December: The Man Who Invented Christmas

After seeing the dazzling trailer for The Man Who Invented Christmas, I believe this is an ideal pick for our December outing (even though I'm not a big fan of Christmas). 

Starring Dan Stevens (Matthew in Downton Abbey) and Christopher Plummer as Ebenezer Scrooge, it's a - possibly true, possibly not - tale of how Charles Dickens wrote his timeless holiday novel. 

Here's how Stevens describes the film: "It is a magical realist story based on some truth about the period of time Charles Dickens spent in the run-up to publishing A Christmas Carol. I just thought it was a really fresh take on that whole world. Particularly in England, Dickens is placed on a pedestal. But the guy was, by turns, quite playful and childish and at times, a quite dark and not very pleasant man.”

The movie was directed by Bharat Nalluri (who also did the unforgettable Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) from a screenplay written by Susan Coyne, based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Les Standiford. Below is a terrific story about Coyne, a Torontonian who's racking up a track record that's beyond impressive.

TRAILER: http://ew.com/movies/2017/09/05/man-who-invented-christmas-trailer-dan-stevens-charles-dickens/

REVIEW: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/movies/review-in-the-man-who-invented-christmas-review-charles-dickens-dan-stevens.html

STORY ABOUT SCREENWRITER SUSAN  COYNE: 

https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2017/11/23/susan-coynes-a-local-writer-on-a-roll.html

WHERE & WHEN: We'll see The Man Who Invented Christmas on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Yonge/Dundas Cineplex for the 1:35 screening. As always, we'll try to gather near the box office about 20 minutes earlier. For the benefit of new members who don't know how to recognize me, I will stand near the up escalator with some kind of Movie Club I.D. - but only until 1:25. As always, if you don't see me or other club members, go in and see the film on your own. 

Those who wish to nosh & natter afterwards will meet at the bottom of the escalators by the windows near the exit. Then we will walk to the nearby Spring Rolls restaurant (staying on the north side of Dundas, crossing Yonge, walking west on Dundas about half a block). 

N.B. NOTIFY ME no later than noon on Monday, Dec. 4, if you plan to join us so I can make a reservation for the correct number of people. N.B. Please do NOT notify me unless you're sure you will come to the restaurant. I say this because it's very embarrassing for me when I turn up with a reservation for, say 10 people and only six show up - as happened last month and several months before that. Gotta tell you, it's making me grumpy - and we don't want that, now do we?

November: Murder on the Orient Express

Our November pick is a remake of the 1974 film version of Agatha Christie's famous novel Murder on the Orient Express. We will see it at the Yonge/Dundas Cineplex on Tuesday, Nov. 14, for the 1:50 screening - gathering near the box office about 20 minutes earlier.
SYNOPSIS: What starts out as a lavish train ride through Europe quickly unfolds into one of the most stylish, suspenseful and thrilling mysteries ever told. Thirteen strangers are stranded on a train, where everyone's a suspect. 
STARRING: Kenneth Branagh, who also directed, as Hercule Poirot. Also among the 13 suspicious characters are: Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe and Johnny Depp.
TRAILER: https://www.cinemaclock.com/movies/murder-on-the-orient-express-2017/videos/208292
REVIEW: http://ca.ign.com/articles/2017/11/10/murder-on-the-orient-express-review-2

October Pick: Victoria & Abdul

So, when I first chose our October pick, Victoria & Abdul, I was delighted that the timing of its Toronto release worked for us. Then they changed the date. So I switched us to Battle of the Sexes (depiction of the while-the-whole-world-watched 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs). 

Well, now that it's been confirmed that V&A will arrive in time for our October outing. So I'm switching back to V&A. Judging by its hilarious trailer, and knowing that "Queen" Judi Dench's performances are always must-see, this movie will be even more of a delicious treat than BoS - though I'm definitely going to see that one too.

SYNOPSIS: The extraordinary true story of an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria's (Academy Award winner Judi Dench) remarkable rule. When Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), a young clerk, travels from India to participate in the Queen's Golden Jubilee, he is surprised to find favor with the Queen herself. As the Queen questions the constrictions of her long-held position, the two forge an unlikely and devoted alliance with a loyalty to one another that her household and inner circle all attempt to destroy. As the friendship deepens, the Queen begins to see a changing world through new eyes and joyfully reclaims her humanity.

NOTE: If you're a fan of Eddie Izzard, as I most definitely am, you'll enjoy his outrageous (what else?) performance as Victoria's outraged son, "Bertie," who's champing at the bit to become king. 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT2Ph_9bGPs

STORIES ABOUT THE TRUE-LIFE RELATIONSHIP PORTRAYED IN THE FILM: 

http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Victoria-and-Abdul-Dench-looks-into-the-12230520.php

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8349760/The-lost-diary-of-Queen-Victorias-final-companion.html

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/09/queen-victoria-and-abdul-real-story

September Pick: Tulip Fever

We're heading to the Netherlands back in the 1600s for our September outing to see Tulip Fever.  As the author of the bestselling novel of the same name explains in an interview below, it was a time when a craze broke out for betting big on which tulips would blossom first - red, white, orange, striped? 

Christoph Waltz, at his vexatious best, stars as a wealthy man who decides to have a portrait painted of his beautiful young wife, played by Alicia Vikander (who was terrific in The Danish Girl and Testament of Youth). The handsome young artist he chooses (played by Dane DeHaan) turns out to be irresistible to her. And the ever-watchable Judi Dench plays a nun who never hesitates to give advice.

The film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015 but, for various reasons, took a long time to be released in cinemas. Rumours say that these included funding problems and censorship threats due to a surfeit of sexiness - which we'll judge for ourselves.

WHEN & WHERE: We'll see Tulip Fever on Tuesday, September 5, at the Varsity Cinema (Manulife Centre at Bay & Bloor) for the 1:30 screening - gathering, as always, near the box office about 20 minutes earlier. 

SYNOPSIS:  An artist falls for a young married woman while he's commissioned to paint her portrait during the tulip mania of 17th century Amsterdam.

TRAILER:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0491203/videoplayer/vi3567696153?ref_=tt_ov_vi

INTERVIEW with Tulip Fever author: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/why-tulip-fever-took-20-years-reach-screen-guest-column-1033766

July Pick: The Big Sick

Summer's finally here, so how about a comedy for our July pick? The Big Sick, which we'll see at the Varsity Cinema (Manulife Centre, Bloor & Bay) for the 1:15 screening, is a comedy, yes. But according to multi-star reviews even in media outlets that don't sprinkle them around unless they have to, it's a comedy with some serious themes. Check out the synopsis and trailer below to see what I mean.

SYNOPSIS:

Based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, THE BIG SICK tells the story of Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani), who connects with grad student Emily (Zoe Kazan) after one of his stand-up sets. However, what they thought would be just a one-night stand blossoms into the real thing, which complicates the life that is expected of Kumail by his traditional Muslim parents. When Emily is beset with a mystery illness, it forces Kumail to navigate the medical crisis with her parents, Beth and Terry (Holly Hunter and Ray Romano) who he's never met, while dealing with the emotional tug-of-war between his family and his heart.

TRAILER:    https://www.cinemaclock.com/movies/the-big-sick-2017/videos

REVIEWS:   http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-big-sick-2017
                     https://www.vox.com/summer-movies/2017/6/21/15837678/big-sick-review-kumail-nanjiani-emily-gordon-zoe-kazan-islam

June Pick: My Cousin Rachel

Because nothing likely to interest us had arrived in time for the first Tuesday of this month, we're postponing our outing to the second Tuesday, June 13th, when we'll be seeing My Cousin Rachel. 

It's a remake of the 1952 version of the Victorian-era novel by Daphne du Maurier. Back then, Olivia de Haviland starred as a woman suspected by her cousin, played by Richard Burton, of evil doings. This time, Rachel Weisz takes the title role while Sam Claflin glowers as her suspicious cousin.

SYNOPSIS: 

A dark romance, the movie tells the story of a young Englishman who plots revenge against his mysterious, beautiful cousin, believing that she murdered his guardian. But his feelings become complicated as he finds himself falling under the beguiling spell of her charms.

REVIEWS:

At this writing, no reviews of this new version of My Cousin Rachel had been published. So instead, especially for you true cinephiles, is Bosley Crowther's New York Times review of the original version:  

http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9501EFDD1E3AE23BBC4E51DFB4678389649EDE

May Pick: The Circle

Our pick this month, The Circle, is a sci-fi thriller based on Dave Eggers' chillingly prophetic 2013 novel of the same name. Tom Hanks stars as the Steve Jobs-like mastermind at a seemingly benign company that a young programmer, played by Emma Watson, is overjoyed to join. That is until its overwhelmingly pervasive corporate culture makes her feel that Big Brother is not only watching but ... 'nuff said for now.

We'll be seeing The Circle at the Yonge-Dundas Cineplex on Tuesday, May 2, for the 1:15 screening. As always, we'll try to meet near the box office about 20 minutes earlier. But if don't see me or other club members when you arrive, just go in and watch the movie. 

SYNOPSIS:  When Mae (Emma Watson) is hired to work for the world's largest and most powerful tech & social media company, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks, she is encouraged by the company's founder, Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics and ultimately her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment, and every decision she makes begin to affect the lives and future of her friends, family and that of humanity.

TRAILER:  https://www.cinemaclock.com/ont/toronto/movies/the-circle-2017/videos

REVIEW:  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/27/movies/the-circle-review-emma-watson-tom-hanks.html?_r=0