ONSCREEN Magazine January/February 2018 by ONSCREEN Magazine

THE MAGAZINE FOR INDEPENDENT CINEMAS WHAT’S ON / FEATURES / COMPETITIONS / COMING SOON

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JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2018

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PLUS ALL OF THIS BLACK PANTHER » ANNIHILATION » THE POST » MAZE RUNNER: THE DEATH CURE » COCO DARKEST HOUR » PHANTOM THREAD » INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY » DOWNSIZING » HOSTILES

“AN ABSOLUTE MASTERCLASS IN SCREEN ACTING AND DIRECTION” THE HOLLYWOOD NEWS

“EMOTIONALLY-CHARGED GREAT BRITISH DRAMA” “EXTREMELY POWERFUL” SCREEN DAILY

TOTAL FILM

“A GENUINELY MOVING AND THOROUGHLY AFFECTING PIECE OF FILMMAKING” HEYUGUYS

“EXCEPTIONAL” “A POWERFUL, VIVID ADAPTATION” SIGHT & SOUND

BAZ BAMIGBOYE, THE DAILY MAIL

“BOASTS SUPERB BRITISH PERFORMANCES” “WONDERFULLY ACTED” JASON SOLOMONS, BBC LONDON

HHHH THE TIMES

HHHH HEYUGUYS

THETELEGRAPH.CO.UK

HHHH THE ARTS DESK

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IN CINEMAS FEBRUARY 2

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CONTENTS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2018

WELCOME! 2018 is here, and with treats like Aardman’s Early Man, MCU superhero Black Panther, and Gary Oldman portraying Churchill in Darkest Hour, there’s something for everyone. Hostiles tells the story of a U.S. Army captain escorting a Cheyenne chief ’s family to safety in the late 1800s, and Steven Spielberg directs Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in The Post, a timely look at the fight for truth between government and the media. There are franchise finales, with Maze Runner: The Death Cure, and Fifty Shades Freed, and for lighthearted inspiration, try Coco, a tale of a young musician’s journey to the Land of the Dead, and comedy/drama Finding Your Feet, starring Imelda Staunton, Celia Imrie, and Joanna Lumley. Get out and revel in the New Year of cinema! Until next time! Craig May Editor

ONSCREEN For national advertising Tel: 0117 3704377 Email: info@onscreenmagazine.co.uk For local advertising Tel: 01253 726639

WHAT’S ON

BLACK PANTHER

EARLY MAN

DARKEST HOUR

JOURNEY’S END

COCO

The unmissable new releases hitting the big screen in January and February.

12 HOSTILES

21 COMING SOON

We look at all the forthcoming films to get excited about in March and April.

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21 TOMB RAIDER

ROLL CREDITS » Editor Craig May Assistant Editors Lee Curtis, Cheyenne Campbell Contributors Lee Curtis, Brody Rossiter, Chris Wasey, Aaron Potter, Jim Roberts Design www.morewhitespace.co.uk Advertising Craig May / Print Deltor

© Onscreen is published by Onscreen Magazine Ltd, Savoy Suite, Causewayhead, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 2SN Tel: 0117 3704377 Email: info@onscreenmagazine.co.uk. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magazine may be published without written permission. While reasonable steps are taken to check the accuracy of the content within this publication, Onscreen cannot take responsibility for any mistakes or omissions or the views of our contributors or advertisers. All information enclosed is correct at time of going to print, however release dates are subject to change and not all films included in the publication may be shown at the cinemas above.

Roll up, Roll up! Ladies and Gentlemen. Children of all ages. Step right up. Welcome to the greatest show on Earth! Cinema screens are set for The Greatest Showman but before you meet the man who made the modern circus, see if you’re a true showman by completing our quiz that tests your knowledge of the musical and the wider circus world. 1. Travelling circuses take place in what tent-like structures? 2. Who starts the show and introduces the acts? 3. What is a funambulist? 4. Hugh Jackman stars as the showman who invented show business, what’s his name? 5. Which critically acclaimed musical did Jackman previously star in? 6. Which Hollywood heartthrob returns after a break from musicals for an all-singing support role?

7. Teenage singing sensation Zendaya co-stars as Anne Wheeler, what’s her act? 8. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote original music for The Greatest Showman; they are the Oscar-winning songwriters behind which 2016 musical?

Answers... 1. Big Top 2. Ringmaster 3. Tightrope Walker 4. P.T. Barnum 5. Les Misérables 6. Zac Efron 7. Trapeze Acrobat 8. La La Land

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THE UNMISSABLE NEW RELEASES

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A LOVE STORY LIKE NO OTHER

PHANTOM THREAD RELEASE DATE 2 FEBRUARY / Director Paul Thomas Anderson / Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville / Genre Drama

Set in the glamour of 1950’s post-war London, renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) are at the centre of British fashion, dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, debutants, and dames with the distinct style of The House of Woodcock. Women come and go through Woodcock’s life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship, until he comes across a young, strong-willed woman, Alma (Vicky Krieps), who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover. Once controlled and planned, he finds his carefully tailored life disrupted by love. With his latest film and second collaboration with three-time Oscar-winning best actor Daniel Day-Lewis, starring in his final performance before retirement, Paul Thomas Anderson paints an illuminating portrait both of an artist on a creative journey, and the women who keep his world running.

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Film Shorts THE GREATEST SHOWMAN RELEASE DATE 29 DECEMBER Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, this bold and original musical celebrates the birth of show business and tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerising spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.

STATUS UPDATE RELEASE DATE 12 FEBRUARY After using a magical app that causes anything he posts

online to come true, a social outcast soon finds there’s a price to pay for the “perfect” life he’s created.

THE SHAPE OF WATER RELEASE DATE 14 FEBRUARY An otherworldly fairytale, set against the backdrop of Cold War-era America. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda discover a secret classified experiment.

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WHAT’S ON

3D IN CERTAIN CINEMAS

FIND YOUR VOICE

COCO RELEASE DATE 19 JANUARY / Directors Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina / Starring Anthony Gonzalez, Benjamin Bratt, Gael García Bernal / Genre Animation, Adventure, Musical

Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colourful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history, before he gets trapped in the afterlife. Alongside Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich, longtime Pixar artist Adrian Molina makes his directorial debut with Coco, an animated, entirely Latino voice cast musical that promises to bring Mexico’s Day of the Dead to life with great authenticity as well as the studio’s signature visually striking and emotionally affecting originality. 8 January / February 2018

DEN OF THIEVES

Film Shorts DEN OF THIEVES

RELEASE DATE 2 FEBRUARY A notorious crew of bank robbers plan to pull off the ultimate heist: steal $120million in cash from the Federal Reserve Bank in downtown LA… right under the noses of the state’s most feared police unit and ruthless dirty cop Nick Flanagan (Gerard Butler).

THE 15:17 TO PARIS RELEASE DATE 9 FEBRUARY Clint Eastwood’s biographical drama tells the real-life story of the three

fearless young Americans travelling through Europe who thwarted a terrorist attack on a high-speed train bound for Paris.

FINDING YOUR FEET RELEASE DATE 23 FEBRUARY When “Lady” Sandra Abbott discovers that her husband is having an affair, she seeks refuge with her estranged, free-spirited sister Bif, who couldn’t be more different to her. But different is just what Sandra needs.

ONE TO WATCH MORE ON PAGE

MORE ON PAGE

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Black Panther

Early Man

RELEASE DATE 16 FEBRUARY / Director Ryan Coogler / Starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o / Genre Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

RELEASE DATE 26 JANUARY / Director Nick Park / Starring Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams / Genre Animation, Adventure, Comedy

After the death of his father, T’Challa returns to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to succeed the throne but finds his mettle tested when a powerful old enemy reappears. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.

Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures roamed the Earth, Aardman’s new animated comedy takes audiences to an exciting world and unleashes an unforgettable story of a courageous caveman hero Dug and his best friend, Hognob. Under threat from a mighty enemy, Dug must rally his tribe to save their home from Lord Nooth and his Bronze Age City.

FIFTY SHADES FREED RELEASE DATE 9 FEBRUARY / Director James Foley / Starring Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eric Johnson / Genre Drama, Romance, Thriller

» Believing they have finally escaped

the shadowy figures from their past, newlyweds Christian and Ana can now fully embrace their inextricable bond and shared life of luxury. But just as Mr and Mrs Grey begin to relax into their new roles and unfamiliar stability, threats both old and new emerge to end their happy ending before it even begins.

3D IN CERTAIN CINEMAS

EVERY MAZE HAS AN END

SHE FOUGHT THE LAW

Maze Runner: The Death Cure

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

RELEASE DATE 26 JANUARY / Director Wes Ball / Starring Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Walton Goggins / Genre Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller

RELEASE DATE 12 JANUARY / Director Martin McDonagh / Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell / Genre Comedy, Crime, Drama

In the epic finale to the Maze Runner saga, Thomas leads the escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission yet. To save their friends and find a cure for a fatal epidemic they must break back into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions the Gladers have been asking since they first arrived in the maze.

After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes is fed up with the ineptitude of the local police. Taking matters into her own hands, she commissions a trio of signs leading into her town displaying a message directed at the town’s revered chief of police. When his second-in-command, an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing’s law enforcement is only exacerbated. January / February 2018 9

TRUTH WILL OUT

THE POST RELEASE DATE 19 JANUARY / Director Steven Spielberg / Starring Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Bob Odenkirk / Genre Biography, Drama, History

Steven Spielberg directs Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in a thrilling drama about the unlikely partnership between The Washington Post’s Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep), the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks). As they race to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned three decades and four U.S. Presidents, the two professionals must overcome their differences as they risk their careers - and their very freedom - to help bring long-buried truths to light. Joining the Hollywood legends are Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Alison Brie, David Cross, Michael Stuhlbarg, and more in a hard-hitting, ensemble drama that promises to present the Pentagon Papers scandal of the 70s with great accuracy and newfound significance in today’s political climate. 10 January / February 2018

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD

Film Shorts LADY BIRD RELEASE DATE 16 FEBRUARY After her husband loses his job, a nurse works tirelessly to keep her family afloat while maintaining a turbulent bond with her teenage daughter “Lady Bird” who’s just as wildly loving, deeply opinionated, and strong-willed as her.

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD RELEASE DATE 5 JANUARY When John Paul Getty III is kidnapped, his mother Gail (Michelle Williams) begs his billionaire grandfather

to pay the ransom. But Getty Sr (Christopher Plummer) refuses, and the captors become volatile. With her son’s life in the balance, Gail and Getty’s advisor (Mark Wahlberg) become unlikely allies in the race against time.

THE MORE YOU IGNORE ME RELEASE DATE 2 FEBRUARY A heart-warming comedy focussing on the life of an unusual family in rural England, addressing mental health issues in a very real, sometimes stark, but also funny and affirming way.

ONE TO WATCH

Downsizing

Father Figures

RELEASE DATE 24 JANUARY / Director Alexander Payne / Starring Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Kristen Wiig / Genre Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi

RELEASE DATE 16 FEBRUARY / Director Lawrence Sher / Starring Ed Helms, Owen Wilson, J.K. Simmons / Genre Comedy

In a world where Norwegian scientists have solved over-population by shrinking humans to five inches tall, everyman Paul Safranek and his wife Audrey are seduced by the promise of a better life and decide to abandon their stressed existence. But getting small comes with big consequences and the choice to downsize to a life in miniature triggers life-changing adventures.

Twin brothers, Kyle and Peter Reynolds, were raised by their eccentric single mother and always told that their father had died when they were young. When they discover this to be a lie, they set out together to find their biological father, and end up learning more about their mother than they probably ever wanted to know.

ANNIHILATION RELEASE DATE 23 FEBRUARY / Director Alex Garland / Starring Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Oscar Isaac / Genre Adventure, Drama, Fantasy

Based on Jeff VanderMeer’s bestselling trilogy of novels, a group of female scientists are sent out to explore “Area X”, a mysterious environmental disaster zone that’s claimed the lives of nearly all who’ve entered it. But one of them has her own motives for joining the dangerous expedition: to track down her husband, who went missing on the previous mission.

HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS

FEAR COMES HOME

Tad The Lost Explorer And The Secret Of King Midas

Insidious: The Last Key

RELEASE DATE 9 FEBRUARY / Directors David Alonso, Enrique Gato / Starring Óscar Barberán, Michelle Jenner, Miguel Ángel Jenner / Genre Animation, Adventure, Family

Tad Stones travels to see his friend Sara’s latest discovery: a papyrus that proves the legend of King Midas, who turned everything he touched into gold with the power of a magical necklace. But when the evil Jack Rackham steals the papyrus and kidnaps Sara, Tad must embark on another great adventure to save her.

RELEASE DATE 12 JANUARY / Director Adam Robitel / Starring Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell / Genre Horror, Mystery, Thriller

The creative minds behind the hit Insidious trilogy return for a terrifying fourth chapter that sees Dr Elise Rainier contacted by a desperate family, who are being haunted by a malicious key-fingered apparition with the ability to turn off its victim’s screams. After accepting their call for help, the brilliant parapsychologist and her two ghost-busting sidekicks, Specs and Tucker, must go deeper into the Further as Elise must face her most fearsome and personal haunting yet: in her own family home. January / February 2018 11

WHAT’S ON

NO PEACE WITHOUT SACRIFICE

HOSTILES RELEASE DATE 5 JANUARY / Director Scott Cooper / Starring Christian Bale, Wes Studi, Rosamund Pike / Genre Adventure, Drama, Western

1892, New Mexico. Legendary Army captain Joseph J. Blocker (Christian Bale) reluctantly undertakes one final mission before his retirement: escort Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) - a dying Cheyenne war chief - and his family back to their sacred tribal lands. After twenty years of violent struggle, this gesture of peace is as unthinkable as it is harrowing. Together they battle against a punishing landscape and the brutality of men alike, coming to the rescue of a young widow (Rosamund Pike) amidst the carnage of her murdered family. Two great warriors, once rivals across the battlefield, must learn to trust each other and find peace in an unforgiving land. A heroic odyssey of survival, Scott Cooper’s gritty western becomes a story not about the miles travelled, nor the battles fought, but the journey towards respect, reconciliation, and forgiveness.

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Film Shorts 12 STRONG RELEASE DATE 26 JANUARY Set in the aftermath of 9/11, a U.S. Special Forces team, led by their new Captain, Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth), is chosen to be sent into Afghanistan for an extremely dangerous mission. There, in the rugged mountains, they must adopt the rudimentary tactics of the Afghani horse soldiers.

I, TONYA RELEASE DATE 20 FEBRUARY Margot Robbie stars as American figure skating

12 STRONG

champion Tonya Harding, who was involved in a vicious attack on her rival skater, teammate Nancy Kerrigan just before the 1994 Winter Olympics.

WHITE BOY RICK RELEASE DATE 26 JANUARY Matthew McConaughey stars as Richard Wershe Sr in the true story of how his fourteen-year-old son, Richard Wershe Jr, became an undercover informant for the Detroit police during the mid1980s only to be arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.

ONE TO WATCH

The Commuter

Molly’s Game

RELEASE DATE 19 JANUARY / Director Jaume Collet-Serra / Starring Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Sam Neill / Genre Crime, Drama, Mystery

RELEASE DATE 1 JANUARY / Director Aaron Sorkin / Starring Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner / Genre Biography, Drama

After being contacted by a mysterious stranger on his commute home, an insurance salesman is forced to uncover the identity of a hidden passenger on the train. Working against the clock to solve the puzzle, he soon realises that he’s been unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy that carries life and death stakes, for himself and his fellow passengers.

The true story of how an Olympicclass skier came to run the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker games before her arrest. Her players included Hollywood royalty, sports stars, business titans, and unbeknownst to her - the Russian mob. Her only ally was her criminal defence lawyer, who learned that there was much more to Molly than the tabloids led everyone to believe.

MORE ON PAGE

Journey’s End

Roman J. Israel, Esq The Mercy

RELEASE DATE 2 FEBRUARY / Director Saul Dibb / Starring Asa Butterfield, Sam Claflin, Paul Bettany / Genre Drama, War

RELEASE DATE 2 FEBRUARY / Director Dan Gilroy / Starring Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo / Genre Crime, Drama

RELEASE DATE 9 FEBRUARY / Director James Marsh / Starring Colin Firth, Rachel Weisz, David Thewlis / Genre Biography, Drama

March 1918. A young officer joins C-Company and their war-weary Captain Stanhope as they take their turn in the front-line trenches in northern France. Told that a German offensive is imminent, the officers and their cook distract themselves with talk of food and their past lives as the days tick by, the tension rises, and the impending attack draws ever closer.

Set in the underbelly of the overburdened Los Angeles criminal court system, a driven, idealistic defence attorney’s life is upended when he’s recruited by an ambitious new firm, befriended by a young champion of equal rights, and faced with a turbulent series of events that put the activism that has defined his career to the test.

Amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst enters the 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race in the hope of becoming the first person in history to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe without stopping. With an unfinished boat and his business and house on the line, Donald leaves his wife and children behind to embark on an epic journey on his boat the Teignmouth Electron. January / February 2018 13

IN CINEMAS FEBRUARY

FEATURE

KING OF THE JUNGLE With his King and father assassinated, T’Challa must return home to rule the secretive and futuristic nation of Wakanda - where old enemies lie in wait… WORDS CHRIS WASEY

BLACK PANTHER

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RELEASE DATE 16 FEBRUARY / Director Ryan Coogler / Starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o / Genre Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

ap and Tony hold a fragile truce, and the world holds its breath. Having sided with Iron Man in order to get revenge for his father’s murder, T’Challa, the Black Panther, must now return home and claim his throne. An isolationist state, Wakanda is high-tech and powerful thanks to

its access to vibranium - the metal used to make Cap’s shield. But with its King now dead, enemies reveal themselves, and T’Challa’s allies are slain amid the coup. As the threat of Wakandan weapons being loosed upon the world becomes apparent, T’Challa stands alone. With superhuman strength to rival Cap’s, and a vibranium suit, he must rally what support remains and try to save the soul of his nation, before it’s used to bring darkness to the world. Michael B. Jordan plays the (ominously named) Erik Killmonger, a Wakandan exile that seeks to overthrow T’Challa. His distinctive tribal markings and brutal fighting style only add to his cunning; patient and calculated, he has a zealous belief in his right to rule. Directed by dynamic young filmmaker Ryan Coogler (Creed), Black Panther is the last MCU entry before the Infinity War begins…

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January / February 2018 15

FEATURE

EARLY MAN

OUT OF TIME Journey back to the dawn of time to join Dug and his tribe as they battle to save their home from a futuristic Bronze Age foe. WORDS BRODY ROSSITER 16 January / February 2018

RELEASE DATE 26 JANUARY / Director Nick Park / Starring Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams / Genre Animation, Adventure, Comedy

rom the ingenious creators of Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and Chicken Run comes a new animated adventure that will take film lovers back in time to a land filled with action, adventure, and prehistoric peril. Four-time Academy Award winning director Nick Park and Aardman Animations present Early Man, a cinematic journey to the dawn of time. Woolly Mammoths roam the earth, loincloths are the height of fashion, and rocks are plentiful, however, a new day is dawning. The age of stone will soon crumble, replaced by a shiny new Bronze Age, and it’s all thanks to the Mighty Lord Nooth and his followers. Early Man’s comedic tale follows Dug, a scrawny caveman with a big heart and can-do attitude. Alongside his trusty pet hog sidekick, Hognob, Dug must lead his tribe into the greatest fight of their lives against a seemingly insurmountable foe. As time marches on, Dug and his fellow tribe members are faced with the eradication of the vibrant valley that they call home. Lord Nooth has big plans for the area, most worryingly, using it to add to his growing collection of mines. Can Nooth’s appetite for destruction be thwarted? Or will Dug and company be gobbled up by the hulking machinery devouring the landscape? Aardman are no strangers to underdogs. The celebrated animation studio has won the hearts of countless cinemagoers both young and old with their cheery tales of unlikely heroes

with big ideas. Whether it was Wallace and his ambition to journey to the moon in search of the universe’s best cheese, or Rocky’s feather-rustling attempts to fly the coop, the Bristolbased studio’s celebrated storytelling and charming characters have become an irreplaceable part of British filmmaking and a beloved export around the world. The dishevelled Dug may well be Aardman’s pluckiest protagonist yet. To save his clan’s way of life, he must travel to new lands and infiltrate the towering Bronze City that Nooth and his interlopers call home. Luckily not all of the leader’s subjects are loyal, and the bewildered caveman may well have assistance from an unlikely ally. He’ll certainly need help navigating the strange and “futuristic” city, and will have to immerse himself in their unusual activities – most notably, a love for football. The beautiful game may well decide Dug’s fate, although he’s never worn a pair of shoes, never mind laced up a pair of boots! Will he lead the tribe to victory or score a devastating own goal? Aardman has grown increasingly star-studded over the years, and Early Man boasts the studio’s most impressive ensemble cast yet. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne steps into the role of Dug, Tom Hiddleston voices the ruthless Lord Nooth, and Maisie Williams (Game Of Thrones), Richard Ayoade, and Timothy Spall help create a truly unique and unmissable voice cast showcasing some of the best in British actors. It’s Stone Age versus Bronze Age in a fight for the ages, which is also suitable for all ages, and fun for all the family. Expect an action-packed battle of wits, laughs, gasps, and when the dust settles, an unforgettable stop-motion adventure that will stand the test of time.

DUG The hero of the tale and his tribe’s greatest hope! The challenges ahead will test Dug’s faith in himself and friends to breaking point. Can he inspire them to achieve greatness beyond their wildest dreams?

GOONA Goona is a strong, outspoken young woman, barred from fulfilling her dreams by the conventions of her world. This straight-talking Scandinavian breaks down barriers and proves she has a powerful sense of justice.

BOBNAR The loveable patient chief of Dug’s tribe. Bobnar is more like a dad to the tribe than a chief, making sure they change their underwear and brush their teeth every day!

HOGNOB Dug’s stone-age pet hog and early man’s best friend. Although he can’t talk, Hognob is very communicative, managing to make his feelings known with an emphatic growl or a well-timed roll of his eyes.

FEATURE

HIS BRIGHTEST MOMENT Gary Oldman steps into the shoes of one of history’s greatest leaders, tasked with overcoming the Nazi menace during a key moment in time. WORDS AARON POTTER RELEASE DATE 12 JANUARY / Director Joe Wright / Starring Gary Oldman, Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas / Genre Biography, Drama, War

uring the course of World War II, Winston Churchill faced insurmountable odds. Not only was he fighting off the distinctly evil forces of Hitler’s Germany and its Nazi regime, but the stocky conservative also found himself at odds with his cabinet colleagues. Now, Gary Oldman faces a similarly daunting task when challenged with portraying the real-life legend, as presented in Joe Wright’s upcoming historical biopic, centred around this push-

and-pull internal power struggle. Focusing on the Prime Minister’s early days in office, around the time of the battle of Dunkirk, Wright’s latest offering seeks to shed new light on the war leader’s governing style, brought to life by Oldman’s electrifying central performance. Backed up by a cast of best Brits that includes the likes of Lily James and Kristin Scott Thomas, Darkest Hour has already garnered strong critical acclaim thanks to an early festival run and late American release last year. Witness Churchill forced to make one of his most tempestuous and crucial war-time decisions, as he decides whether to concede to the Nazi’s cataclysmic demands or stand up in the face of adversity.

Fearless Leaders: Other Men To Don Churchill’s Guise BRIAN COX - CHURCHILL Released just last year in UK cinemas, Brian Cox’s Churchill portrayal documented the end of the Prime Minister’s war efforts, 96 hours before the British invasion of Normandy.

JOHN LITHGOW - THE CROWN A supporting performance from Shrek’s John Lithgow that’s notably against type, his take on Churchill as featured in Netflix’s The Crown proved the comedy actor’s versatility.

TIMOTHY SPALL THE KING’S SPEECH Despite some minor historical inaccuracies here and there, Timothy Spall’s rendition of Churchill was brief but memorable alongside Colin Firth’s King George VI.

IAN MCNEICE - DOCTOR WHO A role that McNeice still occasionally fills on the show, his Churchill perfectly portrayed the patriotic PM inside the smoky war room.

DARKEST HOUR 18 January / February 2018

With a German attack imminent, a company of British soldiers can only wait as fear, suspense, and paranoia brew in a poignant First World War drama. WORDS LEE CURTIS

A WAITING GAME RELEASE DATE 2 FEBRUARY / Director Saul Dibb / Starring Asa Butterfield, Sam Claflin, Paul Bettany / Genre Drama, War

.C. Sherriff ’s formative anti-war play paints a harsh and harrowing picture of life in the trenches and has become a staple of the stage, school syllabuses, and the screen. Directed by Saul Dibb, the fifth adaptation of Journey’s End follows eighteen-year-old Second Lieutenant Raleigh (Asa Butterfield) as he arrives fresh out of training eager for his first taste of war. Excited to serve under his sister’s boyfriend and childhood hero, Captain Stanhope (Sam Claflin), he pulls strings at battalion headquarters to join C-Company as they head to the frontline. But the great war stories he’d been told are quickly replaced by the bleak reality of conflict. Expecting to reunite with an old friend and idol, Raleigh instead meets an almost unrecognisable figure who resents his arrival. Haunted by the horrors of war and drinking heavily, Stanhope is a shadow of his former self and is worried Raleigh may write to his sister revealing the truth about Stanhope’s condition. While their captain continues to escape his fears at the bottom of a bottle, Raleigh and his fellow officers try to keep spirits high as the hours until the impending German advance tick by.

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JOURNEY’S END

January / February 2018 19

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SEE IT FIRST SAT 3RD & SUN 4TH FEBRUARY IN CINEMAS EVERYWHERE FEBRUARY 9

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COMING SOON FORTHCOMING FILMS TO GET EXCITED ABOUT

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HER LEGEND BEGINS

TOMB RAIDER RELEASE DATE 16 MARCH / Director Roar Uthaug / Starring Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Walton Goggins / Genre Action, Adventure

Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen. She’s always rejected the idea that he’s truly gone and, now a young woman of 21, she finally decides to solve the puzzle of her father’s mysterious death once and for all. Going against all advice and her father’s explicit final wishes, she leaves everything she knows behind and embarks on a treacherous mission in search of his lastknown destination: a fabled tomb on a mythical island that might be somewhere off the coast of Japan. Against all the odds and armed with only her sharp wits, blind faith, and inherently stubborn spirit, Lara must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown. Surviving this perilous adventure could be the making of her, and earn her the name tomb raider.

PETER RABBIT

Peter Rabbit RELEASE DATE 16 MARCH / Director Will Gluck / Starring James Corden, Domhnall Gleeson, Daisy Ridley / Genre Animation, Adventure, Comedy

The mischievous and adventurous hero who has

captivated generations of readers comes to life to take on the starring role of his comedy adventure that sees his feud with Mr McGregor escalate to greater heights than ever before. Their battle to gain control of the coveted vegetable patch takes them all the way from the Lake District to London. January / February 2018 21

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RAMPAGE

Rampage RELEASE DATE 13 APRIL / Director Brad Peyton / Starring Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Dean Morgan / Genre Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Primatologist Davis Okoye shares an unshakable bond with an extraordinarily intelligent silverback who has been in his care since birth. But when a rogue genetic experiment mutates this gentle ape into a gigantic, raging beast and spawns alpha predators that tear across North America, Okoye must find a way to stop the global catastrophe and save the creature that he once called a friend.

Avengers: Infinity War RELEASE DATE 27 APRIL / Directors Anthony Russo, Joe Russo / Starring Robert Downey Jr, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland / Genre Action, Adventure, Fantasy 22 January / February 2018

As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment - the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.

Pacific Rim: Uprising

PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING powerful defence force to ever walk the earth.

The New Mutants RELEASE DATE 11 APRIL / Director Josh Boone / Starring Blu Hunt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams / Genre Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

A new generation of X-Men

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RELEASE DATE 23 MARCH / Director Steven S. DeKnight / Starring John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Charlie Day / Genre Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

When an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to bring the world to its knees, rebellious Jaeger pilot Jake Pentecost is given one last chance to live up to his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apocalypse-cancelling legacy as he joins a brave new generation of pilots who rise up to become the most

make their big screen debut in a sci-fi horror that follows five gifted youngsters, who are just discovering their abilities, as they seek to escape a secret facility. Held against their will and subject to cruel experiments, these young mutant heroes must work together to free themselves from their internal and external horrors.

Ready Player One

ONE TO WATCH

RELEASE DATE 30 MARCH / Director Steven Spielberg / Starring Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn / Genre Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Âť In 2045, the entire world is gripped by a contest to find

a digital Easter egg hidden within an expansive virtual reality universe known as OASIS. When an unlikely young hero named Wade Watts decides to join the race, he is hurled into a breakneck, reality-bending treasure hunt through a fantastical universe of mystery, discovery, and danger.

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ISLE OF DOGS

Isle Of Dogs RELEASE DATE 30 MARCH / Director Wes Anderson / Starring Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Bill Murray / Genre Animation, Adventure, Comedy

When, by Executive Decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage dump called Trash Island, twelveyear-old Atari flies across the river in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.

Alpha RELEASE DATE 9 MARCH / Director Albert Hughes / Starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Natassia Malthe, Leonor Varela / Genre Action, Drama, Thriller

Set in the last Ice Age, a young man is injured and

left for dead while on his first outing with his tribe’s elite hunters. Awakening to find himself broken and alone, he tames a lone wolf to survive and navigate the harsh and unforgiving wilderness, and together they set out to find their way home before the deadly winter arrives.

ALPHA

The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society RELEASE DATE 20 APRIL / Director Mike Newell / Starring Lily James, Michiel Huisman, Jessica Brown Findlay / Genre Drama, History, Romance

Set on Guernsey Island in the aftermath of World War II, free-spirited journalist Juliet Ashton forms a lifechanging bond with the eccentric Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society when she decides to write about the book club they created during wartime.

Red Sparrow RELEASE DATE 2 MARCH / Director Francis Lawrence / Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Mary-Louise Parker, Joel Edgerton / Genre Thriller

After suffering a careerending injury, a prima ballerina is manipulated into becoming the newest recruit for a secret intelligence service that trains exceptional young people to use their bodies and minds as weapons. After enduring the perverse and sadistic training process, she emerges as the most dangerous Sparrow the program has ever produced, and must now reconcile the person she was with the power she now commands.

LOVE, SIMON

Film Shorts THE CHILDREN ACT RELEASE DATE 13 APRIL Eminent High Court judge Fiona Maye (Emma Thompson) presides over ethically complex cases of family law but has paid a heavy personal price for her workload. With her marriage at breaking point, Fiona is asked to rule on the complicated case of Adam, a brilliant boy who is refusing the blood transfusion which will save his life. Adam is three months away from his 18th birthday and still legally

a child. Should Fiona force him to live?

LOVE, SIMON RELEASE DATE 16 MARCH Everyone deserves a great love story. But for seventeenyear-old Simon Spier it’s a little more complicated: he’s yet to tell his family or friends he’s gay and he doesn’t actually know the identity of the anonymous classmate he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, terrifying, and life-changing.

January / February 2018 23

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A WRINKLE IN TIME

A Wrinkle In Time RELEASE 23 MARCH / Director Ava DuVernay / Starring Storm Reid, Chris Pine, Reese Witherspoon / Genre Adventure, Family, Fantasy

Based on Madeleine L’Engle’s timeless classic, twelve-year-old Meg embarks on a journey across dimensions of time and space to save her father from an evil energy. Through one girl’s transformative journey led by three celestial guides, we discover that strength comes from embracing one’s individuality and that the best way to triumph over fear is to travel by one’s own light.

Ghost Stories RELEASE DATE 13 APRIL / Directors Jeremy Dyson, Andy Nyman / Starring Andy Nyman, Martin Freeman, Alex Lawther / Genre Drama, Horror 24 January / February 2018

Phillip Goodman, professor of psychology, arch-sceptic, the one-man “belief” buster - has his rationality tested to the hilt when he receives a letter apparently from beyond the grave. His mentor Charles Cameron, presumed dead, asks Goodman to investigate the paranormal cases of three haunted people, each with a tale more frightening, uncanny, and inexplicable than the last.

Winchester RELEASE DATE 2 FEBRUARY / Directors Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig / Starring Helen Mirren, Sarah Snook, Jason Clarke / Genre Biography, Fantasy, Horror

On an isolated stretch of land 50 miles outside of San Francisco sits the most haunted house in the world. Built by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester fortune, it is a house under permanent construction. But Sarah

WINCHESTER is not building for herself. She’s building a prison,

an asylum for hundreds of terrifying, vengeful ghosts.

Film Shorts ENTEBBE RELEASE DATE 9 MARCH Rosamund Pike and Daniel Brühl star in a ticking-clock thriller that tells the 1976 true story of four hijackers who took a plane hostage and forced it to land in Entebbe, Uganda while demanding the release of dozens of Palestinians jailed in Israel.

BLOCKERS RELEASE DATE 6 APRIL When three parents Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, and John Cena - stumble upon their daughters’ pact

ENTEBBE

to lose their virginity at prom they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal.

MARY MAGDALENE RELEASE DATE 16 MARCH Set in the Holy Land in the first century C.E., a young woman (Rooney Mara) leaves her small fishing village and traditional family behind to join a radical new social movement. At its head is a charismatic leader, Jesus of Nazareth (Joaquin Phoenix), who promises that the world is changing.

FEATURE

THE GREAT EASTER EGG HUNT Enter a virtual world that pushes the very limits of technology and human life, where an immersive and thrilling ride to the edge of your imagination awaits. Get ready, player one. WORDS JIM ROBERTS

RELEASE DATE 30 MARCH / Director Steven Spielberg / Starring Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn / Genre Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

rnest Cline’s 2011 novel Ready Player One was born to be on the big screen. Its wholly cinematic and wildly imaginative story follows Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan), a teenage orphan living out in “The Stacks” who spends his time plugged into the virtual reality OASIS; a vibrant universe populated by custom created avatars, 3D rendered planets, and an abundance of 80’s pop culture references. Founded by James Halliday (Mark Rylance) and Ogden Morrow (Simon

READY PLAYER ONE

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Pegg), the Jobs and Wozniak of this With the fate of his virtual world at 2045 dystopia, the OASIS provides a stake, it’s down to Wade, some in-game beautiful and serene escape from the companions, and love interest/rival harshness and savagery of the postArt3mis (Olivia Cooke) to battle the apocalyptic world. But when Halliday competition, solve the riddles, and win. dies, an elaborate new game begins. The hunt for Halliday’s Easter Egg is on. The prize, his entire fortune of $240 billion in real-world cash. Unsurprisingly, the whole world is swept up in a contest that has also attracted the attention of evil, power-hungry corporation IOI, led ts ible kind, are the trea Easter Eggs, the non-ed by Nolan Sorrento to reference other s film ir the into ak filmmakers sne Ready wider pop culture, and (Ben Mendelsohn), movies, literature, and e of thre out ed pick ve We' m! who will do Player One is full of the s to get you started: one d -fin y-to eas , iest the tast anything to win; car ic time machine sports even cheat. DELOREAN - The icon

Easter Eggs

back by ure is brought lovingly from Back To The Fut . Spielberg and his team in a de classic comes to life JOUST - The 80's arca ce. uen seq mesmerising fight

e listen to the trailer will WILLY WONKA - A clos gination”. no cover of “Pure Ima reward you with a tech der, Of The Rings, Tomb Rai But that’s not all, Lord a film in ure feat all ers oth Batman, and many Easter Eggs to keep that conceals enough everyone entertained.

COMPETITION GREAT PRIZES

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FIFTY SHADES FREED

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Win

Win the Ultimate Personal Shopping & Styling Experience Day Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson return as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades Freed, the third chapter based on the worldwide bestselling “Fifty Shades” phenomenon. Expanding upon events set in motion in 2015 and 2017’s blockbuster films that grossed almost $950 million globally, the new instalment arrives for Valentine’s Day 2018. Fifty Shades Freed is directed by Fifty Shades Darker’s James Foley (Fear, House of Cards) and once again produced by Michael De Luca, Dana Brunetti and Marcus Viscidi, alongside E L James, the creator of the culture-spanning blockbuster series. The screenplay is by Niall Leonard, based on the novel by James.

For your chance to win a full day personal shopping and styling at Harrods, in association with Fifty Shades Freed, simply answer the question below: Q Who is Ana’s former boss and arch-enemy of Christian Grey who returns to take revenge on the new Mr and Mrs Grey? Visit www.onscreen.online/win to enter. Terms and Conditions: Closing date for entries is 28th February 2018 One winner drawn at random will win this Red Letter Day Experience For full terms and conditions visit www.onscreen.online/win © Universal Pictures 2017. All Rights Reserved.

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JOURNEYMAN

BRAD’S STATUS

ONSCREEN ON INDIE We take a look at the best independent, documentary, and world cinema hitting the screens in January/February. Journeyman RELEASE DATE 16 FEBRUARY / Director Paddy Considine / Starring Paddy Considine, Jodie Whittaker, Paul Popplewell / Genre Drama, Sport / Country UK

After winning a punishing title defence on points, middleweight boxing champion Matty Burton collapses. The journey towards regaining his speech, movement, and memory will be the toughest fight he’ll ever face, and the prize could not be greater, for his relationship with his wife Emma and baby daughter Mia are on the line.

Jupiter’s Moon RELEASE DATE 5 JANUARY / Director Kornél Mundruczó / Starring Zsombor Jéger, Merab Ninidze, Mónika Balsai / Genre Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller / Countries Germany, Hungary

Young refugee Aryan is shot while illegally crossing the border to escape his war-torn home. While tending him back to health, a doctor at a refugee camp discovers that he has gained an extraordinary talent - he can levitate. He offers to smuggle Aryan out but only if he helps him make some money with his miraculous gift first.

Birth Of The Dragon

gave birth to the legend of the dragon.

Brad’s Status RELEASE DATE 5 JANUARY / Director Mike White / Starring Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, Jemaine Clement / Genre Comedy, Drama / Country USA

During a trip touring

RELEASE DATE 23 FEBRUARY / Director George Nolfi Starring Philip Ng, Xia Yu, Billy Magnussen / Genre Action, Biography, Drama / Countries China, Canada, USA

San Francisco, 1964. A young Bruce Lee challenges kung fu master Wong Jack Man to one of the most controversial fights of all time. This modern take on the classic martial arts movies Lee was famous for reveals their intense rivalry and how their epic no-holds-barred showdown

prospective universities with his musical prodigy son, middle-aged Brad can’t help comparing his life working for non-profit with his four best college friends who have each gone on to incredible careers. As he imagines their wealthy, glamorous lives, he wonders if cosy middle-class domesticity is the best he will ever achieve.

ONE TO WATCH

Dark River RELEASE DATE 23 FEBRUARY / Director Clio Barnard / Starring Ruth Wilson, Mark Stanley, Sean Bean / Genre Drama, Mystery, Thriller / Country UK

» Following the death of her father, Alice returns home

for the first time in fifteen years to claim the tenancy of the family farm. But in order to do so, she must confront traumatic memories and family betrayals to find a way to restore the farm and salvage the bond with her brother before both are irrevocably lost.

“MINIATURE MASTERPIECE”

HHHHH – the Guardian

IN CINEMAS JANUARY