Each week 'Wrocław Uncut' will be bringing you weekly previews of what's on at the cinema in English.
Movie Of The Week: 12 Years A Slave
It's tough to pick a movie of the week this time round considering all the abundance of great releases coming our way, but the one that's undoubtedly causing a stir is Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave.
The film is based on the 19th-century memoir of Solomon Northup, an intelligent black carpenter and musician from the state of New York. In 1841 Solomon was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the south, something that was appallingly common at the time.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Paul Dano, 12 years a slave has wowed critics around the globe, with likes of Mark Kermode giving the film 5 stars.
The film portrays slavery in a brutally realistic light, with some scenes potentially unsettling for those of a nervous disposition. That said, the brutality in the movie has been deemed justified in its intention to show the true nature of the 19th century slave trade in North America.
With a tower of positive reviews already behind it, 12 Years a Slave is seen by many as the favourite for the much desired best picture award at this year's Oscars.
Other English language Screenings
American Hustle
Another big film out this weekend, American Hustle, was a big winner at the Golden Globes last month when it picked up three awards. With an all star cast of Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner, all of whom sport audacious 70's haircuts, American Hustle is a stylish flick that tips its toes into many genres.
Flirting between a comedy and a thriller, American Hustle also boasts a soundtrack packed with 70's hits, with some awards panels even considering the movie in the musical category.
The critical reaction has on the whole been positive, with these reviews by Peter Bradshaw and Roger Ebert being just one of many examples.
Saving Mr. Banks
The next featured English language release on our list is the well received Saving Mr Banks, which features a stellar performance from Tom Hanks.
The film looks into the making of the classic movie Mary Poppins, which often saw the book's author, P.L. Travers, clash with Walt Disney over the production and content of the film. The movie also gives an insight into the life and childhood of P.L Travers herself, leading up to that now famous meeting with Walt Disney. For more information, see this review by Mark Kermode.
August: Osage County
In a weekend packed full with quality film releases, August: Osage County is yet another title attempting to grab people's attention ahead of the awards season.
Adapted from Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name,August: Osage County is packed full of disturbing family quarrels and awkward moments brought about by an abundance of disparate characters. The film stars Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Juliette Lewis and Ewan McGregor, and you can find out more info in this review by Tim Robey.
For Those In Peril
For Those In Peril might have been overshadowed by the big name releases this weekend, but it doesn't make it any less worthy of your time.
The film tells the story of Aaron, a young fisherman who becomes the sole survivor of a mysterious accident at sea. When Aaron arrives back on shore and can't give a recollection of what happened, the locals in his hometown blame him for the tragedy. Still believing that his brother (who was with him on the boat) is alive, Aaron heads out on a mission to recover each of the five men lost in the accident. For critical opinion, see this review by Mark Kermode.
The Australian Movie Festival
If you're not content with all the American and British releases this weekend, there's also the small matter of the Australian film festival. Bringing the best of classic and contemporary Australian cinema to Wroclaw between the 24th-26th of January, the film festival also includes various presentations and workshops. You can even get the chance to play the famous didgeridoo! For the full programme, go here.
Live Theatre: Hamlet
Fans of live theatre can take in a live transmission of the William Shakespeare classic Hamlet, directed by Nicholas Hytner. The play will be shown live directly from London's National Theatre on Saturday at 6pm. For more info and tickets, click here.
Foreign language Films (Without English Subs)
Rounding off an absolutely superb weekend of cinema screenings are two foreign films, the Japanese animated classic Hotaru no haka, and the multi language film Hannah Arendt, which look at the life of philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt, who reported for The New Yorker on the war crimes trial of the Nazi Adolf Eichmann.