In the lead-up to the release of The Roses, Golden Screen Cinemas International Screens and Searchlight Pictures are pulling back the curtain on the fragility of human relationships with a specially curated film series titled “In Search Of…”, screening from 9 October to 2 November at selected GSC cinemas, including Aurum Theatre and Velvet Cinemas.
The retrospective includes three films from Searchlight’s archive: Downhill (2020), Nightmare Alley (2021), and The Menu (2023) — each dissecting the emotional and psychological unraveling of interpersonal connections, power struggles, and the sometimes violent collapse of love and trust.
All of this leads into The Roses, a modern retelling of the 1989 cult dark comedy The War of the Roses. Directed by Jay Roach, The Roses features a charismatic ensemble led by Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. Centred on a volatile marriage, the film relies heavily on the chemistry and nuance of its leads, both of whom deliver compelling performances as brilliant, deeply flawed individuals. In many ways, The Roses serves as a reflection on how modern relationships are being formulated today. Roach’s direction carefully navigates the ideological territory of toxic masculinity and radical feminism, not to push an agenda, but to reveal how extreme posturing on either side can erode intimacy.
A Slate of Emotional Dismantling
The three rereleased films that accompany The Roses act as thematic companions, each exploring fractured relationships through different genres:
- Downhill reimagines the 2014 Swedish film Force Majeure, focusing on a married couple (Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell) dealing with the emotional fallout of a near-death experience while on a ski trip. It’s a quiet but piercing look at cowardice, resentment, and growing emotional distance.
- Nightmare Alley, Guillermo del Toro’s noir adaptation of the 1946 novel, stars Bradley Cooper as a grifter whose psychological manipulation of others, particularly women, spirals into destruction. Cate Blanchett’s performance as a coolly calculating psychologist elevates the narrative into chilling territory.
- The Menu, a darkly satirical horror film starring Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy, takes class conflict and obsession with status to a terrifying place, all set in the pressure cooker of an exclusive dining experience that turns sinister.
Food Is the Way to the Heart
To enhance the experience, GSC is collaborating with several of its dining partners to serve a film-inspired menu available from 1 October at Velvet Restaurant and Bar (Sunway 163 Mall), JIN Gastrobar (The Gardens Mall and Southkey JB), and Kissa Cafe and Diner (The Exchange TRX). Each dish draws directly from scenes and emotional themes in the featured films. The full dining set is priced at RM79.90, adding a playful yet thematic layer to the overall cinematic experience.
Where and When
The films will be screened across selected cinemas in Malaysia including:
- Klang Valley: GSC Mid Valley, BBCC, 1 Utama, Aurum Theatre (The Exchange TRX, The Gardens), Velvet Cinemas
- Northern Region: GSC Gurney Plaza
- Southern Region: GSC Southkey JB
- East Malaysia: GSC City One Kuching, GSC Imago KK
* Searchlight Pictures’ The Roses opens in Malaysian cinemas on 23 October 2025.
