...Aaand scene.

Well, it's been a good run.

Out @ the Movies launched in April 2009 after I read an article about the Minnesota Movie Bears. The concept seemed simple: get together, see a movie, spend some social time.

Over the last two years, we've seen a lot of movies and a lot of connections have been created. I've made new friends and strengthened bonds with existing ones. Unfortunately, despite the occasional great turnout, we never seemed to reach that critical mass needed for it to be a self-sustaining group.

I've also been unable to commit to all the movie nights that I might like due to personal commitments. My attempts to find volunteers to take over have not been very successful.
So no more movie nights. The blog will stay up but will no longer be updated. The Facebook page and Twitter account will remain live for a little while longer before they are turned off.

In the end, I hope you remember the fun: enjoyable movies (either because they were actually good or because they were so wonderfully bad) and good conversation with a diverse group of moviegoers.

If you're LGBT in Halifax and looking for something to do, I'd encourage you to check out http://gay.hfxns.org.

Can't find a group that meets your needs? Start one! We need more recreational groups in Halifax.

Thanks to everyone who came out. I hope you enjoyed the experience as much as I.

I'll see you at the cinema.

-Kirk

Beginners - Reviews

So, first off: how amazing is the Oxford? It's a classic cinema in every sense of the word. And it's great to see that Empire Theatres is investing some money to refurbish the exterior. Perhaps some minor updates to the interior are in store (e.g., slightly more roomy seats?)

Now, the main attraction: Beginners. As usual, after seeing the movie, we went to a coffee shop where attendees could chat with each other about the movie (and anything else that comes up). Reviews were mixed for Beginners and some of the best comments were off the cuff, not actually written down. So let's start with what I remember people saying, slightly paraphrased and unattributed:

• The movie was the least enjoyable part of the evening.
• It was a good movie but it wasn't the movie that was advertised.
• Not what I was expecting but good for what it was.
• I fell asleep. Twice.
• There's an awful lot of gay history jammed in there!

Now, onto the actual reviews that some of our attendees provided:

• Ewan was on a TV commercial of an English school in Japan in 2000. -Tom
• The movie was a bit slow, however a good story. -Jeff
• [You'd be better off] renting the movie. -Kelly
• I enjoyed the trailers more than the move. -KC
• A cathartic experience if that's what you're looking for. -Chris
• A quirky take on grief, mourning and our quest for love, no matter who we are or who we love. At times funny, at times sad but always very human. -Kirk

So that's it for July!
No news yet on our August outing but you can keep up to date via our e-mail list, Facebook page or Twitter stream.

This is what love feels like

Halifax Pride is just a few days away! And why not celebrate by seeing a movie with Out @ the Movies?

In fact, there are two movies of interest this week: Beginners and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. And, if you time, it right, you'll be able to do both!
Priscilla is playing at Friday, July 15th at 11 p.m. at Park Lane (RSVP via Facebook).

But our movie outing is for the Ewan McGregor/Christopher Plummer movie, Beginners.
Synopsis

"Beginners" imaginatively explores the hilarity, confusion, and surprises of love through the evolving consciousness of Oliver. Oliver meets the irreverent and unpredictable Anna only months after his father Hal has passed away. This new love floods Oliver with memories of his father who -- following 44 years of marriage -- came out of the closet at age 75 to live a full, energized, and wonderfully tumultuous gay life. The upheavals of Hal's new honesty, by turns funny and moving, brought father and son closer than they'd ever been able to be. Now Oliver endeavors to love Anna with all the bravery, humor, and hope that his father taught him.

Trailer

Details

• Date: Friday, July 15th
• Location: the Oxford (corner of Oxford & Quinpool)
• Time: 6:30 to 10; movie starts at 7, is two hours long and an hour allotted for coffee afterwards.
• Cost: Tickets are $11.50
• Plan: We'll meet outside and head in at 6:30 to grab tickets, food and seats. Look for the rainbow flag! If you arrive later (or it's raining), just head in as soon as you arrive and look for the rainbow flag in the upper balcony.
• Post-movie: We'll head across the street to Tim Hortons/Cold Stone Creamery.

You can also RSVP via Facebook.

See you at the cinema!

Out @ Wide Open Wide

What is Wide Open Wide? Well, it's from Queer City Cinema. What is Queer City Cinema? well, it's "the largest and oldest ongoing lesbian and gay film arts festival between British Columbia and Ontario." And this year, they're doing a road show to Halifax! Look for 28 short films and videos, including some locally made ones!

The plan: ...This is a lot less organized than our typical outing. Basically, all you have to do is show up. It does run late (I believe ending around 11) so there won't be time for post-event discussion for many.

Here are the details:

• Saturday, June 25, starting at 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Carbon Arc Cinema @ The Khyber
• Cost: Just $6!!
• RSVP via Facebook
• More info? Official site.

A brief description (via their Facebook event): Wide Open Wide brings you twenty-eight queer films and videos that examine and play with notions of queer identity and that use queer experimental artistic expression to propose diverse ways of looking at sexuality, politics and queer media art itself. The films and videos selected represent artists from Victoria to Halifax and beyond and a variety of genres that collectively profile the interests and concerns of queer media artists.

I'll be there! Hope to see you there too.

-Kirk

June 15 - Out @ Stephen Sondheim's Company

Empire Theatres is presenting a broadcast of a star-studded edition of Stephen Sondheim's Company on Wednesday, June 15th at 7 p.m. at Park Lane. And Out @ the Movies is going!

The Plan: Meet at Park Lane before (tables by the arcade - look for a small rainbow flag), head in around 6:30 then bask in the glory of Sondheim then head down the street to Second Cup for coffee and conversation. (You can RSVP via Facebook.)

Ticket prices are a bit higher than a regular movie:

• General Admission: $19.95 +tax
• Golden Age: $17.95 +tax
• Child: $12.95 +tax

Synopsis (from empiretheatres.com):
Screenvision, The New York Philharmonic and EMK Productions are proud to present "Stephen Sondheim's Company with the New York Philharmonic" in movie theatres across North America. The production was shot in early April as part of the Philharmonic's spring gala. Neil Patrick Harris leads an all-star cast which included Patti LuPone, Stephen Colbert, Jon Cryer, Christina Hendricks, Craig Bierko and Martha Plimpton. Company's plot revolves around Bobby (a single man unable to commit fully to a steady relationship, let alone marriage), the five married couples who are his best friends, and his three girlfriends. It's a concept musical composed of short vignettes linked by a celebration for Bobby's 35th birthday.

A preview clip:

June outings (& the future!)

So you might've noticed there was no outing in May.

Which is a shame, because May was our two-year anniversary.

However, I've come to believe that the old format of Out @ the Movies (post a poll in first week of the month, announce event in second week, have event in third week, post reviews in fourth) hasn't been working for a while.

So we're a new approach: unpredictable!

There will be polls for movies every now and again but more often there will simply be events posted: come if you want, don't come if you don't want. Events will be posted on Facebook, Twitter, here on the blog and sent to our mailing list.

We'll actually be having two events in June. Two!

First up: Out @ Stephen Sondheim's Company - Wednesday, June 15

Secondly: Out @ Wide Open Wide - Saturday, June 25

There are a few movie outings I'm excited to organize for the summer. Perhaps even one during alFresco filmFesto?

I hope the new format sees success as we roll into our third year!

-Kirk

Scream 4 Reviews

First off, can we talk about Hayden Panettiere? Cause she was a major part of our post-Scream 4 discussion at Second Cup. First off, she rocks that new 'do! She really does. Secondly, sexy much? She works it as a confident gal who happens to be a fan of horror movies. Third, she kinda stole the show. At least, most of her scenes. Fourth, good for her! Breaking outta the 'Heroes mold.'

But what did everyone think of the whole movie? Let's take a look:

• Andrea F: Loved it. Predictable but great. Loved the ending!
• John B: Hugely enjoyable but surprisingly generic. Most enjoyment came from knowledge of prior movies... Other than that, a little pedestrian. "One rule you don't break - don't !@#$ with the original!"
• Cathy T: Exactly what I was expecting; enjoyable nonetheless.
• Andrew P: Scream 4 was enjoyable even without seeing the first three films, attesting ot the success of a good remake.
• Tom N: Jill's North American English was beautiful!
• Doug B: OK, OK...I jumped, may have screamed a tiny bit, laughed out loud, clapped and groaned ("Its just one word - CLEAR!"). I was hating it... thought the acting was piss-poor. Then I realized I wasn't getting it. Then I got it. Then I loved(ish) it (and only hid in my hoddie once!!).
• Richard S: My strongest reaction to Scream 4 was "fun!", followed closely by "that was a whole lot of cheesy one-liners." It definitely wasn't the most suspenseful or tense slasher flick, and it had a sense of humour about itself that I appreciated. All in all an enjoyable sort of movie that made me want to re-watch the franchise. (Also, and sorry for the spoiler, I wanted [removed by editor] to be the killer...)
• Kirk F: A fine addition to the Scream series. Lots of in-jokes and references to past movies that fans can appreciate. I loved Sydney's transformation from "final girl" to "girl who runs towards danger" a la Laurie Strode in Halloween H20. Lots of good jump-out-of-your-seat moments balanced with tons of humour.

Thanks to everyone who came out!

Be Prepared To Be Scared

It's April. A time of new beginnings. But we must remember the past.
So let's all get our adrenaline rush with Scream 4!
With 44% of the vote, Scream 4 is the clear winner of this month's poll. Unfortunately, our second-place winner, Daydream Nation, doesn't appear to be opening in Halifax this week. Ditto for our last-place candidate, Win Win. Rio's playing lots of places though.

When: Tuesday, April 19th

Where: Empire 8 Theatres at Park Lane Mall.

Cost: $5.99

The plan: The movie starts at 6:50. We'll start congregating around 6:15. Look for the guy in the orange ball cap and glasses. We're going to head in to grab seats and snacks around 6:30. If you can't make it until closer to the movie starts, someone will have the orange ball cap on right up until the trailers. After the movie, it's time for coffee and conversation at the Second Cup.

Share with friends: Post a link to this blog post or the Facebook event.

The movie...

Scream 4

Story: Sidney Prescott, now the author of a self-help book, returns home to Woodsboro on the last stop of her book tour. There she reconnects with Sheriff Dewey and Gale, who are now married, as well as her cousin Jill and her Aunt Kate. Unfortunately Sidney's appearance also brings about the return of Ghostface, putting Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, along with Jill, her friends, and the whole town of Woodsboro in danger.

Cast: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, David Arquette, Adam Brody, Anthony Anderson, Alison Brie

Web: http://www.scream-4.com/

Teaser:

Full Trailer:

Rio Screams to Win Daydreams

Moviegoers!

It's time to see a movie! We're heading out on Tuesday, April 19th to see a movie. But which one? Four possible options, all quite different:

• Daydream Nation - a coming of age drama
• Rio - animated family fun
• Scream 4 - the long-awaited sequel to the slasher flick that redefined everything
• Win Win - indie drama

Learn a little bit about each one and then vote in the poll at the bottom. Remember: only one vote per household.

Daydream Nation

Story: Seventeen-year-old Caroline Wexler is facing a teenager's nightmare: her widowed father has moved them from the big city to a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. When Caroline realizes she has nothing in common with the burnout losers in her new school she pursues the one person with who excites her interest - her handsome young teacher, Mr. Anderson. A bizarre love triangle ensues between Caroline, Mr. Anderson, and a sweet, but troubled classmate.

Cast: Kat Dennings, Reece Thompson, Andie MacDowell, Josh Lucas

Web: http://www.daydreamnationmovie.com/

Trailer:

Rio

Story: Blu is a domesticated Macaw who never learned to fly, living a comfortable life with his owner and best friend Linda in the small town of Moose Lake, Minnesota. Blu and Linda think he's the last of his kind, but when they learn about another Macaw who lives in Rio de Janeiro, they head to the faraway and exotic land to find Jewel, Blu's female counterpart. Not long after they arrive, Blu and Jewel are kidnapped by a group of bungling animal smugglers. With the help of street smart Jewel, and a group of wise-cracking and smooth-talking city birds, Blu escapes. Now, with his new friends by his side, Blu will have to find the courage to learn to fly, thwart the kidnappers who are hot on their trail, and return to Linda, the best friend a bird ever had.

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Jamie Foxx, Will i am

Web: http://www.rio-themovie.com/

Trailer:

Scream 4

Story: Sidney Prescott, now the author of a self-help book, returns home to Woodsboro on the last stop of her book tour. There she reconnects with Sheriff Dewey and Gale, who are now married, as well as her cousin Jill and her Aunt Kate. Unfortunately Sidney's appearance also brings about the return of Ghostface, putting Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, along with Jill, her friends, and the whole town of Woodsboro in danger.

Cast: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, David Arquette, Adam Brody, Anthony Anderson, Alison Brie

Web: http://www.scream-4.com/

Trailer:

Win Win

Story: Struggling attorney Mike Flaherty, who volunteers as a high-school wrestling coach, takes on the guardianship of an elderly client in a desperate attempt to keep his practice afloat. When the client's teenage grandson runs away from home and shows up on his grandfather's doorstep, Mike's life is turned upside down as his win-win proposition turns into something much more complicated than he ever bargained for.

Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Amy Ryan, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young, Bobby Cannavale, Amy Landecker, Margo Martindale, Finise Avery, Todd Fredericks

Web: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/winwin/

Trailer:

Had a good look? Time to vote! The poll will be open until Thursday, April 14th, when a winner will be announced.

(Can't see the poll? Go to http://poll.fm/2wk5e)

I Am Number Four Reviews

On February 22nd, we went to see I Am Number Four.

What's it about? In brief: it's about an alien teenager running for his life from enemy aliens while also navigating the perils of high school and first love.

And there are lots of special effects and explosions.

What did our panel of reviewers think?

• Brad: It was good, not exceptional a solid 7.5.
• Kirk: A little disappointing. I know it's written about/for teenagers but the dialog felt clunky/forced at several points. Also a tad heavy on the melodrama at points. Laughably so.
• Cathy: Cool effects; a little tedious at times. The comic relief helped with this though. I'm so glad the doggie is ok. :)
• Rebecca: It was cute. Funny. Long. Occasionally went for the smart joke instead of the obvious one, which was a welcome surprise. Very shiny, lots of explosions but the romance was eye-rolling.
• Laurie: Titan AE meets the The Matrix meets X-Men with a brief smattering of Cujo. It was entertaining but barely.
• Tom: Question - Why isn't the title, "I'm The Number Four?"
• Curtis L: Things I've learned from this movie: 1) All aliens turn to ash when they die. Instantly. 2) Aliens, like werewolves, fall in love with one person forever. Despite this, I Am #4 is a heckuva lot better than anything with vampires in it.

Of course the real question becomes... Will we see the inevitable sequel?

February 22 = Out @ I Am Number Four

Let's start off with who didn't make it: The Eagle & Just Go With It each scored 3 votes. Unknown and From Prada to Nada tied for second place with 6 votes each. [FYI for those who wanted to see From Prada to Nada: it doesn't appear to be playing in Halifax.] So our winner must be...

I Am Number Four

Time to see a movie about a teenage alien discovering his super-powers and meeting girls. And one of those girls also has super-powers!

The Plan...

• Location: Empire 8 Park Lane
• Day: Tuesday, February 22nd
• Time: A bit complicated. The movie starts at 7:30. We usually head in 15-20 minutes before the movie. However, kids are out of school for February break (up to and including most university students). And it's cheap night. So this could be quite busy!
  To ensure we have seats, we'll be heading into the theatre at 7. That means you should arrive between 6:30 and 7.
• As usual, look for the guy in glasses and an orange ballcap (that's me!).
• If you arrive later, I'll wear the ballcap during the commercials and previews.
• Tickets are $5.99 (and can be pre-purchased).
• After the movie, we'll brave the February weather for a walk down to the Second Cup (corner of Spring Garden Road and Queen).
• Once there, we'll discuss the movie and write up our reviews for the blog!
• If you're on Facebook, you can RSVP to the event. And invite your friends!

Here's the full recap of what we're heading out to see:

I Am Number Four

Three are dead. He is Number Four. D.J. Caruso helms an action-packed thriller about an extraordinary young man, John Smith, who is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri, John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events-his first love, powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny.

Cast: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron, Kevin Durand, Callan McAuliffe

Web: http://findnumberfour.com

Trailer:

Just Go With The Unknown Eagle From Prada Four

2011 is here! And we are a month behind in our movie outings. So let's make February a great movie night.
The date? February 22nd. The place? Empire 8 Park Lane, of course! The movies? ...We'll get to that in a moment.

First a plea: I need volunteers to act as hosts in March. I'm a full-time student (again) and have classes most weeknights so can't do the regular hosting duties. Which is why there was no movie night in January. I won't be able to host again until after classes finish in early April.

What would you have to do as host? Well, let's start with what you wouldn't have to do. I'd do all the leg work getting people to the movie theatre (creating blog post, e-mails, twitter, Facebook, etc). You need to arrive early wearing something distinctive (so newcomers know how to find you) and make everyone welcome. Make introductions and ensure everyone knows the plan (e.g., watch the movie and then go somewhere for post-movie discussion). After the movie, collect reviews from everyone who attended and get them to me (either physically or electronically) so I can post them here. And that's it! If you're interested, send me an e-mail.

So...
What are the potential movies for February 22nd?

• From Prada to Nada: From riches to (not-quite) rags.
• Just Go With It: Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston together again for the first time!
• The Eagle: Roman warriors! Rarrh!
• I Am Number Four: Alien super-power action type flick.
• Unknown: Liam Neeson doesn't know who he is. So he starts killing people.

Note: the only two that open the Friday immediately before our outing are I Am Number Four and Unknown.
Read on and vote below.

From Prada to Nada

(Opens February 11)

Two sisters, one a young beauty who chooses passion over logic, the other a law student whose fixed moral compass keeps her from following her desires, are uprooted from their luxurious home when their father suddenly passes away. Out of money and out of options, the women move into their Great Aunt Aurelia's modest, but lively home in the Latino-centric Boyle Heights neighborhood where they find themselves thrown into a world that, despite their heritage, seems completely foreign. Over time, they discover the beauty of the culture they once fought so desperately to hide. And in the process they find the one thing that had eluded them: love.

Cast: Camilla Belle, April Bowlby, Alexa Vega, Wilmer Valderrama, Nicholas D'Agosto, Kuno Becker, Adriana Barraza, Karla Souza, Alexis Ayala

Web: http://www.frompradatonadamovie.com

Trailer:

Just Go With It

(Opens February 11)

In "Just Go With It", a plastic surgeon, romancing a much younger schoolteacher, enlists his loyal assistant to pretend to be his soon to be ex-wife, in order to cover up a careless lie. When more lies backfire, the assistant's kids become involved, and everyone heads off for a weekend in Hawaii that will change all their lives.

Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman, Brooklyn Decker, Bailee Madison, Antoinette Nikprelaj, Nick Swardson, Heidi Montag, Rachel Specter, Elena Satine

Web: http://www.justgowithit-movie.com

Trailer:

The Eagle

(Opens February 11)

A Roman epic adventure, based on the classic novel of the same name, set in the dangerous world of second-century Britain. In 140 A.D., 20 years after the unexplained disappearance of the entire Ninth Legion in the mountains of Scotland, young centurion Marcus Aquila arrives from Rome to solve the mystery and restore the reputation of his father, the commander of the Ninth. Accompanied only by his British slave Esca, Marcus sets out across Hadrian's Wall into the uncharted highlands of Caledonia -- to confront its savage tribes, make peace with his father's memory, and retrieve the lost legion's golden emblem, the Eagle of the Ninth.

Cast: Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Mark Strong, Donald Sutherland, Tahar Rahim

Web: http://www.findtheeagle.com

Trailer:

I Am Number Four

(Opens February 18)

Three are dead. He is Number Four. D.J. Caruso helms an action-packed thriller about an extraordinary young man, John Smith, who is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri, John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events-his first love, powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny.

Cast: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron, Kevin Durand, Callan McAuliffe

Web: http://findnumberfour.com

Trailer:

Unknown

(Opens February 18)

Dr. Martin Harris awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife suddenly doesn't recognize him and another man has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired, and on the run.

Cast: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Frank Langella, Aidan Quinn, Bruno Ganz, Sebastian Koch, Mido Hamada, Karl Markovics, Stipe Erceg

Web: http://unknownmovie.warnerbros.com

Trailer:

Poll will remain open until the evening of February 15th when the winner will be announced and invitations sent out.

[Can't see the poll? Go to http://poll.fm/2ohsb to cast your vote.]

Tron: Legacy Reviews

Well, since today is February 4th and we saw Tron: Legacy (in fantastic 2D!) on December 21st, I think it's long past time that we got those reviews up! You can also head over to our Facebook page and see some photos of the post-movie coffee time.

What did everyone think? Well, it's a mixed bag. Read on!

• Overall, I'll give it 3/5 stars. Short on story, big on effects. I think they blew their budget on the Jeff Bridges' CGI. - Laurie M
• What can I say, "I loved it." Although I did not see the first one, my plan is to rent the first one and go see it again in 3D. - Ken
• Gorgeous design and art direction with a couple of plot holes to drive a light cycle through while The Dude knocks on the sky. - Peter
• I liked "Tokyo Nikkei Index." - Tom
• Loved Tron! I plan ti see it again in 3D IMAX - Les
• Nice visuals, with a plot that's philosophically deeper than at first glance. - Curtis L
• I found it tedious in places; I didn't really buy into the plot. It had some funny moments though and I enjoyed the pretty, pretty lights. - Cathy
• I thought the graphis for this movie were much better than the first. Loved Quorra. - Mary
• The company and popcorn were great! Happy holiday everyone. Oh, the movie was okay. - Tammy
• I miss 1982. - Calvin.

As you might've guessed: there was no movie outing in January but we will have another on February 22nd!