Here’s what Deputy Editor of NTU’s Platform Magazine & Left Lion film reviewer Katie had to say on the new box office sensation…
Daniel Craig bids farewell to 007 in this action filled latest edition of James Bond in No Time To Die.
Bond (Daniel Craig) is enjoying his retirement in Jamaica with new found love Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux). However, his peace does not last for long. Whilst in Jamaica, he pays respect to his past love Vester (last seen in Casino Royale) when her grave is set alight with a bomb, clearly aiming for Bond. He finds out that Madeleine is something to do with this so he must let her go.
Five years later, Bond is still in hiding. Whilst in London, Spectre is out to take over. Felix Leither, an old CIA friend of Bond asks for help, and Bond accepts. Their mission is to rescue a kidnapped scientist, however it is more treacherous than expected. James is led on a trail towards his new villain, who is in charge of a new technology that could prove fatal in the wrong hands.
Where there is Bond, there is action and No Time To Die does not disappoint. Within the first 15 minutes of the movie there is a car chase scene as Bond tries to make his escape from those who are after him in Jamaica. Once again, Craig pulls out all of the stops, including a daring escape as he jumps down through the arch of a bridge.
But it’s not all action. The film dives into Bond’s emotional side. Where past Bond’s have been characterised by their fleeting romances, Daniel Craig’s Bond has been given more thoughtful relationships, with love interests who’ve stuck around. There was first Vester Lynd (Eva Green) in Casino Royale, mentioned frequently across the franchises subsequent films. Then Madeline Swann, first introduced in Spectre, and returning here to bring out a different side to Bond we thought we’d never see. The love they share brings a whole new level to Bond’s character and Craig and Seydoux have electric chemistry amongst the film’s stacked cast.
Then there is the ending. Without revealing too much, it is one that audiences may not expect but it bids a tasteful farewell to Daniel Craig’s much respected 007. (One who I would argue is on par with Roger Moore as the best Bond)
It is definitely going to be big shoes to fill as Craig says goodbye to a role he has known since 2006. Ultimately, No Time To Die did not disappoint on the action, the plot or the romance and the new side we saw to Bond was moving. So, as we raise a vodka martini (shaken not stirred) to Daniel Craig as he departs, we simply await to see who will take on the role next… ★★★★★
Here’s what Deputy Editor of NTU’s Platform Magazine & Left Lion film reviewer Katie had to say on the box office hit horror, Candyman…
The fourth film in the Candyman series is a direct sequel to the 1992 film. We flash forward thirty years after the original film took place, with strange happenings occurring again, and the true story behind Candyman is discovered…
The last of the Cabrini towers have been torn down in present day Chicago. Anthony Mccoy (Yahya Abdul- Mateen II) and his girlfriend Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris) have now moved into a loft together. Both work in art. After a strange encounter with an old man, Anthony discovers and subsequently obsesses over the origins of the Candyman, inadvertently unleashing violence into his life.
Yahya Abdul- Mateen II is strong in his lead role, lost in his passionate obsession he has with the Candyman. After discovering who and what the Candyman is, his art begins to take shape, the Candyman seemingly providing the spark Anthony needs for his art career. A close up into his wide-eyed, disturbing yet enticing gaze exhibits the beginning of this fixation, as he attempts to describe the connection he has to his girlfriend.
Director Nia DaCosta’s choice of shots is simple but highly effective. After the Candyman has emerged and the first death has got the city talking, Anthony harshly paints on his canvas whilst the radio plays in the background, the air filled with encounters and thoughts on the new killer. With a clever rotated shot, we see how Anthony’s world has been upended. As a close-up reveals his wide daunting eyes, it’s as if he’s staring down at you, eyeing you up as his next victim…
This 21st Century update is not only interested in discovering the origins of Candyman, it delves deeper into our obsession with the art of storytelling, keeping you on the edge of your seat all the while. ★★★
In Marvels phase four, we flash back to a time post Captain America: Civil War where Natasha Romanoff – aka Black Widow – reckons with her past in the present day.
We begin with two young girls – presumed sisters – playing in the playground just as young children would, so all seems normal. However, this is a Marvel film we’re talking about so nothing is what it seems. We later see the girl’s mother Melina Vostokoff take them home for dinner only to be interrupted by their startled father who explains it’s for the family to go on their ‘adventure’.
Flash forward and the young girl we first saw on screen is of course the unstoppable Natasha Romanoff, currently on the run. As she makes her getaway, a mysterious new enemy arises, and she must find out who it is. Along the way she reunites with her sister Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). After a long time away from each other, this isn’t quite the loving reunion you would expect. Differences set aside, they set out to beat their common enemy, the man who turned them into assassins, Dreykov (Ray Winstone).
Another reunion is in store for them when ‘father’ Alex Shostakov – aka the Red Guardian –joins them in their fight. Will they win their fight to defeat the man who altered their life from such a young age?
We finally get the backstory to the mysterious Natasha Romanoff, something audiences have waited for since her intruduction in Iron Man 2 all the way back in 2010. In a way, it adds another layer and more depth to Black Widow as we begin to understand the pain she has in her past, pain that’s moulded her into the way she is now.
What did surprise me (and will potentially surprise viewers) was hearing a cover version of Nirvana’s 1991 Smells Like Teen Spirit, a slower and more sorrowful version sung by Malia J. This track plays as we flash through the life of a young Natasha, training to become the female assassin she is. The song beautifully builds up to the constant action we’re about to see.
And Black Widow is not short on action. From the get-go, it’s fight scene here, prison break there, explosion next, and much, much more. It may only be me, but after a break in new Marvel films, (and with only the accompanying series such as WandaVision and more recently Loki to watch), I have missed the action we get from a Marvel blockbuster.
The scenes where we see Natasha and Yelena fight together are some of the best. The fight scene at the start involving Natasha and the mysterious enemy out to kill her is both unnerving but important as it contributes both to the plot of the film and Johansson’s character development.
I have to say this is perhaps one of my favourite cast ensembles from a Marvel film. Of course, Miss Johansson is flawless in her recurring role as Black Widow, so it was obvious she was going to produce a masterpiece performance from the start. The chemistry she has with Florence Pugh, who plays her sister Yelena, is brilliant and they bounce off each other so well, particularly when Yelena’s sarcasm and dry wit shine through.
Florence Pugh is a great addition to the Marvel cast and one I hope is sticking around for a while. The sassiness of her character provides the comedic relief in what is otherwise a serious and at times moving Marvel backstory to one of the franchise’s more troubled characters.
The casting of Stranger Thing’s David Harbour and Ray Winstone as Dreykov add more depth to a great line-up, with Winstone playing the enemy in this tale.
I could go on for pages as to even more what I loved from this film. For me it’s faultless and definitely a standout of the Marvel series… one that will be at the top of their phase four list.
With action, comedy and emotion all in one, Black Widow is a must see! ★★★★★
What’s on streaming…
Out of all the streaming services I pay subscription for, Netflix is of course the main one I use. This month, Carnaval premiered, telling the story of influencer Nina, as she deals with her breakup from her influencer boyfriend by celebrating Carnival with her best friends.
The Brazilian film was released just this year, and stars Giovana Cordeiro as Nina who is an up-and-coming influencer in the world of social media. We begin with Nina attending a reading with a psychic, as she reveals what the future holds for Nina. From there, we get an insight into her life including her influencing, her boyfriend and the most important people in her life, her best friends.
Her life is interrupted when she finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her. So, to deal with her breakup, she manages to get a free trip to the Brazilian state of Bahia to celebrate Carnaval with her best friends by her side. Not only that, but she will be meeting the famous Freddy Nunes.
Along the way, as she learns to deal with her breakup, Nina’s eyes are opened up to learn that it is not all about the likes you get on social media, or the number of followers you have on Instagram…
On the surface, this film is perhaps one of the cheesiest around with over-the-top characters, extravagant costumes and brash music. However, this gives the film its energetic spirit that makes it such a fun watch, capturing the carnival at the centre of the plot. A perfect summer film to watch that will make you long to travel to Brazil, and immerse yourself in such a huge event.
But when you read between the lines it is much more than that. In a way, it is trying to teach audiences a lesson about the digital age we live in. One scene in particular that stands out is when Salvador – the girls tour guide at the hotel they are staying at – is showing Nina one of his favourite sites in his home country. As she is just about to take a picture of it, he moves her phone down saying she really needs to look at it. Sometimes we are so focused on our phones, we sometimes miss what is really in front of us.
Despite the cringe, Carnaval is definitely a worthwhile, feel-good film to watch as we continue through the summer months… ★★★
Films coming soon…
As we already approach the end of July, it means yet another month of new films in August will be heading to the big screen. Some that will be held at Bonington Theatre in August include:
One that I still can’t wait to see (and I am still kicking myself for not making time to make it to the cinema to see it yet!) is the new musical In The Heights. Written by one of Broadway’s finest, Mr Lin Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) I’ve already had the film’s soundtrack on a loop.
Another film I’m looking forward to seeing is Jungle Cruise, Disney’s latest release starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Emily Blunt. Jungle Cruise tells the story of Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt) who acquires the help of of Frank Wolff (The Rock) to take her down the Amazon in his boat. By teaming up, they begin a search for an ancient tree that holds the power to heal, a discovery that will change the face of medicine forever.
As a sucker for Disney, it’s only right I will be making sure I watch their latest release, as it is not only this, but the cast that also lures me into watch it.
As of Monday 19 July, masks will no longer be mandatory in cinemas, however we would encourage customers to please still wear a face covering when visiting the theatre.
We’re delighted to announce that we will be re-opening on Monday 17 May!
We’ll be bringing some incredible films to our big screen including Academy Award winners Nomadland, Judas & The Black Messiah, Sound of Metal and The Father.
There’ll also be some half-term mischief with the return of the loveable rogue Peter Rabbit in Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. Classic characters Tom & Jerry are also making their return to the big screen alongside Chloë Grace Moretz, in a new feature film that blends classic animation with live action thrills!
Important Information:
Social distancing remains in place
Although we will still be maintaining social distancing measures, we will be returning to our tiered seating once we reopen to enable more customers to safely return.
Seating is allocated but limited to 50 tickets per screening.
Tickets can be booked online or via the Box Office on 0115 901 3640.
When booking online you will see that we have already marked some seats as unavailable to create space between customers. If you need more or fewer seats than are showing as available, please contact the box office on 0115 901 3640 and we will be happy to help.
No bookings will have other customers seated next to, directly in front of or behind them.
The Box Office will be open 30 minutes before the beginning of each screening for in-person bookings unless the screening is sold out.
The bar will be open before each screening.
Face masks must be worn but can be removed to eat or drink.
The Bonington will receive a grant from the government’s culture recovery fund for independent cinemas in England!
The Bonington has been awarded £66,695 by the British Film Institute (BFI) as part of the first round of funding from the the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund to support cultural and heritage organisations in England.
The award of £66,695 allocated by the BFI on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), is to help non-profit and independent cinemas in cities, towns and rural communities weather the disruption caused by closure and reduced opening as a result of the pandemic.
In total 33 cinemas across England will benefit from £5 million awarded by the BFI as the final applications for independent cinemas are processed ahead of the second round of the Culture Recovery Fund. The total of grants awarded in the first round of funding for the sector is £21,080,662.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said:
“We are very pleased to have received this vital grant from the BFI Culture Recovery Fund. The Bonington Theatre and Cinema plays an important role in its community and we welcome this boost to ensure we can reopen when this pandemic ends and provide local people with entertainment and much needed relief from the past year. The entertainment industry, especially cinemas, have been hit very hard and will take a long time to recover but we can’t wait to reopen our doors again…”
Important information on the temporary closure during the national lockdown.
As you may already know, we will be closing our doors for the second time this year due to the national lockdown, which is expected to last from 5 November until 2 December. Therefore we will be temporarily closed from this Thursday. We will let you know as soon as we are able to re-open.
We’d like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has visited us since our re-opening in July. The feedback has been wonderful and we hope you’ve enjoyed our mixed programme of feature films and event cinema!
If you have purchased tickets for screenings from Thursday 5 November onwards, they will be held on credit for you. Please contact us if you would like to obtain a refund instead.
The Bonington will be screening films from Saturday with a new look seating plan and reduced capacity.
From Saturday 4th July, The Bonington will be screening films in its cinema following the relaxation of lockdown rules set out by the Government earlier this month.
The cinema will have a reduced number of seats to accommodate customers and so they can keep two metres apart.
Sofas, armchairs and tables have replaced the usual cascading seats and there are a number of measures in place to ensure people are safe.
Capacity will be reduced to just 24 seats per screening to allow people to have enough space. Tickets must be booked in advance through the Bonington website or by telephone. No tickets are available to buy from the box office. The venue has been thoroughly cleaned during the closure and there will be hand-sanitising stations available and extra cleaning will take place between each screening.
A one-way system has also been introduced to reduce contact with others with signage situated throughout the cinema to give people clear directions about where to go.
The cinema will be showing a host of family films as well as some of the best national and international films including the winner of the Best Picture Award at the Oscars, Parasite.
Full details about the upcoming films and the measures in place to ensure the safety of customers is available at www.boningtontheatre.co.uk
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said;
“We’re delighted to be opening the Bonington Cinema. Our number one priority is the safety of our patrons and our team have been working very hard to get everything in place so people can come and watch a film and know they are safe.
We have reduced the capacity significantly, to allow for the cinema to be open safely. We know it means we won’t be making much of a profit but this is more about getting us back open and to give our residents an opportunity to have some much needed distraction from the news and enjoy some great cinema on their doorsteps.”
Seats, toilets, handrails, door handles and lift buttons are cleaned before each performance.
Tickets-
Capacity for all shows will be limited to 24. All tickets must be purchased in advance – no tickets will be sold at the Box Office.
For households larger than two people, please book the appropriate number of seats. Seating will then be arranged accordingly.
Please show your confirmation email at the Box Office. Phone bookers, please state your name.
The seating arrangement will be ‘Cabaret Syle’., with chairs on the same level.
Your party’s seating will be arranged 2m apart from other customers. Please keep at least 1m away from anyone not in your household.
Entry to the Cinema-
We now have a one way system in place, please follow the signage to the bar area. When instructed, enter the theatre via the doors on the right hand side of the bar, you may be asked to wait to enable social distancing. Please remain seated at the end of the performance and await instructions to exit. You will exit via the doors at the front of the theatre.
Bar / Drinks-
The bar will be closed under Tier 3 restrictions. It will be open under Tier 2 and Tier 1 restrictions.
Missing the Theatre? The course of true love never did run smooth in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie.
A feuding fairy King and Queen of the forest cross paths with four runaway lovers and a troupe of actors trying to rehearse a play. As their dispute grows, the magical royal couple meddle with mortal lives leading to love triangles, mistaken identities and transformations… with hilarious, but dark consequences.
The show will be broadcast on Thursday 23rd June at 7pm and will be available until Thursday 2nd July.
You can still catch National Theatre’s epic, sold-out production of Andrea Levy’s novel Small Island here.
The RSC will be broadcasting six of their plays on the BBC between now and September.
As part of the BBC’s plans to keep bringing arts to audiences during the Coronavirus pandemic, you’ll be able to watch six of the RSC shows from the comfort of your own home over the next few weeks includingMacbeth with Christopher Eccleston, , Othello and Much Ado About Nothing
The Globe is offering six productions for free via YouTube, with Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet available now. Every fortnight, the play will change and next up is the much-loved comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The Royal Albert Hall will be broadcasting some of their most popular productions daily! Royal Albert Home will see artists sharing their work from their homes to yours. Click below to see a list of their upcoming broadcasts…
We’ve teamed up with the lovely people at MUBI to offer Bonington customers an exclusive offer. You can sign-up for 90 days of MUBI’s unique streaming service, where you can watch a carefully curated selection of cinema, for free!
Dive in with this brilliant offer and explore a world of incredible cinematic gems…
