, pictures and reviews, can be found at www.imdb.com.

Further/alternative trailers for all the films are available at www.youtube.com.

Minimum Guarantees -

So long as a film on the regular menu gets at least 10+ bookings across the Moviola network, we can generally offer it with no minimum guarantee attached. But if it turns out that you are the only venue showing a particular film, then you will be subject to the distributors minimum of around 100 for film hire. If this were to be the case we would of course notify you of the change, and you would have the option to pick a different title.

Release Dates -

While we always try to provide the most accurate release dates for titles on the Moviola Menu, these are open to change, often at very short notice. Unfortunately theres not much we can do if this happens, and we may have to ask you to change a title or reschedule a date. We will of course always give the maximum notice we can should a change be necessary.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR FILMS

1. Send an email to [email protected] as soon as possible, and not later than 1st December (for partners, to allow time for production of publicity materials) and 10th December (for associates).

Please send it as a separate email - NOT by hitting reply, which can lead to messages going astray.

2. If you are an associate, state if it is a GOLD or SILVER booking. If you are a partner, make sure you have booked your dates with Christina first, to ensure she can schedule a presenter for you.

3. State your venue name.

4. List the dates and films you would like for January, February, March and April. Give me at least TWO spare films in case your first choices are not available (I will always consult you on any substitutions that might be necessary).

IMPORTANT NOTES

Confirmations -

When you book your films from Moviola, I send you a Confirmation Form on which the level of charge for each film is clearly set out. You should read this carefully before replying to me that it is correct. BUT see the clause about minimum guarantees above.

The confirmation is our agreement to supply films for you for the season and we refer back to it in any case of a query on your invoice.

It is also your license to show the film and your proof for anyone who requests it that you have booked the film properly, so be sure to read it and keep it safe.

Childrens/Family Films -

Attracting a sufficient audience to make such films viable is extremely difficult. Young people want to see films immediately on release and at the lowest possible cost. Furthermore, these films are only available to us to show once they are on sale to the public. This demographic is also far more likely to download films from the Internet, or to buy them on Blu-Ray and DVD.

So, a word of caution that across our network, venues have found audiences for these films hard to attract.

We have no specific childrens films on this new menu. If you would like to screen childrens films, send us a list of titles and we can check pricing/availability for you.

Help Us Stamp Out Film Piracy -

All films shown to the public have to pay a licence fee whether or not any ticket price is charged. As a Moviola venue, you operate commercial film shows in exactly the same way as your local multiplex or full- time cinema. You advertise shows and sell tickets, and the London film distributors expect a proportion of your sales as film hire.

If you find or hear of any venue near you which claims to be operating in a different way - for example advertising free shows or telling you that they get their films cheaper - we would like to know. It is in our interests to ensure that shows are properly licensed.

MAINSTREAM TITLES

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

2018 Biography/Drama/Music

134 mins 12A

Available from February

Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek). The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. From the official website

The film is at its most engaging when capturing how Mercury and his bandmatesBrian May (Gwilym Lee), Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy), and John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello)conceived some of their biggest hits in the studio. The playing out of the relative strengths and weaknesses of each of Queens members in relation to one another provides both narrative tension and a fascinating portrayal of artistic collaboration, however speculative it may be, especially in the depiction of how Bohemian Rhapsody came into being. Slant

Bohemian Rhapsody is as baroque and evocative a beast as its namesake song, thanks almost entirely to Malek's phenomenal performance. Eye for Film

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1727824/?ref_=nv_sr_1

THE CHILDREN ACT

2017 Drama

105 mins 12A

Available from 1st January

As her marriage to Jack (Stanley Tucci) flounders, eminent High Court judge Fiona Maye (Emma Thompson) has a life-changing decision to make at work - should she force a teenage boy, Adam (Fionn Whitehead), to have the blood transfusion that will save his life? Her unorthodox visit to his hospital bedside has a profound impact on them both, stirring strong new emotions in the boy and long-buried feelings in her. From the official website

Richard Eyre's direction is as delicate as a June morning and Thompson gives a performance that deserves a standing ovation. Forget the early days of Tutti Frutti and the fun stuff, she has emerged as Meryl Streep's equal at the top of the actors' pinnacle. Eye for Film

It's a remarkable, literate, nuanced film, which refuses to play to the gallery but, like the Bach keyboard music on its soundtrack, finds palpable emotion lurking just below a seemingly ordered surface. Radio Times


CHRISTOPHER ROBIN

2018 Animation/Adventure/Comedy

104 mins PG


In this very different offering from last years Goodbye Christopher Robin, Ewan McGregor stars as a middle-aged Christopher Robin, now burdened by a stultifying white-collar job that prevents him from spending quality time with his wife (Hayley Atwell) and daughter (Bronte Carmichael). Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger venture from the Hundred Acre Wood into London to turn his life around.

Christopher Robin offers more or less what a Pooh reboot should: a lot of nostalgia, a bit of humor (Brad Garretts vocal deadpanning as Eeyore is a standout) and tactile computer animation that, even for the effects-jaded, makes it look as if the actors are interacting with real stuffed animals. The contemporary in-jokes are kept to a minimum, and the movie as a whole feels pleasingly old-fashioned. New York Times

Directed by Marc Foster (Finding Neverland), Christopher Robin feels like a childs storybook juxtaposed with a coming-of-age tale. The movie indeed strikes that balance and finds its charm by letting these ideas collide in a harmonious way thats both heartfelt and entertaining. The plot of the film follows a formulaic path, so its easy to predict the outcome. However, its the overall feeling of nostalgia throughout that makes the feature endearing and enjoyable. The Upcoming


FIRST MAN

2018 Biography/Drama/History

141 mins 12A

Available from 1st March

The riveting story behind the first manned mission to the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the decade leading to the historic Apollo 11 flight. A visceral and intimate account told from Armstrongs perspective, the film explores the triumphs and the cost on Armstrong, his family, his colleagues and the nation itself of one of the most dangerous missions in history. Directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Ryan Gosling. From the official website

Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. It's such a commonplace piece of knowledge now that the terrifying wonder, the global ramifications of that moment, have been lost. Space travel has become the property of billionaire technocrat dude-bros. What director Damien Chazelle and actor Ryan Gosling as Armstrong have undertaken in this tale of the early days of space exploration is a rescue mission: to reclaim as heroes these fragile men, strapping themselves into ramshackle machines and hurling themselves into the wondrous void to give us a new horizon. Austin Chronicle

Ryan Gosling plays Neil Armstrong as a hero of relatively few words but Claire Foy provides the emotional heft (and the Oscar buzz) as the steadfast spouse of the lunar legend. Radio Times

This is at once cracking, deep-cutting, free-flowing in a defined range, fast and compelling. Eye for Film


KING OF THIEVES

2018 Crime/Drama

108 mins 15

Available from 1st January tbc

Not to be confused with last seasons The Hatton Garden Job, but covering the same ground, King of Thieves is the incredible true story of the spectacular Hatton Garden diamond heist, the biggest and most daring in British history, humorously told through career best performances from a stellar cast which includes Sir Michael Caine, Jim Broadbent, Ray Winstone, Michael Gambon, Tom Courtenay and Charlie Cox.

The script is smart and witty, neither patronising nor soft centred. Marsh keeps the action moving fast enough to stop those OAPs in the audience from taking their midday nap . . . Although reminiscent of Ealing Studios in the Guinness era, there is nothing fuddy about this duddy. Eye for Film

Michael Caine gives one of his best performances in years as the pensive, recently widowed mastermind Brian Reader, resolutely adhering to the notion of honour among thieves, while Paul Whitehouse and Michael Gambon provide perfectly judged comic relief. But most striking of all is Jim Broadbent, whose cuddly, avuncular exterior gives way to a figure of genuine menace. Radio Times


THE LITTLE STRANGER

2018 Drama/Horror/Mystery

111 mins 12A

Available from

The Little Stranger, based on the novel by Sarah Waters, tells the story of Dr Faraday (Domhnall Gleeson), the son of a housemaid, who has built a life of quiet respectability as a country doctor. During the long hot summer of 1948, he is called to a patient at Hundreds Hall, where his mother once worked. The Hall has been home to the Ayres family for more than two centuries. But it is now in decline and its inhabitants mother, son and daughter ((Charlotte Rampling, Will Poulter, Ruth Wilson) - are haunted by something more ominous than a dying way of life. When he takes on his new patient, Faraday has no idea how closely, and how disturbingly, the family's story is about to become entwined with his own. Focus Features

The constant build-up is skilfully done, partially because of the excellent cast. In particular, Gleeson and Wilson capture the complexities of their characters succinctly, adding an extra flair of eeriness to the already superb directing and use of music and sound. The Upcoming

An elegant, sinister tale of the uncanny, with its own streak of pathos. The Guardian

Agatha Christie intrigue meets Dennis Wheatley spookiness in a slow-burning but rather beguiling period tale. Radio Times


MADAME

2017 Comedy/Romance

91 mins 15


Adding a little spice to a waning marriage, Anne and Bob (Toni Collette and Harvey Keitel), a wealthy and well-connected American couple, move into a manor house in romantic Paris. While preparing a luxurious dinner for sophisticated international friends, our hostess discovers there are 13 guests. Panic-stricken, Anne insists her loyal maid Maria (Rossy de Palma) pass herself off as a mysterious Spanish noblewoman to even out the numbers. But a little too much wine and some playful chat lead Maria to endear herself to a dandy British art broker. Their budding romance will have Anne chasing her maid around Paris and finally plotting to destroy this most unexpected and joyous love affair. From the official website

The script is cleverly done, the key relationships well and economically drawn; and while this is clearly comedy, it does not pull its punches when it comes to taking apart privilege and pretension. Eye for Film

Its all a bit negligible and the satire is fundamentally conservative, yet Rossy de Palma does carry off her role with flair. The Guardian

Directed by French film-maker Amanda Sthers but played out in English, it lacks depth but is nicely acted Toni Collette is particularly good as the cruel and snobbish trophy wife and its exploration of Anglo-Saxon hypocrisy comes to a splendidly Gallic conclusion. Daily Mail


MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN

2018 Comedy/Musical/Romance

114 mins PG


Get ready to sing and dance, laugh and love all over again!

Past and present intertwine as a pregnant Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is busy re-launching her mothers taverna while husband Sky is away in New York. Flashbacks transport us back in time to learn how the Dynamos came into being and how Donna (Lily James) met Sophies three putative fathers.

Its down to cannily cast diva Cher, playing Sophies maternal grandmother Ruby Sheridan, to really raise the roof as she does singing Fernando in duet with her lost love (played by Andy Garcia). The moment white-wigged Cher steps out of her helicopter on the jetty in that sparkling, sun-drenched bay, she owns the movie hook, line and sinker and virtually nothing else exists. Or at least until Meryl Streep appears singing My Love, My Life in that famous cliff-top church and instantly reduces the audience to floods of tears. In a replica of The Winner Takes It All showstopper in Mamma Mia!, its a stunningly bravura moment that will live long in the memory. Radio Times

To sum it up in one easy sentence: if you loved the first film, youll certainly adore this one. The Upcoming


PAPILLON

2017 Crime/Drama

133 mins 12A


Based on the international best-selling autobiographic books Papillon and Banco, the film follows the epic story of Henri Papillon Charrire (Charlie Hunnam), a safecracker from the Parisian underworld who is framed for murder and condemned to life in the notorious penal colony on Devils Island. Determined to regain his freedom, Papillon forms an unlikely alliance with a convicted counterfeiter Louis Dega (Rami Malek), who in exchange for protection, agrees to finance Papillons escape. From the official website

Malek and Hunnam have a genuine bond as the storys mismatched buddies. Moller reminded me of the great Jean Reno. Papillon is a tale of friendship and of a human being experiencing the most devastating deprivation and, like the butterfly of the title, being transformed by it into something more refined. It is an immortal tale we are attracted to and endlessly fascinated with, and Noer and his cast succeed in making its universal themes ring true. Boston Herald

This new version, directed by Danish filmmaker Michael Noer, brings to the story a refreshing intensity and sweep, and even a sense of adventure. The Village Voice

It's still a cracking adventure yarn and those who haven't seen the 1973 original should definitely go for it. Filmfare


PETERLOO

2018 Drama/History

154 mins 12A


Mike Leighs portrayal of the events surrounding the infamous 1819 Peterloo Massacre. Government forces charged into a crowd of over 60,000 people who had gathered in a peaceful protest against rising levels of poverty and to demand political reform. Many protesters were killed and hundreds more injured, sparking a nationwide outcry but also further government suppression. The Peterloo Massacre was a defining moment in British democracy which also played a significant role in the founding of The Guardian newspaper. Starring Maxine Peake and Rory Kinnear.

Leighs achievement is to have made a period film with the same immediacy and sense of anger that runs through contemporary dramas likeHillsboroughorBloody Sunday. He has a huge ensemble cast but that exhaustive attention to detail and fascination with the eccentricities of human behaviour which has always characterised his work is still there. The Independent

Peterloo stands as a timely corrective, an angry reminder of those who fought for the democracy that we now seem to regard with such complacency. Sight and Sound

At 155 minutes, the film does meander but Leighs ability to seamlessly move between the lives of disparate characters means its never plodding or one-note. Radio Times


PUZZLE

2018 Drama

103 mins 15


Suburban housewife Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) is given a jigsaw puzzle for her birthday. She pops it open in a free moment and quickly puts together all 1,000 pieces. Then she takes it apart and does it again. Realizing instantly that she has a unique skill set, she travels into Manhattan to get more puzzles, stumbling upon a flyer looking for a puzzle competition partner. This brings her into the world of Robert (the charming Irrfan Khan), a wealthy puzzle king looking for a doubles partner. He instantly sees the potential, and not only in Agnes ability to put pieces together. He sees her for the funny, smart, beautiful person she hasnt been able to express to too many people. And then things get complicated.

An utterly winning project that could soften the heart of a rattlesnake. The Irish Times

What I like most about Puzzle is how it gets away from its competitive angle to capture how winning doesnt really matter to Agnes as much as finally getting to express herself. Its putting the puzzle of life together thats exciting, not the final picture. Rogerebert.com

While some of the story trajectory may feel familiar, the way the characters are handled blows freshness through it. Eye for Film


THE SEAGULL

2018 Drama

98 mins 12A

Available from

Chekhovs play brought to the screen by Michael Mayer. The action takes place in a country house in Russia at the start of the 20th century. The house belongs to Irina (Annette Bening), a famous but ageing actress. Her son, Konstantin (Billy Howle), a struggling young writer, envies his mothers lover, the famous writer Boris Trigorin (Corey Stall). Konstantins fame-obsessed girlfriend Nina (Saoirse Ronan) is enraptured by Trigorins success, and tries to seduce him. Masha (Elisabeth Moss) is in love with Konstantin, and is loved by the silly schoolmaster Mikhail (Michael Segen).

In truth, some audience members may want to blow their brains out after 30 minutes of all this sniping and scurrying about. However, Mayers energetic shooting style and the sharp performances provide enough kick to keep this out of the period-picture doldrums. The Guardian

Mayer's film is beautifully lit in a manner which adds to the ambience of both internal and external landscapes and to the sense of period. Magnificently detailed sets and costumes add to the effect. If you never get the chance to see The Seagull on the stage, this is a worthy compromise. Eye for Film


STAN & OLLIE

2018 Biography/Comedy/Drama

97 mins 1

Available from 15th March tbc

Starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly as the legendary movie icons, Stan & Ollie is the heart-warming story of what would become the pairs triumphant farewell tour. With their golden era long behind them, the pair embark on a variety hall tour of Britain and Ireland. Despite the pressures of a hectic schedule, and with the support of their wives Lucille (Shirley Henderson) and Ida (Nina Arianda) a formidable double act in their own right - the pairs love of performing, as well as for each other, endures as they secure their place in the hearts of their adoring public.

Stan & Ollie is a gently elegiac homage to Laurel and Hardy. Its never quite as funny as might have been expected, but it tugs at the emotions throughout. With beautiful performances by Steve Coogan (as Stan Laurel) and John C Reilly (as Oliver Hardy), it is a film about friendship and loyalty as much as a comedy. The Independent

These are brilliant impersonations, the kind that can only be achieved by exceptionally intelligent actors; the superb technique of both is matched by their obvious love for the originals. The Guardian

Both onstage and off, Coogan and Reilly are note-perfect as Stan and Ollie; the former re-creates Stans shtick with precision, the latter carries a neck-brace of prosthetic chin without ever losing his personality beneath the latex. Radio Times


A STAR IS BORN

2018 Drama/Music/Romance

136 mins 15

Available from January tbc

In this new take on the iconic love story, four-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper makes his directorial debut, and also stars alongside award-winning, Oscar-nominated music superstar Lady Gaga in her first leading role in a major motion picture. Cooper portrays seasoned musician Jackson Maine, who discovers and falls in love with struggling artist Ally. She has given up on her dream to become a successful singer, until she meets Jack, who immediately sees her natural talent. Theirs is a complex journey through the beauty and the heartbreak of a relationship struggling to survive. From the official website

This latest and fourth version is a gorgeous heartbreaker (bring tissues). Like its finest antecedents, it wrings tears from its romance and thrills from a steadfast belief in old-fashioned, big-feeling cinema. That its also a perverse fantasy about men, women, love and sacrifice makes it all the better. New York Times

In his impressive directing debut, Bradley Cooper and the luminous Lady Gaga soar as they catapult the film high into a sphere of contrasts, where life's extremes are on show. Electric, compelling and tender, the film is a knockout creatively and emotionally, offering a raw glimpse into today's world of celebrity. Urban Cinefile

An assured rehash it may be, but its one thats surprisingly slick, emotionally affecting and packing a final unexpectedly meaningful punch. Radio Times


WIDOWS

2018 Crime/Drama/Thriller

129 mins 15

Available from February tbc

Widows is the story of four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands' criminal activities. Set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, tensions build when Veronica (Viola Davis), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) and Belle (Cynthia Erivo) take their fate into their own hands and conspire to forge a future on their own terms. 20th Century Fox

An accessible, slick, unashamedly commercial offering which delivers unexpected food for thought without neglecting genre-savvy twists, reveals and mounting suspense. All eyes, however, are on Viola Davis, whose determined intensity powers the whole movie, giving visceral thrust where its needed, and radiating a soulful humanity thats the stuff of screen acting at its zenith. Radio Times

Intelligent, engrossing and fiercely emotional (without resort to sentimentality), Widows is a sinewy treat that seamlessly intertwines close-up character studies, big-picture politics and audaciously reimagined heist-movie riffs. The Guardian

A perfectly proportioned,whip-smart heist thriller. Sight and Sound

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4218572/?ref_=nv_sr_1#

THE WIFE

2017 Drama

100 mins 15

Available from 15th January tbc

After nearly forty years of marriage, Joan and Joe Castleman (Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce) are complements. Where Joe is casual, Joan is elegant. Where Joe is vain, Joan is self-effacing. And where Joe enjoys his very public role as Great American Novelist, Joan pours her considerable intellect, grace, charm, and diplomacy into the private role of Great Man's Wife. Joe is about to be awarded the Nobel Prize for his acclaimed and prolific body of work. His literary star has blazed since he and Joan first met in the late 1950s. The Wife interweaves the story of the couple's youthful passion and ambition with a portrait of a marriage, thirty-plus years later--a lifetime's shared compromises, secrets, betrayals, and mutual love. Sony Pictures

Close is absolutely mesmerising as the woman who gives every appearance of standing faithfully by her man, yet with myriad subtle looks and glances suggests a lifetime of simmering discontent. Radio Times

It is a smart, supremely watchable and entertaining film, and Close gives a wonderful star turn. The Guardian

Without question, it is Glenn Close's film; her economy of expression, emotion and delivery are made all the more potent by their understatement. Yet we know exactly what she is thinking and feeling throughout and we are with her all the way, sharing her journey to its climactic conclusion. Urban Cinefile


CINEMATHEQUE TITLES

As more diverse and independent tiles, the films contained on the Cinematheque menu would normally carry minimum guarantees of at least 100 so you would pay this or 35% of your box office, whichever greater. Were very pleased to announce that thanks to BFI sponsorship, any title booked from this menu will receive a discount of 50 off the net film hire, allowing you to try some more adventurous film choices without as great a risk of losing money on them.

These Cinematheque titles are intended as a supplement to your mainstream titles, so why not put in an extra show and treat your audience to something a bit different!

As per last season we have included some foreign language films such as The Guardians, which offers a French perspective on the 1st World War, and The Heiresses, a story of age, love and loss in Paraguay. Hearts Beat Loud and Leave No Trace highlight the relationship between a father and daughter while The Captain keeps us riveted on the Eastern Front and Pawel Pawilowskis sumptuous Cold War takes us on a journey through European cities in the 1950s, filmed in spectacular black and white. If this isnt enough you will also find musings on religion, politics and sexuality. Enjoy!

APOSTASY

2017 Drama

95 mins PG


As devout Jehovah's Witnesses, sisters Alex (Molly Wright) and Luisa (Sacha Parkinson) and their mother, Ivanna (Siobhan Finneran), are united in The Truth. Alex looks up to her confident older sister, while striving to follow in Ivanna's footsteps as a good Witness'. But when Luisa starts to question the advice of the Elders, she makes a life-altering transgression that threatens to expel her from the congregation.

Im sorry, Jehovah. These three words, the first spoken in Daniel Kokotajlos powerful feature debut Apostasy, set the tone for a sensitive yet potent exploration of faith, grief and guilt. Though his film takes place entirely within a Jehovahs Witness community in Oldham, Manchester, writer-director Kokotajlo himself a former Witness expertly taps into wider themes of love, loss and the psychological quicksand of immovable belief. Sight and Sound

Here is an utterly absorbing and accomplished debut feature from writer-director Daniel Kokotajlo. Apostasy combines subtlety and sensitivity with real emotional power. It also packs a sledgehammer narrative punch two-thirds in, after which life in the film carries on with eerie quietness as usual, while we, the audience, have no choice but to go into a state of shock. It shows that Kokotajlo can really do something so many new British film-makers cant or wont: tell a story.

Its the best British feature to have been released in some time. The Upcoming


A CAMBODIAN SPRING

2016 Documentary

126 mins 15


A Cambodian Spring is an intimate and unique portrait of three people caught up in the chaotic and often violent development that is shaping modern-day Cambodia. Shot over 6 years, the film charts the growing wave of land-rights protests that led to the Cambodian Spring and the tragic events that followed. This film is about the complexities both political and personal, of fighting for what you believe in.

Director Chris Kelly said"A Cambodian Spring is for me a deeply personal film, which took nine years to complete. It is an exploration of what motivates us, what gives our lives meaning, and what happens when our personal desires colour and shape our actions. It is an unapologetically subjective portrait of my time in Cambodia, of the people who shared their lives with me and of the shifting landscapes, both physical and emotional, that I found there. From the official website

The film won the Special Jury Prize for International Feature Documentary.

Director Chris Kelly took nine years to complete this remarkable film about land-rights protests and political skullduggery in Cambodia. The subject matter may seem of marginal interest for a Western audience but the documentary works not just as investigative journalism but also as a universal story about a community trying to save itself from destruction. The Independent

A Cambodian Spring does have its longueurs. But, weaving together complex material into a coherent narrative, it emerges as a sort of magic trick. A unique story. But also one that is too common and too universal. The Irish Times


THE CAPTAIN

2017 Drama/History/War

118 mins 15


Willi Herold (Max Hubacher), a German army deserter, stumbles across an abandoned Nazi captain's uniform during the last, desperate weeks of the Third Reich. Newly emboldened by the allure of a suit that he stole only to stay warm, Willi discovers that many Germans will follow the leader, whosoever that happens to be. A parade of fresh atrocities follow in the self-declared captain's wake, and serve as a profound reminder of the consequences of social conformity and untrammeled political power. Simultaneously a historical docudrama, a tar-black comedy, and a sociological treatise, The Captain presents fascism as a pathetic pyramid scheme, a system to be gamed by the most unscrupulous and hollow-souled. Music Box Films

In German with English subtitles

With a raw, grungy score, The Captain is a movie that bombards the senses with no holds barred and to terrific effect, proficiently executing the depiction of a perspective that is so often forgotten where the end of the Second World War is concerned. The Upcoming

The Captain is an unsparing and uncompromising look at what happens when men are worn down by war and by having lived for far too long within a system using cruelty and lies as its bread and butter. Eye for Film


COLD WAR

2018 Drama/Music/Romance

88 mins 15


Pawe Pawlikowski follows his Oscar-winning Ida with the stunning Cold War, an epic romance set against the backdrop of Europe after World War II. Sumptuously shot in luminous black and white, it spans decades and nations to tell a love story that is as tragic as it is moving, and as transportive as it is honest. In the ruins of post-war Poland, Wiktor (Tomasz Kot) and Zula (Joanna Kulig) fall deeply, obsessively and destructively in love. As performing musicians forced to play into the Soviet propaganda machine, they dream of escaping to the creative freedom of the West. But one day, as they spot their chance to make a break for Paris, both make a split decision that will mark their lives forever. As the years march on in the wake of that moment, Wiktor and Zula watch the world changing around them, always struggling to find their moment in time. Curzon Artificial Eye Winner of the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival 2018.

In Polish with English subtitles

Pawlikowski is a master of understatement and economy with nary a word or shot out of place. This film deserves to find the same success and audience interest as Ida. Eye for Film

Kulig is a revelation, channelling the cool of Monica Vitti, the vivaciousness of young Brigitte Bardot and the introspective power of Liv Ullmann . . . The crisp monochrome by Ida cinematographer Lukasz Zal only adds to an utterly entrancing experience. Radio Times

There is an exquisite chill to this film. The Guardian


THE GUARDIANS (LES GARDIENNES)

2017 Drama

138 mins 15


An affecting human drama of love, loss, and resilience unfolds against the backdrop of World War I. The women of the Paridier farm, under the deft hand of Hortense, the family's matriarch (Nathalie Baye,) must grapple with the workload while the men, including two sons, are off at the front. Hortense reluctantly brings in an outsider, the hard-scrabble teenage orphan, Francine (Iris Bry), to help her daughter Solange (Laura Smet). New tools allow the women to triumph over the land, newfound independence is acquired, yet emotions are stirred especially when the men return from the front on short leaves. Music Box Films

Directed by Xavier Beauvois (Of Gods and Men).

In French with English subtitles

From its slow-burning beginning, The Guardians develops into an epic melodrama.Its a wartime story in which, for a change, the men are relegated to supporting roles. It follows in a tradition of French rural family sagas like Jean de Florette or Manon des Sources. The landscapes and the changing seasons play as much of a part in the story as the main characters. The Independent

The Guardians is a rewarding and rich film, which offers a delicately considered and often troubling insight into the lives of those left behind by history: those who, in the priests words, still drain the bitter cup of life while others march to their death. Sight and Sound


HEARTS BEAT LOUD

2018 Comedy/Drama/Music

97 mins 12A

Available from January tbc

In the hip Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook, single dad and record store owner Frank (Nick Offerman) is preparing to send his hard-working daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons) off to college while being forced to close his vintage shop. Hoping to stay connected through their shared musical passions, Frank urges Sam to turn their weekly jam sessions into a father-daughter live act. After their first song becomes an internet breakout, the two embark on a journey of love, growing up and musical discovery.

This sweet crowd-pleasing musical may have the merest whisper of a story, but the lightness with which it also carries its themes of a lesbian relationship, a biracial family and the tug of first love and parental letting go is as welcome as a summer breeze and makes for feelgood cross-generational cinema. Eye for Film

If you havent had your indie film fix for the year, then this feel-good hit is highly recommended. The Upcoming


THE HEIRESSES

(LAS HEREDERAS)

2018 Drama

98 mins 12A


Chela (Ana Brun) and Chiquita (Margarita Irun) are both descended from wealthy families in Asuncin and have been together for over 30 years. Recently, their financial situation has worsened and they begin selling off their inherited possessions. But when their debts lead to Chiquita being imprisoned on fraud charges, Chela is forced to face a new reality. Driving for the first time in years, she begins to provide a local taxi service to a group of elderly wealthy ladies. As Chela settles into her new life, she encounters the much younger Angy (Ana Ivanova), forging a fresh and invigorating new connection. Chela finally begins to break out of her shell and engage with the world, embarking on her own personal, intimate revolution.

In Spanish with English subtitles

Bursting with lust, love, anguish and heartache. Cruising at a steady, subdued pace, taking in the class, repression and relationship of an ageing Paraguayan couple. The Heiresses (Las Herederas)is a sumptuous, sensuous ride that charts a whirlwind period in the life of Chela (Ana Brun), our desperate protagonist. The Upcoming

The Heiresses is a treasure - pass it on. Eye for Film


LEAVE NO TRACE

2018 Drama

109 mins PG


Will (Ben Foster) and his teenage daughter, Tom (Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie), have lived off the grid for years in the forests of Portland, Oregon. When their idyllic life is shattered, both are put into social services. After clashing with their new surroundings, Will and Tom set off on a harrowing journey back to their wild homeland.Directed by Debra Granik (Winters Bone). From the official website

Leave No Trace is, like Bone, a small-scale, atmospheric character-driven piece with a young woman at the centre that explores issues of family bonds, parental responsibility, and the challenges faced in a life with minimal resources. It features strong performances from lead Ben Foster and newcomer Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie as a father-daughter pair - Will and Tom - who are living off the grid in a vast nature reserve on the edge of Portland, Oregon. Eye for Film

This is a film that appeals to an intelligent audience and one who appreciates arthouse films and powerful emotional journeys. Production elements are excellent and I love the denseness of the green forest that has been home to this father and daughter, which in turn reflects the denseness of their relationship. Urban Cinefile

A beautifully shot, coming-of-age road movie that's refreshingly free from the usual "traumatised veteran" tropes and anchored by excellent performances from the leads that linger long in the memory. Radio Times


LUCKY

2017 Drama/Comedy

88 mins 15


Having out lived and out smoked all of his contemporaries, the fiercely independent Lucky finds himself at the precipice of life, thrust into a journey of self-exploration, leading towards that which is so often unattainable: enlightenment. Acclaimed character actor John Carroll Lynchs directorial debut, Lucky is at once a love letter to the life and career of Harry Dean Stanton as well as a meditation on mortality, loneliness, spirituality, and human connection. From the official website

Nothing much happens in Lucky, and then everything does. That doesnt mean this leisurely portrait of its title character, a cantankerous old coot (Harry Dean Stanton, in one of his last roles), is any more eventful at the end than at the beginning. Rather, the accumulation of spot-on performances and long-familiar faces, small-town routines and dusty-worn locations, finally coalesces into a picture thats greater than the sum of its oft-clichd parts. New York Times

The film is quietly moving and insightful, and it features a captivating turn from Stanton, who passed away in 2017 at the ripe old age of 91. When Lucky speaks, the supporting characters (played by the likes of director David Lynch and Stanton's Alien co-star Tom Skerritt) hang on his every word. In all likelihood, you will, too. Radio Times


THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST

2018 Drama/Romance

91 mins 15


Based on the novel by Emily M. Danforth, Miseducation follows Cameron (Chlo Grace Moretz) as she is sent to a gay conversion therapy centre after getting caught with another girl in the back seat of a car on prom night. Run by the severe Dr Lydia Marsh (Jennifer Ehle) and her brother, Reverend Rick (John Gallagher Jr.) - himself an example of how those in the program can be cured - the centre is built upon repenting for same sex attraction. In the face of intolerance and denial, Cameron meets a group of fellow sinners including the amputee stoner Jane (Sasha Lane), and her friend, the Lakota Two-Spirit, Adam (Forrest Goodluck). Together, they form an unlikely family as they fight to survive. From the official website

Miseducation takes the non-conformist spirit of One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest and transplants it to a conversion therapy summer camp. But, in the hands of Iranian-American second-time director Desiree Akhavan, this is a far gentler, more thoughtful take on the wrongs of this horrible, dogma-driven practice, and its impact on kids who are just trying to grow up being true to their own feelings. Empire

Navigating troubled culture-war waters with grace, humor and compassion, The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a movie that deserves a wide and diverse audience. New York Times

Always smart, amusing and engaging. The Guardian


THE MORE YOU IGNORE ME

2018 Comedy

98 mins 15


The More You Ignore Me is both a poignant and darkly funny coming-of-age story of dysfunctional family life in 1980s rural England: Gina (Sheridan Smith) whose efforts to be a loving mother and wife are undermined by her declining mental health and her growing obsession with the local weatherman, and Alice (Ella Hunt) her daughter, who struggles to relate to her mum. Written by, and starring, Jo Brand based on her critically acclaimed novel of the same name.

Theres a terrific warmth and strength to this good-natured, big-hearted British comedy, written for the screen by Jo Brand, who has adapted her own 2009 novel. It is a bit rough around the edges at times, with some pretty broad dramatic effects, but the narrative motor keeps humming and the sheer force of sympathy drives it along. The Guardian

Combining bittersweet comedy with mental illness cant be easy but Jo Brand, making her feature-film debut as a writer and drawing on her years as a psychiatric nurse, does an impressive job with The More You Ignore Me. Daily Mail


A NORTHERN SOUL

2018 Documentary

73 mins 15


Sean McAllister returns to his hometown, Hull, as curator of its UK City of Culture opening. Back living with his 90-year-old parents and reflecting on changes to a city hit by cuts in public spending and divided by Brexit, Sean is drawn to the fringes of town where he encounters Steve a struggling warehouse worker with a dream.

This should be essential viewing for everyone, including kids of the age that warehouse worker Steve Arnott is striving to inspire aboard the Beats Bus (actually a brightly painted box lorry), bringing hip hop music to primary schools in some of the most deprived parts of Humberside . . . It's just a shame that those who would most benefit from the film's message will be unable to see it in cinemas. Radio Times

Both a strong demonstration of cinematic integrity and a celebration of authenticity, comradery and resilience,A Northern Soul is documentary at its most powerful andpotent. Reel Insights


And finally

A crowd-pleasing British comedy movie featuring a superb British cast and starring Peter Bowles, Jason Flemyng, Larry Lamb, Hannah Waddingham, Tom Chambers, Colin Salmon, Stefan Booth, Ben Starr and British pop icons, Right Said Fred, Great in Britain: the Movie boasts a thumping swing score and some show stopping choreography. It is the heartwarming story of three old school friends and what really matters in the end. Be prepared to be cheered up in 2019.

This title, which is still in production, and which therefore we have not seen, has been offered to us from March 2019. The makers believe that it will be of particular interest to rural communities. You will find a trailer for it at the end of your disc. At this point we are merely gauging potential interest. Subject to seeing the finished film, we will also be offering this title on the summer menu so if you think that you might like to show it, please let us know.

FILM AVAILABILITY AT A GLANCE

Available from Jan 1

The Children Act

Christopher Robin

King of Thieves tbc

Madame

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Papillon

Peterloo

Puzzle

Apostasy

A Cambodian Spring

The Captain

Cold War

The Guardians

Hearts Beat Loud

The Heiresses

Leave no Trace

Lucky

The Miseducation of Cameron Post tbc

The More You Ignore Me

A Northern Soul tbc

Available from mid Jan

A Star is Born tbc

The Wife

Available from Feb

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Little Stranger

The Seagull

Widows

Available from Mar 1

First Man

Available from mid Mar

Stan & Ollie

While we always try to provide the most accurate release dates for titles on the Moviola Menu, these are open to change by the distributor, often at very short notice. Unfortunately theres not much we can do if this happens, and we may have to ask you to change a title or reschedule a date. We will of course always give the maximum notice we can should a change be necessary.

· web viewso, a word of caution that across our network, venues have found audiences for these...

Documents