In the wake of the annual Spring 'Awards Season', we're bringing back some of the most lauded films of the last year for a series of one off special screenings in our cinemas.
We begin with The Power Of The Dog (Fri 8 Apr & Sun 24 Apr). One of the most award-laden movies of modern times, the Benedict Cumberbatch-starring drama was nominated for a massive 11 Academy Awards and 7 BAFTAs, with film-maker Jane Campion walking away with the Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Hollywood Critics Association and London Film Critics Circle award for Best Director, as well as the BAFTA and Golden Globe for Best Film.
Like The Power Of The Dog, Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical Belfast (Sat 9 Apr) has wowed critics and cinema-goers, with six BAFTA nominations (winning Outstanding British Film), and seven Oscars (winning Best Original Screenplay for Sir Ken) plus the Hollywood Critics Association Best Picture, Golden Globe for Best Screenplay.
Spielberg has no shortage of gongs in his garage, we suspect. And although his remake of West Side Story (Wed 13 Apr) initially had some critics pondering why?, his modern film proved to be an escapist delight with Ariana DeBose winning both the Oscar and BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress, and the Golden Globe for Best Picture – Musical/Comedy.
Another sure-fire winner was Denis Villeneuve's stunning Dune (Wed 27 Apr), a jaw-dropping adaptation of sci-fi novelist Frank Herbert's epic. Long considered un-filmable, it arguably defeated David Lynch in 1984, but with 10 Oscar noms, Villeneuve clearly managed it! Among the awards it picked up are a slew of technical nods (including BAFTAs and Oscars for Cinematography, Sound, Production Design and Visual Effects), but the Hollywood Critics Association did present Villeneuve with Best Director. Hans Zimmer's score also scored highly too, and while the awards underline its technical achievements, it’s nonetheless a superb piece of storytelling. Part Two in 2023?
But our own Awards Season isn't just about the big, glam, obvious blockbusters, as we also re-present the moving debut feature from English-Pakistani film-maker Aleem Khan, After Love (Mon 11 Apr) which won six British Independent Film Awards and a Best Actress BAFTA for Joanna Scanlan.
And we're also pleased to finally bring you CODA (Tue 12 & Tue 26 Apr). Previously not available to be screened in cinemas, it scooped Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (for Troy Kotsur), and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards, the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, and two BAFTAs (Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Troy).
