IkiruPG

Directed by Akira Kurosawa | Japan | 1952 | 2h 23m | Japanese w/ English subtitles | Starring Takashi Shimura, Miki Odagiri, Nobuo Kaneko, Shin'ichi Himori, Haruo Tanaka

The mundane life of a middle-aged bureaucrat is turned upside down when he discovers that he has a terminal illness. After reflecting on the meaning of his life, he becomes obsessed with pursuing the construction of a children’s playground in a nearby neglected neighbourhood. One of the greatest achievements by master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, Ikiru is celebrated for its deep exploration of existential themes and its compassionate portrayal of one man’s quest for meaning in the face of mortality.

Our screening on Sunday 15th October will be introduced by Tom Jowett, Head of Programming, The Ultimate Picture Palace.

Reviews

‘Such is the delicacy of Kurosawa’s direction, and the discreet power of Takashi Shimura’s central performance, that you will be moved to tears.’
★★★★★
Adrian Turner, Radio Times

‘The narrative is carefully paced, the central performance magnificent, the final effect overwhelming in a manner that recalls the great Russian writers Kurosawa admired.’
Philip French, The Observer

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Ikiru between October 15, 2023 and October 16, 2023.

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What else is on?

Tomorrow (Saturday 8th August)

14:00

The Wizard of Oz U
1h 42m
Swept from Kansas by a tornado, Dorothy and Toto land in the magical world of Oz, gathering the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion to outwit the Wicked Witch and reach the Emerald City. This pioneering Technicolor classic remain a magical masterpiece.

Book here

16:30

The Odyssey 15
2h 52m
Odysseus, King of Ithaca, journeys home after the Trojan War, confronting vengeful gods and monstrous trials along the way. Christopher Nolan adapts Homer's epic, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside Tom Holland, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.

Book here

20:00

Interstellar 12A
2h 47m
As Earth becomes uninhabitable, a NASA physicist sends a former pilot and a team of researchers through a wormhole to find humanity a new home among three distant planets. Christopher Nolan's mind-bending, heartbreaking sci-fi epic stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine.

Book here


Sunday 9th August

12:00

The Incredibles U
Kino Kids Cinema Club
1h 55m
Living undercover in suburbia, the superhero Parr family longs for action. When Bob Parr is lured into a dangerous mission, the whole family joins an explosive adventure packed with gadgets, humour, and excitement in Pixar’s thrilling superhero tale.

Book here

14:30

Stand by Me 15
1h 28m
Four friends set off to find a missing teenager's body, hoping to become hometown heroes in this unforgettable coming-of-age odyssey. Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's novella is a funny, aching classic about friendship, back in cinemas for its 40th anniversary.

Book here

16:45

Ish 15
1h 27m
A racially charged police stop-and-search shatters best friends Ish and Maram's bond, forcing them to confront the men they're becoming. Imran Perretta's award-winning debut, co-written with Enda Walsh and shot in striking monochrome, movingly captures the fragile threshold between childhood and adolescence.

Book here

19:00

The Odyssey 15
2h 52m
Odysseus, King of Ithaca, journeys home after the Trojan War, confronting vengeful gods and monstrous trials along the way. Christopher Nolan adapts Homer's epic, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside Tom Holland, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.

Book here


Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road.We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We only show a few adverts – less than most cinemas – and we only play a couple of trailers, so please don’t be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!