Union Films

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Once upon a time there was a big animation company who churned out film after film filled with fairytale plots and cheeky animal sidekicks. King Disney held sway over the land for what seemed like an eternity, but then new challengers for the throne began to emerge...

Now it will take some serious ass-kicking to topple Disney as master of family friendly animation, but why bother when you can make films like 'Shrek'. Dreamworks have very wisely steered away from the saccharine sweet mentality that often plagued the mouse house, instead producing something with a little more ‘kick’ (for a family film anyway).

‘Shrek’ is the tale of a grumpy hermit ogre just trying to get rid of a bunch of vagrants who have moved in to live on his land. The only thing is, these vagrants are entirely made up of fairytale creatures, blind mice and little pigs (both numbering three) to name only two. So Shrek trudges off to the diminutive King Farquaad, accepting a deal to rescue a princess in order to get his land back. Now hands up who thinks things will go that simply?

The Princess in question is Cameron Diaz. Not just the voice, but she looks almost identical, and seems to have been plucked straight out of Charlie’s Angels, far from the helpless damsel in distress you’d normally find locked in a distant tower. No wonder our ogre friend falls for her, however he has issues with being a big green slob and thinks he could never attract anyone as beautiful as the princess. But this is the movies and not real life; so of course she falls in love with him instead of spurning him and wanting to be ‘just friends’. If it seems like I’m spoiling things for you, well it’s not like you couldn’t have worked that out for yourself.

Of course no animated film seems to be complete without a buddy comedy element. In this respect the film excels. An over-enthusiastic and friendly donkey, named, errrr ‘Donkey’ joins Shrek on his travels. Voiced by Eddie Murphy, but don’t let that put you off; he proves he can actually be funny provided he is alongside a fat man rather than being one, or when he is an animal rather than talking to them. I always said the man was an ass… (Sorry).

Plot aside, this film looks fantastic and the soundtrack is excellent. It’s filled with jokes that the younger audience members (i.e. screaming brats) will completely miss and would never understand even if they did catch. Add to that the sly pokes at Disney who the head of Dreamworks used to work for; purely coincidental I’m sure...

You can’t really go too wrong with this film, it’s funny, feelgood and fabulous to look at. There may be one or two slightly mushy scenes that make you think you’re watching Disney, but what Disney film begins with a character on the toilet and just gets better from there?

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•  Union Films
•  19:00 (start)
•  20:30 (end)

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Based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's Oni Press comic book of the same name, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World follows the eponymous slacker rocker on his colorful quest to defeat his dream girl's seven evil ex-boyfriends. Twenty-two-year-old Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) may not have a job, but rocking the bass for his band, Sex Bob-omb, is a tough job in itself. When Scott locks eyes with Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), he knows she's the girl he wants to grow old with. But Ramona has some serious baggage; her supercharged exes rue the thought of her being with another man, and they'll crush any guy who gives her a second glance. Now, in order to win Ramona's heart, Scott will have to battle everyone from vegan-powered rock gods to sinister skateboarders, never losing sight of his gorgeous girl as he pummels his way to victory. Shaun of the Dead's Edgar Wright directs the film from a script he penned with Michael Bacall. Superhero veterans Chris Evans and Brandon Routh co-star in the action comedy as two of the seven ex-boyfriends.

Event details

•  Union Films
•  19:30 (start)
•  21:22 (end)

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Vampire housemates try to cope with the complexities of modern life and show a newly turned hipster some of the perks of being undead.

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•  Union Films
•  16:00 (start)
•  17:26 (end)

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Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

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•  Union Films
•  19:00 (start)
•  21:18 (end)

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A coming-of-age story based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, which follows 15-year-old freshman Charlie, an endearing and naive outsider who is taken under the wings of two seniors. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a moving tale of love, loss, fear and hope - and the unforgettable friends that help us through life.

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•  Union Films
•  16:00 (start)
•  17:43 (end)

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An eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island tries to make his fantasies come true by getting his favourite musicians to perform at his home.

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•  Union Films
•  19:00 (start)
•  20:40 (end)

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Two twenty-somethings, both reeling from bad break-ups, connect over the course of an eventful day in South London – helping each other deal with their nightmare exes, and potentially restoring their faith in romance.

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•  Union Films
•  16:00 (start)
•  17:22 (end)

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As covetous children are often warned:

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•  Union Films
•  16:00 (start)
•  17:40 (end)

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Withdrawn and sensitive teen Carrie White faces taunting from classmates at school and abuse from her fanatically pious mother. When strange occurrences start happening around Carrie, she begins to suspect that she has supernatural powers.

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•  Union Films
•  19:00 (start)
•  20:38 (end)

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Cady Heron is a hit with The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school, until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George.

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•  Union Films
•  16:00 (start)
•  17:37 (end)

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Only one man has the particular set of skills... to lead Police Squad and save the world: Lt. Frank Drebin Jr.

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•  Union Films
•  19:00 (start)
•  20:25 (end)

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•  Union Films
•  16:00 (start)

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Rob Reiner's romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as the title pair. The film opens with the two strangers, both newly graduated from the University of Chicago, share a car trip from Chicago to New York, where they are both going to make their way. During the trip, they discuss aspects of their characters and their lives, eventually deciding it is impossible for men and women to be

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•  Union Films
•  19:30 (start)

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When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death.

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•  Union Films
•  16:00 (start)
•  18:11 (end)

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Wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and determined assassins.

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•  Union Films
•  19:00 (start)
•  20:42 (end)

Event details

•  Union Films
•  16:00 (start)
•  17:39 (end)

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The Japanese have long been renowned for producing some of the most violent, messed up films in existence. Once again, they strive to push the boundaries with Battle Royale.

The premise is this: Japanese children have recently become completely out of control. The government passed the Millenium Educational Reform Act (otherwise known as the B.R act), which makes it legal for a class of schoolchildren selected by lottery to be kidnapped and taken to an island in the middle of the sea. They are to compete in a no holds barred, one-on-one fight to the death, until there's one man standing. Each competitor is fitted with a necklace that will explode should they refuse to co-operate. If more than one man is standing by the end, everyone will be killed. They are each given a set of supplies, and are all given a different weapon (ranging from high-powered rifles to dustbin lids).

Whilst it is easy to see why this film caused such uproar amongst the Daily Mail-reading right, it is also fascinating to watch as they form and break alliances, betray each other, and ultimately attack the system that's imprisoned them. Coupled with a tar-pit black sense of humour and the presence of the ever wonderful Takeshi Kitano (one of the most revered actors in Japan), this film is of course deeply disturbing and shocking but also disturbingly engrossing. You'll never see anything else like it...

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•  Union Films
•  19:00 (start)
•  20:54 (end)

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A Pennsylvania man kidnaps the person he suspects is behind the disappearance of his young daughter and her best friend.

When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?

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•  Union Films
•  16:00 (start)
•  18:33 (end)

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When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

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•  Union Films
•  19:30 (start)
•  21:39 (end)

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Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.

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•  Union Films
•  16:00 (start)
•  18:14 (end)

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A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam.

Event details

•  Union Films
•  19:30 (start)
•  21:43 (end)