The Yoof of today eh! Britain’s answer to Larry Clark’s Kids, Kidulthood works hard for realism and shock value but falls somewhere in between. Story focuses on a group of London youngsters who have been given the day off school when one of their classmates commits suicide after being bullied. The various groups of friends spin off to do their own thing, which invariably involves drugs, violence, casual sex, teenage pregnancy angst, revenge and lots of cussing in street speak. All this is crammed into a 24 hour period, suggesting that the yoof of today never live a dull moment when not at school. Writer Noel Clarke (who also stars) and director Menhaj Huda clearly want to keep things raw and authentic, but it eventually comes off as wholly unbelievable. In fact it at times feels like it’s a bunch of mates making a film and living out some fantasies where they get to be wicked for a day. There’s some messages in the mix trying to break out of the hysteria, to be a wake-up call to parents and elders as to what is happening under our noses, but ultimately sensationalism wins the day. It’s a film strung together by a number of instances, characterisation and reasoning is given short shrift, the makers over egging the pudding in their unrelenting mission to shock. Some scenes are undeniably attention grabbing, while the soundtrack pulses away with verve and Brian Tufano’s cinematography is right on the money, but come the preachy finale you may feel you really haven’t learned anything new about the unruly and unfeeling kids of today. 6/10
The true story of pianist Władysław Szpilman's experiences in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. When the Jews of the city find themselves forced into a ghetto, Szpilman finds work playing in a café; and when his family is deported in 1942, he stays behind, works for a while as a laborer, and eventually goes into hiding in the ruins of the war-torn city.
The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.
From the youth directed novel of the same name by Greogor Tressnow comes a film by Detlev Buck that is a realistic portrait of life in the section of Berlin called Neukölln. It’s about power and weakness, delinquents and victims, and the difficulties a 15-year-old faces in a poor and criminal environment.
Jess Bhamra, the daughter of a strict Indian couple in London, is not permitted to play organized soccer, even though she is 18. When Jess is playing for fun one day, her impressive skills are seen by Jules Paxton, who then convinces Jess to play for her semi-pro team. Jess uses elaborate excuses to hide her matches from her family while also dealing with her romantic feelings for her coach, Joe.
Shipped off to a Romanian orphanage to finish his sentence, a British criminal finds romance but also discovers corruption inside the facility.
When a talented young swimmer who is being bullied by some older boys on his team, he learns the value of sharing his experience with trusted adults and understanding his bullies to stop the difficult situation.
A guy starts seeing the new office temp who is also the object of affection of her psychotic friend. The psycho embarks on terror campaign with dreadful consequences for the couple and the people closest to them.
A small-time thief steals a car and impulsively murders a motorcycle policeman. Wanted by the authorities, he attempts to persuade a girl to run away to Italy with him.
Driven by tragedy, billionaire Bruce Wayne dedicates his life to uncovering and defeating the corruption that plagues his home, Gotham City. Unable to work within the system, he instead creates a new identity, a symbol of fear for the criminal underworld - The Batman.
Three activists cobble together a kidnapping plot after they encounter a businessman in his home.
A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.