This Friday, October 9th, at 7:30 p.m., we'll be showing the classic film GASLIGHT. The announcement was made last week at the Darien Domestic Violence Task Force's annual proclamation - that October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. (The ceremony was held in the Library's Courtyard (pictured) last Thursday morning.)

The film, from 1944, stars Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, and Joseph Cotton. It's a psychological thriller - one which resulted in a Best Actress Oscar for Ingrid Bergman, a film classic, and a glimpse into the insidious world of psychological torture. From this film we also get the term "gaslighting," which means the ruthless manipulation of an individual into believing something other than the truth.

It's a great movie and we hope that you'll join us for this special screening.

Refreshments will be served.

Our Fall Foreign Film Series Begins on October 23rd. Click here for all the details!

The Foreign Film Series begins on Friday, October 23rd at 7:30, with THE CLASS.

Welcome back to the movies! Welcome to our 2009 Foreign Film Series!

Hooray! We are back with our films! We'll begin the Foreign Film Series on Friday, October 23rd and will continue for seven consecutive weeks. All films begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

October 23 - The Class (pictured left) -- 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.

 Please click on the images to view trailers from the upcoming films.

 October 30 - Sin Nombre -- Mexico (2009) Rated R, 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.

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.

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.

November 20 - 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...

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF FILM: INSTEAD OF SHOWING Rudo y Cursi, WE WILL BE SHOWING FOR MY FATHER. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Friday, November 27th at 7:30, we will be showing 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.

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?

Our Summer Film Series concludes on Friday August, 28th with the screening of the new Julia Roberts/Clive Owen film, Duplicity.

August 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Duplicity

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's). 

August 21st at 7:30 p.m.

The Soloist 

 Our Summer Film Series continues...

August 14, 7:30 p.m.

The Great Buck Howard

Troy Gabel is a law-school drop out who impulsively takes a job as an assistant to an aging but charismatic magician. The conjurer is definitely on the downward slope of his career, but the mystery surrounding him keeps Troy intrigued. The two embark on a journey across the country staging the comeback of a lifetime. 

While watching this movie (click here to watch the trailer), I found myself really rooting for Colin Hanks (Tom's son), who, it turns out, is quite good. Tom also appears in the film...as the dad...but the we-shouldn't-be-surprised but wow-is-he-good performance totally belongs to (the great) John Malkovich, who plays The Great Buck Howard. Malkovich never ceases to amaze me...never. What didn't amaze me, but did catch me a little by surprise, was learning that the the film is based on the experiences of writer-director Sean McGinly who worked briefly as the road manager for The Amazing Kreskin. Wow. I vividly remember Kreskin's numerous appearances on The Tonight Show.

A few of us from the Library had the pleasure of meeting (The Amazing) Kreskin at this year's BookExpo America. Tomorrow night, at the film screening of The Great Buck Howard, you can enter to win a signed copy of Kreskin's newest book, Kreskin Confidential: The World’s Greatest Mentalist Speaks Out.

Please join us! I predict it will be a fun  (and great) night!

Please come and join us as our Summer Film Series continues! This Friday at 7:30 p.m., we'll be showing Grey Gardens.

August 7

Grey Gardens

In 1973, filmmakers Albert and David Maysles entered the strange world of "Big Edie" and "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale, two charming eccentrics who were relatives of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. In this film we are taken behind the scenes of that famous documentary with a shocking and raw look into the lives of this reclusive mother and daughter who chose to live in squalor and almost total isolation in a decaying, 28-room mansion in East Hampton called Grey Gardens.

Fresh off of our Woodstock Weekend, tonight's film will be "A Walk on the Moon."

July 31st at 7:30 p.m.

A Walk on the Moon

Diane Lane, Viggo Mortensen, Anna Paquin, Liev Schreiber; Rated R; 107 minutes; 1999

It's official....our Summer Film Series is a hit! We opened the series tonight with a great audience and rave reviews. In case you missed the news, we are back with Friday night films throughout July and August! Same time (7:30). Same place (Community Room) Same team (pictured, right - me, Jane, Drew, and Stephanie). And (drumroll, please) Jane's cookies!

Our next film, on Friday, July 10th, will be Taken. 

With the weather that we've been having lately, it's impossible to presume what the summer will be like. What we do know for sure is that we'll be showing movies here every Friday night throughout July and August! Beginning July 3rd and ending on August 28th, our Summer Film Series will make the Library the hottest (and coolest) place in town!

SUMMER FILM SERIES - FRIDAYS - 7:30 P.M. - ADMISSION IS FREE

July 3

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Starring Isla Fisher, Krysten Ritter, and Joan Cusack; Rated PG; 104 minutes; 2009  

July 10

Taken

July 17

Last Chance Harvey

July 24

Gran Torino 

July 31

A Walk on the Moon

Diane Lane, Viggo Mortensen, Anna Paquin, Liev Schreiber; Rated R; 107 minutes; 1999

August 7

Grey Gardens

August 14

The Great Buck Howard

August 21

The Soloist 

August 28

Duplicity