There are two films that I always watch when they are on TV, that will always stop me in my channel-hopping tracks. One is Jaws, which I’ve written about in these intros before. The other is Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Films that I know so well that I can absorb them as readily as the first time, no matter the point in the run-time I drop in, no matter if I must then check out before the end. 

We’re lucky enough to have secured re-releases of the first two Star Trek feature films on consecutive weekends through this programme, with The Motion Picture on the 4th and Wrath of Khan on the 11th. The Motion Picture is not without its charms – allow me to indulge in my nerdiness for a second, but the opening sequence with the Klingon K’tinga cruisers is very cool, even if it now looks slightly rubbish. It’s Wrath of Khan that sticks in the memory always though. Ricardo Montalban’s amazing turn as the titular baddie; Kirk’s plucky victory in the Nebula over the ‘superior intellect’; that heart-wrenching death and funeral sequence at the end, that even now, gets me every time. 

Again, this is only a two-week programme, as we continue our schedule adjustments so that we can eventually plan slightly further ahead. It is however absolutely packed, with 22 films in total. 

Filmhouse Junior is rammed, with The Railway Children Return, the utterly brilliant and bonkers Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs and Minions 2: The Rise of Gru. Suit up, the tickets are only £5 for all. 

Queer Film Club this month is the beyond beautiful Call Me By Your Name, Luca Guadagnino’s coming of age romantic drama, set in Italy. It is one of the best films of the century so far, with blissful turns from the leads. We’re delighted to be able to show it once again.  

The release of Crimes of the Future means we’ve allowed ourselves to indulge in a short Classic Cronenburg season. Alongside the new release, with Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Stewart, we’re showing classics The Fly, Videodrome and Dead Ringers. If you love body horror you’re in for a treat. David Cronenburg is the master.  
 
We’ve also found time for a whole host of new releases within this window – The Forgiven is John Michael McDonagh’s (The Guard, Calvary) new film starring Jessica Chastain and Ralph Fiennes. Funny Pages and Bodies Bodies Bodies are new releases from A24. Both Sides of the Blade is the new film from French director Claire Denis, who has of course made some of the best films of the past 30 years (White Material, Beau Travail, 35 Shots of Rum). There’s also the brilliant looking Her Way, and Queen of Glory, the latter from first time director Nana Mensah. That’s not even all of them. 

Very lastly I’ll mention a re-release of Tarantino’s Jackie Brown which we show for three days from the 16th. I’ll go out on a limb here and say that with time I’ve probably come to think of it as his best film. So whether you’ve seen it or not, don’t miss it. ‘Across 110th street…’. It’s a perfect picture.