Second Best Marigold didn’t let us down.

Incredibly we are already half way through year we’ve all agreed here in the west to call 2015.

So what are the ten top performing films of the year so far? Nobody who reads this blog regularly will be surprised to learn it bears only a passing resemblance to the national top ten.

I’ve put the national placing in brackets.

1.The Second Best Marigold Hotel (10)
Another massive success for the old ducks in India, more of the same of course, but crowd pleasing colourful stuff. Please get a move on and make number three, just saying.

2. The Theory of Everything (5)
An Oscar for Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking and good work all round bringing a complex story to a mainstream audience.

3. Far From The Madding Crowd (21)
Wonderful looking and affecting adaptation of old happy chops Hardy’s novel. Still hanging on.

4. Shaun the Sheep (12)
Tremendous, inventive fun from Aardman animation.

5. Paddington (1 – in 2014)
So massive in Uckfield that despite starting in November 2014, it has still made the half year top 10. Incredible.

6. Cinderella (6)
Rather anodyne take on the traditional fairytale. Desperate not to offend or upset anyone.

7. Home (4)
I quite literally have nothing to say about this film. You lot seemed to like it.

8. Testament of Youth (35!)
Solid if slightly passionless take on Vera Brittain’s classic tale of a generation lost to war.

9. Fifty Shades of Grey (3)
There was a film. Lots of ladies came to see it.

10. Big Hero 6 (7)
Agreeable and painfully right on animated adventure.

I suppose the notable absences are Avengers: Age of Ultron, the number one film in the UK so far this year comes in 12th us. Furious 7 the number 2 picture is  our number 27!

For what it’s worth the films I’ve enjoyed most so far this year, bearing in mind I’m a bit behind having been looking after the restaurant for the early months of the year. In the mainstream, Mad Max was bonkers fun and as a big Sondheim fan I was always going to enjoy Into The Woods. A Most Violent Year and Taxi have been my favourites otherwise. My biggest personal disappointment has to be Inherent Vice.

The second half of the year is going to be all about James Bond and Star Wars of course, but look out for Suffragette, Bridge of Spies and the startling looking adaptation of Macbeth with Michael Fassbender. The summer’s biggest hits for the family are bound to be Minions and new Pixar, Inside Out.

NT Live continues to be hugely popular with Uckfield audiences.

Live opera, ballet, theatre and all the like are now a huge part of our core programming, and these are the top performing events.

1. View From The Bridge (NT Live)
2. Pirates of Penzance (ENO)
3. Merry Widow (MET)
4. Cavalleria Rusticana (MET)
5. La Boheme (ROH)

Obviously the opening of the restaurant has been a seismic event and so far very successful, we also continue to refurbish, admittedly at a slower rate than I would have liked, but we’re getting there. Screen two will reopen on July 10th and trust me it’s going to be as sexy as the previous two refurbished screens. Then we move on to the foyer, at last.

So all in all a pretty groovy half year, with potentially the best half to come. Well done everybody!

Ah, Mr Bond, we’ve been expecting you.