ILKLEY CINEMA

The Gentleman, Little Women, Star Wars, Cats

Start the new year in style with Guy Richie’s latest suave crime story starting it’s run at Ilkley Cinema.

The Gentleman follows drug lord, Mickey Pearson, as he attempts to cash out of his marijuana empire. But when word gets out he’s looking to leave the business forever, London suddenly becomes the centre of schemes, bribes and blackmail as foes attempt to steal his territory. Starring big names Matthew McCounaughey, Hugh Grant and Michelle Dockery, this action adventure blockbuster excels with its dry humour and slick storytelling. Prepare for one debonair debut as London becomes the stylish scene of scandal and duplicity.

Back for another week is Greta Gerwig’s take on the timeless story: Little Women. We follow the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy as they each forge their paths through male-dominated America in the aftermath of the civil war. In the novel, Louisa May-Alcott artfully presented themes of female independence alongside the need to rely on those we love, carefully handling grey area which is so often bulldozed in modern culture. This adaptation honours her craft, depicting Saoirse Ronan as a strong-minded Jo who believes there is more to female life than marriage. Starring other big names including Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet and Meryl Streep, we see the joy and freedom of childhood warring with the responsibilities and expectations of growing up. Little Women traces the fight for female individuality and independence which raged all those years ago and still smoulders today, in a heart-warming and funny story which will forever ring with poignancy.

Don’t miss the biggest finale in cinematic history, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, showing into the new year at Ilkley Cinema. J J Abrams is back in the director’s seat as we join Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron for a final time as they face the First Order with the remaining resistance. In one of the most epic film sagas of all time, this historic moment marks the final instalment of a franchise which has shaped cultures and lives around the world, spawning spin-offs, theme parks and delivering a powerhouse of nostalgia. It’s only right to say goodbye with one of the most epic cinematic conclusions in history, reminding us that, no matter how long after the stories end, the force will be with us, always.

Back again is the long-awaited film-adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash hit musical, Cats. Oscar winning director, Tom Hooper takes on this epic musical feat as he assembles a star-studded cast to tell the magical story. Each cat is competing for selection to be granted a new life in the Heaviside Layer and, featuring theatre legends and pop superstars alike, no one is holding anything back at the Jellicle Ball. In its mystical transference from stage to screen, ground-breaking technology brings the cast to life like never before. And with astonishing routines from the choreographer of Hamilton, the result is an epic culmination of spectacular songs and dance to adapt this celebrated show sensationally for the big screen.