http://youtu.be/1KBPru-Pu5Q
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Director David Fincher/United States Sweden Great Britain Germany 2011
Cast includes; Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Robin Wright, Christopher Plummer
David Fincher (The Social Network, Fight Club) puts his directorial stamp on this English language adaptation of Stieg Larrson’s bestselling novel. Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by young computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara).
Shame (from Fri 13 Jan)
Director Steve McQueen / Certificate 18 / Great Britain 2011 / 101 minutes
Cast includes: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale
The highly anticipated second feature from award-winning artist-turned-filmmaker Steve McQueen reunites him with actor Michael Fassbender, also the lead in McQueen’s stunning 2008 debut Hunger. Fassbender gives a strong, confident performance as Brandon – a 30-something Manhattan executive, busy balancing a demanding job with his active social life, which revolves around his impulsive sexual encounters. As Brandon moves from woman to woman, his sexual obsessions are displayed on screen in frank and visceral detail and it is only when his sister comes to stay that Brandon confronts his addictive lifestyle head-on. A truly compelling and courageous examination of the nature of need, the experiences that shape us, and the extremes of human behaviour.
http://youtu.be/yDiCFY2zsfc
The Iron Lady (from Fri 6 Jan)
Director Phyllida Lloyd/Great Britain 2011/ Certificate 12A / 105 minutes
Cast includes; Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, Olivia Colman
Meryl Streep is set to wow audiences with her impressive performance as the formidable Iron Lady of 1980s politics, in this lively and poignant biopic of Baroness Margaret Thatcher. With a supporting cast of talented British actors, including Jim Broadbent as Denis Thatcher and Richard E. Grant playing Michael Heseltine, The Iron Lady will be a hotly debated must-see film for the forthcoming 2011 awards season – not least due to Streep’s astonishing portrayal of the unforgettable prime minister.
http://youtu.be/OK7pfLlsUQM
The Artist (from Fri 6 Jan)
Director Michel Hazanavicius/France 2011/ Certificate PG / 100 minutes
Cast includes; Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Malcolm McDowell
Universally adored at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, The Artist is an uplifting and beguiling rags-to-riches tale brimming with fun and charisma. With numerous cinematic references, The Artist is pure joy for fans of classic Hollywood films. It’s 1927 and George Valentin is a silent film star at the top of his game; that is until the arrival of sound revolutionises the film industry and threatens his career. Peppy Miller, a talented young film fan, breathes new life into the studios but for George her arrival is both a blessing and a curse as she turns out to be not just a love interest, but also a studio rival.
Coriolanus (from Fri 20 Jan)
Director Ralph Fiennes/Great Britain 2011/ Certificate 15 / 123 minutes
Cast includes; Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Chastain, Brian Cox
In his directorial debut, Ralph Fiennes grapples with the power-play and politics of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. In this assured adaptation, Fiennes transports Shakespeare’s tragedy to a contemporary setting in a Balkan warzone, drawing many connections between the original text and modern-day situations. Not only does he provide accomplished direction, but Fiennes also takes the lead as Coriolanus, the soldier-turned-politician struggling to gain popular support in order to take up the position of Consul.
http://youtu.be/CWHNXJ1K4yA
The Descendants (from Fri 27 Jan)
Director Alexander Payne/United States 2011/ Certificate 15 / 115 minutes
Cast includes; George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer
Following the phenomenal reception of his 2004 hit Sideways, Alexander Payne returns with a mature feature that masterfully blends tragedy and comedy. Clooney plays Matt King, a somewhat awkward lawyer who is consumed by his work and more importantly by the King family’s ancestral land dealings. When tragedy strikes and his wife is injured in a boating accident off the coast of Waikiki, Matt realises that he hardly knows her or their two daughters and is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future.
The Turin Horse (A Torinói ló) (date tbc)
Director Bela Tarr/Hungary France Switzerland Germany 2011
Cast includes; Erika Bók, János Derzsi, Mihály Kormos, Ricsi
Bela Tarr has declared The Turin Horse to be his final film, and this starkly beautiful feature will surely be hailed as a masterpiece of minimalist drama by fans of the Hungarian auteur. Bela Tarr uses the philosopher Nietzsche’s documented mental breakdown as a starting point for this poetic and visually affecting film that follows the life of a working farm horse. Paring back both action and dialogue to the bare minimum, Tarr prioritises the slowly unfolding visual narrative of day-to-day farm life and presents an exquisite film made up of thirty rigorously composed long takes.
Tatsumi (date tbc)
Director Eric Khoo/Singapore 2011
Tatsumi is an impressive animation that interweaves biographical material detailing the life of Japanese comics creator Yoshihiro Tatsumi, with a selection of his stories tackling life’s darker underbelly. With episodes that explore sexuality and transgressive behaviour, Tatsumi captures the passion of a true artistic genius who changed the history of Japanese comics, creating an alternative genre for adults.
Patience (After Sebald) (Sun 29 Jan, 16:00)
Director Grant Gee/Great Britain 2010
A richly textured film essay on landscape, art, history, life and loss, Patience (After Sebald) offers a unique exploration of the work of internationally acclaimed writer W.G. Max Sebald (1944 – 2001) via a walk through East Anglia tracking his most influential book, The Rings of Saturn. The much-anticipated new feature by the Grierson Award-winning director of Joy Division, Patience is the first film about Sebald internationally, marking ten years since the writer’s untimely death, and featuring contributions from major writers, artists and filmmakers. Event: We are pleased to welcome members of the filmmaking team for a post-screening Q&A.
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