Midlands Spotlight - Film shows coming to Curve in 2020

midlandsmovies • January 13, 2020

With the announcement in January 2020 that this year will see new adaptations of both Roman Holiday and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof coming to Curve in Leicester, it joins a whole host of film-related shows already scheduled.

From drama to comedy via musicals both past and present, Curve has an amazing 2020 planned with details of the above soon to be published alongside a season of fantastic film and fan favourites.

Check out the current season details below:

The Woman in Black - Mon 20 Jan — Sat 25 Jan

A lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the spectre of a Woman in Black engages a sceptical young actor to help him tell his terrifying story. Continuing its record-breaking run in London’s West End, The Woman in Black embarks on a major UK Tour Susan Hill’s acclaimed ghost story comes dramatically alive in Stephen Mallatratt’s ingenious stage adaptation. In 2012 a film adaptation was released starring Daniel Radcliffe in the role of Arthur Kipps and directed by James Watkins (Eden Lake) and develops a storyline quite different from that of the source material.

The Phantom of The Opera - Sat 22 Feb — Sat 21 Mar

The brilliant original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s The Phantom of the Opera is embarking on a major UK and Ireland tour. Now in its 34th year in the West End, The Phantom of the Opera is widely considered one of the most beautiful and spectacular productions in history. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group Ltd, The Phantom of the Opera will open at Curve this February. The romantic, haunting and soaring score includes Music of the Night, All I Ask of You, Masquerade and the iconic title song. Adapted for film many times, one of the most recent was the 2004 British–American musical drama adaptation directed by Joel Schumacher starring Gerard Butler in the title role, Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson, Miranda Richardson, Minnie Driver and Jennifer Ellison.

Cry Baby – Thu 26 Mar — Sat 28 Mar

With songs by David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger, this new play is based on the Universal Pictures film written and directed by John Waters. Adapted for the stage by the same team behind Hairspray, CYC Musicals 16+ bring Cry Baby to the stage as part of the CYC Season. Wade ‘Cry-Baby’ Walker is the coolest kid in town, a bad boy with a good heart. When he falls for the good girl who wants to be bad, their two worlds collide as the king of the delinquents and queen of the squares fight, flirt and dance their way through 1950s rock ‘n’ roll America. Originally Cry-Baby was a 1990 American musical from Waters and was the only film of Waters' over which studios were in a bidding war, coming off the heels of Hairspray. The film stars Johnny Depp as 1950s teen rebel "Cry-Baby" Wade Walker and also features a large ensemble cast that includes Amy Locane, Polly Bergen, Susan Tyrrell, Iggy Pop, Ricki Lake and Traci Lords.

Sister Act - Tue 21 Apr — Sat 2 May

The Broadway and UK smash-hit musical Sister Act is coming to Curve immediately prior to its record-breaking London run, reimagined for the 21st century and starring Brenda Edwards (Hairspray, Chicago, Loose Women) in the specially rewritten role of Deloris Van Cartier. Now set in 2020, this sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, sisterhood and music tells the hilarious story of the disco diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder. It features original music by Tony® and 8-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken (Disney’s Aladdin, Enchanted) and songs inspired by Motown, soul and disco. The 1992 American musical comedy film version was directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Joseph Howard, and originally starred Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer forced to join a convent after being placed in a witness protection program.

Sing-a-long-a The Greatest Showman - Sun 3 May 2:15pm

Cheer on Hugh Jackman, lust after Zac Efron and hiss at Rebecca Ferguson (…or maybe not) as you experience The Greatest Showman in the greatest way possible – with lyrics on the screen so you can join in as loud and proud as you want.

Sing-a-long-a Bohemian Rhapsody - Sun 3 May 7.00pm

Celebrate Queen, their music, and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Sit back and sing along with the on-screen lyrics to Bohemian Rhapsody, Under Pressure and Somebody to Love not forgetting YOU the audience becoming part of their famous Live Aid concert.

Dial M for Murder - Mon 4 May - Sat 9 May

Made famous by Alfred Hitchcock’s world-renowned 1950 film, the iconic Dial M for Murder is coming to Curve in 2020. Tony Wendice is a jaded ex-professional tennis player who has given it all up for his wife Margot. But Tony’s mind soon turns to revenge as he discovers his wife has been unfaithful. Aiming to commit ‘the perfect crime’ Tony becomes tangled in the web of his own making. TV and stage favourite Tom Chambers (Top Hat and Strictly Come Dancing) stars in this spine-chilling drama. The 1954 American crime mystery film starred Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings, and John Williams and both the screenplay and the successful stage play on which it was based were written by English playwright Frederick Knott.

A Monster Calls - Tue 26 May — Sat 30 May

Patrick Ness’s piercing novel A Monster Calls is brought vividly to life in the Olivier award winning production by visionary director Sally Cookson. Thirteen-year-old Conor and his mum have managed just fine since his dad moved away. But now his mum is sick and not getting any better. His grandmother won’t stop interfering and the kids at school won’t look him in the eye. Then, one night, Conor is woken by something at his window. A monster has come walking. A Monster Calls was made into a 2016 dark fantasy film directed by J. A. Bayona and stars Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell and Liam Neeson.

Once - Mon 15 Jun — Sat 20 Jun

Once may not be enough for you to see this multi award-winning Broadway and West End hit musical. Based on the critically acclaimed and much-loved film, you will meet (and never forget) two lost souls – a Dublin street busker and a Czech musician – who find each other unexpectedly and fall in love. You will fall in love, too, with this brilliant and beautiful musical, filled with live music, from lush ballads to barnstorming reels. The 2007 Irish romantic musical drama film was written and directed by John Carney and starred Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. Once spent years in development with the Irish Film Board and was made for a budget of €112,000. It was a commercial success, earning substantial per-screen box office averages in the United States. It received awards including the 2007 Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film. Hansard and Irglová's song "Falling Slowly" won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Original Song, and the soundtrack received a Grammy Award nomination.

All shows, tickets, dates, times and details over at Curve official website https://www.curveonline.co.uk

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Review of Up!

By midlandsmovies • April 26, 2025

Up! (1976) Dir. Russ Meyer Well, bi-Adolf Hitler BDSM is not something (a) I thought I’d ever see 5 minutes into a movie and (b) ever expected to write in my lifetime to be fair but this spicy start is pretty standard for the work of exploitation filmmaker Russ Meyer. Up! is a kind of r*pe-revenge softcore p*rn film (there’s gonna be a fair bit of self-censorship in this review so apologies in advance), the type Meyer is known for. I’d describe the plot in more detail but it’s mostly a convoluted and incoherent mess of double-crossing, murder, violence and lots and lots of humping. In short, a man called Adolph gets murdered and a woman investigates (kinda) the circumstances but as she does so, a group of locals blackmail, attack and screw each other with the murder mystery barely mentioned throughout. With so little narrative, it could be argued if it’s essentially p*rn? To be fair, not far off. It’s about extreme as you can go without simply making a s*x film. Is that a…no, it’s a belly button hole. Bookending the film (and also seen at various points throughout) is a Greek Chorus - simply a busty fully nude woman of course - who delivers dialogue like “Pummelling the scrotum with joyous supplication” and other such poeticisms. This artistic flourish is mostly pointless - the actress herself saying the words were tough to learn because it was utter nonsense. On a technical level, the editing is surprisingly well done and the 4k image is frankly fantastic. Someone somewhere must be putting together a post-modern take about the beautiful landscapes and cinematography of Meyer’s * ahem * output. But it definitely does have a kitsch artistry. It has certainly provided plenty of cinematic influence though. Elements of Tarantino grindhouse sensibilities are on show - Meyers likes bosoms as much as Quents likes feet - and there’s even a leather gimp early on. I can also see how its had an impact on Ti West X’s with a focus on sexuality and the body as well, more obviously, Anna Biller’s feminist-twist The Love Witch (2016). Suffice to say it’s not for the weak of heart. I think in this day and age you can’t go into this completely blind to its style, period and context though. It's an X-rated Carry On style that was bad taste then and it’s bad taste now. It revels in its sleaziness without a single hint of shame or apology. Simply saying 'deal with it'. The main negative though is the absence of plot - if the film can even be looked at like that - which is barely present. This is a shame as the whole thing could do with a bit more coherence rather than endless shagging. But it’s far from titillation, it’s mostly clowning - albeit a very adult version of it. More saucy than sexy. Trying to review this through modern sensibilities is almost impossible. It’s as offensive can be from the first scene through to the final credits - heck even this 4k menu is simply one of the film's many s*x scenes. But there are some progressive themes as it doesn’t shy from confronting sexual freedom, bisexuality, gay sex, BDSM and consensual exploration. There's moments of comedy thrown in and I enjoyed a frankly hilarious 5-minute monologue explaining the culprit’s intentions, which was a ludicrous way to deliver a slasher-style ending. I suppose the main thing about Up! (and Meyers’ work overall) is there’s a sort of love it or loathe it quality about the whole shebang. But it’s so unlike anything being made today - for good or bad - that it’s never anything other than unpredictably fascinating. More explicit than most Meyers films - in fact more than any film - it’s a lewd, rude and crude (s)exploration with a satirical edge and campy enjoyment bouncing from every frame. ★★★ 3 / 5 Michael Sales Severin Films releases Russ Meyers' UP! (1976) and MOTORPSYCHO (1965) on 28 April 2025 in newly restored and scanned 4k with hours of new and archival Special Features https://severinfilms.co.uk/

Gobby Flicks Comedy Night in Birmingham

By midlandsmovies • April 26, 2025

On the 24th of April, the Midlands Art Centre opened its doors to Gobby Flicks Productions for a night of live comedy. Proceeds were raised towards the production of new short comedy films, directed and written by women.

Review of The House of the Devil

By midlandsmovies • April 25, 2025

Ti West’s The House of the Devil makes a wonderful companion piece to his film The Innkeepers. Both maintain the director’s referential approach to horror, incapsulating it in a slow burning 90 minutes that manages to build and maintain tension while cheekily winking to the audience and showing the mechanisms behind the scares.

Midlands Movies Awards 2025 - Full nominations

By midlandsmovies • April 21, 2025

Read the full list of nominees for the Midlands Movies Awards 2025