Friday, July 27, 2007

Film Fan Fridays for Friday July 27, 2007!!!

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday July 27, 2007! Otherwise known as "somewhere between July and August" to Simpsons fans who this week get what they have possibly been waiting for up to 18 years: The Simpsons Movie.



In limited release we have the French film, My Best Friend starring Daniel Auteuil which looks to be quite a promising comedy. Also gracing limited screens is the biopic Talk to Me based on the life of Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene during the 60's.



In wide release along with The Simpsons we have the thriller I Know Who Killed Me which from the title font and preview I believed to be part of the I Know What You Did Last Summer series, however it is not - it's a stand alone movie, at least for now. If you're looking for a more feel good romantic comedy a likely candidate would be No Reservations with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart.


If none of this weeks releases are really jumping out at you I am happy recommend Sunshine, which opened last week in 1 theatre but has expanded to 7 theatres. It is an excellent, tense SciFi film with spectacular visuals & sound as well as a solid story. It makes it easily into my favourite films of 2007.


Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Festival Watch:

Peace Reel Outdoor Film Festival
Sundays in July at 8pm at Christie Pits in Toronto, Ontario
July 29, 2007: The Battle of Algiers
With 2 shorts: Juggling in Mosul & Career Opportunity
Fundraising evening for Toronto Coalition to Stop the War
www.artistsagainstwar.ca/

Friday July 27, 2007 Releases

I Know Who Killed Me
Dir: Chris Sivertson (The Lost)
Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Julia Ormond, Neal McDonough
USA

My Best Friend / Mon Meilleur Ami
Dir: Patrice Leconte (L'Homme du Train / The Man on the Train)
Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Dany Boon, Julie Durand, Julie Gayet
France
Limited Release


No Reservations
Dir: Scott Hicks (Snow Falling on Cedars, Shine)
Cast: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin, Patricia Clarkson
USA/UK

The Simpsons Movie
Dir: David Silverman (Monsters, Inc., The Road to El Dorado)
Voices: Dan Catellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer
USA

Talk To Me
Dir: Kasi Lemmons (The Caveman's Valentine)
Cast: Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cedric the Entertainer, Taraji P. Henson, Mike Epps and Martin Sheen
USA
Limited Release

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada July 27, 2007**

Friday, July 20, 2007

Film Fan Fridays for Friday July 20, 2007!!!

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday July 20, 2007! Never did I think I would face such a dilemma as has come up this week. Which film to see: the inspirational musical remake of Hairspray or the sci-fi extravaganza of Sunshine. Is everyone else in the same boat? What a predicament.

In limited release this week (along with Sunshine surprizingly) is the Canadian Manufacturing Dissent a documentary with a critical look at documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, The Cemetery Club, a documentary following a group of regularly meeting Holocaust survivors, and Interview a remake of Theo van Gogh's 2003 film of the same name, this time directed and starting Steve Buscemi.

In wide release we have Hairspray along with I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry which I wonder if it is actually a drama in the guise of comedy reminiscence of Robin William's films in the 80's (think Club Paradise and Good Morning, Vietnam). Jury is still out on that one.

Now, the big question is, did anyone *not* get out to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix? From the box office breaking figures it appears not. So far, word on the street is not if you liked it, but rather now much you liked it in comparison to the other four films. I've heard answers all across the board, but the general consensus is, it's a hit!

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Festival Watch:

Peace Reel Outdoor Film Festival
Sundays in July at 8pm at Christie Pits in Toronto, Ontario
July 22, 2007: The Prisoner
With 2 shorts: Reel Bad Arabs & Where is Iraq?
Fundraising evening for Toronto Coalition to Stop the War
www.artistsagainstwar.ca/

...............sneeky sneeky..................

Talk To Me starring Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor Cedric the Entertainer, Taraji P. Henson, Mike Epps and Martin Sheen, directed by Kasi Lemmons (The Caveman's Valentine) has a sneak preview this Saturday July 21, 2007 at 7:00pm at the Cumberland Theatre in Toronto. Talk to Me opens in regular release July 27, 2007

Friday July 20, 2007 Releases

The Cemetery Club / Moadon beit hakvarot
Writer/Dir: Tali Shemesh - feature film directorial debut
Documentary
Israel
Limited Release

Hairspray
Dir: Adam Shankman (The Pacifier, Bringing Down the House, A Walk to Remember)
Cast: Nikki Blonsky, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah, John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron
USA

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
Dir: Dennis Dugan (The Benchwarmers, National Security, Happy Gilmore)
Cast: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel, Dan Ackroyd, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi
USA

Interview
Dir: Steve Buscemi (Lonesome Jim)
Cast: Steve Buscemi, Sienna Miller, Michael Buscemi, Tara Elders
USA
Limited Release

Manufacturing Dissent
Writers/Directors: Debbie Melnyk (Citizen Black) and Rick Caine (The Frank Truth)
Documentary on documentary filmmaker Michael Moore
Canada
Limited Release

Sunshine
Dir: Danny Boyle (28 Days Later..., Trainspotting, Millions)
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Cliff Curtis, Rose Byrne, Hiroyuki Sanada
UK
Limited Release

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada July 20, 2007**

Friday, July 13, 2007

Film Fan Fridays for Friday July 13, 2007!!!

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday July 13, 2007! Oh... Friday the 13th, scary! With the exception of Captivity, all of our releases this week are limited releases. Were they scared away by the release of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, perhaps? I think maybe. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of news to share as I've been scared away from researching to avoid inadvertantly finding out anything about the latest adventures at Hogwart's until I've seen the film.

In other film related news, the TIFF 07 (tiff07.ca) site is live and passes are now available for this year's Toronto International Film Festival. I'm really looking forward to this year which will be the first time I will be able to focus 100% on just seeing the films (and posting about it!), and will not have other obligations other than things such as eating and sleeping. Exciting times ahead!

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Festival Watch:

Peace Reel Outdoor Film Festival
Sundays in July at 8pm at Christie Pits in Toronto, Ontario
July 15, 2007: Kanehsatake
www.artistsagainstwar.ca/

Caribbean Tales Film Festival
July 13-15, 2007 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario
http://www.caribbeantales.ca/

Wednesday July 11, 2007 Releases

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Dir: David Yates (The Tichborne Claimant)
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith
UK/USA

Friday July 13, 2007 Releases

The Boss of it All / Direktøren for det hele
Writer/Dir: Lars von Trier (Dogville, Dancer in the Dark, Breaking the Waves)
Cast: Jens Albinus, Peter Gantzler, Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Benedikt Erlingsson, Iben Hjejle
Denmark/Sweden/Iceland/Italy/France/Norway/Finland/Germany
Limited Release

Captivity
Dir: Roland Joffé (The Scarlet Letter, Fat Man and Little Boy, The Mission, The Killing Fields)
Cast: Elisha Cuthbert, Baniel Gillies, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Michael Harney, Laz Alonso, Chrysta Olson
USA/Russia

Introducing the Dwights / Clubland
Dir: Cherie Nowlan (The Wedding Party / Thank God He Met Lizzie)
Cast: Brenda Blethyn, Rebecca Gibney, Khan Chitterden, Richard Wilson, Russell Dykstra
Australia
Limited Release

Joshua
Dir: George Ratliff (Hell House, Plutonium Circus)
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga, Jacob Kogan, Celia Weston
USA
Limited Release

Vitus
Dir: Fredi M Murer (Downtown Switzerland, Vollomond / Full Moon)
Cast: Teo Gheorghiu, Fabrizio Borsani, Julika Jenkins, Urs Jucker
Switzerland
Limited Release

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada July 13, 2007**

Friday, July 06, 2007

Film Fan Fridays for Friday July 6, 2007!!!

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

So many releases this week from big releases to extremely limited releases, and everything in between. The big release bookend the week but neither are actually out on Friday. These are Transformers (just released) and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (out next week). Although I want to see both the robots in disguise and witches and wizards get up to mischief, there is much more to explore this week. Numerous award winning films are in this week's bunch including Boy Culture, Bride of Silence and Romanzo Criminale. Critical acclaim has been recieved to both Werner Herzeg's Rescue Dawn as well as You Kill Me. Tough decisions to be made, are you up for them?


Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Festival Watch:

Peace Reel Outdoor Film Festival
Sundays in July at 8pm at Christie Pits in Toronto, Ontario
July 8, 2007: Occupation 101
http://www.blogger.com/www.artistsagainstwar.ca/

Tuesday July 3, 2007 Releases

Transformers
Dir: Michael Bay (The Rock, Bad Boys, The Island)
Cast: Shia LeBoeuf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Voight
USA

Friday July 6, 2007 Releases

Boy Culture
Dir: Q. Allan Brocka (Eating Out)
Cast: Derek Magyar, Jonathon Trent, Darryl Stephens, Patrick Bauchau
USA
Limited Release

Bride of Silence / Hat mua roi bao lau
Dir: Doan Minh Phuong & Doan Thanh Nghia - directorial debuts
Cast: Truong Ngoc Anh, Truong Huu Quy, Nguyen manh Thang
Vietnam / Germany
Limited Release

Licence to Wed
Dir: Ken Kwapis (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Beautician and the Beast)
Cast: Robin Williams, Mandy Moore, John Krasinksi
USA

Rescue Dawn
Writer/Dir: Werner Herzog (The Wild Blue Yonder, Grizzly Man, Wheel of Time / Rad der Zeit)
Cast: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies, Pat Healy, Toby Huss
USA
Limited Release

Romanzo Criminale
Dir: Michele Placido (Ovunque sei, Un Viaggio chiamato amore / A Journey Called Love)
Cast: Kim Rossi Stuart, Pierfrancesco Favino, Anna Mouglalis
Italy/France/UK
Limited Release

You Kill Me
Dir: John Dahl (Joy Ride, Rounders)
Cast: Ben Kingsley Téa Leoni, Luke Willson
USA

Wednesday July 11, 2007 Release

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Dir: David Yates (The Tichborne Claimant)
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith
UK/USA

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada July 6, 2007**