Having opened with three guaranteed corkers, we hit our 2024 stride this week with three films that are must-see yet could easily escape your attention if No.6 weren’t here to show them. Actually, Godzilla Minus One is pretty blockbuster-ish, yet we still feel Japanese monster movies are a niche taste, albeit one well worth acquiring. On a smaller scale, Jules and Femme (that’s five one-word titles in our first six films, keeps the typing down!) explore two of our favourite genres - quirky but charming American Independent cinema and dark, intense British thriller respectively. And let us not forget a matinee second showing for Wonka for those who missed it the first time round and for those who can’t get enough of the chocolatey one.
Wonka
Thursday 11th January at 4.15pm
A second chance to see Paul King’s prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with Timothee Chalamet as the eponymous and youthful chocolatier, in this matinee showing. Wonka brings us Willy’s ‘origin’ story as he takes on the evil chocolate cartel. With sterling support from Olivia Colman and Hugh Grant, this is a delightful fantasy not to be missed.
Jules
Thursday 11th January at 7pm
If you’re making a small scale, charming and funny American independent sci-fi comedy about an old man whose routine life is disrupted by the landing of a UFO in his back garden, who would you get to star? Why, Ben Kingsley, obviously! Jules is a witty and poignant variation on the ET idea of using an other-worldly visitor to reflect human themes of discrimination, tolerance and redemption. Backed up by a superb ensemble cast, and adeptly directed by Mark Turtletaub, it is Kingsley’s unfolding relationship with the alien Jules that compels the attention in this brilliantly understated film.
Godzilla Minus One
Friday 12th January at 7pm
No wonder Oppenheimer felt guilty! Godzilla Minus One Writer-Director Takashi Yamazaki doesn’t shy away from portraying the Japanese perspective on nuclear holocaust and has stated that his film sets out to explore themes of anti-war, hope and fear. If that sounds quite heavy, we should also make clear that Godzilla Minus One is a wild adventure with the most spectacular visual effects Japanese technology can supply. The Minus One' refers to the film being set in the late 1940s, a kind of prequel to the original 1954 movie and it’s the 37th Godzilla film to be produced! Kaiju cinema (look it up) on a gargantuan scale.
Femme
Saturday 13 th January at 7pm
Our second Jules this week, this time the lead character in Femme, played by Nathan Stewart-Jarrett. A tense British thriller directed by Sam H Freeman and Ng Choon Ping, and a feature-length debut expanding their acclaimed short film of the same name. Jules is a well-liked drag artist who has been the victim of a horrific homophobic assault, and sometime later, he encounters one of his attackers (George MacKay) in a gay sauna. What ensues provides a novel twist on film noir tropes of revenge and subterfuge and, with a 97% Rotten Tomatoes rating, is one of the most compelling psychodramas of recent years.
Up Next Week:
Napoleon(matinee - starting 4.15pm sharp), Fallen Leaves, A Matter of Life and Death, Eileen.
Coming Soon:
In the autumn we canvassed No.6 supporters to find out which Powell and Pressburger films they’d like to see on the big screen. To no one’s surprise there were two clear favourites, and it was great to be able to show The Red Shoes in all its glory just before Christmas. On Friday 19th January, we’ll be screening the other choice, A Matter of Life and Death, to inaugurate our No.6’s Greatest Films Of All Time series. We’ll be exploring Sight & Sound’s ten-yearly survey of the 100 greatest films and presenting our favourites. Where better to start than with David Niven as the aviator who discovers a bustle in his hedgerow and ends up buying…well, you know the rest. Join us every month for this great new series.