This Week’s Cinema Round-Up

Cinema roundup Oct 31

What better way to spend Halloween night than at the movies?

Tonight, the LightHouse cinema will transform into Franken-House with a night of Frankenstein movies. The evening kicks off with a choice of either a recorded showing of Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein stage production, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the iconic creature, or Mel Brooks’ comedy classic Young Frankenstein. Later there’s a double bill of the classic 1930s Frankenstein and its superior sequel The Bride of Frankenstein.

If you prefer more modern horror, Cineworld has a screening of the seminal eighties classic A Nightmare on Elm Street.

On Friday, the LightHouse keeps the frights coming with a late night double bill of seventies horror: the brilliantly demented Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the little seen Tourist Trap.

Friday sees the release of two films I highly recommend. Philomena is based on the true story of Philomena Lee (Judi Dench), an Irish woman living in London who, for over fifty years, kept secret the fact that her son had been taken from her by nuns and sold to an unknown American couple. When a journalist (Steve Coogan) hears her story, he accompanies Philomena to the US in search of answers. Dench is incredible in the role, delivering arguably the best Irish accent ever attempted by a foreign actor.

Drinking Buddies is a great little drama about two co-workers at a Chicago brewery who are perfect for each other. Trouble is, they’re both in relationships. The film avoids the usual sentimental clichés of the rom-com genre, dealing with the situation in a genuine and relatable manner. Olivia Wilde shows she’s more than just a pretty face in her first substantial role.

Also released this week is Thor: The Dark World, a mediocre superhero movie that may appease diehard comic book fans but left this writer bored witless.

Picture caption: Judi Dench and Steve Coogan in Philomena
By Eric Hillis