Tower Mill

Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival

Annual film festival with a focus on screening work that relates to the natural world, to landscape, to mankind’s relationship with natural forces, or to alchemy itself. The festival has a focus on high quality artistic projects and experimental short film from around the world, mixing this with thematically-related…

Beyond the Hills

• 
• 2012
• Romania/France/Belgium
• 150 min
• 12A

• Directed by: Cristian Mungiu
• Written by: Cristian Mungiu
• Cast: Cosmina Stratan, Cristina Flutur, Valeriu Andriuta
• UK release: 15 March 2013

Alina (Flutur) and Voichita (Stratan) were brought up in a Romanian orphanage, but while Voichita has moved to a monastery, Alina has lived and worked in Germany, and now wants her friend to join her. Quietly chilling drama from 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days director Mungiu.

In the House (Dans la maison)

• 
• 2012
• France
• 105 min
• 15

• Directed by: François Ozon
• Cast: Fabrice Luchini, Ernst Umhauer, Kristin Scott Thomas
• UK release: 29 March 2013

High-school teacher Germain (Luchini) sets his students an assignment to write about what they did that weekend, but then Claude (Umhauer) writes about his desire to infiltrate a classmate’s household. Ozon’s new film is a sparkling black comedy, effortlessly shifting between genres, tones and styles. Highly recommended.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green

• 
• 2012
• US
• 105 min
• U

• Directed by: Peter Hedges
• Written by: Peter Hedges
• Cast: Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, CJ Adams
• UK release: 5 April 2013

Infertile parents Cindy (Garner) and Jim (Edgerton) are surprised when a mud-covered 10-year-old boy appears at their house, claiming them as his mum and dad. This Disney-style fairytale is well-meaning but too sentimental and contrived, and the combination of sensitive adult themes and family-friendly style seems…

Royal Opera House: La Donna del Lago

• 2013
• UK

• UK release: 27 May 2013

Rossini's opera based on the poem 'The Lady of the Lake', by Sir Walter Scott, performed by the Royal Opera House.

Shell

• 
• 2012
• UK
• 91 min
• 15

• Directed by: Scott Graham
• Written by: Scott Graham
• Cast: Chloe Pirrie, Tam Dean Burn, Morven Christie
• UK release: 15 March 2013

Shell (Pirrie) is a lonely teenager manning her father's isolated garage in the Highlands. The film was expanded from a short and it feels like it, with occasional forced symbolism and gloomy arthouse clichés instead of deeply-felt drama. But Graham has a definite way with actors, and it's eloquent and atmospheric.

Side Effects

• 
• 2013
• US
• 106 min
• 15

• Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
• Cast: Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law
• UK release: 8 March 2013

Announcing early retirement, Side Effects could be well be Soderbergh's last film. This thriller set in the world of prescription medicines boasts a fine cast, an authentic milieu and a script that flirts with the experimental. But it also underwhelms in the crucial final third.