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NATIONAL RELEASES
Dear John (Paramount/Momentum): A romantic drama about a US soldier (Channing Tatum) who falls for a conservative college student (Amanda Seyfried) while he’s home on leave. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom (yes, the man who once made My Life as a Dog) this is aimed squarely at female audiences who lapped up The Notebook on DVD, and as such it could do reasonable business. Random fact: this was the film that ended Avatar’s long run at the top of the US box office. [Odeon Leicester Square & Nationwide / 12A]
Cemetery Junction (Sony Pictures): The latest project from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant is a coming of age tale set in Reading during the 1970s that involves three men working at an insurance company: Freddie (Christian Cooke); Bruce (Tom Hughes) and Snork (Jack Doolan). Loosely based on Gervais’ own background, he’ll be hoping that the more introspective tone won’t put off audiences expecting to see the David Brent dance for the 76th time. [Nationwide / 15]
The Ghost (Optimum Releasing): Based on the novel by Robert Harris about a a journalist (Ewan McGregor) who is hired to write the memoirs of a former UK Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan), who may or may not have sinister motives. Directed by Roman Polanski, who has had an eventful year to say the least, it premièred to generally warm reviews and will undoubtedly intrigue upscale audiences, especially as the PM character is unofficially based on Tony Blair. [Odeon Leicester Square, Tricycle Kilburn & Nationwide / 15]
Repo Men (Universal): A sci-fi thriller set in the near future when artificial organs can be bought on credit, the story centres on a repo man (Jude Law) who struggles to meet the payments on his heart and has to go on the run. Directed by Miguel Sapochnik, this got scathing reviews in the US and makes you wonder what happened to Jude Law’s career. [Vue West End & Nationwide / 18]
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ALSO OUT
Boogie Woogie (Vertigo Films): A comedy of manners set against the backdrop of contemporary London and the international art scene, starring Amanda Seyfried, Gillian Anderson, Stellan Skarsgård, Christopher Lee and Joanna Lumley. [Apollo Piccadilly Circus, Coronet Notting Hill & Key Cities / 15]
City Of Life And Death (High Fliers Films): A Chinese film which dramatises the Nanking Massacre of 1937. Directed by Lu Chuan and starring Liu Ye and Gao Yuanyuan. [Curzon Mayfair, Gate & City Screen / 15]
Crying With Laughter (Britfilms Distn.): First-time feature from director Justin Molotnikov set in Edinburgh about a comedian (Stephen McCole) and a fan (Malcolm Shields) who wants him to attend a ‘reunion’. [Apollo Piccadilly & Key Cities / 15]
The Heavy (Parkland Pictures): A gangster thriller about a hard man (Gary Stretch) recently released from prison who is upset with his politician brother (Adrian Paul). [Key Cities / 18]
Give Me Your Hand (Peccadillo Pictures): A road movie from French director Pascal-Alex Vincent, about teenage twins hitch-hiking across France to attend the funeral of their mother. [Cine Lumiere, Shortwave Cinema & Key Cities]
The Manchurian Candidate (Park Circus): A re-release for the classic 1962 conspiracy thriller starring Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey. [BFI Southbank & Key Cities / 12A]
The Market (The Works International): A low budget British film about a Turkish salesman from director Ben Hopkins. [BFI Southbank & Rich Mix / 12A]
Beeswax (ICA Cinema): Another blast of Mumblecore (hopefully the last) which sees two sisters in their mid-30s go in and out of jobs in Austin, Texas. [ICA Cinema]
Bananas!* (Dogwoof): A documentary from Swedish director Fredrik Gertten about a raft of class-action lawsuits taken out against the Dole Food Company, which has used controversial chemicals on their banana plantations in Nicaragua. [ICA Cinema & Key Cities]
Paathshaala (Eros): Bollywood film set in an Indian school starring Shahid Kapoor, Ayesha Takia, Ali Haji and Nana Patekar and directed by Milind Ukey.
> DVD and Blu-ray Picks for Monday 12th April including The Bicycle Thieves, Henri-George Clouzot’s Inferno and Wonders of the Solar System
> Get local cinema showtimes for your area via Google Movies