Empire of Light
A love story set in and around an old cinema on the South Coast of England in the 1980s.
- Released: 2022-11-12
- Runtime: 115 minutes
- Genre: Drama, Romance
- Stars: Olivia Colman, Colin Firth, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Sara Stewart, Adrian McLoughlin, Spike Leighton, Ashleigh Reynolds, Mark Goldthorp, Dylan Blore, Eliza Glock, Tim Samuels, Jamie Whitlow, Dougie Boyall, D.J. Bailey, George Whitehead
- Director: Sam Mendes
Comments
- glenaobrien - 19 February 2024
The magic of 24 frames per second
Sam Mendes follows up his epic war film 1917 (2019) with a much smaller scale and very personal story. Set in the English seaside town of Margate in the 1980s, it draws on Mendes' own experience of growing up with a mother who struggled with mental illness. It invokes the ska music, Mod revival, and skinhead violence of Thatcher's England in an effective and nostalgic way. Olivia Colman gives a stunning performance as usual (as cinema floor manager Hilary). Michael Ward gives good support as Stephen, as do Colin Firth (playing a despicable character for a change) and Toby Jones as world-weary projectionist, Norman. The magnificent period cinema is almost a third character in the film, and through the film is set among cinema workers, it doesn't really highlight the magic of cinema until the very end. Hilary has spent years ensuring that patrons had a good experience at the movies but never herself sat and enjoyed a movie. After returning to work from another breakdown, she finally allows herself to sit in the darkened cinema and watch a film lovingly chosen by Norman. The film (which I won't mention here to avoid a spoiler) speaks directly to her, giving her hope to move beyond her pain and loss. It's a touching tribute to the power of film and an insight into Mendes' own relationship to his art. At one point, projectionist Norman explains to Stephen that there is a flaw in our optic nerve that tricks us into thinking. We are seeing movement when we view still images at the rate of 24 frames per second. Thank God for that illusion, which allows us to see life from new angles, helping us find our way home. - marwa-44571 - 31 August 2023
the most lovely film for me at 2022
One of the most lovely films ever at 2022.
I really liked it and wondered why it did not won any one of the Oscars this year , I loved the story , the directing , the color mode , every this is amazing it has the all elements of being great film , the 2 main actors and the whole actors by the way are amazing its piece of art the music also is very unique.
Olivia Colman is really one of the best actress for me this year.
Its just received a nomination for Best Cinematography at the 95th Academy Awards but it really deserve more on my opinion.
At the end of the film i really hope to go one day to "Empire Cinema"
