A story of ambition, blackmail and desire with a dazzling anti-hero at its dark heart, all brought together by a delicious performance by Ian McKellen as a catty theatre critic in 1930s London.

Jimmy Erskine (McKellen) is the most feared and famous theatre critic in 1930s London, saving his most savage takedowns for Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), an already unsure leading lady. He takes pleasure in ritually tearing her down, a practice that has further eroded her fragile sense of confidence. As a gay man forever at the mercy of laws that prohibit his very existence, Jimmy is living life on the edge, indulging in park sex with strangers while showboating his flamboyance in writing. But when his newspaper’s proprietor dies and his son (Mark Strong) takes over, Jimmy may need to turn to Nina for help. As the three become entangled in a whodunnit wrapped in a Faustian pact, their strange triangle winds tighter and tighter to devastating effect for all those caught in the deadly web of blackmail and betrayal. McKellen makes Jimmy simultaneously despicable, understandable and wholly entertaining, whilst Arterton is also a stand-out, as she skilfully navigates how a stage actress tries to overcome personal demons and self-doubt. Supporting cast also includes Romola Garai, Claire Skinner and the always impressive Lesley Manville. This is a whodunnit wrapped in a Faustian pact which winds tighter and tighter.

UK/USA 2023 Anand Tucker 95m

In a Mexican border town plagued by neglect, corruption, and violence, a frustrated teacher tries a radical new method to break through his students' apathy and unlock their curiosity, their potential... and maybe even their genius.

Fresh off 'Coda,' Eugenio Derbez plays another idealistic educator attempting to unlock overlooked students' potential, this time at a dysfunctional Mexican elementary school across the U.S. border in Matamoros, Mexico. Sixth grade students at Jose Urbina Lopez Elementary are among the worst performing students in Mexico, existing in a world full of violence and hardship, poverty and neglect rather than one filled with hope and possibility. ‘Radical’ is based on the true story of an inspirational middle school teacher using unconventional means to reach his pupils. The ensemble cast of child actors are exceptional and the director lets us see this world from both the teacher’s and students’ point of view. This is a resolute crowd-pleaser and tear-jerker but it is saved from schmaltzdom by virtue of its true origins in one of the most challenging schools in Mexico. (Subtitles)

Mexico 2023 Christopher Zalla 125m

The story of photographer Elizabeth 'Lee' Miller, a fashion model who became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II.

The film portrays a pivotal decade in the life of American war correspondent and photographer, Lee Miller (Kate Winslet). Miller's singular talent and unbridled tenacity resulted in some of the 20th century's most indelible images of war, including an iconic photo of Miller herself, posing defiantly in Hitler's private bathtub. Miller had a profound understanding and empathy for women and the voiceless victims of war. Her images display both the fragility and ferocity of the human experience. Alexander Skarsgård portrays her husband Roland Penrose, while Andy Samberg takes a dramatic turn as her partner in the field (and sometimes in the bedroom), David E. Scherman, a war correspondent for Life. Winslet shines in this biopic with a superbly powerful performance. She remains one of our most treasured actors and she brings a fierceness to this role.

USA 2023 Ellen Kuras 116m

Werckmeister Harmóniák

A naive young man witnesses an escalation of violence in his small hometown following the arrival of a mysterious circus attraction.

Based upon the 1989 novel ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ by László Krasznahorkai and shot in luminous black-and-white, ‘Werckmeister Harmonies’ portrays the life of János and his uncle György during the communist era in Hungary. It also recounts their journey among helpless citizens as a sinister visiting circus arrives, built around a huge stuffed smelly whale and its star performer, "The Prince” which casts a shadow over everyone's lives.  With the ethereal cinematography of Gabor Medvigy, and the soothing but discordant score by Mihaly Vig, the film explores themes of order and chaos, and it is difficult to view the film without visions of Eastern Europe under Soviet control. Werckmeister Harmonies opened to wide acclaim from critics when it was first released, and it has come to be regarded by many as one of the best films of the 21st century. (Subtitles)

Hungary 2000 Bela Tarr, Agnew Hranitzy 145m

To complement our ‘Sexual Revolution of the 60s on Screen’ talk, we present this British classic, where beautiful but amoral model Diana Scott sleeps her way to the top of the London fashion scene at the height of the Swinging Sixties.

Gorgeous but easily bored Diana Scott (Julie Christie) becomes a popular model and actress in London in the 1960s while toying with the affections of two older men, married television newsman Robert Gold (Dirk Bogarde) and public relations mastermind Miles Brand (Laurence Harvey). Although Diana is the toast of swinging London, the dark side of fame and fortune begins to take its toll, but it proves harder to escape the mod scene than she expects. Schlesinger created a film that set tongues to wagging and moralists to wringing their hands. Christie's Oscar-winning performance is remarkably vibrant and outgoing, and hasn't aged a bit.

UK 1965 John Schlesinger 128m