Stoke on Trent


Bringing the best in Independent and World Cinema to North Staffordshire

March

Mon 1 March    7.45pm

BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA (18)

Bring Me The Head of Alfredo GarciaPekinpah's West Old and New

Peckinpah's darkest masterpiece and the only film released as intended by the director, universally panned upon its release but it has since acquired cult status. Warren Oates leads as the Bernie, Peckinpah's most damaged protagonist, deliberately played as a portrait of 'Bloody Sam'.

USA, 1974, 112 mins

Free Admission

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Tue 2 March    7.45pm

DISGRACE (15)

DisgraceAn adaptation of JM Coetzee's novel casting John Malkovich as David Lurie, an arrogant Cape Town lecturer whose professional downfall compels him to live with his daughter on her farmstead in the remote and lawless Eastern Cape. Disgrace is a compelling human fable and a complex, ambiguous allegory of post-apartheid South Africa.

South Africa/Australia, 2009, 118 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian ::

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Thu 4 March    7.45pm

THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE (15)

The First Day Of The Rest Of Your LifeA touching family drama concentrating on five days in a French family between 1988 and 2000 directed by Rémi Bezançon with flawless performances throughout and containing something for all to relate to. 'A funny, deeply affecting and often painfully truthful movie about families, parenthood, growing up, growing old and dying, devoid of sentimentality,' (Philip French, 'The Observer')

France (subtitled), 2009, 113 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Fri 5 and Sat 6 March    7.45pm

THE ROAD (15)  DTS

The RoadJohn Hillcoat's adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer prize winning novel, bringing vividly to life a nightmarish post-apocalyptic world through which an unnamed man and boy travel in search of a safe place to live. Hillcoat's allegorical drama, featuring Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, and Guy Pearce, retains a human core amidst harrowing scenes of social degradation.

USA, 2009, 111 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Tue 9 March    7.45pm

TALES FROM THE GOLDEN AGE (12A)

Tales From A Golden AgeA witty collection of five satirical short films taking an affectionate look at the absurdity of the late communist period in Romania; adapted from urban myths by 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days director Christian Mungiu. The tales include ridiculous preparations for an official visit, and a greedy police officer who attempts to silently kill a pig so he can avoid sharing with his neighbours.

Romania (subtitled), 2009, 131 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Thu 11 March    7.45pm

TREELESS MOUNTAIN (PG)

Treeless MountainA powerfully acted and heart-wrenching Korean drama following the plight of two young sisters left to fend for themselves when their mother leaves them with a negligent relative. So Yong Kim draws beautifully natural performances from child actors in a moving expression of the resilience of children. 'Like breath on the window of a late-night bus, Treeless Mountain is a work of diaphanous and fugitive beauty.', (Sukhdev Sandhu, 'The Telegraph')

Korea (subtitled), 2009, 89 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Fri 12 and Sat 13 March    7.45pm

SEX & DRUGS & ROCK & ROLL (15)  Audio Description

Sex & Drugs & Rock & RollAn energetic portrait of punk and New Wave icon Ian Dury, tracing the Blockheads rise to fame; interspersed with vibrant live performances and scenes from a childhood spent battling polio. Dury's struggles with the demands of family life and in particular his relationship with his son form a backdrop to Andy Serkis' remarkable transformation into the troubled singer, song writer.

UK, 2010, 114 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Sat 13 March    3.00pm

FANTASTIC MR. FOX (PG)  DTS  Audio Description

Fantastic Mr. FoxA traditional stop-motion animation directed by Wes Anderson, lending his trademark wry dialogue and whimsical characterisation to Roald Dahl's fantastic tale of Mr. Fox and his quirky band as they outwit the evil farmers Boris, Bunce and Bean.

USA, 2009, 87 mins

Free Admission

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Mon 15 March    7.45pm

THE EAGLE (U)

Alexander Pushkin The Eagle

An adaptation of Pushkin's short story Dubrovsky with Rudolph Valentino as the eponymous dashing Robin Hood-like bandit. While Valentino is called upon to provide trademark brooding heroics, The Eagle notably also allows both he and Louise Dresser to demonstrate their unheralded aptitude for light comedy.

USA (silent, B/W), 1925, 80 mins

Free Admission

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Tue 16 and Thu 18 March    7.45pm

A PROPHET (18)  DTS

A ProphetA powerful, astonishingly detailed prison thriller, following Malik, an illiterate, yet smart young man as he adapts and evolves, navigating the internecine prison politics over the course of his six year sentence. Jacques Audiard's gripping drama, widely considered to be the best film of 2009, presents the harsh realities of prison life, including scenes of violence and intimidation. 'Takes its place among the greatest crime films ever made.' (Dan Brightmore, 'Little White Lies')

France (subtitled), 2009, 155 mins

Further information regarding scenes used to determine the BBFC classification may be found here. Please note that this page contains spoilers.

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Fri 19 and Sat 20 March    7.45pm

UP IN THE AIR (15)  DTS  Audio Description

Up In The AirJuno director Jason Reitman's comic drama about consultant Ryan Bingham, whose highflying lifestyle comes under threat when his company looks to adopt labour efficient technologies. George Clooney leads a witty, socially conscious film as the air miles obsessed corporate terminator who finds himself re-appraising his life.

USA, 2009, 109 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Sat 20 March    3.00pm

FANTASTIC MR. FOX (PG)  DTS  Audio Description

Fantastic Mr. FoxA traditional stop-motion animation directed by Wes Anderson, lending his trademark wry dialogue and whimsical characterisation to Roald Dahl's fantastic tale of Mr. Fox and his quirky band as they outwit the evil farmers Boris, Bunce and Bean.

USA, 2009, 87 mins

Free Admission

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Mon 22 March    7.45pm

AMADEUS (PG)

Amadeus Alexander Pushkin

The restored director's cut of Milos Forman's sumptuous Academy Award winning film. Forman directs Peter Shaffer's adaptation of his own play, recounting the relationship between the envious Viennese court composer Antonio Salieri and the divinely talented Mozart, memorably played by F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulse.

USA, 1984, 180 mins

Free Admission

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Tue 23 March    7.45pm

ADORATION (15)

AdorationA complex tale addressing religion, culture and the perception of truth from Atom Egoyan, starring Arsinée Khanjian, as a schoolteacher who encourages one of her students (Devon Bostick) to develop his hypothetical terrorist related drama project which soon spirals out of control when it is posted on the internet.

USA, 2009, 101 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Thu 25 March    7.45pm

THE WHITE RIBBON (15)  DTS

The White RibbonSet in Germany in 1913, Haneke's Palme d'Or winning The White Ribbon recounts a series of unsettling acts of violence inflicted on members of a small community. Haunting black and white cinematography and an excellent cast add to the pervading feeling of terror and mistrust among the villagers, where even the community's youngsters are not above suspicion.

Germany (subtitled), 2009, 143 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Fri 26 and Sat 27 March    7.45pm

THE BOYS ARE BACK (12A)  DTS  Audio Description

The Boys Are BackThe story of Joe Warr, an Australia based sports journalist whose second wife Katy suddenly dies, leaving him to raise their six year old son Artie on his own; adapted from Simon Carr's memoir by Scott Hicks. Clive Owen leads as the single father who adopts unusual parenting techniques in a well acted, likeable family comedy drama.

Australia/UK, 2009, 103 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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Mon 29 March    7.45pm

ONEGIN (12)

Alexander Pushkin Onegin

A compelling romantic tale of unrequited love adapted from Pushkin's epic verse novel Eugene Onegin; directed by Martha Fiennes, casting her brother Ralph Fiennes and Liv Tyler as Evgenyi Onegin and the spirited Tatyana, who makes a passionate declaration of love.

UK/USA, 1999, 102 mins

Free Admission

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Tue 30 March    7.45pm

EVERLASTING MOMENTS (15)

Everlasting MomentsA Swedish period drama presenting turn of the century working class life directed by Jan Troell, in which Maja Heiskanen relates the true story of her mother Maria, who finds consolation from an abusive marriage through photography. 'A study of early 20th-century working-class life in Malmö from a veteran of the Bergman era is a masterpiece with a towering central performance', (Philip French, 'The Observer')

Sweden (subtitled), 2009, 110 mins

Reviews:    :: The Observer :: The Guardian :: The Times ::

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