Film Fan Friday for Friday February 19, 2010

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday February 19, 2010! Hitting the screens this Olympic weekend are a total of 8 films, most of which are in limited releases including 2 Canadian films and 4 documentaries. Although they may not be wide releases, it's certainly a wide selection to choose from.

In limited release this week we have 7 films to choose from in, let's start with the 2 Canadian selections: Defendor and Reel Injun. Defendor takes an almost-everyman turned superhero played by Woody Harrelson and gives a superhero/crime with a comedic edge. Reel Injun is one I know I'll be seeing this week, it's a documentary exploring the portrayals of North American Natives in film. We also have some festival favourites this week including A Town Called Panic / Panique au village, and animated French film that was part of last years Midnight Madness program at TIFF. A film getting critical acclaim is Fish Tank directed by Andrea Arnold (Red Road & upcoming Wuthering Heights) and starring Katie Jarvis and Michael Fassbender. The week is also chock full of docs including Oscar nominated The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, and two music related docs Soundtrack for a Revolution which looks at American civil rights movement through the perspective of the music and musicians and Until the Light Takes Us which casts a lens at Norwegian black metal.

In wide release this week we have just one release, Martin Scorsese's thriller/horror Shutter Island starring Leonardo Dicaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Max Von Sydow. The original released date was back in October 2009, but now it's finally hitting the screens and with zero other wide releases to compete. It will be interested to see how it does after the weekend is through.

Don't forget last weeks mid week release of Celine: Through the Eyes of the World, a documentary of Celine Dion's Taking Chances world tour.

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Festival Watch

Caribbean Tales Youth Film Festival
Continues until February 25, 2010 at the William Doo Auditorium, 45 Willcocks Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Reel Artists Film Festival
February 24 - 28, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Human Rights Watch Film Festival
February 24 - March 6, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Wednesday February 17, 2010 Releases

Celine: Through the Eyes of the World
Dir: Stéphane Laporte - feature film directorial debut
Documentary of Celine Dion's Taking Chances world tour
Country not specified
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Friday February 19, 2010 Releases

Defendor
Writer/Dir: Peter Stebbings - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Elias Koteas, Kat Dennings, Sandra Oh, Michael Kelly
Canada
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Fish Tank
Writer/Dir: Andrea Arnold (Red Road)
Cast: Katie Jarvis, Michael Fassbender, Harry Treadaway, Rebecca Griffiths, Kierston Wareing
UK
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Dirs: Rick Goldsmith (Everyday Heroes) and Judith Ehrlich - feature film directorial debut
Documentary
USA
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Reel Injun
Dir: Neil Diamond - feature film directorial debut
Documentary exploring the portrayals of North American Natives in film
Canada
Limited Release
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

Shutter Island
Dir: Martin Scorsese (The Departed, The Aviator, Gangs of New York, Taxi Driver)
Cast: Leonardo Dicaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, Ben Kingsley, Max Von Sydow
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Soundtrack for a Revolution
Dir: Bill Guttertag & Dan Sturman (Nanking)
Documentary looking at the American civil rights movement through the perspective of the music and musicians
USA/UK/France
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

A Town Called Panic / Panique au village
Dir: Stéphane Aubier / Vincent Patar ("Panique au village" (2000) TV series )
Cast: Stéphane Aubier, Jeanne Balibar, Nicolas Buysse, Véronique Dumont, Bruce Ellison
France/Belgium/Luxembourg
Limited Release
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

Until the Light Takes Us
Dir: Aaron Aites & Audrey Ewell - feature film directorial debuts
Documentary on Norwegian black metal
USA
Limited Release
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as of February 19, 2010**