So long January, we thought you’d never end. We’re now at that point in the semester where you’re trying to figure how little you can get away with contributing in seminars, and you’re not really ready to start on your reading either. So how about filling that spare time you’re pretending to have with a film night?

Friday night – Sing Street – Genre: Comedy/drama

Conor, a somewhat shy teenager in 80s-era Dublin, is struggling with the breakdown of his family. Hoping to distract him, his brother introduces him to pop music and Conor discovers a deep love of everything pop from the romantics and Duran Duran to The Cure. When a pretty girl catches his eye he realises the only way he’s going to get her attention is by forming a band. Cue badly filmed music vidoes and some tentative band practices, but some actually pretty good songs. The soundtrack is the best part of this movie, and it’s a really heartwarming fun film to start your weekend.

Saturday Night – Ex Machina – Genre: Sci-fi/Drama

Caleb (Domnhall Gleeson), a 26 year old programmer, wins a competition to spend a week at a private mountain retreat belonging to Nathan (Oscar Isaac), the reclusive CEO of the company. Caleb arrives at the remote location to find he will have to participate in a strange experiment in which he must interact with the world’s first true artificial intelligence, played by an alluring Alicia Vikander. The special effects are wonderful, and the film is one of the best examples of sci-fi in recent years. A suitably off-beat creeping soundtrack gives the film a tense atmosphere, completing this (very intelligent itself) exploration of AI.

Sunday night – The Theory Of Everything – Genre: Biopic

This Stephen Hawking biopic won Eddie Redmayne his oscar in 2014 for his completely transformative physical portrayal of the world famous scientist. It follows Hawkings’ struggle with his motor-neurone disease as well as his relationship with his first wife, played by Felicty Jones. As Hawking’s condition worsens and his academic profile soars, his marriage begins to suffer. Though the film threatens to veer into bleakness at points, Hawkings’ high flying career, the love of his family, and his continuing survival actually make it a very positive film.

Heather Nash

(Image courtesy of Cosmo Films)