Sun 10 Aug • Matinee

KUNG FU PANDA (PG) 2.00

(US 2008) dir. Mark Osborne & John Stevenson 93m.
Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Michael Clarke Dunca, Ian McShane.

Can an overweight lazy panda become a Kung Fu Master? When an ancient prophecy indicates Po as the “chosen one” he gets the chance to train with the finest martial arts experts – but will they have the patience to whip this slacker panda into shape... Stunning animation and the voices of Hollywood’s biggest stars make this the movie event of the summer!

£6/£5 Concs & Under 15’s

Sun 10 Aug • Matinee

MAN ON A WIRE (12A) 4.15

(UK 2008) dir. James Marsh 94m. Digital
Philippe Petit, Jean-Louis Blondeau, Annie Allix, Jim Moore, Mark Lewis, Jean-Francois Heckel.

This delightfully compelling documentary focuses on eccentric daredevil Philippe Petit, most famous for his staggering stunt of 1974 when he walked across a high-wire from one World Trade Centre tower to the other. While the film builds up to this moment through cleverly put-together reconstructions, the narrative is simultaneously driven forward by details of Petit’s earlier stunts, with superb archive footage of accomplishments at Notre Dame and the Sydney Bridge. Insightful interviews with the wonderfully charismatic Petit all help to make this the most entertaining documentary of recent years, and fully-deserved of both its audience and jury prizes at this year’s Sundance Festival.

SUN 17 Aug • Matinees

WALL-E (U) 1.45, 4.15

(US 2008) dir. Andrew Stanton 103m. Digital.
Ben Burtt, Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver.

Set 700 years in the future, Wall-E is the last remaining robot on planet Earth, long deserted by humans due to all the waste and pollution left by large corporations. When a chance encounter brings him face to face with human beings, can he convince them to fight for their long-forgotten planet? Pixar’s best animation yet!

£6/£5 Concs & Under 15’s

Sun 24 Aug • Jeanne Moreau double bill

LIFT TO THE SCAFFOLD (PG) 1.30

(France, 1958) dir. Louis Malle 88m. Subtitles. Digital.
Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, Georges Poujouly, Yori Bertin.

A dazzling piece of French New-Wave film noir. Julien Tavernier (Ronet) plans to kill the husband of his mistress (Moreau) but then finds himself trapped after carrying out the murder. Miles Davis' landmark jazz score is a masterpiece in its own right.

+ JULES ET JIM (PG) 3.25

(France, 1962) dir. Francois Truffaut 106m. Subtitles. Digital.
Jeanna Moreau, Oskar Werner, Henri Serre, Marie Dubois.

Standout performances and beautiful imagery emerge in Truffant’s triumphant take on the archetypal love triangle. In Paris, 1912, both Jules and Jim find themselves falling in love with Catherine. Whilst Catherine decides she loves Jules, her love evolves over time leading to lives confused and consumed by passion and desire, but united by friendship.

Sun 31 Aug • Double bill

THE VISITOR (15) 2.45

(US, 2007) dir. Thomas McCarthy 106m. Digital.
Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira.

A touching drama from the acclaimed director of THE STATION AGENT. Widowed professor Walter (Jenkins) travels to New York and finds a young couple, who transpire to be illegal immigrants, have been tricked into renting his seldom-used apartment. Walter allows them to stay, commencing an affectionate friendship that reacquaints Walter with a city he once knew.

+ SAVAGE GRACE (15) 4.55

(Spain/US/France 2007) dir. Tom Kalin 97m. Digital.
Julianne Moore, Stephen Dillane, Eddie Redmayne, Elena Anaya.

A gripping and powerful film recalling the story of Barbara Daly (Moore) who marries above her class to Brooks (Dillane), heir to the Bakelite plastic fortune. Barbara’s fierce determination to prove her social worth takes a shocking turn as the unusually close bond she shares with her son intensifies leading to irreversible, tragic consequences. Tremendously acted, with a superb central performance from Moore.

Sun 7 Sep • Double bill

SUMMER HOURS (12A) 1.30

(France, 2008) dir. Olivier Assayas 100m. Subtitles. Digital.
Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jérémie Renier, Edith Scob, Dominique Reymond, Valérie Bonneton.

Following the death of their mother, her children must decide what to do with all her priceless artworks and artefacts. While the answer – donation to the Musée d’Orsay – comes relatively easy, the process is much harder. Merging familial relationships with debates of national identity, this is a thoughtful and enchanting film that probes questions of the importance of ones cultural and personal heritage.

+ PARIS (15) 3.40

(France, 2008) dir. Cédric Klapisch 130m. Subtitles.
Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris, Fabrice, Luchini, Albert Dupontel.

Beautiful story of a professional dancer Pierre (Duris), confined to his apartment awaiting a heart transplant. Although his sister (Binoche) moves in to help take care of him, Pierre is more concerned with the everyday life of the city and its inhabitants, played out beneath his balcony. This delightful slice of Parisian life questions the true meaning of happiness through a set of disparate and loosely linked characters.

Sun 14 Sep • Double bill

MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES (U) 2.30

(Canada 2006) dir. Jennifer Baichwal 87m. Digital.

For many years renowned artist Edward Burtynsky has captured the devastating impact of industrial expansion through large-scale photographs. This documentary focuses on his work, and while his artistic ambitions lead him all across the world, here he is primarily concerned with China's rapid industrialization. Coming on the heels of Al Gore's AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH this is an all the more staggering wake-up call to modern environmental fears.

+ MY WINNIPEG (12A) 4.25

(Canada, 2007) dir. Guy Maddin 80m. Digital.
Darcy Fehr, Ann Savage, Amy Stewart, Brenda Cade.

An entertaining and engrossing visit to the world of maverick independent movie-maker Guy Maddin. His critically lauded homage to his hometown of Winnipeg mixes documentary and fantasy and the result is a very personal and very revealing portrait of the town, its traditions, landmarks and fables.

Sun 21 Sep • Double bill

CARAMEL (PG) 1.15

(France/Lebanon 2007) dir. Nadine Labaki 96m. Subtitles.
Nadine Labaki, Yasmine Elmasri, Joanna Moukarzel, Gisèle Aouad, Adel Karam, Sihame Haddad.

A familiar concept is giving an energizing lease of life in this original comedy set in a Beirut beauty salon. Battling between the influences of the current and convention, CARAMEL is a relaxed and sweet-hearted film, addressing a range of issues facing Lebanese women – from extramarital affairs to religious duties –portraying delightful characters endeavouring to live their lives to the full against the underlying subtext of war and conflict.

+ COUSCOUS (15) 3.15

(France, 2007) dir. Abdel Kechiche 154m. Subtitles.
Habib Boufares, Hafsia Herzi, Farida Benkhetache, Abdelhamid Aktouche, Bouraouïa Marzouk.

An imaginative and engaging drama about an immigrant Arab family in a port town in southern France. When divorced father Slimane is made redundant he decides to invest his lifetime saving into his dream of opening a restaurant. His family squabbles give way to love and loyalty, but the racism of the locals is never far from the surface. An uplifting and engrossing tale that is outstandingly acted by the ensemble cast.

Sun 28 Sep • Special event

HISTOIRE(S) DU CINEMA (18) 1.00

(Fr 1997-98) dir. Jean-Luc Godard 265m. Subtitles. Digital

Jean-Luc Godard transformed the face of cinema with his prolific, influential and revolutionary body of work which includes such classics as BREATHLESS, WEEKEND and SLOW MOTION to name but a few. His video series HISTOIRE(S) DU CINEMA, consisting of eight episodes made over a period of ten years, is an extraordinary look at the medium through the eyes of this unique filmmaker. Hugely ambitious in scope, the series covers a wide range of topics from the birth of cinema to Italian neo-realism to Hollywood and beyond. A dazzling montage of sight and sound, HISTOIRE(S) DU CINEMA features a diverse array of film extracts, the voices of – among others – Juliette Binoche and Alfred Hitchcock, and an eclectic music soundtrack ranging from Beethoven to Leonard Cohen.

To be introduced by Chris Petit

Screening courtesy of Artificial Eye and Gaumont

£10/£8 Concs