April Pick: The Zookeeper's Wife

A suspenseful WWII-era drama is our April pick. Based on a true story, The Zookeeper's Wife focuses on the incredibly dangerous strategy undertaken by a woman who, with her husband, is in charge of the Warsaw Zoo. Their chosen mission is to shelter as many people and animals as possible from Nazi brutality. Jessica Chastain (Oscar-nominated for her stunning work in The Help) stars in the title role.

We'll be seeing the film at the Varsity Cinema (ManuLife Centre, Bay & Bloor) on Tuesday, April 4, for the12:00 screening. As always, we'll gather near the box office about 20 minutes earlier. If you don't see me or other Movie Club members, just go in and watch the film and meet us afterward if you plan to nosh & natter at Scaccia downstairs.

SYNOPSIS: The time is 1939 and the place is Poland, homeland of Antonina Zabinski and her husband, Dr. Jan Zabinski. The Warsaw Zoo flourishes under Jan's stewardship and Antonina's care. When their country is invaded by the Nazis, Jan and Antonina are forced to report to the Reich's newly appointed chief zoologist, Lutz Heck. The Zabinskis covertly begin working with the Resistance and put into action plans to save the lives of hundreds from what has become the Warsaw Ghetto.

TRAILER: http://www.thenews.pl/1/11/Artykul/280849,Film-about-WarsawZoo-couple-who-saved-Jews-to-premiere-in-2017

REVIEW: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-zookeepers-wife-2017

March Pick: The Last Word

For those of us in need of some wry laughs just now, thanks to the weather and the inescapable politics down south - count me in - I've chosen a comedy called The Last Word, which stars Shirley MacLaine as ... well, read the synopsis and review below and you'll get the idea.

We'll be seeing the film at the Varsity Cinema (ManuLife Centre, Bay & Bloor) on Tuesday, March 14, for the 2:00 screening. As always, we'll gather near the box office about 20 minutes earlier. If you don't see me or other Movie Club members, just go in and watch the film and meet us afterward if you plan to nosh & natter at Scaccia downstairs.

SYNOPSIS:  In The Last Word, Shirley MacLaine is Harriet Lauler, a once successful businesswoman in tight control of every aspect of her life. As she reflects upon her accomplishment, she's suddenly inspired to engage a young local writer, Anne Sherman (Amanda Seyfried), to pen her life's story. When the initial result doesn't meet Harriet's high expectations, she sets out to reshape the way she is remembered, with Anne dragged along as an unwilling accomplice. As the journey unfolds, the two women develop a unique bond which alters not only Harriet's legacy, but also Anne's future.

• CAST: Shirley MacLaine, Amanda Seyfried, Thomas Sadoski, Philip Hall, Gedde Watanabe, Tom Everett Scott 
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TRAILER: https://www.cinemaclock.com/ont/toronto/movies/the-last-word-2017/videos

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REVIEW - NOW Magazine:  The Last Word stars Shirley MacLaine, gloriously grumpy - and appealing - as Harriet Lawlor, a former ad executive who wants to edit her own obit. She enlists the help of the obit writer at her local daily (Amanda Seyfried), who quickly discovers that there isn't a person who's crossed Harriet's path that has a nice thing to say about her. That's okay with Harriet, who decides she'll just start doing the kind of stuff that generates an inspiring obit. Surprise - she turns out to have a heart beating under all that bravado. MacLaine dominates with her kick-ass energy and Seyfried is convincingly pissed off and teary in all the right places. Sure, the pic is a by-the-numbers heartwarmer whose every narrative move you can predict 10 minutes before it unfolds. But it also has MacLaine.