Culture Guides
Destination Guides
We’re also on the cusp of that most wonderful time of the year, and cinema programmers have been reaching for those Christmas classics. For something different this year, why not try some festive favourites from the comfort of the pool at Victoria Baths? Or perhaps Make A Scene’s bonkers, way-too-interactive screening of Gremlins is more your speed? There’s always It’s a Wonderful Life, which has multiple showings across Manchester.
For their Christmas season, HOME eschew the tinsel altogether, reasoning that the spirit of Christmas is found in family and friends. With that in mind, they’ve gathered a crowd-pleasing selection of ’80s hits that make for perfect group viewing. HOME is also the place to go for the latest releases, and we’ve got reviews of Mike Leigh’s Peterloo, Steve McQueen’s Widows and David Lowery’s The Old Man and the Gun.
Here are our picks
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1. At HOME in the ’80s
Image courtesy of Park Circus/StudioCanal At HOME in the 80’s at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 14–22 December 2018, from £5 - Book now
Devised on the understanding that a lot of Christmas films are a little bit naff, HOME present a season of ’80s classics sure to unite your loved ones.
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2. Peterloo at HOME
Peterloo at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 2 November–13 December 2018, from £5 - Book now
We sat down with Salford-born writer director Mike Leigh to discuss local politics, cinema-going and the importance of bringing the Massacre of Peterloo to the big screen.
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3. Comedy Genius at Showroom, Sheffield
Comedy Genius at Showroom Workstation, City Centre, 3 November–18 December 2018, from £6.8 - Book now
As part of BFI Comedy Genius, Sheffield’s Showroom present a mammoth two-month season of comedies which run the gamut from silent classics to contemporary gross-out gases.
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4. Slapstick Film Season at HOME
Image courtesy of Park Circus/Warner Bros Slapstick Film Season at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 7 December 2018–20 January 2019, from £5 - Book now
Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers — HOME have got ’em all lined up as part of their season of Slapstick.
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5. Make A Scene Presents: Gremlins at The Refuge
Warner Bros Make A Scene Presents: Gremlins at The Refuge at The Refuge, City Centre, 15 December 2018, from £10 - Book now
Joe Dante’s subversive Christmas classic gets the Make A Scene treatment this December. We’re told that there’ll be cocktails, slime and drag queen gremlins as part of this interactive event.
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6. The Old Man & the Gun at HOME
The Old Man & the Gun at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 7–20 December 2018, from £5.50 - Book now
David Lowery’s elegiac new film is a charming, throwback cops-and-robbers picture and worthy vehicle for the retired Robert Redford’s final performance.
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7. Cinema on Sundays: Italian Film Season at Altrincham Little Theatre
Cinema on Sundays: Italian Film Season at Altrincham Little Theatre, 2 September 2018–24 February 2019, from £7 - Visit now
Explore fifty years of Italian cinema history with this curated nine film season at Altrincham Little Theatre.
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8. Symphonic Cinema: Stravinsky | Ravel at The Bridgewater Hall
BBC Philharmonic Symphonic Cinema - Stravinsky/Ravel at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 19 January 2019, from £12.5 - Book now
A first for the BBC Philharmonic and The Bridgewater Hall, this unusual concert under the banner of Symphonic Cinema pairs sound with vision in a way rarely heard or seen in the classical concert hall.
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9. The Last Movie at HOME
The Last Movie at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 14–20 December 2018, from £5.5 - Book now
Difficult to see for so long, Dennis Hopper’s 1971 The Last Movie arrives at HOME courtesy of a new restoration. More than a New Hollywood curio, this booze-soaked, hallucinogenic work is by turns messy, incoherent and visionary.
More in Cinema
Documentary Challenge at IWM North
Make and feature in your own mini-documentary at IWM North.
Widows at HOME
Inspired by Lynda LaPlante’s 1980s TV series of the same name, Steve McQueens Widows is a modern-day thriller set against the backdrop of crime, passion and corruption.
Ciné Club at Alliance Française
Where would any french speaking cultural institute be without a film club? Alliance Française creates a small cinema for people to watch a wide selection of French films with English subtitles.
Modern Times at HOME
Subjected to the infernal production rate of the factory, a model worker suddenly has a nervous breakdown and goes mad in Chaplin’s celebrated look at 20th century productivity.
Grimmfest presents: Krampus at Manchester Central Library
It’s Christmas, Grimmfest style, as the horror movie specialists present alt-festive fave, Krampus.
Festive cinema: It’s A Wonderful Life at the People’s History Museum
Join the People’s History Museum for a festive screening of It’s A Wonderful Life, an iconic story of Christmas cheer and solidarity. Cinema snacks and treats available to buy from The Left Bank cafe bar on the night, including popcorn.
It’s A Wonderful Life at HOME
This ultimate feel-good, festive favourite, from Oscar-winning director Frank Capra, stars James Stewart as despairing businessmen George Bailey.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? + Intro at HOME
A tale of a man, a woman and a rabbit in a triangle of trouble. When toon-hating detective Eddie Valiant is hired to investigate a scandal, it quickly escalates and he becomes the only person who can prove that Roger Rabbit is innocent of murder.
The Hallé – The Snowman at The Bridgewater Hall
Performing Howard Blake’s wonderful score, the Hallé will provide a live accompaniment for a screening of Raymond Briggs’ animated classic, The Snowman.
Culture Guides
Exhibitions
Tubism, pottery, same-sex intimacy and art education; this month’s Exhibitions Guide has it all. (Even a tentative mention of Christmas.)
Literature
December sees some great events lined up for those readers who have been good this year – read on to find out about the live literature gifts we have wrapped up for you, and find out where to buy some Christmas presents of your own…
Tours and Activities
This month we are highlighting some of the top multilingual tours and activities Manchester has to offer.
Related Guides
August Bank Holiday
Looking for things to do over the August Bank Holiday? Near fear, we’ve put together a handpicked list of things to do in Manchester and the North this August Bank Holiday weekend.
Father’s Day
Get out and about and spend some quality time with the Old Man, here are our top things to do for Father’s Day in Manchester.
Music Venues in Cumbria
When the sun goes down and you’ve had your fair share of Cumbria’s great outdoors, head to the area’s music venues to catch folk and jazz sessions, as well as regular performances by touring musicians. We recommend some of our favourites.
Music Venues in Sheffield
Sheffield boasted a strong and varied musical heritage. We pick out some of the city’s music venues – from student clubs to community pubs, and even the odd classical venue – which continue to play their part in this success.
Music Venues in Liverpool
There’s more to Liverpool’s music venue landscape than the Cavern Club, as the city’s cafes, bars, concert halls and former warehouses offer a rich variety of live music – from chamber to freakscene, and everything in between.
Music Venues in Leeds
Boasting a strong musical heritage, Leeds has a wealth of music venues to match: from suburban social clubs and former textile mills to co-operatively run DIY spaces and its recently built arena, the city has plenty of exciting spaces to offer its young, outgoing population.
