​The Bookstore is among the New Park films in Chichester this week

By Phil Hewitt
Published 14th Jul 2023, 06:05 BST
​The Bookstore is among the New Park films (contributed pic)​The Bookstore is among the New Park films (contributed pic)
​The Bookstore is among the New Park films (contributed pic)
We begin the week with a modern-day reimagining of Carmen starring the hottest actor around, Paul Mescal. A blend of tough realism and high-gloss romance sees Carmen fleeing her Mexican home, surviving a terrifying border crossing and escaping with one of the border guards. This is a heartfelt, extravagant film, swirling with melodrama and music.

Jesus Revolution is set in the 1970s when young Greg Laurie is searching for all the right things in all the wrong places until he meets Lonnie, a charismatic hippie-street-preacher. Together with Pastor Smith (Kelsey Grammar), they open the doors of Smith’s languishing church to an unexpected revival of radical and newfound love.

The fil m-makers gently capture the groovy vibe of the period, but there are dark edges to the story that add authenticity and some gentle provocation.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie is the story of the star’s life and subsequent Parkinson’s diagnosis. For every sobering moment in this sometimes difficult but ultimately life-affirming documentary, Fox turns hopelessness on its head, wringing joy from every fleeting victory; laughing uproariously with the love of his life and grown kids who adore him.

In the shadow of the pandemic, a small town rallies to protect a beloved local bookstore. A landmark in Lenox, Massachusetts, The Bookstore is a magical, beatnik gem thanks to its owner, Matt Tannenbaum, whose passion for stories runs deep.

Richard Warburton