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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

March Film Club

Hello friends, thank you to all you brave souls that made it out in the bitter cold to come see (500) Days of Summer, we had a great turn out and pretty good discussion following.  For the month of March, following my usual tradition of showing a film regarding the Irish, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, I've decided to show Ken Loach's The Wind that Shakes the Barley.

The Wind that Shakes the Barley is a 2006 Irish war drama directed by Ken Loach, set during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1922) and the Irish Civil War (1922-1923).  This drama tells the fictional story of two County Cork brothers, Damien O'Donovan (Cillian Murphy) and Teddy O'Donovan (Padraic Delaney), who join the Irish Republican Army to fight for Irish independence form the United Kingdom.  It takes its title from the Robert Dwyer Joyce song "The Wind that Shakes the Barley" a song set during the 1798 rebellion in Ireland and featured early in the film.  Widely praised, the film won the Palme d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.  The film got a positive reaction from film critics.  As of January 5, 2008, the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 88% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 102 reviews.

Jim Emerson, film critic and former editor for Roger Ebert, awarded the film 4/4 stars saying this of the film: "You don't have to know about the history of the "the troubles" in Northern Ireland to be swept up in the human drama of Ken Loach's "The Wind that Shakes the Barley," which won the Palme d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.  With almost tactile immediacy-you can almost smell the smoke and the wild grasses in the hills, feel the rain and the fog in your bones-this movie places you shoulder to shoulder with people who are living and dying for their country, their families, their friends and their principles."

This is very excellent, often gritty, film about some of the volatile history of Ireland.  Ken Loach crafts a moving and compelling drama and I hope you can make it out for this wonderful film!

We will be meeting Thursday, March 19th at 6:15pm.

Here's the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yvHe_ksnDA

Monday, February 2, 2015

February Film Club

Hey everybody, hope you survived the snow storm we just had!  First of all, let me thank everybody who made it out to our showing of Luis Bunuel's The Exterminating Angel, we had a good turn out and a good discussion.  If you weren't able to make it, we do offer it for rental at the library.  Now, on to business.
Now, as you all know, I am a fan of the romantic comedies, HUGE fan.  Ok, that's not true, not even slightly, but, there are a few romances that I don't find horrible.  For the month of February, we will be watching one of these movies.  This month's film club film will be Marc Webb's directorial debut: (500) Days of Summer.

(500) Days of Summer is a 2009 American romantic comedy-drama film written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, directed by Marc Webb, and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.  The film employs a nonlinear narrative structure, with the story based upon its male protagonist and his memories of a failed relationship.  It premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and garnered critical acclaim, becoming a successful "sleeper hit".  Many critics lauded the film as one of the best from 2009 and drew comparisons to other acclaimed films such as Annie Hall and High Fidelity.  As I mentioned, the film is presented in a nonlinear narrative, as it jumps from various days within the 500-day span of Tom and Summer's relationship, indicated by an animation that includes the day's number.

The film received positive reviews from critics upon its release.  Based on over 214 professional reviews, it obtained a certified fresh seal on Rotten Tomatoes with an approval rating of 86%.  The consensus describes the film as "A clever, offbeat romantic comedy, (500) Days of Summer is refreshingly honest and utterly charming."  Film critic Roger Ebert awarded the film 4/4 stars saying this of the film, "Tom opens the film by announcing it will not be your typical love story.  Are you like me, and when you realize a movie is on autopilot you get impatient with it?  How long can the characters pretend they don't know how the story will end?  Here is a rare movie that begins by telling us how it will end and is about how the hero has no idea why."

This film is one of those rare romantic-comedies that I don't hate or find a chore to watch.  Come on out and join us for this wonderful little film.

We will be meeting Thursday, Feb. 19th at 6:15pm.  Hope to see you there!

Here's the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsD0NpFSADM