This week we’re presenting about as diverse a trio of movies as could be imagined. For those unfortunate enough to remember the yuppie era, Scorsese’s After Hours reminds you just how good it felt when the greed merchants got theirs at the hands of a bunch of complete weirdos. Meanwhile, The Teacher’s Lounge dissects the smallest of tales to lay bare the inner workings of the society we live in today. And finally, Civil War sounds a dire warning for where our current malaise may lead if we don’t find the requisite humanity to make it otherwise. That’s pretty hefty stuff for one weekend’s viewing, and all definitely worth your time.
But we’ve saved the biggest and best news for last - we’re now opening the bar 15 minutes earlier! So…here is this week’s timetable, bar opens at 6.0 (that’s 6pm) for the 7pm screenings.
The Teachers' Lounge
Thursday 23rd May at 7pm
The Teachers' Lounge may sound like a posh term for what we used to call ‘the staff room’, that hidden den wafting the aroma of Nescafe into the school corridor, but the mundane setting and simple tale of discovering who is nicking stuff from the aforesaid room belies the complexities involved in this superb German drama. Ilker Catak directed and co-wrote (with Johannes Duncker) this small scale plot that conjures up larger questions about our society, how communities work, diversity, identity and the difficulties of communication in the modern world. With 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Teacher’s Lounge is an unexpected delight.
Cult Classic: After Hours
Friday 24th May at 7pm
That a Martin a Scorsese film is a Cult Classic may seem a contradiction in terms but his 1985 black comedy, After Hours, definitely qualifies. Griffin Dunne is brilliant as the data entry worker just trying to get home after a hard days work, only to find himself caught in an escalating series of misadventures. This is classic episodic comedy, adapted to the times to produce what was known as the ‘yuppie nightmare’ sub genre. The bizarre cast Dunne meets along the way are a who’s who of American character actors: Rosanna Arquette, John Heard, Linda Fiorentino, Teri Garr and more. Underrated and terrific, the very definition of cult.
Civil War
Saturday 25th May at 7pm
Written and directed by Alex Garland, Civil War is a dystopian thriller, of the ‘alternative present’ type, that deals with an American civil war between the Federal government and a number of regions. Big on spectacle - initial promotion comprised CGI images of five US cities in post-apocalyptic decay, while huge extended battle scenes predominate. Nevertheless, the performance of Kirsten Dunst as a photojournalist has won praise for capturing the feelings we might all experience as democracy collapses (not least with the prospect of a second term of the Orange One looming). A cautionary tale writ large, Civil War is scary stuff.
Up Next Week:
Back to Black (matinee), There’s Still Tomorrow, University of Portsmouth Graduate Film Screening, A Year In Film - No.6 Cinema Fundraising Quiz
Quiz teaser for this week:
Get your tickets now for our Year In Film Fundraising Quiz on Saturday 1st June - test your knowledge, have a drink at the bar and enjoy some great company. Films we showed in May include: Batman (Adam West version), The Lavender Hill Mob, Back to Black and Easy Rider, in addition to the three showing this week.
And if you haven’t booked your place yet, £15 per person or £25 for a two person ticket, glass of wine and nibbles included, get your tickets here.
