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Monday 7 Jan 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Nanook Of The North Robert Flaherty's classic film tells the story of Inuit hunter Nanook and his family as they struggle to survive in the harsh conditions of Canada's Hudson Bay region. In 1975, The Flaherty restored the most complete and authoritative print of Nanook of the North, closest to the original 1922 version, with a new score by Stanley Silverman performed by Tashi (Peter Serkin, Ida Kavafian, Fred Sherry, Richard Stoltzman). Pg Monday 14 Jan 2013 alphabetical list chronological list NFB's Passage “It was news that shook the English-speaking world. Celebrated British explorer Sir John Franklin and his crew of 128 men had perished in the Arctic ice during an ill-fated attempt to discover the Northwest Passage. More shocking, they had descended into madness and cannibalism. The report came in 1851, from John Rae, a Scottish doctor working for the Hudson's Bay Company. Travelling thousands of miles on foot and in small craft, Rae had done what six years of searching by the British, Americans, French and Russians had failed to do - discover the fate of Franklin and unlock the final link in the Passage - a 300-year-old dream. But Rae's horrific news did not sit well with Sir John's widow, Lady Franklin, nor with many others in British society.... With Passage, filmmaker John Walker employs an innovative approach to structuring the incredible multilayered story of John Rae and brings it to vibrant life.” Pg 13 Monday 21 Jan 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Bobby Fischer Against The World (keeping with this Northern theme) Iceland figures in this amazing tale. I don't even play chess and I was riveted. In '72 the Fischer/Spassky game was broadcast live, a Cold War Battle Royal, bumping "other sports" on the Wide World of Sports and in newscasts pushing aside breaking Watergate news. Here's that exciting match, Bobby's background and the strange story of his life after the match. Pg Monday 28 Jan 2013 alphabetical list chronological list People of a Feather "People of a Feather is a breathtaking journey into the remote world of the Belcher Islands Inuit people. Uniting this community's past and present is their cultural connection with the eider duck, a species now suffering massive die-offs. Eider down, the warmest feather in the world, is essential for surviving harsh Arctic winters. But both the Inuit and the eiders are struggling to adapt to changing sea dynamics as seasons and ocean currents are reversed by run-off from hydroelectric dams that power North America's entire eastern seaboard. Filmed over seven winters, Arctic ecologist and cinematographer Joel Heath's debut feature employs stunning time-lapse photography and underwater footage to create an authentic and insightful portrayal of a community challenged by a changing environment. This stunning piece of visual poetry weaves past with present to powerfully acknowledge humankind's relationship with nature and the fragility of our existence." G Wednesday 30 Jan 2013 alphabetical list chronological list The Singing Revolution A film that'll stir your soul. Most people don't think about singing when they think about revolutions, but song was the weapon of choice when, between 1987 and 1991, Estonians sought to free themselves from decades of Soviet occupation. During those years, hundreds of thousands gathered in public to sing forbidden patriotic songs and to rally for independence. Witness the power of music in action! This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 4 Feb 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Ruby Sparks What happens when your dream-girl creation becomes real? Calvin (Paul Dano) is a young novelist who achieved phenomenal success early in his career but is now struggling with his writing - as well as his romantic life. Finally, he makes a breakthrough and creates a character named Ruby who inspires him. When Calvin finds Ruby (Zoe Kazan), in the flesh, sitting on his couch about a week later, he is completely flabbergasted that his words have turned into a living, breathing person. But like most dreams come true, it's a little more complicated than that... R Monday 11 Feb 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Indie Game: The Movie & King Of Kong: A Fist Full Of Quarters Kids: share with the oldsters the brilliance and awesomeness of the cutting edge games Parents: share with your kids the video games you may have played as youngsters 30 years ago (some folks are still obsessed with them). Indie Game: The Movie is the first feature documentary film about making video games. It looks specifically at the underdogs of the video game industry, indie game developers, who sacrifice money, health and sanity to realize their lifelong dreams of sharing their visions with the world. After two years of painstaking work, designer Edmund McMillen and programmer Tommy Refenes await the release of their. first major game for Xbox, Super Meat Boy—the adventures of a skinless boy in search of his girlfriend, who is made of bandages. At PAX, a major video-game expo, developer Phil Fish unveils his highly anticipated, four-years-in-the-making FEZ. Jonathan Blow considers beginning a new game after creating Braid, one of the highest-rated games of all time. Four developers, three games, and one ultimate goal— to express oneself through a video game. Pg13 You may recognize this as a past offering. We had an equipment failure at our last attempt, so rolling it out again. Plus: King Of Kong: A Fist Full Of Quarters A brilliantly elaborate and satisfying doc about the quest for world domination – to be best at Donkey Kong. Two diametrically different personalities; the brash, long-reigning champion, Billy Mitchell, and upstart challenger sincere, Redmond, WA science teacher, Steve Wiebe, square off like Frazier and Muhammad Ali in their heyday. Even if you've never touched a console, you'll find this study of competitive human nature and geeky obsession a treat! Rotten Tomatoes and I give it top marks. Pg Monday 18 Feb 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Vanishing Point from the Victoria Film Fest - the last but not least in our 'Northern Series' Navarana is a Polar Eskimo elder who lives in the most remote corner of the planet: the northwest tip of Greenland. She is connected by blood to a group of Canadian Inuit because of a shaman's migration journey across the frozen Arctic in the 1860s. Today, despite rapid technological and social changes, her people in Greenland proudly maintain and covet age-old customs. But Navarana wonders what life is like for her distant cousins of Arctic Canada... a land that seems to her to run on 'sugar and gasoline'. 97 min, 2010 "Gorgeously shot.... a touching, subtle and beautifully framed" look at the Northern way of life. Pg Inuit with subtitles A hit at the Victoria Film Fest! Canmore, Alberta based filmmakers Stephen A. Smith & Julia Szucs will join us for a phone Q&A! They're just back from Available Light Film Festival in Whitehorse where Vanishing Point picked up the Audience Award! Monday 25 Feb 2013 alphabetical list chronological list May I Be Frank a collaboration with Hemma | The Home Of Yoga and Acupuncture Frank Ferrante is a 54 year old Sicilian from Brooklyn living in San Francisco. A lover of life, great food, beautiful women and a good laugh, Frank is also a drug addict, morbidly obese, pre-diabetic, and fighting Hepatitis C. He's estranged from his daughter, single, and struggling with depression. Frank knows that life can be better than this, and is looking for a way out. "I deeply enjoyed this true story of one man's transformation that gives hope to us all. In its courage and compassion, it reflects the larger theater of our humanity: a few young guys who work at Cafe Gratitude, responding to Frank's wish to find love one more time, set out to change his life and maybe save his soul as they guide and support him on a life-changing challenge he could never have predicted and would not likely have taken on his own." - Dan Millman. Pg13 Wednesday 27 Feb 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Lightning in a Bottle This documentary presents to the audience, with authority and candor, an authentic history of this musical form. The highly esteemed elders of this musical family are exemplary in their humbleness toward one another, rich with decades of shared memories; and their performances are of a quality rarely seen in modern times. Ruth Brown gives Bill Cosby a full-throttle serenade, along with Mavis Staples and Natalie Cole. Angélique Kidjo persuades Buddy Guy to an unforgettable rendition of 'Voodoo Child,' shortly before Bonnie Raitt and Robert Cray accompany B.B. King and Lucille for the final number, 'Paying the Cost to be the Boss.' This'll blow away them old pre-Christmas Blues! Pg13 This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 4 Mar 2013 alphabetical list chronological list To Be Heard To Be Heard is a feature documentary that follows a trio of young spoken word performers as they work through their teen angst, putting their feelings into verse. It's called “power-writing”, a process brought into their inner city high school in the Bronx by a trio of intense mentors. These kids know that this is their opportunity to dig deep and, through writing and performing (and being watched by the filmmakers), to re-describe themselves, turning their tumultuous lives into art. This process is part of that rewriting. Monday 11 Mar 2013 alphabetical list chronological list The Sessions Based on the poignantly optimistic autobiographical writings of California-based journalist and poet Mark O'Brien, The Sessions tells the story of a man confined to an iron lung who is determined - at age 38 - to lose his virginity. With the help of his therapists and the guidance of his priest, he sets out to make his dream a reality. The story bravely takes on the question: Are people living with disabilities also deserving and able to have sex be part of their lives? 95min 2012 R considerable nudity and frank sexual situations. Jessica Yu's Academy Award winning film Breathing Lessons about the real Mark O'Brien. Monday 18 Mar 2013 alphabetical list chronological list A Summer In The Cage A Summer In The Cage is filmmaker Ben Selkow's feature-length documentary chronicling his friend Sam's battle with manic-depressive illness, also known as bipolar disorder. The film follows Sam for six years as he suffers delusional manic episodes, battles paralysing depressions, and tries to escape the legacy of his bipolar father who committed suicide when Sam was eight years old. The film features interviews with renowned Johns Hopkins University author and clinician Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison; who is also bipolar. Through intimate footage of Sam, Ben and Sam's mother Sharon, A Summer in the Cage shows the difficult emotional impact of being bipolar on Sam, his family, all those who care about him and the filmmaker. A Summer in the Cage hopes to put a human face on an illness that affects millions of families. But as this dramatic story unfolds and heads to an explosive standoff, it also becomes a unique tale about friendship and the ethical responsibilities of a documentary filmmaker. We had special guests with us for a post screening discussion: Erin Michalak. She heads up the CREST BD Research Team, studying ways to live well with bipolar and Joanna Cheek, psychiatrist at UVic. Monday 25 Mar 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Winds Of Heaven – Emily Carr, Carvers and The Spirits of The Forest An impressionistic exploration of the spirit that informed the solitary life of one of Canada's most celebrated and irrepressible painters. Emily Carr began painting in an era when women didn't, at an age when most people shouldn't, traveling to remote locations that few professional adventurers chose to go. Not only did she adopt the painting techniques of modernism, when such ideas were considered dangerous, Carr chronicled the extraordinary art and culture of native peoples, who were invisible to the dominant culture. Pg First in a new series of films about artists at MM. Wednesday 27 Mar 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Searching For Sugar Man The opening film at the Sundance Film Festival, this 2012 documentary focuses on the mysterious 1970's American rock 'n' roller, Rodriguez. When a bootleg recording hit apartheid South Africa, he became a phenomenon but no one knew what happened to him. The film follows two South African fans who try to find out. Their investigation leads them to a story more extraordinary than any of the myths about their musical hero. This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 1 Apr 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Wretches & Jabberers Two men with autism embark on a global quest to change attitudes about disability and intelligence. Determined to put a new face on autism, Tracy Thresher, 42, and Larry Bissonnette, 52, travel to Sri Lanka, Japan and Finland. Growing up, our protagonists were presumed "retarded" and excluded from normal schooling. With limited speech, they both faced lives of social isolation in mental institutions or adult disability centers. When they learnt as adults to communicate by typing, their lives changed dramatically. Their world tour message is that the same possibility exists for others like themselves. Monday 8 Apr 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Modra A gentle story about the confusion of being 17. After a breakup a young Toronto woman, invites a lad she hardly knows to accompany her on a visit to her ancestral home of Modra in Slovakia. A gentle story unfolds into a rich experience. Part travelogue, part love story, part reflection on immigrant roots in the old country, wholly satisfying. "You don't need big budgets. You need vision and heart. This made my heart open." Billie Mintz Pg13 Trust me on this one! Winning making of clips about this Canadian family project will be added to our screening. Monday 15 Apr 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Reluctant Genius: The Passionate Life And Inventive Mind Of Alexander Graham Bell Presentation and reading by author Charlotte Gray, approximately 105 min I've been wanting to present this remarkable story for years, after hearing Charlotte Gray speak to my son's convocation at Queens University and later reading her book Reluctant Genius: The Passionate Life And Inventive Mind Of Alexander Graham Bell. Bell is typical of the bipolar spectrum personality; full of brilliant ideas, moody, messy, needs a good woman to organize his life. Happily he found one who was his helpmate, a remarkable woman herself. His accomplishments go way beyond inventing the telephone, into all aspects of his world; communication for the deaf, mentor to Helen Keller, sheep breeder, hydrofoil and airplane development, established the National Geographic Society.... it's an amazing life story! Monday 22 Apr 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Westwind: The Vision Of Tom Thompson How did an illustrator, whose favourite pastime was fishing, find within himself the passion and confidence to portray Ontario’s lakes, rivers, trees and skies with glorious colour and energy as no one had before? This is a truly remarkable film that explores the life and mystery of Thompson’s death, the brilliant legacy of his paintings and the glorious landscapes that inspired his work. Pg This will be our first Bluray hi-def presentation, required to show off this gorgeous production at it’s best! I'm thrilled to have producer Nancy Lang coming from Toronto to present this film. Wednesday 24 Apr 2013 alphabetical list chronological list A Drummers Dream A rare and unique assembly of some of the greatest drummers in the world come together to share their explosive talent, passion, creativity and humour with forty students at a drumming retreat for an incredible week of music and camaraderie. Playing everything from rock, jazz, Latin fusion, sou, the overriding philosophy of these musicians is driven by love, compassion and joy of life. At the end of the film you will be tapping the rhythms that live within us all and the positive energy these masters display will continue to pulse through you for days to come. This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 29 Apr 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Life Of Pi A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger. Absolutely stunning visuals and much to discuss about the meaning of this tale. Brian Bethune of Maclean's "[a] head-scratching combination of dense religious allegory, zoological lore and enthralling adventure tale, written with warmth and grace" Pg Monday 6 May 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Open Dialogue In the far north of Finland, a stone's throw from the Arctic Circle, a group of innovative family therapists converted the area's traditional mental health system, which once boasted some of Europe's poorest outcomes for schizophrenia, into one that now gets the best statistical results in the world for first-break psychosis. They call their approach is called Open Dialogue. Their principles, though radical in this day and age of multi-drug cocktails and involuntary hospitalizations, are surprisingly simple. They meet clients in crisis immediately and often daily until the crises are resolved. They avoid hospitalization and its consequential stigma, preferring to meet in the homes of those seeking their services. And, perhaps most controversially, they avoid the use of anti-psychotic medication wherever possible. Pg Monday 13 May 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Cloudburst Cloudburst is a comedy/drama, a romantic road movie written and directed by Nova Scotia filmmaker Thom Fitzgerald (The Hanging Garden). It stars Oscar winning actresses Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker as Stella and Dot, an aging couple who escape from a nursing home in Maine and drive to Nova Scotia on a quest to be legally married. Stella is hard of hearing and Dot is legally blind. Dotty’s prudish granddaughter, Molly, had tricked Dot into a nursing home so she could reclaim the family home before Stella could. Now, Stella and Dot must go to the only place that will recognize their mutual devotion in order to set things right. R Monday 20 May 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Beasts Of The Southern Wild In a forgotten but defiant bayou community cut off from the rest of the world by a sprawling levee, a six-year-old girl exists on the brink of orphanhood. Buoyed by her childish optimism and extraordinary imagination, she believes that the natural world is in balance with the universe until a fierce storm changes her reality. Desperate to repair the structure of her world in order to save her ailing father and sinking home, this tiny hero must learn to survive unstoppable catastrophes of epic proportions Winner of many awards, and with a stunning performance by the 6year old protagonist played by Quvenzhané Wallis. Pg13 Monday 27 May 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Silver Lining Playbook After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a mysterious girl with problems of her own enters his life. An interesting depiction of a family living with Bipolar, Dad played by Robert DeNiro has OCD, all looking for a silver lining. R Wednesday 29 May 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Inclusion "Inclusion" is a documentary about the members of ZUIHOU TAIKO, a professional taiko (Japanese drumming) group in Nagasaki prefecture made up musicians with developmental disabilities. The film follows one family living, loving, and raising their child independently - and making powerful music. Although ZUIHOU's members started drumming as rehabilitation, they became a professional group through dedication, constant practice and love of the art. They lead us to a world of inclusion, because "the world is more beautiful when everyone is in harmony." PG Featuring an introductory performance by Victoria's Uminari Taiko This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 3 Jun 2013 alphabetical list chronological list A Late Quartet When the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet receives a life changing diagnosis, the group's future suddenly hangs in the balance: suppressed emotions, competing egos, and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration. As they are about to play their 25th anniversary concert, quite possibly their last, only their intimate bond and the power of music can preserve their legacy. Terrific cast: Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mark Ivanir, Catherine Keener, Imogen Poots. R Monday 10 Jun 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould weaves together an unprecedented array of never before seen footage of Gould, photographs and excerpts from his private home recordings and diaries plus personal interviews with Gould's most intimate friends and lovers, some who have never spoken about him publicly before, to reconstruct his thoughts on music, art, society, love, and life. Pg13 Monday 17 Jun 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Cubers MM's 20th Anniversary!!! CUBERS delves into the minds of an elite group of brainiacs obsessed with the Rubik's Cube. We follow them as they compete for the title of the fastest Cuber on the planet. The result is a spell-binding documentary about passion, compulsion, and the need to belong. We rewind 25 years, tracing the humble beginnings in Hungary when the Rubik's Cube first captured the world's imagination, becoming the greatest selling puzzle ever. Fast forward as the toy returns to the spotlight, thanks to the Internet and the obsession of a few. CUBERS tells a universal story of the drive of the human spirit to overcome great obstacles while achieving the nearly impossible. G An example of cube enthusiasm: A student at Pearson College, Leo Yousif made this Rubik’s Cube Pearson portrait honouring Pearson’s legacy of peace – particularly poignant coming from a young Syrian man just now. Monday 24 Jun 2013 alphabetical list chronological list LunaFest: Short films for, by and about women This travelling film festival spotlights the work of a diverse array of talented women filmmakers with nine intelligent, funny and thought-provoking short films. The event also raises money and attention for nonprofits in their own communities (Victoria's Bridges For Women), as well as for Luna's main beneficiary, the Breast Cancer Fund. 100 percent of all net proceeds are donated to charity. With guests in person: NS Filmmaker Andrea Dorfman (her shorts include Flawed, How To Be Alone, features incl. Parsley Days 2000, Love That Boy 2003) and local multi-disciplinary artist Valerie Salez. Wednesday 26 June 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Oliver Schroer: Silence At The Heart Of Things A documentary about Oliver Schroer, Canadian fiddler extraordinaire! In a career cut short by illness, he recorded and produced more than 100 albums, composed some 1,000 pieces of music and inspired a generation of young musicians. Follow Schroer in the last months of his life as he collaborates with musicians who come from abroad to work with him. Through his own words, the documentary explores Schroer's music and the unique voice he brought to his instrument, a voice that challenges traditional views of the fiddle. Silence At The Heart Of Things is a joyful celebration of the life's work of a true master musician. This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 1 Jul 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Who Loves The Sun Summer time in cottage country; sunshine, the lake, old friends, parents, a chainsaw (but only for cutting wood....) What could be simpler? Will and Daniel were the best of friends. They grew up together. Liked the same records. Loved the same girls. Daniel was Will's best man at his wedding to Maggie Claire. Then one day Will disappeared without a word. Five years later he he shows up at the cottage. Who Loves The Sun is a delightfully witty character comedy, featuring perfectly pitched performances, a great soundtrack and some hilariously realistic bad fighting. Starring the radiant Molly Parker and made by her husband/director-writer Matt Bissonnette. Pg13 (course language) "…a relief for those Canuck-cinema naysayers who believe that this country can't produce an entertaining and commercially viable film to save its life." Sarah Keenlyside, Georgia Straight Monday 8 Jul 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Blackbird An exciting new film about a boy whose goth style makes him a target of high school bullying, entangling him in the dark side of ever-present cyber world, and the legal system. The film's strength is a thoughtful reserve by both the writer/director Jason Buxton and a brilliant new actor Conor Jessup. It's a riveting piece that raises all kinds of modern day issues. "Blackbird isn't quite the film you expect — and that's its strength. The film begins in a familiar high school milieu, but in the end, you're left with the tale of a young man forced to meet threats of violence on his own terms." Eli Glasner Monday 15 Jul 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Shakespeare In Love This very clever comedy starring Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Judi Dench, Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth depicts a love affair involving playwright William Shakespeare while he was writing the play Romeo and Juliet. The story is fiction, though several of the characters are based on real people. In addition, many of the characters, lines, and plot devices are references to Shakespeare's plays. This totally entertaining film romped away with many Oscar awards including Best Picture and screen play - a great primer for your summer's Shakespeare fun. R (some nudity, suggestive scenes) Roger Ebert, gave the film four stars out of four: "The contemporary feel of the humor (like Shakespeare's coffee mug, inscribed Souvenir of Stratford-Upon-Avon) makes the movie play like a contest between Masterpiece Theatre and Mel Brooks. Then the movie stirs in a sweet love story, juicy court intrigue, backstage politics and some lovely moments from Romeo and Juliet... Is this a movie or an anthology? I didn't care. I was carried along by the wit, the energy and a surprising sweetness." Monday 22 Jul 2013 alphabetical list chronological list This Way Of Life A Indie documentary, a deservedly much awarded film (by the folks who made another MM pick, One Man, One Cow, One Planet,) This Way Of Life follows a family living intentionally off the grid in NZ. What started as a film about breaking a horse became one about a very special family; unique parents bringing up their kids in the wilds with little money but a richness in living with the land and animals, especially horses, that seems a fantasy to us city folk. The dad, Peter, lives by an internal code of values largely lost in modern times - he is horse-whisperer, philosopher, hunter and builder, husband and father. Despite seemingly overwhelming challenges, Peter refuses to compromise. This is a film you won’t forget! We'll have an update from the filmmakers by phone. Monday 29 Jul 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Here At Home MHCC has just wound down a two year project, At Home/Chez Soi, to test and document the effects of housing previously unhoused people in five cities across Canada, to prove out the difference it makes in their lives. NFB documented the process in a series of short documentary pieces. MOVIE MONDAY is featuring a selection from thirty or so of these concise glimpses into surprisingly diverse stories that explore this "experiment" from all angles. Includes Q&A. Pg The evening will be presented by renowned Vancouver filmmaker Lynne Stopkewich, (Kissed, Suspicious River and directing credits for many TV series episodes) who has been documenting her city's stories, plus two At Home participants. Wednesday 31 July 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Marley Bob Marley's universal appeal, impact on music history and role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparallelled. Marley is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his early days to his rise to international super stardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best. By the maker of Touching The Void, Kevin MacDonald. This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 5 Aug 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Life On The Vertical & Land Of The Chartreuse Moose Life On the Vertical is the incredible story of a unique population of mountain goats that live on the vertical walls of Canada's Grand Canyon on the Stikine River in northwestern British Columbia. Land Of The Chartreuse Moose: Ted Harrison When Jack London came to the Yukon in search of gold in 1893, he found a land raw and inhospitable, where, as he wrote "man is the sole speck of life in a frozen ghostly waste". Just sixty years later an art teacher from northern England, Ted Harrison, came to the Yukon, but what he found was a land of abundance and beauty, the Source for the Native people who'd inhabited it for thousands of years. Through his art and understanding of the rhythms of the land, he would become one of Canada's most popular artists, transforming the way the world would see the North. Monday 12 Aug 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Quartet Cecily, Reggie, and Wilfred are in a home for retired opera singers. Every year, on October 10, there is a concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday and they take part. Jean, who used to be married to Reggie, arrives at the home and disrupts their equilibrium. She still acts like a diva, but she refuses to sing. Still, the show must go on... and it does. Monday 19 Aug 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Any Day Now Inspired by a true story and touching on legal and social issues that are more relevant now than ever, Any Day Now tells a story of love, acceptance, and creating your own family. In the late 1970s, when Marco (Isaac Leyva), a teenager with down syndrome who's been abandoned by his mother, is taken in by committed couple Rudy (Alan Cumming) and Paul (Garret Dillahunt), he finds in them the family he's never had. But it's rocky road, as it's not cool to be an adopting gay couple. Paul's a closeted lawyer but Rudy happens to be drag queen/gay bar performer with a fair bit of ‘attitude'. Monday 26 Aug 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Strangers In Town Strangers In Town is a documentary about albinos. It considers both the medical and social aspects of albinism. The film attempts to overcome the prejudices and misconceptions people have toward albinos. Personalities appearing in the film include American blues guitarist Johnny Winter. Wednesday 28 August 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Crossroads Crossroads features one of the decade's best-received motion picture soundtracks, written and performed by Ry Cooder. Eugene Martone (Ralph Macchio) is a classically trained guitarist who desperately wants to locate a long-lost blues song. At a Harlem nursing home, Eugene finds Willie Brown, a legendary blues man who may be able to help him. Eugene becomes part of the master guitarist's scheme to reclaim his soul from the Devil, which he sold in exchange for musical greatness at a rural crossroads many decades before. R This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 9 Sep 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Looking For Richard Al Pacino dons three hats, as creator, director and star, in this intertwining performance of Shakespeare's gripping, tragic 'Richard III' and an intimate and often comic look at the struggle to bring the play to film. A terrific primer on The Bard and the passionate people who illuminate his classic plays - by the versatile actor we know better as a gangster and mafia don, more recently as Jack Kavorkian (You Don't Know Jack). Pg13 Speaking of the modern world, the skeleton of R III, with tell-tale crooked backbone, was recently uncovered a year ago under a parking lot in Leicester. It has since been verified with DNA testing, comparing with known descendants. Monday 16 Sep 2013 alphabetical list chronological list RASTA: A Soul's Journey Bob and Rita Marley's charismatic granddaughter Donisha Prendergast, is our guide in a quest to discover the roots, evolution and impact of the Rastafarian movement. From it's roots in Ethiopia, its rise in Jamaica, with that incredible boost world-wide through the power of the Marleys' Reggae music, to communities in UK, South Africa, India, Israel and Canada, we learn what it is to be a 'Rastamon'. pg13 Monday 23 Sep 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Vertigo Jimmy Stewart plays a cop coming out of retirement to solve the case of a woman, Kim Novak, who seems to be possessed and wanders San Francisco in a trance. While following Madeleine, Scottie saves her from a suicide attempt and soon a love affair blooms between the two, which leads Scottie into a vertiginous mystery fueled by his dark obsessions. Pg Michael van den Bos, a Vancouver-based film history teacher and film critic extraordinaire, will introduce this 1958 Alfred Hitchcock dizzying masterpiece, that now displaces Citizen Kane as Greatest Film Ever Made. Q&A will followed with Michael van den Bos. Wednesday 25 Sep 2013 alphabetical list chronological list The Sapphires The Sapphires follows four vivacious, young and talented Australian Aboriginal women from a remote mission as they learn about love, friendship and war when their all girl group, The Sapphires, entertains the U.S. troops in Vietnam in 1968. The girls are discovered by the Dave, (Chris O'Dowd - The I T Crowd, Bridesmaids), a good-humoured talent scout with a kind heart, very little rhythm but a great knowledge of soul music. Billed as Australia's answer to The Supremes, Dave secures the sisters their first true gig, and flies them to Vietnam to sing for the American troops. Based on a true story, The Sapphires is a triumphant celebration of youthful emotion, family and music. Pg13 This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 30 Sep 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Hit 'n Strum A barrier is crossed between yuppie young executive woman and a scruffy, homeless street musician when she hits him with her car in a distracted moment. She is gradually drawn into his world of puzzling ideals as she tries to make up for the accident. Set in downtown Vancouver and written, protagonist acted, even the songs composed and performed by once “Hollywood North” stuntman, now director, Kirk Caouette. Pg Saturday 5 Oct 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Unfaithful Mind When Schizophrenia In a Spouse Impacts a Family, New Book Describes the Struggles Ms Gibson will be speaking at Saturday Live! This is another in Movie Monday’s occasional series that spotlights writers and performers with lived experience of mental illness and recovery. While the book has only been out for a very short time, Ms Gibson and her story are the subject of a feature article in The Georgia Straight. She has also appeared on CBC radio network shows in Vancouver and Victoria as well as the Ian Jessop show in Victoria. Monday 7 Oct 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Rob Stewart's Revolution Revolution is a film about changing the world. The true-life adventure of Rob Stewart, this follow-up to his acclaimed SHARKWATER documentary continues his remarkable journey; one that will take him through 15 countries over four years, and where he'll discover that it's not only sharks that are in grave danger – it's humanity itself. With special guest: film interviewee, Climate Scientist and Green Party MLA Andrew Weaver. Thursday 10 Oct 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Hidden Pictures We'll be part of the world launch on World Mental Health Day of Dr Delaney Ruston's film that looks at attitudes about mental illness in India, China, France, Africa, and Ruston's own USA and her hometown children's school in Seattle. Monday 14 Oct 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Jiro Dreams Of Sushi Jiro Dreams of Sushi is the story of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world's greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is a world destination for high-rolling gourmands. It's about work ethic and focus on perfection of that work. Pg (in Japanese, well subtitled) Monday 21 Oct 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Mars Project A decade ago independent Canadian rap-icon Khari "Conspiracy" Stewart was diagnosed with a psychological disorder, but he has rejected the label and is pursuing a spiritual path. For half of his life, he has fought a spiritual war against two demons: Anacron, an intergalactic consciousness that possesses Stewart's mind, and the Canadian mental health system, which diagnosed him with schizophrenia over a decade ago. With innumerable battles waging as far back as his adolescence, Khari's otherworldly experiences have often been manifested through a dense and sometimes dark catalogue of recorded music, all of which he has recorded independently. Khari performs as 'Conspiracy' in a group called the Supreme Being Unit (S.B.U.), along with his twin brother Addi 'Mindbender' Stewart, who was not diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Through artful documentation of Khari's history, daily life and with insight from psychiatric experts, Mars Project reveals the deep complexities of mental health and perhaps some of the inadequacies of the Canadian healthcare system. Tormented artist, spiritual shaman, drug-addled rapper, Khari's unique experience seeks to challenge our understanding of schizophrenia and mental health. Pg 13 Thursday 24 Oct 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Mr Jones An entertaining and insightful bipolar portrayal with lots to consider about professional ethics. Monday 28 Oct 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Young Frankenstein Frankenstein quickly returns to Transylvania and the old ancestral castle, where he is awaited by the faithful houseboy Igor, the voluptuous lab assistant Inga, and the mysterious housekeeper Frau Blucher, whose very name causes horses to rear in fright. The young man had always rejected his grandfather's medical experiments as impossible, but he changes his mind after he discovers a book entitled How I Did It by Victor Frankenstein. Now all that's involved is a little grave-robbing and a trip to the handy local Brain Depository, and the Frankenstein family is back in business. Wednesday 30 October 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Wizard Of Oz Spooktacular Special Wednesday! An evening with Dorothy, Toto and her beloved traveling companions! Please join us Wednesday October 30th in costume if you want, for some treats and the special showing of this wonderful 1939 movie, 'The Wizard of Oz'. The Wizard of Oz stars legendary Judy Garland as Dorothy, an innocent farm girl whisked out of her mundane earthbound existence into a land of pure imagination. Dorothy's journey in Oz will take her through emerald forests, yellow brick roads, and creepy castles, all with the help of some unusual but earnest song-happy friends. Pg This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 4 Nov 2013 alphabetical list chronological list The Castle Nils Jensen's review: The Castle is an Australia almost-cult classic small budget movie with big results. It grossed over A$10 million - over 13 times what it cost to make. It's unpretentious, funny and very heart warming. The movie tells the story of the Kerrigan family who live modestly and happily next to the Melbourne Airport until they are faced with expropriation as the airport expands. The location is terribly un-Oak Bay being next to a runway, on top of a toxic landfill and under power lines. But to the Kerrigan's it's their home, their Castle. While it's the classic tale of the little guy against Big Government and Big Business at its core it's really about family and community values. R Thursday 7 Nov 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Completely Cuckoo About the making of and impact of the classic film One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. People are encouraged to watch the feature film One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and/or read the original Ken Kesey book ahead of seeing this doc as the metamorphosis from one to the other is fascinating and the background of the documentary. Monday 11 Nov 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Still Mine This feature by director Michael McGowan (ONE WEEK, a MM fave ) filmed in the New Brunswick is an exquisitely crafted and deeply affecting love story about a couple in their twilight years. Based on true events and laced with wry humor, STILL MINE tells the heartfelt tale of Craig Morrison (James Cromwell), who comes up against the system when he sets out to build a more suitable house for his ailing wife Irene (Geneviève Bujold). Pg Monday 18 Nov 2013 alphabetical list chronological list The Angels' Share Narrowly avoiding jail, new dad Robbie vows to turn over a new leaf. A visit to a whisky distillery inspires him and his mates to seek a way out of their hopeless lives. Happily, this is a surprisingly touching and nuanced treatment of what might be expected to be a just caper film - elements of The Full Monty. Pg13 Thursday 21 Nov 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Out Of The Shadow A filmmaker follows the course of her mother, who has schizophrenia, having spent a lifetime in a ‘revolving door' of treatment and homelessness, finally getting life under control. Monday 25 Nov 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Last White Knight Paul Saltzman's courageous The Last White Knight was inspired by an incident during the early 1960s when he journeyed to the Deep South as a civil rights worker to help with voter registration in Mississippi, one of the hard-core bastions of the Old South. One of the first days he was there he was assaulted by a group of young men led by Byron "Delay" De La Beckwith, the son of the man convicted of killing civil rights activist Medgar Evers. Decades later, Saltzman returns to the south to meet with Beckwith and see what, if anything, has changed in the New South. He found him and a 5 year dialogue ensued to explore if individual reconciliation was possible. Pg Monday 2 Dec 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Stories We Tell In this inspired, genre-twisting new film, writer/director Sarah Polley discovers that the truth depends on who's telling it. Polley is both filmmaker and detective as she investigates the secrets kept by a family of storytellers. She playfully interviews and interrogates a cast of characters of varying reliability, eliciting refreshingly candid, yet mostly contradictory, answers to the same questions. As each relates their version of the family mythology, present-day recollections shift into nostalgia-tinged glimpses of their mother, who departed too soon, leaving a trail of unanswered questions. pg13 Thursday 5 Dec 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Stuart Saves His Family Now US senator Al Franken with a light look at mental health and addiction in a year of his life and family. Humorous but mental health wise - and with a Christmas tie-in at the end. Based on the book by Franken, You're Good Enough, You're Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like You and his earnest, neurotic, but lovable Saturday Night Live character Stuart Smalley. Monday 9 Dec 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Hard Light This thoughtful NFB film was my introduction to the work of Michael Crummey, a maritime author and poet who plumbs the soul of old-time outport Newfoundland lifestyle. The filmmaker sees something valuable - and even lifesaving for himself - in Crummey’s work and takes us to the centre of it. Not to be missed! Pg13 Meet the filmmaker Justin Simms by phone from NFLD. Monday 16 Dec 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Boy It's 1984, and Michael Jackson is king - even in Waihau Bay, NZ. Here we meet Boy, an 11-year-old who lives on a farm with his gran, a goat, and his younger brother, Rocky (who thinks he has magic powers). Having imagined a heroic version of his father during his absence, Boy comes face to face with the real version - an incompetent hoodlum who has returned to find a bag of money he buried years before. The film a charming, funny, and earnest coming-of-age story where everybody has some coming of age to do - particularly the dad. Never short on humour, this story is ultimately about three boys (one grown) reconciling fantasy with reality. Pg 13 Wednesday 18 Dec 2013 alphabetical list chronological list It's a Wonderful Life A special screening of "It's a Wonderful Life", that ever popular holiday classic to define all holiday classics! This is a special event in co-operation with the Friends Of Music Society Monday 23 Dec 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Intouchables An irreverent, uplifting comedy about friendship, trust and human possibility, The Intouchables has broken box office records in its native France and across Europe. Based on a true story of friendship between a handicap millionaire (Francois Cluzet) and his street smart ex-con caretaker (Omar Sy), The Intouchables depicts an unlikely camaraderie rooted in honesty and humor between two individuals who, on the surface, would seem to have nothing in common. Monday 30 Dec 2013 alphabetical list chronological list Les Miserables Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption—a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Hugh Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Russell Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's (Anne Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever. It’s gritty but a profound cinematic and musical experience. Remarkably the actors sang their parts live to the camera with orchestration added later.) A great way to see 2013 out! Pg13 |