Film Fan Fridays for Friday January 27, 2012

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday January 27, 2012! Happy Oscar nominations week! As per tradition I've made my 3 lists for Oscar nominations including a details list, a film list with the details of what it's nominated for and a simple film list with # of nominations (great for printing & highlighting). I'm way behind - I've only seen 13 of the 46 nominated features! I'll get to at least one more this weekend but not sure how many I'll get to by February 26, 2012 for the awards. Here's hoping it's a lot more!

In limited release this week we have three films to choose from including the just nominated Canadian film Monsieur Lazhar, which has also been a part of the Canada's Top Ten 2011 and Winner of the Best Canadian Feature Award at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. It's from writer/director Philippe Falardeau (C'est pas moi, je le jure! / It's Not Me, I Swear!, Congorama) and stars Fellag, and has inspiring teacher film written all over it. I can't wait to see it. I also am thrilled to see Tyrannosaur hitting a Toronto theatre this week, it's the fantastic directorial debut from Paddy Considine with a story of a hard case man and a strong faith woman who have absolutely nothing in common. One of the best films I saw at TIFF 2011 and features fantastic performances from the cast including Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan. You can hear my review as well as the intro and Q&A with Tyrannosaur director Paddy Considine here on the Movie Moxie Podcast #59. Last up for limited releases we have All's Well That Ends Well, a Hong Kong comedy that hooks up divorcees starring Donnie Yen, it has a really cute trailer showing the 'many different ways to hug' and remake of the 1988 film The Eight Happiness.

In wide release this week we have 5 films in release, first up is The Grey starring Liam Neeson, who I continue to love to see in action-y roles and it's really exciting to see Frank Grillo (Warrior (2011), 'The Gates') in this one as well, it's a survivalist action/thriller that is I understand the premise from the trailer (which is spoilery...), feels a little over the top, but still very interesting. We also have One for the Money, adapted from the book One for the Money by Janet Evanovich and stars Katherine Heigl who is down on her luck and turns to becoming a bail bondsman, and honestly - I think this one looks pretty funny. Also hitting theatres is Man on a Ledge starring Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell and Ed Harris and looks a mystery/thriller - from a ledge. Also out in release is the animated film Back to the Sea 3D and Bollywood release of Agneepath.

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Festival Watch

The 8 Fest Small-Gauge Film Festival
A festival focusing on small-gauge film including 8mm, Super 8, 9.5mm, loops and zoetropes
January 27 - 29, 2012 at Trash Palace in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Friday January 27, 2012 Releases

Agneepath
Writer/Dir: Karan Malhotra - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Arush Bhiwandiwala, Deven Bhojani, Sunil Chauhan, Priyanka Chopra, Sanjay Dutt
India
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

All's Well That Ends Well / Baat seng bou hei
Dir: Hing-Ka Chan (La comédie humaine, Poker King)
Cast: Donnie Yen, Louis Koo, Lynn Hung, Kelly Chen, Sandra Ng Kwan Yue, Chapman To
Hong Kong
Limited Release
No Official Film Site Found, IMDb Page, Trailer

Back to the Sea 3D
Dir: Thom Lu
Voices: Christian Slater, Tim Curry, Mark Hamill, Tom Kenny, Kath Soucie, John Di Maggio
China
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

The Grey
Dir: Joe Carnahan (The A-Team, Smokin' Aces)
Cast: Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Man on a Ledge
Dir: Asger Leth (Ghosts of Cité Soleil)
Cast: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Ed Burns, Keira Sedgwick, Ed Harris
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Monsieur Lazhar
Writer/Dir: Philippe Falardeau (C'est pas moi, je le jure! / It's Not Me, I Swear!, Congorama)
Cast: Mohamed Fellag, Sophie Nélisse, Émilien Néron, Danielle Proulx, Brigitte Poupart
Canada
Limited Release
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

One for the Money
Dir: Julie Anne Robinson (The Last Song)
Cast: Katherine Heigl, Jason O’Mara, Sherri Sheppard, John Leguizamo, Debbie Reynolds
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Tyrannosaur
Writer/Dir: Paddy Considine - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan, Paul Popplewell, Ned Dennehy
UK
Limited Release
Film 4 Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as of January 27, 2012**