Exclusive Films at Lido
As modern streaming services offer a catalogue of movies to watch in the comfort of your own home, top streaming service Netflix is bringing their films back to the big screen in Glenferrie. Lido Cinemas at 675 Glenferrie Road is one of three cinemas owned by the Tamir family (along with Elsternwick's Classic and Belgrave's Cameo Cinemas), who have partnered with Netflix for the Victorian exclusive screening of their films.
Throughout November, the highly anticipated, Netflix-distributed films “The Irishman” and “Marriage Story” will be screening at the Lido Cinemas (check online for session times). Penny, manager of Lido Cinemas, explains that these exclusive screenings are bringing the traditional big screen experience to Netflix films before they are available on their streaming service.
“The King”, directed by Australian David Michôd and produced by Netflix, was screened exclusively at Lido, Classic, and Cameo Cinemas in early November and is now available on the streaming service. Ellis Curmi, from Lido Cinemas, has reviewed “The King”
"The King" Review by Ellis Curmi
"The King", directed by Australian David Michôd and produced by Netflix, was screened exclusively at Lido, Classic and Cameo Cinemas in early November and is now available on the streaming service. Ellis Curmi, from Lido Cinemas, has reviewed 'The King' for The Glenferrie Times.
“The King” is a well-crafted and visually pleasing adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV (Parts 1 and 2) and Henry V. Set in the early 15th century, the story follows the war averse protagonist Henry (Timothée Chalamet) who finds himself thrust into the role of King of England after the passing of his father. The story focuses on the morality of war and we witness the corrupting effect it begins to have on the initially pure Henry.
The film is skilfully directed by Australian David Michôd who is best known for Animal Kingdom and The Rover. Michôd brings together a strong cast including Robert Pattinson (the Twilight films and The Batman - coming to theatres in 2021). Pattinson delivers an incredibly sinister yet completely mesmerising performance as The Dauphin of France. This balances perfectly with Timothée Chalamet’s (Call Me By Your Name, Lady Bird) exceptionally strong performance creating an enthralling dynamic between the lovable protagonist and captivating antagonist. The film also features Melbournian Ben Mendelsohn (Captain Marvel, Animal Kingdom) who delivers a raw and memorable performance as Henry’s father. Australian actor Joel Edgerton co-wrote the film with Michôd and also has a supporting role.
This visually beautiful film is well paced and held my attention for its full two hour 20 minute duration. The cinematography captures the large and sweeping landscapes that complement the story and lend themselves to the big screen. While the overall tone of the film is restrained, there is one surprisingly graphic exception.
“The King” is an example of a new trend emerging with Netflix, the distributor of the film. The streaming service has begun releasing films in cinemas for limited release screenings following the success of Roma back in August of this year, allowing audiences to enjoy some of the best new film productions on the big screen. With films such as Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, and Marriage Story (featuring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver) both coming to cinemas in November, it will be interesting to see if movie lovers will take the opportunity to enjoy them on the big screen or wait for their release on the streaming service.
I would recommend this film to all those over the age of 15 who enjoy diving into a well-crafted period piece.
