Here’s the latest instalment of our new fortnightly feature, where we hand-pick a selection of films showing at our only cinema, Vue Altrincham.
Film fan Mark Rocks takes you through them…
For full showing times and to secure your tickets, visit: https://www.myvue.com/cinema/altrincham
Out This Week
Collateral Beauty (12A)
Big heartfelt Hollywood dramas always enjoy getting a little bit teary-eyed with heartfelt concepts such as love, time and death. Well here’s hoping someone bought you tissues for your Secret Santa gift because Will Smith stars in Collateral Beauty, a film which deals with all three of these concepts in an incredibly literal sense.
Big Willie takes off the Deadshot mask to practice his Oscar speeches again as he plays a New York ad executive who becomes a recluse following a great tragedy in his life. Whilst friends do their best to reconnect, he seeks answers elsewhere by writing letters addressed to Love, Time & Death. Not usually ones to write back, he begins to discuss with these physical manifestations to unravel a deeper meaning to hid life. An all-star cast for an end of year tearjerker from the director of The Devil Wears Prada.
Out Next Week
A Monster Calls (12A)
Kicking off the year with its New Year’s Day release, A Monster Calls is a darkly creative kid-centric fantasy tale which is already being praised highly by critics. From the director of haunting Spanish tale The Orphanage and powerful true story The Impossible, J A Bayona, this tale tells of Conor, a young boy who is dealing with a whole lotta misery, especially with his ill mother (Rogue One’s Felicity Jones).
However, an unlikely ally begins to help Conor on a journey of courage, faith and truth throughout these tough times. Oh and did I mention, this ally is a tall, ancient monster voiced by Liam Neeson. This looks to be a magical but stirring adventure that looks like a cross between Guillermo Del Toro’s earlier fairy-tale work and animated movie The Iron Giant. Certainly an excuse to call into the cinema once the NYE festivities have died down at least.
Last Chance to See
Sully: Miracle on the Hudson (12A)
There are very few things as comforting as watching Tom Hanks on the silver screen. Whether he’s voicing your favourite animated characters, stealing the show in a classic family movie or trapped on a deserted island, he’s one of the few actors in Hollywood who can still draw a huge audience from his name alone.
That’s why Sully: Miracle on the Hudson is such a no-brainer: pairing Tom Hanks with Oscar-winning director Clint Eastwood to tell the story of US Airlines pilot Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger, who saved all of his passengers when he was forced to make an emergency landing on the Hudson river in 2009. It’s got all the hallmarks of an Eastwood epic, with fully-fleshed characters, high tension and dramatic monologues in abundance. Sully doesn’t reinvent the wheel by any means, but if you want to be entertained by an actor and director at the very top of their game then this is the film for you.
Family Favourite
Ballerina (U)
For the last couple of years, Disney and Pixar have really had a hold over all the animated movies released on the big screen. That’s why it’s quite refreshing to see Ballerina, a French-Canadian production, pirouette its way into cinemas this week.
Following the adventures of Felicie, a French orphan who dreams of pursuing her talents as a ballerina to a better life for her and her friend Victor, this charming animation has some truly breath-taking visuals. The film’s message never strays too far from ‘believe in yourself and anything is possible’, but it’s a timeless one nonetheless. Kids are bound to fall for Felicie as easily as they have for any of the other big budget blockbusters released this year.
Coming Soon
Monster Trucks (tbc)
I’m just going to lay it out straight for you guys. This is a movie about monsters. Monsters which live inside trucks. Monster. Truck. Get it?
Personally, I think that’s enough to convince everyone in the world to go see this movie but just in case you’d like a little bit more information, I’ll give a bit of context. Tripp, a typically discontent American teen, takes to creating his very own monster truck from a number of random parts one summer. But once a mysterious radioactive leak happens at a nearby power plant, his truck literally turns into a monster, taking Tripp and his would-be girlfriend Meredith (rising star Jane Levy) on some ridiculous adventures, giving his life much more excitement than he could’ve hoped for.
No Oscar predictions for this one, but it’s got some great actors in it (Rob Lowe has a turn, for any of the mums out there needing a bit of convincing to see it) and should easily keep the kids entertained over the winter break.
For full showing times and to secure your tickets, visit: https://www.myvue.com/cinema/altrincham
