Lent 2006
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Something bunny is going on in this feature-length tale of buck-toothed vegetable mutilation. Everyone's favourite cheese-loving
inventor returns with his formidable canine sidekick, and while our
heroes struggle with their humane pest-control invention, the sinister
Victor Quartermaine has altogether more violent plans. As always, Nick
Park's loveable duo take us on a ride of unimaginable daring and
boundless laughter.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 22nd January
2005, 85mins, UK
A Clockwork Orange
In a futuristic Britain, Alex (Malcolm MacDowell) is one of a gang of
young men who roam the streets, casually inflicting brutal violence on
whomever they please. Caught by the police, he opts for "aversion
therapy" instead of prison, but this soon proves to be no easy way out.
Based on Anthony Burgess's novel, Stanley Kubrick's controversial film
remains an intensely disturbing reflection on human nature.
10pm, Thursday 26th January
1971, 136mins, UK
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen's classic story of romance and social politics in Georgian
England is superbly adapted to the big screen in this fluent new
production. An exceptional cast is headed by Keira Knightley as Lizzie Bennet and Matthew MacFadyen as the dashing but seemingly snobbish Mr Darcy. An unmissable treat.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 29th January
2005, 127mins, UK
The Cider House Rules
Homer grows up in Dr Larch's rural orphanage in wartime Maine, learning
the skills of medicine and, notably, abortion. Striking up with a
visiting couple headed for an apple farm, he begins a stirring journey
of self-discovery. Beautifully shot, with stunning performances from
Tobey Maguire and Michael Caine, this Oscar-winning adaptation of John
Irving's novel truly comes alive on the big screen.
10pm, Thursday 2nd February
1999, 126mins, USA
The Constant Gardener
Ralph Fiennes plays the mild-mannered husband of a civil rights
activist brutally murdered in Kenya. Determined to uncover the truth
behind the life and death of his wife, he travels continents into the
midst of a conspiracy far deeper than anyone imagined. The startling
immediacy of Fernando Meirelles's direction, combined with Fiennes's
haunting performance, made this one of the highlights of 2005.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 5th February
2005, 129mins, UK
King Kong
In Merian C. Cooper's original fantasy masterpiece, an expedition to
capture a giant ape from a remote and mysterious island goes awry when
natives capture a beautiful actress travelling with the party. With
faultless pacing and direction, the film to which every modern fantasy
spectacle owes an immensurable debt still makes for a fearsomely
thrilling ride to this day.
10pm, Thursday 9th February
1933, 100mins, USA
Disparate lives are unexpectedly thrown together during two
eventful days in Los Angeles. Cutting across the city's spectrum of
racial and economic backgrounds, Paul Haggis's film is a
thought-provoking look at crime, racism and civil politics in the modern
USA. Sharp scripting and outstanding performances from Sandra Bullock,
Matt Dillon and Don Cheadle create an intense yet ultimately uplifting
film.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 12th February
2004, 113mins, USA/Germany
The African Queen
Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn star in this classic story of
wartime adventure. In Africa during the First World War, a hard-drinking
steamboat captain and a missionary priest's sister are thrown together
against the Germans on an unlikely escape mission which develops into
one of film's most memorable romances. Coupling humour with daring
adventure, this is a timeless and hugely enjoyable spectacle.
10pm, Thursday 16th February
1951, 105mins, UK/USA
Napolean Dynamite
In one of the most highly-regarded comedies of recent years, Napoleon Dynamite
is a nerdy, friendless high-schooler. When new arrival Pedro runs for school
President, Napoleon attempts to swing the student electorate in his new
friend's favour. A host of characters you're sure to recognise come together
in a hilarious film which is clever, absurd and wickedly
observational.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 19th February
2004, 82mins, USA
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Richard O'Brien's legendary Transylvanian musical returns
to Christ's Films for another year. Led by Tim Curry's outrageously camp theatrics, this unforgettable feast of fantasy, cross-dressing and glam sensuality is always frighteningly enjoyable. So let's do the Time Warp again! Audience participation strongly encouraged.
10pm, Thursday 23rd February
1975, 100mins, UK/USA
Kinky Boots
When the reluctant Charlie inherits his late father's troubled shoe
factory, things are looking bleak... until a chance meeting with a
transvestite named Lola reveals some unexplored avenues. This endearing
against-the-odds struggle is both warm and engaging, abounding in
charming British humour. Featuring a wonderfully charismatic performance
from Chiwetel Ejiofor, this is a comedic gem with all-round appeal.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 26th February
2005, 107mins, UK
Rope
Hitchcock's first colour film is an often-overlooked great. Two young
New York men set about demonstrating their intellectual superiority by
murdering a friend and hosting a dinner party over the chest containing
his body. As one of the pair becomes increasingly reckless, one of the
guests begins to suspect. Consisting of only nine takes, Rope is a
fascinating and unforgettably tense piece of cinema.
10pm, Thursday 2nd March
1948, 80mins, USA
The Pianist
Following the German invasion, a renowned Jewish pianist of 1930s Poland
sees his family deported to the Nazi death camps. Sent to a labour camp,
he escapes into the Warsaw ghetto and begins a remarkable struggle for
survival in the bleakest of environments. Roman Polanski paints an
unflinching portrait of the Holocaust, aided by a deeply poignant
soundtrack and Adrien Brody's superb performance.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 5th March
2002, 150mins, France/Germany/UK/Poland
Dr Strangelove
Peter Sellers is unforgettable in Kubrick's delightfully impetuous Cold
War satire. The insane General Jack T. Ripper, convinced of a Communist
plot to pollute American bodily fluids, launches an attack on the USSR
which only three men can prevent from causing nuclear holocaust. All three
are played by Sellers, including the semi-robotic former Nazi genius Dr
Strangelove, placing the film among cinema's all-time finest
comedies.
10pm, Thursday 9th March
1964, 93mins, USA
Broken Flowers
Ageing bachelor Don (Bill Murray) receives a mysterious letter from a
former lover, claiming that an unbeknown 19-year-old son is looking for
him. Don eventually sets out to unravel the mystery, rediscovering old
flames and re-evaluating his past in the process. Jim Jarmusch's film is
a characteristically funny, simple yet eloquent reflection on modern
life, winning the Grand Jury prize at Cannes in 2005.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 12th March
2005, 106mins, USA/France
