Feel all the feels this month with tender romance, poignant drama, gripping Film Noir, and a thrilling Hitchcock silent classic with live accompaniment.

Shirley Valentine

Tuesday, February 4, 7PM

1989

108 minutes

Warm, funny, and moving, Shirley Valentine is an exploration of midlife reinvention. When a disillusioned Liverpool housewife (Pauline Collins) takes a spontaneous trip to Greece, is it any wonder that romance and self-discovery ensue? Directed by Lewis Gilbert, this charming British dramedy also stars Tom Conti, Bernard Hill, Alison Steadman, and Joanna Lumley. Will Shirley’s personal journey continue once her vacation ends, or will she return to her mundane life unchanged? Join us to find out.

The Wedding Banquet

Tuesday, February 11, 7PM

1993

106 minutes

Ang Lee’s groundbreaking romantic comedy-drama tells the story of Wai-Tung (Winston Chao), a Taiwanese immigrant in New York who is in a same-sex relationship with Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein). To appease his traditional parents, he stages a marriage of convenience with an artist in need of a green card (May Chin). The titular banquet grows into a humorous and emotionally charged exploration of cultural expectations, identity, and family. A 2025 “reimagining” of The Wedding Banquet just premiered at Sundance, so don’t miss your chance to see the original on the big screen.

In 2023, The Wedding Banquet was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Vice Squad

Tuesday, February 18, 7PM

1953

88 minutes

This gritty crime drama unfolds over a single intense day as a Los Angeles vice squad navigates the city’s seedy underbelly. At the center of the film is Edward G. Robinson’s Captain Barnaby, a detective who will do whatever it takes to stop a crime spree, and Paulette Goddard as Mona Ross, the woman willing to help him with his case – for a price. Directed by Arnold Laven and shot on location, the film brings L.A. to life, painting a vivid portrait of urban crime. The cast also features an early performance by Lee Van Cleef, who had appeared in High Noon the year before and would go on to be known for his prolific career in Westerns.

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog

Tuesday, February 25, 7PM

1927

92 minutes

Join us for a special treat as we present Alfred Hitchcock’s silent thriller, The Lodger, with live musical accompaniment by Not So Silent Cinema. Set in fog-laden London, the film follows a mysterious lodger (Ivor Novello) whose arrival coincides with a series of murders targeting women. Combining atmospheric visuals with psychological tension, this landmark in British cinema is only Hitchcock’s third feature film – and his first thriller – and helped establish his enduring reputation. Keep your eyes peeled for the director’s first-ever on-screen cameo, something that would become his lifelong trademark.

Not-So-Silent Cinema is the project of Philadelphia composer Brendan Cooney. A diverse ensemble of musicians will perform Cooney’s original score for The Lodger, which owes much to the influence of Bernard Herman’s classic work on films like Psycho and Vertigo.

Please check Woodmere’s website the day of the scheduled screening for any weather-related postponements or cancellations.