We're very excited to announce that THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES will be our first screening of the year on Monday 9 February at 7:30 PM.

Joining us in kicking off our 49th year will be actor Stephen Hunter (Bombur the Dwarf) and on-set colourist Ché Baker, who will discuss their experiences working on the one of the biggest trilogies of all time at our post-screening Q&A. Stephen and Ché are currently in town shooting a new sci-fi action film, Blue World Order.

Entry will be FREE for everyone, so mark your calendars, spread the word, invite all of your friends, and come along to say goodbye to Middle Earth – and hello to a new year of ANU Film Group screenings!

Doors will open from 7 PM. Free seating.

This final film in The Hobbit trilogy picks up where the second finished with dragon Smaug (Cumberbatch) on his way to lay waste to Laketown and the Dwarves in the Lonely Mountain surrounded by treasure. Laketown doesn’t fare well, but one clever piece of thinking ends the conflict.

From there, Bard (Luke Evans) leads the men to claim their promised share of gold. But Thorin’s caught ‘dragon-sickness’ and, enamoured with his treasure, seals off the mountain kingdom putting Bilbo (marvellously played by Freeman) in quite the quandary. The Elves of Mirkwood, under the tempered leadership of Thranduil (Lee Pace) head to join the stalemate. So too do the Orcs with the evilest of their kind, Azog, in the lead, plus their Goblin allies, along with dwarven reinforcements. These five armies clash with foot soldiers, giants and a to-and-fro battle reminiscent of Return of the King. Underlying all this is the awakening of an evil greater than any dragon with Sauron the Necromancer (also Cumberbatch) battling Gandalf (McKellen) and some familiar Elvish and Wizardly faces.

For the full review, see its encore screening listing on March 13.