Film Fan Fridays for Friday February 23, 2007!!!!!

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!!!

Well, here we are... just 2 sleeps away from the biggest Awards show.... the Oscar's! When the nominee's were announced just over a month ago I had seen 10 nominated films and since then I've bumped it to 20. Wowzers, that is a lot of movies! I've decided to be a bit more harsh in my pickings though, there are a few I won't see just due to being nominated if I'm fairly confident I won't like them (for me, this means usually violent and/or war flicks). What I find strange this year is I'm not sure who are going to be the big winners. In terms of volume that is. Dreamgirls isn't up for best picture or director, Pan's Labyrinth seems too dark, Little Miss Sunshine too indie, The Queen too British and Babel too... hmm... maybe it will be Babel! What an a-ha moment! We shall see if I've uncovered the secret! Oh, I forgot about The Departed well that says something, eh?

We also have our regular release this week, I saw the preview for Days of Glory / Indigènes and was quite compelled by it. I might have to try and get out to see that. The next two I'm a little on the fence of what to make of them Both The Astronaut Farmer and The Number 23 look interesting but I'm not convinced that either is the movie that the trailer presents. More so with The Number 23 ... smart thriller or something else? I'll probably have to see it and decide for myself! I will be honest and say that I have no clue what to make of Reno 911!: Miami, I'm not so much into the comedies these days. Of course, it's always for each person to decide for themselves what they like!

Festival Watch
4th Annual Canadian Art REEL ARTISTS FILM FESTIVAL
Documentary films about visual artists
February 22-25, 2007 at the Al Green Theatre, Toronto
www.canadianart.ca/REELARTISTS/

Have a great Academy Awards weekend!!!

Shannon

Friday February 23, 2007 Releases

The Astronaut Farmer
Dir: Michael Polish (Northfolk)
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen, Max Thieriot, Jasper Polish, Logan Polish
USA

Days of Glory / Indigènes
Dir: Rachid Bouchareb (Little Senegal, Poussières de vie)
Cast: Samy Naceri, Jamel Debbouze, Roschdy Zem, Sami Bouajila, Aurélie Eltvedt
France/Morocco/Algeria/Belgium
Limited Release
** Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film

The Number 23
Dir: Joel Schumacher (The Phantom of the Opera, Veronica Guerin, Falling Down)
Cast: Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Logan Lerman, Danny Huston
USA

Reno 911!: Miami
Dir: Ben Garant (Reno 911! )
Cast: Ben Garant, Niecy Nash, Mary Birdsong, Kerri Kenny, Cedric Yarbrough
USA

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on February 23, 2007**

Notes on a Scandal

Dir: Richard Eyre (Iris, Stage Beauty)
Cast: Dame Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Andrew Simpson, Bill Nighy,
UK, 2006

Seen: Jan 26, 2007 at the Varsity with Jamie

Reason to see: 4 Oscar nominations, as well as I am on my third attempt of #7 on my 101 list: See 1 film a week in the theatre for a year. This was my third film from week 5/52.

Deliciously scandalous. Best drama I've seen in quite a while. It plays out like a freaking Shakespearean tragedy. It's a great story and with such excellent actors like Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett it is no surprize that they pull you right in. It also touches on some topics that seem to really crop up in the current pulse out there such as the driving need for attention and loneliness.

As it's a highly plot based film I'm going to resist saying too much other than: see it!

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I'd buy it
I highly and widely recommend it

10 min of preshow including 2 commercials and 3 previews (The Kingdom, Reign Over Me and The Namesake)

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The Black Dahlia

Dir: Brian De Palma (The Untouchables, Scarface, Carlito's Way)
Cast: Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank
Germany/USA, 2006

Seen: Feb 18, 2007 on pay-per-view

Reason to see: Oscar Nominated for Cinematography

The only thing I can really say is that using only an Oscar nomination as rationale to see something is starting to fade. It felt like there was an interesting story here, and promise of some interesting characters - I mean, how can you go wrong with the femme fatale thing? But it just didn't work for me. I got annoyed at things I would let slide if I found the film interesting enough (accents, taking things for how they are presented as opposed to how they appear) but I couldn't.

There was also an undercutting edge to most of the characters, which makes sense if they were going for film noir but it fell short. It didn't have the desperation or apathy in the characters that usually makes that work. It felt like people where light when they should have been serious and vice versa.

Aaron Eckhart was, in my opinion, the most interesting part of the film. Solid performance.

Shannon's Overall View:
I didn't really like it
I wouldn't watch it again
I don't recommend it

Warnings: some grisly violence / imagery

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Factory Girl

Dir: George Hickenlooper (Mayor of the Sunset Strip, Dogtown)
Cast: Sienna Miller, Guy Pearce, Hayden Christensen, Illeana Douglas
USA, 2007

Seen: Feb 16, 2007 at the Varsity with Jamie

Reason to see: 60's, Art + Film? I'm there! Also, I am on my third attempt of #7 on my 101 list: See 1 film a week in the theatre for a year. This is week 8/52.

Sienna Miller does an amazing job playing Edie Sedgwick in this bio pic. Not only is her look perfect but there is such an open, fun, playful attitude as well. Definitely she has the 'it' factor for The Factory. Her character is very charismatic, and yet you also get the feeling that in some ways she's fun and free and never really grows up or did she just grow up too fast?

I thought one of the film's strong points was showing how some circles can appear very open and inviting but fall prey to the rules of a clique. What or who, is hot and new can change.... quickly. Being nice, doesn't necessarily get ya far. People will take as much as they can. Also, that people can be very different one-to-one than in a group. I think that really is something that resonates in this film. Speaking of other people in the film, both Guy Pearce and Hayden Christensen had very strong performances.

There were some rough moments in the film in terms of pace and style, but all in all it's well worth seeing. I love how they played with it texturally and gave it a 60's feel, not just with sets and costumes but with film techniques as well

Great quote: "I wonder if Picasso knows who I am yet"- Guy Pearce as Andy Warhol

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'd watch it again
I'd recommend it

9 minutes preshow included 2 commercials and 2 previews (Days of Glory / Indigènes, Sunshine)

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Film Fan Fridays for Friday February 16, 2007!!!!!

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!!!

Two major awards show were this week! I was very excited to see the results of the Genie Awards, the top two contender's this year were Bon Cop, Bad Cop and Maurice Richard / The Rocket. Quite a surprizing result I would say, with an almost sweep of 9 awards going to Maurice Richard / The Rocket including directing (Charles Binamé), actor (Roy Dupuis), actress (Julie Le Breton) and supporting actor (Stephen McHattie) but the nod for best picture was awarded to Bon Cop, Bad Cop. My favourite speech of the night was Julie Le Breton "I was not expecting this at all, so I won't be able to speak English" and continued her acceptance speech in French.

Now we also had the BAFTA awards last week, results of which we shall see soon if they are of the same minds as the Oscar voters. We see some promising results with Helen Mirren for best actress, Forest Whitaker for best actor, Jennifer Hudson for best supporting actress, The Queen for best picture. The few that surprized me a little were Paul Greengrass for best director (United 93) and Alan Arkin for best supporting actor (well deserved!). Nine days until the Oscar's, it will be interesting to see if the current predictions will be on the mark. Have you made your picks yet?

Have a great weekend!!!

Shannon

Wednesday February 14, 2007 Releases

Daddy's Little Girls
Writer/Dir: Terry Perry (Madea's Family Reunion)
Cast: Gabrielle Union, Idris Elba, Tasha Smith, Louis Gossett Jr.
USA

Music and Lyrics
Writer/Dir: Marc Lawrence (Two Weeks Notice)
Cast: Drew Barrymore, Hugh Grant, Haley Bennett
USA

Friday February 16, 2007 Releases

Amu
Writer/Dir: Shonali Bose - directorial debut
Cast: Konkona Sen Sharma, Brinda Karat, Aparna Roy
India/USA
Limited Release

Breach
Dir: Billy Ray (Shattered Glass)
Cast: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linney
USA

Breaking and Entering
Writer/Dir: Anthony Minghella (Cold Mountain, The Talented Mr. Ripley)
Cast: Jude Law, Juliette Binoche, Juliet Stevenson, Ray Winstone, Robin Wright Penn
UK/USA
Limited Release

Bridge to Terabithia
Dir: Gabor Csupo
Cast: Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel, Robert Patrick
USA

Ghost Rider
Writer/Dir: Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil)
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Peter Fonda, Wes Bentley
USA

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on February 16, 2007**

Office Space

Writer/Director: Mike Judge ("Beavis and Butt-Head", Idiocracy)
Cast: Ron Livingston, David Herman, Jennifer Aniston, Ajay Naidu, Gary Cole, Stephen Root
USA, 1999

Seen: January 9, 2007 on Mpix

Reason to see: #10 on my 101 is to see the next 5 movies recommended to me regardless of what I think of them, and this was the sixth recommended. Yes I can count, but I decided to keep tracking it after 5 as I found it interesting. It was recommended by a co-worker at the office, funnily enough.

This film is yet another reminder to me to not wait years to watch comedies that people about. I know it would be so much funnier to see it at the time. Even so, I laughed a lot and I almost fell out of my chair when they mentioned the Y2K bug. There were so many things that I have heard or seen that reference this film from catch phrases to impersonations to even the commercial for WoW recently. It also really does capture of those weird things that come hand in hand working at an office be they technical, red-tape or bizarre combinations on personalities.

Fave quote: "PC Load Paper? What the **** does that mean????"

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I've already watched it again
I recommend it to anyone who does, has or may in the future, work in an office.

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Saw

Director: James Wan (Stygian)
Cast: Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover, Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith
USA, 2004

Seen: February 11, 2007

Reason to see: #10 on my 101 is to see the next 5 movies recommended to me regardless of what I think of them, and this was the first on recommended.

It was no surprize to me that I didn't like this film. In fact I on purpose knitted while watching in case I needed to look away. It really does feel like a 'grown up' film for the 'gross out' generation. In a lot of ways it felt like it was just seeing how far can they go to be disturbing. At times, I found it so contrived that it wasn't scary I was just thinking to myself "Oh, come on...". That is the huge skeptic in me talking. That aside, it did provide a lot of tension if that is your thing and create a very strong mood as well as showing a lot of innovation. On the other hand, a lot of the ideas (philosophical questions, not how gross-out can you go) have shown up in a variety of other films from It's a Wonderful Life to Fight Club to My Little Eye (2002).

All in all, I think it has a very specific target market and those people will like it, everyone else probably won't and knows pretty clearly to stay away.

Shannon's Overall View:
I did not like it
I will not watch it again
I'd recommend it only with hesitation to those who like extremely dark and violent movies. Warnings would include extreme violence, disturbing images & ideas, torture

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Film Fan Fridays for Friday February 9th, 2007!!

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!!!

February is definately the month of awards shows. We have two this week, starting with the BAFTA Awards this Sunday February 11, 2007. Then on Tueseday February 13, 2007 we have the Genie Awards, celebrating Canadian film and 'Live at the Genies' will air at 9pm EST on CityTV. I am hoping this year they show more of actual awards than last year. We shall see. In more Canadian film news I would like to personally thank every person who went to see Bon Cop, Bad Cop and contributed to it becoming the top grossing Canadian film. It brings me much joy that it represents that title, previously held by....Porky's.

Festival Watch
OzFlix
February 9 - 10, 2007 at the Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto
www.ozflix.ca

Special Screening
A World of Shorts: Night of the Morning After
romantic & unique short films including the Oscar nominated The Danish Poet
February 15, 2007, 7pm at the NFB, Toronto
www.nfb.ca/mediatheque

Have a great weekend & a Happy Valentine's Day too!

Shannon

Friday February 9, 2007 Releases

Factory Girl
Dir: George Hickenlooper (Mayor of the Sunset Strip, Dogtown)
Cast: Sienna Miller, Guy Pearce, Hayden Christensen, Mena Suvari
USA
Limited Release

Hannibal Rising
Dir: Peter Webber (Girl with a Pearl Earring)
Cast: Gaspard Ulliel, Rhys Ifan, Helena Lia Tachovska, Gong Li, Dominic West
France/UK/USA

The Last Sin Eater
Dir: Michael Landon Jr (Love's Abiding Joy)
Cast: Liana Liberato, Thea Rose, Henry Thomas, Louise Fletcher
USA
Limited Release

The Lives of Others / Das Leben der Anderen
Writer/Dir: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Crusader / Der Templer)
Cast: Martina Gedeck, Ulrich Mühe, Sebastian Koch, Ulrich Tukur
Germany
Limited Release

Norbit
Dir: Brian Robbins (Ths Shaggy Dog, The Perfect Score, Hardball)
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Terry Crews, Cuba Gooding Jr.
USA

Wednesday February 14, 2007 Releases

Music and Lyrics
Writer/Dir: Marc Lawrence (Two Weeks Notice)
Cast: Drew Barrymore, Hugh Grant, Haley Bennett
USA

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on February 9, 2007**

Babel

Dir: Alejandro González Iñárritu (21 Grams, Amores Perros)
Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchette, Gael Garcia Bernal, Rinko Kikuchi, Adriana Barraza, Koji Yakusho
USA, 2006

Seen: February 4, 2007 at Carlton

Reason to see: numerous Oscar nominations as well as plus the heat was off in my apartment so wanted to stay out of the house. Also, this is week 7b/52 of my third attempt for#7 on my 101 list: See 1 film a week in the theatre for a year.

I'm starting to think that having films about 'intersecting storylines' will be seen as a sign of the times. Not that it can't be done well. I did enjoy Babel, but I wonder what it would have been like to see the stories seperately instead of together. They are all interesting and show different aspects of human nature and relationships. Strong stories and strong acting make a solid film, and I felt Rinko Kikuchi performance was a real stand out, and a well deserved nomination for Best Supporting Actress for the Oscar's.

Oddball trivia: I was trying to place where I had seen Koji Yakusho from during every scene he was in. Mystery solved, he was in Shall We Dance / Shall we dansu?

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I would watch it again
I'd recommend it

10 minutes of pre-show including 1 commercial and 4 previews (The Page Turner, The Aura, Partition, Venus)

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Children of Men

Dir: Alfonso Cuarón (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Y tu mamá también)
Cast: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Claire-Hope Ashitey, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Caine, Peter Mullan
UK/USA, 2006

Seen: February 4, 2007 at Paramount

Reason to see: 2 Oscar nominations (cinematography & adapted screenplay) plus the heat was off in my apartment so wanted to stay out of the house. Also, this is week 7a/52 of my third attempt for#7 on my 101 list: See 1 film a week in the theatre for a year.

I was initially hesitant to see this film, I thought the premise was interesting but the title along with some shots in the preview didn't quite strike my fancy. But, after some time and some recommendations I thought I would give it a go, and I'm glad I did. I think the two key things that make this film are a good story, and great actors. It truly has great casting. I am a fan of many of the actors, so you might want to take that with just a slight grain of salt. The story feels like a drama but the pace of the film can often be fast and heart pounding. One of the greatest things I found about watching it was I wasn't trying to out think it, I was just there in that moment at that time for the entire journey. A solid film.

Shannon's Overall View:
I thought it was good
I'd watch it again
I'd recommend it (warning: there are some disturbing scenes)

10 minutes of pre-show stuff including 2 commercials and 3 previews (The Number 23, Reign Over Me, Breach)

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Film Fan Fridays for Friday February 2nd, 2007!!

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!!!

Five new releases this week, two of which are Canadian: Sur la Trace d'Igor Rizzi / On the Trail of Igor Rizzi and Partition. Sur la Trace d'Igor Rizzi won the Best Canadian First Feature Film in the 2006 TIFF, and is also part of Canada's Top Ten, so it is wonderful to see it in regular release.

With the Genie less than 2 weeks away and the Oscar's in just over 3, I'm been in movie watching overload! So far I would have to say Notes on a Scandal, The Queen and Eve and the Fire Horse (nominated for 5 Genies) were all wonderful. I wasn't very impressed with The Good Shepherd and the jury is still out on Letters from Iwo Jima - my strong aversion to war films makes it hard to think of it objectively. Reviews may not be up before the awards, so those are my short thoughts.

I find it a little hard to imagine going to see something brand new, but I did find the preview for The Italian quite compelling. There is never a shortage on selection it seems, and that is a good thing!

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Friday February 2, 2007 Releases

Because I Said So
Dir: Michael Lehmann (40 Days and 40 Nights, The Truth About Cats & Dogs)
Cast: Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore, Gabriel Macht, Tom Everett Scott
USA

The Italian / Italianetz
Writer/Dir: Andrei Kravchuk (The Christmas Miracle / Rozhdestvenskaya mysterya)
Cast: Kolya Spiridonov, Maria Kuznetsova, Yuri Itskov, Darya Lesnikova, Nikolai Reutov
Russia
Limited Release

The Messengers
Dir: Panny Pang, Oxide Pang (The Eye)
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Penelope Ann Miller, Dylan Miller, John Corbett
USA

Partition
Dir: Vic Sarin (Love on the Side)
Cast: Kristin Kreuk, Jimi Mistry, Neve Campbell
Canada/South Africa/UK

Sur la Trace d'Igor Rizzi / On the Trail of Igor Rizzi
Writer/Dir: Noël Mitrani - directorial feature debut
Cast: Laurent Lucas, Pierre-Luc Brillant, Emmanuel Bilodeau, Isabelle Blais
Canada
Limited Release

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on February 2, 2007**