Film Fan Fridays for Friday August 5, 2011

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday August 5, 2011! It's a bit of a quieter week with only 6 releases this week and an early bird mid-week release next week. I guess that gives us some time to catch up on some earlier films if nothing this week fits our tastes, which isn't that likely as the 6 film are all quite interesting in their own, unique ways.

In limited release this week we have a film I've very excited about, I saw the trailer for The Future from writer/director Miranda July (Me and You and Everyone We Know) earlier this week and was instantly won over by it's quirky feel and heartfelt tone and I truly can't wait to see it. We also have El Bulli - Cooking in Progress a documentary for the foodies out there, this one follows Spanish chef Ferran Adria who preps his team for the next season of avant garde film at his restaurant El Bulli. We also have biopic The Devil's Double starring Dominic Cooper in dual roles of Saddam Husseins's son as well as his resistant double, plus Viva Riva! a crime drama from The Congo.

In wide release this week we have two Friday releases and I'm going out on a limb to say I had totally written off Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a remake of the 1972 Conquest of the Planet of the Apes as it just seemed weird to reboot after the Tim Burton version and then to come back with a remake of the 4th film in a series was confusing to say the least. Then I saw the trailer and the film looks great. And it looks like it's actually about something, not just fodder or action. I'm in - so much so that I noted it as a part of my Looking Back, Looking Forward post about my favourite & the best films of the year (so far) as well as the handful of films I'm adding to my Most Anticipated of the Year List. Also in release this week is a new take on the body/life-switching film The Change-Up where the switch is between bachelor (Ryan Reynolds) and family man (Jason Bateman).

Also a mid-week release with 2011 book to Film Club Selection The Help coming out next week on Wednesday August 10, 2011. I'm really excited as we've had a bit of a lull for film releases for the club with the last one being Water for Elephants, and also after reading the amazing book I've very much looking forward to Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone (Paper Man) and Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life) bringing the fantastic characters to life.

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Friday August 5, 2011 Releases

El Bulli - Cooking in Progress
Dir: Gereon Wetzel (Die Reproduktionskrise)
Documentary
Germany
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

The Change-Up
Dir: David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers, Shanghai Knights, Clay Pigeons)
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Jason Bateman, Leslie Mann, Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

The Devil's Double
Dir: Lee Tamahori (Die Another Day, Along Came a Spider, Once Were Warriors)
Cast: Dominic Cooper, Ludivine Sagnier, Raad Rawi, Philip Quast, Mimoun Oaissa
Belgium
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

The Future
Writer/Dir: Miranda July (Me and You and Everyone We Know)
Cast: Miranda July, Hamish Linklater
Germany/USA
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Dir: Rupert Wyatt (The Escapist)
Cast: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, Tom Felton, Brian Cox, John Lithgow
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Viva Riva!
Writer/Dir: Djo Tunda Wa Munga - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Patsha Bay, Manie Malone, Hoji Fortuna, Marlene Longage, Diplome Amekindra, Alex Herabo
Democratic Republic of the Congo/France/Belgium
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Wednesday August 10, 2011 Release

The Help
Dir: Tate Taylor (Pretty Ugly People)
Cast: Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Bryce Dallas Howard
USA/India/United Arab Emirates
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as of August 5, 2011**