MR. HOLMES “One shouldn’t leave this life without a sense of completion,” declares 93-year-old Sherlock Holmes in the absolutely superb Mr.Holmes, a new twist on the world’s most famous detective that is definitely one of the top films of the year. Adapted with verve and vivacity from Mitch Cullin’s novel A Slight Trick of the Mind, this tale of a man in search of his memory gloriously re-unites Ian McKellen with director Bill Condon after their collaboration on the Academy Award-winning Gods and Monsters. McKellen is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors of our time, delivering an endearing and heartfelt performance as Mr. Holmes, perfectly capturing the story of a man who embraces his solitude and firmly believes that fiction is nonsense and that fact is logical. Mr Holmes is set in 1947, following the long-retired Sherlock Holmes living in a Sussex with his housekeeper and rising detective son. Holmes is haunted by a 30-year old case which remains unsolved but with a memory that isn’t what it once was, he can only remember fragments of the case: a confrontation with an angry husband, and a secret bond with his beautiful but unstable wife.
BLACK SEA The gripping deep-sea thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last moment. Nothing beats setting a story in the claustrophobic confines of a submarine, especially if it’s loaded with testosterone ready to explode! It’s one of those marvellous mystery thrillers where you plummet into the darkness of human despair, where flawed characters are pitted against each other and there’s a relentless killer with a taste for blood. If you’re claustrophobic beware, there are moments in Black Sea that you will stop breathing and be swallowed by the suspense. It is also a great human drama with rich characters brought to life by an extraordinary cast. Jude Law is in top form as a working-class ex-Navy man who pulls together a misfit crew to brave the deep and go after a sunken treasure in a German U-boat full of WWII sitting on a bed in the Georgian depths of the Black Sea. It vividly explodes with emotional action under the skilful direction of director Kevin Macdonald, who gave us the Oscar-winning One Day in September, The Last King of Scotland and Touching the Void.
BOYCHOIR A moving drama which tells the story of a troubled young orphan, called Stet, who ends up at a Boy Choir school after the death of his mother. Out of his element, he soon finds himself in a battle of wills against his demanding Choir master, played by Dustin Hoffman. His new teacher recognises his unique talent and pushes him to discover his heart and soul through music. This delightful movie also Kathy Bates and Josh Lucas.
JENNIFER LOPEZ: DANCE AGAIN This documentary offers rare insight into the world of Jennifer Lopez, one of the world’s most well-known entertainers. This documentary combines high-energy performances with a candid look at the demands of balancing her personal and professional life over a defining six-month period. Featuring behind-the-scenes moments capturing the challenges of her first world tour with her two young children, parents and closest friends in tow. Lopez kicked off her tour in South America, and completed the tour in Puerto Rico, the same venue where she held her first concert 11 years earlier.
SELF/ LESS An extremely wealthy man, dying from cancer, undergoes an experimental medical procedure which transfers his consciousness into the body of a healthy young man. Not all is not as it seems when he starts to uncover the mystery of the body’s origin and the organisation that will kill to protect its cause. Starring Ryan Reynolds and Ben Kingsley.
AMY A documentary telling the incredible story of six-time Grammy-winner Amy Winehouse – in her own words. With extensive unseen archive footage, this moving film shines a light on the once-in-a-generation talent. Amy Winehouse instantly captured the world’s attention, and was a pure jazz artist in the most authentic sense and a talent who wrote and sang from the heart, using her musical gifts to analyse her own problems. This biopic’s combination of the raw honesty and incredible talent is unmissable!
RICKY AND THE FLASH Three-time Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep goes electric and takes on a whole new persona in this movie about a hard-rocking singer/guitarist called Ricki. This uplifting comedy- drama sees Streep in the starring role as a guitar heroine who gave up her family in her pursuit of rock-and-roll stardom. Upon hearing of a crisis in her daughter’s life, she returns home to make amends. Streep starts opposite her real-life daughter Mamie Gummer, and Kevin Kline.
LILA AND EVE A female vigilante thriller that’s skilfully elevated by the performances of leads Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez. After the senseless murder of her son (Aml Ameen), a grief-stricken mother (Davis) joins forces with another woman (Lopez) for vigilante justice.