At the movies in Kingston: February 1 edition
Welcome to ‘At the movies in Kingston.’ Each week, I plan to update readers with a week-at-a-glance of what is coming to the movies. Our three movie theatres, Landmark Cinemas on Division Street, Cineplex Odeon at the Rio Can Centre, and the Screening Room on Princess Street in Downtown Kingston, all offer residents lots of choice for their movie going pleasure. Here is what is new to the cinemas for the first weekend of February.
Landmark Cinemas: Miss Bala, starring Gina Rodriguez and Anthony Mackie. The movie is about a beauty queen who is forced to work for a crime boss after witnessing a murder. Expect a lot of action in this explosive tale.
Free Solo opens Friday in IMAX screens. This Oscar nominated documentary follows the first ever free solo climb of the 3000ft El Capitan peak at Yosemite National Park. In the large screen Imax, this documentary will have audiences on the edge of their seat as they watch this amazing feat unfold before their eyes.
Cineplex Odeon: The only new film to hit the screens at Cineplex is Dragon Ball Super: Broly. This Japanese anime film is the twentieth release in the Dragon Ball series and promises lots of action for fans of this series.
Returning for the 11:00 am Family Movies screening on February 2, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom roars back to the big screen. If you missed the fifth entry in the Jurassic Park franchise, see it this Saturday for a discounted price. There is one showtime, which is at 11:00 a.m.
The Screening Room: Unlike the other theatres in town, The Screening Room is showing first run independent and classic films, as well as recent Hollywood hits. Here is the list of films playing until Thursday February 8 at Kingston’s only downtown theatre.
Green Book is the story of legendary musician Doc Shirley and his friendship with driver and bodyguard Tony Lip. The movie follows their journey as Shirley plays multiple venues in the Jim Crow Deep South states during the 1960’s.
If Beale Street Could Talk is Barry Jenkins follow up to the Oscar winning Moonlight. Based on the James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk is the story of Tish, who must fight to save the father of her child, while carrying the baby to term. This is a story about love, and the difficult path of fighting for justice.
Mary Queen of Scots is another retelling of the rivalry between Mary Queen of Scotland and Elizabeth I, Queen of England, and their battle for the throne of England. Intrigue, lies, and all out war lead this tale of dueling English monarchs.
Shoplifters is a Japanese language film about Osamu and his son who come across a young girl out in the cold after coming home from one of their shoplifting trips. Taking the girl in and treating her as one of their own family, the tranquility of their life built on petty crime will come crumbling down when an unforeseen incident happens.
Bohemian Rhapsody is the world wide hit bio pic about the band Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury. This tale of the rise, fall, and resurrection of the band at the 1985 Live Aid performance is not to be missed.
A Star is Born the third retelling of this narrative but first-time director Bradley Cooper’s turn behind the camera has Cooper starring as Jackson Maine a seasoned musician who discovers and mentors Ally, played by Lady Gaga. As Ally’s star rises and Maine’s falls, the resulting collision this shift in roles has on their personal relationship drives the last part of this film.
Reelout Queer Film Festival
Running for the next two weeks, The Screening Room is hosting the Reelout Queer Film Festival. This yearly festival celebrates films about LGBTQ+ lives with interests that would appeal to a variety of film goers. From comedy to documentary and even short films, the Reelout Queer Film Festival has made Kingston its home for the last twenty years and offers over 100 films for film goers to take in this year.
Check out the full schedule below https://www.reelout.com/wpcontent/uploads/2019/01/Reelout20_guide_forweb_23Jan2019.pdf
Weekend Pick: If you want to see a true death-defying tale of endurance, then your best bet is to see Free Solo at Landmark Cinemas. Shown in IMAX, you will feel like you are on the side of that peak hoping to make it to the top.
If heights are too much for you, head down to The Screening Room and check out one of the three Oscar-nominated films for Best Picture, like Bohemian Rhapsody, A Star is Born, and Green Book.