Programme Summary 2013-14

16/09/2013    Quartet
12A  98mins Comedy/Drama 2012
Director : Dustin Hoffman
Starring: Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins

A home for retired concert musicians is putting on an end of year fundraising concert to enable the home to remain open. Enter Jean ( Maggie Smith) as the elderly diva  and ex-wife of Reginald (Tom Courtenay). She is guaranteed to stir up many emotions among the residents , including drama and romance. Elderly lothario Wilf ( Billy Connolly) is in sparkling form with his witty banter.
An excellent directorial debut from Dustin Hoffman.

23/09/2013   Amour
12A  127mins Drama French with subtitles 2012
Director: Michael Haneke
Starring: Emmanuelle Riva, Jean-Louis Trintignant

A love story with a difference. It explores the events impacting on an octogenarian couple’s life after one catastrophic event. Anne (Riva) suffers a stroke , which tests the love of her beloved husband and daughter as her physical and mental health declines.

27/09/2013  Thelma and Louise
15  130 mins Drama 1991
Director :Ridley Scott
Starring: Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis

The classic road movie in which the buddies are women. They decide to escape from their stifling, repressed home lives for a weekend trip to the mountains. The innocent trip turns into a nightmare when Louise kills a man who threatens to rape Thelma. Hotly pursued by the US police , their flight takes them towards Mexico.

07/10/2013  Lawless
18  116 mins  Crime/Drama  2012
Director : John Hilcoat
Starring: Shia Laboeuf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke

Based on the true story of the Bondurant brothers, who set up an illegal distillery and bootlegging business in Virginia in 1931.Unscrupulous authority figures are unsuccessful in securing a cut in their profits, so try to track down and destroy the distillery. When the law becomes corrupt , “outlaws become heroes “.

14/10/2013 Side-Effects
106mins Crime/thriller 2013
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law

In New York, the insider trader Martin Taylor is released after serving four years in prison. Initially, his wife appears to be happy to be reunited with her husband, but soon she becomes mentally unbalanced and attempts suicide. Her psychiatrist prescribes a new medication, which causes her to sleep-walk as a side-effect. In a somnambulant state, she stabs her husband to death and is committed to a mental health institution.The psychiatrist is blamed, and he is desperate to clear his name and find out the truth behind this tragedy.

04/11/2013  Star Trek into Darkness
12A 132 mins Adventure/Sci/Fi 2013
Director: JJ Abrams
Starring: Chris Pine,Zachary Quinto,Simon Pegg

Another treat for “Trekkies”. A terrorist from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and left the world in crisis. Young Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise embark on the dangerous mission to capture the deadly terrorist.

18/11/2013  The Hunt
15 2012 Danish with subtitles
Director :Thomas Vinterberg
Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen

Primary school teacher Lucas (Mikkelsen) is wrongly accused of sexually abusing a child. He is ostracised by the tight-knit community, suffering personal and professional damage. The film illustrates dramatically how a little lie can escalate and destroy an innocent man.

02/12/2013  Les Miserables
12A  158 mins Musical/drama  2012
Director: Tom Hooper
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe

Based on the novel by Victor Hugo , the story is set in post-revolutionary France. Jean Valjean breaks parole to begin a new life, but is relentlessly pursued by the ruthless Inspector Javert. The pursuit continues for several tumultuous years in French history , stretching the limits of human endurance. The dialogue is sung live and has show-stopping performances from the lead actors , worthy of the 3 Oscars it won in 2012.

13/01/2014  Argo
15  120 mins. Drama 2012
Director: Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston

Based on the true story of the invasion of the American Embassy in Tehran in 1979. Several Americans were held hostage , but 6 managed to escape to the residence of the Canadian Ambassador. The CIA took a gamble on an outrageous plan to rescue them , and smuggled them out under the pretence of being part of  a phony Canadian film project.
Worthy winner of 3 Oscars , including Best Film , and BAFTA for Best Picture.

27/01/2014  Olympus has Fallen
15  120mins. Action/Thriller  2013
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman

The US President is held hostage after the White House ( code name “Olympus”) has been captured by terrorists. Disgraced former Presidential Guard Mike Banning ( Butler) is trapped in the building . He uses his insider knowledge to work with national security to redeem himself and save the President and avert disaster .

10/02/2014  Django Unchained
18  165mins. Western 2012
Director : Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Leonardo di Caprio, Christopher Waltz

Set in 1858, former slave Django is trained by Dr Schultz as his deputy bounty hunter. He promises to help rescue Django’s wife from the ruthless plantation owner, Calvin Candie.
Classic Tarantino- expect some humour with violence and buckets of gore.

24/02/2014  Untouchable ( French with subtitles)
15  112 mins.  Comedy 2011
Director :Oliver Nakache /Eric Toledanc
Starring: Francois Cluzet, Omar Sy

Based on a true story, Philippe is  quadriplegic millionaire living in Paris. His businesslike interviewing of candidates for the position of carer is hijacked by Driss . He is a black immigrant living in a poor neighbourhood but he is lively and unconventional and Philippe decides to give him a trial as his carer. Their relationship blossoms into a unique friendship, and their story guarantees lots of tears - of laughter as well as sadness.

10/03/2014  Silver Linings Playbook
15  122mins.  Romance/comedy 2012
Director : David O. Russell
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert de Niro

Pat Solitano ( Cooper) has lost his house, his job and his wife.He moves back in with his parents after a spell in psychiatric care and is determined to rebuild his life. He meets the mysterious Tiffany and things become complicated. She promises to help him reconnect with his wife if he will do something important for him in return.

24/03/2014  “42 “
12A  128 mins. Biography/Drama/Sport 2013
Director : Brian Helgeland
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Behare

The true story of Jackie Robinson, the first black Major League baseball player. It is 1946 , and Branch Rickey, a baseball executive, makes a brave move to cross the racial barrier and signs the talented Robinson to the all-white Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson and his family have to endure racism both on and off the pitch, but finds support from unexpected sources.

03/04/2014  Sightseers
15  88 mins. Dark comedy 2012
Director : Ben Wheatley
Starring: Alive Lowe , Eileen Davies, Steve Oram

The storyline seems innocent enough - a frumpy couple go on a caravanning holiday to Yorkshire. They experience people and problems that crop up on such trips, and deal with them in most unconventional ways. The couple are actually a pair of psychopathic killers and the humour is very dark .

Films are shown in Linlithgow Academy Theatre at 7.45pm.

Guest Tickets for any performance are available at the Door
Price Adults £3.00 Concessions £2.00

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