Directed by Seong-ho Jang, with an all-star voice cast including Kenneth Branagh, Mark Hamill, Uma Thurman, and Pierce Brosnan, THE KING OF KINGS offers a heartfelt retelling of this timeless story through the lens of celebrated author Charles Dickens and his son, Walter.

Based on a little-known short story that Dickens read to his family every Christmas, which was only published posthumously in 1934, THE KING OF KINGS follows a unique narrative journey.

The story unfolds as Charles Dickens, voiced by Kenneth Branagh, recounts the life of Jesus to his young son, Walter (voiced by Roman Griffin Davis). Along with their mischievous cat, Willa, the duo are swept into the world of ancient Jerusalem, where they witness the nativity, Jesus’ teachings, and his ultimate crucifixion and resurrection.

What begins as a simple bedtime story transforms into an unforgettable adventure, which invites audiences to explore the eternal themes of love, hope, and faith, all through the eyes of a child.

With breathtaking animation and an unforgettable narrative, this magical film offers both a heart-warming tribute to the Easter story and a wondrous adventure full of inspiration and discovery.
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Using Christine Leunens’s novel Caging Skies as the nucleus for his project JoJo Rabbit finds the Kiwi in great form. Leunens’s book about a Hitler youth who finds out his mother is harbouring a young Jewish girl in their house provides the basis for a Waititi screenplay that is rich in humour and subtext.

It’s a wild ride that jumps from being uproariously funny to being heartbreakingly sad without missing a beat. The emotions feel real and are never less than meaningful. In contrast, it makes so much of what passes today as cinema humour feel empty and almost fraudulent.

In a period of hate that was as intense as any time in human history, it seems incredulous for someone to attempt to make a comic statement about it. But the life reaffirming nature of laughter is never more necessary than when faced with the horrors of the dark side of human nature.

Rob Hudson
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