Movies & Screenings
"New York State of Mind" Wednesday Matinees
Written by Barbara T. on 06/18/2010
Summer in the City is our Adult Summer Reading theme this year, so we're devoting our Wednesday Matinees in July to that splendid burg just south of here. During the month, every Wednesday at 2 p.m., we'll be hosting A New York State of Mind. We hope that you'll join us for these mid-year, mid-week, mid-day city "getaways." Each film is set in New York City, and each is keenly reflective of its time and place.
Wednesday, July 7 at 2 p.m. -- A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (1935) Starring The Marx Brothers, Margaret Dumont, and Kitty Carlisle; B&W; Not rated; 93 minutes
The Marx Brothers considered this their best film and the "stateroom sequence" is possibly the funniest five minutes in screen history. The boys have a great time poking fun at grand opera and at wealthy dowager Mrs. Claypool (Margaret Dumont) in particular.
Wednesday, July 14 at 2 p.m. -- YOU'VE GOT MAIL (1998) Starring Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey, and Greg Kinnear; Rated PG; 116 minutes
Inspired by the 1940 film THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER, this romantic comedy features Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan as rival Manhattan bookstore employees who fall in love via the Internet. Their romance blossoms through a series of e-mails, which they send anonymously to each other.
Wednesday, July 21 at 2 p.m. -- NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason; Not rated; 136 minutes
From Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) being chased by the crop dusting bi-plane, to the climax atop the faces of Mount Rushmore, this Hitchcock classic never lets up. Roger, an unsuspecting NYC adman is mistaken for a spy by a secret agent (James Mason). One of Hitchcock's personal favorites, the film combines a tense, harrowing pace with the fear of calamity lurking behind every door—truly the work of a master.
Wednesday, July 28 at 2 p.m. -- MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON (1984) Starring Robin Williams, Maria Conchita Alonso, and Cleavant Derricks; Rated R; 155 minutes
This is considered one of the best performances of Robin Williams’ career. A gentle, glowing exuberant Russian defector tries to build a new life in New York City. His sensitive anguish and overwhelming enthusiasm make for a tale of rare, warm, wonderful magic. Energetic, touching parody on patriotism.
All films are open to the public.
Admission is free.
Friday Nights in June
Written by Barbara T. on 05/29/2010
Friday Night Films at Darien Library is huge. Bigger than huge. Enormous. And we are hugely honored and enormously thrilled that so many have chosen to spend their Friday nights with us.
Thanks to everyone for making our film series so popular and beloved.
Here's what's on the schedule for June:
June 4 at 7:30 p.m. – INVICTUS – (2009) Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Scott Eastwood; Rated PG-13; 133 minutes The film tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team to help unite their country. Believing he can bring his racially and economically divided country together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies his underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match.
June 11 – NO FILM – Please join us for a musical concert by ACABELLA, an all-female vocal group (pictured, right) featuring 14 women from lower Fairfield County. This gifted and committed auditioned group is popular for its talent and wide-ranging repertoire, which ranges from big band tunes to Broadway hits to disco and pop music. (7:30 p.m.) For more details, please click here.
June 18 at 7:30 p.m. – OWL AND THE SPARROW – (2007) Cat Ly, The Lu Le, Han Thi Pham; Rated PG; 98 minutes; In Vietnamese with English subtitles On the bustling streets of Saigon, three very different people are seeking connection are about to collide. A beautiful flight attendant looking for love. A zookeeper hiding within his animal kingdom to nurse a broken heart. And the young flower-selling runaway who brings them together. But to avoid the authorities and a strict uncle tracking her down, she will need all of her cleverness and determination if she is going to grab any chance at lasting happiness.
June 25 at 7:30 p.m. – EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES – (2009) Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell; Rated PG; 105 minutes Inspired by the true story of John Crowley, a man who defied conventional wisdom and great odds, and risked his family’s future to pursue a cure for his children’s life-threatening disease. He teams with Dr. Stonehill, a brilliant, but unappreciated and unconventional scientist who helps him find the cure.
All films are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).
June's Wednesday Matinees
Written by Barbara T. on 05/28/2010
HOME - June 2 at 2 p.m.
(2009) Starring Marcia Gay Harden, Marion Seldes, and Michael Gaston; Rated PG-13; 84 minutes
Inga, a poet and mother, is drawn to a house that reminds her of her childhood home and here she realizes that many things in her life are coming full circle. Inga's marriage is crumbling and when she finds herself facing breast cancer, she begins to use alcohol in much the same way as her mother's use of morphine to control her pain. Like many artists, Inga's struggle is reflected in her poems and expressing her inner emotions allows her to transform her life.
IT'S COMPLICATED - June 9 at 2 p.m.
(2009) Meryl Street, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, Rita Wilson; Rated R; 120 minutes
Jane is the mother of three grown kids, has a thriving business and an amicable relationship with her ex-husband Jake. But when an innocent meal turns into an affair, Jane finds herself as the other woman. When an architect falls for Jane, he soon realizes he’s become part of a love triangle as things get very complicated.
ANITA O'DAY: THE LIFE OF A JAZZ SINGER - June 16 at 2 p.m.
(2007) Documentary; Not rated; 90 minutes
The Jezebel of Jazz lived a life as hot as her phrasing was cool. Doctors declared her dead after a heroin overdose, but she survived and kept testifying in song for 40 more years until her death at 87. This superb documentary has all the O'Day highs and lows recalled by the star with salty, unapolgetic clarity.
DEAR JOHN - June 23 at 2 p.m.
(2010) Starring Amanda Seyfried, Channing Tatum, and Richard Jenkins; Rated PG-13; 105 minutes
A soldier, home on leave, falls for a conservative college girl. Instead of returning homet o her, he reenlists after the attacks on September 11th, 2001. Time and distance begin to take a toll on the young lovers in the film based on the book by Nicholas Sparks.
FRONT OF THE CLASS - June 30 at 2 p.m.
(2009) Starring Treat Williams, Patricia Heaton, and Jimmy Wolk; Rated PG; 95 minutes
This film is based on the true story of Brad Cohen, a young man diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome who defies the odds to become a teacher. When Brad was growing up, teachers and even his father interpretted Brad's involuntary sounds and sudden jerking movements as attempts to get attention or simply acting up. As a result, he hated school...unitl a principal used an all-school assembly to educate the faculty and students, which helped Brad win their understanding and acceptance.
All films are free and open to the public. Please join us!
Wednesday Matinee - "In Love We Trust"
Written by Barbara T. on 05/24/2010
We've been enjoying our mid-week, mid-day movies! This Wednesday, we're back with a thought-provoking film from China...we almost can't help but contemplate what we would do if faced with similar circumstances
Wednesday, May 26 at 2 p.m. – IN LOVE WE TRUST (2009) In Mandarin with English subtitles; Not rated; 115 minutes
In order to save their daughter, who is suffering from cancer of the blood, a divorced couple must have another child. As both have remarried, they must put their current relationships in jeopardy to test their love and commitment to one another.
All films are free and open to the public.
Please join us every Wednesday at 2 p.m. for our Wednesday Matinee Films Series.
See The Big Picture (and Bottle Shock)
Written by Barbara T. on 05/12/2010
On Friday, May 21 at 7:30, Meet the Author Meets Friday Night Films! Kevin Coupe, co-author of the book The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons from the Movies will be here to talk about the book...and the movies. The film Bottle Shock will be shown following the presentation. The book, written by Coupe and Michael Sansolo, uses movies ranging from The Godfather to Young Frankenstein to illustrate tenets of leadership, the importance of marketing and branding, and how to survive in the workplace.
Kevin is a Darien resident and has his own website/blog, MorningNewsBeat.com, which after 10 years, has well over 20,000 subscribers. He also runs Coupe Communications, a production company that specializes in business videos designed to help companies define and share big ideas with employees, customers, and clients.
The author presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will include a book signing. (Books will be available for purchase.) The film screening of Bottle Shock will begin at 8:30 p.m. We hope that you'll join us for this enlightening and entertaining evening!
Bottle Shock (2008) Starring Bill Pullman and Alan Rickman; Rated PG-13; 109 minutes
This film is based on an inspiring true story from the early days of California winemaking. In 1976, in the Napa Valley, a small winery and its workers compete in a blind taste test against French wine.
"Bottle Shock is more than the story. It is also about people who love their work, care about it with passion and talk about it with knowledge." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"This intelligent, affectionate, beautifully acted movie gives crowd-pleasers a good name." -- Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter
Click here to watch the trailer for the film.
Click here to see the schedule of our upcoming Friday Night Films.
This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).
Special Film Screening of "Tapped"
On Tuesday, May 11 at 7 p.m., we will be hosting a special film screening of Tapped, a documentary that examines the role of the bottled water industry and its effects on our health, climate change, pollution, and our reliance on oil. The screening of this film extends the Library’s recent environmentally-themed programs, which included films and a lecture, and also coincides with the “Let’s Retake Our Plates” nationwide film series being presented by Whole Foods.
Tristam Coffin, the Green Mission Specialist for Whole Foods Market, will introduce the film and remain after the screening for a brief presentation and question and answer session.
Tapped, Stephanie Soechtig’s debut feature, is an unflinching examination of the big business of bottled water. It asks the question: is access to clean drinking water a basic human right, or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce?
From the producers of Who Killed the Electric Car? and I.O.U.S.A., this timely documentary is a behind-the-scenes look into the unregulated and unseen world of an industry that aims to privatize and sell back the one resource that ought never to become a commodity: our water.
From the plastic production to the ocean in which so many of these bottles end up, this inspiring documentary trails the path of the bottled water industry and the communities that were the unwitting chips on the table. A powerful portrait of the lives affected by the bottled water industry, this revelatory film features those caught at the intersection of big business and the public’s right to water.
“…illuminating, well-researched and vital documentary…” – NYC Movie Guru
Funding for the film screening, speaker, and refreshments provided by Whole Foods Market, opening mid-May at 150 Ledge Road, Darien, Conn.
This event is free and open to the public.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).
May Wednesday Matinees - That's Entertainment!
Written by Barbara T. on 04/29/2010
Our Wednesday Matinees films are a great form of entertainment! Wednesdays at 2 p.m., we close the shades, turn down the lights, and provide simple, old-fashioned entertainment - movies. Please join us in May as we present an array of films from different genres for your viewing pleasure.
Wednesday, May 5 at 2 p.m. – THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT (1974) Starring Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly, Rated G; 132 minutes
Hosted by some of MGM’S greatest stars, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT is a nostalgic collection of scenes from nearly 100 musical films. Mixed in with the more famous highlights are unexpected, but equally delightful sequences including a "challenge" dance between Eleanor Powell and Fred Astaire, and a clip featuring a singing and dancing Clark Gable.
Wednesday, May 12 at 2 p.m. – WHAT THE DEAF MAN HEARD (2002) Starring Matthew Modine, Claire Bloom, Judith Ivey, James Earl Jones, Bernadette Peters; Not rated; 110 minutes
Sammy Ayers and his mother board a bus bound for Georgia and a better life. But the next day, his mother vanishes. Sammy responds by shutting himself off from the world, pretending not to hear or speak. The bus station manager and a waitress take in Sammy. For the next 20 years, he fools the townspeople and remains silent. Then he overhears a scheme that could hurt the people he loves. Join the fun as Sammy cleverly turns the table on 
an entire town!
Wednesday, May 19 at 2 p.m. – THE YOUNG VICTORIA (2009) Starring Emily Blunt, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent; Rated PG; 105 minutes
This dramatization covers the turbulent first years of Queen Victoria's rule and her enduring romance with Prince Albert. At the age of 17, Victoria was already the object of a royal power struggle as she was in line for the throne and everyone is vying to win her favor
Wednesday, May 26 at 2 p.m. – IN LOVE WE TRUST (2009) In Mandarin with English subtitles; Not rated; 115 minutes
In order to save their daughter, who is suffering from cancer of the blood, a divorced couple must have another child. As both have remarried, they must put their current relationships in jeopardy to test their love and commitment to one another..
Admission is free
A Movie Boon for May and June
Written by Barbara T. on 04/29/2010
For the first time ever, our Friday Film Series will not end when April ends. We've got films planned straight through* May and June (and beyond)! During May and June, our selections include several Oscar-nominated performances, beginning with Crazy Heart, for which Jeff Bridges won the Best Actor Oscar. Music, humor, history, bravery, tenacity, and wisdom infuse and inspire our spring lineup and our spring. Please join us on Friday nights at 7:30 for our Friday Night Films.
May 7 at 7:30 p.m.– CRAZY HEART
(2009) Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Robert Duvall; Rated R; 111minutes
The powerful story of a country music star’s rocky road to redemption. Bad Blake is a boozy, broken-down singer who reaches for salvation with the help of Jean, a journalist who discovers the real man behind the music. Will Bad Blake’s hard living and crazy heart cost him his last chance at a comeback?
May 14 at 7:30 p.m. – THE YOUNG VICTORIA–(2009) Emily Blunt, Miranda Richardson, James Broadbent; Rated PG; 105 minutes This dramatization covers the turbulent first years of Queen Victoria’s rule and her enduring romance with Prince Albert. At the age of 17, Victoria was already the object of a royal power struggle as she was in line for the throne and everyone is vying to win her favor.
May 21 – SPECIAL MOVIE EVENT – Meet the Author, Kevin Coupe, co-author of “The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons from the Movies” Author presentation and book signing to begin at 7:30. Film screening of BOTTLE SHOCK to begin at 8:30 p.m. For more information, please click here.
May 28 at 7:30 p.m. – IT’S COMPLICATED – (2009) Meryl Street, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, Rita Wilson; Rated R; 120 minutes Jane is the mother of three grown kids, has a thriving business and an amicable relationship with her ex-husband Jake. But when an innocent meal turns into an affair, Jane finds herself as the other woman. When an architect falls for Jane, he soon realizes he’s become part of a love triangle as things get very complicated.
June 4 at 7:30 p.m. – INVICTUS – (2009) Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Scott Eastwood; Rated PG-13; 133 minutes The film tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team to help unite their country. Believing he can bring his racially and economically divided country together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies his underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match.
*June 11 – NO FILM – Please join us for a musical concert by ACABELLA, an all-female vocal group (pictured, right) featuring 14 women from lower Fairfield County. This gifted and committed auditioned group is popular for its talent and wide-ranging repertoire, which ranges from big band tunes to Broadway hits to disco and pop music. (7:30 p.m.) For more details, please click here.
June 18 at 7:30 p.m. – OWL AND THE SPARROW – (2007) Cat Ly, The Lu Le, Han Thi Pham; Rated PG; 98 minutes; In Vietnamese with English subtitles On the bustling streets of Saigon, three very different people are seeking connection are about to collide. A beautiful flight attendant looking for love. A zookeeper hiding within his animal kingdom to nurse a broken heart. And the young flower-selling runaway who brings them together. But to avoid the authorities and a strict uncle tracking her down, she will need all of her cleverness and determination if she is going to grab any chance at lasting happiness.
June 25 at 7:30 p.m. – EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES – (2009) Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell; Rated PG; 105 minutes Inspired by the true story of John Crowley, a man who defied conventional wisdom and great odds, and risked his family’s future to pursue a cure for his children’s life-threatening disease. He teams with Dr. Stonehill, a brilliant, but unappreciated and unconventional scientist who helps him find the cure.
All films are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).
Friday's Film - "Pirate Radio"
Written by Barbara T. on 04/23/2010
Our Friday Film Series rocks week in and week out and this Friday, we'll revel in the best soundtrack in ages as we watch the next film in our Friday Film Series, Pirate Radio.
April 30 at 7:30 p.m.
PIRATE RADIO (2009) Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifams; Rated R; 135 minutes
Celebrated filmmaker Richard Curtis brings audiences his most personal comedy to date. Writing and directing the story of a band of rogue deejays who captivated British radio listeners in the ’60s, playing the music that defined a generation and standing up to a government that, incomprehensibly, preferred jazz, Curtis welcomes us aboard The Boat That Rocked.
This film comes from the creator of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, and Love Actually, which actually, predisposed me to liking this movie. Also, it's marketing was great. Not actually using the words "based on a true story," we read things such as "inspired by true events" and "a period comedy." No matter, everyone is having a great time and I appreciate the opportunity to be allowed in on the fun!
Refreshments will be served. Admission is free.
(Our Friday Films will continue! For the lineup of upcoming films in May and June, please click here.)
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).
Wednesday Matinee - "The Truth About Cats & Dogs"
Written by Barbara T. on 04/22/2010
We've been on a truth-finding mission during our Wednesday Matinee Series throughout April. Our final Wednesday movie of the month continues the trend.
Wednesday, April 28 at 2 p.m.
THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS & DOGS (1996) Starring Janeane Garofalo and Uma Thurman; Rated PG-13; 99 minutes
After a radio talk show host falls for a caller, she has someone else pose as her because of her fear that he'll think she's ugly.
"Ms. Garofalo, in a lovely, winning performance, gives Abby lots of heart while also making defensive snappishness a big part of her charm." -- Janet Maslin, The New York Times
"Janeane Garofalo in this movie... is so likable, so sympathetic, so revealing of her character's doubts and desires, that she carries us headlong into the story." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
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