Film Fan Fridays for Friday July 10, 2009

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday July 10, 2009! Amidst the blockbusters of summer this week we have an impressive selection of historically centred limited releases.

In limited release this week we have three films to explore all with an element of the real. Starting with The Hurt Locker directed by Kathryn Bigelow and is a war-set thriller that is finally hitting theatres after its successful festival run. Next up we have the biopic Il Divo based on Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. Finally we get a fashion fix with Valentino: The Last Emperor, a documentary on the Italian fashion designer... you guessed it, Valentino.

In wide release this week we have two selections for Friday releases with Brüno starring the one and only Sacha Baron Cohen and the teen comedy I Love You, Beth Cooper starring Paul Rudd and Hayden Panettiere (Claire from "Heroes").

But the big release of the week is in true summer style a Wednesday release (July 15, 2009) of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Originally slated to release in November 2008, it was bumped to 2009 as of last summer but finally we get to see the 6th J.K. Rowling book brought to life. Other than Star Trek this is my most anticipated film of the year and to celebrate it's release I re-watched and reviewed the first five films of the series in a Harry Potter Countdown! There are some midnight screenings on Tuesday July 14th if you need to be the first to see it, but if you want to see it in IMAX or 3D IMAX you are in for a wait - it won't hit IMAX screens until Wednesday July 29, 2009.

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Friday July 10, 2009 Releases

Brüno
Dir: Larry Charles (Religulous, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan)
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen
USA
No Official Film Site Found, IMDb Page, Trailer

The Hurt Locker
Dir: Kathryn Bigelow (K-19: The Widowmaker, Point Break)
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly
USA
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

I Love You, Beth Cooper
Dir: Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Rent)
Cast: Hayden Panettiere, Paul Rust, Jack Carpenter, Lauren Storm, Lauren London
Canada/USA
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

Il Divo
Writer/Dir: Paolo Sorrentino (L'amico di famiglia / The Family Friend)
Cast: Toni Servillo, Anna Bonaiuto, Piera Degli Esposti, Paolo Graziosi, Giulio Bosetti
Italy/France
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Valentino: The Last Emperor
Dir: Matt Tyrnauer - feature film directorial debut
Documentary on Italian fashion designer Valentino
USA
Limited Release
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

Wednesday July 15, 2009 releases

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Dir: David Yates (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Tom Felton
UK/USA
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as of July 15, 2009**