Film Fan Fridays for Friday May 1, 2009

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday May 1, 2009! The summer film season has official begun with our first set of releases in May! Although it may seem strange considering the crazy weather of late May truly is be the beginning of blockbuster season, secured by last years hit Iron Man having a phenomenal run in May of 2008. Every week in May we have a big release hitting the theatre (see list of upcoming films) and this week we start it all off with X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The question on many film fans minds are how well will it do after the fiasco of a print being released online weeks ago. Will people still see it in the theatre? Will you? I know I will.

But enough about the big guns, there are stellar films to explore that are opening in limited release this week starting off with Adrift in Tokyo / Tenten, a sensitive and comedic exploration that unfolds as two unlikely companions walk the streets of Tokyo, this film is not to be missed. We also have the release of the Canadian documentary on lightning, Act of God hot off the heels of it's opening night presentation at Hot Docs. Next up is Lemon Tree, which won the audience award at the Berlin Film Festival in 2008 and stars Hiam Abbass whom we last saw in The Visitor as the mother. Last up is the prom-com Bart Got a Room starring Steven Kaplan, William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines.

In wide release this week we have the A Christmas Carol inspired romantic comedy Ghosts of Girlfriends Past with Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner and of course the biggie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine with Hugh Jackman as the one, the only Wolverine.

It's more than theatrical releases out there. This week will be jam packed with documentary goodness and be sure to check out my daily Hot Docs coverage here at Movie Moxie as the festival runs until May 10, 2009.

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Festival Watch

Hot Docs
Canadian International Documentary Film Festival
Continues until May 10, 2009 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Advance Screening

Although Star Trek officially releases on May 8, 2009 there are screenings listed for the evening of Thursday May 7, 2009 at the AMC Yonge & Dundas for those that are looking to get a head start as seeing it.

Friday May 1, 2009 Releases

Act of God
Dir: Jennifer Baichwal (Manufactured Landscapes)
Canada
Limited Release
More info at Hot Docs Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Adrift in Tokyo / Tenten
Dir: Satoshi Miki
Cast: Jô Odagiri, Tomokazu Miura, Kyoko Koizumi, Yuriko Yoshitaka and Ryo Iwamatsu.
Japan
Limited Release
Official Film Site English Trailer on YouTube, IMDb Page

Bart Got a Room
Writer/Dir: Brian Hecker - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Steven Kaplan, William H. Macy, Cheryl Hines, Alia Shawkat, Chad Jamian Williams
USA
Limited Release
No Official Film Site found, IMDb Page, Trailer

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
Dir: Mark Waters (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Just Like Heaven, Mean Girls)
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas, Lacey Chabert, Anne Archer, Emma Stone
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Lemon Tree / Etz Limon
Dir: Eran Riklis (The Syrian Bride, Pituy / Temptation)
Cast: Hiam Abbass, Ali Suliman, Rona Lipaz-Michael, Doron Tavory
Israel/Germany/France
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Dir: Gavin Hood (Tsotsi)
Cast: Hugh Jackman Ryan Reynolds, Liev Schreiber, Dominic Monaghan, Lynn Collins, Taylor Kitsch, Daniel Henney Kevin Durand
USA/Australia/Canada
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as of May 1, 2009**