Friday, December 18, 2009

Movies Next Week: Dec 21-27

Hey moviegoers!

Not many special movie screenings next week (just the one listed below that I could find). So I've also included some movies that are opening next week. You should also check empiretheatres.com for hours; they close early on December 24th for example.

It's a Wonderful Life
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Tuesday, December 22 @ 7 p.m.
Location: Veith House (3115 Veith Street)
Behind the Scenes: Presented by Safe Harbour Metropolitan Community Church (http://www.safeharbourmcc.com). Safe Harbour is a Christian Church with a special welcoming and affirming ministry for the Rainbow Community.
The Movie: George Bailey spends his entire life giving up his big dreams for the good of his town, Bedford Falls, as we see in flashback. But in the present, on Christmas Eve, he is broken and suicidal over the misplacing of an $8,000 loan and the machinations of the evil millionaire, Mr. Potter. His guardian angel, Clarence, falls to Earth, literally, and shows him how his town, family and friends would turn out if he had never been born. George meant so much to so many people; should he really throw it all away?

Opening next week:
Will there be a post next Friday? ...Probably not.

But we'll see you at the cinema!

Kirk
Posted by Out @ the Movies at 8:00 AM 0 comments Labels:

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Gremlins Review



Thanks to those of you who came out to see Gremlins!

The weather was a bit cold, so there weren't as many attendees as we might've hoped. Those who came had a great time with this "classic" Christmas film! It's easy to forget both how scary and funny that movie can be! One of my favourite parts of the film is what's happening in the background and all the nods to other movies. For example, the "Flashdance" Gremlin in the bar. Pretty good considering Flashdance had only come out the year before. The best sight gag, hands down, was in the background of the scene where Billy's dad is at an "invention convention." We see Dad on the phone and in the background, from 1960's Time Machine is... the time machine! As Dad talks, the machine starts to rev up and smoke begins to appear. Cut back to Billy's mom on the other end of the line for a moment. When we come back to the convention, the time machine is gone and there are people investigating a small burn mark on the floor.

And let's talk about Billy's mom for a moment, shall we? Mom doesn't take no guff from those rowdy Gremlins! She takes out three of the little monsters all on her own (and that was half the total population of the little demons at the time!). How does she do it?
  1. What appears to be an automatic mixing bowl. ...This was the moment when, as a child, I had to leave the room.
  2. A big, sharp, kitchen knife.
  3. Microwave.
You can watch the scene on YouTube (not the greatest quality).

And Billy?
I had kind of forgotten that I had a crush on Mr. Zach Galligan. Something about those big beautiful eyes. And, oh yeah, he's kind of hot without his shirt on!cTake a look at 20-year-old Zach with Corey Feldman in the foreground:
So how is it that a 1984 horror/comedy/holiday film came to be airing at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia on a cold December evening? The event was a fundraiser for the #HalifaxChicks team for the Bust-A-Move fundraiser. Bust-A-Move is an event to raise funds for mammography equipment for local hospitals to help with early diagnosis of breast cancer.
You can find out more @ http://bustamove.ca.

Let's take a look ahead at January! Our next movie outing will be on Tuesday, January 19th. The poll will open in the first few days of 2010. The tentative line-up of nominees are:
That's it for now. See you at the cinema!

Kirk
Posted by Out @ the Movies at 9:52 PM 0 comments Labels:

Friday, December 11, 2009

Movies Next Week: Dec 14-20

Hey moviegoers!

Let's take a look ahead at the movies and films showing in Halifax between December 14 and 20. What can you look forward to? A mix of Christmas-themed movies and ... strangeness.

The Rape of Europa
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Tuesday December 15 @ 5 p.m.
Location: Dalhousie Art Gallery
Behind the Scenes: The Dalhousie Art Gallery offers the longest-running fine art and repertory Film and Video Program east of Montreal.
The Movie: The Nazis' obsession with art is the focus of this feature-length documentary that zeroes in on what actually happened to many of the western world’s masterpieces when war threatened theft and destruction.





The Polar Express
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Tuesday, December 15 @ 7 p.m.
Location: Veith House (3115 Veith Street)
Behind the Scenes: Presented by Safe Harbour Metropolitan Community Church (http://www.safeharbourmcc.com).
The Movie: A young boy lies awake in his room one snowy Christmas Eve, excited and alert. Breathing silently. Hardly moving. Waiting.He's listening for a sound he's afraid that he might never hear--the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. The time is five minutes to midnight. Suddenly, the boy is startled by a thunderous roar. Clearing the mist from his window he sees the most amazing sight--a gleaming black train rumbles to a stop right in front of his house, the steam from its powerful engine hissing through the night sky and the softly falling snowflakes. The boy rushes outside, clad only in his pajamas and slippers, and is met by the train's conductor who seems to be waiting just for him. "Well, are you coming?" the conductor inquires. "Where?" the boy asks. "Why, to the North Pole--of course. This is the Polar Express!" What unfolds is an an adventure which follows a doubting young boy, who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole; during this ride, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery which shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

Gremlins
Cost: $5 (minimum donation)
Date/Time: Wednesday, December 16 @ 6:30 p.m.
Location: Public Archives Building (6016 University)
Behind the Scenes: The #HalifaxChicks are a collection of Halifax women involved in social media. They are participating for "Bust a Move" - raising money for new digital mammogram equipment for local hospitals.
The Movie: A man buys a Mogwai as a Christmas present for his son. The young boy is told to keep the pet away from water, out of the light and never to feed it after midnight. Inadvertently, the creature is dampened and almsot instantly, produces half a dozen furry replicas of itself -- which continue to multiply and turn the small town upside down.

SUPER-DUPER-SUPER-8 Handmade Holiday Screening
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Thursday, December 17 @ 8 p.m.
Location: The Carleton (1685 Argyle)
Behind the Scenes: The 10th Annual Atlantic Filmmakers Co-operative SUPER-DUPER-SUPER-8 Handmade Holiday Screening. This is an entertaining evening of holiday fun as the films from AFCOOP's annual holiday-themed film challenge are revealed!

Heavy Metal
Cost: $6.99 ($9.99 including regular popcorn and drink)
Date/Time: Friday December 18 @ 11:30 p.m.
Location: Empire 8 Park Lane (5657 Spring Garden Rd)
Behind the Scenes: Part of Empire Theatres' Fan Favourites (http://www.empiretheatres.com/fanfavourites) "Putting your favourites back on the big screen."
The Movie: A sweeping story of the battle of good against evil is told through an anthology of short animated films about a glowing green orb (the Loc-Nar) that is the personification of ultimate evil in the universe. Based loosely on the French magazine "Heavy Metal."






National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Cost: By donation
Date/Time: Saturday December 19 @ 10 a.m.
Location: Empire 17 Cinemas Bayers Lake (190 Chain Lake Drive)
Behind the Scenes: The 3rd Annual Holiday Charity Screenings series. Donate a Non-Perishable food item for Feed Nova Scotia and receive free admission to the screening. Cash donations will also be happily accepted.
The Movie: In National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) attempts to create a picture-perfect, old-fashioned Christmas for his family and invites his extended family to celebrate the holidays at his home. But a festive supporting cast (including Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Juliette Lewis and Doris Roberts), 25,000 lights on the room, an exploding turkey on the dining room table and a SWAT team taking siege outside soon help Clark realize that more does not always mean merrier.

That's it for this week, folks!
Posted by Out @ the Movies at 8:00 AM 1 comments Labels:

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Out @ Gremlins

The votes are in!


The winner is:
GREMLINS

The Time: Wednesday, December 16 @ 6:30; movie starts at @ 7.
The Place: Public Archives Building (6016 University)
The Cost: $5 - minimum donation to support the Halifax Chicks in their fundrasing efforts for Bust-A-Move
The Movie: A man buys a Mogwai as a Christmas present for his son. The young boy is told to keep the pet away from water, out of the light and never to feed it after midnight. Inadvertently, the creature is dampened and almsot instantly, produces half a dozen furry replicas of itself -- which continue to multiply and turn the small town upside down.
The Plan:
The Trailer:


See you at the movies!

Kirk
Posted by Out @ the Movies at 8:57 PM 1 comments Labels:

Saturday, December 5, 2009

December Movie Outing

Hey moviegoers!

It's time to vote for which movie we'll be seeing in December. This month's poll is going to be a little bit different. There's a different time and place for almost each movie; so pay extra attention before voting at the poll below!

Our first candidate is a slightly twisted take on consumerism, Christmas and horror movies. I speak, of course of:
GREMLINS
The Time: Wednesday, December 16 @ 6:30
The Place: Public Archives Building (6016 University)
The Cost: $5 to support the Halifax Chicks in their fundrasing efforts for Bust-A-Move
The Movie: A man buys a Mogwai as a Christmas present for his son. The young boy is told to keep the pet away from water, out of the light and never to feed it after midnight. Inadvertently, the creature is dampened and almsot instantly, produces half a dozen furry replicas of itself -- which continue to multiply and turn the small town upside down.
The Reasons:
  • A great alternative to the "traditional" Christmas movie
  • Retro fun!
  • A great cause!
The Trailer:


Our next movie is also a bit on the dark side but has nothing to do with Christmas. There's not even any seasonal music. Unless you happen to like...
HEAVY METAL
The Time: Friday December 18 @ 11:30 p.m.
The Place: Empire 8 Park Lane (5657 Spring Garden)
The Cost: $6.99 ($9.99 including regular popcorn and drink)
The Movie: A sweeping story of the battle of good against evil is told through an anthology of short animated films about a glowing green orb (the Loc-Nar) that is the personification of ultimate evil in the universe. Based loosely on the French magazine "Heavy Metal."
The Reasons:
  • A cult classic
  • Awesome animation
  • The "midnight movie" feel
The Trailer:


Looking for something a little more traditional for this time of year? Well, there is, of course, the beloved classic:
NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION
The Time: Saturday December 19 @ 10 a.m.
The Place: Empire 17 Cinemas Bayers Lake (190 Chain Lake Drive)
The Cost: Donate a Non-Perishable food item for Feed Nova Scotia and receive free admission to the screening. Cash donations will also be happily accepted.
The Movie: In National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) attempts to create a picture-perfect, old-fashioned Christmas for his family and invites his extended family to celebrate the holidays at his home. But a festive supporting cast (including Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Juliette Lewis and Doris Roberts), 25,000 lights on the room, an exploding turkey on the dining room table and a SWAT team taking siege outside soon help Clark realize that more does not always mean merrier.
The Reasons:
  • For many people, this is THE Christmas movie
  • Who can't relate to a challenging family?
  • Chevy Chase has never had a better role than that of Clark Griswold
The Trailer:


And just to throw in one major release:
AVATAR
The Time: Sunday, December 20 @ 2:45 p.m.
The Place: Empire 8 Park Lane (5657 Spring Garden)
The Cost: $8.99
The Movie: "Avatar" is the story of an ex-Marine who finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms. As an Avatar, a human mind in an alien body, he finds himself torn between two worlds, in a desperate fight for his own survival and that of the indigenous people.
[Special note: this is NOT a 3-D screening; Park Lane is not showing the 3-D version.]
The Reasons:
  • Awe. Some.
  • All-star cast with an all-star director.
  • Years in the making!
The Trailer:


So which movie do you think we should see? Vote now! Poll closes on Thursday.
Posted by Out @ the Movies at 10:00 AM 0 comments Labels:

Friday, December 4, 2009

Movies Next Week: Dec 7-13

Hey moviegoers!

Let's take a look ahead at the movies and films showing in Halifax between December 7 and 13.

Taxi to the Dark Side
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Tuesday December 8 @ 7:30
Location: Room 224, Student Union Building, Dalhousie University (6136 University)
Behind the Scenes: Organized by Halifax Peace Coalition, Student Coalition Against War, NSPIRG and SALSA.
The Movie: Winner of the 2008 Academy Award® for Best Documentary Feature as well as a 2008 Peabody Award, Taxi to the Dark Side takes a disturbing in-depth look at the highly questionable interrogation practices used by United States military guards on prisoners in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay in the years following 9/11. Beginning with the story of an innocent young Afghan taxi driver named Dilawar, who was killed while being held in Bagram prison in 2002, Taxi to the Dark Side tells the grim, cautionary saga of how the U.S. government, desperate to draw out information from a top Al Qaeda leader detained in Guantanamo Bay, approved the use of cruel and unusual interrogation techniques that bordered on torture - which were systematically imported to other US prisons abroad. In examining the interrogation practices used in Bagram, Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, the film includes shocking photos, archival footage, expert commentary, and interviews with several soldiers stationed at prisons in Afghanistan and Iraq. These guards admit to using unorthodox techniques - including isolation, ceiling handcuffing, sleep deprivation, strip humiliation, "water boarding," threats by menacing dogs, sexual abuse and more - that they say were condoned and even approved by their superiors, despite being in clear violation of the humanitarian rules outlined in the Geneva Conventions.

Age of Stupid
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Thursday December 10 @ 7
Location: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia 91723 Hollis)
Behind the Scenes: Organized by the Nova Scotia Environmental Network (http://www.nsen.ca). Co-sponsored by MLA Leonard Preyra (http://www.preyra.ca). A talk on climate change will follow the screening.
The Movie: ‘The Age Of Stupid’ is the new cinema documentary from the Director of ‘McLibel’ and the Producer of the Oscar-winning ‘One Day In September.’ This enormously ambitious drama-documentary-animation hybrid stars Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055, watching "archive" footage from 2008 and asking: why didn't we stop climate change while we had the chance?


The Polar Express
Cost: By donation.
Date/Time: Saturday December 12 @ 10 AM
Location: Empire 17 Cinemas Bayers Lake (190 Chain Lake Drive)
Behind the Scenes: The 3rd Annual Holiday Charity Screenings series. Cash donations will be accepted at the door for IWK Children's Hospital.
The Movie: A young boy lies awake in his room one snowy Christmas Eve, excited and alert. Breathing silently. Hardly moving. Waiting.He's listening for a sound he's afraid that he might never hear--the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. The time is five minutes to midnight. Suddenly, the boy is startled by a thunderous roar. Clearing the mist from his window he sees the most amazing sight--a gleaming black train rumbles to a stop right in front of his house, the steam from its powerful engine hissing through the night sky and the softly falling snowflakes. The boy rushes outside, clad only in his pajamas and slippers, and is met by the train's conductor who seems to be waiting just for him. "Well, are you coming?" the conductor inquires. "Where?" the boy asks. "Why, to the North Pole--of course. This is the Polar Express!" What unfolds is an an adventure which follows a doubting young boy, who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole; during this ride, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery which shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

That's all I got for this week!
Posted by Out @ the Movies at 8:00 AM 0 comments Labels:

Friday, November 27, 2009

Movies Next Week: Nov 30-Dec 6

Hey moviegoers!

Let's take a look at what movies are playing in town between November 30th and December 6th.

Speaking Out Against Violence collection
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Monday, November 30 @ 7
Location: Women’s Community Space, YWCA Halifax (1233 Barrington)
Behind the Scenes: Part of the 20-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women. Twenty years after the Montreal Massacre, the December 6th Planning Committee will launch a 20-day campaign to end violence against women and honour the 14 women who tragically lost their lives on December 6, 1989.
December 6th was declared by parliament as the “National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women” following the murder of 14 women at L’Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal in 1989. Remembering this horrific event has become the basis of recognizing and supporting united action against the widespread violence committed against women.
The Movie:
  • After the Montreal Massacre - December 6, 1989. Sylvie Gagnon was attending her last day of classes at Ecole Polytechnique, an engineering school in Montreal, when Marc Lepine entered the building. Systematically separating the women from the men, he opened fire on women students, yelling "you're all a bunch of feminists." Sylvie survived a bullet wound to the head while fourteen other women were murdered.
  • Vienna Tribunal - This video is a living testimony that dramatically captures the abuses women suffer. Highlighted are the moving and gut-wrenching personal stories of women from around the world who testified before a panel of judges at the Global Tribunal on Violations of Women's Human Rights during the UN World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna. A contemporary and highly relevant program that speaks to the new and growing interest internationally in women's human rights issues.

What on Earth?
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Monday, November 30th @ 7
Location: CBC Radio Room (1599 South Park)
Behind the Scenes:
The Movie:
  • WHAT ON EARTH, 1966! NFB classic comedy animation. A classic blast from the past - Martians look for intelligent life on Earth with comic results...
  • WHAT ON EARTH, 2009 - someone's still looking... Suzanne Taylor's documentary about crop circles and the accompanying cast of characters...
"Filmmaker Suzanne Taylor is part of a lively community of iconoclasts who marvel at crop circles. This documentary tracks her interactions with these 'croppies,' in England, as they go circle-chasing, indulge in circle-analysis, and share why they are so fascinated by the phenomenon."
Whether taken as a contemporary folk expression of pop cultural iconography, or as evidence of intelligent non-human communication, the circles are spectacular huge-scale works of landscape sculpture. Seen from the air as they are in much of this film, the scale and complexity of the works can be taken in much more easily - they are clearly intended to be best appreciated from an altitude. No matter what you think the cause may be, the breathtaking visual aethetic effect is worth taking in.

Rethink Afghanistan
Cost: By donation
Date/Time: Tuesday, December 1 @ 7:30
Location: Room 224, Student Union Building, Dalhousie University (6136 University)
Behind the Scenes: Please come to watch this important new film “Rethink Afghanistan” by Brave New Foundation. Donations appreciated. Organized by Halifax Peace Coalition, Student Coalition Against War and NSPIRG.
The Movie: Rethink Afghanistan is a 2009 documentary about the ongoing war in Afghanistan. This full-length documentary campaign features experts from Afghanistan, the U.S., and Russia discussing critical issues like military escalation, how escalation will affect Pakistan and the surrounding region, the cost of war, civilian casualties, and the rights of Afghan women.

A Sea Change
Cost: $5 donation
Date/Time: Friday, December 4 @ 7
Location: Burke Theatre, Saint Mary's University
Behind the Scenes: We know that rising greenhouse gases in our atmosphere are affecting the climate, but how are they affecting the oceans that cover 70% of the Earth and play an essential role in regulating our oxygen levels and sustaining us? A Sea Change: Imagine a World Without Fish explores this question. The answer makes immediate action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions imperative. Following the screening will be a Q&A session with researchers working on climate change, impacts on the developing world and fisheries. Presented by Ecology Action Centre and St.Mary’s University International Activities Office.
The Movie: The film follows Sven Huseby, a retired history teacher, as he tries to understand what ocean acidification means. Speaking with oceanographers, marine biologists, climatologists, and artists, Sven discovers that global warming is only half the story of the environmental catastrophe that awaits us. Excess carbon dioxide is dissolving in our oceans, changing sea water chemistry. The more acidic water makes it difficult for tiny creatures at the bottom of the food web to form their shells. The effects could work their way up to the fish 1 billion people depend upon for their source of protein.

That's it for this week. See you at the cinema!

Kirk

Posted by Out @ the Movies at 6:00 AM 0 comments Labels:

Friday, November 20, 2009

November 20: Movies Next Week

Hey moviegoers!
Time for another look ahead at what's happening in movies next week. The busiest day of the week? Tuesday. Very busy on Tuesday. Lots of movie/film-going options. Also, be sure to check out the twitter feed (http://twitter.com/OutAtTheMovies) for anything that comes up during the week.

Out @ The Blind Side
Cost: $8.99
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 24th @ 6
Location: Empire 8 Park Lane (Spring Garden)
Behind the Scenes: It's our next official Out @ the Movies event!
The Movie: Sandra Bullock will pull tears out of your eyes!
For more info... http://bit.ly/peIwI

Four Feet Up
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 24th @ 7
Location: CBC Radio Room (1599 South Park)
Behind the Scenes: Presented by the National Film Board of Canada with Paradise Cinema, Linda Joy Media Arts and culturalproduct.com
The Movie: Twenty years after the promise of the House of Commons "to eliminate poverty among Canadian children," 8-year-old Isaiah contemplates what "less fortunate" means as he finds his voice through his own magical drawings and photographs. Astute about the fact that his parents don't make a lot of money, Isaiah is unaware of their constant worry about putting food on the table, affording any after-school opportunities, and keeping stereotypes at a distance.
Four Feet Up invites us into the lives of this determined family, revealing an intimate and touching experience of child poverty in one of the world's richest nations.

GLASS: a portrait of Philip in twelve parts
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 24th @ 5
Location: Dalhousie Art Gallery (6101 University)
Behind the Scenes: Presented as part of the Dalhousie Art Gallery's film series
The Movie: Shot in Germany, New York City and---substantially---in Cape Breton, a portrait of Philip in twelve parts sees Shine director Scott Hicks following internationally renowned minimalist composer Philip Glass as he writes his Symphony No. 8 and launches his opera Waiting for the Barbarians. Artist Chuck Close also appears.



Bombies - Film Screening & Debate on Cluster Munitions
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 24th @ 7
Location: Room 305, Weldon Law Building, Dalhousie University (6061 University)
Behind the Scenes: The Even Wars Have Limits working group of the Canadian Red Cross will host a screening of the documentary “Bombies” followed by a debate on the use of cluster munitions by Sodales, the Dalhousie Debating Society.
The Movie: Between 1964 and 1973 the United States conducted a secret air war, dropping over 2 million tons of bombs and making tiny Laos the most heavily bombed country in history. Millions of these 'cluster bombs' did not explode when dropped, leaving the country massively contaminated with 'bombies' as dangerous now as when they fell 30 years ago.
Bombies examines the problem of unexploded cluster bombs through the personal experiences of a group of Laotians and foreigners and argues for their elimination as a weapon of war. Unfortunately they are still a standard part of the US arsenal and were dropped in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq

Die Feuerzangenbowle
Cost: ??
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 24th @ 7
Location: McMechan Room, Killam Library, Dalhousie (6225 University)
Behind the Scenes: ??
The Movie: Die Feuerzangenbowle ("The Fire-Tongs Bowl" or "The Punch Bowl") is a 1944 movie, directed by Helmut Weiss and is based on the book of the same name. It follows the book closely as author Spoerl also wrote the script for the movie. Both tell the story of a famous writer going undercover as a pupil at a small town secondary school after his friends tell him that he missed out on the best part of growing up by being educated at home.
In German, with English subtitles.

War Hospital
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 25th @ 7
Location: Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building (6100 University)
Behind the Scenes: A film screening in celebration of the Canadian Red Cross's Centennial Year, followed by a panel discussion.
The Movie: Shot in cinema-vérité style, this feature documentary immerses the viewer in the sights and sounds of the world's largest field hospital, the International Committee of the Red Cross in Sudan. The ICRC allowed filmmakers David Christensen and Damien Lewis unprecedented access to the surgical hospital and local medical staff as they go about their duties, caring for wounded Sudanese soldiers and women and children, all casualties of the civil war. With no narrator and minimal explanation, War Hospital simply and powerfully captures the joy and sadness of life and death.


The Polar Express
Cost: $6 and donation
Date/Time: Saturday, November 28th @ 11:30 a.m.
Location: Empire Theatres Bayers Lake
Behind the Scenes: Come and support a great cause. Polar Express will be showing in support of Feed Nova Scotia. Cost is only 6 dollars per person with a donation of a non-perishable food item for Feed Nova Scotia. Tickets must be purchased in cash!
The Movie: A young boy lies awake in his room one snowy Christmas Eve, excited and alert. Breathing silently. Hardly moving. Waiting.He's listening for a sound he's afraid that he might never hear--the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. The time is five minutes to midnight. Suddenly, the boy is startled by a thunderous roar. Clearing the mist from his window he sees the most amazing sight--a gleaming black train rumbles to a stop right in front of his house, the steam from its powerful engine hissing through the night sky and the softly falling snowflakes. The boy rushes outside, clad only in his pajamas and slippers, and is met by the train's conductor who seems to be waiting just for him. "Well, are you coming?" the conductor inquires. "Where?" the boy asks. "Why, to the North Pole--of course. This is the Polar Express!" What unfolds is an an adventure which follows a doubting young boy, who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole; during this ride, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery which shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.
For more info...

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Cost: By Donation
Date/Time: Saturday, November 28th @ 1
Location: Oxford Theatre (6408 Quinpool)
Behind the Scenes: The Quinpool Dental Clinic will be passing out free loot bags to the first 150 people in line. Admission is free with an unwrapped toy donation goin to the Salvation Army. For more information, call, 209-2210.
The Movie: The curmudgeonly recluse Grinch, who hates Christmas, becomes annoyed with the out-of-control Christmas festivities in Whoville, the town lying below his cave dwelling on Mt. Crumpit. But after the Grinch conspires to deprive the Who's of their favorite holiday by sneaking into town on Christmas eve to steal everything associated with the holiday, he learns that the spirit of Christmas goes much deeper than tinsel and toys.
For more info...

Canadian Labour Independent Film Festival
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Saturday November 28th starting @ 6
Location: Room 255, Sobey Building, Saint Mary’s University
Behind the Scenes: This film festival is being held across Canada, the weekend of Nov. 27th/28th - with a weeklong festival being held in Toronto Nov. 21-28th.
The Movie:
  • 6:00 - Opening Remarks
  • 6:15 - Six Weeks of Solidarity (1999 - 9:21 minutes, Canada) Directed by Victor Dobchuk. A look at the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, 75 years later. English and French
  • 6:30 - Seeds of Peace (2009 - 50 minutes, Israel) Directed Andre Kloer & Maaike Broos. Jawdat Talousy worked in a Jewish Settlement located on the West Bank. He was fired because he established a labour committee in order to get equal labour rights as Israeli co-workers. In the settlements labour laws for Palestinians are ambiguous and law enforcement is weak. Follow Jawdat's struggle to fight for his rights as well as learn about how this ambiguity affects other Palestinians in the settlements. English only
  • 7:35 - 24 Days in Brooks (2009 - 42:03 minutes) In a decade, tiny Brooks, Alberta has been transformed from a socially conservative, primarily Caucasian town to one of the most diverse places in Canada. Hijabs have become commonplace, downtown bars feature calypso and residents speak 90 different languages. Immigrants and refugees have flocked here to work at Lakeside Packers - one of the world's largest slaughterhouses. Centring on the 24 days of the first-ever strike at Lakeside, this film is a nuanced portrait of people working together and adapting to change. They are people like Peter Jany Khwai, who escaped war in Sudan, wears an African shirt and a cowboy hat, and affirms his Canadian identity as well as his determination to fight for his rights. Or Edil Hassan, a devout Muslim born in Somalia, who counts her hours of organizing and picketing among her proudest moments. As 24 Days in Brooks shows, people from widely different backgrounds can work together for respect, dignity, and change - even though getting there is not easy.
  • 8:45 - Poor No More (2009 - 45 minutes, Canada) Directed by Bert Deveaux. In the present economic crisis with industries collapsing and commodity prices falling many Canadians a destitute and many others are on the brink. Against this climate, a couple of Canadians go on a road trip to Ireland and Sweden, with comedian Mary Walsh as their guide, and get a chance to see how other countries have helped people like themselves. This movie will break your heart, split your side and open your mind to new possibilities. Not the least of which is: If other countries can do it, why can't we?
  • 9:45 - Close

Posted by Out @ the Movies at 7:30 AM 0 comments Labels:

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

November 24 = Out @ The Blind Side

Q: Which side are you on?
A: The Blind Side

The second Out @ The Movies outing for November will be to see Sandra Bullock's newest flick, The Blind Side, on Tuesday, November 24th.

What's it all about?
Based on a true story...
"Teenager Michael Oher is surviving on his own, virtually homeless, when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy. Learning that the young man is one of her daughter's classmates, Leigh Anne insists that Michael -- wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter -- come out of the cold. Without a moment's hesitation, she invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. And, as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential, both on and off the football field, Michael's presence in the Tuohys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own."

Take a look at the trailer:


Why do you want to see it?
A) Sandra Bullock. She's awesome! There's already Oscar buzz for her performance in this role.
B) Tim McGraw. He does more than just sing, ya know.
C) Have you got a heart? Didn't you feel that trailer pull on your heart strings?
D) Sometimes the best stories on based on true life. This was a hit as a novel and will surely be a hit as a movie.
E) We can all relate to overcoming difficulties and making families of choice.

You can find out more at the official site - http://www.theblindsidemovie.com

THE PLAN:
  • The movie starts on Tuesday, November 24th at 6:45 at Empire 8 Park Lane. Tickets are $8.99.
  • We'll start meeting around 6 at the tables by the arcade. Look for the girl wearing the teddy bear hat.
  • At 6:30, we'll head in to grab our seats.
  • After the movie, we'll head out to the Second Cup for some post-movie discussion and drinks!
You can RSVP to the facebook event (http://facebook.com/event.php?eid=175610191052) or share the blog with this quick link: http://bit.ly/peIwI.

And make sure to bring some tissues!

Kirk
Posted by Out @ the Movies at 6:13 PM 0 comments Labels:

Friday, November 13, 2009

November 13: The week ahead...

What can you look forward to in movie screenings next week? An exploration of violence apparently. Polytechnique remembers the Montreal Massacre; RoboCop is... well, it's RoboCop; The Witness explores pacificism towards other forms of lie.
Read on...

Polytechnique
Cost: By Donation; proceeds go to the Purple Ribbon Campaign.
Date/Time: Monday, November 16th @ 7
Location: Park Lane (5657 Spring Garden)
Behind the Scenes: To launch the 20-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women and 20 Years since the Montreal Massacre on Dec 6th 1989. The film will be followed by a discussion with counsellors in attendance.
The Movie: A dramatization of the Montreal Massacre of 1989 where several female engineering students were murdered by an unstable misogynist.
For more info... ??

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 17th @ 5
Location: Dalhousie Art Gallery (6101 University)
Behind the Scenes: Presented as part of the Dalhousie Art Gallery's film series
The Movie: A deconstruction of the underage rape case that eventually drove legendary film director Roman Polanski from America, Wanted and Desired explores the convoluted mix of politics and morality that has kept the cineaste a fugitive from the USA ever since.


Mr Happy & Daddy's Little Girl
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 17th @ 7:30
Location: The Company House (2202 Gottingen)
Behind the Scenes: A comedy double bill!
The Movie:
  • A live reading of "Mr.Happy;" a sharp and biting comedy about a misanthropic Buddhist, who's having a very bad day, forced to be happy by an unstable doctor to help eliminate a stress- induced brain tumour.
  • A screening of "Daddy's Little Girl;" a comedy about Virginia, a timid phone sex worker, just wanting to get ahead... What she gets instead is a family affair. A short comedy of error and innuendo starring Kathryn MacLellan, Theo Pitsiavas and Evany Rosen.

Ma Part Manquante – A Scattered Identity
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 18th @ 7
Location: Pier 21 (1055 Marginal)
Behind the Scenes: Pier 21’s Diversity Spotlight encourages cultural groups to screen films at Pier 21 each month that tell their story, while exploring the themes of immigration, diversity, cultural heritage and identity.
The Movie: Jane Dawson, adopted as an infant by a couple from a small village in Quebec, was brought up learning about her original Mexican heritage. This film follows Jane as she discovers her aboriginal ancestry and seeks what has been missing in her life.
Based on a true story and presented in French with English subtitles. A discussion will follow the film led by Aurélie Resch, director of the film.

The Witness
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 18 @ 7:30
Location: Room 207, Weldon Law Building (6061 University)
Behind the Scenes: Organized by the animal rights organization, Abolishing the Status of Animals as Property (ASAP)
The Movie: Working hard to overcome the many challenges of growing up in a poor and violent Brooklyn neighborhood, Eddie Lama developed a deep sense of identification with the vulnerable and voiceless beings of our world. In one of the most moving sections of the documentary The Witness, he describes the harrowing experience of being beaten and left for dead, crying out for help and no one responding. Eddie then shares how this trauma helped him understand the plight of animals, who so often endure violence with no one to even witness their tragic fate, much less advocate on their behalf.


Flow
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Thursday, November 19th @ 7
Location: Potter auditorium, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building (6100 University)
Behind the Scenes: Presented by Dalhousie University's College of Sustainability.
The Movie: The privatization of water infrastructure explained by water and community activists Maude Barlow, Peter Gleick, and scientists Ashok Gadgil, Rajendra Singh and Vandana Shiva


RoboCop
Cost: $6.99 (or $9.99 which includes a reg. popcorn & reg. drink)
Date/Time: Friday, November 20th @ 11:30
Location: Park Lane (5657 Spring Garden)
Behind the Scenes: Presented as part of Empire Theatres' Fan Favourites series.
The Movie: From the director of Total Recall and Basic Instinct comes a sci-fi fantasy about an indestructible high-tech policeman who dishes out justice at every turn! When a good cop (Peter Weller) gets blown away by some ruthless criminals, innovative scientists and doctors are able to piece him back together as an unstoppable crime-fighting cyborg called "Robocop." Impervious to bullets and bombs, and equipped with high-tech weaponry, Robocop quickly makes a name for himself by cleaning up the crime-ridden streets of violence-ravaged Detroit.

MET Opera Encore: Aida
Cost: $21.95 plus tax for Adults
Date/Time: Saturday, November 21st @ 2
Location: Park Lane (5657 Spring Garden) & Dartmouth Crossing (145 Shubie)
Behind the Scenes: Empire Theatres presents New York’s Metropolitan Opera's groundbreaking series of live, high-definition performance transmissions to select locations in Atlantic Canada.
The Movie: Set in ancient Egypt, Aida is both a heartbreaking love story and an epic drama full of spectacular crowd scenes. A cast of powerful voices and a grand production bring the story to life on the Met stage (and on the HD screen). Violeta Urmana stars in the title role of the enslaved Ethiopian princess, with Dolora Zajick as her rival. Johan Botha plays Radamès, commander of the Egyptian army, and Daniele Gatti conducts. Among the score’s highlights is the celebrated Triumphal March.

That's it for this week!
Posted by Out @ the Movies at 6:00 AM 0 comments Labels:

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

51 Precious Fantastic Blind Saints

Our next movie outing will be on Tuesday, November 24th! This time there are 5 movies up for a vote:
  • Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
  • Fantastic Mr. Fox
  • Planet 51
  • Precious
  • The Blind Side
Read on to find out a little more about each movie...

Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
What's it about? "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day" is the continuation of the saga [from The Boondock Saints] of the MacManus brothers. While in hiding with their father, Il Duce, the brothers learn that a beloved priest has been killed by sinister forces from deep within the mob and return to Boston to mount a violent and bloody crusade to bring justice to those responsible. Rounding out the cast is a new partner in crime and a sexy FBI operative.
Who's in it? Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Billy Connoly, Peter Fonda, Judd Nelson
When does it come out? November 13th Special Note: This movie will be Limited Release.
Why do you want to see it? The sequel to the indie hit The Boondock Saints (1999), this is a movie that has been ten years in the making!
How about that trailer?


Fantastic Mr. Fox
What's it about? Mr. and Mrs. Fox live an idyllic home life with their son Ash and visiting young nephew Kristopherson. But after 12 years, the bucolic existence proves too much for Mr Fox's wild animal instincts. Soon he slips back into his old ways as a sneaky chicken thief and in doing so, endangers not only his beloved family, but the whole animal community. Trapped underground and with not enough food to go around, the animals band together to fight against the evil Farmers -- Boggis, Bunce and Bean -- who are determined to capture the audacious, fantastic Mr. Fox at any cost.
Who's in it? George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson and more!
When does it come out? November 20th
Where can you find out more? http://www.fantasticmrfoxmovie.com/
Why do you want to see it? Perhaps you've heard of prolific author Roald Dahl? He wrote the books James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches and Matilda; all of which were made into amazing movies!
How about that trailer?


Planet 51
What's it about? Planet 51 is a galactic-sized animated alien adventure comedy revolving around American astronaut Captain Charles "Chuck" Baker, who lands on Planet 51 thinking he's the first person to step foot on it. To his surprise, he finds that this planet is inhabited by little green people who are happily living in a white picket fence world reminiscent of a cheerfully innocent 1950s America, and whose only fear is that it will be overrun by alien invaders...like Chuck! With the help of his robot companion "Rover" and his new friend Lem, Chuck must navigate his way through the dazzling, but bewildering, landscape of Planet 51 in order to escape becoming a permanent part of the Planet 51 Alien Invaders Space Museum.
Who's in it? Dwayne Johnson, Jessical Biel, Justin Long, Seann William Scott, John Cleese, Gary Oldman
When does it come out? November 20th
Why do you want to see it? A science fiction family comedy that pokes fun at most of the usual tropes of sci-fi with cutting edge animation and an all-star cast.
How about that trailer?


Precious
What's it about? Set in Harlem in 1987, Claireece "Precious" Jones is a 16-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother, a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and an awful secret: she can neither read nor write. Precious may sometimes be down, but she is never out. Beneath her impassive expression is a watchful, curious young woman with an inchoate but unshakeable sense that other possibilities exist for her. Threatened with expulsion, Precious is offered the chance to transfer to an alternative school, Each One/Teach One. Precious doesn't know the meaning of "alternative," but her instincts tell her this is the chance she has been waiting for. In the literacy workshop taught by the patient yet firm Ms. Rain, Precious begins a journey that will lead her from darkness, pain and powerlessness to light, love and self-determination.
Who's in it? Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz, Gabourey Sidibe
When does it come out? November 20th
Where can you find out more? http://www.weareallprecious.com/
Why do you want to see it? A) It's got Oprah's seal of approval; B) It's a heart-wrenching (and tear-jerking) drama that may just inspire you.
How about that trailer?


The Blind Side
What's it about? Teenager Michael Oher is surviving on his own, virtually homeless, when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy. Learning that the young man is one of her daughter's classmates, Leigh Anne insists that Michael -- wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter -- come out of the cold. Without a moment's hesitation, she invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. And, as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential, both on and off the football field, Michael's presence in the Tuohys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.
Who's in it? Sandra Bullock, Kathy Bates, Tim McGraw, Ray McKinnon, Quinton Aaron, Ashley LeConte Campbell, Eaddy Mays, Irone Singleton
When does it come out? November 20th
Where can you find out more? http://www.theblindsidemovie.com/
Why do you want to see it? Speaking of inspirational, tear-jerking movies! Sandra Bullock's gonna pull at your heart strings in this movie based on a real-life story.
How about that trailer?


Vote now!
The poll closes on Wednesday, November 18th @ 8 p.m.
Can't see the poll? Vote at http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/2237549/.
Posted by Out @ the Movies at 7:08 PM 0 comments Labels:
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