Thursday, January 03, 2008
Relocation
Film Fan Fridays has found a new home over at Movie Movie, my main film site. Please visit us here!
Friday, December 28, 2007
Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 28, 2007!
Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 28, 2007! It's a very quiet newsletter this week with absolutely zero releases and zero festivals. That is a first in the four years that I have been writing this newsletter, however there are still many films out there to see.
There is 1 sneak preview, There Will Be Blood from writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson (Punch-Drunk Love, Magnolia) starring Daniel Day Lewis will be showing Saturday December 29/07 at 10:30PM at the Varsity Cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Holy smokes, it's rated PG? That's a shocker, it seems rather dark.
A note for the new year, as of 2008 Film Fan Fridays will have a new home over at my central film site: Movie Moxie. Feel free to update your bookmarks, feeds, links, etc!
If you are feeling like looking back on the year 2007, check out the full list of 2007 releases. There was 314 of them! A full year I dare say. Have you made you favourites list yet? Well I sure have - here it is!
To have an idea of where I'm coming from, at the time of this post I've seen 46 of the 314 releases this year (14.6%), including 12 of the 36 Canadian films (30%). Both of these percentages are up from last year, woohoo! I think getting out to the theatre every week, as well as attending festival really played a part there.
The Films
The Good: Very fine Entertainment choices
3:10 to Yuma
Fido (New genre! The Zombie Drama)
Hairspray
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Namesake, The
Stomp the Yard
The Great: New Favourites to add to collection 300
Away From Her
Bourne Ultimatum, The
Golden Compass, The
Host, The / Gwoemul
Hot Fuzz
Let's All Hate Toronto
Sharkwater
Sunshine
Above and Beyond: These Ones Go To 11! Breakthrough films that I will always remember
After the Wedding / Efter brylluppet
Brand Upon the Brain!
King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Once
The Experiences
Best Experience: There are so many good ones, this year it's a tie between seeing Brand Upon the Brain! at the Elgin with live accompaniment and seeing Uwe Boll at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival.
Oddest Experience: Being the only person in the theatre for a film
Worst Experience: Getting yelled at by a patron whom thought my friend & I shouldn't be laughing during The Queen. Mean man!
Disappointments: Transformers, Margot at the Wedding, The Darjeeling Limited
Almost wish I'd Never Seen: Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead
Surprized I Didn't See: This is England, The Wind that Shakes the Barely, La Vie En Rose
Festivals
2007 was also a year of festivals, likely to be the first of many to come headed out to TIFF, Toronto After Dark, Reel Asian and One Minute. I'd have to say that Toronto After Dark was the *most* fun and had great audiences, and Reel Asian had the best overall quality of films. Kudo's all around!
The Rest
Considering I made it through a whopping 278 film in 2007 (as of Dec 27/07), if only feels fair to mention some of the great films that that I enjoyed during this year, even if they were not released this year. So, here are the odds and sods:
Great films seen in 2007 that is a previous year release: Eyes Without A Face, Night of the Hunter, Rashômon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, Barbarella, The Seventh Seal
Great films seen in 2007 that is yet to be released: Boy A, Flash Point, Finishing the Game, Le Cèdre penché, My Winnipeg
That was my year. How was yours?
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 28, 2007! It's a very quiet newsletter this week with absolutely zero releases and zero festivals. That is a first in the four years that I have been writing this newsletter, however there are still many films out there to see.
There is 1 sneak preview, There Will Be Blood from writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson (Punch-Drunk Love, Magnolia) starring Daniel Day Lewis will be showing Saturday December 29/07 at 10:30PM at the Varsity Cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Holy smokes, it's rated PG? That's a shocker, it seems rather dark.
A note for the new year, as of 2008 Film Fan Fridays will have a new home over at my central film site: Movie Moxie. Feel free to update your bookmarks, feeds, links, etc!
If you are feeling like looking back on the year 2007, check out the full list of 2007 releases. There was 314 of them! A full year I dare say. Have you made you favourites list yet? Well I sure have - here it is!
To have an idea of where I'm coming from, at the time of this post I've seen 46 of the 314 releases this year (14.6%), including 12 of the 36 Canadian films (30%). Both of these percentages are up from last year, woohoo! I think getting out to the theatre every week, as well as attending festival really played a part there.
The Films
The Good: Very fine Entertainment choices
3:10 to Yuma
Fido (New genre! The Zombie Drama)
Hairspray
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Namesake, The
Stomp the Yard
The Great: New Favourites to add to collection 300
Away From Her
Bourne Ultimatum, The
Golden Compass, The
Host, The / Gwoemul
Hot Fuzz
Let's All Hate Toronto
Sharkwater
Sunshine
Above and Beyond: These Ones Go To 11! Breakthrough films that I will always remember
After the Wedding / Efter brylluppet
Brand Upon the Brain!
King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Once
The Experiences
Best Experience: There are so many good ones, this year it's a tie between seeing Brand Upon the Brain! at the Elgin with live accompaniment and seeing Uwe Boll at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival.
Oddest Experience: Being the only person in the theatre for a film
Worst Experience: Getting yelled at by a patron whom thought my friend & I shouldn't be laughing during The Queen. Mean man!
Disappointments: Transformers, Margot at the Wedding, The Darjeeling Limited
Almost wish I'd Never Seen: Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead
Surprized I Didn't See: This is England, The Wind that Shakes the Barely, La Vie En Rose
Festivals
2007 was also a year of festivals, likely to be the first of many to come headed out to TIFF, Toronto After Dark, Reel Asian and One Minute. I'd have to say that Toronto After Dark was the *most* fun and had great audiences, and Reel Asian had the best overall quality of films. Kudo's all around!
The Rest
Considering I made it through a whopping 278 film in 2007 (as of Dec 27/07), if only feels fair to mention some of the great films that that I enjoyed during this year, even if they were not released this year. So, here are the odds and sods:
Great films seen in 2007 that is a previous year release: Eyes Without A Face, Night of the Hunter, Rashômon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, Barbarella, The Seventh Seal
Great films seen in 2007 that is yet to be released: Boy A, Flash Point, Finishing the Game, Le Cèdre penché, My Winnipeg
That was my year. How was yours?
Friday, December 21, 2007
Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 21, 2007!
Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 21, 2007! End of year always brings such a bizarre selection of last minute releases that are award hopefuls, family fare and then a few darker films.
In limited release this week we have the touching yet tragic film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, the Oprah produced The Great Debaters, one of the two Philip Seymour Hoffman films The Savages and one surprize to a limited release with The Bucket List, you'd figure with the star power of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman it would be in wide release, perhaps with so many releases it was a challenge to get more screens, I would gander it will open in more theatres over time.
Our wide releases this week are National Treasure: Book of Secrets and I'm surprized that the 2004 version prompted a sequel, Oscar bait film Charlie Wilson's War, romance P.S. I Love You, family friendly The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep. Two wide releases I'd likely not see are Aliens vs Predator (they even have a character named Dallas, I mean.. really..), and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story which is being attributed as a parody on many music films however to me strongly looks like it's mostly making fun of Walk the Line and I will not contribute to anything that makes fun of the Man in Black. However, dark as it may be I will likely go to the musical by Tim Burton Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, our very un-Christmas-y release of the year.
Be sure to check the dates of release, we have just as many today as we do on the 25th, and one film on the 26th the dark film, The Orphanage.
Have a lovely holiday week!
Shannon
Friday December 21, 2007 Releases
Charlie Wilson's War
Dir: Mike Nichols (Closer, The Birdcage, Working Girl)
Cast: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
USA
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Dir: Jon Turteltaub (National Treasure, Cool Runnings, While You Were Sleeping)
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Helen Mirren, Jon Voight, Ed Harris
USA
P.S. I Love You
Dir: Richard LaGravenese (Freedom Writers, Living Out Loud)
Cast: Hillary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow, Gina Gershon, James Marsters
USA
The Savages
Writer/Dir: Tamara Jenkins (Slums of Beverly Hills)
Cast: Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco
USA
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Dir: Tim Burton (Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hallow, Edward Scissorhands)
Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen
USA/UK
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Dir: Jake Kasdan (Orange County, 'Freaks and Geeks')
Cast: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Raymond J. Barry, Margo Martindale
USA
Tuesday December 25, 2007 Releases
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
Dir: Colin & Greg Strause - feature film directorial debuts
Cast: Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz, Johnny Lewis, Kristen Hager
USA
The Bucket List
Dir: Rob Reiner (Alex & Emma, A Few Good Men, The Princess Bride, Stand By Me)
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Bevery Todd, Rob Morrow
USA
Limited Release
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly / Le Scaphandre et le papillon
Dir: Julian Schnabel (Before Night Falls, Basquiat)
Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze
France/USA
Limited Release
The Great Debaters
Dir: Denzel Washington (Antwone Fisher)
Cast: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker
USA
Limited Release
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
Dir: Jay Russell (Ladder 49, Tuck Everlasting)
Cast: Alex Etel, Priyanka Xi, Ben Chaplin
USA/UK
Wednesday December 26, 2007 Releases
The Orphanage / El Orfanato
Dir: Juan Antonio Bayona - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Príncep, Mabel Rivera
Mexico/Spain
Limited Release
**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada December 21-26, 2007**
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 21, 2007! End of year always brings such a bizarre selection of last minute releases that are award hopefuls, family fare and then a few darker films.
In limited release this week we have the touching yet tragic film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, the Oprah produced The Great Debaters, one of the two Philip Seymour Hoffman films The Savages and one surprize to a limited release with The Bucket List, you'd figure with the star power of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman it would be in wide release, perhaps with so many releases it was a challenge to get more screens, I would gander it will open in more theatres over time.
Our wide releases this week are National Treasure: Book of Secrets and I'm surprized that the 2004 version prompted a sequel, Oscar bait film Charlie Wilson's War, romance P.S. I Love You, family friendly The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep. Two wide releases I'd likely not see are Aliens vs Predator (they even have a character named Dallas, I mean.. really..), and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story which is being attributed as a parody on many music films however to me strongly looks like it's mostly making fun of Walk the Line and I will not contribute to anything that makes fun of the Man in Black. However, dark as it may be I will likely go to the musical by Tim Burton Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, our very un-Christmas-y release of the year.
Be sure to check the dates of release, we have just as many today as we do on the 25th, and one film on the 26th the dark film, The Orphanage.
Have a lovely holiday week!
Shannon
Friday December 21, 2007 Releases
Charlie Wilson's War
Dir: Mike Nichols (Closer, The Birdcage, Working Girl)
Cast: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
USA
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Dir: Jon Turteltaub (National Treasure, Cool Runnings, While You Were Sleeping)
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Helen Mirren, Jon Voight, Ed Harris
USA
P.S. I Love You
Dir: Richard LaGravenese (Freedom Writers, Living Out Loud)
Cast: Hillary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow, Gina Gershon, James Marsters
USA
The Savages
Writer/Dir: Tamara Jenkins (Slums of Beverly Hills)
Cast: Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco
USA
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Dir: Tim Burton (Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hallow, Edward Scissorhands)
Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen
USA/UK
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Dir: Jake Kasdan (Orange County, 'Freaks and Geeks')
Cast: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Raymond J. Barry, Margo Martindale
USA
Tuesday December 25, 2007 Releases
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
Dir: Colin & Greg Strause - feature film directorial debuts
Cast: Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz, Johnny Lewis, Kristen Hager
USA
The Bucket List
Dir: Rob Reiner (Alex & Emma, A Few Good Men, The Princess Bride, Stand By Me)
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Bevery Todd, Rob Morrow
USA
Limited Release
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly / Le Scaphandre et le papillon
Dir: Julian Schnabel (Before Night Falls, Basquiat)
Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze
France/USA
Limited Release
The Great Debaters
Dir: Denzel Washington (Antwone Fisher)
Cast: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker
USA
Limited Release
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
Dir: Jay Russell (Ladder 49, Tuck Everlasting)
Cast: Alex Etel, Priyanka Xi, Ben Chaplin
USA/UK
Wednesday December 26, 2007 Releases
The Orphanage / El Orfanato
Dir: Juan Antonio Bayona - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Príncep, Mabel Rivera
Mexico/Spain
Limited Release
**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada December 21-26, 2007**
Friday, December 14, 2007
Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 14, 2007!
Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 14, 2007! Awards season and best of's lists are upon us this week with the announcement of the 2007 Canada's Top Ten along with The Golden Globe Nominations.
Canada's Top Ten this year is sporting almost exclusively festival shown films, with only 2 of the titles having a regular theatre run in Toronto: Eastern Promises and The Tracey Fragments. Other high profile picks are: i and Fugitive Pieces. There is an opportunity to see the films, as they will be showing at Cinematheque from Jan 25-Feb 5/08.
The Golden Globe nominations are always fun to see and I was astonished to see seven films listed for Best Picture - Drama. One of my favourite things about the nominations this year is the inclusion of not one but two gender switch roles with Cate Blanchett for I'm Not There and John Travolta for Hairspray, both are up for supporting roles. With the fun also comes the freaky such as Casey Affleck being nominated for a supporting role in The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford? He wasn't the title character but if that movie wasn't all about him I must have been sitting in the wrong theatre. Another strange theme is the US entries for Best Foreign Language Film with The Kite Runner and The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (France/United States co-pro). Now the title of the award does dictate just the language of the film, not the country of origin, but it still seems a little off to me.
Full list of Canada's Top Ten and Golden Globe Nominations (films only) are listed after this week's releases. Speaking of releases.....
In limited release this week we have some of the nominated films including the festival darling Juno and The Kite Runner which is based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini. Rounded out the limited releases is the bizarre looking comedy Mama's Boy.
Our wide release this week are just 2 films including the part live action/part animated Alvin and the Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon... Theodore! Doo doo, do do do do!), and one film that I feel like I should be more excited about than I am: I Am Legend.
Have a great week!
Shannon
Friday December 14, 2007 Releases
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Dir: Tim Hill (Muppets from Space)
Cast: Jason Lee, David Cross, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney
USA
I Am Legend
Dir: Francis Lawrence (Constantine)
Cast: Will Smith
USA
Juno
Dir: Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking)
Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney
USA
Limited Release
The Kite Runner
Dir: Marc Forster (Stranger than Fiction, Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball)
Cast: Khalid Abdalla, Homayoun Ershadi
USA
Limited Release
Mama's Boy
Dir: Tim Hamilton - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Jon Heder, Anna Faris, Diane Keaton, Jeff Daniels
USA
Limited Release
**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada December 14, 2007**
Canada's Top Ten 2007
www.topten.ca
L'âge des ténèbres / Days of Darkness
Director: Denys Arcand
Amal
Director: Richie Mehta
Continental, un film sans fusil / Continental, a Film Without Guns
Director: Stéphane Lafleur
Eastern Promises
Director: David Cronenberg
Fugitive Pieces
Director: Jeremy Podeswa
My Winnipeg
Director: Guy Maddin
A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman
Director: Peter Raymont
The Tracey Fragments
Director: Bruce McDonald
Up the Yangtze
Director: Yung Chang
Young People Fucking
Director: Martin Gero
Canadian Top Ten short films list:
Code 13
by Mathieu L. Denis
The Colony
by Jeff Barnaby
Dust Bowl Ha! Ha!
by Sebastien Pilote
Farmer's Requiem
by Ramses Madina
Les Grands
by Chloe Leriche
I Have Seen the Future
by Cam Christiansen
I Met the Walrus
by Josh Raskin
Madame Tutli-Putli
by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
Pool
by Chris Chong Chan Fui
Terminus
by Trevor Cawood
Golden Globe Nominations 2007 (films only) www.goldenglobes.org/nominations
Best Motion Picture – Drama
American Gangster
Atonement
Eastern Promises
The Great Debaters
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie – Away From Her
Jodie Foster – The Brave One
Angelina Jolie – A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley – Atonement
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
George Clooney – Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy – Atonement
Viggo Mortensen – Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington – American Gangster
Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Across The Universe
Charlie Wilson's War
Hairspray
Juno
Sweeney Todd
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams – Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky – Hairspray
Helena Bonham Carter – Sweeney Todd
Marion Cotillard – La Vie En Rose
Ellen Page – Juno
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd
Ryan Gosling – Lars and the Real Girl
Tom Hanks – Charlie Wilson's War
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Savages
John C. Reilly – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett – I'm Not There
Julia Roberts – Charlie Wilson's War
Saoirse Ronan – Atonement
Amy Ryan – Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton
Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Casey Affleck – The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem – No Country For Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta – Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson – Michael Clayton
Best Animated Feature Film
Bee Movie
Ratatouille
The Simpsons Movie
Best Foreign Languge Film
4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days - Romania
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly - France/United States
The Kite Runner - United States
Lust, Caution - Taiwan
Persepolis - France
Best Director - Motion Picture
Tim Burton – Sweeney Todd
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen – No Country For Old Men
Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Ridley Scott – American Gangster
Joe Wright – Atonement
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Atonement
Charlie Wilson's War
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Juno
No Country For Old Men
Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Grace Is Gone - Composed by Clint Eastwood
The Kite Runner - Composed by Alberto Iglesias
Atonement - Composed by Dario Marianelli
Eastern Promises - Composed by Howard Shore
Into The Wild - Composed by Eddie Vedder
Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"Despedida" – Love In The Time Of Cholera
Music By: Shakira and Antonio Pinto
Lyrics By: Shakira
"Grace Is Gone" – Grace Is Gone
Music By: Clint Eastwood
Lyrics By: Carole Bayer Sager
"Guaranteed" – Into The Wild
Music & Lyrics By: Eddie Vedder
"That's How You Know" – Enchanted
Music & Lyrics By: Alan Menken
"Walk Hard" – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Music & Lyrics By: Judd Apatow, Kasdan, John C. Reilly and Marshall Crenshaw
Cecil B. DeMille Award - Steven Spielberg
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 14, 2007! Awards season and best of's lists are upon us this week with the announcement of the 2007 Canada's Top Ten along with The Golden Globe Nominations.
Canada's Top Ten this year is sporting almost exclusively festival shown films, with only 2 of the titles having a regular theatre run in Toronto: Eastern Promises and The Tracey Fragments. Other high profile picks are: i and Fugitive Pieces. There is an opportunity to see the films, as they will be showing at Cinematheque from Jan 25-Feb 5/08.
The Golden Globe nominations are always fun to see and I was astonished to see seven films listed for Best Picture - Drama. One of my favourite things about the nominations this year is the inclusion of not one but two gender switch roles with Cate Blanchett for I'm Not There and John Travolta for Hairspray, both are up for supporting roles. With the fun also comes the freaky such as Casey Affleck being nominated for a supporting role in The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford? He wasn't the title character but if that movie wasn't all about him I must have been sitting in the wrong theatre. Another strange theme is the US entries for Best Foreign Language Film with The Kite Runner and The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (France/United States co-pro). Now the title of the award does dictate just the language of the film, not the country of origin, but it still seems a little off to me.
Full list of Canada's Top Ten and Golden Globe Nominations (films only) are listed after this week's releases. Speaking of releases.....
In limited release this week we have some of the nominated films including the festival darling Juno and The Kite Runner which is based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini. Rounded out the limited releases is the bizarre looking comedy Mama's Boy.
Our wide release this week are just 2 films including the part live action/part animated Alvin and the Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon... Theodore! Doo doo, do do do do!), and one film that I feel like I should be more excited about than I am: I Am Legend.
Have a great week!
Shannon
Friday December 14, 2007 Releases
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Dir: Tim Hill (Muppets from Space)
Cast: Jason Lee, David Cross, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney
USA
I Am Legend
Dir: Francis Lawrence (Constantine)
Cast: Will Smith
USA
Juno
Dir: Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking)
Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney
USA
Limited Release
The Kite Runner
Dir: Marc Forster (Stranger than Fiction, Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball)
Cast: Khalid Abdalla, Homayoun Ershadi
USA
Limited Release
Mama's Boy
Dir: Tim Hamilton - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Jon Heder, Anna Faris, Diane Keaton, Jeff Daniels
USA
Limited Release
**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada December 14, 2007**
Canada's Top Ten 2007
www.topten.ca
L'âge des ténèbres / Days of Darkness
Director: Denys Arcand
Amal
Director: Richie Mehta
Continental, un film sans fusil / Continental, a Film Without Guns
Director: Stéphane Lafleur
Eastern Promises
Director: David Cronenberg
Fugitive Pieces
Director: Jeremy Podeswa
My Winnipeg
Director: Guy Maddin
A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman
Director: Peter Raymont
The Tracey Fragments
Director: Bruce McDonald
Up the Yangtze
Director: Yung Chang
Young People Fucking
Director: Martin Gero
Canadian Top Ten short films list:
Code 13
by Mathieu L. Denis
The Colony
by Jeff Barnaby
Dust Bowl Ha! Ha!
by Sebastien Pilote
Farmer's Requiem
by Ramses Madina
Les Grands
by Chloe Leriche
I Have Seen the Future
by Cam Christiansen
I Met the Walrus
by Josh Raskin
Madame Tutli-Putli
by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
Pool
by Chris Chong Chan Fui
Terminus
by Trevor Cawood
Golden Globe Nominations 2007 (films only) www.goldenglobes.org/nominations
Best Motion Picture – Drama
American Gangster
Atonement
Eastern Promises
The Great Debaters
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie – Away From Her
Jodie Foster – The Brave One
Angelina Jolie – A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley – Atonement
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
George Clooney – Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy – Atonement
Viggo Mortensen – Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington – American Gangster
Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Across The Universe
Charlie Wilson's War
Hairspray
Juno
Sweeney Todd
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams – Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky – Hairspray
Helena Bonham Carter – Sweeney Todd
Marion Cotillard – La Vie En Rose
Ellen Page – Juno
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd
Ryan Gosling – Lars and the Real Girl
Tom Hanks – Charlie Wilson's War
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Savages
John C. Reilly – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett – I'm Not There
Julia Roberts – Charlie Wilson's War
Saoirse Ronan – Atonement
Amy Ryan – Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton
Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Casey Affleck – The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem – No Country For Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta – Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson – Michael Clayton
Best Animated Feature Film
Bee Movie
Ratatouille
The Simpsons Movie
Best Foreign Languge Film
4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days - Romania
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly - France/United States
The Kite Runner - United States
Lust, Caution - Taiwan
Persepolis - France
Best Director - Motion Picture
Tim Burton – Sweeney Todd
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen – No Country For Old Men
Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Ridley Scott – American Gangster
Joe Wright – Atonement
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Atonement
Charlie Wilson's War
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Juno
No Country For Old Men
Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Grace Is Gone - Composed by Clint Eastwood
The Kite Runner - Composed by Alberto Iglesias
Atonement - Composed by Dario Marianelli
Eastern Promises - Composed by Howard Shore
Into The Wild - Composed by Eddie Vedder
Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"Despedida" – Love In The Time Of Cholera
Music By: Shakira and Antonio Pinto
Lyrics By: Shakira
"Grace Is Gone" – Grace Is Gone
Music By: Clint Eastwood
Lyrics By: Carole Bayer Sager
"Guaranteed" – Into The Wild
Music & Lyrics By: Eddie Vedder
"That's How You Know" – Enchanted
Music & Lyrics By: Alan Menken
"Walk Hard" – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Music & Lyrics By: Judd Apatow, Kasdan, John C. Reilly and Marshall Crenshaw
Cecil B. DeMille Award - Steven Spielberg
Friday, December 07, 2007
Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 7, 2007!
Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 6, 2007! As we get closer and closer to the holiday season we get a bizarre mish mash of releases ranging from awards season hopefuls, family fare and everything else in between.
Limited release are the coming at us left right and centre! There has been considerable buzz surrounding the most likely awards candidate, Atonement. In a polar opposite direction I am thrilled to see that The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters will be here in Toronto, I've heard only high praise for this documentary following the journey to break the 25 year standing world record high score on Donkey Kong. Remember Donkey Kong? I sure do. Of course I usually played Freeway, but that is another story. Documentary on gamers, I'll soooooo be there! If gaming to you means actually being more physical perhaps Poor Boy's Game is more your style, a drama revolving around a fierce boxer, set in Nova Scotia. The Canadian releases continue with the thriller Walk All Over Me.
Our sole wide release this week is The Golden Compass, based on the Philip Pullman novel which I just started and I have to say I'm loving! I hope the film lives up to the book, it so it could be a great new series to enjoy.
Have a great week!
Shannon
Festival Watch
Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival Exploring Fantasy, Science Fiction and Anime on the wide screen
Continues until December 8, 2007 at Innis Town Hall, Toronto, Ontario
www.fantasyworldwide.com
Brazil Film Festival Exploring Fantasy, Science Fiction and Anime on the wide screen
December 7-10, 2007 at ROM, Toronto, Ontario
www.brazilfilmfest.net
Friday December 6, 2007 Releases
Atonement
Dir: Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice <2005>)
Cast: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy
UK/France
Limited Release
The Golden Compass
Writer/Dir: Chris Weitz (About A Boy)
Cast: Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Eva Green
USA/UK
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Dir: Seth Gordon - directorial feature film debut
Documentary on arcade video gamers
USA
Limited Release
Poor Boy's Game
Dir: Clément Virgo (Lie with Me, Love Come Down)
Cast: Danny Glover, Flex Alexander, Rossif Sutherland
Canada
Limited Release
Walk All Over Me
Dir: Robert Cuffley (Turning Paige)
Cast: Leelee Sobieski, Tricia Helfer, Jacob Tierney
Canada
Limited Release
**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada December 7, 2007**
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 6, 2007! As we get closer and closer to the holiday season we get a bizarre mish mash of releases ranging from awards season hopefuls, family fare and everything else in between.
Limited release are the coming at us left right and centre! There has been considerable buzz surrounding the most likely awards candidate, Atonement. In a polar opposite direction I am thrilled to see that The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters will be here in Toronto, I've heard only high praise for this documentary following the journey to break the 25 year standing world record high score on Donkey Kong. Remember Donkey Kong? I sure do. Of course I usually played Freeway, but that is another story. Documentary on gamers, I'll soooooo be there! If gaming to you means actually being more physical perhaps Poor Boy's Game is more your style, a drama revolving around a fierce boxer, set in Nova Scotia. The Canadian releases continue with the thriller Walk All Over Me.
Our sole wide release this week is The Golden Compass, based on the Philip Pullman novel which I just started and I have to say I'm loving! I hope the film lives up to the book, it so it could be a great new series to enjoy.
Have a great week!
Shannon
Festival Watch
Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival Exploring Fantasy, Science Fiction and Anime on the wide screen
Continues until December 8, 2007 at Innis Town Hall, Toronto, Ontario
www.fantasyworldwide.com
Brazil Film Festival Exploring Fantasy, Science Fiction and Anime on the wide screen
December 7-10, 2007 at ROM, Toronto, Ontario
www.brazilfilmfest.net
Friday December 6, 2007 Releases
Atonement
Dir: Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice <2005>)
Cast: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy
UK/France
Limited Release
The Golden Compass
Writer/Dir: Chris Weitz (About A Boy)
Cast: Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Eva Green
USA/UK
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Dir: Seth Gordon - directorial feature film debut
Documentary on arcade video gamers
USA
Limited Release
Poor Boy's Game
Dir: Clément Virgo (Lie with Me, Love Come Down)
Cast: Danny Glover, Flex Alexander, Rossif Sutherland
Canada
Limited Release
Walk All Over Me
Dir: Robert Cuffley (Turning Paige)
Cast: Leelee Sobieski, Tricia Helfer, Jacob Tierney
Canada
Limited Release
**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada December 7, 2007**
Friday, November 30, 2007
Film Fan Fridays for Friday November 30, 2007!
Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday November 30, 2007! We have a very quiet week for releases - only 2 in sight! In limited release this week is I'm Not There the avant garde Bob Dylan inspiration/recreation/impersonation film. In wide releases is Awake which every time I look into what it's about I walk a grey line between feeling like I've learned too much to being confused. It's fair to say it's a thriller.
If those are not to you likely feel free to check out some of the recently released films. I've heard The Mist is fun scary movie, there have been across-the-board glowing reviews and impressions of Enchanted and it looks like 3D is back to attack with Beowulf.
Have a great week!
Shannon
Festival Watch
Diaspora Film Festival
November 29 - December 2, 2007 at Innis Town Hall and the NFB, Toronto, Ontario
www.diasporafilmfest.com
Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival
Exploring Fantasy, Science Fiction and Anime on the wide screen December 4-8, 2007 at Innis Town Hall, Toronto, Ontario
www.fantasyworldwide.com
Giggleshorts Film Festival
International Comedy Short Film Festival
November 29 - Dec 1, 2007 at Brunswick Theatre, Toronto, Ontario
www.giggleshorts.com
Friday November 30, 2007 Releases
Awake
Writer/Dir: Joby Harold - directorial debut
Cast: Jessica Alba, Hayden Christensen, Terrence Howard
USA
I'm Not There
Dir: Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven, Velvet Goldmine, Safe)
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw
USA/Germany
**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada November 30, 2007**
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday November 30, 2007! We have a very quiet week for releases - only 2 in sight! In limited release this week is I'm Not There the avant garde Bob Dylan inspiration/recreation/impersonation film. In wide releases is Awake which every time I look into what it's about I walk a grey line between feeling like I've learned too much to being confused. It's fair to say it's a thriller.
If those are not to you likely feel free to check out some of the recently released films. I've heard The Mist is fun scary movie, there have been across-the-board glowing reviews and impressions of Enchanted and it looks like 3D is back to attack with Beowulf.
Have a great week!
Shannon
Festival Watch
Diaspora Film Festival
November 29 - December 2, 2007 at Innis Town Hall and the NFB, Toronto, Ontario
www.diasporafilmfest.com
Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival
Exploring Fantasy, Science Fiction and Anime on the wide screen December 4-8, 2007 at Innis Town Hall, Toronto, Ontario
www.fantasyworldwide.com
Giggleshorts Film Festival
International Comedy Short Film Festival
November 29 - Dec 1, 2007 at Brunswick Theatre, Toronto, Ontario
www.giggleshorts.com
Friday November 30, 2007 Releases
Awake
Writer/Dir: Joby Harold - directorial debut
Cast: Jessica Alba, Hayden Christensen, Terrence Howard
USA
I'm Not There
Dir: Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven, Velvet Goldmine, Safe)
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw
USA/Germany
**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada November 30, 2007**
Friday, November 23, 2007
Film Fan Fridays for Friday November 23, 2007!
Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday November 23, 2007! Short week of releases this week as many opened on Wednesday just prior to American Thanksgiving (happy turkey day to those south of the boarder! Don't forget to make some yummy soup with the leftover turkey!). It's also a week of really do-er's as all 4 Friday releases are writer/director all-in-one. Ok, on to what *is* being released!
In limited release this week we have the, yes this is the consensus on the description, zen documentary on cooking How to Cook Your Life as well as the new Noah Baumbach film Margot at the Wedding which has recieved a fair amount of buzz here and there and if I was just told the premise of the film I doubt I would be interested. However, every single time I see the preview I'm intrigued and want to know more. The actors all look very 'normal' and seem to have very 'normal' lives and it's drama all the way. I think it's really going to be one to watch.
Wide releases this week include the Stephen King adaptation The Mist, and for those already ready for Christmas This Christmas.
Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday November 23, 2007! Short week of releases this week as many opened on Wednesday just prior to American Thanksgiving (happy turkey day to those south of the boarder! Don't forget to make some yummy soup with the leftover turkey!). It's also a week of really do-er's as all 4 Friday releases are writer/director all-in-one. Ok, on to what *is* being released!
In limited release this week we have the, yes this is the consensus on the description, zen documentary on cooking How to Cook Your Life as well as the new Noah Baumbach film Margot at the Wedding which has recieved a fair amount of buzz here and there and if I was just told the premise of the film I doubt I would be interested. However, every single time I see the preview I'm intrigued and want to know more. The actors all look very 'normal' and seem to have very 'normal' lives and it's drama all the way. I think it's really going to be one to watch.
Wide releases this week include the Stephen King adaptation The Mist, and for those already ready for Christmas This Christmas.
Have a great week!
Shannon
Festival Watch
New Serbian Film Festival
November 22-25, 2007 at The Bloor Cinema, Toronto, Ontario
http://www.bioskop.ca/
Reel Awareness Film Festival
November 22-25, 2007 at the NFB, Toronto, Ontario
http://www.aito.ca/
Spinning Wheel Film Festival
November 23-25, 2007, at the Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto, Ontario
http://www.swfftoronto.com/
Wednesday November 21, 2007 Releases
August Rush
Dir: Kirsten Sheridan (Disco Pigs)
Cast: Kreddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Robin Williams, Terrence Howard USA
Enchanted
Dir: Kevin Lima (102 Dalmations)
Cast: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon, Julie Andrews
USA
Hitman
Dir: Xavier Gens (Frontière(s))
Cast: Timothy Olyphant
France/USA
Friday November 23, 2007 Releases
How to Cook Your Life
Writer/Dir: Doris Dörrie (Nackt, Erleuchtung garantiert)
Zen documentary featuring cook Edward Espe Brown
Germany
Limited Release
Margot at the Wedding
Writer/Dir: Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Kicking and Screaming)
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black
USA
The Mist
Writer/Dir: Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Majestic)
Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher
USA
This Christmas
Writer/Dir: Preston A. Whitmore II ()
Cast: Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Laz Alonso, sharon Leal
USA
**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada November 23, 2007**
Shannon
Festival Watch
New Serbian Film Festival
November 22-25, 2007 at The Bloor Cinema, Toronto, Ontario
http://www.bioskop.ca/
Reel Awareness Film Festival
November 22-25, 2007 at the NFB, Toronto, Ontario
http://www.aito.ca/
Spinning Wheel Film Festival
November 23-25, 2007, at the Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto, Ontario
http://www.swfftoronto.com/
Wednesday November 21, 2007 Releases
August Rush
Dir: Kirsten Sheridan (Disco Pigs)
Cast: Kreddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Robin Williams, Terrence Howard USA
Enchanted
Dir: Kevin Lima (102 Dalmations)
Cast: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon, Julie Andrews
USA
Hitman
Dir: Xavier Gens (Frontière(s))
Cast: Timothy Olyphant
France/USA
Friday November 23, 2007 Releases
How to Cook Your Life
Writer/Dir: Doris Dörrie (Nackt, Erleuchtung garantiert)
Zen documentary featuring cook Edward Espe Brown
Germany
Limited Release
Margot at the Wedding
Writer/Dir: Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Kicking and Screaming)
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black
USA
The Mist
Writer/Dir: Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Majestic)
Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher
USA
This Christmas
Writer/Dir: Preston A. Whitmore II ()
Cast: Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Laz Alonso, sharon Leal
USA
**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada November 23, 2007**
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