The countdown to Christmas has begun and in this feature, we continue to bring you news of all the latest films, special screenings, and student-friendly deals that Harbour Lights has to offer. This week, a number of acclaimed dramas are lighting up the screens.
Nocturnal Animals (15)
Tom Ford’s latest film, Nocturnal Animals, is this week’s leading film. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams, the film follows an LA gallery owner who unexpectedly receives a manuscript from her unsuccessful novelist ex-husband and reads it while her current husband is away on an adulterous weekend. The novel then becomes a film within a film, in which the novelist goes on a road trip with his family and is menaced by a redneck gang. Also starring Isla Fisher, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ellie Bamber, this is a picturesque thrill-ride that you have to see.
I, Daniel Blake (15)
Ken Loach’s latest film, I, Daniel Blake, is still showing this week. The winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the film follows Daniel (Dave Johns), a friendly 59-year-old joiner who is unable to work due to bad health. However when the Department of Work and Pensions overrides the doctor’s report and refuses to award him benefits, Daniel is forced to look for a job even though, on doctor’s orders, he cannot accept any work. Highlighting the bleak prospects of Britain’s current welfare system, whilst also providing glimpses of humour and hope, this is a must-watch.
The Light Between Oceans (12A)
Derek Cianfrance’s latest drama, The Light Between Oceans, is still screening this week. Starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, the film follows a lightkeeper and his wife who, after years of struggling to conceive, find and adopt a baby that they find in a lifeboat lost at sea. Based on the novel of the same name by M.L. Stedman, this is a deeply affecting film and a must-watch for fans of romantic period dramas. Read our review and our coverage of the film’s press conference here.
Ethel & Ernest (PG)
If deeply emotive, hand-drawn animations are your cup of tea, you’ll love Ethel & Ernest – Roger Mainwood’s new film based on the graphic novel by Raymond Briggs (the author of The Snowman). Featuring Briggs’ distinct illustration style, the film tells the story of how his parents met and fell in love. As Ethel & Ernest settle down and start their family, they are also forced to deal with the hardships of war. This entrancing animation features the vocal talents of Jim Broadbent, Brenda Blethyn and Luke Treadaway.
Black (18)
This week’s Discover Tuesday is Bilall Farrah’s 2015 drama, Black. Echoing Romeo And Juliet and West Side Story, the film is set in the ganglands of Brussels. and follows Marwan, the reluctant leader of a clan known as the 1080s.
Marwan falls for 15-year-old Mavela, a neophyte member of the rival, extremely vicious Black Bronx clan. But with his brother gone, Marwan has little understanding of the deadly consequences. Mavela herself is less a criminal than a rebel, but she is locked into a brutally upheld regime, and soon discovers the dangers.
Sister Act (PG)
As part of their BFI Black Star season, Harbour Lights are screening Emile Ardolino’s brilliantly funny 1992 comedy, Sister Act. Starring Whoopi Goldberg, the film follows a wisecracking lounge singer who witnesses a murder and is later put into witness protection… in a convent.
Student tickets range from £7.00 – £9.50. For more information, visit the Harbour Lights website or call the Box Office on 0871 902 5733.
