paul rudnick | the ultimate french film

"French culture remains unmatched. Our films include rollicking farces, searing documentaries, and quietly explosive investigations of family life. In these films, to avoid vulgarity, nothing happens, and none of the actors' faces ever move. French filmmaking has recently reached a peak with the almost entirely silent Oscar-winning movie The Artist. True cineastes say that the ultimate French film will be a still photograph of a dead mime."

from Vive La France
by Paul Rudnick
The New Yorker, March 26, 2012

may 10 | an encounter with simone weil

One soul foodie spotted this flick among the multitudinous doxa festival offerings.

An Encounter with Simone Weil
Julia Haslett, USA, 2010, 85 mins
Thursday May 10 | 3:45 PM | Pacific Cinémathèque
doxa web page

"After losing her father to suicide when she was 17 and subsequently witnessing her brother’s depression, filmmaker Julia Haslett develops a curiosity for French writer Simone Weil (1909 – 1943). Weil’s cause of death at age 34, listed as self-imposed starvation at the height of World War II, remains as controversial as her political writings today. Haslett is struck by this line written by Weil: “Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” It resonates deeply with her and becomes a catalyst for her actions. With 24-hour news reporting on the worsening political and economic conditions of millions around the world Haslett’s curiosity soon turns into a life-changing obsession. She journeys out to the places that Weil lived and worked, searches out key people in Weil’s life and even conjures up an actress to play Weil’s alter ego. Haslett pieces together a picture of who Weil was and the reasons that led to Weil’s loss of faith in revolutionary politics and, ultimately, in life itself. As her brother’s depression worsens, Haslett’s search becomes even more urgent. This critically acclaimed film melds contemporary and historical references, the personal and the universal, into an astonishing story about what it means to bear witness to suffering, both near and far." smiley films

"An Encounter with Simone Weil tells the story of French philosopher, activist, and mystic, Simone Weil (1909-1943) -- a woman Albert Camus described as "the only great spirit of our time." On her quest to understand Simone Weil, filmmaker Julia Haslett confronts profound questions of moral responsibility both within her own family and the larger world. From the battlefields of the Spanish Civil War to anti-war protests in Washington DC, from intimate exchanges between the filmmaker and her older brother, who struggles with mental illness, to captivating interviews with people who knew Simone Weil, the film takes us on an unforgettable journey into the heart of what it means to be a compassionate human being." linestreet.net

Weil's wikipedia entry provides a sense of her spiritual life:

"Weil was born into a secular household and raised in "complete agnosticism". As a teenager she considered the existence of God for herself and decided nothing could be known either way. In her Spiritual Autobiography however Weil records that she always had a Christian outlook, taking to heart the idea of loving one's neighbour from her earliest childhood. Weil became attracted to the Christian faith from 1935, the first of three pivotal experiences for her being when she was moved by the beauty of villagers singing hymns during an outdoor service that she stumbled across during a holiday to Portugal.

While in Assisi in the spring of 1937, she experienced a religious ecstasy in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli—the same church in which Saint Francis of Assisi had prayed. She was led to pray for the first time in her life as Cunningham (2004: p. 118) relates: "Below the town is the beautiful church and convent of San Damiano where Saint Clare once lived. Near that spot is the place purported to be where Saint Francis composed the larger part of his Canticle of Brother Sun. Below the town in the valley is the ugliest church in the entire environs: the massive baroque basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels, finished in the seventeenth century and rebuilt in the nineteenth century, which houses a rare treasure: a tiny Romanesque chapel that stood in the days of Saint Francis—the Little Portion where he would gather his brethren. It was in that tiny chapel that the great mystic Simone Weil first felt compelled to kneel down and pray."
She had another, more powerful, revelation a year later while reciting George Herbert's poem Love III, after which "Christ himself came down and took possession of me" and, from 1938 on, her writings became more mystical and spiritual, while retaining their focus on social and political issues. She was attracted to Roman Catholicism, but declined to be baptized; preferring to remain outside due to "the love of those things that are outside Christianity". During World War II, she lived for a time in Marseille, receiving spiritual direction from a Dominican friar. Around this time she met the French Catholic author Gustave Thibon, who later edited some of her work.
In 1942, she travelled to the United States with her family. Weil lived briefly in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. She is remembered to have attended daily Mass at Corpus Christi Church there, where the Columbia student and future Trappist monk Thomas Merton was later to be received into the Roman Catholic Church. Long believed not to have sought baptism, there is now evidence, including a claim from a priest who knew her, that she was baptized shortly before her death.

zona | stalker

Zona, by Geoff Dyer (Pantheon). In Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 film "Zona" (better known in English as "Stalker"), an outlaw-cum-shaman known as Stalker escorts two men, named Writer and Professor, through an uncanny, Chernobyl-like Aone in order to reach The Room, where innermost wishes are supposedly granted. Dyer's characteristic blend of fitful but astute scholarship, witty irreverence, and autobiographical digression (in footnotes that creep up the page) is here devoted to "summarizing the action of a film almost devoid of action." Cavorting from Wordsworth to "Where Eagles Dare," Dyer enacts in his light-footed prose what he considers to be "the most distinctive feature of Tarkovsky's art: the sense of beauty as force." Long asides on his own as yet unfulfilled wishes (for a threesome, for more literary accolades) will perhaps test the indulgence of even loyal fans."

The New Yorker, April 30, 2012

tyrannosaur

Missed this when it played the Fifth Avenue last week. Hoping it comes back to International Village.
 

"Joseph is an unemployed widower with a drinking problem, a man crippled by his own volatile temperament and furious anger. Hannah is a Christian charity shop worker, a respectable woman who seems wholesome and happy...."

Premiered at the 2011 Sundance International Film Festival, winning the World Cinema award for Directing, and Special Jury Prizes for the breakout performances of Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman.

"This film begins with one of the most viciously gut wrenching 'scar openers' in recent memory. Joseph (Peter Mullan) is a man beset with a furious temper and upon leaving the bookies in an apparent fit of blind rage, he delivers a brutal and what turns out to be fatal, kick to the ribs of his own poor barking dog. It's a brave directorial decision for Considine, risking the alienation of the audience to introduce his main character in this manner, revealing him as a nasty and violent drunkard who deserves no sympathy. From there, this devastating film doesn't ever really become anything close to an easy watch, but it remains an immensely captivating one..." Bonjour Tristesse

...thanks for the tip, Steph

mar 4/7/12 | george washington

I didn't see a ton of films last year. My hands-down favourite was GEORGE WASHINGTON, made by David Gordon Green in 2000 - which by the way has only a poetic connection with the dead president. There are comparisons with Malick, mostly in the very loose narrative style, the pre-eminence of image, and voice-over narration that evokes DAYS OF HEAVEN in a blend of naivete and insight that amounts to poetry. But where Malick is epic, Green is quotidian: where Malick's films are rural, Green turns his camera on the detritus and abandoned structures of industry in a faltering American town.

Don't go expecting TREE OF LIFE. It could be argued that the Malick film is his greatest (though I prefer DAYS OF HEAVEN), but in any case, it is the expression of a major film-maker in his maturity. GEORGE WASHINGTON was a film school project - though it may be the only film school project to be added to the Criterion collection.

I love this movie.

Pacific Cinematheque
Sunday, March 4, 2012 - 6:30pm
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 - 8:10pm
Monday, March 12, 2012 - 8:10pm

feb 9 | sister rosetta tharpe doc @ vancity

The Godmother of Rock & Roll: Sister Rosetta Tharpe
(2011, UK, Mick Csaky, 60m)

VIFC VanCity Theatre
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Doors 6:30; show 7
Tickets: $20.00

During the 40s, 50s and 60s Sister Rosetta Tharpe played a highly significant role in the creation of rock & roll, inspiring musicians like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Little Richard and Chuck Berry. Her fans include Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and Robert Plant to name a few.

She may not be a household name, but this flamboyant African-American gospel singing superstar, with her spectacular virtuosity on the newly electrified guitar, was one of the most influential popular musicians of the 20th century.

This exciting evening will include live music from Vancouver blues and gospel guitarist Chelsea D.E. Johnson.

feb 15 + 19 | to kill a mockingbird

cineplex classic film series

videomatica goes to school

The Videomatica movie collection has found a home! Something like 35,000 titles will become part of the UBC library system, with another smaller batch - including about 2,800 documentaries - to be housed at SFU. I'm not sure how many will be available for actual circulation, but a community library card ($120 a year) will give access to the movies at UBC. They'll become available sometime in 2013.

Whew!

(Don't forget that the sales department of Videomatica already had its resurrection - they reopened a while back, across the street and up a block, in Zulu Records.)

jan 19/20 | margaret

MARGARET is back! Two nights only, Jan 18 & 19, at the Vancouver International Film Centre. Kenneth Lonergan's film is loose, structurally, and chooses a different sort of narrative shape than the vast majority of commercial movies: it wanders, observes, doesn't build to carefully sculpted climaxes, doesn't hit its points on the head. For some, it overstays its welcome: its fans (I'm one) wish it ran the full 3+ hours that I think the director would prefer. My favourite of the films I've seen this year - indeed, I have to go back to TREE OF LIFE last July to find the last movie I enjoyed as much, and that stayed on my mind so long.

One astute friend wrote "It's was a good 90 minute film that was 180 minutes long. Mr. Lonergan needed a good editor. Besides the scenic filler, he left in many 'good' scenes that either did nothing to further the story or completely lacked any 'stakes'. I wasnt certain what the young woman's dilemma really was - guilt over her participation in the accident?, angst over her life and it's expectations?, tension from coming of age?"

I completely disagree (and reassure potential viewers that MARGARET is only 150 minutes long), but I pass along his comments as fair warning that your reaction may be the same. Lonergan either tried and failed to make the kind of "well made" movie my friend describes, or he was doing something quite different and succeeded - if not completely, enough for me to love his movie.

jan 6 7 9 11-16, feb 3-5 18-19 | tarkovsky at cinematheque

A standing ovation to Pacific Cinematheque for its upcoming retrospective featuring every film but one (Stalker) by legendary Russian film-maker Andrei Tarkovsky, one of the essential Soul Food directors - challenging, uncompromising, rewarding. The opportunity to see these pictures on a large screen is to be coveted - the epic scope of Andrei Rublev in particular (here's my article) demands that sort of scale, the story of a religious artist struggling with his vocation in the face of overwhelming human suffering.


Andrei Rublev
Friday, January 6, 2012 - 6:30pm
Saturday, January 7, 2012 - 6:30pm
Monday, January 9, 2012 - 6:30pm

Ivan’s Childhood
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 7:00pm
Friday, January 13, 2012 - 8:45pm
Sunday, January 15, 2012 - 8:45pm
Monday, January 16, 2012 - 7:00pm

The Mirror
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 8:45pm
Thursday, January 12, 2012 - 6:45pm
Saturday, January 14, 2012 - 8:45pm
Sunday, January 15, 2012 - 6:45pm

Nostalghia
Friday, February 3, 2012 - 6:30pm
Saturday, February 4, 2012 - 9:10pm
Sunday, February 5, 2012 - 4:00pm

The Sacrifice
Friday, February 3, 2012 - 8:50pm
Saturday, February 4, 2012 - 6:30pm
Sunday, February 5, 2012 - 6:30pm

Solaris
Saturday, February 18, 2012 - 6:30pm
Sunday, February 19, 2012 - 6:30pm

Solaris (Soderbergh, 2002)
Steven Soderbergh’s ambitious remake of Tarkovsky's Solaris stars George Clooney and Natascha McElhone.
Saturday, February 18, 2012 - 9:30pm
Sunday, February 19, 2012 - 4:30pm

The Soul Food Movies of 2011

Pure vanilla post for now: embarrassingly flimsy. But if I wait until it's all fancy and everything, it'll never get posted. I'll flesh it out over the next week or two. For now, just a list of 2011 Soul Food films, accompanied by their Movie City News and Jeffry Overstreet's rankings. Not the top films of the year, not my favourite films of the year: but the films I'd cover in my Soul Food book if I started writing it again - each has some particular spiritual angle. I haven't seen them all: thanks to Ebenezer Scrooge, I saw fewer films last year than I had in more than a dozen prior years. But for now I'll say, the boldfaced ones are Soul Food classics: a bumper crop in any year!

SOUL FOOD MOVIES 2011

BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK
MCN 57
Unassuming documentary about an unassuming man may end up my favourite film of 2011. I don't expect it to be anyone else's, but... It got to me.

HIGHER GROUND
MCN 70
Reportedly balanced study of mid-century conservative Christian culture.

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
MCN 10, JO 6
Cult story has appeal for some Christian cinephiles.

MELANCHOLIA
MCN 6
DOGVILLE's one of my three favourite films, but I honestly don't know if I can see another new film from Lars Von Trier after MANDERLAY and ANTICHRIST. But this one's getting praise that eluded those: study of clinical depression and the end of the world.

THE MILL AND THE CROSS
MCN 77, JO 3
Wow. Takes us inside Breughel's painting. VANCOUVERITES: DON'T MISS ITS JAN 6-12 RUN AT VANCITY!

MYSTERIES OF LISBON
MCN 24
Multi-hour story spans a life, draws comparisons with Les Miserables, features a priest. (Oooh, now THAT'S a write-up!...)

OF GODS AND MEN
MCN 42, JO 4
Masterpiece about Algerian monks. (Look, I told you this was gonna be cursory for now...)

SOUL SURFER
MCN 126
People say, better than expected.

TREE OF LIFE
MCN 1, JO 2
Cannes winner. Best Terrence Mallick since DAYS OF HEAVEN.

THE WAY
MCN 110
Seeing this tomorrow. Not showing up on any lists, but everyone who sees it tells me it's swell, and definitely Soul Food.

WRESTLING FOR JESUS
JO Silver
Overstreet: "Getting to know men who stage wrestling matches in Jesus’ name, Nathan Clarke has made the most thoughtful documentary about evangelical Christianity in America I’ve ever seen. He’s respectful, even-handed, and fearless in provoking questions. It’ll spark discussions about masculinity, marriage, family, and the definition of 'calling.' Moreover, he shows us how dramatic conversions and theatrical Christianity can often distort the Gospel or leave it behind entirely."

PS

SON OF MAN
An all-time favourite of mine, a South African take on the life of Jesus that played VIFF a few years back. Waited forever for it to become available on DVD: 2011's the year it became viewable for Canadians, streaming, on Netflix. Watch it!

DON'T MISS... Margaret | this week only!

Writer/director Kenneth Lonergan made a remarkable first film that's not mentioned too often these days, but which was an extreme favourite of mine. YOU CAN COUNT ON ME (2000) introduced me to both Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo, in remarkable performances.

It's taken over a decade for his second film to reach the screen. MARGARET is praised by everybody who sees it - though that "everybody" is a very small everybody, since it's mostly only been screened in New York, and even that in limited runs. Anna Paquin and Matt Damon headline, Mark Ruffalo's back and Jean Reno is in the cast, but I'm equally excited to see playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis (Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train, The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot) onscreen.

THREE SHOWINGS ONLY, this week, at the Vancouver International Film Centre (AKA the VanCity).

Mon Jan 2, 8pm
Wed Jan 4, 8pm
Thu Jan 5, 8pm

This from the VIFC website:

Hollywood doesn’t produce too many movies like this, and when it does, it doesn’t know what to do with them. Lonergan’s long-awaited, troubled follow up to You Can Count On Me is a volcanic, raw, turbulent drama, probably the most ambitious American film of the year.

Seventeen-year-old Lisa (Anna Paquin) is rocked with guilt after a woman is killed in a traffic accident (she had inadvertently distracted the driver). But that’s only one thread in a teeming social tapestry this intense, passionate teen must negotiate as she comes of age in a time of contradiction and confusion.

“Bursts with ambition and specificity… Paquin deserves the highest accolades for her ferociously committed performance…The film has a cumulative power – solidified by a devastating opera-house finale – that’s staggering. This is frayed-edges filmmaking at its finest.” Keith Uhlich, Time Out New York

“Wildly ambitious… embraces big and rich themes and sumptuous tones and moods with a remarkable scope and nuance… For all its awkwardness and uncertainty, the film is a city symphony, romantic yet scathing, lyrical with street life and vaulting skylines, reckless with first adventure, and awed by the abstractions, both intellectual and poetic, on which the great machine runs.” Richard Brody, The New Yorker

500 Soul Food Movies: A guide to films with a spiritual flavor

13 Conversations About One Thing (2001, USA, Sprecher)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968, USA, Kubrick)
21 Grams (2003, USA, Inarritu)
28 Up (1985, UK, Apted)
3 Godfathers (1948, USA, Ford)
42 (2013, USA, Helgeland)
49th Parallel (1941, UK, Powell)
About A Boy (2002, UK, Weitz)
About Schmidt (2002, USA, Payne)
Acts of the Apostles ("Atti degli apostoli" 1969, Italy, Rossellini)
Adam's Apples ("Adams æbler" 2005, Denmark, Jensen)
The Addiction (1995, USA, Ferrara)
After Life ("Wandafaru raifu" 1998, Japan, Kore-eda)
Agnes Of God (1985, USA, Jewison)
The Agony and The Ecstasy (1965, USA, Reed)
Amadeus (1984, USA, Forman)
Amateur (1994, USA, Hartley)
Amazing Grace (2006, UK/USA, Apted)
Amelie ("Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain" 2001, France, Jeunet)
Amen. (2002, France/Germany, Costa-Gavras)
American Beauty (1999, USA, Mendes)
Amistad (1997, USA, Spielberg)
Anchoress (1993, Belgium, Stanley-Smith)
And God Spoke (1993, USA, Borman)
Andrei Rublev (1966, USSR, Tarkovsky)
Angel-A (2005, France, Besson)
Angels of the Streets ("Les Anges du péché" 1943, France, Bresson)
Angels With Dirty Faces (1938, USA, Curtiz)
Antkeepter (1966, USA, Forsberg)
Apocalypto (2006, USA, Gibson)
The Apostle (1997, USA, Duvall)
The Apu Trilogy (1955-1959, India, S. Ray)
L'Argent (1983, France, Bresson)
Around The Bend (2004, USA, Roberts)
The Assisi Underground (1985, USA, Ramati)
Atonement (2007, UK, Wright)
Au Hasard Balthazar (1966, France, Bresson)
Au Revoir, Les Enfants (1987, France, Malle)
Augustine of Hippo (1972, Italy, Rossellini)
Auto Focus (2002, USA, Schrader)
Babette's Feast ("Babettes gæstebud" 1987, Denmark, Axel)
Bad Lieutenant (1992, USA, Ferrara)
Barabbas (1962, Italy, Fleischer)
Barcelona (1994, USA, Stillman)
Becket (1964, UK/USA, Glenville)
Bedazzled (1967, UK, Donen)
The Believer (2001, USA, Bean)
Bella (2006, USA/Mexico, Monteverde)
The Bells of St. Mary's (1945, USA, McCarey)
Ben X (2007, Belgium, Balthazar)
Ben-Hur: A Tale Of The Christ (1959, USA, Wyler)
The Bible: In The Beginning... (1966, USA, Huston)
The Big Country (1958, USA, Wyler)
The Big Fisherman (1959, USA, Borzage)
The Big Kahuna (1999, USA, Swanbeck)
Big Night (1996, USA, Tucci/Scott)
Black Narcissus (1947, UK, Powell/Pressburger)
Black Robe (1991, Canada/Australia, Beresford)
Black Snake Moan (2007, USA, Brewer)
Blade Runner (1982, USA, Scott)
Blood Freak (1972, USA, Grinter/Hawkes)
The Blood Of Jesus ("Glory Road" 1941, USA, Williams)
Bonhoeffer: Agent Of Grace ("Bonhoeffer - Die letzte Stufe" 2000, Canada/Germany, Till)
Boogie Nights (1997, USA, P.T. Anderson)
The Book Of Life (1998, France/USA, Hartley)
Boys Town (1938, USA, Taurog)
Breaking The Waves (1996, Denmark, von Trier)
Brideshead Revisited (2008, UK, Jarrold)
The Bridge Of San Luis Rey (1944, USA, Lee)
Brighton Rock ("Young Scarface" 1947, UK, Boulting)
Broadway Danny Rose (1984, USA, Allen)
Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972, England/Italy, Zeffirelli)
The Brothers Karamazov (1958, USA, Brooks)
Bruce Almighty (2003, USA, Shadyac)
Bull Durham (1988, USA, Shelton)
Cammina Cammina ("Keep Walking" 1983, Italy, Olmi)
The Cardinal (1963, USA, Preminger)
Cat People (1942, USA, Tourneur)
Cat People (1982, USA, Schrader)
The Celebration ("Festen" 1998, Denmark, Vinterberg)
Central Station ("Central do Brasil" 1998, Brazil, Salles)
Changing Lanes (2002, USA, Michell)
Chariots Of Fire (1981, UK, Hudson)
Children Of Men (2006, UK, Cuaron)
Chocolat (2000, USA, Hallstrom)
The Chorus ("Les Choristes" 2004, France, Barratier)
The Chosen (1981, USA, Kagan)
Close-Up ("Nema-ye Nazdik" 1990, Iran, Kiarostami)
Clueless (1995, USA, Heckerling)
Cold Heaven (1990, USA, Roeg)
The Confessionnal ("The Confessional" 1995, Canada, Lepage)
Contact (1997, USA, Zemeckis)
Cool & Crazy ("Heftig og begeistret" 2001, Norway, Jensen)
Cool Hand Luke (1967, USA, Rosenberg)
Copying Beethoven (2006, USA, Holland)
Cotton Patch Gospel (1988, USA, Meece/Treyz)
The Count Of Monte Cristo (2002, USA/England, Reynolds)
Cousin Bobby (1992, USA, Demme)
Crime and Punishment (1935, France, Chenal)
Crimes and Misdemeanours (1989, USA, Allen)
A Cry In The Dark ("Evil Angels" 1998, Australia, Schepisi)
Cry The Beloved Country (1951, UK, Korda)
Cry The Beloved Country (1995, South Africa, Roodt)
Curse Of The Demon ("Night Of The Demon" 1957, UK, Tourneur)
The Da Vinci Code (2006, USA, Howard)
Damien (1978, USA)
Dancer In The Dark (2000, Denmark, von Trier)
Day of Wrath ("Vredens dag" 1943, Denmark, Dreyer)
The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951, USA, Wise)
The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008, USA, Derrickson)
Days of Heaven (1978, USA, Malick)
Dead Man Walking (1995, USA, Robbins)
Dear Wendy (2005, Denmark, Vinterberg)
Death In Holy Orders (2003, Campbell)
The Death Of Mr Lazarescu (2005, Romania, Puiu)
Dekalog ("The Decalogue" 1989, Poland, Kieslowski)
Dersu Uzala (1975, Japan, Kurosawa)
The Devil At 4 O'Clock (1961, USA, LeRoy)
The Devil's Advocate ("Des Teufels Advokat" 1977, West Germany, Green)
The Diary of a Country Priest ("Journal d'un curé de campagne" 1950, France, Bresson)
Dogma (1999, USA, Smith)
Dogville (2003, Denmark, von Trier)
La Dolce Vita (1960, Italy/France, Fellini)
Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (2005, USA, Schrader)
The Dreamlife Of Angels ("La Vie rêvée des anges" 1998, France, Zonka)
Dry Season ("Daratt" 2006, Chad, Haroun)
Eat Drink Man Woman ("Yin shi nan nu" 1994, Taiwan, Lee)
The Eighth Day ("Le Huitième jour" 1996, France, van Dormael)
The End Of The Affair (1955, UK, Dmytryk)
The End Of The Affair (1999, USA, Jordan)
End of the Spear (2005, USA, Hanon)
L'Enfant (2005, Belgium, Dardenne)
Entertaining Angels (1996, USA, Rhodes)
Esther (1986, Israel/Austria/UK, Gitai)
Eureka ("Yûreka" 2000, Japan, Aoyama)
Europa 51 (1952, Italy, Rossellini)
Evan Almighty (2007, USA, Shadyac)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005, USA, Derrickson)
The Exorcist (1973, USA, Friedkin)
The Eyes Of Tammy Faye (2000, USA, Bailey/Barbato)
Fall From Grace (1990, USA, Arthur)
Father Brown ("The Detective" 1954, England, Hamer)
Father Brown, Detective (1934, USA, Sedgwick)
Faust ("Faust: Eine deutsche Volkssage" 1926, Germany, Murnau)
Faustina (1995, Poland, Lukaszewicz)
Fearless (1993, USA, Weir)
Fiddler On The Roof (1971, USA, Jewison)
Field Of Dreams (1989, USA, Robinson)
Fight Club (1999, USA, Fincher)
Final Solution (2001, USA, Krusen)
Flatliners (1990, USA, Schumacher)
The Flowers of St. Francis ("Francesco, guillare di Dio" 1950, Italy, Rossellini)
Forgiveness (2004, South Africa, Gabriel)
Forgiving Dr. Mengele (2006, USA, Hercules/Pugh)
Forrest Gump (1994, USA, Zemeckis)
Francesco (1989, Italy/Germany, Cavani)
Francis of Assisi (1961, USA, Curtiz)
Fried Green Tomatoes (1991, USA, Avnet)
Friendly Persuasion (1956, USA, Wyler)
The Fugitive (1947, USA/Mexico, Ford)
The Funeral (1996, USA, Ferrara)
The Gambler ("A Játékos"1997, Hungary/UK, Makk)
Gandhi (1982, UK, Attenborough)
The Garden of Allah (1936, USA, Boleslawski)
Gates Of Heaven (1978, USA, Morris)
Genesis: The Creation and The Flood ("Genesi: La creazione e il diluvio," 1994, Olmi)
George Wallace (1997, USA, Frankenheimer)
Germany Year Zero (1947, Rossellini)
Glory (1989, USA, Zwick)
God Told Me To (1976, USA, Cohen)
The Godfather Trilogy (1972/1974/1990, USA, Scorsese)
Godspell (1973, USA, Greene)
Going My Way (1945, USA, McCarey)
Golem: Spirit of Exile ("Golem, l'esprit de le'exil" 1992, France/Germany/etc, Gitai)
Golgotha (1935, France, Duvivier)
Good Sam (1948, USA, McCarey)
The Gospel (2005, USA, Hardy)
The Gospel According to St. Matthew ("Il Vangelo secondo Matteo" 1966, Italy, Pasolini)
The Gospel According to Vic ("Heavenly Pursuits" 1985, UK, Gormley)
The Gospel of John: The Visual Bible (2003, Canada, Saville)
Grand Canyon (1991, USA, Kasdan)
The Great Sinner (1949, USA, Siodmak)
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965, USA, Stevens)
The Green Mile (1999, USA, Darabont)
The Green Ray ("Le Rayon verte" "Summer" 1986, France, Rohmer)
The Green Room ("La Chambre verte" 1978, France, Truffaut)
Groundhog Day (1993, USA, Ramis)
Hail Mary ("Je Vous Salue, Marie" 1985, France, Godard)
Hallelujah! (1929, USA, Vidor)
Hard Eight ("Sydney" 1996, USA, P.T. Anderson)
Hardcore (1979, USA, Schrader)
Harold & Maude (1971, USA, Ashby)
Hawaii, Oslo (2004, Norway, Poppe)
He Who Must Die ("Celui qui doit mourir" "The Greek Passion" 1958, Italy, Dassin)
The Heart of the Matter (1953, UK, O'Ferrall)
Heaven (2002, Germany, Tykwer)
Heaven Over The Marshes ("Cielo sulla palude" 1949, Italy, Genina)
Heavens Above! (1963, UK, Boulting)
Hell House (2001, USA, Ratliff)
Hellraiser V: Inferno (2000, USA, Derrickson)
Henry Poole Is Here (2008, USA, Pellington)
The Hiding Place (1975, USA, Collier)
Hill Number One (1951, USA, Pierson)
Homicide (1991, USA, David Mamet)
Hoodlum Priest (1961, USA, Kershner)
How Green Was My Valley (1941, USA, Ford)
Humanity ("l'Humanite" 2001, France, Bruno Dumont)
I Confess (1953, USA, Hitchcock)
I Walked With A Zombie (1943, USA, Tourneur)
The Idiot ("Hakuchi" 1951, Japan, Kurosawa)
Ikiru (1952, Japan, Kurosawa
In Bruges (2008, UK/Belgium, McDonagh)
In Your Hands ("Forbrydelser" 2004, Denmark, Olesen)
An Inspector Calls (1954, England, Hamilton)
Into Great Silence ("Die Große Stille" 2005, France, Gröning)
Into The Wild (2007, USA, Penn)
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Through The Ages (1916, USA, Griffith)
The Iron Giant (1999, USA, Bird)
Italian For Beginners ("Italiensk for begyndere" 2000, Denmark, Scherfig)
It's A Wonderful Life (1946, USA, Capra)
Jacob's Ladder (1990, USA, Lyne)
Jeanne la Pucelle ("Joan The Maid," 1994, France, Rivette)
Jesus (1999, USA, Young)
Jesus Camp (2006, USA, Ewing/Grady)
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973, USA, Jewison)
Jesus Of Montreal ("Jésus de Montréal" 1989, Canada, Arcand)
Jesus Of Nazareth (1977, UK/Italy, Zeffirelli)
The Jesus Trip ("Under Hot Leather" 1971, USA, Mayberry)
Jesus: The Genesis Project (1979, USA, Sykes/Kirsh)
Joan of Arc (1948, USA, Fleming)
Joan of Arc at the Stake (1954, Italy, Rossellini)
Joe Versus The Volcano (1990, USA, Shanley)
Joshua (2002, USA, Purdy)
The Judas Project (1990, USA, Barden)
Junebug (2005, USA, Morrison)
Keeping The Faith (2000, USA, Norton)
The Keys of the Kingdom (1944, USA, Stahl)
The Killer ("Dip huet seung hung" 1989, Hong Kong, Woo)
The King (2005, USA, Marsh)
King Of Kings (1926, USA, DeMille)
King Of Kings (1961, USA, N. Ray)
Koyaanisqatsi ("Life Out Of Balance" 1982, USA, Reggio)
Land Of Plenty (2005, USA, Wenders)
Lars and the Real Girl (2007, USA, Gillespie)
The Last Days of Disco (USA, Stillman)
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988, USA, Scorsese)
The Last Wave (1977, Australia, Weir)
Leap Of Faith (1992, USA, Pearce)
Leaves From Satan's Book ("Blade af Satans Bog," 1921, Denmark, Dreyer)
Left Behind (2000, USA, Sarin)
The Left Hand Of God (1955, USA, Dmytryk)
Leon Morin, Priest ("Léon Morin, prêtre" 1961, France, Melville)
Life Is Beautiful ("La Vita è bella" 1997, Italy, Benigni)
Life Of Brian (1979, UK, Jones)
Lilies Of The Field (1963, USA, Nelson)
Lilya 4-Ever (2002, Sweden, Moodysson)
The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (2005, USA, Adamason)
Little Children (2006, USA, Field)
Longford (2006, UK/USA, Hooper)
The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003, New Zealand, Jackson)
Lost In The Stars (1974, USA, D. Mann)
Love Affair (1939, USA, McCarey)
Luther (1973, UK, Green)
Luther (2003, Germany, Till)
Machuca (2004, Chile, Wood)
Magnolia (1999, USA, P.T. Anderson)
Man Dancin' (2003, UK, Stone)
A Man Escaped ("Un condamné à mort s'est échappé" 1956, France, Bresson)
A Man For All Seasons (1966, USA, Zinnemann)
A Man For All Seasons (1988, USA, Heston)
The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1937, UK, Mendes)
The Man Who Planted Trees ("L'Homme qui plantait des arbres" 1987, Canada, Back)
The Man Without A Past ("Mies vailla menneisyyttä" 2002, Finland, Kaurismaki)
Manon of the Spring ("Manon des sources" 1986, France, Berri)
Martin Luther (1953, USA, MacGinnis)
Mary (2005, USA/France/Italy, Ferrara)
Mass Appeal (1984, USA, Jordan)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003, USA, Weir)
Matewan (1987, USA, Sayles)
The Matrix (1999, USA, Wachowski)
Mean Streets (1973, USA, Scorsese)
Meet Joe Black (1998, USA, Brest)
The Merchant Of Venice (2004, USA, Radford)
Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999, France, Besson)
Metropolis (1927, Germany, Lang)
Metropolitan (1990, USA, Stillman)
The Milky Way ("La Voie lactée" 1965, France, Bunuel)
Million Dollar Baby (2004, USA, Eastwood)
Millions (2004, UK, Danny Boyle)
The Miracle (in "L'Amore" 1948, Italy, Rossellini)
Miracle at St. Anna (2008, USA, S. Lee)
The Miracle Maker (2000, UK, Hayes/Sokolov)
The Mirror ("Zerkalo," 1974, USSR, Tarkovsky)
Les Miserables ("Les Miserables du vingtieme siecle" 1995, France, LeLouche)
Les Miserables (1998, UK, August)
Les Miserables (1935, Richard Boleslawski)
The Mission (1986, UK, Joffé)
Mister Moses (1965, USA, Neame)
Molokai: The Story Of Father Damien (1999, Belgium/Australia, Cox)
A Moment of Innocence (1996, Iran, Makhmalbaf)
Monsieur Ibrahim ("Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran" 2003, France, Dupeyron)
Monsieur Vincent (1947, France, Cloche)
Monsignor Quixote (1987, UK, Bennett)
Moses (1995, USA, Young)
Most ("The Bridge" 2003, USA, Garabedian)
Mother Teresa ("Madre Teresa" 2003, Spain, Costa)
Mouchette (1967, France, Bresson)
Moulin Rouge (2001, Australia, Luhrmann)
My Night At Maud's ("Ma Nuit chez Maud" 1969, France, Rohmer)
The Nativity Story (2006, USA, Hardwicke)
Nazarin (1958, Mexico, Bunuel)
The Neon Bible (1995, UK, Davies)
The New World (2005, USA, Malick)
The Next Voice You Hear (1950, USA, Wellman)
Nighmare Alley (1947, USA, Goulding)
The Night Of The Hunter (1955, USA, Laughton)
Night of the Shooting Stars ("La Notte di San Lorenzo" 1982, Italy, Taviani)
Nights Of Cabiria ("Le Notti di Cabiria" 1957, Italy, Fellini)
The Ninth Configuration ("Twinkle, Twinkle, Killer Kane" 1980, USA, Blatty)
The Ninth Day ("Der Neunte Tag" 2004, Germany, Schlondorff)
Noëlle (2007, USA, Wall)
Northfork (2003, USA, Polish)
Nostalgia ("Nostalghia" 1983, USSR/Italy, Tarkovsky)
Not Of This World ("Fuori dal mondo" 1999, Italy, Piccioni)
The Notorious Bettie Page (2005, USA, Harron)
The Nun ("La Religieuse" 1966, France, Rivette)
The Nun's Story (1959, USA, Zinnemann)
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000, USA, Coen)
Of Gods and Men ("Des Hommes et des dieu" 2010, France, Beauvois)
Oh, God! (1977, USA, Reiner)
On The Waterfront (1954, USA, Kazan)
One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich (1970, UK, Wrede)
One Hundred Nails ("Centochiodi" 2007, Italy, Olmi)
Open City ("Roma, città aperta" 1946, Italy, Rossellini)
Open Your Eyes ("Abre los ojos" 1997, Spain, Amenábar)
Ordet ("The Word" 1955, Denmark, Dreyer)
Ostrov ("Остров" "The Island" 2006, USSR, Lungin)
The Painted Veil (2006, USA, Curran)
Paisan ("Paisà" 1946, Italy, Rossellini)
Pale Rider (1985, USA, Eastwood)
Pan's Labyrinth ("El Laberinto del fauno" 2006, Mexico/Spain, del Toro)
Parable (1964, USA, Forsberg)
Pascali's Island (1988, UK, Dearden)
The Passing of the Third Floor Back (1935, UK, Viertel)
Passion Of Joan of Arc ("La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc" 1928, France, Dreyer)
The Passion of the Christ (2004, USA, Gibson)
Personal Velocity (2002, USA, Miller)
Peter and Paul (1981, USA, Day)
Phone Booth (2002, USA, Schumacher)
Pickpocket (1959, France, Bresson)
Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975, Australia, Weir)
Pieces of April (2003, USA, Hedges)
Places in the Heart (1984, USA, Benton)
Possible Films (2004, USA, Hartley)
The Power and the Glory (1961, USA, Daniels)
Prince Caspian (2008, UK/USA, Adamson)
The Prince Of Egypt (1998, USA, Chapman/Hickner/Wells)
The Princess and The Warrior ("Der Krieger und die Kaiserin" 2000, Germany, Tykwer)
Prisoners of the Sun ("Blood Oath" 1990, Australia, Wallace)
The Prodigal (1955, USA, Thorpe)
La Promesse ("The Promise" 1996, Belgium, Dardenne)
Pulp Fiction (1994, USA, Tarantino)
Punch-Drunk Love (2000, USA, Anderson)
Question 7 (1961, USA, Rosenberg)
The Quiet American (1958, USA, Mankiewicz)
The Quiet American (2002, USA, Noyce)
Quo Vadis (1951, Mervyn LeRoy)
Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981, USA, Spielberg)
The Rapture (1991, USA, Tolkin)
The Reaping (2007, USA, Hopkins)
Repentance ("Monanieba" "Pokayanie" 1984, USSR, Abuladze)
Requiem (2006, Germany, Schmid)
Requiem For A Dream (2000, USA, Aronofsky)
Resurrection ("Risurrezione" 2001, Italy, Taviani)
Resurrection (1980, USA, Petrie)
Resurrection (1999, USA, Mulcahy)
Return To Me (2000, USA, Hunt)
The Revolt Of Job ("Jób lázadása" 1983, Hungary, Gyöngyössy/Kabay )
La Ricotta (in "RoGoPaG") 1963, Italy, Pasolini)
A River Runs Through It (1992, USA, Redford)
Rivers & Tides (2001, Germany/UK, Riedelsheimer)
The Robe (1953, USA, Koster)
Romero (1989, USA, Duigan)
The Rookie (2002, USA, Hancock)
Rosetta (1999, Belgium, Dardenne)
Run Lola Run ("Lola rennt" 1998, Germany, Tykwer)
The Sacrifice ("Offret" 1986, Sweden, Tarkovsky)
Saint Joan (1957, USA, Preminger)
Saint Ralph (2004, Canada, McGowan)
Salome (1953, USA, Dieterle)
Samson and Delilah (2007, Netherlands, van Eijk)
Sanctuary of Fear ("Father Brown, Detective" 1979, USA, Moxey)
Sansho The Bailiff ("Sanshô dayû" 1954, Japan, Mizoguchi)
Satan Never Sleeps ("Flight From Terror," 1962, UK/USA, McCarey)
Saved! (2004, USA, Dannelly)
Saving Grace (1985, USA, Young)
Say Amen, Somebody (1982, USA, Nierenberg)
The Scarlet And The Black (1983, USA, London)
Schindler's List (1993, USA, Spielberg)
The Sea Inside ("Mar adentro" 2004, Spain, Amenábar)
Secret Sunshine ("Milyang" 2007, South Korea, C. Lee)
Secrets & Lies (1996, UK, Leigh)
Sergeant York (1941, USA, Hawks)
The Seventh Seal ("Det Sjunde inseglet" 1956, Sweden, Bergman)
Shadowlands (1985, UK, Stone)
Shadowlands (1993, UK, Attenborough)
Shake Hands With The Devil (2007, Canada, Spottiswoode)
Shane (1953, USA, Stevens)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994, USA, Darabont)
Sherrybaby (2006, USA, Collyer)
The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968, USA, Anderson)
Shooting Dogs ("Beyond The Gates" 2005, UK, Caton-Jones)
Signs (2002, USA, Shyamalan)
Silence ("Chinmoku" 1971, Japan, Shinoda)
The Silence ("Tystnaden" 1963, Sweden, Bergman)
The Silence of Lorna ("Le Silence de Lorna" 2008, Belgium, Dardenne)
Silent Light ("Stellet licht" 2007, Mexico, Reygadas)
Simon of the Desert ("Simón del desierto" 1965, Mexico, Buñuel)
Sister Act (1992, USA, Ardolino)
The Sixth Sense (1999, USA, Shyamalan)
Sling Blade (1996, USA, Thornton)
Smoke (1995, USA, Wang)
Solaris ("Solyaris" 1972, USSR, Tarkovsky)
Solaris (2002, USA, Soderbergh)
The Son ("Le Fils" 2002, Belgium, Dardenne)
Son Of Man (2006, South Africa, Dornford-May)
Son Of Rambow (2007, UK, Jennings)
The Song of Bernadette (1943, USA, King)
Songs From The Second Floor ("Sånger från andra våningen" 2000, Sweden, Andersson)
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days ("Sophie Scholl: Die letzten Tage" 2005, Germany, Rothemund)
The Spiral Road (1962, USA, Mulligan)
The Spitfire Grill (1996, USA, Zlotoff)
Stalker ("Сталкер" 1979, USSR, Tarkovsky)
The Stand (1994, USA, Garris)
Star Wars ("A New Hope" 1977, USA, Lucas)
Stars In My Crown (USA, 1950, Tourneur)
The Statement (2003, Canada, Jewison)
The Station Agent (2003, USA, McCarthy)
Stevie (2002, USA, James)
La Strada (1954, Italy, Fellini)
The Straight Story (1999, USA, Lynch)
Strange Cargo (1940, USA, Borzage)
Stranger Than Fiction (2006, USA, Forster)
Stromboli (1949, Italy, Rossellini)
Sunrise: A Song Of Two Humans (1927, USA, Murnau)
Superman Returns (2006, USA, Singer)
A Tale of Winter (France, Rohmer)
A Taste Of Cherry ("Ta'm e guilass" 1997, Iran/France, Kiarostami)
Tears Of The Sun (2003, USA, Fuqua)
Ten (2002, Iran, Kiarastomi)
The Ten Commandments (1923, USA, DeMille)
The Ten Commandments (1953, USA, DeMille)
Tender Mercies (1983, USA, Beresford)
There Will Be Blood (2007, USA, P.T. Anderson)
Thérèse (1986, France, Cavalier)
A Thief In The Night (1972, USA, Thompson)
The Third Miracle (1999, USA, Holland)
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005, USA, Jones)
The Three Colors Trilogy (1993-1994, Poland/France, Kieslowski)
Through A Glass Darkly ("Såsom i en spegel" 1961, Sweden, Bergman)
Time of the Wolf ("Le Temps du loup" 2003, France, Haneke)
To End All Wars (2002, USA, Cunningham)
To Kill A Mockingbird (1962, USA, Mulligan)
To Kill A Priest (1988, France, Holland)
Tom & Viv (1994, UK/USA, Gilbert)
Tortilla Soup (2001, USA, Ripoli)
Touch (1997, USA, Schrader)
The Tree of Life (2011, USA, Malick)
The Tree Of Wooden Clogs ("L'albero degli zoccoli," 1978, Italy, Olmi)
The Trial of Joan of Arc ("Procès de Jeanne d'Arc" 1962, France, Bresson)
The Trip To Bountiful (1985, USA, Masterson)
True Confessions (1981, USA, Grosbard)
The Truman Show (1998, USA, Weir)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992, USA, Lynch)
Ugetsu ("Ugetsu monogatari" "Tales of Ugetsu" 1953, Japan, Mizoguchi)
Under the Sun of Satan ("Sous le soleil de Satan," 1987, France, Pialat)
Ushpizin (2004, Israel, Dar)
Vanilla Sky (2001, USA, Crowe)
Vanya On 42nd Street (1994, USA, Malle/Gregory)
The Verdict (1982, USA, Lumet)
Vertigo (1958, USA, Hitchcock)
Virgin Spring ("Jungfrukällan" 1959, Sweden, Bergman)
Voyage to Italy ("Viaggio in Italia" 1953, Italy, Rossellini)
Waking Life (2001, USA, Linklater)
Waking Ned Devine (1998, Ireland, Jones)
A Walk To Remember (2002, USA, Shankman)
What Dreams May Come (2998, USA, Ward)
Whistle Down The Wind (1961, UK, Forbes)
The White Rose ("Die Weiße Rose" 1982, Germany, M. Verhoeven)
The Wicker Man (1973, UK, Hardy)
Wild Strawberries ("Smultronstället" 1957, Sweden, Bergman)
The Wind Will Carry Us ("Bad Ma Ra Khahad Bord," 1999, Iran/France, Kiarostami)
Wings Of Desire ("Der Himmel über Berlin" 1987, Germany, Wenders)
Winter Light ("Nattvardsgästerna" 1961, Sweden, Bergman)
Wired To Kill (1986, USA, Schaeffer)
Wise Blood (1979, USA, Huston)
Wit (2001, USA, Nichols)
Witness (1985, USA, Weir)
Woman, Thou Art Loosed (2004, USA, Schultz)
The Woodsman (2004, USA, Kassell)
Wrong Man (1956, USA, Hitchcock)
The Year Of Living Dangerously (1982, Australia, Weir)
You Can Count On Me (2000, USA, Lonergan)
You Can't Take It With You (1938, USA, Capra)

jan 6-12 | the mill and the cross | vancity

A Soul Food Movie pal sends this welcome note!

The astonishing and amazing movie, "The Mill and the Cross" (which some of us saw during the Vancouver International Film Festival) is back in Vancouver for a one-week run from January 6 to 12 at the VanCity Theatre.

This movie is unlike anything I've seen; it creates a new cinematic genre. Based on Breughel's painting "Christ on the Way to Calvary," it drews the audience into that painting, into the life and vision of Breughel, into the Netherlands of his day, into the mystery of redemption.

Here's my original post about the film's VIFF screening.

super-anon online!

A few years back, several PT people (including Chy Liu and Deb Sears) were involved in making super-fun short film that's gone on to win all sorts of accolades. Now it's online! Here's a note from Deb...

Hey Super-Doopers:
I hope this finds you all well.

Guess who is turning 89 on Wed. Dec 28th? Stan Lee! Not sure who that is? Shame on you - check it out wikipedia.

We thought it would be great to help celebrate Stan's birthday by posting SUPER-ANON to YouTube! Steve created a YouTube channel for the film - check it out here.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Deb

Super-Anon website
Super-Anon on IMDb

christmas at vifc

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
(UK, USA, 1951, 86 mins)

International Film Centre VanCity Theatre
Tuesday, December 21st, 6:30
Thursday, December 23rd, 6:00
TICKETS
onstage now at Pacific Theatre

Directed By: Brian Desmond Hurst
Cast: Alastair Sim, Kathleen Harrison, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley

Alastair Sim offers a masterclass in comedy as Ebenezer Scrooge in this definitive black and white version of the Dickens' classic. An incomparable roster of British supporting actors fill out the supernatural morality tale, including Michael Hordern as Jacob Marley, Hattie Jacques as Mrs Fezziwig, and George Cole as the young Ebenezer.

"A trenchant and inspiring Christmas show." —Bosley Crowther, New York Times, 1951

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
(USA, 1946, 130 mins)
Soul Food article

International Film Centre VanCity Theatre
Tuesday, December 20th, 6:30
Thursday, December 22nd, 6;30
TICKETS

Directed By: Frank Capra
Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore

"This story is the lousiest cheese," Frank Capra admitted to his star after making a rotten pitch. James Stewart stuck by his favourite director. "Frank, if you want to do a movie about me committing suicide, with an angel with no wings named Clarence, I'm your boy."

Although the picture has become synonymous with homespun, small town values – values Stewart personified and Capra obviously cherished – it achieves its profound emotional resonance precisely by stressing their limitations, even to the point of suicide. This is the tragedy of a man who dreams of traveling the world, building cities, and making love to Gloria Grahame, who never leaves his hometown, works in his dad's office, and marries Donna Reed. The "unborn" sequence where Clarence shows George how things might look if he hadn't been around is chilling not because it's morbid fantasy, but because "Pottersville" was and is so much closer to contemporary society than the nostalgic gentility of Bedford Falls.

For both Capra and Stewart this was their first movie after service in WWII, and it's riven with their anxieties about coming home. Whether you believe in angels or not, it's a wonderful film.

nov 27 | ben-hur

cineplex classic film series

unholy night

Seth Grahame-Smith, author of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, is developing UNHOLY NIGHT. Based on a recently finished novel by Grahame-Smith (formerly titled We Three Kings), it focuses on the wandering wise men and puts an action-adventure twist on the original Christmas story.

SGS: That is a huge swords and sandals epic, and very dark, and very expensive. We’re going to have to partner with another big producer to get it off the ground, but that’s something we hope to get going. We have a big pitch on that Nov. 1. If Warner Bros. sparks to Unholy Night and really wants to do it, I’ll probably end up writing that very quickly. That one could be a prime candidate to film sometime next year. insidemovies

thanks, peter

nov 10-20 | vancouver jewish film festival

Only time for a hasty but timely post. Be sure and check out the link: frankly, I could have listed pretty much every title here, but this is a sampling of films that caught my eye. We've got Catholic priests, atonement and forgiveness, theatre and tv and baseball and more! What's not to like? Thanks, Rosie!

Vancouver Jewish Film Festival
Nov 10-20

TORN
The Ridge Theatre
November 15 2011 | 07:15 PM
“Can one be a Catholic priest and an Observant Jew at the same time?”

THE DEVIL'S ARITHMETIC
The Ridge Theatre
November 13 2011 | 12:30 PM
"During the family Passover Seder, Hanna (Kirsten Dunst) is asked to "open the front door" for the prophet Elijah. Once the door is opened, she finds herself, not unlike Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, to have entered the 1940's and has stepped into Poland and soon into the life of a prisoner in one of the German death camps." From the young adult novel.

DUSK
The Ridge Theatre
November 19 2011 | 08:00 PM
"About the search for atonement, and the ability to forgive."

THIS IS YOUR LIFE
The Ridge Theatre
November 20 2011 | 02:00 PM
I heard a remarkable segment of This American Life dealing with the same story.

SHOLEM ALEICHEM: LAUGHING AT THE DARKNESS
The Ridge Theatre
November 18 2011 | 02:00 PM
"A riveting portrait of the great writer whose stories became the basis of the Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof."

JEWS AND BASEBALL
The Ridge Theatre
November 20 2011 | 12:00 PM
Narrated by Dustin Hoffman.

nov 9 | ben-hur

cineplex classic film series