Skip to content

Three reasons to catch Last Mondays at the Movies in New West

2019 promises to be a good year for New Westminster film buffs. The Arts Council of New Westminster is continuing its Last Mondays at the Movies series at the Massey Theatre, with post-film discussions following each offering.
Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith is one of four British acting greats featured in the documentary Tea With The Dames, screening Jan. 28 for Last Mondays at the Movies.

2019 promises to be a good year for New Westminster film buffs.

The Arts Council of New Westminster is continuing its Last Mondays at the Movies series at the Massey Theatre, with post-film discussions following each offering.

The three films announced so far offer a diverse lineup for local audiences:

 

JANUARY

On Monday, Jan. 28, you can enjoy Tea With the Dames.

Imagine if you had a chance to invite four of the greats of the British film and theatre scene over for tea, and they spent the next couple of hours reminiscing about their pasts and chatting about life – all in their inimitably clever, delightfully English way. Those four greats would be the “dames” in question: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright and Eileen Atkins, and the documentary by director Roger Michell also pulls in archival footage of all four.

With their combined 342 years of age and careers that are now in their seventh decade, these four surely rival Queen Elizabeth II herself when it comes to awe-inspiring women. This film is going to be a can’t-miss for anyone who’s a fan of indomitable British dames. And who’s not, really?

 

FEBRUARY

Malcolm X, I Am Not Your Negro
Malcolm X with reporters in I Am Not Your Negro, a Magnolia Pictures release that's screening for Last Mondays at the Movies in February. - Herman Hiller, courtesy Magnolia Pictures

On Monday, Feb. 25, it’s time for another documentary: I Am Not Your Negro.

Filmmaker Raoul Peck brings to life a book that was started by American novelist James Baldwin before his death in 1987: a revolutionary, personal account of the lives and assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

The film explores the past and the present of race relations in the United States, connecting the past of the civil rights movement to the present of #BlackLivesMatter.

It promises to be a thought-provoking evening at the theatre for anyone concerned with issues of social justice.

 

MARCH

On Monday, March 25, the film series returns to the world of the feature film with Puzzle, a movie from director Marc Turtletaub.

It tells the story of Agnes, an underappreciated suburban housewife who’s never ventured far away from her home or her family. It’s only when she receives a jigsaw puzzle as a birthday present and discovers she has an unexpected talent for puzzle-making that her life starts to change. She meets Robert, a reclusive inventor, who recognizes her talent for puzzles and recruits her to be his partner for a world jigsaw competition – and she starts to find a new voice and a new identity of her own. It's based on the Argentine film Rompecabezas ("puzzle" in Spanish).

Puzzle, Kelly Macdonald, Irrfan Khan
Kelly Macdonald as Agnes and Irrfan Khan as Robert in Puzzle. The film is screening on March 25 for Last Mondays at the Movies at Massey Theatre. - Linda Kallerus, courtesy Sony Pictures Classics/Mongrel Media

Starring the talents of Kelly Macdonald (of Trainspotting fame, and also the voice of Merida in the Disney Pixar film Brave) and the acclaimed Indian actor Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire, Jurassic World), it’s earned praise from critics (and an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes).

It’s bound to be a delight for anyone who loves honest, quirky little films about characters who transcend Hollywood stereotypes.

 

Last Mondays films screen at 7 p.m., and doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $9 general, or $8 for seniors and students. See www.ticketsnw.ca to buy in advance, or pay cash at the door.

See www.artscouncilnewwest.org for more details about the movie series.