SCREEN GUIDE: Films in London this week [20 DEC 2019 to 02 JAN 2020]
RADIANT CIRCUS is your handcrafted guide to London’s DIY, indie & alternative movie nights, film events & gallery screenings. Our latest SCREEN GUIDE helps you find great films in London over Christmas & New Year*.
FRI 20 // SAT 21 // SUN 22 // MON 23 // TUE 24 // WED 25 // THU 26+
Find films in London this Christmas & New Year by:
SINGLE-O EXHIBITS (one-off attractions – by date) // MUSEUM SHOWS (several exhibits under one roof – by seasons & festivals) // GRIND SHOWS (a selection of new releases & regular runs).
FEATURED ATTRACTION
Welcome to a bumper, festive edition of our weekly screen guide. This one takes you right through until 02 JAN and sees a crop of new micro-seasons spanning the period between Christmas and New Year, as well as new foundations being laid for the decade ahead.
As usual, this is a very good time to catch up on anything you loved and/or missed in 2019 with several ‘best of’ listings across town… ArtHouse Crouch End and DocHouse have good offerings, whilst The Prince Charles rewards members with great catchup screenings for £1 on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. As if the Christmas calories weren’t enough on their own, ICA gives you a feast of films dedicated to the dining room, ON FOOD & SUBVERSION (20 DEC to 05 JAN) as well as a swift survey of the films of LYNNE RAMSAY (29 DEC to 07 JAN).
Tipping over into 2020, BFI launches new stellar seasons, FELLINI (JAN to FEB) and CAROLE LOMBARD: THE BRIGHTEST STAR (JAN). Close-Up reconvenes their impeccable season of world classics, ESSENTIAL CINEMA (23 DEC to 31 JAN), which is exactly as it says. The Prince Charles starts a yearlong season dedicated to the AMERICAN NEW WAVE with a 35mm screening of a RADIANT CIRCUS favourite, Spielberg’s DUEL (02 JAN).
Oh, and if you’re going to see something big, loud and saga-endingy this Christmas, support your local indie by seeing it there… We’ve listed it in our regular roundup of new releases at The Lexi, but the Force will guide you. JOJO RABBIT and LITTLE WOMEN round out our list of exceptional new releases, but the one we absolutely want to catch up with is LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT (available at ArtHouse and also ICA).
Thanks in huge part to the BFI blockbuster programme, MUSICALS!, 2019’s rep screenings have celebrated all forms of onscreen singing and dancing. To wrap things up, our featured attraction of the festive week is therefore Bob Fosse’s CABARET which screens at JW3 on Christmas Day itself.
Whether Christmas means anything to you or not, RADIANT CIRCUS wishes you all a wonderful season of goodwill and the very best for the new year ahead. See you in darkness again soon…
Richard
BARKER-IN-CHIEF
NEW AT RADIANT CIRCUS
This is the last RADIANT CIRCUS screen guide for 2019. Thank you for all your support, particularly our loyal monthly subscribers at Patreon! There’s always more to list and so we’ll be back in business w/c 06 JAN 2020.
FILMS IN LONDON THIS CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR
SINGLE-O EXHIBITS
ONE-OFF MOVIE NIGHTS, FILM EVENTS & GALLERY SCREENINGS (by date/event)
FRI 20
CHILDREN OF THE SNOW LAND d. Zara Balfour & Marcus Stephenson, 2018 + Q&A with the directors at Curzon Soho (20 DEC 18:30):
- “The story of a group of children born in the High Himalayas of Nepal – a remote area of great natural beauty but where life is extremely tough. From just four years old, some children are sent by their parents to the capital city, Kathmandu, to a school run by a Buddhist monk in the hope that education will give them a better chance in life. For ten years or more, they do not see or speak to their parents, due to the remoteness of their villages.”
THE LION KING d. Jon Favreau, 2019 + Short: WHAT A PEACEFUL DAY + Live Performance by Priscilla Hossein at Stratford Library (20 DEC 17:00 – FREE!):
- “Get into the festive spirit with a free screening of THE LION KING, accompanied by the Women Over Fifty Film Festival short WHAT A PEACEFUL DAY and a performance by singer Priscilla Hossein. Presented by Newham Community Cinema and 888 Film Club, both films will be subtitled and free refreshments provided.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- AN ELEPHANT SITTING STILL d. Hu Bo, 2018 at ICA (20 DEC 19:25). THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM d. John Chester, 2018 at DocHouse (20 DEC 14:30). CITIZEN K d. Alex Gibney, 2019 at ICA (20 DEC 17:00). DIAGNOSIS d. Ewa Podgórska, 2018 at ICA (20 DEC 15:25). HEIMAT IS A SPACE IN TIME d. Thomas Heise, 2018 at ICA (20 DEC 14:20). Pay As You Feel: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 presented by Screen25 at Harris Academy South Norwood (20 DEC 19:00). MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF THE COOL d. Stanley Nelson, 2019 at ICA (20 DEC 13:10). THE STREET d. Zed Nelson, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (20 DEC 19:00).
SAT 21
A Tribute to Jonathan Miller at Close-Up (21 DEC 20:00):
- “In memory of Jonathan Miller (1934-2019) we present a double-bill of the late British director’s 1960s BBC masterpieces, ALICE IN WONDERLAND and WHISTLE AND I’LL COME TO YOU. Introduced by Gareth Evans.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- 88:88 (2015) Darkroom Screening and a selection of recent Films from the Canadian and French Avant-garde at Deptford Cinema (21 DEC 19:00). AN ELEPHANT SITTING STILL d. Hu Bo, 2018 at ICA (21 DEC 19:25). AQUARELA d. Victor Kossakovsky, 2018 at DocHouse (21 DEC 18:30). DIAGNOSIS d. Ewa Podgórska, 2018 at ICA (21 DEC 16:05). EYES WIDE SHUT d. Stanley Kubrick, 1999 at Regent Street Cinema (21 DEC 14:00, 17:05 & 20:10). HONEYLAND d. Tamara Kotevska & Ljubomir Stefanov, 2019 at ICA (21 DEC 17:40). THE KINGMAKER d. Lauren Greenfield, 2019 at Barbican (21 DEC 13:20). MONOS d. Alejandro Landes, 2019 at ICA (21 DEC 14:05). PINK WALL d. Tom Cullen, 2019 at ICA (21 DEC 12:25). SO LONG, MY SON d. Wang Xiaoshuai, 2018 at ICA (21 DEC 12:45). THE STREET d. Zed Nelson, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (21 DEC 16:00).
SUN 22
ONE MAN’S MADNESS d. Jeff Baynes, 2018 + Q&A with the director & Lee Thompson at Rio Cinema (22 DEC 15:00):
- “A fresh, disorienting, quirky, slapstick romp through the history of Madness, accompanied by their irrepressible, flying saxophonist, Lee Thompson …. And it is probably mostly true. No reverent interviews, no backslapping endorsements, no hero worship and definitely no guitar solos. But slapstick tales of questionable behaviour, musical tomfoolery and the mayhem of actually being in a band, all told with the verve and inventiveness which made the original Madness videos so beloved.”
THE SNOWMAN 16mm d. Jimmy T. Murakami & Dianne Jackson, 1982 + Intro at The Castle Cinema (22 DEC 14:30):
- Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club presents: “On Christmas Eve, a young boy builds a snowman that comes to life and takes him to the North Pole to meet Father Christmas… Ciné-Real is the only film club in the UK to exclusively play films in 16mm format.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- AQUARELA d. Victor Kossakovsky, 2018 at DocHouse (22 DEC 13:45). ARTHUR CHRISTMAS d. Sarah Smith, 2011 presented by Stow Film Lounge at Mirth, Marvel & Maud (22 DEC 14:15). CARMEN d. Francesco Rosi, 1984 presented by Pitshanger Pictures at St Barnabas Church (22 DEC 18:00). CITIZEN K d. Alex Gibney, 2019 at ICA (22 DEC 14:15). THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM d. John Chester, 2019 at JW3 (22 DEC 13:20). Double Bill: MEET ME IN ST LOUIS + THE BISHOP’S WIFE d. Vincente Minnelli, 1944 + Samuel Goldwyn, 1947 at Regent Street Cinema (22 DEC 14:45 + 17:05). FANTASIA d. various, 1940 at Regent Street Cinema (22 DEC 19:30). THE FAVOURITE d. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018 at ICA (22 DEC 20:35). FIDDLER: A MIRACLE OF MIRACLES d. Max Lewkowicz, 2019 at DocHouse (22 DEC 16:00). HONEY BOY d. Alma Har’el, 2019 at ICA (22 DEC 12:25). IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 at Phoenix Cinema (22 DEC 10:00). KHRUSTALYOV, MY CAR! d. Aleksei German, 1998 at ICA (22 DEC 16:40). LA BELLE ÉPOQUE d. Nicolas Bedos, 2019 at ICA (22 DEC 21:15). SO LONG, MY SON d. Wang Xiaoshuai, 2018 at ICA (22 DEC 12:45).
MON 23
IP MAN 4: THE FINALE d. Wilson Yip, 2019 + Q&A with Scott Adkins & Mark Strange at Picturehouse Hackney (23 DEC 20:30):
- Fighting Spirit Film Festival presents: “A special screening of IP MAN 4 with special guests Scott Adkins and Mark Strange. Ip Man’s life remains unchanged after his wife’s death, but he and his son are slowly drifting apart. To seek a better future for his son, Ip Man decides to travel to the U.S. only to find the stable, peaceful life abroad is only skin deep. Underneath lies a deep rooted racial discrimination that is far worse than he has expected.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- AQUARELA d. Victor Kossakovsky, 2018 at DocHouse (23 DEC 14:00). THE CAVE d. Feras Fayyad, 2018 at DocHouse (23 DEC 16:00). IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 at Regent Street Cinema (23 DEC 13:30, 16:30 & 19:30). IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 at The Lexi (23 DEC 17:30). KNIVES OUT d. Rian Johnson, 2019 at JW3 (23 DEC 15:00). THE STREET d. Zed Nelson, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (23 DEC 18:45).
TUE 24
Films in London today (A – Z):
- FIDDLER: A MIRACLE OF MIRACLES d. Max Lewkowicz, 2019 at DocHouse (24 DEC 18:15). IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 at Regent Street Cinema (24 DEC 13:00 & 16:00).
WED 25
CABARET d. Bob Fosse, 1972 at JW3 (25 DEC 20:00):
- “An iconic, incredibly stylish study of the hedonism and sexual ambiguity of pre-war Berlin, CABARET was a huge, multi-Oscar winning hit for choreographer and director Bob Fosse in 1972 and made Liza Minnelli (who won Best Actress) a star.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- See grind show listings.
THU 26+ (by date)
ROBERT DE NIRO DAY at The Prince Charles (29 DEC – various times):
- “Today is officially ‘Robert De Niro Day’ at The Prince Charles Cinema, and we’re celebrating his triumphant turn in Martin Scorsese’s THE IRISHMAN – Nominated for 5 Golden Globes including Best Drama – with a screening the slow-burning masterpiece alongside two other films showcasing their legendary partnership.” Includes: TAXI DRIVER 35mm (29 DEC 13:30); GOODFELLAS 35mm (29 DEC 16:15); and, THE IRISHMAN (29 DEC 19:30).
Close-Up New Year’s Eve: Short Attention Span Cinema at Close-Up (31 DEC 20:30):
- “For a Filmic New Years Eve celebration, join us for an evening of truly eclectic 16mm films from David Leister’s Kino Club Archives. The selection will be chosen from the collection and projected continually without rhyme, reason or theme from 20:30. Projections will continue until the stroke of midnight, with drinks, music and dancing in the bar until late. We will operate a “half-light” scheme in the cinema where viewers are allowed leave at any point during a film… as long as they come back later with a drink in hand!”
Jewish Britain On Film at JW3 (01 JAN 14:00):
- “Chronicles extraordinary – and some wonderfully ordinary – scenes of 20th Century Jewish life, unearthed by film archives across the nation. Narrated by Isy Suttie, the footage includes rare scenes of an Edwardian Petticoat Lane; a wedding in London’s East End in 1925; the defeat of the British Union of Fascists at Cable Street; Britain’s earliest surfing film, an interview with actor Maureen Lipman at the beginning of her career and many more surprising and tender moments in history captured on screen. Francesca Ter-Berg provides a beautiful soundtrack.”
Films in London today (26 DEC):
- THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM d. John Chester, 2018 at DocHouse (26 DEC 16:00). FORREST GUMP 35mm d. Robert Zemeckis, 1994 at The Prince Charles (26 DEC 15:00 – £1 Member Screening). FREE SOLO d. Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, 2018 at The Prince Charles (26 DEC 18:25 – £1 Member Screening). KNIVES OUT d. Rian Johnson, 2019 at JW3 (26 DEC 17:45). LITTLE WOMEN d. Greta Gerwig, 2019 at Genesis Cinema (26 DEC 13:50 & 19:30). SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT 35mm d. Trey Parker, 1999 at The Prince Charles (26 DEC 20:30 – £1 Member Screening). SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE d. Rodney Rothman, Bob Persichetti & Peter Ramsey, 2018 at The Prince Charles (26 DEC 15:45 – £1 Member Screening). TRAINSPOTTING 35mm d. Danny Boyle, 1996 at The Prince Charles (26 DEC 18:05 – £1 Member Screening).
Films in London today (27 DEC):
- CLIMAX d. Gaspar Noé, 2018 at ICA (27 DEC 20:40). Double Bill: JUDY + A STAR IS BORN d. Rupert Goold, 2019 + George Cukor, 1954 at Regent Street Cinema (27 DEC 15:00 & 20:30 + 17:30). FIGHT CLUB 35mm d. David Fincher, 1999 at The Prince Charles (27 DEC 16:35). HEIMAT IS A SPACE IN TIME d. Thomas Heise, 2018 at ICA (27 DEC 12:45). THE IRISHMAN d. Martin Scorsese, 2019 at The Prince Charles (27 DEC 19:30). JAY & SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK + REBOOT d. Kevin Smith, 2001 + 2019 at The Prince Charles Cinema (27 DEC 20:45). KHRUSTALYOV, MY CAR! d. Aleksei German, 1998 at ICA (27 DEC 15:20).
Films in London today (28 DEC):
- AN ELEPHANT SITTING STILL d. Hu Bo, 2018 at ICA (28 DEC 12:15). BY THE GRACE OF GOD d. François Ozon, 2018 at Deptford Cinema (28 DEC 19:30). DIAGNOSIS d. Ewa Podgórska, 2018 at ICA (28 DEC 14:50). DOWNTON ABBEY d. Michael Engler, 2019 at Regent Street Cinema (28 DEC 14:00 & 16:30). HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING d. RaMell Ross, 2018 at ICA (28 DEC 14:40). HONEY BOY at JW3 (28 DEC 20:00). JOJO RABBIT d. Taika Waititi, 2019 at Genesis Cinema (28 DEC 20:15). JOKER d. Todd Philipps, 2019 at Regent Street Cinema (28 DEC 19:30). SHIRO’S STORY d. Rapman, 2017/18 presented by We Are Parable at Rich Mix (28 DEC 14:00).
Films in London today (29 DEC):
- Double Bill: MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF COOL + LIFT TO THE SCAFFOLD d. Stanley Nelson, 2019 + Louis Malle, 1958 (29 DEC 15:00 + 17:20). THE FAVOURITE d. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018 at ICA (29 DEC 18:10). HONEY BOY at JW3 (29 DEC 15:00). KHRUSTALYOV, MY CAR! d. Aleksei German, 1998 at ICA (29 DEC 13:10). THE REPORT d. Scott Z. Burns, 2019 at Regent Street Cinema (29 DEC 19:30). SPIDER IN THE WEB d. Eran Riklis, 2019 at JW3 (29 DEC 20:20). WHAT YOU GONNA DO WHEN THE WORLD’S ON FIRE d. Roberto Minervini, 2019 at ICA (29 DEC 16:00).
Films in London today (30 DEC):
- ENTER THE DRAGON [Uncut] 35mm d. Robert Clouse, 1973 at The Prince Charles (30 DEC 18:10). HITSVILLE: THE MAKING OF MOTOWN d. Gabe Turner & Ben Turner, 2019 at Regent Street Cinema (30 DEC 19:30). HONEY BOY at JW3 (30 DEC 20:20). THE IRISHMAN d. Martin Scorsese, 2019 at The Prince Charles (30 DEC 15:20 & 19:30). THE REPORT d. Scott Z. Burns, 2019 at Regent Street Cinema (30 DEC 14:30 & 17:00). SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN d. Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly, 1952 + Short: FORGET ME NOT at The David Lean (30 DEC 14:30). SPIDER IN THE WEB d. Eran Riklis, 2019 at JW3 (30 DEC 18:00). THE WARRIORS 35mm d. Walter Hill, 1979 at The Prince Charles (30 DEC 20:45).
Films in London today (31 DEC):
- CALAMITY JANE d. David Butler, 1953 + Short: FORGET ME NOT at The David Lean (31 DEC 14:30). GONE WITH THE WIND d. Victor Fleming, 1939 at Regent Street Cinema (31 DEC 14:00 – Includes an intermission!). HONEY BOY at JW3 (31 DEC 19:30). MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF THE COOL d. Stanley Nelson, 2019 at ICA (31 DEC 12:30). SPIDER IN THE WEB d. Eran Riklis, 2019 at JW3 (31 DEC 16:45). WHEN HARRY MET SALLY d. Rob Reiner, 1989 at The Prince Charles (31 DEC 18:45 – Includes a glass of sparkling wine!).
Films in London today (01 JAN):
- EAGLE VS SHARK 35mm d. Taika Waititi, 2007 at The Prince Charles (01 JAN 18:00 – £1 Member Screening). THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY aka Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo d. Sergio Leone, 1966 at The Prince Charles (01 JAN 20:15 – £1 Member Screening). THUNDER ROAD 35mm d. Jim Cummings, 2018 at The Prince Charles (01 JAN 15:45 – £1 Member Screening).
Films in London today (02 JAN):
- AQUARELA d. Viktor Kosakovskiy, 2018 at Regent Street Cinema (02 JAN 19:30). DIAGNOSIS d. Ewa Podgórska, 2018 at ICA (02 JAN 20:40). FOR SAMA d. Waad al-Kateab & Edward Watt, 2019 at ICA (02 JAN 16:25). THE GOOD LIAR d. Bill Condon, 2019 at The David Lean (02 JAN 14:30 HOH & 19:30). MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF THE COOL d. Stanley Nelson, 2019 at ICA (02 JAN 18:25). SMOKEY & THE BANDIT 35mm d. Hal Needham, 1977 at The Prince Charles (02 JAN 18:25). UNCUT GEMS d. Josh Safdie & Benny Safdie, 2019 Previews at The Prince Charles (02 JAN 21:00).
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MUSEUM SHOWS PART 1
SEASONS (by event/venue)
007 ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles (ongoing):
“The anniversaries of Bond, James Bond.” Includes:
- THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN d. Guy Hamilton, 1974 (20 DEC 12:30 / 29 DEC 15:35); and, ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE d. Peter R. Hunt, 1969 (28 DEC 15:25).
70mm PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles (ongoing):
“Bringing regular 70mm presentations back to the West End with”:
- DIE HARD 70mm d. John McTiernan, 1988 (22 DEC 17:25 / 23 DEC 12:35 / 24 DEC 18:30); and, PHANTOM THREAD 70mm (31 DEC 16:00 / 05 JAN 17:35).
1999 – 2019: EXPLORING 20 YEARS OF SCI-FI at The Prince Charles (2020):
- THE MATRIX d. Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski, 1999 (26 DEC 20:45 – £1 Member Screening).
ALL NIGHT / DAY / MINI MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles (ongoing):
“Butt-numbing marathons” (their words…ED.) of cult, horror, themed & film franchises including:
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY – EXTENDED EDITIONS d. Peter Jackson, 2001-2003 (21 DEC 21:00 / 28 DEC 21:00); and, CHRISTMAS PYJAMA PARTY (21 DEC 21:15 – Currently looking SOLD OUT!/Check venue).
AMERICAN NEW WAVE at The Prince Charles (2020):
“We’re going to be runnin this strand throughout the year so keep checking back, as there is a lot more still to come!” Includes:
- DUEL 35mm d. Steven Spielberg, 1971 (02 JAN 20:45).
BEST OF 2019 at DocHouse (DEC):
- APOLLO 11 d. Todd Douglas Miller, 2019 (27 DEC 16:30 / 01 JAN 16:00); DIEGO MARADONA d. Asif Kapadia, 2019 (27 DEC 18:30); HONEYLAND d. Tamara Kotevska & Ljubomir Stefanov (28 DEC 16:00 / 31 DEC 18:30); ARDA BY AGNÈS d. Agnès Varda, 2019 (28 DEC 18:00 / 02 JAN 16:00); GAZA d. Garry Keane & Andrew McConnell, 2018 (29 DEC 16:00); AMAZING GRACE d. Alan Elliott & Sydney Pollack, 2018 (29 DEC 18:00 / 01 JAN 18:00); MARIANNE & LEONARD: WORDS OF LOVE d. Nick Broomfield, 2019 (30 DEC 16:30); FOR SAMA d. Waad al-Kateab & Edward Watts, 2019 (30 DEC 18:30); and, MINDING THE GAP d. Bing Lui, 2018 (31 DEC 16:00 / 02 JAN 18:30).
BIG SCREEN CLASSICS at BFI Southbank (DEC to JAN):
- ORDET aka The Word d. Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1955 (20 DEC 20:35); THE LEOPARD 4K d. Il Gattopardo d. Luchino Visconti, 1963 (21 DEC 14:10 / 29 DEC 19:00); THE PHILADELPHIA STORY 4K d. George Cukor, 1940 (22 DEC 20:00 / 30 DEC 14:30); TOKYO STORY aka Tokyo Monogatari d. Yasujiro Ozu, 1953 (23 DEC 17:20); GOODFELLAS 4K d. Martin Scorsese, 1990 (27 DEC 20:10); THE WILD BUNCH d. Sam Peckinpah, 1969 (28 DEC 20:10); THE WOMEN 35mm d. George Cukor, 1939 (01 JAN 15:30); SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT aka Sommarnattens Leende d. Ingmar Bergman, 1955 (02 JAN 14:30); and, JOHNNY GUITAR 4K d. Nicholas Ray, 1954 (02 JAN 20:30).
CAROLE LOMBARD: THE BRIGHTEST STAR at BFI Southbank (JAN):
“We celebrate a bright, shining star of the silver screen with a selection of her best films, from the ‘origins’ of screwball to dazzlingly delightful romcoms.” Includes:
- FAST & LOOSE 35mm d. Fred Newmeyer, 1930 (01 JAN 18:20); NO MAN OF HER OWN 35mm d. Wesley Ruggles, 1932 (01 JAN 20:00); and, BOLERO 35mm d. Wesley Ruggles, 1934 (02 JAN 17:45).
CHRISTMAS AT THE PCC at The Prince Charles (NOV to DEC):
- Grind shows: THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Brian Henson, 1992 (01 to 24 DEC – various formats/check venue); IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 35mm d. Frank Capra, 1946 (01 to 24 DEC – some digital/check venue); ELF d. Jon Favreau, 2003 (04 to 24 DEC – various formats/check venue); and, HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (06 to 24 DEC – check venue).
- HOME ALONE & HOME ALONE 2 d. Chris Columbus, 1990 + 1992 (20 DEC 21:00); CHRISTMAS PYJAMA PARTY (21 DEC 21:15 – Currently looking SOLD OUT!/Check venue); and, LOVE ACTUALLY d. Richard Curtis, 2003 (22 DEC 20:30 – some with sparkling wine!/check venue);
- The Naughty List: DIE HARD DOUBLE FEATURE (20 DEC 20:30); CAROL 35mm d. Todd Haynes, 2015 (21 DEC 13:00); GREMLINS d. Joe Dante, 1984 (23 DEC 17:45 – check venue); and, TRADING PLACES d. John Landis, 1983 (31 DEC 13:15).
CHRISTMAS FILMS at Regent Street Cinema (14 to 24 DEC):
- THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Brian Henson, 1992 (21 DEC 11:30); THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER d. Ernst Lubitsch, 1940 (22 DEC 12:30); Double Bill: MEET ME IN ST LOUIS d. Vincente Minnelli, 1944 + THE BISHOP’S WIFE Samuel Goldwyn, 1947 (22 DEC 14:45 + 17:05); and, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 (23 DEC 13:30, 16:30 & 19:30 / 24 DEC 13:00 & 16:00).
CLOSE-UP ON RAINER WERNER FASSBINDER at Close-Up (until 22 DEC):
“Marking the 30th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall – and programmed in parallel to our upcoming Jürgen Böttcher retrospective with the Goethe-Institut – we’re pleased to present a selection of Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s film and television works from across his vast, yet tragically short lived ouvre.” Includes:
- WORLD ON A WIRE d. Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1973 (20 DEC 19:00); EFFI BRIEST d. Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1974 (21 DEC 17:00); and, EIGHT HOURS DON’T MAKE A DAY Parts 1 to 5 d. Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1972 (22 DEC 12:00).
ESSENTIAL CINEMA at Close-Up (23 DEC to 31 JAN):
“Our ongoing repertory series presenting masterpieces from throughout the history of cinema. The current programme particularly focusses on fairytales, folklore, ghost stories and the uncanny.” Includes:
- UGETSU MONOGATORI d. Kenji Mizoguchi, 1953 (23 DEC 20:15); THE WHITE REINDEER d. Erik Blomberg, 1952 (27 DEC 20:00); Jan Švankmajer Shorts I (28 DEC 18:00); WINGS OF DESIRE d. Wim Wenders, 1987 (28 DEC 20:00); Jan Švankmajer Shorts II (29 DEC 18:00); Take Two: ALICE + JABBERWOCKY d. Jan Švankmajer, 1988 + 1971 (29 DEC 20:00); THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES d. Sergei Parajanov, 1969 (30 DEC 20:15); PARIS, TEXAS d. Wim Wenders, 1984 (01 JAN 19:00); and, LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD d. Alain Resnais, 1961 (02 JAN 20:30).
FELLINI at BFI Southbank (JAN to FEB):
“Enjoy the start of a two-month season on one of world cinema’s most exuberantly playful filmmakers.” Includes:
- LA STRADA 4K d. Federico Fellini, 1954 (01 JAN 14:00); I VITELLONI 4K d. Federico Fellini, 1953 (01 JAN 16:30); LA DOLCE VITA 4K d. Federico Fellini, 1960 Previews (01 JAN 19:00 / 02 JAN 19:45); and, LIGHTS OF VARIETY 4K aka Luci del varietà d. rico Fellini & Alberto Lattuada, 1950 (02 JAN 17:40).
FESTIVE FILMS at BFI Southbank (DEC):
- SCROOGE d. Brian Desmond Hurst, 1951 (20 DEC 14:30 / 21 DEC 16:00 / 22 DEC 18:00); GREMLINS 4K d. Joe Dante, 1984 (20 DEC 20:50 / 21 DEC 21:00 / 22 DEC 17:20 / 23 DEC 20:00 / 28 DEC 17:40); THE GRINCH d. Yarrow Cheney & Scott Mosier, 2018 (21 DEC 12:00); WHITE CHRISTMAS d. Michael Curtiz, 1953 (21 DEC 20:15 / 23 DEC 14:30); THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Brian Henson, 1992 (22 DEC 13:20 / 23 DEC 14:00); and, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS d. Henry Selick, 1993 (22 DEC 15:30 / 28 DEC 13:30).
IN FOCUS: LYNNE RAMSAY at ICA (29 DEC to 07 JAN):
“A programme of three feature films celebrating the singular work of Scottish director Lynne Ramsay.” Includes:
- RATCATCHER 35mm d. Lynne Ramsay, 1999 (29 DEC 14:50); WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN d. Lynne Ramsay, 2011 (29 DEC 16:40); and, YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE d. Lynne Ramsay, 2017 (31 DEC 15:35).
IT’S PANTO SEASON! at BFI Southbank (DEC):
“A look at the star-studded, staple of the seasonal schedules: the TV pantomime.” Includes:
- CINDERELLA: THE SHOE MUST GO ON d. Jon Scoffield, 1986 + Intro by Barry Cryer & Steve Nallon (20 DEC 18:20); JACK & THE BEANSTALK d. John Henderson, 1998 (22 DEC 15:20); and, THE CRACKERJACK PANTOMIME: ROBINSON CRUSOE d. Robin Nash, 1975 (28 DEC 15:30).
MAURICE PIALET AND THE NEW FRENCH REALISM at BFI Southbank (OCT to DEC):
“A two-part exploration of an uncompromising director and the impact he’s made on recent French cinema and its actors.” Includes:
- LE GARÇU 35mm d. Maurice Pialat, 1995 (21 DEC 18:10); VAN GOGH d. Maurice Pialat, 1991 (29 DEC 15:50); and, SOUS LE SOLEIL DE SATAN aka Under the Sun of Satan d. Maurice Pialat, 1987 (30 DEC 20:35).
- Sight & Sound Deep Focus: THE DREAMLIFE OF ANGELS 35mm aka La vie revée des anges d. Erick Zonca, 1998 (20 DEC 20:45 / 29 DEC 14:00).
MUSICALS! THE GREATEST SHOW ON SCREEN at BFI Southbank (OCT to DEC):
“Dust off your dancing shoes, practice your scales and join us for some heart-lifting movies, special events and joyful singalongs.” Includes:
- SHOW BOAT 35mm d. James Whale, 1936 (20 DEC 18:15 / 21 DEC 17:45); WHITE CHRISTMAS d. Michael Curtiz, 1953 (21 DEC 20:15 / 23 DEC 14:30); WEST SIDE STORY d. Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins, 1961 (23 DEC 20:00); DREAMGIRLS d. Bill Condon, 2006 (23 DEC 20:10); BROADWAY RHYTHM 35mm d. Roy Del Rey, 1944 (27 DEC 14:30); TOP HAT d. Mark Sandrich, 1935 (28 DEC 14:30 / 30 DEC 18:20); PAKEEZAH aka The Pure One d. Kamal Amrohi, 1972 (28 DEC 20:00); CAROUSEL 4K d. Henry King, 1956 (29 DEC 13:20); and, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF d. Norman Jewison, 1971 (29 DEC 19:10),
- Singalongs: OLIVER! Singalong d. Carol Reed, 1968 (21 DEC 15:20).
- Judy Garland: THE WIZARD OF OZ d. Victor Fleming, 1939 (22 DEC 14:00); MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS d. Vincente Minnelli, 1944 (22 DEC 16:30 / 27 DEC 17:40); and, A STAR IS BORN d. George Cukor, 1954 (22 DEC 19:00 / 28 DEC 16:40).
- Family screenings: THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Brian Henson, 1992 (22 DEC 13:20 / 23 DEC 14:00).
- Doris Day: LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME d. Charles Vidor, 1955 (23 DEC 17:30).
- Vincente Minnelli: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS d. Vincente Minnelli, 1951 (29 DEC 16:30).
- Re-releases: THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG aka Les Parapluies de Cherbourg d. Jacques Demy, 1964 (06 to 30 DEC).
ON FOOD & SUBVERSION at ICA (20 DEC to 05 JAN):
“The dining room becomes an open arena for lust, brutality, irrationality and ultimately, liberation in this programme of four outstanding works of European cinema.” Includes:
- LA GRANDE BOUFFE d. Marco Ferreri, 1973 (20 DEC 18:20 / 27 DEC 18:20); DAISIES d. Věra Chytilová, 1966 (21 DEC 16:20 / 28 DEC 16:20); BABETTE’S FEAST d. Gabriel Axel, 1987 (21 DEC 18:00 / 28 DEC 18:00); and, THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE d. Luis Buñuel, 1972 (22 DEC 18:30 / 29 DEC 18:45).
OUR FILM PICKS OF THE YEAR at ArtHouse Crouch End (20 to 23 DEC).
- THE PONDS d. Patrick McLennan & Samuel Smith, 2019 (20 DEC 12:45 / 23 DEC 19:00 / 24 DEC 13:15); WILD ROSE d. Tom Harper, 2018 (20 DEC 18:20); BORDER d. Ali Abbasi, 2018 (20 DEC 21:00); DIEGO MARADONA d. Asif Kapadia, 2019 (21 DEC 15:30); THE FAVOURITE d. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018 (21 DEC 20:30); AMAZING GRACE d. Alan Elliott & Sydney Pollack, 2018 (22 DEC 15:30); SHOPLIFTERS d. Hirokazu Koreeda, 2018 (22 DEC 20:30); NOTORIOUS d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1946 (23 DEC 16:30); and, BAIT d. Mark Jenkin, 2019 (23 DEC 20:45).
WE’RE GONNA PARTY LIKE IT’S 1999! at The Prince Charles (ongoing):
“1999 was an EPIC year for movies – so we’re bringing a whole heap of it back to the big-screen!” Includes:
- THE MATRIX d. Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski, 1999 (26 DEC 20:45); and, FIGHT CLUB 35mm d. David Fincher, 1999 (27 DEC 16:35).
> Plan ahead with our monthly roundup of London’s rep seasons & film festivals.
MUSEUM SHOWS PART 2
FILM FESTIVALS (by date/duration)
We don’t think there are any film festivals in London over the festive period (let us know if we’re wrong!). The 2020 festivals programme gets kicked off with the London Short Film Festival (10 to 19 JAN).
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GRIND SHOWS
REGULAR RUNS & MAINSTREAM MARVELS (by title)
JOJO RABBIT d. Taika Waititi, 2019 at JW3 (01 to 22 JAN):
- “Writer director Taika Waititi, brings his signature style of humor and pathos to his latest film, JOJO RABBIT, a World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy (Roman Griffin Davis as JoJo) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.”
LITTLE WOMEN d. Greta Gerwig, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (26 DEC to 14 JAN):
- “Writer-director Greta Gerwig (LADY BIRD) has crafted a Little Women that draws on both the classic novel and the writings of Louisa May Alcott, and unfolds as the author’s alter ego, Jo March, reflects back and forth on her fictional life. In Gerwig’s take, the beloved story of the March sisters – four young women each determined to live life on her own terms – is both timeless and timely.”
LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT d. Bi Gan, 2018 at ArtHouse Crouch End (27 to 31 DEC):
- Bi Gan follows up his knockout debut, KAILI BLUES, with this noir-tinged stunner about a lost soul (Huang Jue) on a quest to find a missing woman from his past (Tang Wei). Following leads across Guizhou province, he crosses paths with a series of colourful characters, among them a prickly hairdresser played by Taiwanese superstar Sylvia Chang. When the search leads him to a dingy movie theatre, the film launches into an hour-long, gravity-defying sequence shot that plunges its protagonist– and us – into a labyrinthine cityscape.”
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER d. J.J. Abrams, 2019 at The Lexi (20 DEC to 02 JAN):
- “The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more as Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron’s (Oscar Isaac) journey continues. With the cumulative power and knowledge of generations behind them, the Resistance faces the First Order once more, promising the end of the ancient conflict between the Jedi and the Sith. It’s the end of the saga, but the story continues!”
More films in London this week (A – Z):
- AQUARELA d. Victor Kossakovsky, 2018 at ICA (until 02 JAN). THE CAVE d. Feras Fayyad, 2018 at BFI (27 DEC to 02 JAN). HONEY BOY d. Alma Har’el, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (until 24 DEC). THE IRISHMAN d. Martin Scorsese, 2019 at Rio Cinema (26 DEC to 02 JAN). FIDDLER: A MIRACLE OF MIRACLES d. Max Lewkowicz, 2019 at JW3 (until 31 DEC). MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN d. Edward Norton, 2019 at Rio Cinema (20 to 24 DEC). ORDINARY LOVE d. Lisa Barros D’Sa & Glenn Leyburn, 2019 at Watermans (20 DEC to 02 JAN). SO LONG, MY SON d. Wang Xiaoshuai, 2018 at BFI (27 DEC to 02 JAN).
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*THE SMALL PRINT: As accurate as we could make it. Apologies for any errors. Apologies if we have missed your event. Updates & corrections will be made to the online version. Event dates/times are subject to change by the venue/organiser. We try to only list events you can book for at the time of posting: however, some events may still be sold out. Please click quickly! We don’t filter by age/certification: all readers & subscribers should be 18+.