Talking Movies: Oxford

**PLEASE ONLY RSVP IF YOU INTEND ON COMING**
Join us at The Chequers Inn for our Halloween special event! With drink in hand we will we chat our way through blood strewn corn fields, wicker men and witchy woods for...

Folk Horror on Film- Black Goats, Demons, Maypoles and Heathens
To join us we have a special guest, Dr Eleanor Baker of Oxford University. Eleanor lectures in Old and Middle English and is an expert in Medieval Literature, religious literature of the era, and folklore. Her recent publication Book Curses explores the fascinating custom of etching curses and warnings onto historic books and manuscripts, in order to ward off would be thieves and vandals.

This will be a relaxed 'fun, informal and informative' discussion about Folk Horror, with Eleanor providing valuable insight into a genre steeped in history and ritual. Although we will discuss a wide range of Folk Horror films (and their historic inspirations) our talk will mainly focus of these four fiendish movies…

* The Wicker Man (1973)
A Christian policeman is sent to an island community off Scotland, to look for a missing girl. There he finds the villagers, strange, evasive, unhelpful and unholy.

* The Blair Witch Project (1999)
A partially complete camcorder 'documentary' from some film students, seeking to make a film about the legendary Blair Witch of Maryland. After interviewing townsfolk they decide to delve into the woods to uncover the truth, and whether the witch is fact or fiction

* The Witch (2015)
New England, 1630s. A family are banished from a puritan settlement, and so set up an isolated home by some woodland. Their teenage daughter Thomasin, starts to get blamed for much of the tragedy and hardship befalling the family. What's lurking in the woods, and is there an evil presence close to home?

*Midsommar (2019)
Dani suffers a devastating tragedy whilst at university. To give her a break her 'I don't really want to be with you anymore but it looks bad to dump a grieving person' boyfriend reluctantly invites her to join his group trip to Sweden. They were invited there by a classmate who is eager for them to witness his communities' traditional midsummer festival

This event will take place upstairs in the (haunted!) 15th century inn The Chequers

Come meet fellow film fans for drink and discussion upstairs in the Curzon Cinema bar. We will chat about what films we've seen at home, in the cinema, what we did/didn't like, and what we'd recommend.

Please only RSVP if you intend on turning up, you certainly don't need to see all the featured films...But it helps if you've seen at least one!

Although we discuss both new and old movies, here are some new releases (and one classic) you may wish to see and give your views on....
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One Battle After Another
Rave reviews! Paul Thomas Anderson is back and teaming up with Leonardo DiCaprio. Bob is a washed-up revolutionary who lives in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited and self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces and Willa goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her as both father and daughter battle the consequences of their past. Benicio Del Toro, Chase Infiniti and Sean Penn also star.

Young Mothers
Belgian film from the Dardenne brother which has scooped awards on the festival circuit. Shot in a realist way the film tells the story of 5 very different young women who are at a centre for young mothers. Not only are they struggling with the massive responsibility of impending motherhood, but the weight of social issues- Poverty, drugs, family, and a state support system that often fails them

The Smashing Machine
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Emily Blunt are Oscar hunting in this A24 biopic of UFC pioneer Mark Kerr. Kerr dreams of becoming the greatest all round fighter, but this is in an era before mixed martial arts is big business, and so Kerr must make sacrifices, with damage being done to his body, bank account and relationship with his long suffering wife Dawn on who he relies.

Harvest (Mubi/Amazon Prime Video)
Newly on streaming. Hallucinogenic folk tale that has received a variety of strong opinions, from 1 star to 5 star reviews! A rural village in Scotland seems to be out of place and time, the community is wary of strangers, and the villagers toil the land, releasing their frustration with hedonistic feasts. Walt enters the village and slowly gains their trust, however more outsiders start to come, seeking to open the village up to the outside world for trade-This inspires a violent resistance. Athina Rachel Tsingari directs.

Tron Ares
New instalment of the neon biked Tron franchise. Mankind is under threat, an AI program called Ares has been unshackled from the digital world and transported into the real world. Ares has an important mission, but the breakdown of the barrier causes the digital forces to come into direct conflict with humanity. Jared Leto, Gillian Anderson, Evan Peters star, with soundtrack from Nine Inch Nails

The Long Walk
Dystopian Stephen King adaptation with echoes of the unease in modern day America. Every year 'the long walk' takes place, a huge event with thousands of young male applicants, however only a few are chosen. It consists of a long, gruelling trek overseen by the military. Walkers who fall behind are shot dead on sight, but the winner can claim a huge prize, and eternal fame as hero of the nation's totalitarian regime.

Member choice film-
Chosen by Vicky

Inside Man (2006)
Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owen star in this gripping bank heist thriller from Spike Lee. A determined bank robber hatches a well executed plan to steal millions, take hostages, and leave a very rich man. A police hostage negotiator is brought in to converse with him in a battle of wits. However when it becomes apparent that there is something ‘sensitive’ hidden in the bank vault, a fixer is brought in. She has been tasked by her corporate associates to clean things up. A battle for control between the three ensues.

Join us at the Ultimate Picture Palace for a rare screening of the silent horror Classic 'The Phantom of The Opera (1925)' starring Lon Chaney

This is a special screening with live music being provided by Minima who have specially composed a score for the film.

https://www.minimamusic.co.uk/

"A young soprano under the tutelage of a mysterious musical genius known as the Phantom, who lives beneath the Paris Opera House. The Phantom seeks to make Christine a star, but she falls for the handsome Raoul, a wealthy patron. This ignites the Phantom's violent jealousy"

Although this screening is some way off, it is expected to sell fast as we get closer. So please book sooner rather than later!

If you would like to sit near us we have seats G5 & G6

https://uppcinema.com/show/the-phantom-of-the-opera-live-score/

As this is a special screening with live band the tickets are a bit more expensive than usual at £18 for an adult.

After the film we will go to a nearby pub/bar for drinks and a chat, for all who want to join us!