If you don’t speak Hungarian but want to visit the cinema in Budapest, it can be difficult to find out which films are showing in English. Luckily, there are many theatres and film clubs screening new releases and classic flicks with English subtitles and/or with the original audio. Each month we share some movies to check out, with links to the show times too, so you’ll know exactly which cinema to head to and when. All you need do is grab some popcorn!
12 Angry Men
The significance of this 1957 masterpiece still rings true in this day and age. 12 Angry Men is a courtroom drama. Out of its 96 minutes of running time, only three take place outside the jury room, but don’t be disheartened – this is gripping stuff that keeps your attention up the whole way. Following the closing arguments in a murder trial, the 12 members of the jury must deliberate, with a guilty verdict meaning death for the accused, an inner-city teen. As the dozen men try to reach a unanimous decision while sequestered in a room, one juror (Henry Fonda) casts considerable doubt on elements of the case. Personal issues soon surface, and conflict threatens to derail the delicate process that will decide one boy’s fate forever.
Where to watch it?
The film screens with original English audio and Hungarian subtitles on 9 December at the Bem Cinema. More details
Disney’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
All Clara wants is a key – a one-of-a-kind key to unlock a box that holds a priceless gift from her late mother. A golden thread, presented to her at her godfather Drosselmeyer’s (Morgan Freeman) Christmas party, leads her to the coveted key – only for it to promptly disappear into a strange and mysterious parallel world. It’s there that Clara encounters a soldier named Phillip, a gang of mice and the regents who preside over three Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers and Land of Sweets. Clara and Phillip must brave the ominous Fourth Realm, home to the tyrant Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), to retrieve Clara’s key and hopefully return harmony to the unstable world.
Where to watch it?
The film screens with original English audio and no subtitles at Cinema City Allee and Aréna. More details Bohemian Rhapsody
Queen defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the biggest-selling entertainers in the history of music. If you’re a fan, this long-awaited biopic is sure to rock you. The film retells the dazzling rise of the band with the spotlight on their iconic lead singer, played by Rami Malek, who supposedly took the role so seriously that he practised singing with a set of fake Freddie Mercury teeth every night.
Where to watch it?
The film screens with original English audio and Hungarian subtitles at Cinema City Allee, Aréna and WestEnd (more details) and at the art cinemas.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
The next instalment of the sensational Harry Potter franchise digs deeper into the story of the British magic-zoologist Newt Scamander, with the screenplay written by JK Rowling herself. Eddie Redmayne is ideal in the role of the clumsy but devoted Newt and Johnny Depp also appears, playing the powerful dark wizard, Grindelwald.
Where to watch it?
The film screens with original English audio and no subtitles at Cinema City Allee and Aréna. More details
Sunset
;t=3s Budapest, 1913. Having grown up at an orphanage, a young Hungarian girl, Írisz Leiter, moves to the city with the hope of becoming a milliner at the prestigious boutique of her deceased parents. But the current owner of the Leiter Hat Store, Oszkár Brill, rejects her. Írisz finds out from a stranger that she has a brother, Kálmán. While looking for her family, Írisz discovers dark secrets, and gets caught up in the turmoil of a society fated to fail. Sunset is the second feature-length film of Oscar-winning Hungarian director of Son of Saul fame, László Nemes Jeles.
Where to watch it?
The film screens with original Hungarian audio and English subtitles at the art cinemas. More details
The House That Jack Built
;t=46s Lars von Trier’s serial killer drama The House That Jack Built is utterly controversial, having caused walkouts and outrage at Cannes. The House That Jack Built follows a serial killer (Matt Dillon) as he mutilates and strangles his victims, who are primarily women. The movie is extremely graphic.
Where to watch it?
The film screens with original English audio and Hungarian subtitles at Cinema City Allee, Aréna and WestEnd, as well as at the art cinemas.
The Grinch
The Grinch and his loyal dog, Max, live a solitary existence inside a cave on Mount Crumpet. His main source of aggravation comes during Christmastime when his neighbours in Whoville celebrate the holidays with a bang. When the Whos decide to make Christmas bigger and brighter, the disgruntled Grinch realises there is one way to gain peace and quiet. With help from Max, the green grump hatches a scheme to pose as Santa Claus, steal Christmas and silence the Whos' holiday cheer once and for all.
Where to watch it?
The film screens with original English audio and no subtitles at Cinema City Allee. More details
