Movies
Coming in January - Our First-Ever Independent Film Series!
Written by Barbara T. on 12/20/2009
If you love coming to the films at the Library...if you love film...if you love a great night out...then you will be over-the-moon happy that we will be introducing a brand new Independent Film Series in January 2010. Films will be shown on four consecutive Fridays beginning on January 8th. (Welcome back! (Did you miss us?))
We think that you'll really enjoy this terrific mix of indie films. AND(!) we will also be featuring a special event on January 22nd, when filmmakers Richard Atkinson and Jane Scandurra come to Darien to talk about their film, "Single: A Documentary"!
Please join us!
January 8 - 7:30 p.m.
THE ANSWER MAN (2009) Starring Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Tony Hale, and Kat Dennings; Rated R; 97 minutes
Arlen Faber is the reclusive author of "Me and God," a book that has redefined spirituality for an entire generation and has been translated into over 100 languages. On the eve of the 20th anniversary of his wildly popular book, Arlen is still sought after as the man who has all the answers, but the truth is, he hasn't got a clue.
January 15 - 7:30 p.m.
HUMBLE PIE (2007) Starring William Baldwin, Bruce McGill, Kathleen Quinlan, Hubbel Palmer, and Mary Lynn Raiskub; Rated PG-13; 84 minutes
At nearly 400 pounds, Tracy Orbison (Hubbel Palmer) is a wide target. When he sets out to pursue his dream of acting, the grocery clerk finds an assortment of people waiting to dash his dreams: his acting coach, who has designs on his sister Peggy; his juvenile-delinquent friends, who suck him into their petty crimes; and his God-fearing, self-loathing mother. Through it all, Tracy remains irrepressibly upbeat, convinced he's destined for something big.
January 22 - 7:30 p.m.
A Special Event - MEET THE FILMMAKERS!
SINGLE: A DOCUMENTARY (2008) Not rated; 97 minutes
100 million adults in America are single and for the first time ever, the majority of US households are now headed by an unmarried person. "Single" - a documentary film, explores the growth of the unmarried population and the complexities of finding and maintaining a lasting relationship in today's crazy world. The game has dramatically changed.
Written, produced, and directed by Richard Atkinson and Jane Scandurra, who will introduce the film and answer audience questions.
January 29 - 7:30 p.m.
BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN (2009) Starring John Krasinski, Timothy Hutton, and Julianne Nicholson; Not rated; 80 minutes
After her boyfriend mysteriously leaves her with little explanation, a doctoral candidate in anthropology at a prestigious East Coast university Sara Quinn is left looking for answers as to what went wrong. Directing all her energies into her anthropological dissertation, Sara conducts a series of interviews with men in an effort to uncover the secret thoughts that drive their behavior. She thinks she can remedy both her heartache and her academic challenges with a new research project and begins conducting a series of interviews with men. As she records the astonishing and disquieting experiences of various subjects, Sara discovers much more about men and herself than she bargained for.
This series is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Today at 2! "A Forbidden Love Triangle of Passion and Desire!"
Did you guess that we were talking about ETHAN FROME?
Classics 2.0 continues today with A Focus on Edith Wharton,
Today at 2 p.m., we'll screen the film (the one from 1993 starring Liam Neeson, Patricia Arquette, and Joan Allen).
We'll save you a seat.
On Thursday, December 10th at 3 p.m., we'll gather in the Classics Room on the second floor for tea and book discussion.
You'll find all the 2.0 details right here.
Our Foreign Film Series Concludes Tonight with "A Christmas Tale"
Written by Barbara T. on 12/04/2009
It's hard to believe that we've reached the end of our Foreign Film Series!
We began in October with a French language film (The Class), and we'll conclude this Friday with another film from France. It's been quite a journey! For a list of the films from the series, click here. Please join us on Friday evening for another great film.
December 4 - A Christmas Tale -- France (2008) Not rated; In French with English subtitles; 152 minutes
A dysfunctional family's matriarch (played by Catherine Deneuve) brings everyone together at Christmas to inform them she needs a bone marrow transplant from a blood relative in order to survive. The family's shared history of physical and mental illness, estrangement, self harm, and loss doesn't lend itself to the idea of a cheerful holiday season. But can a Christmastime reunion, a scheme concocted by three of the youngest family members, finally bring peace to their clan?
Showtime is at 7:30 p.m.
Admission is free.
Friday's change of destination
Written by Barbara T. on 11/23/2009
Don't worry. We will be here at 7:30 on Friday night for our Foreign Film Series, however, please note that our film destination has changed. The next stop in our series has been diverted from Mexico to Israel.
Friday, November 27, 7:30 p.m. --For My Father* -- (2008) Israel; Not rated; In Hebrew with English subtitles; 96 minutes.
Terek, a Palestinian forced on a suicide mission in Tel Aviv to redeem his father's honor, is given a second chance when the fuse on his explosive vest fails to detonate. Forced to spend the weekend in Tel Aviv awaiting its repair, Terek must live amongst the people he was planning to kill. To his surprise he connects with several Israelis on the outskirts of society, including the beautiful Keren, who has cut off contact with her Orthodox family and upbringing. With nothing to lose, Terek and Keren open up to one another, and an unlikely love blooms between two isolated and damaged individuals, raised to be enemies. However, with the deadly load of explosives still strapped to him, he must spend 48 hours in the city, caught between the men that sent him—who can blow up his bomb remotely, the Israeli police patrolling the streets and his new-found companions. Spending this time with Keren and his new friends, Terek discovers the spark of life returning to fill his soul, but when the weekend ends, Terek must make the decision of his life.
Please click on the image to watch a preview.
*The film originally scheduled was "Rudo y Cursi."We apologize for any inconvenience.
Our Foreign Film Series Continues with "The Trap"
Written by Barbara T. on 11/18/2009
We've passed the midway point in our Foreign Film Series and it's been a smash! We've still got a few more up our sleeve and we're looking forward to sharing them. Our next film is considered a modern film noir and comes from Serbia. I loved it for its moral crisis, its urgency, and all the twists and turns. (Perhaps, most intriguing is the individual quiet question - What would I do?) It is convincing and makes for a wonderfully tense thriller.
Friday, November 20 at 7:30 p.m. - The Trap -- Serbia, Germany, & Hungary (2007) Not rated; In Serbo-Croatian with English subtitles; 112 minutes
A modern film noir reflecting the true face of Serbian "society in transition." It's a story that could happen to anyone. Mladen, an ordinary man, is forced to choose between the life and death of his young son. When the boy develops a serious heart condition, the doctors urge an expensive operation abroad. Just when the boy's parents give up hope of raising the money, a man contacts Mladen and offers to pay the whole amount; in exchange, Mladen must kill the man's business rival. The proposal repulses Mladen, but as his son's condition suddenly deteriorates, he begins to seriously consider the offer. If he accepts, he saves his boy's life but loses his soul; if he refuses, he will grieve as a righteous man until the end of his life. The trap is set...
For a preview, click on the image.
Tonight's Foreign Film - Everlasting Moments
Written by Barbara T. on 11/13/2009
November 13 - Everlasting Moments -- Sweden (2009) Not rated; In Swedish and Finnish with English subtitles; 131 minutes
Sweden in the early 1900s was a time of social change and unrest, war and poverty. A young working class woman, Maria, wins a camera in a lottery and the decision to keep it alters her whole life. The camera grants Maria new eyes with which to see the world, and brings the charming photographer "Piff Paff Puff" into her life. Trouble ensues when Maria's alcoholic, womanizing husband feels threatened by the young man and his wife's newfound outlook on life.
"This exquisite film by the Swedish master Jan Torell is about seeing clearly, and fearlessly. It's also about subdued passion, the birth of an artists and a woman's struggle to live her own life." -- Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
"Rarely is there a film that evokes our sympathy more deeply than "Everlasting Moments." It is a great story of love and hope, told tenderly and without any great striving for effect." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
To view the film's theatrical trailer, click on the image at right.
Showtime is at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. Please join us!
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Tonight at the Library: Somers Town
Written by Barbara T. on 11/06/2009
We're now into Week 3 of our Foreign Film Series and so far, we're a hit! We've shown a French film (The Class), and a Mexican film (Sin Nombre) -- join us next for a film from the UK.
Movies begin at 7:30 p.m. They're free and open to the public.
November 6 - Somers Town -- United Kingdom (2008) Not rated; In English; 71 minutes
Two teenagers, both newcomers to London, forge an unlikely friendship over the course of a hot summer. Tomo is a runaway from Nottingham; Marek, a Polish immigrant lives in the district of Somers Town, where his father is working on a new rail link. When Marek agrees to let homeless Tomo move into his room (unbeknownst to his father), the pair forms a strong bond as they work odd jobs for an eccentric neighbor and become infatuated with and compete for the attention of Maria, a beautiful young French waitress.
Click on the image at right for a preview.
Coming Soon! Orson Welles Movie Matinees at the Library
In anticipation of the upcoming visit on November 15th of Chris Welles Feder, author of In My Father's Shadow: A Daughter Remembers Orson Welles, we will be showing three of Welles's masterpieces in special matinee screenings. These films are not-to-be-missed in any venue, but we hope that you make the time to join us in the Community Room for a classic movie theater experience.
Monday, November 9
2 p.m.
CITIZEN KANE
(1941) Starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton, and Agnes Moorehead; Rated PG; 110 minutes
An American tragedy of a newspaper tycoon, from his humble beginnings to the solitude of his final years.
Wednesday, November 11
2 p.m.
THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI
(1947) Starring Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth; Not rated; 87 minutes
An Irish adventurer accompanies a beautiful woman and her handicapped husband on an ocean cruise, and soon becomes involved in a murder plot.
Friday, November 13
2 p.m.
TOUCH OF EVIL
(1958) Starring Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, and Orson Welles; Not rated; 111 minutes
A narcotics officer and a corrupt cop are involved in a murder investigation in a small border town.
Tonight! Our Foreign Film Series Continues
Written by Barbara T. on 10/30/2009
Our Foreign Film Series began last Friday evening and right off the bat, we were back in full swing with a crowd and cookies for The Class. The series will run for six more weeks with films in Spanish, French, Serbo-Croatian, Finnish, and Swedish. Click here for a look at the whole lineup.
Movies begin at 7:30 p.m. They're free and open to the public.
October 30 - Sin Nombre -- Mexico (2009) Rated R (for violence and language), In Spanish with English subtitles; 96 minutes
Seeking the promise of America, a beautiful young Honduran woman, Sayra, joins her father and uncle on an odyssey to the United States. Along the way she crosses paths with a Mexican gang member who is trying to outrun his violent past and elude his former associates. Together they must rely on faith, trust, and street smarts if they are to survive their perilous journey towards the hope of new lives.
Films are back on Fridays!
Written by Barbara T. on 10/23/2009
Friday Films are certainly not foreign to us or our members, but, just in case, here's a reminder that our Foreign Film Series begins today, October 23rd at 7:30 p.m.
Our first film in the series will be:
France (2009) Rated PG-13; In French with English subtitles; 130 minutes
Francois and his fellow teachers prepare for a new year at a high school in a tough neighborhood. Armed with the best intentions, they brace themselves to not let discouragement stop them from trying to give the best education to their students. Cultures and attitudes often clash in the classroom, a microcosm of contemporary France. Francois insists on an atmosphere of respect and diligence. Neither stuffy nor severe, his extravagant frankness often takes the students by surprise. But his classroom ethics are put to the test when his students begin to challenge his methods.
Click here to watch the trailer.
For more infomation about the upcoming films in the series, click here.
Refreshments will be served. Admission is free.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Darien Library, 1441 Post Road, Darien, Connecticut, 06820-5419 · 203-655-1234Directions and Contact Information. Twitter: darienlibrary. AIM & Y!M: deweydarien.