This Week At The GFT

With only a week to go before the festive season gets into full swing the focus of the GFT is split. They have their traditional seasonal offerings which are always crow pleasers. In addition there is a couple of new releases and a welcome return of the latest from the great Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.

It’s A Wonderful Life
Frank Capra’s 1946 Christmas classic follows the tribulations of small town everyman George Bailey (James Stewart), who, at the end of his luck and deep in debt, contemplates suicide one snowy, bleak Christmas Eve. But when George wishes that he had never been born, his guardian angel Clarence (Henry Travers) takes a trip from the heavens to persuade him otherwise. After a nightmarish journey through an alternative Bedford Falls, George realizes the difference he has made to the people around him, learning lessons of love, loyalty and what it means to lead a wonderful life.

Son of Joseph
Discontented teen Vincent has lived in the centre of Paris with his single mother all of his life, but has now reached the age where he needs to know the identity of his father. When he finally tracks him down however, Vincent is horrified to find him an arrogant and callous philanderer who does not even care to remember the names of his children. He vows revenge, along the way meeting his uncle, who has been rejected by his rich sibling.

The Bishop’s Wife
Raising funds for a new cathedral, Bishop Henry Brougham has his prayers for divine guidance answered in the form of a guardian angel named Dudley. When Dudley assumes the identity of a guest in their home over Christmas, Brougham’s life is turned upside down, as he believes the charming angel is developing an interest in his wife Julia.

Elf
The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! Will Ferrell stars as Buddy, a regular-sized man who was raised as an elf in the North Pole by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart). When the news is finally broken to Buddy that he’s not a real elf, he decides to go to New York City in search of his biological family. Cue a highly entertaining ‘fish out of water’ romp with seasonal bells on!

The Pass
Nineteen-year-olds Jason and Ade have been preparing themselves for a lifetime in professional football for as long as they can remember. On the evening before their first big match the two of them play out their insecurities in a Romanian hotel room; mock-fighting, preparing their kit, slinging insults, and then one of them kisses the other. The ramifications of this ‘pass’ reverberate throughout their careers: in a profession where image is everything, fame and fortune comes closely tied with secrets and lies.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Raised on hip-hop and in and out of foster homes, rebellious city kid Ricky (newcomer Julian Dennison) gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside. When a tragedy strikes that threatens to ship Ricky to another home he goes on the run with his gruff guardian, Hec (Sam Neill), as the clueless authorities lead a national manhunt. Taika Waititi’s follow up to What We Do In The Shadows, is a funny and rousing adventure movie, with brilliant comedic chemistry between Dennison and Neill

The Eagle Huntress
Using breathtaking aerial cinematography and intimate verité footage, this spellbinding documentary follows the 13-year old Aisholpan, a Mongolian nomad who is fighting to become the first female eagle hunter in twelve generations of her Kazakh family. Not only an exploration of the young girl’s astonishing pursuit of her passion in the face of very strict gender barriers, the film is also an engaging glimpse into the lives of this remote community.

Julieta
Pedro Almodóvar forgoes the energetic bravura of his last release; I’m So Excited and returns to his great subject, the emotional terrain and interior lives of women. Based on three short stories by Pulitzer-winning writer Alice Munro, Julieta follows the same character at three different stages of her life. In 2015, Julieta writes a letter to her daughter Antía, explaining the secrets she has kept from her over the last 30 years but doesn’t know where to send it as they’ve been estranged since Antía left her at the age of 18.

You can get more info, film times and ticket details at http://glasgowfilm.org/

About
Latest Posts

John McArthur

Editor-in-Chief at Moviescramble. A Fan of all things cinematic with a love of Film Noir, Sci-Fi and Julia Roberts in Notting Hill. He hopes to grow up some day.