Elephants! Alligators! Cage fighting! Tobey Maguire looking like an extra from The Addams Family!
Yep, one look at the trailer makes it clear that Babylon is a far cry from the David Gray jukebox musical which its title seemed to promise/threaten (delete according to personal taste).
La La Land director Damien Chazelle’s portrait of Hollywood decadence is set to be the talk of the town this week — while Anna Kendrick stars in tense drama Alice, Darling, and one of the greatest comedies of all time requests permission to land. Surely you can’t be serious?
New releases
Babylon
Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt reunite to tell another story set once upon a time in Hollywood in this spectacular epic from director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, La La Land).
Set in the 1920s as film studios began to transition from silent pictures to ‘talkies’, this portrayal of the decadence and debauchery behind the scenes is said to invoke The Wolf of Wall Street as much as Singin’ in the Rain.
The sprawling narrative takes in the rise and fall of multiple Tinseltown residents including Robbie’s wannabe star and Pitt’s fading screen idol, plus a wide-eyed film fanatic played by Diego Calva (Narcos: Mexico).
Big is the word here, from stupendous set-pieces to super-sized runtime (at three hours plus, you go large on that Coke at your peril), and it’s certainly made an impression on the critics, with the BBC calling it a ‘cinematic marvel’.
| Cert 18, 189 mins | |
| Cineworld, City Screen, Everyman, Vue | |
| From Fri Jan 20 | |
| More details |
Alice, Darling
If you’re looking for an understated alternative to Babylon’s world of wild excess, this acclaimed psychological drama starring Anna Kendrick might fit the bill.
A portrait of a woman trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship, the film follows Kendrick’s Alice as she takes a much-needed break from her controlling boyfriend Simon (Charlie Carrick) when she goes on a lakeside holiday with her two best friends — but her peace is short-lived when the jealous Simon arrives unexpectedly.
It’s an interesting change of pace for the Pitch Perfect star, which has seen her pick up some impressive reviews, alongside praise for the sensitive direction of Mary Nighy (daughter of Bill), making her feature debut here.
| Cert 15, 89 mins | |
| Everyman | |
| From Fri Jan 20 |
Other screenings
Much talked-about psychodrama Tár starts screening at Vue this week, and also continues at City Screen — if the ecstatic reviews are anything to go by, they may as well start etching Cate Blanchett’s name on the Best Actress Oscar now for this one.
Vue also have a preview screening of highly rated French courtroom drama Saint Omer on Weds 25th — hailed as an ‘unblinking stunner’ by the Guardian, the film sees a successful novelist gripped by the trial of a young Senegalese woman accused of killing her daughter.
Hit 2002 musical Chicago high kicks its way over to Vue on Sat 21st and Tues 24th, while Everyman clear the podium for Colin Firth with screenings of his Oscar-winning turn in The King’s Speech on Sun 22nd and Tues 24th.
Meanwhile, Vue’s classic comedy season may have peaked early with one of the most gag-filled movies of all time, Airplane! — the supremely quotable disaster spoof flies back on to the big screen on Fri 20th and Mon 23rd. Roger, Roger. What’s our vector, Victor?
And finally, your budget family-friendly offerings this week: singing croc Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile practises his scales at Cineworld, where they’re also showing Mia and Me: The Hero of Centopia (Sat 21st and Sun 22nd, tickets £2.50), while Vue have a Julia Donaldson double bill with Room on the Broom and The Highway Rat (Sat 21st/Sun 22nd/Tues 24th, £2.49), and City Screen are showing Steven Spielberg’s take on The BFG on Sat 21st (£3.30). Snozzcumbers at the ready!