British films in UK Cinemas and on Digital, DVD & Blu-Ray April 2019.
Here'a a look at British films hitting UK Cinemas, Digital, Blu-Ray and DVD, April 2019. Included in this month's releases are CHARISMATA, a must-see satanic indie horror starring Sarah Beck Mather, John McPhail's gory zombie musical, ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE, and Simon Rumley's highly anticipated period British gangster movie, ONCE UPON A TIME IN LONDON.
There's also a couple of classic British films being re-released, Stanley Kubrick's A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, and for one night only to celebrate it's 40th anniversary, MONTY PYTHON’S LIFE OF BRIAN.
If we have missed any titles then please let us know by email contacts@britflicks.com
You can massively help BritFlicks & indie film by subscribing to the Britflicks YouTube Channels, BritFlicks for film trailers and BritFlicksExtra for behind the scenes.
90 MINUTES is released on Digital & DVD 1st April 2019.
Synopsis: Action unfolds both on and off the pitch at London’s iconic Hackney Marshes, as Lea Valley Rangers prepare for a must-win match against Forest Road Athletic – their first chance to win the league in living memory. Rising tensions are due to more than just the sporting drama however... Long suffering club manager, Nick, struggles to keep his head above water; trying to save his failing marriage whilst guiding his team to victory. Troubled teen Jack realises the pivotal match may provide an opportunity to change his relationship with his estranged father, footballer Dave, forever.
There’s the club secretary who has embezzled the end of season fund, a referee learning to come to terms with a parent’s illness, an unexpected love triangle, and to top it off, the added pressure of unexpected professional team scouts. As the match moves towards its volatile conclusion, emotions flare, secrets are laid-bared and relationships are left hanging in the balance, all in the space of one fateful 90 minute game. It’s not always such a beautiful game.
LAST BREATH is released in UK CInemas 5th Aril 2019.
The heart-stopping and staggering true-life story LAST BREATH will be released in UK cinemas by Dogwoof on 5 April 2019 and premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival on 28 February 2019. Told through first-hand accounts, powerful archive and black box footage from the time and pulse-quickening underwater reconstructions, LAST BREATH is a documentary thriller unlike any other.
Filmmakers Alex Parkinson and Richard da Costa bring their years of experience of filming in challenging environments to a film which immerses viewers in the mysterious and claustrophobic world of saturation diving.
A routine maintenance dive on a North Sea oil well turns into a fight for survival as a computer error aboard the commercial ship The Topaz sends the boat drifting away from its dive site, dragging along everything attached to it: including commercial diver Chris Lemons.
With his diving umbilical cord snagged on a underwater structure and the full weight of the 8,000 tonne ship strained against his lifeline, Chris becomes stranded on the seabed with only 5 minutes of breathing gas and rescue 30 minutes away.
LAST BREATH is a truly incredible real life story and race-against-time thriller which will leave audiences gasping.
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE in UK Cinemas 5th April 2019.
“There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening. The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence.”
Set in a flamboyantly stylised near-future, where gangs of disenfranchised teenagers indulge in narcotic cocktails and revel in acts of ‘ultraviolence’, the film centres on charismatic but deadly Alex DeLarge (brilliantly portrayed by Malcolm McDowell in one of his most famous roles) and his band of equally brutal droogs; Dim (Warren Clarke), Georgie (James Marcus) and Pete (Michael Tarn). Eventually arrested and imprisoned, Alex shortens his sentence by agreeing to take part in a government-run experiment to cure offenders through aversion therapy – the Ludovico Technique – in which he is tied down, kept awake and forced to watch violent, sexual and anti-social activity while listening to Beethoven.
The story is narrated by Alex himself, speaking in ‘Nadsat’, a form of Russian-influenced English devised by Anthony Burgess who was also a linguist.
The violent attacks and rape scenes in the film made it highly controversial upon its release in the UK and in the glare of publicity Stanley Kubrick received death threats. He personally asked Warner Bros. to withdraw the film from distribution in 1974 and it was not seen on the big screen again in the UK until after his death in 1999.
THE KEEPER in UK Cinemas 5th April 2019.
The Keeper tells the incredible true story of Bert Trautmann (David Kross), a German soldier and prisoner of war who, against a backdrop of British post-war protest and prejudice, secures the position of Goalkeeper at Manchester City, and in doing so becomes a footballing icon.
Struggling for acceptance by those who dismiss him as the enemy, Bert’s love for Margaret (Freya Mavor), an Englishwoman, carries him through and he wins over even his harshest opponents by winning the 1956 FA Cup Final, playing on with a broken neck to secure victory. But fate will soon twist the knife for Bert and Margaret, when their love and loyalty to each other is put to the ultimate test.
ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE is released on DVD & Blu-Ray 8th April 2019.
Review: ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE is a what you say… A horror? Okay, it is Frightfest. A comedy. Yes, there’s a rich history of splicing those two … And a musical? And a Christmas film? Surely that’s too much… Right?
The ambitious idea is born out of the award winning short ZOMBIE MUSICAL written and directed by Ryan McHenry. Sadly he died from cancer in 2015, but before he passed he okayed the continued development of the feature film version.
It stars Ella Hunt in the titular role. If you saw her play Sheridan Smith’s daughter in THE MORE YOU IGNORE ME, earlier this year, you’re aware she is an acting talent on the up and in this role she is equally as impressive. Her ambitions of leaving the sleepy town of Little Haven and seeing the world are cut short when she wakes up one morning to a zombie outbreak. She teams up with her friends to make the all-action, blood soaked journey through the walking dead hordes and be reunited with her father. He is holed up with the tyrannical headmaster – Mr Savage. Every disaster film requires a selfish individual to work against the group and Paul Kaye’s cartoon villain is it. Stuart Wright
WILD ROSE is UK Cinemas 12th April 2019.
Synopsis: Rose-Lynn Harlan, played by BAFTA Rising Star nominee Jessie Buckley (Beast), is bursting with raw talent, charisma and cheek. Fresh out of jail and with two young kids, all she wants is to get out of Glasgow and make it as a country singer in Nashville. Her mum Marion (Julie Walters) has had a bellyful of Rose-Lynn’s Nashville nonsense. Forced to take responsibility, Rose-Lynn gets a cleaning job, only to find an unlikely champion in the middle-class lady of the house (Sophie Okonedo). Directed by Tom Harper, Wild Rose is an uplifting story with an original soundtrack about family, dreams and reality, and three chords and the truth.
A DEAL WITH THE UNIVERSE is in UK Cinemas 12th April 2019.
Synopsis: A DEAL WITH THE UNIVERSE is the debut documentary from filmmaker Jason Barker. Autobiographical and made entirely from personal archive and home video diaries, the film follows Jason's incredible story of how he came to give birth to his child, charting over 15 years of his and his partner's life. This film is groundbreaking in terms of it's intimate insights into gender identity and new parenthood.
DAGENHAM is released 18th April 2019, on Video On Demand (Amazon, iTunes and Google Play).
A thrilling crime drama, Dagenham follows the struggles of a mother (Doraly Rosa) and daughter (Lily Newmark) trying to navigate their own fraught relationship, while also contending with the violence of the criminal underworld after the release of local hard man Billy Moroney sets off a dangerous chain of events.
MONTY PYTHON’S LIFE OF BRIAN in Cinemas 18th April 2019. (one night only)
Set in 33 A.D. Judea, where exasperated Romans are trying to impose some order, it is a time of chaos and change with no shortage of messiahs and followers willing to believe in them. At its center is Brian Cohen, a reluctant would-be messiah who rises to prominence as a result of a series of absurd circumstances providing ample opportunity for the entire Monty Python ensemble (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin) to shine in multiple roles as they question everyone and everything from ex-lepers, Pontius Pilate and the art of haggling, to revolutionaries, crazy prophets, religious fanaticism, Roman centurions and crucifixion.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN LONDON is released in UK Cinemas 19th April 2019.
Synopsis: Simon Rumley's ONCE UPON A TIME IN LONDON charts the epic rise and legendary fall of a nationwide criminal empire that lasted for three action-packed decades from the late 1930s. The one-time friends and partners in crime turned bitter enemies oversaw a fledgeling East End and Soho underworld responsible for brutal protection rackets, vicious lawbreaking, shocking corruption and glamorous associations, which paved the way for the notorious Kray twins to exert their dominance over the capital’s gangland realm.
STEEL COUNTRY is released in UK Cinemas & Digital 19th April 2019.
Synopsis: When a young boy turns up dead in a sleepy Western Pennsylvania town, a local sanitation truck driver, Donald (Scott) plays detective, embarking on a precarious and obsessive investigation to prove the boy was murdered.
POND LIFE is in selected UK Cinemas from 26th April 2019.
It’s summer in Edlington. Trevor sits at Decoy Ponds, patiently awaiting the appearance of Nessie, the carp of legend.
Pogo wanders around town with a cassette recorder, taping broken fragments, and trying to make sense of it all. The local children taunt her.
Cassie and Maurice canoodle in the reeds…They’re in love.
Malcolm is also in love, with Cassie that is, but she doesn’t want to hear it and Maurice has just thrown him in a nettle bush. He takes comfort in video games at the local arcade, and tries to astral project himself into her bedroom.
Best friends Shane and David cause mischief around the town; stealing chocolate bars and every opportunity they can to a glimpse a pair of boobs. Shane takes it one step further and spies on a canoodling couple in the reeds.
‘This is the best summer of my life’ says Pogo, and for each of them the sun, the bittersweet intensity of their relationships, and their fishing quest make the moment exceptionally vivid. But change is also in the air - there is no room for Trevor at home, the truth about Maurice’s family has to emerge, and their community has to move on.
TEDDY PENDERGRASS: IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME is released on DVD 26th April 2019.
Synopsis: The inspiring story of Teddy Pendergrass, who was poised to be the greatest soul singer of all time. His was the immortal voice of Don’t Leave Me This Way, The Love I Lost and Close the Door. He was also the first black male artist to have five consecutive platinum albums in the US, before a devastating accident changed his life forever.
Featuring interviews with his family, friends and colleagues including Philadelphia soul legends Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff, rare archive footage and a superb soundtrack, this revealing and poignant documentary charts the life of Teddy Pendergrass. His rise to fame within the complexities of 1960s America, his tragic fall and his triumphant comeback.
RUPERT, RUPERT & RUPERT is released in UK Cinemas and on Digital Platforms, Amazon Video, iTunes & GooglePlay, 26th April 2019.
This rollercoaster ride follows budding actor Rupert Lindsay (Sandy Batchelor) who is desperate to get his big break in acting, but there’s one slight problem: he keeps having angry and lascivious outbursts and he can never remember what he did, what he said or even who he hurt. A chance audition puts him in front of failed film director Geoffrey Morton (Ben Porter – Casualty, The Bill), whose last hope in the industry rests on finding a star who can effectively portray the lead in ‘The Fatal Blasphemy of Jeremiah Ulysses’s Boundless Rage.’
Rupert’s angry outbursts have never looked so good, but his psychotherapist Angus (Adam Astill – Unforgotten, Eastenders) wouldn’t agree. Trying to keep his disorder in check, Angus is concerned about how Rupert will cope with the pressure of having the success of the play resting on him losing control.
Romance is in the air when Rupert falls for make-up artist Stevie (Daisy Keeping – Holby City, Humans), but which Rupert is she in love with? Rupert is confronted with a choice between his career, his love life, and his mental health…luckily there’s three of him to deal with it.
BREAKING HABITS is released in Cinemas & on Digital 26th April 2019.
Synopsis: Cannabis culture in America has transformed in recent years from an illicit, countercultural, frowned-upon recreation into a multi-billion-dollar capitalist machine. The Sisters of the Valley reap these benefits amid this turbulent transition, running their farm in one of the most dangerous towns in America.
The Sisters fight against the goliaths of law enforcement and religion who are determined to stop them at all costs. We find them harassed by the Trump-lovin’ Sheriff, a Christian Bishop, County and State investigatory teams, the City Council and Post Office, all the while dodging bullets from local drug kingpins.
And yet, advised by the local Native Elder and protected by armed Mexican cartels, Sister Kate’s business has grown into a multi-million-dollar empire.
BREAKING HABITS is an outrageous, not-to-be-missed documentary about a Sisterhood of gun-slinging nuns who live and work in a modern-day Wild West in circumstances we can barely imagine.
CHARISMATA is released on DVD 29th April 2019.
Synopsis: When Detective Rebecca Faraway is thrown head first into a cult murder case, she finds the male-dominated world forces her into obsession and suspicion.
As the case develops and her instincts are ignored by those around her, paranoia combined with hysteria and delusions transcends into a demonic game of cat and mouse between her and the enigmatic suspect Michael Sweet.
Divulging deeper into Faraway’s delicate mind, the main suspect shows her that death is merely the beginning of what could be the struggle to keep her soul and sanity.
Stuart Wright talks with CHARISMATA co-director/writer Andy Collier
303 SQUADRON is released on DVD & Blu-Ray 29th April 2019.
Synopsis: 303 SQUADRON is the true tale of the RAF’s hastily assembled No.303(Polish) Fighter Squadron. Put together in the summer of 1940, as Britain faced the most concerted military threat in its history, this was a unit made up exclusively of Polish airmen.
After failing to stop the Nazis overwhelm their homeland, the Polish pilots made their way across the Channel to continue their war. Initially they were underestimated and ridiculed, but as the shortage of experienced British airmen became critical and in the face of the growing Luftwaffe onslaught, they were soon corralled into frontline duty and supplied with Hurricanes.
Unparalleled in their formidable combat flying skills, they quickly proved their worth in the Battle of Britain, shooting three times more Luftwaffe planes than any other allied squadron and achieving the best Kill/Loss Ratio (126:8) in the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force Fighter Command’s history.
