NATION. 160 min. 1 off screening on 28 Feb at 2.30 pm 

The third in the NT Live Series is an exhilarating adventure story of survival and self-discovery featuring dance, live music and extraordinary puppets. "wise, funny and deeply affecting" 4 stars Daily Telegraph. "a multi-layered masterpiece" 5 stars Independent.

Based on a novel by Terry Pratchett, Set in 1860, the story of two teenagers from different sides of the globe, who are thrown together by a tsunami: Mau, returning to his South Pacific Island tribe after a rites of passage ritual, and Daphne, travelling from her aristocratic life in Victorian England to meet her father, governor of south seas. Despite not speaking the same language and now totally alone in the world, they have to learn to survive and face the challenges of rebuilding Mau’s nation.

Book now to reserve your seat (cost $30 / hd)

PRECIOUS. R13. Drama. 110 min

Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" , Precious is a tough, uncompromising and heartbreaking, but it is also lively, uplifting, wonderful and features extraordinary performances by newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique and Mariah Carey.

Set in Harlem in 1987, it is the story of Claireece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother (Mo'Nique), a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and an awful secret: she can neither read nor write.

Winner of the People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival and nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Director.

TYSON. R13. Documentary. 90 mins.

From aclaimed indie director James Toback's stylistically inventive portrait of a mesmerizing Mike Tyson. Toback allows Tyson to reveal himself without inhibition and with eloquence and a pervasive vulnerability. Through a mixture of original interviews and archival footage and photographs, a startlingly complex, fully-rounded human being emerges. The film ranges from Tyson's earliest memories of growing up on the mean streets of Brooklyn through his entry into the world of boxing, to his rollercoaster ride in the funhouse of worldwide fame and fortunes won and lost.

VALENTINO. PG. Documentary. 95 min

An inside look at haute couture as business with Valentino Garavani and business partner of 50 years Giancarlo Giammetti. The film follows a years work whilst preparing for the 2006 Spring/Summer Collection in Paris and is a also a retrospective of his 45 year old career..always in pursuit of beauty, Valentino receives the French Legion of Honor medal. An intimate, engaging and fly-on-the-wall exploration of the singular world of one of Italy`s richest and most famous men.

MID AUGUST LUNCH. PG. Comedy. 72 min. (sub titles)

A middle-aged man on his uppers, lives with and looks after his elderly mother, as unpaid bills pile up around him. As the traditional Italian holiday weekend of the 15 August approaches, the hapless hero is potentially offered, at least a partial, solution to his pecuniary problems. His landlord, one of his friends and even his doctor each persuade him to let them dump their elderly relatives on him, so that he can accommodate them and wait on them over the holiday period. Notwithstanding his reluctance to take on such nannying duties, the lure of relief from his financial straits is too much and so an assortment of ill-matched, elderly ladies descends on the tiny flat.

JULIE AND JULIA. M. Drama. 120 min.

The story of the iconic cook and the author.. whoose lives intertwine, though separated by time and space. The woman  are both at loose ends until they discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter, anything is possible.

Starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. Bon appetite!

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.  R16. Thriller. 152 min.  (sub titles)

Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared off the secluded island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger family. There was no corpse, no witnesses, no evidence. But her uncle, Henrik, is convinced that she was murdered by someone from her own deeply dysfunctional Vanger clan. Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomqvist is hired to investigate.

4 star ratings in the Dom. post and NZ herald.

CREATION. PG. Biography / Drama. 108 min.

John Collee's screen adaptation of the book "Annie's Box" by Randal Keynes, great, great-grandson of Charles Darwin. Described by director Jon Amiel as part ghost story, part psychological thriller, part heart-wrenching love story. This is the story of Charles Darwin and his master-work "The Origin of Species". It tells of a global revolution played out the confines of a small English village; a passionate marriage torn apart by the most dangerous idea in history; and a theory saved from extinction by the logic of a child.

FLAME AND CITRON. War. R16. 130 min (sub title)

Based on true World War II-era events in Copenhagen, two men put everything on the line in their fight against the Nazis. Bent Faurschou-Hviid, aka Flame, is young and idealistic, while Jørgen Haagen Schmith, aka Citron, is concerned about his family as his role in the resistance grows more prominent. As they get closer to attacking the head of the Gestapo, the men realize that they can only trust each other. Directed by Ole Christian Madsen.

SEPARATION CITY.M. Comedy / Romance. 106 min.

A bittersweet comedy written by Kiwi humourist Tom Scott, a brutally honest story of a group of friends whose marriages and relationships have reached a plateau.   A once golden couple living in smug and comfortable suburbia with two small children, a sex life on hold and a marriage in limbo, turns turtle when a recently divorced and vunerable member of their family support group gets too close. Filmed in and around rural Wellington and Berlin.  Starring Joel Edgerton, Danielle Cormack and Rhona Mitra.

EASY VIRTUE. PG. Comedy / Drama. 97 min.

Noel Coward’s deliciously funny comedy of manners has lost none of its sparkle in the 80-odd years since it was written. Fizzing with pithy observations on the class system and some brilliantly acidic one-liners, it’s wall-to-wall wit on a grand scale. Ben Barnes plays the young Englishman John Whittaker who horrifies his mother(Kristin Scott Thomas) by returning to his family’s estate with an American wife in tow. Not only is his new bride (Jessica Biel) a widow and a racing car driver, she’s also not afraid to speak her mind – even if it upsets her new mother-in-law. Pretty soon the battle lines are drawn, with Mrs Whittaker Snr and her two daughters doing all they can to sabotage the marriage. It’s only John’s mysteriously aloof father (Colin Firth) who shows any warmth to the new arrival.

TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS. M. Doco /. comedy. 84 mins.

Half a century of cultural changes and the foundation of a national identity. Part concept film, part biopic, part historical record, part comedy, the Twins share their journey from "coming out? to Jools' recent brush with breast cancer with much laughter, honesty and wisdom. It is a film about two truly unique New Zealanders which ends up saying as much about us as it does about them.

WELCOME TO THE STICKS. M. Comedy. 106 min. (sub titles).

A classic French comedy about a guy who works for the postal service in Southern France. Attempting to please his  gloomy wife, he pretends to be disabled in order to try and score a position at a Mediterranean seaside town. When  his fakery is rumbled, the company punishes by transferring him to Bergues, in the north of the country – regarded as a cold, rainy hick town. But the place soon charms him – to the disbelief of his wife who remained in the south.  Philippe ends up telling her what she wants to hear – that he is miserable without her and that the town is 
horrible, and thus begins a web of white lies and madcap plotting…
Starring Kad Merad, Danny Boon, Zoe Felix, Philippe Duquesne, Jacques Bonnaffe

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. R13. Comedy/ Drama / Romance. 115 min.

The award winning film of an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who experiences the biggest day of his life when he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" When the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating;  Jamal tells the story of his life in the slums where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika (Pinto), the girl he loved and lost. One question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on the game show? Winner of 4 Golden Globes, including Best Feature Drama, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

THE VISITOR. Drama / Romance. M. 103 min

In a world of 6 billion people it only takes one to change your life... a chance encounter between a disillusioned economics professor and 2 recent immigrants leads to an unexpected friendship and romance.

OUTSOURCED. PG. Drama  / Romance. 93 min

After being sent abroad, American salesman (Josh Hamilton) does his best to navigate the chaos of Bombay and bring an office filled with constant cultural misunderstandings up to speed. Unexpectedly, his team of Indian call center workers, including charming Asha (Ayesha Dhatkar), not only teach Todd about India, but also more about America and himself. This film was inspired by writer/director Jeffcoat and his experiences traveling in Nepal and India.

THE YOUNG AT HEART CHORUS. PG. Documentary / Music. 109 min
An inspiring and entertaning account of the New England senior citizens chorus that has delighted audiences worldwide with their covers of songs by everyone from The Clash to Coldplay. Directed by Stephen Walker, the documentary reveals what it takes to feel young at an average age in the chorus of 81. The music is upbeat, vibrant and passionalty adopted by the chorus.

It's been awarded a big fat 4 stars from Francesa Rudkin, Kate Rogers, Sunday Star Times, Flicks and 5 stars from Otago Daily Times, Nelson Mail Review , NZ Woman's Weekly and the Dorothy Browns Team .. it's uplifting and completely poignant and to borrow a quote from Kate Rodger's (Film3) review last Saturday, "Young @ Heart is kinda like drinking from the cinematic fountain of youth when you didnt even realise you were thirsty" ..

2ND HAND WEDDING. PG. Comedy. 94 min.

Written by Nick Ward and based on a true story, this kiwi film tells of a woman who is engaged but is trying to keep her wedding a secret from her bargain-hunting mother - for fear she will ruin her big day.

PRICELESS. Comedy. M. 102 min. (sub titles).

Jean, a shy waiter working in a grand hotel, is mistaken for a young millionaire by beautiful, scheming adventuress Irene. When she discovers his lwly status, Irene beats a quick retreat. But lovestruct Jean has no intention of letting her escape, and pursues her to t

he Cote d'Azur. Quickly running out of money, he adopts his beloved's lifestyle, setting himself up as a gigolo and moving in to a magnificent luxury hotel. Irene at last accepts this new Jean. She starts to give him advice, she grows closer and closer to him, not realizing that love is working its subtle magic on her too.

ONCE. Drama / Romance. M. 83 min.

The Irish romance ONCE may be a musical, but it is miles away from the traditional Hollywood idea of people bursting into song. Glen Hansard (frontman for indie rock band the Frames) plays the guy, a street musician who is playing for change when he meets the girl (Marketa Irglova), an immigrant from the Czech Republic. The pair immediately bond over their shared love of music (he is a guitarist, and she plays the piano), and the film chronicles their tentative relationship. Both are weighed down by plenty of bagga

ge: his songs are fuelled by a painful breakup, and she is a young mother who left her husband behind in her native country.

CONVERSATIONS WITH MY GARDENER. M. DRAMA. 110 min

A successful, fifty-something Parisian artist goes back to his roots and returns to provincial France and his childhood home. he has neither the energy nor the talent to keep up the sprawling land around the house, and takes out a small ad to find some local help. Completely by chance, the first applicant ? who turns out to be the right one ? is an old school friend whom the PAINTER hasn?t seen since he was a kid. He becomes the GARDENER

AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. M. Drama . 140 min.

Daniel Dareus, a talented and successful international conductor suddenly interrupts his career and returns alone to his childhood village in Norrland, in the far north of Sweden. It doesn't take long before he is asked to come and listen to the fragment of a church choir, which practises every Thursday in the parish hall. Just come along and give a little bit of good advice. He can't say no, and from that moment, nothing in the village is the same again. The choir develops and grows. He makes both friends, enemies and finds love.

DEATH AT A FUNERAL. M. Comedy 104 min

The death of Daniel (Matthew Macfadyen) and Robert's (Rupert Graves) father brings their entire dysfunctional family together to mourn his passing. When a man shows up at the funeral threatening to reveal the deceased man's shocking secret unless he gets some cash, the two brothers are forced to figure out a way to deal with the blackmailer. As they pull out every stop to try and prevent any news from spreading to the guests, the ceremony turns into complete chaos

I DO. M. Comedy / Romance. 85 min. (sub titles)

Luis is living the charmed life: successful, handsome, carefree and above all... single. He dates whom he pleases and lives alone in the luxury of a man who has everything he wants. Luis’ happy existence is threatened when his mother and five sisters decide it’s time for him to marry. They are sick of doing his laundry, cooking his meals and waiting on him hand and foot - so they set him up on blind dates every night with all the single women that they know (and even some that they don’t). After a month of exhausting bad dates, Luis hurriedly hatches a plan to find the perfect woman, who will charm his family, exchange engagement rings... and stand him up at the church. That way, nobody will mention marriage to him ever again. Emmanuelle, his best friend’s sister has just moved to Paris and is looking for a job. It seems like a win-win situation but the best-laid plans of single men can go horribly and hilariously wrong, especially when they fall in love.

SNOW CAKE. M. Drama / Romance.

Alex Hughes, recently freed from prison, begrudgingly picks up a vivacious 19-year-old hitchhiker, Vivienne, while driving through Ontario. When the car is hit by a truck on the outskirts of her home town, Vivienne dies instantly. Shocked and stranded in snowbound Wawa, Alex is drawn to seek out Vivienne’s mother, to talk to her in person about the fate of her daughter

MOTORCYCLE DIARIES. M. 131 mins

In 1952, two young Argentines, Ernesto Guevara and Alberto Granado, set out on a road trip to discover the real Latin America. Ernesto is a 23-year-old medical student specializing in leprology, and Alberto, 29, is a biochemist. The film follows the young men as they unveil the rich and complex human and social topography of the Latin American continent. With a highly romantic sense of adventure, the two friends leave their familiar surroundings in Buenos Aires on a rickety 1939 Norton 500. Although the bike breaks down in the course of their eight-month journey, they press onward, hitching rides along the way. As they begin to see a different Latin America in the people they meet on the road, the diverse geography they encounter begins to reflect their own shifting perspectives. They continue to the heights of Machu Picchu, where the majestic ruins and the extraordinary significance of the Inca heritage have a profound impact on the young men. As they arrive at a leper colony deep in the Peruvian Amazon, the two are beginning to question the value of progress as defined by economic systems that leave so many people beyond their reach. Their experiences at the colony awaken within them the men they will later become by defining the ethical and political journey they will take in their lives.

C.R.A.Z.Y R16. Drama / Comedy. 126 min.

The story of a special little boy who grows into young manhood and ends up even denying his inner self to attract his father's attention. A portrait of a family that depicts the often-extraordinary lives of ordinary people in search of happiness. From 1960 to 1980, surrounded by his brothers, Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones, between motorbike escapades to impress the girls, cigarettes smoked in secret, minor and not-so-minor disagreements and, particularly, a father that he searches desperately to find, Zac relates his story. Through music and rebellion, and also with humour, down to a mystical voyage to Jerusalem - "to the ends of the earth" as his father was always singing - where perhaps in such a far-away place he finally succeeds in finding him...

LORD OF WAR. R16. Drama / Thriller. Doc 140min.

"Lord of War" is an action adventure story set in the world of international arms dealing. The film, based on fact, follows the globetrotting exploits of arms dealer Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage). Through some of the deadliest war zones, Yuri struggles to stay one step ahead of a relentless Interpol agent (Ethan Hawke), his business rivals, even some of his customers who include many of the world's most notorious dictators. Finally, Yuri must also face his own conscience.

APRES VOUS. M. Comedy. 110 mins. (Sub titles)

A popular hit in France, this odd-couple comedy pairs Daniel Auteuil as a fastidious maitre d’ with José Garcia as the wannabe suicide whose life he saves. Star power trounces dubious psychology: Auteuil proves as deft and dry a comedian as he is a dramatic actor, the perfect foil to the damp-eyed Garcia who teases slow-burning comedy out of broken-hearted despondency. Needless to say there’s a woman at the root of Garcia’s trouble; an elegantly flustered Sandrine Kilberlain is the object of his obsession. Her bewilderment escalates into total confusion when Auteuil decides he must meet the woman who has caused his new best friend such misery. Incognito, he might be able to patch things up. Then again… Salvadori (Wild Target) and co-author Danièle Dubroux (Diary of a Seducer) make some tart observations about friendship and betrayal, but mostly this film’s about being in love and behaving like an idiot. Garcia’s inept audition for the sommelier position in Auteuil’s brasserie is a show-stopper.