Fury, Frozen singalong and Northern Soul screened this week

Breaking news, war is hell – and Brad Pitt wants to read you the headlines.

Friday night’s film presentation at Royston’s Picture Palace is Fury, Pitt’s loud and brutal tale of tank types in which everyone’s got a nickname and probably not that long to live.

It’s April 1945 and as the Allies make their final push, a battle-hardened sergeant commands a Sherman tank on a deadly mission behind enemy lines.

Out-numbered, out-gunned, and with a rookie soldier in the ranks, the odds are against them

Grizzled Brad is Don ‘Wardaddy’ Collier, and alongside him is a surprisingly convincing Shia LaBeouf, who is saddled with the nickname Bible because of his belief in a higher power.

There’s no relief across more than two hours of screen time as director David Ayer (Training Day, End Of Watch) brings his ‘gritty guys in conflict and crisis’ moves to this unflinching period piece.

Saturday afternoon could be just as much of an ordeal for anyone who is already being driven slowly mad by the infuriatingly catchy songs from latest Disney smash hit Frozen – it’s a singalong performance at which audience participation is positively encouraged. Don’t worry if you don’t know all the words, because everyone else will.

More music is served up on Saturday night with Northern Soul, a fairly routine rites of passage story about kids finding their special music to the despair of their elders and betters.

What makes it worth catching is the kick-ass soundtrack of Northern Soul classics that will get you tapping your feet even if you’re not immediately familiar with some of the more obscure tracks.

The evening performances start at 7.30pm, and the Frozen fest kicks off at 3.30pm.

Visit www.roystonpicturepalace.org.uk for booking details.

On the multiplex front, films are coming thick and fast in the run-up to Christmas.

Jude Law stars in Black Sea, a thriller about a band of cut-throats on a submarine treasure hunt, while there’s a host of Brit talent backing up Warwick Davis in so-so seasonal comedy Get Santa.

Men, Women And Children is an ensemble drama about the many ways the internet has changed our personal lives from Up In The Air director Jason Reitman, Penguins Of Madagascar is the latest instalment of the cheery animation franchise with Benedict Cumberbatch among the voice cast, and Bill Murray is a gloriously inappropriate babysitter in St Vincent, a low-budget comedy which has been attracting strong word of mouth support.