Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 18, 2009!

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday December 18, 2009! It's certainly feeling like holiday times with big releases like Avatar hitting the screens this week. Several films art coming back and/or expanding to more screens with the Golden Globe nominations out this week. It's a great time to catch up if you missed any.

In limited release this week we have three films in limited release, first up is Big River Man documentary on Slovenian endurance swimmer Martin Strel as he attempts to cross the Mississippi River. We also have Broken Embraces / Los abrazos rotos the latest from writer/director Pedro Almodóvar starring Penélope Cruz team up again, this time in a drama/thriller about a blind writer played by Lluís Homar. Last up is the Bollywood comedy romance 3 Idiots starring Aamir Khan.

In wide release this week we have also have three releases. Emily Blunt starts in as a young Queen Victoria in the the biopic The Young Victoria from director Jean-Marc Vallée (C.R.A.Z.Y.). If feels like the inevitable pun on Did You Hear the One About the Morgans? is did you hear about the film? Considering it's had tons of promotion behind it. On the flip side we have James Cameron's latest which we've been hearing about for years, the science fiction / action film Avatar starring Sam Worthington. It's showing in 2D, 3D and 3D IMAX and not opening as wide as you'd think so make sure to check your local listings if you are heading out to see it.

Also get a jump start on Christmas is the Wednesday December 23, 2009 release of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. It won't make my list but I just love the term squeakquel, makes me smile ever time I hear it.

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Special Screening

The Bloor has their annual holiday screening with It's A Wonderful Life on this Friday December 18, 2009 at 7pm. Free for members.

Friday December 18, 2009 Releases

3 Idiots
Dir: Rajkumar Hirani (Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Munnabhai M.B.B.S.)
Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Madhavan
Limited Release
Film Fan Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Avatar
Writer/Dir: James Cameron (Aliens, Terminator, Titanic, The Abyss, Gladiator)
Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Big River Man
Dir: John Maringouin (Running Stumbled, Running Stumbled)
Documentary
USA
Limited Release
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

Broken Embraces / Los abrazos rotos
Writer/Dir: Pedro Almodóvar (Volver, Talk to Her, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown)
Cast: Penélope Cruz, Lluís Homar
Spain
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Did You Hear the One About The Morgans?
Writer/Dir: Marc Lawrence (Music and Lyrics)
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Hugh Grant
USA
No Official Film Site Found, IMDb Page, Trailer

The Young Victoria
Dir: Jean-Marc Vallée (C.R.A.Z.Y.)
Cast: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent
UK/USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Wednesday December 23, 2009 Releases

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
Dir: Betty Thomas (28 Days, John Tucker Must Die)
Voices: Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as of December 23, 2009**