Talking Films: January Meet Up!

We'll be discussing this month's Talking Films playlist! Watch as much or as little as you like ahead of the MeetUp, and then catch up with the group! We're looking forward to hearing your opinions, ideas, and vigorous discussions!

We've got a bumper playlist to see you through December and January! The list includes some Oscar Favourites, and a whole mix of sci-fi, art, animation and drama, with 4 main themes: a/must-see TV based on beloved literature, b/the fiction v reality controversy, c/art as a survival mechanism in difficult times, and d/past & future Oscar darlings characterised by an atypical musicality.

For more details, head to Sydenham Arts Film @ http://www.sydenhamfilmclub.org/events/talking-films-january-meet-up/

We're not expecting you to get through the whole lot, but we'll discuss the list at our next meeting in the new year!

This month, we're asking you to watch...

SERIES/MINI-SERIES
This month's series are a real eclectic mix of critically acclaimed new series, including the much talked about The Crown's latest series and The Expanse, also entering it's 5th series, based on the novels of James S.A. Corey (which is the joint pen name of authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, who are also two of the series’ co-creators!).

The Queen's Gambit, another new series bursting onto the Netflix scene based on a Novel, sees a stunning lead performance by Anya Taylor-Joy. There's a lot more to this drama series than a game of chess.

Here's the full list of series we're looking at this month...

THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT, NETFLIX

HIS DARK MATERIALS – BBC iPLAYER

THE UNDOING – SKY ATLANTIC

THE CROWN – NETFLIX

THE EXPANSE – AMAZON PRIME

DOCUMENTARIES

GRAYSON'S ART CLUB: THE EXHIBITION- ALL 4
Grayson Perry returns to his Art Club format to present the culmination of a year of lockdown art by people from across the country. The Art Club’s exhibition offers a unique, and surprising emotional insight into the power of art in these strange times, while the wide-ranging work of the exhibition’s participants, guest celebrities, and those completed by Grayson and Philippa Perry is a truly eclectic mix.

If you’ve got time, why not have a look at some of the episodes from the original series?!

MUNCH FROM THE MUNCH MUSEUM AND NATIONAL GALLERY OF OSLO- SKY ARTS
Continuing the theme of art as a surviving mechanism in this month’s documentaries, go behind the scenes of the once-in-a-lifetime show from one of the world’s greatest artists, and learn more about the man and the complex, difficult and at times tragic life he lived.

FILMS
This month, we've focused on a couple of main themes, and our films are no exception.

Firstly Reality vs Fiction- with the raging debate around 'fiction warnings' for The Crown (in our series playlist), when watching some of these films you might want to think about the treatment of real life events, or how the real world inspires fictional stories.

Secondly, with the Oscars around the corner in such a bizarre world for the Film industry, some hot contenders are featured here, including Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods and David Fincher's Mank.

Here's the our full list of suggested films...

DA 5 BLOODS- NETFLIX

MANGROVE (1st of the 'Small Axe' films)- BBC iPLAYER

MANK- NETFLIX

FANTASTIC MR FOX- AMAZON PRIME

WHIPLASH- AMAZON PRIME

THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7- NETFLIX