OKAY, I have to confess we nipped away for a little autumn sun and we really needed a break, so we escaped and left our superb team in control.

Top five attractions in Malton? At a recent straw poll in a meeting the top five reasons to visit Malton are: the Talbot Hotel, Castle Howard and a day trip to Whitby and that was as far as it went. This all ignored the biggest attraction, albeit on the perimeter of Malton, Eden Camp (number one in terms of visitors), and the cinema (number two). What are your top reasons for visiting Malton? I would love to know.

The Palace attracts about 40,000 people a year and I am truly proud of its success. From a lifetime ambition to owning and running a cinema, not really having much idea of how I would achieve it, to a thriving cinema with three screens, open seven days a week for three shows a day and only closing three days in the year – Christmas/Boxing/New Year’s days.

My wife Caroline is taking the cinema to a new level of professionalism making it even more successful with new enthusiasm and an eye for detail I don’t have.

I was disappointed that people in the know don’t consider the cinema a draw to Malton – we attract a discerning audience from as far as Whitby, Scarborough, Filey, Pickering, Driffield, and even York, who don’t want a run-of-the-mill multiplex experience. We bring world-class stage productions to our local audience, who would not normally look to Malton for entertainment.

The Milton Rooms hosts An Evening with Michael Portillo on Friday. Portillo, once a member of the Thatcher government, is now a broadcaster and speaker. I will be doing the sound for this event.

The Hut People, an English instrumental duo, will perform on Friday, November 14. The Hut People provide a truly unique blend of “world-folk” music. Again, I will be setting up some sound for this show, though most will be done acoustically.

On Saturday, November 15, the Fine Companions play in the Main Hall of the Milton Rooms – I will be doing sound for them and I really enjoy their sound. This will be a fine evening’s entertainment.

We have made a minor change to the website so it is more obvious how to find films we have booked in, but it doesn’t display immediately on the listings page. To do this we have a link on the left hand side called “Book Films Ahead”. This is a link to all bookable films that we have.

Films this week:

The Judge (15) – I watched this film with trepidation because I like Robert Downey Jr and Robert Duvall. The story is tender, believable and consistent. There was a real feeling of the tension that had grown up between father and son. It was eventually resolved – just before it was too late. It is a touching story brilliantly acted, but with a few (only a few) slow points.

Serena was a story that you wonder what the point was. It was superbly acted and has an extremely authentic feel of the era. I wondered whether the early events overshadowed that of Serena’s later life or whether she was the chief reason for the whole chain of events. An interesting story about business, corruption and heritage in the US.

From Friday, we will be screening new release Interstellar (12A), a film directed by Christopher Nolan, famous for the sensational reinvention of Batman in The Dark Knight. This is a science fiction story where Earth is in trouble with a lack of food. A small team leads an expedition to find a future for mankind in the stars. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Wes Bentley, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Elyes Gabel, Michael Caine, John Lithgow. Interstellar looks like a good film.

Fury (15 and number three in the top ten) was not on our radar and has proved to be popular, so we have brought it in rather late. The story is set in April 1945 when the Allies are making their final push. A battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy commands a Sherman tank and he and his five-man crew are on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. They are out-numbered, out-gunned and with a rookie soldier thrust into their platoon, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany. Starring Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf. Fury plays every day.

Carrying on for another week are Serena (15) and Gone Girl (15 and number four in the top ten).

Weekends we have Book of Life (U), Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (PG) and Dolphin Tale (U).

Looking further ahead:

Mr Turner joins our schedule on November 21. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and against all odds Katniss Everdene has survived the Bloody Hunger Games – the Capitol is angry and wants revenge. I really enjoyed the first films and hope this to be equally engaging.

Live Stage Productions:

The next is ROH Live Opera: L’elisir d’Amore (12A), which is a comic opera where Adina, a wealthy landowner, seems immune to Doctor Dulcamara’s potion (nothing more magical than red wine) and agrees to marry the boastful Sergeant Belcore. But she finally realises she cares for Nemorino, a simple peasant who is in love with Adina, and admits her love. All rejoice – Doctor Dulcamara most of all, as he celebrates the proven power of his potion. L’Elisir d’Amore is on Wednesday, November 26, and sadly has only one seat available, so is a candidate for an Encore or another screen.

The Old Vic’s The Crucible (15) is on Thursday, December 4, at 6.45pm and Sunday, December 7, at 4.15pm. In the small, tight-knit community of Salem, personal grievances collide with lust and superstition, fuelling widespread hysteria.

Arthur Miller’s parable attacks the evils of mindless persecution and the terrifying power of false accusations. Richard Armitage stars in this classic American drama, based on Salem’s infamous witch trials.