Film Fan Fridays for Friday October 3, 2008!

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday October 3, 2008! It certainly is getting chilly outside, time to retreat to the theatre! With eight releases this weekend and a special screening there should be something for everyone! We also have two festivals and a mid week release as well. Now, on to the films.

In limited release this week we have two films, both of which have received critical acclaim. First up is Rachel Getting Married where Anne Hathaway takes on a dramatic role. The second film is The Secret of the Grain, which I unfortunately couldn't find and English trailer for but does looks quite compelling.

In wide release are out in full force this week, many of which are highly anticipated. I am most looking forward to Blindness not only does it looks fascinating but it is also a Canadian co-production and if feels like it has been a while since we've had a Canadian film in regular release. We also have the based on a true story Flash of Genius with Greg Kinnear and I have to say I never thought a film about intermittent windshield wipers would look so interesting! Speaking of devices and zeigist, one that incompasses both in the current timelines is Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. Looking for some sci-fi/adventure/western? It looks like the newest Bollywood film Drona has all of that an more! The last three releases are all about the giggles with Beverly Hills Chinhuahua with talking dogs. There is also How to Lose Friends & Alienate People playing on the reverse concept of the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and last up for this week is Religulous, where Bill Maher goes around asking people about religion.

We also have one midweek limited release with Guy Ritchie's return to smart talking, smash'em up film RocknRolla.

Have a great weekend!

Shannon
Festival Watch

Abilities Arts Festival
Disabilities arts organization, promoting inclusiveness and and diversity
Film Forum Schedule
Continues until October 10, 2008, at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Japanese Short Film Festival
October 7 - 10, 2008 at Innis Town Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Special Screening

Ready
Friday October 3, 2008 at The Bloor, presented by Absinthe Films on the Sphere of Influence Tour
Snowboarding film, check out the Trailer

Friday October 3, 2008 Releases

Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Dir: Raja Gosnell (Never Been Kissed, Scooby-Doo, Yours, Mine and Ours)
Voices: Drew Barrymore, Andy Garcia, George Lopez, Cheech Marin, Paul Rodriguez, Loretta Devine, Edward James Olmos
USA
Official Film Site (autoplays trailer), IMDb Page, Trailer
Trailer is spoiler free

Blindness
Dir: Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Constant Gardener)
Cast: Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Alica Braga, Danny Glover, Gael García Bernal , Yusuke Iseya
Canada/Brazil/Japan
Official Film Site (autoplays viral-type vid with film content and trailer), IMDb Page, Trailer
I didn't watch the trailer as I will see the film - watch at your own spoiler-ness risk!

Drona
Dir: Goldie Behl (Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai)
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra
India
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer on YouTube

Flash of Genius
Dir: Marc Abraham - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Mitch Pileggi, Dermot Mulroney
USA
Official Film Site (autoplays trailer), IMDb Page, Trailer
You get the gist of the film by the halfway point

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
Dir: Robert B. Weide - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Jeff Bridges
UK
Official Film Site(autoplays trailer), IMDb Page, Trailer
Trailer is spoiler free

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Dir: Peter Sollett (Raising Victor Vargas)
Cast: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Ari Graynor, Alexis Dziena, Aaron Yoo, Rafi Gavron
USA
Official Film Site(autoplays trailer), IMDb Page, Trailer
Trailer is spoiler free until 3/4 of the way through

Rachel Getting Married
Dir: Jonathan Demme (Neil Young: Heart of Gold, Philadelphia, The Silence of the Lambs)
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitter, Tunde Adebimpe, Debra Winger
USA
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer
Spoiler free until the 1/2 way point

Religulous
Dir: Larry Charles (Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan)
Cast: Bill Maher
Documentary
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

The Secret of the Grain / La Graine et le mulet
Writer/Dir: Abdel Kechiche (Games of Love and Chance / L'Esquive)
Cast: Habib Boufares, Hafsia Herzi, Farida Benkhetache, Adbelhamid Aktouche
France
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, French Trailer
No subtitles in trailer, felt spoiler free with limited understanding of French

Wednesday October 8, 2008 Releases

RocknRolla
Wirter/Dir: Guy Ritchie (Revolver, Snatch, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels)
Cast: Gerard Butler, Jeremy Piven, Thandie Newton, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Strong, Ludacris/Chris Bridges
UK
Limited Release
Official Film Site (autoplays trailer), IMDb Page, Trailer
You get the gist of the film by the halfway point

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as of October 3, 2008**