Oscar Week at Barbican: The Academy Awards, on your Doorstep
EDITOR'S PICK: Hollywood comes to London for The Barbican Oscars: The Barbican hosts a week of screenings of the Best Picture Oscars, 2015 winner and runners up.
It’s fair to say that it’s been a fine year for cinema. With so many great films being released, though, it’s also been hard to keep up. But never fear; the Barbican’s Oscar Week starts on 27th February, giving audiences the chance to catch up on the Best Picture Oscar winner 2015, Birdman, and the close contenders in the category. Introducing Barbican Oscar Week.
Best Picture Nominees at the Barbican Cinema
A summary of the winning and nominated films for Best Picture, and Barbican Oscar Week film times.
FRIDAY
The week begins with Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, the seriocomic tale of a washed-up actor (played by Michael Keaton) adapting Raymond Carver for the stage, all the while haunted by the titular superhero with whom he first found fame. The fantastical premise makes for a hugely entertaining film that asks serious questions about artistic integrity.
Birdman Barbican cinema film time: Friday 27th February, 8.30pm
SATURDAY
Boyhood: Patricia Arquette, Best Supporting Actress winner
As the title suggests, Richard Linklater’s Boyhood is a film about growing up. It has a remarkable production history; shot over a twelve year period, it follows Mason Evans Jr. (played at each stage by Ellar Coltrane) from early childhood to university. A poignant, muted and ingenious piece of filmmaking.
Boyhood Barbican cinema film time: Saturday 28th February, 3pm
The Grand Budapest Hotel: Best Design, Make-up and Costume winner
Wes Anderon’s The Grand Budapest Hotel is comedic romp through early 20th Century Europe which finds a concierge (played by Ralph Fiennes) and a lobby boy (played by Tony Revelori) embroiled in a series of escalating misadventures. Enlivened by meticulous direction and pitch-perfect acting, it is touching in its nostalgia for a lost age.
The Grand Budapest Hotel Barbican cinema showing time: Saturday 28th February, 6.15pm
SUNDAY
The Imitation Game: Best Adapted Screenplay winner
Monday sees the screening of two engrossing biopics. The first, Morten Tyldum’s The Imitation Game, tells the story of World War II codebreaker Alan Turing (played by Benedict Cuberbatch). A vital film which reveals the human mind as limitless in its potential for both brilliance and ingenuity as well as cruelty and prejudice.
The Imitation Game Barbican cinema film time: Sunday 1st March, 3.30pm
The Theory of Everything: Eddie Redmayne, Best Actor winner
James Marsh’s The Theory of Everything is the story of another great scientist, the eminent physicist Stephen Hawking (played by Eddie Redmayne). It is a testament of courage which sees its protagonist revolutionise his field, and overcome the difficulties of ALS. At its heart, though, it is a film about the value of human relationships, and the marriage between Hawking and his wife Jane.
The Theory of Everything Barbican cinema film time: Sunday 1st March, 6pm
MONDAY
Selma: Glory, Best Original Song winner
Ava DuVernay’s Selma tells the story of the march that Martin Luther King (played by David Oyelewo) led from Selma to Montgomery in order to secure voting rights for black Americans. A deeply moving portrayal of an historic struggle, featuring performances of unmistakable intensity and power.
Selma Barbican cinema film time: Monday 2nd March, 8.30pm
Oscar Nominated Shorts
Still from Michael Lennox's Boogaloo and Graham
Also showing on Tuesday are a selection of this year’s Oscar-nominated live action shorts, a chance for audiences to sample a range of original international filmmaking.
Oscar Nominated Shorts Barbican cinema film time: Monday 2nd March, 6pm
TUESDAY
American Sniper: Achievement in Sound Editing winner
Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper is adapted from the autobiography of Chris Kyle (played in the film by Bradley Cooper), a U.S. serviceman known for his lethal proficiency. It is an engrossing story not just of war, but of life afterwards.
American Sniper Barbican Oscar Week showtime: Tuesday 3rd March, 8.30pm
WEDNESDAY
Whiplash: JK Simmons, Best Supporting Actor winner
The week ends in a flurry of snares and cymbals with Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash. An energetic tale of artistry, sacrifice and ambition which follows a young jazz drummer (played by Miles Teller) as he struggles to perfect his art.
Whiplash Barbican cinema film time: Wednesday 4th March, 8.30pm
Click here to go to the Barbican Oscar Week website for more information on the films and screenings.
