This week
WALK THE LINE
NORTH COUNTRY
WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
Walk the Line
Walk the Line follows the volatile early life of Johnny Cash.
The story begins in Depression-era Arkansas, showing Cash's harsh childhood as a sharecropper's son.
It goes on to chart his early success in the mid 1950s, which transformed his life and saw him touring with the likes of Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis.
It was also at this time the initially difficult relationship with his future wife, June Carter, began (they were both married at the time).
The film deals with Cash's problems with alcoholism and drug addiction, but eventually culminates in his famous 1968 concert in Folsom Prison.
Writer-director James Mangold explains why Cash's early life held such an interest for him:
"The more I learned from John about the early years in his life and career, the more I saw an opportunity to make a movie about a time when making music was about making music, and not about money or videos.
"John's story isn't the tale of some prodigy or raw ambition; he started late, taught himself to play guitar, and got little encouragement. Nobody was beating a path to his door when he moved to Memphis. But John was smart enough to plant himself at Sun (Records), ground zero of a musical revolution.
"Surrounded by outrageous talent, John grew into something none of the others there would ever be - a timeless storyteller and a searing voice of the shadows. His songs were so unique, so personal, and so raw."
Joaquin Phoenix plays Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon plays June Carter. Both have been nominated for Oscars.
CERTIFICATE 12A
WALK THE LINE IS ON GENERAL RELEASE FROM FRIDAY, 3 FEBRUARY, 2006
North Country
North Country is inspired by the first-ever class action lawsuit for sexual harassment in the US.
Single mother of two Josey Aimes (Charlize Theron) returns to her hometown in Northern Minnesota after a failed marriage, in need of a good job.
Encouraged by her old friend Glory (Frances McDormand), one of the few female miners in town, Josey joins the ranks of those laboring in the iron mines, the predominant source of employment in the region. It's an industry long dominated by men, and a place unaccustomed to change.
Josey is prepared for the back-breaking and often dangerous work, but coping with the harassment she and the other female miners encounter from their male co-workers proves far more challenging.
When Josey speaks out against the treatment she and her fellow workers face she is met with resistance - not only from those in power but from a community that doesn't want to hear the truth, her disapproving parents and many of her own colleagues who fear she is only making things worse.
North Country is directed by Niki Caro (Whale Rider) and also stars Sean Bean, Richard Jenkins, Jeremy Renner, Michelle Monaghan, with Woody Harrelson and Sissy Spacek.
Theron won an Academy Award in 2004 for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster. This film sees Oscar nominations for both Theron and McDormand.
NORTH COUNTRY IS ON GENERAL RELEASE FROM FRIDAY, 3 FEBRUARY, 2006
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Apollo Theatre
Edward Albee's play was written in 1962 and is a darkly comic look at marriage and relationships.
George and Martha have been married for 23 years; he teaches at a small New England College run by Martha's father.
At one time, George's future as a possible successor to his father-in-law was bright. But it didn't happen. Now, as Martha says, he's just "a bog" in the history department.
On a particularly bitter night Nick, a good-looking young biology professor, and his wife Honey arrive for a nightcap and soon become blood sport during a booze-drenched evening with George and Martha.
The play was famously brought to the screen in Mike Nichols' version, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, but now Kathleen Turner returns to the West End stage as Martha in Anthony Page's Broadway Production.
Bill Irwin co-stars as the put-upon George, and David Harbour and Mireille Enos play the unfortunate guests.
WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? CONTINUES AT THE APOLLO THEATRE, SHAFTESBURY AVENUE, LONDON
Newsnight Review is broadcast after Newsnight every Friday at 11pm on BBC Two.
Don't forget that you can watch Newsnight Review online via this website. The programme is available in broadband from 1200 BST on the Saturday after originally broadcast for one week.
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