The official blog of The Cinema at Gloucester Guildhall and its Film Club. News, reviews and everything to do with the films showing at Gloucester Guildhall.

Tuesday 24 July 2012

Fast Girls (12A)

As the Olympics are almost upon us, The Cinema is screening the easy-going British film of the summer Fast Girls.

The film tells the story of two girls from very different walks of life who are thrown together on the British Relay team for the World Championships. Fiercely competitive and struggling to put their egos aside and work together, it doesn’t help matters when they realise they both have their eye on the team physio… Featuring the cream of the crop of young British acting talent including Lenora Critchlow (Being Human) and Bradley James (Merlin) this is a modern sports movie with a cool edge. The young British talent is accompanied by a great supporting cast including Rupert Graves (Made in Dagenham), Noel Clarke (Doctor Who) and Philip Davis (Brighton Rock).

This crowd-pleasing film is Regan Hall's debut feature film and was written by Noel Clarke, Jay Basu and Roy Williams.  Hall is an award winning young director who presents audiences with a street-wise, British comedy.  For Clarke, a well-known actor and now writer, this film is completely different to what he has written before but it does not disappoint.

Do you remember how good Bend it Like Beckham was? Well Fast Girls is just as good and empowering for sportswomen. The storyline is one which demands both smiles and tears as it takes you on a journey with the characters.  Men and women alike will be delighted by the film, and it makes a nice change to have a film set in London which is not about crime and gangs! It's a great film to relax into during the sunny weather.

Here are a couple of review snippets for you:

*Enjoyable, emotionally involving and timely feel-good sports drama that pushes all the right buttons* View London

*A fun and energetic film that, while no Chariots of Fire, will leave you eager for the Olympics and, possibly, your running shoes.* Sky Movies

Catch the trailer below:


Fast Girls screens on: Tuesday 31st at 2pm & 7.45pm, Wednesday 1st at 7.45pm and Thursday 2nd at 7.45pm.

Saturday 21 July 2012

What if Ken Loach did the Olympics?

Enjoyed The Angels' Share this week? Find out what The Guardian thinks would have happened if Ken Loach had directed the opening ceremony of the Olympics HERE. We're voting for Tony Scott.


The Angel's Share continues tonight and Monday.

Friday 20 July 2012

A bit of retro Top Cat


We're showing Top Cat - The Movie next Friday and Saturday for the kids, plus an extra screening on Friday nights for nostalgia-seeking grown-ups. To get you as excited as we are, we thought we'd treat you to the opening sequence from the original 60s TV show....

 

Top Cat - The Movie screens on Friday 27th July at 10.45am, 3pm & 7.45pm, and Saturday 28th July at 3pm.

Top Cat - The Movie (U)

TC and the gang finally hit the big screen thanks to Vertigo Films in a laugh out loud cartoon for all the family, as once again they get up to no good in Top Cat - The Movie.


While maintaining the look and feel of the iconic Hanna-Barbera cartoon of the early 1960's, TC and the gang have been modernised to a New York city filled with mobile phones, surveillance CCTV and robotic cops. The distinctive voice of TC is still as strong as ever and the laughter's non-stop with the familiar faces of Benny, Choo Choo, Brain, Fancy Fancy and Spook still causing havoc. However, the new Chief of Police, Lou Strickland, proves to be a much sterner test than his predecessor.

TC's latest adventure involves getting close to the visiting Maharaja of Pikachu who is well know for his generous tips of rubies. TC and Benny don disguises and introduce themselves to the dignitary in a comical attempt to land more than their fare share of rubies. Meanwhile, the new Chief of Police is installing modern gadgets and robotic cops to put an end to the gang's mischievous doings, forcing the smart TC to adapt his cons to avoid capture. And of course there's love in the air, as dashing TC vies for the affections of the new Chief of Police's secretary Trixie.

Already released in it's native Mexico and South America, the film was a massive success taking just under $8million in its first 5 weeks. The film is sure to be a instant hit over here too, and one for the whole family to enjoy.

*Top Cat - The Movie, uses a team of talented newbies to do lively impressions of Benny, Fancy Fancy and their indisputable lead. Little ones should love it*
Daily Star

*The Hanna-Barbera cartoons were well drawn and coloured and the characters are wonderfully expressive*
Daily Record


Top Cat - The Movie is a much watch for the whole family, Catch the trailer below to see what you think:


Top Cat - The Movie is showing at Gloucester Guildhall on Friday 27th July at 10.45am, 3pm and 7.45pm, it's also showing on Saturday 28th July at 3pm.

Red Tails (12A)

The skies are filled with action in TV director Anthony Hemingway's first feature film Red Tails.

A self-funded George Lucas project, Hemingway has worked with him to make this true event in history a modern exhilarating ride.


In a time where African American people were viewed with extreme discrimination, four black Tuskegee pilots, members of the 332nd fighter squadron - Easy (Nat Parker), Lightening (David Oyelowo), Junior (Tristan Wilds), Joker (Elijah Kelley) and Smokey (Ne-Yo), led by Major Emmanuel Stance (Cuba Gooding Jr) - took their battle of discrimination to the skies and won.

During the film we live their every fight and witness the courage of these unsung heroes in the midst of the second world war in the skies above Italy. Red Tails says "chocks away!" as we re-live an era that celebrates man's camaraderie and airborne excellence, with a mix of exhilarating dog-fights and tender romances, which brings George Lucas's vision to life in a heart pounding battle above the sky that is not to be missed!

*The dog fights are thrilling and the aerial cinematography is breath-taking* ABC News



 *The flashy action and innate inspirational elements that make the impact. But there's so much more to this story* The Hollywood Reporter

Check out the trailer below for Red Tails below:

 
Red Tails (12A) is showing at Gloucester Guildhall on Saturday 28th July at 10.45am and 7.45pm and Monday 30th July at 2pm and 7.45pm

Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World interview

Lorene Scafaria's directorial debut Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World, sees a wonderfully assembled cast headed by the hilarious Steve Carell and stunning Keira Knightley.

Surprisingly moving and frequently hilarious, the unlikely partnership that forms between Dodge (Carell) and Penny (Knightley) sees them embark together on their own journeys before the world ends.


Click here to catch Sonia Zadurian's exclusive interview with the multi-talented Lorene Scafaria as she discusses the transition from writer to director and explains what true events triggered the plot.


Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is showing at Gloucester Guildhall on Saturday 4th August at 10.45am and 7.45pm and Monday 6th August at 2pm and 7.45pm.

Thursday 19 July 2012

Bolt interview

Brought to you by directors Chris Williams and Byron Howard of Disney's other successes such as Chicken Little, Mulan and Lilo and Stitch, Bolt is a film not to be missed.

The main characters of Bolt and his young owner Penny are voiced by the stars John Travolta and Miley Cyrus.

Hollywood animal star Bolt has a life filled with adventure, danger and intrigue until the cameras stop rolling. Accidentally shipped from his Hollywood studios Bolt begins his adventure through the real world to be reunited with his owner Penny. Aided by a stray cat Mittens and Rhino the hamster, this film will have you in stitches all the way.

Click here to read an interview with director Chris Williams as he talks about becoming the director of Bolt and the influences behind the design of the superhero dog.


Bolt is showing at Gloucester Guildhall on Friday 10th August at 10.45am and 3pm and Saturday 11th August at 3pm.

Wednesday 18 July 2012

Good news! Two of Mark Kermode's favourite films of the year are showing here over the next week! Catch A Royal Affair Wednesday 18th & Thursday 19th, and The Angels' Share from Friday 20th - Monday 23rd!


Have a listen to what Mark has to say about the films HERE

Fast Girls Interview

With the Olympics only weeks away, Regan Hall's film Fast Girls is set to channel your Olympic spirit.

From the Producer of The Iron Lady and Adulthood comes a British film for all the family, which has a fresh and fun feel that will have everyone wanting to be a sports star. 

Click here for an on-set interview with Director Regan Hall, cast member Lorraine Burroughs and Producer Damian Jones. They talk about everything from their interest in sport to their expectations for the film to Sky's Francesca Steele.

Fast Girls is showing at Gloucester Guildhall on Tuesday 31 July at 2pm and 7.45pm, Wednesday 1st August at 7.45pm and Thursday 2 August at 7.45pm

The Angels' Share (15)

The Angels' Share is coming to our screen this week.  It is the new film from director Ken Loach and Screenwriter Paul Laverty who have worked together on a number of films before now all of which have been criticality acclaimed.


Having just escaped a prison sentence, Robbie and a group of fellow young offenders are taken on a day trip to a whiskey distillery in the hope it will expand their cultural horizons. In stark contrast, they decide instead to stage a robbery, the proceeds of which Robbie plans to use to provide for his young family. What follows is a bittersweet comedy caper from acclaimed director Ken Loach, which is being hailed as the Scottish equivalent of The Full Monty, only with considerably more kilts.


Like previous films Ken Loach explores a realism which is seen in a his previous films.  Although tough topics are addressed the film approaches them in a pleasant manner.
warm, funny and good-natured 
good cast who work with a great script
Scottish dialect is lovely and warming - it is not difficult to understand at all!
unknown actors which is something we see often with Ken Loach
politics do underlay this film but it is not over-the-top and makes a nice watch for all audiences
feel-good due to the characters
Ken Loach's understated comedy uncasks a taste of something real for our times
the film has a dramatic climax which does have a little taste of implausibility indulges the audiences but the realism of this films wins out for audience members

*An amiable comedy about young Glaswegian roughnecks discovering the world of whisky, "The Angels' Share" finds helmer Ken Loach and long-term screenwriting partner Paul Laverty in better, breezier form than their rebarbative prior effort* Variety 

* Loach and Laverty are speaking with an engaging dramatic voice* The Guardian


Watch the trailer below:



The Angels' Share is screening: Friday 20th 7:45pm, Saturday 20th 10:45 am and 7:45pm, Monday 23rd at 2pm and 7:45pm.

Tuesday 17 July 2012

Free Men (12A)

Set in German occupied Paris during WW2 Tahar Rahim steals the show in Ismaël Ferroukhi new tension driven film Free Men.

Offering a fresh feel to the true realities of France's darker years under German leadership, Free Men offers tension as it exposes the importance of trust and secrecy in the midst of uncertain times.

It's 1942 in heavily occupied Paris; Younes (Rahim) is a young Algerian immigrant working as a black-marketeer selling goods.
Arrested by French police he can avoid jail by becoming an informer, spying on a local mosque suspected of harbouring Jews and issuing false papers identifying them as Muslims.


After befriending several Jews and realising the consequences of his actions he rebels against the authorities and offers to help the Mosque in protecting the Jewish people. Younes is now becoming more of a freedom fighter than a freedom taker as he is sucked deeper into the resistant movement.

On par with his performance in A Prophet, Tahar Rahim’s portrayal of a black-market dealer turned freedom fighter, is played with a cool and compelling, yet unassuming, charm that stands out from the film. Director Ismael Ferroukhi also teases out noteworthy performances in the other leading cast from Michael Lonsdale (Of Gods and Men), who dominates the supporting role as the head of the Mosque Si Kaddour Ben Ghabrit, to Mahmud Shalaby’s ambiguous and seductive performance as bar singer Salim Halali.

*Intelligently executed, with a typically fine performance from Michael Lonsdale*
Total Film

*An eye-opener! An absorbing drama that engages both the heart and the mind*
Screen Daily

Watch the trailer for Free Men here:


Officially selected throughout 2011 for an array of high-profile film festivals including Toronto and Cannes, it's a film not to be missed!

Free Men is showing at Gloucester Guildhall on: Tuesday 24th July at 2pm and 7.45pm, Wednesday 25th July at 7.45pm and Thursday 26th July at 7.45pm

Thursday 12 July 2012

Enjoy great family cinema over the summer!

From the end of July and right through the month of August we'll be hosting family film screenings every Friday and Saturday afternoon, with an additional morning screening on Fridays for those who have little ones who nap in the afternoon. And you might be surprised by what’s on the bill! There is, of course, a nod to the season’s new releases with Ice Age 4: Continental Drift and Top Cat - The Movie, but the addition of Thunderbirds Are Go from 1966, featuring the original marionette puppets, may well appeal as much to the dads as it will to the children (and those seeking a bit of uninterrupted nostalgia will undoubtedly appreciate the evening screening of the film). The much-loved Disney classic The Lion King also makes an appearance, and the quintet is completed by the somewhat underrated Bolt. At the bargain price of £3 for under 16s and the option of tea & cake for just £1 for the grown-ups with a Screen Tea ticket, a trip to The Cinema at Gloucester Guildhall is one summer holiday activity that won’t break the bank.

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Thunderbirds Are Go - review

We're screening Thunderbirds Are Go as our first family film in August.  To get you as excited as we are, we thought we'd share with you a brilliant review of the film which originally came to our screens in 1966.  Read the review HERE.

FILM CLUB REVIEW: Moonrise Kingdom by Simon Barton

From the first, immaculately designed and composed frame of Moonrise Kingdom, the viewer is immersed in the stylised, enclosed world of Wes Anderson. It's a world of autumnal hues and retro interiors, of youthful passions and middle-aged regrets.

The story is set in 1965 on the fictional New England island of New Penzance and follows the adventures of two 12-year old runaways. Sam is a rogue Khaki Scout and Suzy is a dreamer, obsessed with childrens' fantasy novels. Both labelled as "problem" children by parents and institutions who don't understand them, the couple run away to follow an old Native American trail and lose themselves in the wilderness, with police, parents, Scouts and Social Services all in pursuit ... three days before a violent storm is due to hit the island.

Moonrise Kingdom is deadpan but warm, sentimental but savage, a film which makes much of the contrast between the naive, romantic children and the world-weary and frustrated adults. The stellar cast includes Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Edward Norton  -  all superb and often hilarious as well-meaning but ineffectual parents and guardians, struggling to find the missing children and to find some meaning in their own, humdrum lives. Willis in particular is excellent as the lonely, not-too-bright small-town cop who is trapped in a hopeless affair with Suzy's mum (McDormand) and sees his chance at redemption through the orphaned Sam. The children's performances are subtle and truthful, Suzy (Kara Hayward) alternating between sweet and seething, and Sam (Jared Gilman) being just the right side of blank in his wide-eyed search for love and freedom.

Visually the film is gorgeous, Anderson leading us through the island's rivers, forests, lighthouses and bays with a painterly eye for detail. Wide-angle shots show the characters almost embedded in the landscapes, covered over by curtains of Autumn leaves or glowing under blood-red sunsets. When the storm hits in the last reel, nature turns against the characters, battering them with floods and winds, trapping them in tents and churches until the young lovers make their final escape...

Moonrise Kingdom is a quirky, funny and wise film, leaving us with the message that love will prevail, regardless of how many lightning bolts or legalities are thrown at us.

Read more from Simon Barton at http://glasswalking-stick.blogspot.co.uk/

Monday 9 July 2012

Ernest Borgnine: 1917 - 2012

Sad news today that Ernest Borgnine has died aged 95. The iconic actor was best known for playing characters such as the cruel Sgt. "Fatso" Judson in From Here to Eternity; Coley Trimble, the right-hand goon, in Bad Day at Black Rock; Dutch Engstrom, in the enduring classic The Wild Bunch and Shack and Rogo, the cop with the prostitute-wife, in The Poseidon Adventure. To a whole new generation he was known as the voice of the starfish-donning, geriatric Mermaid Man in kids' TV favourite SpongeBob SquarePants. Read a touching obituary from the La Times HERE.

A Royal Affair (15)



This week sees the arrival of the outstanding A Royal Affair or En Kongelig Affære as it is known in the Danish Language. The film is a well-crafted, fascinating and scandalous historical drama set in 18th Century Denmark, based on true accounts and revolving around a burgeoning romance: a tragic romantic epic interspersed with flashes of inspired humour.

An intriguing and surprising period of Danish history is recounted in a sumptuous costume drama set in the royal court of King Christian VII in the late 1760s, telling an extraordinary true story of political change and royal intrigue.  Young Queen Caroline Mathilde is married off to a simpleton king cruelly uninterested in his bride, preferring the vices of alcohol and prostitutes. The insanity of his behaviour comes to a head with the arrival of German physician Johann Struensee.  Brought in to treat the King, and quickly gaining his trust, he falls in love with the Queen, forming an alliance and placing him in a position to push through reforms that transformed Denmark forever.

The film premiered at Berlin International Film Festival earlier in 2012, and whilst there Mikkel Følsgaard won the Silver Bear Award for Best Actor and the scriptwriters won the award for Best Script. Hardly surprising, as the same team wrote the script for the original Swedish version of the critically acclaimed The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo. The film is also co-produced by Lars Von Trier, who has waved the flag for Danish cinema in recent years. His involvement proves that director Nikolaj Arcel is a director to watch out for.
 
The cinema team saw this film at the ICO Screening Days in London and loved it, despite not usually being fans of period dramas. One of the things that struck us was how beautiful the Danish language is and how nice it is to hear a world cinema film in a language which is less familiar to us.

*Arcel's first-rate Danish costume drama will introduce most moviegoers (including me) to the fascinating tragedy of the love affair in the 1770s between England's Caroline, wife of the problematic Danish King Christian, and the king's German physician, Johann Struensee, both dedicated social progressives.* The Guardian

*A gripping chapter of European history is recounted with elegance, intelligence and clarity in Danish director Nikolaj Arcel’s sumptuous costume drama* The Hollywood Reporter

*Gripping, smart, well-acted - everything you want in a period drama* Little White Lies

Watch the trailer below:



A Royal Affair (15) runs Monday 16th at 7.45pm, Tuesday 17th at 2pm, Wednesday 18th at 7.45pm and Thursday 19th at 7.45pm


Snow White & The Huntsman (12A)

The Cinema at Gloucester Guildhall plays host this week to a dark gothic re-telling of a classic Brothers Grimm fairytale.

Produced by Joe Roth of Alice In Wonderland (2010) fame, Snow White & The Huntsman stars Kristen Stewart (Twilight series) as the only person in the land fairer than the evil Queen Ravenna, played by Charlize Theron (Prometheus). Although the wicked ruler is intent on destroying her, she could never imagine that the young Snow White, threatening her reign, has been training in the art of combat with a huntsman, Eric, played by Chris Hemsworth (Thor). Together with a little help from a group of dwarves (watch out for some famous faces), they seek to rid the kingdom of the darkness, and return the kingdom to its former glory.

Taking the international box office by storm, ranking number 1 in over 30 countries on its release, the film's principal photography was entirely based in the United Kingdom, mainly in Pembrookshire on the Marloes Sands beach. Even Britain's own chart topping success Florence + The Machine are in on the action with the end credit song duties. (Trust us, "Breath Of Life" is seriously worth staying behind for.) Minus the amazing special effects which make the film an absolute wonder to watch, the film should also be praised for transforming the character of Snow White into a warrior princess "Joan Of Arc" figure for the ages for the ages.


*Vastly superior to Mirror Mirror in every way. Great performance form Theron.*
Richard Roeper

*Director Rupert Sanders ... succeeds in creating a fantasy world with a striking dichotomy of darkness and light.*
Julian Roman (Movie Web)

Check out the trailer below:


Snow White & The Huntsman (12A) runs Friday 13th at 7:45pm, Saturday 14th at 10:45am and 7:45pm and Monday 16th July at at 2:00pm

Wednesday 4 July 2012

The movies just got more mysterious...

Can’t decide what to see at the cinema? Why not let us choose for you!
Inspired in part by the ever popular Secret Cinema, we're inviting you to take a gamble and buy a ticket for a mystery film, the title of which will remain a closely-guarded secret until the lights go down in the cinema and the credits roll. Carefully selecting films from the last 100 years of cinema, we will endeavour to delight you each month with an eclectic mix of much-loved classics and little known gems, the only details revealed before the night being the film classification and the run-time. Comedy, thriller, retro, modern, British, subtitled, the possibilities are endless, and at the bargain price of only £4 per ticket, it’s a great opportunity to discover something new or perhaps see an old favourite on the big screen for the first time.
Date: Thursday 16th August
Time: 7.45pm
Tickets: £4
Film: ?????
Certificate: PG

Run time: 77 minutes

Celebrate your local independent cinema with Scala Beyond

Experience two very different examples of world cinema and help us celebrate the joy of subtitles as part of fringe film festival Scala Beyond!

The film Jean Dujardin made before The Artist, Little White Lies (15) is the perfect introduction to easy-watching French cinema. In turns hilarious and heartrending, it follows a group of thirty-something friends as they embark on their annual holiday together. As the week wears on, their friendships and convictions are sorely tested and they are forced to confront some uncomfortable home truths as their long-kept secrets and little white lies threaten to tear them apart.

Featuring an award-winning ensemble cast you will recognise from more mainstream hits including Marion Cotillard (Inception, Dark Knight Rises) and François Cluzet (The Intouchables), all it needs is Andrew Lincoln and/or Martin Freeman and you have something akin to such flagships of good British comedy as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

In contrast,  the Oscar-nominated Incendies (15), cited by the New York Times as one of the 10 best films of 2011, is a powerful and deeply moving mystery drama, following twins Jeanne and Simon as they attempt to carry out their mother’s last wish to find the father they thought was dead and the brother they didn’t know existed. Travelling to the Middle East they untangle her past and explore their family history, piecing together the story bit by bit and discovering a tragic fate marked by war and hatred, as well as the courage of an exceptional woman very different to the mother they thought they knew.

In essence a family drama, it begins in the style of a detective thriller with its shattering climax reminiscent of a Greek tragedy. Affecting without being traumatic, you feel as if you are journeying with Jeanne and Simon, the shocking truth dawning on you and them in perfect synchronicity, leaving you with only one word as the credits roll: wow.

Both films come tried, tested and highly recommended by the cinema team at Gloucester Guildhall, and whether you’re taking your first curious steps into the wonderful world of foreign film or are a seasoned world cinema veteran we guarantee you’ll find something you love in this very special double bill. What’s more, if you buy a ticket for the first film, you get the second film absolutely free! It's the perfect opportunity to try something new! Light meals and drinks will also be available from the bar between the two screenings, so why not make an evening of it?
Saturday 1st September
Doors: 4.15pm
Little White Lies (15): 4.50pm
Interval: 7.30pm

Incendies (15): 8.30pm

TICKETS: £5.50 adults / £4.50 concessions
Buy a ticket for Little White Lies and get a ticket for Incendies absolutely free! Tickets for Incendies are also available to purchase separately at the normal price.

The world’s biggest pop-up short film festival comes to Gloucester

We're really excited to announce that we're bringing Future Shorts Festival to Gloucester for the first time with a screening on Saturday 11th August.

Future Shorts Festival is the first ever global pop up festival, showcasing the most exciting short films from around the world, where filmmakers, audiences and festival partners come together to create the next generation of film festival. Future Shorts Festival is accessible to anyone, anywhere, the beauty of it being that screenings can be held in any location and on any scale, from concert halls to back gardens, and the ever expanding festival now features in 60 countries and 160 cities worldwide, with over 350 screenings and more than 35,000 audience attendees across six continents.

The Summer Season programme is an innovative collection of seven award-winning short films from around the world – from Brazil to Romania to South Korea and beyond – featuring documentaries, stop motion animation and fiction in all shapes and sizes, all of which are well worth seeing. Globally lauded for their film choices, if you haven’t dabbled in short films before, Future Shorts Festival is definitely the place to start. Highlights of the programme include:

A Morning Stroll (2012) – Grant Orchard UK, 7 min
Created by the multi-BAFTA winning Studio AKA, Grant Orchard’s A Morning Stroll is the story of an encounter between a New Yorker and a chicken. Told over three acts spanning over 100 years, this incredibly successful animated short has already won a BAFTA and a Jury Award at Sundance and was nominated for a Short Animated Film Oscar.


Guest (2011) - Ga Eun-YoonSouth Korea, 20 min
A teenager angry at her father’s affair barges into his mistress’ house to find her two little kids. Winner of the 2012 International Grand Prix at Clermont -Ferrand, Guest is a beautifully acted coming-of-age portrayal of emotions from Korean National University of Arts’ film program.


Notes on Biology (2011) – Will MaddenUSA, 6 min
A stop motion animation, Notes on Biology was the winner of Best Short at SXSW. This very clever short film brought to us by Ornana Films follows a student’s imagination during a Biology class.


Date: Saturday 11th August
Time: 7.45pm
Tickets: £5.50 adults / £4.50 concessions

Tuesday 3 July 2012

Casa De Mi Padre (15)


Casa De Mi Padre is the inspired new film from Matt Piedmont.  The film is a laugh out loud American comedy harking back to the B-movie style of film-making, but with a difference: it is in the Spanish language.


An ingenious spoof on the over-heated Spanish telenovela in the style of Naked Gun, Will Ferrell plays Armando, a simple-minded Mexican rancher, whose brother Raul disrupts their family life when he arrives home with sultry new bride Sonia.  Plans for a wedding are ruined, not only by Armando’s growing infatuation with Sonia, but through the violent intervention of Raul’s ruthless boss, drug-cartel boss Onza, a man so tough he smokes two cigarettes at once!

The hilarious comedy and camera work provide audiences with a film which is an exciting and highly original oddity, complete with extreme camera zoom, inexplicable slow motion sequences, an animatronic white snow leopard and mannequins disguised as extras.

The actors provide a wonderful and hilarious phenomenon which starts with a cracking opening sequence, giving audiences a crisp and modern view of the Mexico landscape.  The epic music which is played throughout this films works perfectky with the story of two brothers, thier problems and the debts of the family ranch. We are bringing you a film that is at times surreal but offers you a comical take on sibling rivalry.
*The plot is genuinely clever, and there's a continual stream of knowing gags that'll keep fans of B-movies chuckling.Shadows on the Wall

*A joyous, ramshackle celebration of sloppy filmmaking and cheapo production design.* Total Film

Have a look at the trailer below:


Casa De Mi Padre runs Tuesday 10th at 2pm and 7.45pm, Wednesday 11th at 7.45pm and Thursday 12th at 7.45pm

Monday 2 July 2012

Woody Allen: A Documentary (15)


Following on from our recent retrospective of the master of modern American cinema that is Woody Allen, The Cinema at Gloucester Guildhall is proud to present  the perfect companion piece.

Woody Allen: A Documentary is the first attempt at documenting Allen’s life and creative process thanks to unprecedented access gained by Emmy winning and Oscar nominated director Robert Weide. For nearly a year and a half he followed the notoriously private film legend to create the ultimate cinematic biography, chronicling his career from teen writer to Sid Caesar’s TV scribe, from stand-up comedian to award-winning writer-director averaging one film-per-year for more than 40 years. Providing insights and back-story to the usually inscrutable director’s writing habits, casting, and relationships with his actors, the film presents a series of interviewees in the form of A-list stars, writing partners, family and friends. The list of participants could go on forever, but to just a name a few: Josh Brolin, Penelope Cruz, John Cusack, Larry David, Scarlett Johansson, Diane Keaton, Martin Landau, Sean Penn, Chris Rock, Martin Scorcese, Naomi Watts and Owen Wilson plus many more.
Chosen as ‘Film Of The Week’ by BBC Radio 5’s Floyd and Boyd, this is certainly a richly rewarding and insightful documentary that is not to be missed even if you are a film lover with only a general awareness of Allen’s work.

*An engaging and enjoyable film that’s a treat for Woody Allen fans. Recommended*
View London

*I could have watched this armada forever.*
Financial Times
Check out the trailer below:


Woody Allen: A Documentary (15) is one for ONE DAY ONLY on Monday 9th July at 2pm and at 7:45pm.

Dark Shadows (12A)


Dark Shadows is a new and exciting Johnny Depp and Tim Burton collaboration.  This enjoyable comedy will delight audiences of all ages, whether you are a Johnny Depp fan, remember the 70s or just want to watch a film which is guaranteed to make you laugh.  

Based on the 1970s Gothic soap opera, Johnny Depp plays the eccentric Barnabas Collins, the master of Collinwood Manor; a rich, powerful and inveterate playboy in 18th-century New England.  He is turned into a vampire by a local witch and then he is buried alive in the local woods.  Accidentally freed from his tomb in the very changed and colorful world of 1972, Barnabas sets about restoring the family's fortune, not without the local witch using her powers on him yet again!

The director and actor duo have brought many films to cinema screens over the past 20 years, such as the highly acclaimed Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.  This new production does not let fans down: the music and visual elements work hard to provide audiences with a sumptuous watch. The characters are as obscure as ever and the costumes reflect the characters and the time settings.  Michelle Pfeiffer and Johnny Deep are a perfect pairing.
 
*It's a great time at the movies and a wickedly clever cinematic treat.* BoxOffice Magazine

*Dark Shadows offers potent atmosphere and delirious '70s fashions and hilarious gags and some really terrific performances, none better than Pfeiffer's triumphant return to the screen as a pitch-perfect family matriarch.* Salon.com

Have a look at the trailer below:


Dark Shadows (12A) runs: Friday 6th at 7.45pm and Saturday 7th at 7.45pm

New Director Anthony Hemingway talks Red Tails

Backed by George Lucas, well established TV director Anthony Hemingway tries his hand at directing his first feature film with his debut release of Red Tails.

Click here to read Becky Reed's interview with director Hemingway. 


Red Tails is showing at Gloucester Guildhall on Saturday 28th July at 10.45am and 7.45pm, and Monday 30th July at 2pm and 7.45pm