Following closely behind its successful debute at the hotel, the picture house returns to the venue this Friday with the award winning cult film Half Nelson.

That will be closely followed by the cartoon, Over the Hedge, to be shown on Sunday.

Set in Brooklyn, New York, Half Nelson (Certificate 15) is a powerful film about loneliness, addiction, and friendship that is likely to etch itself deeply into the memories of anyone who sees it. In particular, Ryan Gosling and newcomer Shareeka Epps give career-defining performances that very few actors could ever hope to improve upon.

The film will be shown on the Montrose Picture House's special big screen at the Links Hotel, with the bar open prior to the film show.

The screening follows the success of last month's weekend of films when around a hundred film fans flocked to the Links to see Atonement and the children's hit Ratatouille.

A spokesman said: "We were delighted with last month's screenings at the Links. It's a great venue to experience cinema in Montrose and we had excellent feedback form film goers.

"We're now aiming to build on that superb start with more films. The Links Hotel is firmly established as Montrose's cultural centre, and the move makes perfect sense for us".

Meanwhile, Montrose's children are in for a treat with Over the Hedge – from the makers of Shrek and Madagascar.

Spring has sprung, and Verne and his woodland friends awaken from their long winter's nap to discover that a large, green hedge has cropped up right through the middle of their once-natural habitat.

Enter RJ, an opportunistic raccoon who explains that the world beyond the hedge is "the gateway to the good life" where peculiar creatures called humans live to eat, rather than eat to live!

The Montrose Picture House has been running for more than three years, having started life at the Mitchell Centre on George Street. Run as a not-for-profit organisation with volunteers, it aims to bring films to Montrose on the big screen, with the absence of a cinema anywhere between Dundee and Aberdeen.

Doors open for Half Nelson on Friday, May 9 at 7.15pm, while Over the Hedge will be shown at 3pm on Sunday, May 11. Over the Hedge is open to children over the age of 3, but all youngsters must be accompanied by an adult.