#OnTheBigScreen: Friendship, Foes and Fine Art

Victoria & Abdul

The film tells the true story of the unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and a young clerk Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), who becomes her teacher, her spiritual advisor, and her devoted friend.

Victoria & Abdul explores questions of race, religion, power, and the farce of Empire through the prism of a highly unusual and deeply moving friendship.

The screenplay was written by Academy Award nominee Lee Hall (Billy Elliot) and based on journalist Shrabani Basu’s book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Eggsy (Taron Egerton), Merlin (Mark Strong), and Roxy (Sophie Cookson) join forces with Statesman, Kingsman's American counterpart, after Kingsman's headquarters is destroyed by notorious criminal mastermind and ‘The Golden Circle’ member Poppy (Julianne Moore).

The new adventure tests the agents’ strength and wits to the limit as these two elite secret organisations band together to defeat a ruthless common enemy, in order to save the world.

This British-American action comedy spy film is directed by Matthew Vaughn and is the sequel to 2015 film Kingsman: The Secret Service. The films are based on the comic book The Secret Service, created by Dave Gibbons and Mark Millar.

Pop, Lock 'N Roll

This South African dance film is about finding the strength the dance, despite life and its unexpected, sometimes tragic curveballs. Set in Cape Town’s club scene, it’s a feel-good rags to riches film about Raps, a gifted young dancer from the Cape Flats who thinks all he needs is fame and money.

However, it gets complicated when he falls in love with the gorgeous young wife of the gangster-come-producer who’s making his career happen. The cast is led by avid dance and Isidingo mainstay Maurice Paige and singer-songwriter and actress Yasirah Bhelz and directed by founder of Joziewood Films Ziggy Hofmeyr.

The film features heart-stopping dance feats accompanied by some of South Africa’s best-produced dance music mixes - it is set to be a favourite for many a South African.

The Lego Ninjago Movie

Another addition to the Lego cinematic world, The Lego Ninjago Movie explores the fantastic, faraway island of Ninjago, with a new ensemble of characters and its own signature style.

Under the guidance of Master Wu, Young master builder Lloyd (Green Ninja) and his secret ninja warrior friends must defeat evil warlord Garmadon, The Worst Guy Ever, who also happens to be Lloyd’s dad.

Painting The Modern Garden: Monet To Matisse

This exhibition-on-screen documentary examines the role gardens played in the evolution of art from the early 1860s through to the 1920s. It offers fresh insights from international gardening experts and art critics in order to bring the history of the garden’s relationship with art to life.

Interviews with renowned modern artists Lachlan Goudie and Tania Kovats also reveal how the relationship between the artist and the natural world continues to flourish in the 21st century.

Read more about the latest film releases at www.writingstudio.co.za