Lent 2007

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Borat is a Kazahkstani TV reporter, dispatched to the US to report on the world's richest country. However, he soon becomes more interested in locating and marrying Pamela Anderson. Starring Christ's most notorious alumnus Sacha Baron Cohen, this is one of 2006's rudest, crudest and most enjoyable comedies.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 21st January
USA, 2006, 84mins, d. Larry Charles; stars Sacha Baron Cohen

La Haine
Depicting racial tensions in a Paris housing estate, this bareknuckled drama tells the story of a multi-racial trio of friends. When one is critically injured by the police during a riot, the others are drawn into a violent uprising. Critically acclaimed, this film is a powerful study on the nature of hatred.
10pm, Thursday 25th January
France, 1995, 96mins, d. Mathieu Kassovitz; stars Vincent Cassel, Hubert Kounde

Little Miss Sunshine
Olive is a young girl who dreams of winning a beauty pageant, while her family are busy reaching new levels of dysfunctionality. When Olive wins a place in the titular contest, the family climb into a VW camper van for an eventful cross-country drive. Sensitive but unfailingly hilarious, this is a comedy with universal appeal.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 28th January
USA, 2006, 101mins, d. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris; stars Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear

Billy Liar
In a drab Northern town, Billy is undertaker's clerk living in a fantasy world. Initially forced to lie his way out of some minor scrapes, he soon gets trapped between two women within a growing web of deceit. Grimly humorous, this is an era-defining film whose vivid characters and sharp direction still demand acclaim.
10pm, Thursday 1st February
UK, 1963, 98mins, d. John Schlesinger; stars Tom Courtenay, Julie Christie

Volver
When two very different sisters visit an aunt in their rural Spanish hometown, the memory of their dead mother becomes altogether more real. Back in Madrid, the mother's influence continues, compassionately reconciling a convoluted present with memories of a painful past. Humourous yet sensitive, Almodóvar brings out stunning performances in this career-topping film.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 4th February
Spain, 2006, 121mins, d. Pedro Almodovar; stars Penelope Cruz, Carmen Maura

The Great Dictator
A Jewish barber recovers from amnesia after twenty years to find his country in the grip of anti-Semitic dictator Adenoid Hynkel, to whom the barber bears an uncanny resemblance. Back in the ghetto, he begins an adventure which, amid some immortal scenes and countless laughs, daringly lambasts Fascism in Nazi Germany.
10pm, Thursday 8th February
USA, 1940, 124 mins; directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin

The History Boys
Eight bright teenage boys from Sheffield have Oxbridge in their sights. A young new history teacher arrives to even out their “clever but crass” nature, while other teachers have very different eccentricities. This film of Alan Bennett’s blockbusting stage play thoughtfully considers life, learning and adolescence, and manages to be achingly funny throughout.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 11th February
UK, 2006, 109min, d. Nicholas Hytner; stars Stephen Cambell Moore, Richard Griffiths

An Inconvenient Truth
This documentary brings a wider audience to Al Gore's presentation on the realities of climate change. Presenting a wealth of facts and studies in an unpretentious and non-political way, Gore's tone is neither alarmist nor pessimistic, and discusses many possible solutions. This is essential viewing for anyone interested in our planet's future.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 18th February
USA, 2006, 100min, d. David Guggenheim

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 is strongly encouraged!
10pm, Thursday 22nd February
UK/USA, 1975, 100 mins, d. Jim Sharman; stars Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon

The Queen
In 1997, the death of Diana, Princess of Wales created new distance between British public and monarch, as both mourners and tabloids demanded a public display of grief. Mirren's superb performance brings alive the Queen during those difficult days, under a sensitive characterisation which deftly highlights the tensions between monarchical tradition and modern society.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 25th February
UK/France/Italy, 2006, 97min, d. Stephen Frears; stars Helen Mirren

Raging Bull
This unflinching biography tells the story of boxer Jake LaMotta, the 1940s middleweight champion whose deep-rooted anger, paranoia and violence bring down both his career and his marriage. Coupling a black-and-white documentary style with memorable and astonishing fight scenes, this is a raw and powerful film, brought alive by De Niro's outstanding performance.
10pm, Thursday 1st March
USA, 1980, 129 mins, d. Martin Scorsese; stars Robert De Niro

Pan's Labyrinth
In the Fascist Spain of 1944, Ofelia and her pregnant mother move to a rural military outpost run by brutish stepfather Capitán Vidal. Amid cruelty, bloodshed and her mother's illness, the young girl retreats into a magical world within her own imagination. Combining harsh reality with truly spectacular fantasy, this is an unforgettable cinematic experience.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 4th March
Mexico/Spain/USA, 2006, 119min, d. Guillermo del Toro; stars Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez

Casino Royale
This altogether grittier take on the suave spy revisits a younger Bond. On his first mission, he's charged with stopping corrupt banker Le Chiffre from funding terrorists from the winnings of a high-stakes poker tournament. Combining hard-hitting action with tense drama, Daniel Craig makes a revelatory portrayal of the ruthless young agent.
8pm & 10.30pm, Sunday 11th March
USA/Germany/UK/Czech Republic, 2006, 144min, d. Martin Campbell; stars Daniel Craig, Eva Green