Weird Science (dir: John Hughes, 1985, cert 15)
Hated by critics on release, prolific film maker John Hughes’ sci-fi nerd wish fulfilment comedy is certainly filled with several politically incorrect scenes that just about manage to stay the right side of cringe. It might not be up there with Hughes’ other teen classic Breakfast Club, released the same year, but it’s still gloriously eighties fun and features a cracking Oingo Boingo title track.
Tue 30 Jan 8.30pm at The Mockingbird, The Custard Factory, Gibb St, Birmingham B9 4AA £1 veezi.com

Everyday (dir: Michael Winterbottom, 2012, cert 15)
Everyday is an astonishing work that was filmed for two weeks each year over a five year period to authentically reflect the ageing of John Simm’s character Ian, imprisoned for a drug related crime. The emotional and physical toll taken on Ian and his long suffering family is grimly palpable, a toll that the film’s documentary feel reinforces. The screening is a collaboration between Flatpack film festival and the Ikon to complement the current exhibitions of nineteenth century convict artist, the Birmingham born Thomas Bock and artist in residence at HMP Grendon, Edmund Clark. The film will be introduced by Jamie Bennett, Governor of HMP Grendon.
Wed 31 Jan 6pm at The Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2HS Free ikon-gallery.org

European Shorts at Artefact
An evening of eclectic short films from across Europe and across a range of genre’s to cure the Brexit blues and raise money for the Refugee Community Kitchen that supports the camps at Calais and beyond, the charity has cooked some 1.5 million meals since forming in 2015. Admission is free but we know Wire readers will dig deep and donate.
Thu 1 Feb 7.30pm at Artefact, 1464 Pershore Rd, Birmingham B30 2NT Free (£5 suggested donation) www.facebook.com

Amelie (dir: Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001, cert 15) + brunch
Cute as a button Audrey Tautou is the titular hero discovering that making the citizens of Paris happy is more complicated than she initially thought as Amelie whizzes about the city in a kinetic flash of energy before discovering happiness of her own. Jeunet’s epileptic directorial style beautifully captures the mystery and adventure of the home of love and romance. The pick of the recent movie and brunch screenings at The Mockingbird, hungry cinema goers can enjoy a gorgeous menu that comes with unlimited prosecco.
Sat 3 Feb 11am (film 1pm) at The Mockingbird, The Custard Factory, Gibb St, Birmingham B9 4AA £29.95 w/ brunch £3 film only veezi.com

Singin’ in the Rain (dir: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly 1952, cert U)
Join old twinkle toes himself, Gene Kelly, in the timeless classic Singin’ in the Rain. The iconic song and dance routine with Kelly happily splashing through a storm is one of cinema’s enduring sequences, did you know it took three days to film? The movie itself is a fascinating, if slight, study of the transition in cinema from silents to talkies.
Sat 3 Feb 12pm at the Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk

A Disastrous Double Bill: The Disaster Artist (dir: James Franco, 2017, cert 18) + The Room (dir: Tommy Wiseau, 2003, cert 18)
A wonderful opportunity to catch Tommy Wiseau’s appalling The Room and James Franco’s story of its ignominious birth on the same bill. Wiseau’s film makes Ed Wood look like Eisenstein. “You, you’re just a chicken. Chip-chip-chip-chip-cheep-cheep.” It gets worse. Bring plastic spoons.
Sat 3 Feb 9pm at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £15 www.theelectric.co.uk

Metropolis (dir: Fritz Lang, 1927, cert PG)
Visual spectacles don’t come any grander than Fritz Lang’s outstanding expressionist sci-fi epic, Metropolis. The pioneering special effects are still dazzling almost a century later and some of the dramatic set pieces are dizzyingly hypnotic in their genius execution. For many years shown in truncated forms this is the essential full length version.
Sun 4 Feb 12pm at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk

Trollhunter (dir:  André Øvredal, 2010, cert 15)
As convincing a mock documentary as you are ever likely to see snugly fitting into the found footage tradition of horror films such as Blair Witch and the gruesome Cannibal Holocaust. Øvredal’s expertise at creating studied realism adds genuine terror to some of the film’s more shocking sequences as the Bear Grylls like Trollhunter Hans (Otto Jespersen) stalks his mythical prey. Our favourite scene sees a speech from Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg artfully edited to make him appear to admit the existence of trolls, wonderful.
Sun 4 Feb 6.30pm at Cafe Ort, 500-504 Moseley Rd, Birmingham B12 9AH £5 www.meetup.com