When the opportunity arises for the women to win a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, they jump at the chance. With their priest’s help, the women win the trip and embark on a journey that will change their lives.

Once in Lourdes, the women are tasked with helping the sick and disabled pilgrims who come to bathe in the town’s healing springs. As they work, they reflect on their lives and search for personal miracles.

However, when they are joined by Chrissie (Laura Linney), who has returned from the U.S. after a long absence, old wounds are reopened, and the women must confront their pasts.
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Wisely the filmmakers have stitched together multiple plot lines this time (as opposed to a royal visit being the main feature in the first film). This leads to a richer tapestry to work with and this creates improvements on the first movie in almost every way.

One plot line is the mystery inheritance of a villa in France by Violet Crawley, played by the series MVP Maggie Smith. This necessitates a trip across the pond and provides the opportunity of showcasing some amazing scenery and contributes to even more visual candy.

Another is allowing an American film crew to use the house as a film set and this insures an interesting expansion of the cast. Nowhere does this feel like anything the common man would ever experience in normal life and that is surely the point. Pure escapism sometimes needs the grand life and this is grand indeed.
Rob Hudson
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The much-anticipated cinematic return of the global phenomenon reunites the beloved cast as they go on a grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess’ newly inherited villa.

Downton Abbey: A New Era will be released in Australian cinemas April 28!
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Starring Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Joanne Froggatt, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Tuppence Middleton, Lesley Nicol, Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, Penelope Wilton, and new cast members Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye, Dominic West and Jonathan Zaccaï.

Downton Abbey: A New Era will be released in Australian cinemas March 17, 2022!

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It’s set in India and uses that colourful and frenetic local as an integral part of the storyline. It’s a tale of redemption amongst an older generation of Brits that are bucking against feeling like they have reached their used by dates. They end up at a hotel in India under false pretences and find that the luxury hotel the ads spoke about has been replaced by a run down complex run by Sonny (played with good humour by Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire).

The set up is somewhat conventional but what really lets the movie down is how predictable the script is. This is not helped at all by an overbearing soundtrack that telegraphs almost every salient moment in the film. The actors try as they might have little to work with other that establishing their characters eccentricities.

Films with sophistication, complex characterization and involving plot lines will always have a place up on the big screen even if they appeal to only a certain segment of the audience but when you pander to a specific group you still need to involve them regardless of age or demographics.

Rob Hudson
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Having lost touch wit the TV series a few seasons back, it was reassuring that all the main characters have returned. The screenplay by Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park and Vanity Fair) still capitalises on the show’s MVP and writes some great lines for Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith) and she comically spars with everyone she converses with.

The story based on the impending visit of the King and Queen is used as the basis of an us against them tale. The staff of Downton Abbey have their work cut out for them as they battle the royals’ staff to exert dominance over the running of their home.

The film is an unchallenging affair that offers a comforting flow of humour and trace amounts of subtext. It also enables a subdued sense of outrage at the huge amount of effort it took to please the royals and to deal with the pompousness of their handlers.

Rob Hudson
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Over its 6 seasons, the series garnered 3 Golden Globe Awards, 15 Primetime Emmy Awards, 69 Emmy nominations in total, making Downton Abbey the most nominated non-US television show in the history of the Emmys – even earning a Special BAFTA award and a Guinness World Record for the highest critically rated TV show along the way.

The Downton Abbey movie will star the original principal cast, including Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Joanne Froggatt, Matthew Goode, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Penelope Wilton, and Academy-Award® winner Maggie Smith, as well as new cast members Academy-Award® nominee Imelda Staunton, Geraldine James, Simon Jones, David Haig, Tuppence Middleton, Kate Phillips and Stephen Campbell Moore.

Academy-Award® winner Julian Fellowes who created Downton Abbey and wrote the film’s screenplay will produce alongside Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge. Michael Engler returns to direct. Brian Percival, who directed the series’ pilot, will executive produce the movie alongside Nigel Marchant.

Downton Abbey will be released in Australian cinemas September 12!
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Tea with the Dames is a unique celebration of the lives and careers of four of our most iconic actresses; Dame Eileen Atkins, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Joan Plowright and Dame Maggie Smith. All four have gone from being fledgling actresses in the 1950s to acting royalty. They’ve watched each other’s careers grow and bloom and have celebrated life’s ups and downs together.

Tea with the Dames invites you to spend time with these acting legends as they talk about their lives and their professional experiences across theatre, television and film.

Directed by Roger Michell (My Cousin Rachel, Notting Hill), the film also includes a range of astonishing archive material. Candid, funny, caustic, irreverent, poignant and utterly engrossing, this unmissable release is proof that there is truly nothing like a Dame.

“The laughter and pure hysteria are infectious in this wildly enjoyable film.”– The Guardian

” The rapport between this formidable quartet is palpable, and they all contribute some delightful stories.” – Daily Mail

“A torrent of mischief, gossip, swearing, recitations, singing and reminiscence.”– Times UK

Seniors can enjoy preview screening of TEA WITH THE DAMES for just $7 at Dendy Portside on Wednesday, June 7th at 10:30am with complimentary morning tea.

Tea with the Dames – Seniors Preview Screening
Wednesday, June 7th at 10:30am
Dendy Portside, Brisbane
www.dendy.com.au

However, they soon discover that someone is kidnapping garden gnomes all over London. When Gnomeo and Juliet return home to find that everyone in their garden is missing – there’s only one gnome to call… SHERLOCK GNOMES.

The famous detective and sworn protector of London’s garden gnomes arrives with his sidekick Watson to investigate the case. The mystery will lead our gnomes on a rollicking adventure where they will meet all new ornaments and explore an undiscovered side of the city.

This action-packed sequel features the voices of returning cast, James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Stephen Merchant and Ozzy Osbourne, plus Johnny Depp as Sherlock Gnomes, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Watson and Mary J. Blige as Irene.
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Well it was also the first time I had ever laid eyes on Maggie Smith, who played the sea goddess, Thetis. And to my 12-year-old eyes, Maggie looked positively ancient. Of course, she was a spritely 47-year-old then (I say ‘spritely’ because that’s how old I am now) but she has grown older as I have grown older and, as a result, she has always looked ‘old’ to me.

At 81, it’s fair to say she has earned that mantle now but one thing that has not faded with her age is her performance acumen. Indeed, it’s better than ever and she’s an actress who has embraced her age beautifully if not being classically beautiful herself – and there is a great beauty in that in an industry that demands otherwise.

Having seen The Lady in the Van it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Maggie Smith playing the part of the titular ‘Miss Shepherd’. As wonderful as Smith’s thespian peers are, neither Judy Dench (too staunch) nor Charlotte Rampling (too classy) nor Helen Mirren (too young!) would be such a natural fit. Smith possesses just the right measure of hard-nosed frailty and acerbic humour that makes her perfect for the part.

In a time of pandering ‘oldies’ movies whose prime purpose is to be light-hearted and uplifting, whilst touching lightly on the issues of growing old (Quartet, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel etc.) it’s refreshing to find a film aimed at this market segment which actually has some artistic merit. The Lady in the Van isn’t alone, of course, the recent Youth and 45 Years attest to a recent push to make the ‘grey’ film segment more than just entertaining fluff.

The film is interestingly structured and well told from the point of view of playwright, Alan Bennett, played to perfection by Alex Jennings in a dual role representing Bennett’s two states of mind.

Bennett’s story is laced with comedy but it would be a mistake to call the film a comedy. The film is being marketed as such, however, and it is possibly suffering somewhat because of this in the eyes of its audience. It would be more accurate to call the film a drama with comic elements. And thank goodness for these comic elements, as it would be a tough watch otherwise!

The Lady in the Van is an excellent film. It’s so good, in fact, that it beggars belief that Sony shelved it for nearly 12 months! A film of this quality is clearly worthy of a Boxing Day release, not languishing in release schedule hell like some B grade turkey. And a film of this quality is worthy of a viewing from anyone of any age.

Stuart Jamieson
www.sonyclassics.com