Welcome to 2025 with a fantastic month of cinema

Hi there, I’m James and I joined Warwick Arts Centre as our new Screen Producer in November. I’ve had such a great first couple of months and can’t wait to share what our team has in store for you on our cinema screens as we step into 2025.

Joining as the cinema programmer here is something of a full circle moment for me. I was a student at Warwick before I went on to work in the charity and public sectors focusing on equity, diversity and inclusion alongside communications and engagement work. Eventually I ended up combining this with my lifelong love of film running a community cinema in Birmingham and working at Midlands Arts Centre in more recent years. 

I’m really looking forward to showcasing stories on our screens that represent all our community and building on our event cinema offer with themed seasons and film-maker talks. More on this very soon! 

I hope to see you at a future screening – please do come and say hello.

My January highlights

Film fans are spoilt for choice this month as everything is gearing up for awards season. We’ve just kicked off with the Golden Globes so let’s look at which films are a must-see on the upcoming slate of new releases:

Award contenders

• Nickel Boys (From Fri 10 Jan) – adapted from author Colson Whitehead’s (The Underground Railroad) novel of the same name, this draws you in with a clever and innovative use of ‘point of view’ by inspired director RaMell Ross. Follow the story – influenced by true events at an abusive reform school in 1960s Florida – directly through the eyes of its protagonists to devastating and beautiful effect.
• The Brutalist  (From Fri 24 Jan) – a true epic starring Academy Award winners Adrien Brody (The Pianist) and Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) that matches its herculean running time with a perfectly integrated interval. This welcome addition lets you stretch your legs and splits the film into balanced theatrical acts that suit the story. I was completely entranced when I saw this at a preview screening – jaw dropping in scale with one of my favourite recent soundtracks too. Check it out on our big screen – and some of the comfiest seats around - it’s my pick for Best Film/Director when we get to March.

Honourable mentions – A Real Pain (From Fri 10 Jan), Babygirl (From Fri 10Jan), Maria (From Fri 17Jan), and A Complete Unknown (From Fri 17 Jan).

Indies and classics

• The Girl With the Needle (From Fri 24 Jan) – this really struck me, with a chilling atmosphere and stunningly shot in a stylised black and white, it revolves around a notorious crime in post WWI Copenhagen
• Hard Truths (From Fri 31 Jan) – Mike Leigh (Mr Turner, Happy Go Lucky) explores family, sisterhood and the enduring mysteries of character with BAFTA-winner Marianne Jean-Baptise in the lead role
• Rocco and His Brothers (From Sat 1 Feb) – a beautiful restoration by the BFI of the 1960 Italian drama that inspired Coppola and Scorsese

Not to miss this week

• Nosferatu (Until Thu 16 Jan) – Willem Dafoe was born to play legally-not-Van Helsing (this is a remake of the iconic 20s film which was Bram Stoker’s Dracula in all but name) and every inch of the screen drips with dread. A must for fans of Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse) and horror aficionados.
• We Live in Time (Until Thu 16 Jan) – this has a very About Time (2013, Richard Curtis) feel as it also comes with two impossibly charming leads in Garfield and Pugh and a playful use of time. The tearjerker warnings are to be heeded. Bring tissues!