2 Days in Paris
Directed by Julie Delpy
France/Germany 2007
96 minutes
Rated 14A (sexual content, coarse language, not recommended for children)
There are obvious points of comparison between this film, Ms. Delpy's directorial debut, and Richard Linklater's films, Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, in which she co-starred with Ethan Hawke. Ms. Delpy stars as Marion, a New York-based photographer traveling to Venice and her childhood home of Paris, with Jack (Adam Goldberg), her American boyfriend. The trip, meant to ignite their sometimes faltering relationship, gets off to a rough start in Venice where Jack falls prey to stomach ailments. During their remaining time in Paris, the cultural divide between all things American and French provides much humour and makes Jack suspicious of Marion's French-speaking parents (played by Ms. Delpy's real parents) and her former boyfriends. Jack's insecurities turn these suspicions into paranoid delusions. Comic for the audience but potentially tragic for their relationship. Bouncing between character-driven comedy and ruthlessly honest insights into a romantic relationship, 2 Days in Paris has also been favourably compared to Woody Allen's Annie Hall. In English and French with subtitles (that Jack can't read).  (Oct 12-18)

Amazing Grace
Directed by Michael Apted
UK 2007
117 minutes
Rated PG (mature theme)
Amazing Grace is the story of William Wilberforce's crusade to abolish slavery in the British colonies during the latter years of the 18th century. Wilberforce is spurred-on by his friend and mentor John Newton, a former slave ship captain who gave his life to the church in repentance for his sins and who also penned the song that gives the film its title. Director Apted and his team of designers have successfully recreated in fine detail the sets and costumes of the time in this inspirational, historical drama. Starring Ioan Gruffudd, Youssou N'Dour, Albert Finney, Rufus Sewell, Romola Garai and Michael Gambon. Back by popular demand. (Oct 24, 25)

Becoming Jane
Directed by Julian Jarrold
UK/US 2007
120 minutes
Rated PG (not recommended for young children, nudity)
With obvious similarities to Shakespeare in Love, Becoming Jane blends the real historical facts of Jane Austen's life with the supposition that the author had a brief, but very romantic encounter with the charming and waggish young Irishman Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy) that later, inspired much of her writing. Adhering closely to the narrative of Pride and Prejudice, we meet the young Ms. Austen (Anne Hathaway) as she struggles to find her way as a writer while politely spurning the boringly respectable suitors presented to her. Hathaway and McAvoy are spot-on in the lead roles, with stalwart support from Julie Walters, James Cromwell and Maggie Smith. (Sept 21-27)

The Big Lebowski
Directed by Joel Coen
US 1998
116 minutes
Rated AA (coarse language, substance abuse, may offend some-well I hope so)
To hell with worn-out cults like Rocky Horror, we're talking about the cult of the Dude here! El duderino, the duder, that Jeff Lewbowski. So shut the f***!-up Donny, grab your bowling shoes, your johnson or your marmot and join us for an evening (like the rug) that will really tie the room together. Come as you favourite character (Bunny, anyone?...or Jesus perhaps?), there will most certainly be rewards...even for Nihilists. The Caucasians are chilled. The Dude abides. It should be a good party. (Oct 4)

The Bourne Ultimatum
Directed by Paul Greengrass
US 2007
111 minutes
Rated 14A (violence)
Audiences and critics agree, The Bourne Ultimatum is the best of the three Robert Ludlum book adaptations and a damn fine action pic. Matt Damon stars as Jason Bourne, a highly-skilled secret agent who is trying to remember his past and discover the source of his brainwashed memory loss. We get action, suspense, international locales like London, North Africa and New York, another chase, a great cast including Albert Finney, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn and Joan Allen, another chase and more action. Whew it takes a lot of running in your theatre seat to keep up. I think I dropped three pounds just watching it. (Oct 17-19)

The Great Granny Revolution
Directed by Robert and Brenda Rooney

The Wakefield Grannies came together following the 2004 visit of Rose Letwaba. A psychiatric nurse from Alexandra Township, South Africa, Rose relayed the plight of many children, orphaned by AIDS, who are raised by their grandmothers (Gogos). The Wakefield Grannies gathered to offer moral and financial support to the Gogos and when members from both groups met at the Stephen Lewis Foundation's 2006 Grandmother Gathering, a powerful movement for change was well underway. With his partner Brenda, a founding member of the Wakefield Grannies, filmmaker Robert Rooney documents the group's growth as they inspire their community and others. Join us for what promises to be an informative and inspiring evening. Brenda Rooney will be in attendance for both screenings with a Q&A session to follow. Two Shows Only, Oct 2 & 3, 6:30pm. Admission prices are $10.00 regular & $8.00 for members and grannies.

Gypsy Caravan
Directed by Jasmine Dellal
US 2007
110 minutes
Rated PG (not recommended for young children)
Music has a strong and central place in the lives of the Romani people. This was evident in the 2001, when five bands came to share their musical talents with North American audiences. The tour was titled Gypsy Caravan. The diverse musical styles reflected the roots of their homelands, which featured the bands, Taraf de Haidouks and Fanfare Ciocarlia from Romania, Macedonia's Esma Redzepova, Maharaja from India, and Spain's Antonio El Pipa's Flamenco Ensemble. Ms Dellal and her crew (which included legendary documentarian Albert Maysles) documented the tour, capturing the concerts and gathering backstage interviews. The film has been referred to as the Buena Vista Social Club of gypsy music for introducing new audiences to the music of the Roma. English and Romani with subtitles. (Oct 12-16)

Hairspray
Directed by Adam Shankman
US 2007
117 minutes
Rated PG
Well baby, we've come a long way since John Waters' original, 1988 film version. Or maybe not. Since the original film, featuring the likes of Debby Harry, Divine, and Ricki Lake, we've had the boffo Broadway stage version and now, the latest film incarnation featuring John Travolta in the cross-dressing role of Edna Turnblad, mom of inadvertent teen rebel, Tracy (Nikki Blonsky). Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah and Zac Efron help round out the cast in this show-stopping musical. It's still John Waters, still outrageous and still fun! (Oct 20-23)

The Jane Austen Book Club
Directed by Robin Swicord
US 2007
105 minutes
Rated PG (mature theme)
It may not be that far from Regency England to Sacramento, California where we meet the six members of the Jane Austen book club, who have each chosen one of Ms Austen's novels to read over the next six months. As each character contends with the daily demands of life, love, work, marriage and friendships, they ponder the undeniable similarities to the writings of their favourite author. And as affairs are discovered, romance blossoms and life plods onward, the bonds of friendship grow deeper. Fine ensemble cast includes Kathy Baker, Jimmy Smits, Maria Bello, Hugh Dancy, Lynn Redgrave and Emily Blunt. Sit back, rest your feet and enjoy this Big Chill(ed) Chardonnay. (Oct 26-Nov 1)

Klimt
Directed by Raoul Ruiz
Austria/France/Germany/UK 2007
97 minutes
Rated 14A (nudity, sexual content, not recommended for children)
Gustav Klimt created quite a stir at the turn of the 19th Century. His paintings of female nudes combined lavish elegance and raw sensuality in a style that influenced the Nouvelle movement of the early 20th Century. The erotic nature of his work and the publicly acknowledged frequency of his brothel-dwelling made Klimt the subject of scandal. Mr Ruiz depicts the artist at the most productive period of his career, before he eventually succumbed to death from syphilis. In his unique manner, John Malkovich portrays the artist, whose sexually-charged life and work caused such controversy in his Austrian homeland. (Sept 7-10)

Knocked Up
Directed by Judd Apatow
US 2007
128 minutes
Rated 18A (coarse language, sexual content, substance abuse)
Vancouver actor Seth Rogen (Freaks and Geeks) is certainly one of the biggest success stories in the summer of 2007. In Knocked Up, Rogen plays Ben, a twenty-something slacker whose video-gaming, bong-smoking, hangin'-with-the-guys life is permanently altered when a one night stand presents him with the reality of fatherhood. The highly successful and attractive Alison (Katherine Heigl) carries the weight and responsibility of their passionate encounter and now faces the boy-man's stumbling reach for adulthood. Every aspect of dating, marriage, sex, pregnancy and domestic life of young urbanites is laid bare in this bluntly comedic, foul-mouthed romp. (Sept 11-13)

Lady Chatterley
Directed by Pascale Ferran
France/UK 2007
168 minutes
Rated STC
This highly-touted French adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's novel arrives in North America to robust critical praise, having already won top honours in France (Cesars) for best Cinematography, Writing, Actress and Film. Ms Ferran has chosen to adapt the second of three versions that Mr Lawrence penned before the book managed to elude the censors and get published in Britain in 1960. Constance Chatterley, the young wife of a crippled military officer, finds liberation from the staid social conventions of the time and an unfulfilling marriage when she and the estate's gamekeeper, Oliver Parkin share a sudden and passionate sexual awakening. Ms Ferran opens these sexual encounters into lush, outdoor settings where the coupling pair find their place in nature. Decades removed from the scandals of the book's publication and released at a time when porn seems to be everywhere, the director films the sexual encounters with a passionate rather than clinical eye, using each meeting to mark the changes in the couple's desires and as signs of Constance's transformation. These things take time to develop as the running time reveals, and Lady Chatterley unfolds at a brisk, but stately pace. I think this pace also explains why the film's trailer feels so static, too bad. French with subtitles. (Oct 5-11)

A Mighty Heart
Directed by Michael Winterbottom
UK/US 2007
100 minutes
Rated 14A
The prolific British director Michael Winterbottom was rightly chosen to direct Angelina Jolie in her excellent portrayal of Mariane Pearl, in this adaptation of Ms Pearl's book, The Brave Life and Death of my Husband Danny Pearl. Mr Pearl was in Pakistan, investigating background stories about Richard Reid (the British “shoe bomber”) for the Wall Street Journal when he was kidnapped and later killed. Ms Pearl was pregnant with the couple's first child when her husband went missing, and her story is one of courage, commitment, incredible strength and love. Mr Winterbottom and Ms Jolie deserve kudos, A Mighty Heart avoids sentimentality and melodrama in telling Ms Pearl's story of perseverance and faith. (Sept 29-Oct 1)

Once
Directed by John Carney
Ireland 2007
87 minutes
Rated 14A (coarse language)
Once has been heralded as the little film that could. It surprised and charmed the audiences at Sundance (winning the audience fave award) and snuck in under the radar of the Hollywood blockbusters to win the hearts and ears of North American moviegoers. It is the tale of a woman, recently emigrated from Prague, who meets a man busking in the streets of Dublin. In the tentative, early stages of their friendship, we hear his plaintiff ballads and learn of her classical training at the piano. They both have romantic pasts and neither character is given a name, but as portrayed by Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard (of the Irish band the Frames and guitar player in the film The Commitments), they capture an honesty rarely seen in movies. The couple's friendship intensifies as they join with a ragtag band of street musicians to record his songs in the studio. This quiet charmer of a film defies expectations and avoid the clichés of movies that combine music and romance. Recommended.  (Sept 14-20)

Paris Je t'aime
Various directors
France/Liechtenstein/Switzerland 2007
120 minutes
Rated 14A (sexual content, coarse language)
18 writer/director teams combined to create this cinematic love letter to the city of light and love. The films burst with all the love, romance, celebrity, longing, injustice and humour that brims to the surface of lives lived in Paris. Without the space to précis each short film, here's a partial list of directors and actors involved in this critically acclaimed and highly popular film: Gus Van Sant, Isabelle Coixet, the Coen bros., Walter Salles, Wes Craven, Alfonso Cuarón, Tom Tykwer, Steve Buscemi, Juliette Binoche, Nick Nolte, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emily Mortimer, Fanny Ardant, Natalie Portman, Ben Gazzara and Gena Rowlands. Wow! Now that's name-dropping. Back by loud popular demand. Paris, Je t'aime. Recommended. English and French with subtitles. (Sept 21-25)

Ratatouille
Directed by Brad Bird
and Jan Pinkava
US 2007
118 minutes
Rated G
Leave it to the “Mouse House” (Disney) and the animation geniuses at Pixar to serve up this thoroughly entertaining tale of a Parisien rat (Rémy) who would rather learn and practice the culinary arts than roam the back alleys with his rodent kin. When Remy secretly spices the soup at the nearby bistro, the young kitchen boy, Linguini gets the credit for the culinary success. And thus begins the Cyrano-like relationship between Linguini and Remy. After all, what kitchen would tell their customers that a rat was the behind their great food. Don't dismiss this animated tale as mere kid's stuff, Ratatouille is one of the most highly praised, critical hit films of 2007. What's not to like about watching a passionate and caring chef at work in the kitchen? (Oct 5-7)

Rescue Dawn
Directed by Werner Herzog
US 2007
126 minutes
Rated 14A (violence, mature theme, disturbing content)
Christian Bale (Batman Begins, The Machinist, American Psycho) is one of the hardest working and most intense actors in the biz today. Werner Herzog (Project Grizzly, Fitzcaraldo, Aguirre: Wrath of God) is one intense (some might say bushwacked) director, renowned for his films that trace the boundaries of sanity and madness when humans meet the jungle. They join forces here, to tell the true story of Dieter Dengler, a U.S. Air Force pilot who, in 1965, is shot down in Loas during the war in Vietnam. Imprisoned in a tortuous, makeshift jungle POW camp, Dieter and two fellow Americans successfully plot their escape, to discover the jungle's deadly perils may be worse than being in captivity. Herzog made a doc of Dieter (Little Dieter Learns to Fly) who was still alive in 1997, and Rescue Dawn reaffirms his respect for Dieter's strength of character and willpower in this uplifting saga of human survival. (Sept 26-28)

Rocket Science
Directed by Jeffrey Blitz
US 2007
101 minutes
Rated 14A (sexual content, coarse language)
The director of the much-loved documentary, Spellbound, makes the transition to feature-length narrative films but stays in the schoolyard. In Rocket Science we meet Hal, a shy, rather nerdy teen with a suitcase full of insecurities and a mean stutter. So strong are Hal's longings for Ginny, the cute, vivacious, debating star, he becomes convinced that the cure for stuttering lies in being Ginny's debating partner. And if things weren't weird enough at school, at home, he suffers a bullying older brother, and his mother is dating his best friend's dad. With clever wit and deadpan charm, Mr Blitz keeps Rocket Science and Hal, from falling into the potty of teen movie clichés. (Sept 28-Oct 4)

Shake Hands with the Devil
Directed by Roger Spottiswoode
Canada 2007
114 minutes
Rated STC
In 1994 the United Nations dispatched Canadian peacekeeping forces under the command of LtGen. Romeo Dallaire to oversee an uncertain treaty between the majority Hutu and the minority Tutsi in Rwanda. The ensuing massacre has received much attention after the fact, but as the carnage occurred LtGen. Dallaire's attempts at intervention were stifled by political inaction, his cries for assistance were repeatedly ignored and he was left to witness the slaughter. Roy Dupuis stars as Romeo Dallaire in this feature film adaptation of Dallaire's heartwrenching memoir of a dark chapter of recent history, a story that must be remembered, to honour the dead. (Oct 19-25)

Sicko
Directed by Michael Moore
US 2007
123 minutes
Rated PG (not recommended for young children)
The self-appointed crusader against all things rich, Republican, unjust, unjustifiable and generally nefarious, Michael Moore has returned with a new movie. In Sicko, he tracks down the dirty truths that lie beneath the ailing, and appalling state of health care in the United States. For more details look for coverage on all of the globally controlled media outlets, he'll be everywhere. Whether you see him as the voice of the poor and downtrodden or an arrogant, limo-lounging movie maven, one thing is certain, Mr. Moore knows how to empty the bedpans and rake some muck. Sicko is a worthwhile stepping stone to discussions on health care funding issues. (Aug 24-Sept 6)

Silk
Directed by Francois Girard
Canada 2007
108 minutes
Rated STC
From the award-winning director of 32 Short Films about Glenn Gould and The Red Violin, Silk is based on the internationally (translated into 26 languages) best-selling novel by Italian author Alessandro Baricco. It is the late 1800s and a deadly plague threatens the silkworm hatcheries and therefore, the lucrative European silk trade. A French trader, Baldabiou (Alfred Molina) dispatches a young military officer, Hervé Joncour (Michael Pitt) to travel to Japan to acquire their highly-coveted silk worms. Hervé leaves his lovely wife Helene (Keira Knightly) in France, to embark on his treacherous 3,000 mile overland trek. Reaching Japan, Hervé will discover the precious silkworm eggs owned by a feared and powerful baron, and will fall under the allure of the baron's beautiful concubine. Wow, this is the stuff of film epics.
(Oct 26- Nov 1)

Sunshine
Directed by Danny Boyle
UK/US 2007
107 minutes
Rated 14A (frightening scenes, coarse language)
Writer Alex Garland (The Beach, 28 Days Later) and director Boyle launch us into the future and outer space with this tale of the astronauts and scientists aboard the Icarus II, on a journey to the Sun. Their mission, to re-ignite our dying life source. The psychological pressures of their mission create intense emotional strains on the eight crew members, only made worse by the huge, haunting void of outer space and the discovery of disabled ghost ship Icarus I. With a slight nod to the Ridley Scott's tension-filled Alien, Sunshine's real homage is to Kubrick's classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Visually stunning! (Sept 7-13)


La Vie en rose
Directed by Olivier Dahan
France 2007
130 minutes
Rated 14A (substance abuse)
One of France's rising screen stars Marion Cotillard, thoroughly engulfs herself in the role of Edith Piaf. The long-cherished Parisienne songbird lived a short, intense and often tragic life, but has always been remembered for her strong and distinctly passionate singing voice. La Vie en rose gives full bio-pic treatment of Piaf's life, from a childhood in the streets and brothels of Paris to the pinnacles of stardom, with the requisite trappings of addiction, illness and tragedy. Moving back and forth in time, director Dahan takes us on the music-filled swirling carousel that was Edith Piaf's life. Recommended. French with subtitles. (Sept 18-20)

Waitress
Directed by Adriennne Shelly
US 2007
108 minutes
Rated PG (mature theme)
Waitress is one of those rare films. Written and directed by actress Adrienne Shelly, it was a critical and audience favourite at the 2007 Sundance film fest that also received wide critical praise and sustained popularity at commercial theatres across North America. On a tragic note, Ms Shelly was murdered in her New York apartment in the spring of 2007. Waitress was her only film. Felicity star Keri Russell plays Jenna, a waitress with extraordinary pie-making skills, trapped in an unfortunate marriage to a small-minded lout, living in a small-sized town in deep-south America. But like many women before and after her, Jenna not only survives but flourishes by cooking, baking pies with such creative and cathartic names as, I Hate My Husband Pie and I Can't Have No Affair Because Its Wrong and I Don't Want Earl to Kill me Pie. Pull out your forks and dig into this highly recommended slice of cinema.  (Sept 14-17)


Art from a Changing Arctic
Directed by David Hinton

Art from a Changing Arctic, which opened the 2006 Montreal Film Fest, documents the voyages to Cape Farewell, led by David Buckland, in a 100-year-old schooner of the high Arctic. While scientists conduct their studies on board, the artists (Buckland, Ian McEwan, Rachel Whiteread, Antony Gormley, Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey) react to the harsh environment and the very visible impacts of climate change on the extraordinary, yet vulnerable, Arctic landscape. This screening precedes Buckland's visit to the River Run Centre in Guelph as speaker for this year's Guelph Lecture - on Being Canadian ( www.eramosa.org ). Mr Buckland, an internationally renowned photographer, designer and filmmaker, whose works are collected by the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and the National portrait Gallery in London, will sail Canada's Northwest Passage in 2008, celebrating International Polar Year and our special role in the battle against climate change. DVDs will be on sale, with proceeds going to our local rare Charitable Research Reserve ( www.raresites.org ) where Buckland is an International Ambassador. This visually compelling film is recommended as an excellent introduction to David Buckland's work and the artists' activities prove to be inspiring and quite surprising. Sat Oct 13, 1:00pm only. Admission is Free, with donations to the Eramosa Institute welcome.