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CAROL Love is larger than life in Carol, Todd Haynes’ masterful poetic ode to passion, a sumptuous adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s seminal novel The Price of Salt, following two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. Carol poignantly reveals how dangerous it can be to love for real and break the moral code.Love is splendid and beautiful and deserves to be celebrated with honour and dignity, no matter how impossible the quest.Haynes’ lingering haunting images beautifully captures the essence of true love, with Rooney Mara absolutely radiant in her heartfelt performance as the beguiling 20-year-old Therese Belivet, a clerk working in a Manhattan department store and dreaming of a more fulfilling life when she meets Carol (a mesmerising Cate Blanchett), an alluring woman trapped in a loveless, convenient marriage. As an immediate connection sparks between them, the innocence of their first encounter dims and their connection deepens. While Carol breaks free from the confines of marriage, her husband (Kyle Chandler) begins to question her competence as a mother as her involvement with Therese and close relationship with her best friend Abby (Sarah Paulson) come to light. Carol is directed by Todd Haynes and written by Phyllis Nagy with moving performances from Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler, Jake Lacy and Cory Michael Smith.
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MURDER OF A CAT Here’s a murder mystery you will never forget! When Clinton (Fran Kranz) finds his beloved cat dead in front of his house he sets out to find the murderer, even though everybody else could care less. His investigation leads to Greta (Nikki Reed), a woman whose cat was also killed, because they’ve been sharing the same cat. Finding out that his cat was living a double life is only the first sign of trouble for Clinton, as his search for his cat’s killer reveals a massive crime ring operating out of the local megastore.
Fran Kranz is great as Clinton, the immature adult who hates the local megastore owner Ford (Greg Kinnear) because he blames him for the loss of his comic book store. When his cat winds up killed by a bolt from a crossbow, he heads to the store to find out who bought a crossbow in their town. Equally wonderful is J.K. Simmons as the local Sheriff, and the one person who tries to help Clinton and Greta, even though he’s not really interested in anything that they’re doing. Murder of a Cat is solid work from first time feature director Gillian Greene and writers Christian Magalhaes and Robert Snow. Watch the trailer.
THE LADY IN THE VAN Starring the legendary Maggie Smith, The Lady In The Van is based on Alan Bennett’s autobiographical play of the same name. It tells the true story of his strained friendship with the singular Miss Mary Shepherd (Maggie Smith), a dotty and stubborn former nun, and now a transient woman of uncertain origins living in her car. They form an unexpected bond after Shepherd ‘temporarily’ parks her van in Bennett’s London driveway and proceeds to live there for 15 years. Alex Jennings is equally brilliant as playwright Alan Bennett.
THE HATEFUL EIGHT Quentin Tarantino’s eighth film, The Hateful Eight is set post- Civil War; and starts with a stagecoach hurtling through a Blizzard in Wyoming. Bounty hunter John Ruth and his fugitive captive Daisy Domergue race towards the town of Red Rock, where Ruth will bring Daisy to justice. Along the road, they encounter Major Marquis Warren (an infamous bounty hunter) and Chris Mannix (a man who claims to be Red Rock’s new sheriff). Lost in a blizzard, they seek refuge at Minnie’s Haberdashery. When they arrive they are greeted by unfamiliar faces: Bob, who claims to be taking care of the place while Minnie is gone; Oswaldo Mobray, the hangman of Red Rock; Joe Gage, a cow puncher; and confederate general Sanford Smithers. As the storm overtakes the mountainside, the eight travellers come to learn that they might not make it to Red Rock after all… Age restriction: 18 LPV
THE LOFT Erik Van Looy updates his own Belgian thriller The Loft and gives us a captivating Hitchcockian thriller that will keep you glued to your seat. For five men (Karl Urban, James Marsden, Wentworth Miller, Eric Stonestreet, Matthias Schoenaerts), the opportunity to share a penthouse in the city — in which to carry on extramarital affairs — is a dream come true, until the dead body of an unknown woman turns up. When they discover the body of a beautiful woman dead and cuffed on the bed in the loft, they have a mystery on their hands to find out who is the responsible.Realizing that her killer must be one of their group, the men are gripped by paranoia as each one suspects another. Friendships are tested, loyalties are questioned, and marriages crumble while fear and suspicion run rampant. Age restriction: 16 DLSV
CONCUSSION While conducting an autopsy on former NFL football player Mike Webster (David Morse), forensic pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) discovers neurological deterioration that is similar to Alzheimer’s disease. Omalu names the disorder chronic traumatic encephalopathy and publishes his findings in a medical journal. As other athletes face the same diagnosis, the crusading doctor embarks on a mission to raise public awareness about the dangers of football-related head trauma.Inspired by true life events, Concussion tells a compelling story about Omalu’s race against time to publicize CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a football-related brain trauma. Omalu’s emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful institutions in the world. Age restriction: 7-9 LPG
THE GIFT The Gift is a heart-stopping, thought-provoking psychological thriller from producers Jason Blum and Rebecca Yeldham and actor, writer, producer and first-time director Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby, Zero Dark Thirty, Warrior), that asks the question: What if someone you wronged long ago reemerged in your life through a chance encounter?When married couple Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) unexpectedly encounter Gordo (Joel Edgerton), an acquaintance from Simon’s past, little do they know that their perfect lives will be thrown into a terrifying tailspin. At first, Simon doesn’t recognize Gordo, but after a troubling series of uninvited encounters and mysterious gifts, a horrifying secret emerges. As Robyn learns what really happened between Simon and Gordo, she begins to question how well she knows her spouse.
BEFORE WE GO A chance encounter between two strangers (Chris Evans, Alice Eve) in Grand Central Terminal sparks a life-changing, nighttime sojourn through New York City. Starring Chris Evans, Before We Go, tells the story of a woman who misses the 1:30 train from New York to Boston and the street musician who spends the night trying to help her make it home before her husband does. Throughout the night they learn about one another and even find romance.
THE NIGHT BEFORE As their annual reunion tradition comes to an end, three lifelong friends (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie) plan a night of debauchery and hilarity by searching for the Nutcracka Ball, the Holy Grail of Christmas parties in New York.For the last 10 years, lifelong buddies Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (Seth Rogen) and Chris (Anthony Mackie) have gathered on Christmas Eve to celebrate the holidays with a bang. As Isaac prepares to become a first-time father, the friends realize that their annual tradition is coming to a sad end. To make it as memorable as possible, they plan a night of debauchery and hilarity by searching for the Nutcracka Ball, the Holy Grail of Christmas parties in New York. Read more. Age restriction: 16 DLN
SINISTER 2 Following the events from the first film, a different family; a mother and her 2 sons move into a rural house that’s marked for death. When the deputy from the first film learns that this family is next in line to fall to the demon Bhughul, he races before time to stop it and save them from the same fate.Hiding from her abusive, estranged husband, Courtney Collins lives in a rural house with her 9-year-old twins, Dylan and Zach. Young Dylan receives nightly visits from ghoulish kids who show him disturbing images of families being slaughtered. It’s all part of the grand plan of Bughuul, the evil spirit who recruits innocent children to murder their loved ones. The only hope for his intended new victims may be a former deputy who’s familiar with Bughuul’s fiendish work from the past. Age restriction: 16 HLV
SECRET IN THEIR EYES Rising FBI investigators Ray (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Jess (Julia Roberts), along with Claire (Nicole Kidman), their district-attorney supervisor, are suddenly torn apart following the brutal murder of Jess’ teenage daughter. Thirteen years later, after obsessively searching for the elusive killer, Ray uncovers a new lead that he is certain can permanently resolve the case and bring long-desired closure to the team. But no one is prepared for the shocking and unspeakable secret that follows.