Christmas at Pictureville Cinema
Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor
Christmas arrives at Pictureville Cinema with a whole cinematic selection box of family favourites and Hollywood classics this December.
Setting the tone right away is Will Ferrell as Buddy in Elf which opens the festive shenanigans on 7 & 8 December as the first entry in a series of yuletide editions of the Pictureville Kid’s Club. Other Kid’s Club screenings include the delightful homegrown, Aardman Animations’ film Arthur Christmas (14 & 15 Dec) and Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McAllister in the ultimate nineties kid favourite, Home Alone on 21 and 22 December.
There’s plenty more family fun in the run up to the big day too. How about Scrooge vs Kermit in The Muppet Christmas Carol (20 & 23 Dec), or Robert Zemeckis’ animated version of The Polar Express which marks its 20th anniversary with showings at Pictureville on 21 and 24 December. Joe Dante’s Gremlins is also hits a milestone this year, and audiences can help Gizmo and company celebrate 40, with a big screen showing of this iconic satire (Wed 18 Dec)
They’ve been making Christmas movies almost as long as they’ve been making movies of course
They’ve been making Christmas movies almost as long as they’ve been making movies of course, and Pictureville have lined up some a selection of classic Hollywood gold for you to indulge in. From perennial 1946 pick It’s a Wonderful Life (20, 22 & 24 Dec), to Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven in 1947’s The Bishop’s Wife (15 & 19 Dec), to a 70th anniversary celebration of 1954’s White Christmas — there’s plenty here for any festive film buffs.
From Japan, three homeless people discover a baby girl at the dump in Satoshi Kon’s animated update of the Christmas story in Tokyo Godfathers (14 & 18 Dec), while Bruce Willis’ turn as John McClane in Die Hard (14 & 20 Dec) is now a well established alternative pick for those who prefer submachine guns to tinsel. There’s even a chance to catch The Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker (19 & 22 Dec) as the magical fairytale hits the big screen in time for Christmas.
Last but not least, we’re excited for Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point (13 – 19 Dec), a brand new film from Tyler Taormina starring Michael Cera, Francesca Scorsese and Greg Turkington. The new release sees four generations of the Balsano family gather for what may be the last Christmas in their family home in small-town Long Island. As the celebrations get rowdy, teenage cousins Emily and Michelle break free to explore in an act of rebellion.
