RICEBOY SLEEPS

September 9, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

117 mins, CAN, 2023, English, Korean

There’s a drifting, dreamed quality to Anthony Shim’s movie, which has been quietly collecting plaudits since its premiere in Toronto. Set in the 90s, a Korean single mother raises her young son in the suburbs of Canada determined to provide a better life for him than the one she left behind.

The mood is established right from the storybook beginning, when, over hazy sea- and mountain-scapes, a Korean voiceover tells of an orphan, abandoned as a baby at a temple, who grew into a strong young woman. Christopher Lew’s exemplary photography, and Andrew Yong Hoon Lee’s minimal but gradually swelling score, express the emotions that mother and son hold so deliberately in check.

The beats of the immigrant drama — the new friendships and small triumphs of assimilation, as well as the humiliations and miscommunication of cultural otherness — are all here. “Riceboy Sleeps” is sedate and respectful. But in its soulful, expertly crafted simplicity it does ring with the sincerest and most moving of sentiments that a grown-up child could express to a beloved parent: I remember it all, and thank you.

“Riceboy Sleeps is imbued with strains of compassion, grace, and gentleness. A genre powered by poignancy.” Namrata Joshi, The New Indian Express

BONUS: Actor Ethan Hwang will be present for the screening and will hold a Q&A after the show with Jamaal Azeez from TIFF Film Circuit.

EZRA

September 16, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

100 mins, USA, 2023, English

Bobby Cannavale and Robert De Niro hit the road in this star-studded and heartwarming comedy about stand-up comics and stand-up parents — or at least those trying to be. New Jersey comic Max (Cannavale) tells stories, not jokes, with there being no better source of chaos in his life to pull from than his son with autism, Ezra (William A. Fitzgerald). Finding himself at odds with doctors and ex-wife Jenna (Rose Byrne), Max packs their bags and brings both his father (De Niro) and Ezra on a cross-country trek to Los Angeles, where Max has been promised a spot on Jimmy Kimmel Live! It’s a fairly traditional road movie with an autism twist à la Rain Man.

It’s no surprise that longtime real-life partners Byrne and Cannavale have an easy chemistry, and Cannavale and Robert De Niro, who plays his gruff father, Stan, have a sparkling, rapid-fire New York-accented rapport. While Cannavale holds the center as the complex Max, demonstrating his range as well as his ability to lead a movie, De Niro, unsurprisingly, is magnetic.

Goldwyn’s direction is sure-handed in navigating the complicated tone that tiptoes through comedy and pathos. He pushes his style with cinematographer Danny Moder, using handheld close-ups for more emotionally intense moments, and imparting a sense of gritty authenticity to a story that often requires a suspension of disbelief.

“What keeps the story sweet is the chemistry between Cannavale and Fitzgerald, who build a bond worth cherishing.” Natalie Winkelman New York Times

THELMA

September 23, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

97 mins, USA, 2024, English

After losing $10,000 to a phone scam, 93-year- old Thelma Post embarks on a quest to reclaim what was stolen from her. Inspired by director Josh Margolin’s real-life experience with his own grandmother, Thelma puts a clever, hilarious spin on the action film genre, positioning an ordinary grandmother as an unlikely action hero. With the help of her children, friends, and devoted grandson, Thelma warms hearts as she navigates the perils of Los Angeles in search of her money.

Squibb’s mission involves everything you might see in the Mission: Impossible franchise with gadgets, vehicle chases, and a ticking clock tying it all together. This film excels as a rumination on aging and pride just as much as it does as an action film.

Thelma teams up with an old friend Ben played by the legendary Richard Roundtree in his final role. He lives in an assisted living facility and has a different outlook on how to deal with aging. The film’s theme suggests that we must find a way to allow our elderly loved ones their independence, without making them feel as if they’re all used up or burdening anybody. Thelma is as sweet as she is stubborn, and above all, determined to age with dignity.

“[June Squibb], the lively actor on the verge of another Oscar nomination, has been liberated to be a leading lady for once in a 40-year career. The thieves may have grabbed this grandma’s stash, but Thelma steals the audience’s hearts.” Thelma Adams, AARP Movies for Grownups

WILDCAT

September 30, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

103 mins, USA, 2023, English

Directed by four-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke, Wildcat focuses on a key period in the life of celebrated Southern Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor. Diagnosed with lupus and determined to establish herself as a great writer, Flannery’s imagination spirals into a fervent exploration of belief. As she delves deeper into her craft, the boundaries between reality, imagination, and faith blur, leading her to reconcile with her fate and heal her strained relationship with her mother.  

Wildcat, is full of the Bible-thumping zealots, war-weary veterans, and dixie tricksters that formed American writer Flannery O’Connor’s work. Maya Hawke puts her stamp on a character that is the best of her career and one of standouts of the year so far. The film offers beautiful moments and melancholy notes of introspection and reflection that blur the lines of the question: Is life imitating art, or art imitating life? Wildcat is a poetic, unconventional exploration of the artist’s way that beautifully captures the essence of O’Connor’s life and work.

“With pinpoint production design, makeup and wardrobe capturing the 1950s time period, exquisite cinematography and brilliant work by talented actors who get to sink their teeth into some meaty roles, Wildcat is an inventive and haunting mood piece...”  Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

THE GREAT ESCAPER

October 7, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

96 mins, UK, France, Sweden, 2023, English

Based on the true story of Bernie Jordan (Michael Caine), a WWII Vet who missed out on being enrolled in an accredited visit to 70th anniversary celebration in Normandy with the Royal British Legion. Encouraged by his wife Rene (Glenda Jackson), he decides to make his own way from England to France. Evading the nursing home with the help of Rene, he makes his escape. 

 Sporadic flashbacks detail that harrowing journey and its grim conclusion, as well as Bernie and Rene’s wartime meet cute and blossoming romance. In her final role, the late, great Jackson is full of lively mischief — even when the film ultimately strikes a more poignant tone. When Bernie and Rene discuss life, survivor’s guilt, and approaching death in their care home, viewers may be surprised to find grit has got into their eye.

 John Standing’s kindly, alcoholic RAF veteran who befriends Bernie is the best of a solid supporting cast, though Victor Oshin’s turn as a young soldier who lost his leg in Helmand impresses, alongside Danielle Vitalis’ care worker Adele. A moving and surprisingly nuanced drama offering far more than flag-waving nostalgia. Superb performances from Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson ensure the latter’s final screen role is fittingly dignified.

 “Caine and Jackson and their ineffable class give this film some real grit: it’s a wonderful last hurrah for Jackson and there is something moving and even awe-inspiring in seeing these two British icons together.” Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

HAILEY ROSE

October 14, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

93 mins, Canada, 2023, English

Set on the beautiful Nova Scotia coast, Hailey Rose is a contemporary family comedy about love in all its expressions. The film explores how two very different sisters, Hailey and Rose and their difficult mother Olga (Kari Matchett) negotiate dysfunction after a death in the family.

The story begins during the childhood of a reserved Hailey and the high-strung, heart-on-her-sleeve Rose. Hailey is doted upon by her sickly father (Billy MacLellan) but has trouble connecting with her mother Olga (Kari Matchett). When her father dies alone on a fishing excursion that Hailey was too hungover to join him on, she feels as if the family blames her and escapes the East Coast for Calgary and cuts off all ties for years while in a loving if cautious relationship with the non-binary Syd (Riley Reign).  

While this may sound heavy, it’s a funny and affectionate film filled with gorgeous scenery of the East Coast – most of it was shot just outside of Halifax – and some endearing supporting characters, including Cole (Josh Cruddas), the kind and still-smitten ex-boyfriend she abandoned. Hailey Rose is a tragic yet heartwarming tale about running away, facing your past, and accepting your loved ones, old and new.

MY PENGUIN FRIEND

October 21, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

97 mins, Brazil, USA, 2024, English

My Penguin Friend is based on the incredible true story of João Perei de Souza (International star Jean Reno), a Brazilian fisherman who in 2011 rescued a lost Magellanic penguin from an oil spill. Lost and disillusioned after a tragedy, João begins to find the joy in life again as he takes the penguin, which he names DinDim (it means “ice pop”) under his wing and nurses it back to health. His wife (Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza) is at first not impressed with her husband’s newfound friend.

When the penguin suddenly disappears back into the immense wilds of the ocean, João believes it is impossible that he will ever see his friend again. But thousands of miles away, the penguin is caught in misadventures of his own, determined to use his unique GPS-like powers to find his way back to the place he now considers home.

Based on an emotional true story that riveted the world and filmed on the spectacular coasts of Brazil and Argentina, My Penguin Friend is a tale that traverses the magic of the ocean, the beauty of nature, and the transformative power of love

THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS

October 28, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

97 mins, Canada, 2024, English, Urdu

Fawzia Mirza’s stylish feature debut mashes up the textures of Indian cinema and a Canadian coming-of-age picture, tracing key moments in the lives of a mother and daughter born three decades apart.

It’s 1999. Queer Pakistani grad student Azra (Amrit Kaur) is worlds apart from her conservative Muslim mother Mariam (Nimra Bucha). When her father suddenly dies on a trip home to Pakistan, Azra finds herself on a Bollywood-inspired journey through memories, both real and imagined; from her mother’s youth in Karachi to her own coming- of-age in rural Canada.

The Queen of My Dreams is a dramedy spanning 30 years in the life of a Pakistani-Canadian family, exploring intergenerational connections between mothers and daughters, East and West, and home and away. Infused with humor, romance, music, and Bollywood fantasy, and inspired by personal experiences, family stories, and intertwined with Pakistani history and collective memory, the film shows the expansive journey of women seeking to define and decide their own paths, while simultaneously learning—and remembering—how to love.

“It’s Mirza’s personal connection to the story that makes it charming, moving, and magnetic in its best moments. To that end, the film accurately reflects the tumult of mothers and daughters and intergenerational culture gaps.”  Proma Khosla, Indiewire

BETWEEN THE TEMPLES

November 4, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

111 mins, USA, 2024, English, Hebrew

After the death of his wife, a cantor Ben Gottlieb (Jason Schwartzman) finds his world turned upside down. He moves back in with his 2 moms Meira (Caroline Aaron) and Judith (Dolly DeLeon) who immediately plot to set him up with a new partner. He can’t fathom a future without his dirty-talking alcoholic novelist of a wife and feels convinced that everything worth living for is already well behind him.

What they fail to anticipate is that Ben will soon have a chance encounter with his grade school music teacher Carla (Carol Kane), now 70 years old and mourning the loss of her own partner. Carla doesn’t remember Ben, but it won’t be long before she helps him remember himself. The daughter of anti-religious Communist Jews and the widow of an aggressively devout atheist, Carla sees Ben as a chance to fulfill her lifelong dream of having a bat mitzvah. In return, she’ll give him something to sing about. “I taught you,” she tells him, “now you teach me.” It’s a match made in upstate New York. He’s a cantor, she’s an Aquarius — could I make it any more obvious?

All the same, it’s not as if it’s some great mystery why Ben and Carla are drawn to each other, and Kane’s non-judgmental warmth sells Carla as a clear panacea for a grieving man who just wants to feel the unconditional love of being a kid again.

Jason Schwartzman delivers another fumblingly wistful performance as a widower trying to make sense of his pain, this one is inspired by the music of David Berman.

“A spiky, hilarious, and thoroughly unorthodox screwball comedy about a grief-stricken cantor who loses his voice, only to find that he’s surrounded by a chorus of well-intentioned people who are happy to speak for him.” David Ehrlich, indieWire

ACCIDENTAL TEXAN

November 11, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

104 mins, USA, 2023, English

The next time you hear someone complain that they sure don’t make them like they used to, point them in the direction of “Accidental Texan”, an unapologetically old-fashioned feel-good dramedy adapted from the Cole Thompson’s novel “Chocolate Lizards”

Fresh-faced recent Harvard student Erwin (Rudy Pankow) flames out of his first professional acting job when he forgets to turn off his phone and triggers an explosive nightmare on set. He flees the New Orleans set, only to have his car break down deep in the heart of Texas oil country. He meets Faye (Carrie-Anne Moss), a kindly waitress and Merle, a local oil driller (Thomas Haden Church).  

Learning that Merle is nearly bankrupt, it seems the two men may be able to help each other out of their desperate straits. Church and Pankow persuasively develop an amusing give-and-take, especially whenever their characters are pulling something over on easily deceived adversaries and are just as engaging as they ease into more serious interplay while discussing unpleasant elements of their respective pasts. Bruce Dern drops by now and then to spike the mix with a welcome dose of vinegar as Scheermeyer, a crusty rancher.

“Mark Bristol’s sophomore film is cinema comfort food, goes down easy and leaves you feeling satisfied. Great casting. Rudy Pankow, Thomas Haden Church, and Carrie-Anne Moss make this an enjoyable watch you'll want to revisit.”  Joe Friar, Fort Worth Report

KIDNAPPED: THE ABDUCTION OF EDGARDO MORTARA

November 18, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

134 mins, Italy, France, Germany, 2023, Italian, Hebrew, Latin

Based on a true story that spanned two decades. In 1858, Edgardo Mortara, a young Jewish boy living in Bologna, Italy was secretly baptized by his nurse, then forcibly taken from his family to be raised as a Christian. According to canon law, his indoctrination into Christianity branded him a child of Christ, meaning that he was to be raised as a Catholic in Rome.

Marco Bellocchio’s historical drama boldly confronts the indelible damages inflicted by Pope Pius IX (Paolo Pierobon) as he sought to cement the legacy of the Catholic Church. As Edgardo’s parents grapple with their recent tragedy, Edgardo silently assumes his role as political pawn. His parents' struggle to free their son became part of a larger political battle that pitted the papacy against forces of democracy and Italian unification.

A testament to the insidiousness of systemic abuse, Kidnapped illuminates the tragedy of unchecked power exploited by men. It upholds the importance of separating church and state, serving as a painful reminder that authoritarianism is a dangerous road soaked with the tears of its countless victims.

“Kidnapped is an expertly paced, gorgeously shot and evocative true story of faith, family, and the power of people coming together to right deeply ingrained wrongs.” Barry Levitt, Empire Magazine

SING SING

November 25, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

105 mins, USA, 2024, English

The Rehabilitation Through the Arts Program (RTA) founded at Sing Sing maximum-security prison in upstate New York helps people in jail cultivate community through theater, dance and other artistic mediums. Using a mix of professional actors and alumni from the program, Greg Kwedar’s film follows a troupe of incarcerated actors who work on plays as part of a theatre workshop. 

Divine G (Colman Domingo) is the driving force for the program and is planning the next production with buddy Mike Mike (Sean San José).  They take a chance on Divine Eye who knows more about theater than he lets on. The new recruit’s struggle to embrace the radical vulnerability of the theater troupe becomes the central narrative of Sing Sing. Their relationship starts off as one between a calm elder soul and a restless young spirit, but eventually evolves into something deeper and more interdependent. Domingo’s performance reflects the undulating texture of his character’s emotional development, from disappointment to rage unearthed by a poignant loss. 

Kwedar’s film is a portrait of friendship and a tribute to art’s restorative value. The helmer’s considered direction coaxes a lot of big lessons from this quiet film. Sing Sing is about the gift of creating with community and the redemptive nature of self-expression. 

“Soaring and tender, this extraordinary drama has empathy enough to embrace its nuanced characters while rejecting the broken system that targets them.”  Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media

GHOSTLIGHT

December 2, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

110 mins, USA, 2024, English

 When Dan (Keith Kupferer), a melancholic middle-aged construction worker, finds himself drifting from his wife Sharon (Tara Mallen) and daughter Daisy (Katherine Mallen Kupferer) after a family tragedy, he discovers community and purpose in a local theatre’s production of Romeo and Juliet.

Rita (Dolly De Leon), an actress in the local troupe who gets to know Dan because his crew is doing loud construction near the theater ends up being his entry point into the low-budget community theater production. Even though Rita is in her 50s, she's playing Juliet, and when the much younger actor playing Romeo complains that it feels weird, Dan, who stumbled into the group, gets recruited.  

As the drama on stage starts to mirror his own life, Dan finds the tragedies of the play too close to his own. Unwilling to confront his grief at home, he begins to confront his loss through the play. Funny and heartwarming, Ghostlight is an exploration of how we feel love and loss through art.

One of the many mysterious and wonderful things about art is that under the right circumstances, and thanks to the right group of talented people, you can become immersed in a piece that outwardly has zero connection to the details of your own life and suddenly realize, "Oh, my God—that's me up there."

“You probably don’t know any of the actors in Ghostlight...But you will never forget the shatteringly authentic, nakedly heartfelt performances in this deeply moving and stubbornly hopeful story of the healing power of art.” Bill Newcott, The Saturday Evening Post

WICKED LITTLE LETTERS

December 9, 2024, 7:30pm at Tilley Hall, UNB Campus

102 mins, UK, 2024, English 

A 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a farcical and occasionally sinister scandal in this riotous mystery comedy. Based on a stranger than fiction true story, Wicked Little Letters follows two neighbours: deeply conservative local Edith Swan (Olivia Colman) and rowdy Irish migrant Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley). When Edith and fellow residents begin to receive wicked letters full of unintentionally hilarious profanities, foul-mouthed Rose is charged with the crime.

Timothy Spall plays Edith’s autocratic, scripture-quoting father Edward who insists the culprit be found.  The regular police seem uninterested in doing a deep investigation leaving Police Officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) to do her own investigation. The anonymous letters prompt a national uproar, and a trial ensues. However, as the town’s women begin to investigate the crime themselves, they suspect that something is amiss, and Rose may not be the culprit after all.

Screenwriter Jonny Sweet provides fabulously sharp dialogue, made even more enjoyable through the talents of the cast. It’s all brought together by director Thea Sharrock who makes room for the darker narrative undertones of misogyny, hypocrisy, and repression while keeping the many twists of this story moving at the perfect clip for its comedy.

“A crafty and smart comedy that blends in drama and societal commentary all while delivering laugh-out-loud moments. Colman and Buckley are exceptional in timing and characterizations, making them exceedingly endearing.” Chris Joyce Movie and Munchies