Anne Marie Colvin was an American journalist who worked as a foreign affairs correspondent, foe The Sunday Times. Made famous by his eye patch and ability to join to journalist elite at high class events whilst associating with dangerous world leaders and cover wars zones nobody else would cover. After an award-winning career of reporting from the worse war zones in the world, her biggest story was to report on the Syrian crisis. Turned down for a visa by the government and blocked by the association of foreign correspondents from going, she did what any journalist after the truth would do. She travelled into the heart of Syria, illegally, with only her loyal camera man as a companion, her final-destination was the bombarded city of Homs, the deadliest city in the world.

A Private War, starring Rosamund Pike, is a biopic that tells the dirty and rough, un-spun version of her life that Marie Colvin would be proud of.

Free Solo is an academy award nominated documentary and if you have any sort of fear of high places, your palms might get a little sweaty watching this one. Solo follows professional rock climber Alex Honnold as he attempts to conquer the first free solo climb of famed El Capitan’s 900-metre vertical rock face at Yosemite National Park. It’s a documentary, with real footage, of a man climbing 3,000 feet on a mountain face, without rope. You will not be able to take your eyes off this one. Thrill seekers, look no further.

In 1985, Freddie Mercury, stepped on the televised stage of Live Aid, a world fundraiser aimed at relieving Ethiopian Famine created by Bob Geldof. With the world watching Mercury gave one of his most scintillating stage performances ever seen. Behind the scenes all was not well. Queen had been through much to get to that point and the performance was about more than just fund raising in Ethiopia. In 2018, Bohemian Rhapsody, the musical biographical feature about the rise of Queen and their iconic front man, Freddie Mercury, is smashing the box offices but behind the scenes the film had been through much to get to that point. Sacha Baron Cohen cast as Mercury left the project as far back as 2013, eventually re casting the charismatic Remi Malik (Mr Robot), the film fell deeper into dismay when its director Bryan Singer was fired and replaced with Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels actor/director, Dexter Fletcher. With the film, having taken so long to get made, only finishing filming in January 2018, it’s no wonder producers pushed to have it finished and released in the winter of the same year. With criticism for shying away at Mercury’s sexuality, the film at 2 hour’s long, covers the bands formations in 1970, leading up to the epic set at Live Aid, including much of Mercury’s darker side. Bohemian Rhapsody is a celebration of all things Queen, with an irresistible sound track and a stunning performance from Malik.

Green Book is an American biographical ‘dramedy’ directed by Peter Farrelly. Set in 1962, the film is inspired by the true story of a tour of the Deep South between African-American classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali, Moonlight) and Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen, Lord of the RIngs), an Italian-American bouncer who served as Shirley’s driver and bodyguard. The film was written by Farrelly, Brian Hayes Currie and Vallelonga’s son, Nick Vallelonga, based on interviews with his father and Shirley, as well as letters his father wrote to his mother. The film highlights many social injustices but nothing more piercing than the actual book the title is named after, The Negro Motorist Green Book, a mid-20th century guidebook for African-American travellers written by Victor Hugo Green, to help them find motels and restaurants that would accept them. Poignant and still relevant, this movie is a must see for everyone and would be surprising if it did not have a few awards in the cabinet by the end of the year.

A Star is Born is back at Ilkley Cinema. The current movie is the fourth remake of the musical and has Lady Gaga as the lead actress starring alongside director Bradley Cooper.

Biographical feature, Stan & Ollie, meanwhile, follows Laurel and Hardy from the end of 1944 as the pair try to resurrect their faltering careers and at the same time keep their relationship intact. Acted wonderfully by Steve Coogan and John C Reilly, this is a fitting tribute to two Hollywood greats.