Missed out on all the good films hitting the local cinemas lately? No fear. After two sold-out editions in 2017 and 2018, outdoor cinema series Peroni Sunset Cinema is finally back for a third run this May 2-15; and the film line-up is packed with Oscar-nominated goodness.
For the uninitiated, the film screenings (organised by the same people behind Films At The Fort) take place right on Tanjong Beach. A ticket entitles you to a beach deck chair on the sand and wireless, noise-cancelling headphones for optimal movie-watching—it’s a ‘silent cinema’ event, so no matter how far away you are from the screen, the film audio and dialogues are still crystal clear. And it’s not just about watching the film. Gates open from 5pm, with a DJ playing till the movie starts at 7:45pm; so you can soak up the sunset and atmosphere pre-film. Dinner and drinks are available for purchase too, courtesy of Tanjong Beach Club and Peroni respectively.
Still, the 2019 film programme didn’t come to play. Book your tickets early for the 12 award-winning films available—a mix of this season’s best new-release flicks. At the top of our radar is Green Book, a biographical comedy-drama starring Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen that recently earned five nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. Set in 1962, the film tells the true story of an African-American piano prodigy who hires a working-class Italian bouncer to chauffer and protect him on a concert tour through the Deep South; and who together must face racism and bigotry along the way.
In that same vein of biographical dramas, there’s A Private War, a gripping retelling of the true story of war journalist hero Marie Colvin. Gone Girl’s Rosamund Pike plays the eye patch-wearing lead character (Colvin lost her left eye after being hit by a grenade in Sri Lanka), in what will be her most dangerous assignment in the besieged Syrian city of Homs. The film too has scooped up a handful of nominations at the Golden Globe Awards and Satellite Awards.
If it’s action thrillers you’re after, there’s the female-led heist thriller Widows starring Oscar winner Viola Davis, and wintry black comedy revenge flick Cold Pursuit; Liam Neeson fans will be pleased to know he appears in both (he really has been type-casted after Taken, hasn’t he?).
And of course there are the award-winning musical movies of the year—Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star Is Born, neck and neck with a staggering list of accolades each. The Freddie Mercury biopic has five Oscar nominations and the coveted Golden Globe win for Best Motion Picture, while A Star Is Born has eight Oscar nominations and a win for Best Original Song at the Golden Globes. Whether it’s Queen belting anthems or Gaga and Bradley Cooper huskily crooning into your ear, we figure the headphones will do more justice than your laptop speakers at home.
If you’re worried about getting stranded on the beach after the films, Peroni Sunset Cinema has arranged free shuttle buses to ferry ticket-holders back to Harbourfront MRT. Tickets are already on sale, so get to it.
Peroni Sunset Cinema 2019 takes place May 2-15 at Tanjong Beach, Sentosa. Tickets and the full line-up available here.
