TV REVIEW: Doctor Who - The Angels Take Manhattan

Hello all. Having both reviewed two episodes of this series each, and being unable to decide which of us should write the finale review, we have, very diplomatically, decided to write it together. So in lieu of there being an actual episode of Doctor Who this week, get your Time Lord related fill here, with our review of The Angels Take Manhattan.

Becky: Yes indeed, together, Jen and I plan to get over our mutual mourning process for the demise of the Ponds by discussing the final episode of this first half of series seven. Talking is supposedly the best form of therapy after all.

Jen: I’m still in pieces. I think I may require counselling. Can I charge that to the BBC do you think?

B: Alas, I don't think they do compensation for mourning, but this was by far the most affecting companion departure since Rose left (for the first time). Whilst Donna's was just as tragic, the Ponds' last appearance was both terribly sad and yet still a happy ending. After all, they got to be together for the rest of their lives and proved just how much they loved and depended upon each other. Mixed emotions across the board with that one. I weeped openly and I'm not ashamed of it.

J: Quite. Anyway, this series’ Doctor Who finale saw a monster now almost, almost as legendary as my beloved Daleks, the Weeping Angels, unleash their creepy, finger pointing fury on downtown New York. A routine trip to the world capital of cool resulted in poor put-upon Rory being whisked back in time by the Angels, the Doctor, Amy and River hot on his heels with the help of a mysterious crime novel. Can they find him and bring him back to the present time before the Angels take over the city?

Despite the seemingly popular opinion that any big Doctor Who storyline now warrants an immediate hop across the Atlantic, for my money the setting change allowed for an extra level of drama in the usually London/Cardiff centric show- it raised the stakes. It also suited the show’s film noir look down to the ground.

B: With the new aim of this series being a blockbuster a week, we've seen dinosaur-related capers and horror tropes, but it was The Angels Take Manhattan that really ran with its chosen genre. Film noir is a personal favourite of mine and Moffat utilised it perfectly here alongside the Weeping Angels for which the balance of light and shadow was especially fitting. It also really suited the New York setting; instead of the usual whirlwind tour of the landmarks, we got claustrophobic buildings, badly-lit hallways and a city populated by men in trench coats and trilbies. It was an excellent choice and really added to the foreboding atmosphere of this sort-of finale.

J: The storyline worked beautifully well, and the pacing was spot on. The plot hurtled in the direction of the big finale/send-off with oodles of suspense and seat edge sitting.

B: Yes, the construction of this episode was really quite something. From the Melody Malone novel to the Doctor's repeated detestation of endings, the sense of foreboding permeated every scene. We all knew that the Ponds' demise was never going to involve rainbows and smiles, but Moffat toyed with us throughout, particularly in the suicide pact that almost, almost gave you hope that Amy and Rory might just be ok. 

J: Agreed. As has been the case all series, the Ponds far outshone everybody else on screen in almost every scene. Even the Statue of Liberty was barely a match for their coupled charisma. Despite some genuinely heart-breaking scenes, the deep warmth and quirkiness of their relationship remained apparent to the last. Whilst there were some interesting and rather sweet parallels between their marriage and that of The Doctor and River towards the end of the episode, the latter two felt very much like an add-on in the wake of the Ponds’ departure. The strategic centring of their story in every episode over the past few weeks well and truly paid off.

B: Applause must also be given to Matt Smith, the ever-present centre of the show and he really blew me away with this episode. The frequent warnings about the Doctor being alone build in well to the mourning process that he (along with the rest of the Whoniverse) must go through after losing two of his closest companions. He said early on that he didn't like endings and his pleading with Amy to stay was quite simply heartbreaking. I've long been an advocate of Smith's Doctor; I've always felt he captured all of the contradictions inherent in the Time Lord right from the start and here, he showed just how sad and how lonely the Doctor can be.

J: Not to mention that it was exactly what Doctor Who always set out to be- downright scary. The Angels have always been creepy, but this was something else. They were more freely moving than ever before and more powerful. They could have been anywhere, around the next corner or right behind you.

B: I have to admit, the inclusion of the angels was actually something I didn't think worked too well in this episode. Without doubt they are one of the scariest Who-villains in years, but they're starting to suffer a little from over-exposure (something which both the Daleks and Cybermen have suffered in recent years). Whilst Moffat found interesting things to do with them, the child-angels in particular were very creepy, the same level of suspense that had fuelled Blink just wasn't there. They were, of course, essential to the wibbley-wobbley-timey-wimey- plot that saw Rory and Amy sent back in time, but I can't help thinking the Angels need to be benched for a bit in order to retain what keeps them so scary.

J: Well I was scared.

The adrenaline of the angels gave a lovely feeling of ‘please don’t let it be over yet’ to the show, and a genuine lack of clock watching. But, alas, end it had to, giving Rory and Amy’s characters the most fitting send- off they could have had.

B: It's going to take a long time for me to get over losing Rory (you all know how I feel about Rory) but I must admit, I am immensely intrigued to see how they solve the whole Oswin-was-a-Dalek problem. If it's anywhere near as well-made as this episode, the Christmas special will be a very special festive blockbuster.

J: Roll on the Christmas special.

- Jen and Becky

You can read all of our Doctor Who reviews so far here.

Follow us on Twitter on @jenniferklarge and @beckygracelea
Or on our blogs memyselfandtheothers.wordpress.com and beckygracelea.wordpress.com

TV REVIEW: Downton Abbey - Episodes Two and Three

Did you really think that we'd left behind all the ridiculous and convenient plot developments in the last series of Downton? Well think again, as these two weeks take us through a cancer scare, an attempted shanking, a wedding and (gasp!) the potential loss of Downton Abbey. But never fear, gentle viewers, Julian Fellowes and his amazingly convenient plot twists are on hand to save the day!

If that opening paragraph makes it seem as if I'm laying into everyone's Downton Abbey this week, I can assure you it is only gentle mocking born out of my deep affection for this show. Even the most diehard Downton fans have to admit, the shocking revelation that Matthew (Dan Stevens) was actually in the clear to bestow his money on Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) was never in any doubt. I must admit though, I didn't see the whole letter plot twist, I just expected Matthew to get worn out from all of the not-so-subtle insults from Mary (Michelle Dockery). But we can all rest easy; even though Mary's and the Dowager Countess' (Maggie Smith) hilarious plans failed last week with Martha (Shirley Maclaine), Matthew was once again on hand to save the day!

The second episode, despite some wonderful one liners from Dame Maggie, was the more lacklustre of the two and served more as a lead-in to the big moments in episode three, particularly concerning Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan). Ever the stalwart right-hand woman of Mr Carson (Jim Carter), the housekeeper's strength was tested across these two episodes after discovering that she might have cancer. It isn't one of the strongest plot-lines the show has come up with but it was a chance for Logan and Lesley Nicol's Mrs Patmore to shine. Aside from the lack of originality, it also wasn't the best source of tension because we know that death in Downton is a rare occurence, utilised only when it is incredibly convenient for the existing cast members for people to die (see Patrick Crawley, the long-lost heir or Lavinia, the woman-shaped blockade to the Mary-Matthew marriage). Therefore, Mrs Hughes was NEVER in any danger and now it looks like a possible romance blossoming between her and Mr Carson. D'awww.

Speaking of romance, poor old Edith (Laura Carmichael) was put through the emotional wringer yet again in these episodes as her off-on-off-again romance with Sir Anthony Strallen (Robert Bathurst) heads towards the altar. Or does it? Edith has long been the curmudgeonly spinster of the Crawley clan, spitefully alerting people to Mary's involvement in Mr Pamuk's untimely demise which promptly led to Mary's first destruction of the Edith-Strallen relationship. After the second episode saw the pair engaged, despite the age difference and sum total of only three arms, the third sees the wedding approach. As Edith gleefully observes, for once, an event at Downton Abbey is all about her. Though not for long, as Strallen decides to leave her, rather ungallantly at the alter (in a truly gorgeous wedding dress). I'm developing a theory that Julian Fellowes doesn't like Edith because the poor girl never has a happy ending. Maybe we should all start a campaign? Happy Ending for Edith please!

Because I've covered two episodes here (sharing many of the same themes), I'm going to deviate slightly from the format now and give you a rundown of my other noteworthy moments:

• - Anna (Joanne Froggatt) continues to search for the evidence to prove Bates' (Brendan Coyle) innocence though it's looking a little unlikely. It also continues to be a bit of a yawnfest. 

• Matthew and Branson (Allen Leech) develop their bromance over a game of billiards. Just lovely. Next time, please show the billiards match. 

• - The new, freakishly tall footman (whose name I still don't know) seems to be attempting to cop off with any female member of staff after the American lady's maid in last week's episode and then turning his attention to Daisy (Sophie McShera) and Anna.

• - The war between O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) and Thomas (Rob James-Collier) starts to heat up as she steals the dress shirts he's supposed to be looking after, whilst he tells Molesley that O'Brien is about to leave Downton. After seeing the two of them attempt to bring down everyone else in their path, it's great to see the pair turn against each other.

Next week looks like a focus on the runaway romance of Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay) and Branson as the preview featured the former chauffeur in tears and a lot of rain (which we all know means sadness and tragedy). Whilst it may be predictable, over-the-top and ever so slightly daft, it's still cracking entertainment and I'm enjoying the emotional upheaval.

- Becky

You can read Becky's review of the first episode here.

You can follow Becky on Twitter @beckygracelea

Or follow her blog here beckygracelea.wordpress.com

TV REVIEW: Doctor Who - The Power of Three

The Power of Three finds the Ponds torn between their two lives, real life and life with the Doctor. Meanwhile, mysterious black cubes begin appearing everywhere with no explanation and no conceivable motive. Spoilers sweetie!

To try and sum up the plot of this episode, and do justice to everything that happened, briefly and succinctly would be near impossible. A ridiculous amount happened; from the welcome return of Brian Williams (Mark Williams), Rory (Arthur Darvill) actually doing his job whilst Amy (Karen Gillan) hangs out with her friends, then there's the supposed cube invasion which turned out to be an attempt at genocide, the Doctor (Matt Smith) starting to realise his companions are going to leave him, UNIT coming back, a Lethridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) appearing and... well I'm not going to go on, you've probably seen the episode yourself.

Put simply, there was too much happening. As Jen has observed, Doctor Who is very much a victim of its episode run-time and nowhere was that more evident than in The Power of Three. The slow cube invasion was an excellent concept, a true sci-fi gem that could have been utilised to ramp up the tension before the big Steven Birkoff-related reveal. In between, however, we got a stupid amount of time-jumping as the Doctor got bored so swept Amy and Rory away to times gone by. Instead of creating a cohesive storyline, Chris Chibnall's script instead opted for mining the largest amount of jokes and references he could. It was still entertaining, but far too frenetic to become truly invested in.

As such, the reveal that it is the Shakri, a galactic pre-emptive policing system who want to get rid of the human race before they can conquer space, becomes both rushed and slightly anti-climactic. It is left to yet another convenient 'sonic screwdriver solves everything' conclusion, something which I had hopefully thought we'd left behind in the Davies era. Poor Steven Berkoff had barely anything to do except look evil then aggrieved. After the fantastic twist in Asylum of the Daleks or the ridiculously tense climax of A Town Called Mercy, this paled in comparison. It does, however, get points for providing some of the most terrifying facially challenged people since the "where's my mummy" child (Which still haunts me. Bloody Moffat).

Thankfully, despite the many plots, the episode still had an inherent strength and entertainment value because of the performances of the key players. Seeing the Ponds in their two lives added another depth to their characters because, whilst we've always seen companions' families, it is rare that you see their wider social circles. The ever-growing sense of doom surrounding their departure continues this week with Brian questioning the Doctor about his previous companions. His 'just get them back safe' at the end of the episode was practically dripping in dramatic irony. 

As always, Smith remains the strongest performance and he was giving a fair amount of emotional yo-yo-ing to do this week, as well as demonstrating a Doctor at only half his coronary capacity. In amidst all the mania, he still manages to convey the darkness we've been seeing in previous episodes, the anger and the loneliness that never goes away. It's a masterful performance and Smith is further cementing himself as an iconic incarnation of everyone's favourite Time Lord.

For me, this episode has been the weakest of the current run with too much plot, frenetically jumping from one scene to the next whilst trying to cram as many jokes and references in as possible. That being said, it's a testament to the quality of this latest series that The Power of Three was still an enjoyable watch and further confirms that the Ponds' departure is going to be a very sad episode indeed. Both Jen and I will be reviewing The Angels Take Manhattan next week, together, at the same time. Who knows how on Gallifrey that will turn out.

- Becky

You can read Jen's review of A Town Called Mercy here.

Follow Becky on Twitter @beckygracelea
Or follow her blog beckygracelea.wordpress.com

TV REVIEW: Parade's End - Episode Five

The period drama comes to an end as Christopher continues to serve in the trenches, Sylvia hatches even more plans to try and get him back and Valentine continues to wait for him to return, picking up a sex education via early (considerably better written) prototypes of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Though featuring artillery bombardments, the Parade's End finale wasn't so much an explosive revelation as a slow meander towards the conclusion we all knew was coming (though in my case, not necessarily the one I wanted). Christopher (Benedict Cumberbatch) remains in the trenches, facing strafes and slightly deranged officers continuing a sonnet competition and wandering round without appropriate headgear. Sylvia (Rebecca Hall), now returned from France, continues to prepare for Christopher's life to be a misery when he gets back whilst also ending her five-year man-drought with a quick tumble in the bedsheets with former flame Gerald Drake (Jack Huston). Valentine meanwhile is at last given something to do after she discovers a sexually explicit book owned by one of her students, leading to her very own sexual awakening and the decision that she will 'ruin herself' with Christopher when he gets back. Oo-er.

There has been a battle right from the beginning of the series embodied in Christopher, the tension between tradition and modernity, the old and the new. Cumberbatch's stiff upper lip performance has been one of the main draws throughout the series and continues here, demonstrating Tietjens' discomfort with the world with every eyebrow raise and mouth twitch. Attempting to cling gallantly to the past, Christopher's efforts have been focused throughout on maintaining the status quo that everything else has threatened to destroy. This is no more apparent than in the wonderful scene in which he has tea and sandwiches served to him on a tray whilst sitting in a trench at the front. The Hun may be firing on him from all sides but goddammit it's time for afternoon tea!

It's the kind of attitude Sylvia has exhibited throughout as well though with considerably less restraint than Christopher. Everything must continue as it always had done, though of course, it didn't work out this way. Hall has been the standout performance in the previous episodes but here, with the focus more on Christopher and Valentine's eventual union, Sylvia is sidelined a little in the overall plot. That didn't mean she faded from view however; her last ditch effort to fake an illness to draw Christopher back in was both comical and slightly tragic, as was her venomous destruction of the tree at Groby. She's been advocating that particular form of arboreal revenge for a while and the hacking down of the tree was the last straw for Christopher. She also gets one of the best lines in the entire series, referring to Valentine as 'that scrub-faced ladies champion of the regular bowel movement'. Just fantastic and the final scene in which Christopher conveys in a look just how committed he is to Valentine was electrifying between Cumberbatch and Hall, demonstrating the chemistry that has made them such a compelling couple.

Narratively, Christopher was always going to leave Sylvia for Valentine but I'm still a little disappointed with that conclusion. Adelaide Clemens gave terrific performances in the first couple of episodes in which she had something to do and was more about being a rebellious suffragette than swooning after Christopher. Against Hall's towering performance, Clemens faded and Sylvia became the more compelling character, making me want to see her get Christopher after all. I don't necessarily think it was Clemens' fault; she was simply outgunned by both Hall and the writing that she was given. Valentine was meant to represent the pure versus Sylvia's corruption and sadly, that was all she ever was.

It's the only thing that occurs to me to be slightly negative about because the final scenes of the series were a fitting end for all of the characters we had got to know over the course of four episodes. Sylvia managed to manoeuvre herself as the future wife to the possible Viceroy of India through the newly promoted General Campion (Roger Allam). Allam has been one of the best supporting actors, mastering the look of bemusement that caused one of the episode's big laughs after Sylvia's unexpected marriage proposal. Christopher learned to let go of the past too, burning the log leftover from the Groby tree as a symbol of the beginning of his new life as both a singing war veteran and lover of Valentine. 

Parade's End has been in a different class right from its first episode; unashamedly literary and scripted with a wit and sophistication that is rarely seen in dramas of any kind at the moment. I'm going to call it now and say it will be heavily nominated when it comes to award season and well-deserved it would be too. Fridays nights are going to be poorer for its absence.

- Becky

You can read Becky's review of Episode Four here.

Follow Becky on Twitter @beckygracelea
Or follow her blog on beckygracelea.wordpress.com

TV REVIEW: Doctor Who - A Town Called Mercy

Following on from last week’s ‘Dinosaurs on a Spaceship’, Doctor Who provides another cleverly named hour in the form of ‘A Town Called Mercy’, written by Toby Whithouse and continuing with the recent cinematic hints. With a reference to The Jam and the promise of a Stetson or two in the air, coolness points were off the chart from the start as we romp through the third episode in the current series of Doctor Who.

Dodgy American accents were very much ahoy as the Doctor found himself in a small town in the American ‘Wild’ West. A small town in the American West which happens to have electricity just a few years too early, a rather odd looking barrier fence, a resident physician with a face tattoo, a Cyborg gunslinger and a self-destructing spaceship that looks a lot like a Tic-Tac. Obviously.

It started well. It started really well. The Doctor finds himself in spot of bother almost straight away, when he is promptly picked up the townsfolk and kicked out of town Western style. Quite literally, actually, as he is unceremoniously dumped on the other side of the ominous looking perimeter fence. He is met there by a glimpse of a rather shady looking character we will come to know as ‘The Gunslinger’ (Andrew Brooke), an angry Cyborg on a mission. Where are all the nice, relaxed Cyborgs popping down the shops or having some down time in front of the telly I can’t help but wonder?

We then meet the real ‘alien doctor’, Kahler Jex (Adrian Scarborough) and things begin to make sense. Well, as much as they ever do. The Cyborg wants Jex, Marshall Isaac (Ben Browder) wants to protect him, the townspeople want to throw him to the wolf, the Doctor wants everyone to behave themselves, Amy wants to get her own way and Rory presumably just wants to go home. In short, and without giving too much away, The Doctor winds up looking after the town and having to make the decision for everyone.

There’s much to like in this episode. I know I mention this a lot some more absolutely stonking lines of dialogue including a gloriously Milton-esque moment late on in the episode. Amy and Rory are great in an ‘our days are numbered’ sort of way, with the team having clearly cottoned on to the thoroughly shocking fact that girls watch Doctor Who too, providing a healthy handful more Arthur Darvill close ups than usual, and is that a slightly new hairdo? The set was perfect, the lighting was lovely and there were some very well executed and indeed, very cinematic shots. Structurally, it worked well. The epic tone did admittedly at times feel shoe-horned it, but for the first time in a long time you could watch without the creeping sense that the creative team suddenly looked at their watches, found there to be 8 minutes to go and threw in a Cyberman or six to wrap things up. It was the best out and out story the show has produced in a while, with plot twists, morals an Stetsons in all the right places.

The only thing beginning to worry me in all of this, and I suspect it’s because of the Pond Williams focus, but I would like to know what on earth, for want of a better phrase, has happened to The Doctor? It may just be me, but all of a sudden he seems distracted. It’s been apparent since the series opening but in this episode in particular he always seems the last to ask obvious questions, plays with his hat instead of joining in and has wildly different changes of heart from one scene to the next. I’m all for character development, but there’s an uneasiness about this. It may well be intentional, in which case may the Lord High Dalek Prime Minister shoot me down with an electrified egg whisk, but there’s a lack of confidence in his decisions and moods which doesn’t sit quite right.

It was fun, well put together show, but something missed the spot somehow.

To continue with the theme of vaguely space related puns- let’s cross our fingers and watch this space.

- Jen

You can read Becky's review of Dinosaurs on a Spaceship here.

You can read more of Jen's writing here: https://memyselfandtheothers.wordpress.com/

Or you can follow her on twitter here: https://twitter.com/jenniferklarge

TV REVIEW: Downton Abbey - Episode One

After what seems like an agonising wait after the awesome Christmas special that saw Matthew and Mary FINALLY get together, Downton Abbey returns to our screens with just the right amount of melodrama for some classic Sunday television.

The last series veered from the sublime to the ridiculous so fast it made your head spin, which is no bad thing but let's face it, that was the most convenient outbreak of Spanish flu there has ever been. With it's Roaring 20s setting, the third series might be a little more grounded in some vague reality. Then again, why let real life get in the way of some bally good melodrama? A whole hour and a half of Downton Abbey packs in a hell of a lot of plot and thankfully Julian Fellowes' script keeps it zipping along at a fair pace. It's not for the first-time viewer though as there isn't really any major exposition to explain how everyone got to where they are apart from a few oblique references.  The first episode kicks off some time after the Christmas special with all of Downton gearing up to possibly the most anticipated marital event since Kate Middleton rocked up to Westminster Cathedral in her lacy finery.

Naturally, the course to the oncoming nuptials does not run smooth. Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) is called away to London to discover that he's practically lost all of Cora's fortune (Elizabeth McGovern) and Downton is under threat (thus providing the overall narrative anxiety for the series). Meanwhile, a pregnant Sybil (Jessica Brown-Findlay) and her husband, former chauffeur Tom Branson, (Allen Leech) return to Downton Abbey to face some awkward dinner conversation about coat-tails and Irish nationalism. Bates (Brendan Coyle) has a new, possibly (read definitely) dangerous cell-mate while Anna (Joanne Froggatt) continues to search for the evidence needed to free him. A new footman has started work leading to more plotting from Thomas (Rob James-Collier) and O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran), though for once they are not on the same side. Daisy (Sophie McShera) revolts against Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol) whilst Carson (Jim Carter) continues to struggle to maintain order. And I've not even covered half of it.

I should probably warn you in advance of this review that I adore both Matthew and Branson and there may be some slight swooning when discussing their roles in the first episode. I can't help it. One of them has the most amazing blue eyes in the world and the other one has a positively gorgeous Irish accent. Leech in particular excelled here, giving Branson an awkward charm and defiance in the face of the Crawleys. His scene with the Dowager Countess and Mrs Crawley forcing him into a mourning suit was a comic delight whilst his angry drunk Irishman acting was an excellent example of a horrendously awkward situation. The relationship between Matthew and Branson was also a great aspect of this episode with the Crawley heir taking it upon himself to make the former chauffeur feel as welcome as possible in the midst of all the class divides. Stevens and Leech sell the oncoming bromance well and the brother-in-law partnership versus the Crawleys should be an interesting development. It all fits into the wider theme of change that comes with the 20s setting and the various clashes between old and new.

Speaking of clashes, the publicity all centered on the meeting of Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess and Shirley Maclaine's Martha Levinson and it did not disappoint. From the first awkward hallway meeting to the constant attempts to thwart each other over desserts, the two battleaxes are already engaged in a one-liner competition that looks set to go on all series. Smith has long been the fan-favourite for her comedy moments but it is in the more dramatic ones where she really soars; her revelation that it was her money that enabled Branson and Sybil to attend the wedding was understated yet perfectly pitched. If reports are true and Maggie Smith is to leave the series, her presence and acerbic wit will be sorely missed.

Meanwhile, Bates and Anna continue their relationship in the inconvenient location of the slammer. The Bates-Anna romance had me gripped throughout the previous two series, but I can't help thinking that it is starting to run out of steam. Perhaps the circumstances don't help; after all, you can't really have soaring romantic ups-and-downs if one party happens to be stuck in prison, but it all feels a little stale. Now that we know Bates' mysterious past was to do with his psychotic wife who tried to do everything to derail his new relationship and we know that he didn't commit the murder, there's no enigma left to uncover. Also, it's Downton Abbey; everything turns out neatly so therefore we know that, at some point, Bates is going to make it out of prison and return to Downton. There's no tension here anymore, which is a shame because it was previously one of the most gripping narratives.

It's a small gripe though in the scope of the wider episode which finally saw Matthew and Mary get married, despite a couple of hiccups along the way (solved by Branson - did I mention that he's awesome?). It's the moment most people have waited for since halfway through the first series and even those naysayers who disliked the pair must have cheered ever-so-slightly when they got to the church. It was a great end to a fantastic start to the new series and I cannot wait to see what Fellowes and the gang have in store for us. Sunday nights are officially all booked up.


- Becky

You can follow Becky on Twitter @beckygracelea
Or follow her blog here beckygracelea.wordpress.com

FEATURE: Congleton Film Festival

Situated about twenty miles south of Manchester, some of you may not have heard of Congleton, an old market town with a questionable relationship with bibles and bears, but those of you who have may have also heard that it's about to host the very first Congleton Film Festival on the 28th to the 30th of September.

Organised by resident Sam Astbury, the Congleton Film Festival has been designed as a celebration of the town's cinematic history and the screening locations were all formerly cinemas in their own right. Raising awareness of Congleton's cinematographic past, the festival will offer town residents an insight into the ongoings of regional film-making with entries from film-makers from Cheshire and the North-West region. The selection is an interesting and varied one, ranging from The P.O.W, following a prisoner-of-war attempting to escape, to Birdie about a faded and forgotten sportsman. In terms of the films' selection, Sam states that 'as it is the first year, I wasn't looking for anything in particular. The festival is not a competition so its main aim is to celebrate film in its entirety'.

The celebration of film, particularly on a local level, is the festival's main focus; "I felt that a film festival was the best way to explore Congleton's cultural heritage because the town has such a strong cinematic past, having had four cinemas over the years," Sam explains, "Film is also something that I believe can bring people together in a shared experience and as the town has an active connection to the past, this festival was a perfect way to represent this." As well as the film screenings themselves, Sam has organised various events to coincide with the festival weekend. One such event is a workshop being held at The Electric Picture House Artists' Co-Operative and will hopefully inspire a new generation of local film-makers that can keep the festival running.

My family have lived in Congleton for 15 years now and it came as a surprise to learn about the town's history with film and cinemas. Growing up in a fairly small town can often be dull and without any major events, I remember frequently lamenting that it never had any cinemas or indeed, much else to do but wander around and amuse ourselves in the park. This film festival is a really exciting event for Congleton, a chance to explore film-making in the local area and perhaps inspire more young people to pick up a camera. Wandering around a town can turn into fantastic films and capture little moments or memorable occasions. 

Sam has big ambitions for the film festival and rightly so. Congleton has recently seen a burst in cultural happenings of which the cinematic is only one. As Sam explains, 'depending on the success of this one, I don't see why it couldn't become an annual event which could co-enside with those more established in the town such as the Jazz and Blues Festival.' The locality is also extremely important, particularly in the venues chosen for the screenings. Illucini's Cafe stands in Capitol Walk which takes its name from the Capitol Cinema which used to stand in its place while the Electric Picture House Artists' Co-Operative was formerly the Electric Picture Palace. It will be an event that is deeply rooted in the town's history and it will hopefully add to the town's sense of community.

So if you happen to be in the area or feel like journeying to a small market town with big ambitions, set aside a weekend and see what Congleton Film Festival has to offer.

Festival Timetable:

Friday 28th September - Illucinis Cafe Bar, Capitol Walk (7pm Start)

FOCUS: Congleton's Film-Makers.

Destiny Awaits - Directed by David Gowin

Escaped Loonies - Directed by David Gowin

MAIN FEATURE: Being Sold - Directed by Phil Hawkins (hopefully followed by Director's Q&A)

Saturday 29th September - The Electric Picture House Artists' Co-Op (7pm Start)

FOCUS: Varied and Further Afield

Birdie - Directed by Rhys Fullerton

The P.O.W. - Directed by John Hamlett

SPECIAL GUEST: Roger Shannon

Sunday 30th September - Congleton Community Garden (7pm Start - Subject to Change)

FOCUS: Family Film

Secret Screening - Film to be revealed.

For further information, please head over to the Congleton Film Festival website or the Facebook page.


- Becky

You can follow Becky on Twitter @beckygracelea
Or follow her blog beckygracelea.wordpress.com