An eclectic programme of new releases, both national and international, are winging their way to The Model Cinema, with titles such as the Oscar nominated No, Pablo Larraín’s film about Chilean democracy, which film critic Peter Bradshaw describes as ‘simple and direct, heartfelt and involving.’ Larraín director of the quirky Tony Manero(2008) uses an unusual televisual style to stitch together some amazing archival footage with his contemporary work. Starring the ever photogenic, Gael García Bernal, as a cynical hotshot advertising exec, who is devising a campaign for the ‘No’ vote again General Pinochet.

Good Vibrations had a raucous Sligo première for the North West Film Fest in November, 2012. Set against the backdrop of The Troubles, Good Vibrations is an uplifting, inspiring story that is about as feelgood as they come. The film’s protagonist, the irrepressible Terri Hooley sums it up best in the movie, ‘When it comes to punk, New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!’ Lisa Barros D’Sa, co-director of Hooley’s big screen biopic, puts it quite succinctly, ‘A one-eyed anarchist hippy from Belfast who in the darkest days of the Troubles decides to open a record shop on the most bombed half-mile in Europe and calls it Good Vibrations.’ Good Vibrations has been an instant hit with the reviewers with Mark Kermode describing it as a ‘an absolute humdinger, thrumming with the spirit of Belfast punk’.

Also screening in The Model Cinema is the new release from Francois Ozon (Potiche, 2011, Swimming Pool 2003) In The House, which is a dark, smart and incredibly sharp comedic thriller, starring Kristin Scott Thomas, Emmanuelle Seigner and Fabrice Luchini. Luchini plays a world-weary teacher who becomes strangely obsessed with the writings of one of his students, who in turn has insinuated himself into house of a middle class couple.
With the film shifting between reality and fiction – the director, Ozon, has admitted to being one pretty twisted individual, which in turn makes for interesting viewing for the film-goer.

A starry cast are certainly slumming it in Lee Daniels (Precious) The Paperboy, includes Mathew McConaughey, John Cusack, Nicole Kidman, Macy Gray and Zac Effron. ‘Deep fried Florida gothic,’ is how film critic Mark Kermode describes it, with John Cusack, as a deathrow inmate, who guts alligators for a living- nice. While Zac Effron languishes around for the most part in his underwear, nursing an unrequited desire for Nicole Kidman’s character. There is a jaw-dropping scene of a sexual nature, although astonishingly with no touching involved, between Nicole Kidman and John Cusack. The film critic, Peter Bradshaw gives a great description of this movie, ‘this is an undrained swamp of fear, black comedy and desire: nasty, sexy, funny – with a great period soundtrack and so humid that any screen showing it is liable to get microscopically pebble dashed with droplets of sweat.’ Although Cannes turned its nose up at this future cult classic – this film should come with a precautionary warning for audiences, ‘watch out for the jellyfish!’ (you’ll know what I mean, when you see it).