Imagine if Thelma and Louise were chased by authorities while riding on horseback through a deserted rural region so flat that, as one of the pursued puts it, “you can see your future rolling in.” Now you have an inkling of this wild genre mashup—part contemporary Western, part soap opera and all engrossing. A petrified bride whose wedding climaxes in murder and her extremely pregnant friend are the ones being chased. Hot on their trail is a cynical detective named Beauty whose ex-lover is framed for the murder. Noted South African director Jenna Bass views the Western through a female prism.

South Africa 2019 (117 minutes)

The much awarded British director Ken Loach has become a preeminent chronicler of the left behind. Set in Newcastle, his new film centers on Ricky, a laborer who brags about never going on the dole and hopes to become his own boss—and afford a house for his family—by signing up as a freelance delivery driver. But his heavy schedule combined with that of his compassionate social worker wife who can’t walk away from needy clients causes havoc in the lives of their two children. Loach is a favorite at Mostly British and we are pleased to follow his Cannes award-winning “I, Daniel Blake” with his latest compassionate look at the struggling working class.

UK 2019 (100 minutes)

There’s no leftover Christmas cheer as the seriously dysfunctional Burstead clan reluctantly gather for a New Year’s bash planned by eldest son Colin. He’s chosen a dismal seaside mansion that looks like the Addams family just vacated it. Singular director Ben Wheatley composes scenes simmering with impending doom as the clan’s resentments are left to fester. The black humor is all in good sport and, oddly enough, great fun to savor. Standouts in the ensemble cast are Sam Riley (“Maleficent,” “Zombie”) as Colin’s feckless younger brother and Charles Dance (“Game of Thrones,” “The Jewel in the Crown”) as their cross-dressing Uncle Bertie.

UK 2018 (95 minutes)

If you are unfamiliar with L.S. Lowry, here is the opportunity to meet one of the UK’s greatest 20^th century painters – an artist with a distinctive vision, eccentricity framing his eye for the aloneness of people in post-industrial England. Adrian Noble offers this gentle, sensitive film capturing Lowry (played perfectly by Timothy Spall) devoted to caring for his snobbish, bitter, critical mother (Vanessa Redgrave). A rent collector before becoming an established artist, Lowry observed the streets and factories of his humble background and showed us a different way of seeing. The film is a quiet gem showcasing wonderful period detail and great performances.

UK 2019 (93 minutes)

A beautifully staged and intriguing retelling of “Hamlet” through the eyes of Ophelia, a young commoner in the court of the Queen of Denmark. Played by “Star Wars” heroine Daisy Ridley, she is a natural beauty, spirited and sagacious. She comes of age amid the palace intrigue and family betrayal played out by Hamlet’s mother Gertrude (Naomi Watts) and her late husband’s brother Claudius(a spirited Clive Owens). We revisit Shakespeare’s familiar drama and revel in his portrayal of first love. The art direction, cinematography and choice of music combine to create a lush and lovely film. Ophelia’s story told for the first time through female eyes by director Claire McCarthy results in a timely release.

UK 2018 (114 minutes)

Introduced by Peter Robinson, movie critic for KALW and editor of San Francisco Books & Travel

Sponsor: Carol and Ezra Mersey

Film legends Shirley MacLaine and Christopher Plummer star in this sweeping romantic drama spanning more than 50 decades and two continents. Intertwined stories of lost and unspoken love unfold against the background of WWII and the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’ in Sir Richard Attenborough’s final and, undeservedly all but forgotten, film. When Belfast treasure hunters risk the wrath of the IRA by excavating a site where a US bomber went down during the war, what they discover links destinies, and the past, on both sides of the Atlantic. A heartfelt affirmation of the durability of true love, the film is about digging up the past both literally and figuratively, about coming to terms with life and the need to honor the promises we make. With Pete Postlethwaite and Brenda Fricker in stellar supporting performances.

US/UK 2007 (118 minutes)

The Greta Garbo of India was a sultry Jewish actress named Ruby Myers. Known as Sulochana, she was a silent era superstar who faded from history. Now she’s back in the spotlight in this eye-opening documentary that explains how Myers, Esther Abraham, Rose Ezra and Florence Ezekiel left their mark on Indian cinema from the 1920s through the 1960s. Because Hindu and Muslim women refused to be on camera, actors were recruited from small but less strict Jewish communities that had been in India for 2,000 years. It’s a treat to see the rare footage showing the elaborate costumes and sets, not to mention some serious swooning. India 2017 (85 minutes)