hi everyone Here is a quick reminder of the schedule for this week. Tonight we open a brand new film, THE GIVER (PG-13) from director Philip Noyce (RABBIT PROOF FENCE) starring Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges based on the Newbery Award-winning book by Lois Lowry. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in the fast and funny HERCULES extends our program in one direction, while Brendan Gleeson as a conniving but goodhearted mayor of a dying town in the charming THE GRAND SEDUCTION goes off in the other direction. Something for everyone! We also have 2 special events coming on Sunday; first a free afternoon matinee of INTO THE ARCTIC 2, the next in our summer environmental film series sponsored by the Maine Chapter of the Sierra Club. And for the late night we have another installment of our popular and fun IMPROVISION with the talented crew from ImprovAcadia at 11pm. Have a great week! -L
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Fri Aug 15 - Thurs Aug 28 (two weeks) THE GIVER(PG-13)100min 5:30 and 8:00 BRAND NEW!Based on Lois Lowry’s Newbery Medal winning novel, this haunting story centers on Jonas, (Brenton Thwaites) who lives in a contented although colorless world.When he starts spending time with the Giver (Jeff Bridges) who keeps all the community’s memories, he quickly begins to discover the dark and deadly truths about his community’s secret past and, despite the extreme odds, realizes he must escape this world to protect them all, a challenge no one has ever succeeded at before.Also starring Meryl Street, Alexander Skarsgård, Katie Holmes, and Taylor Swift, and directed by Philip Noyce.trailer Fri Aug 15 - Mon Aug 18 HERCULES(PG-13)99min 6:00 and 8:30 This fast-paced and funny revision of the classic myth, adapted from Steve Moore’s graphic novel, stars Dwayne Johnson as the ancient Greek demi-God, son of Zeus, who has lived his entire life as a mortal man.With six other lost souls, after the entreaties of Princess Ergenia, they hire themselves out as mercenaries to Lord Cotys (John Hurt) King of Thrace to train his soldiers into the greatest army of all time to defeat a tyrannical warlord Rhesus.Brett Ratner (Horrible Bosses, Rush Hour) directs; Ian McShane and Joseph Fiennes costar. It is a fast-paced epic action picture with impressive special effects, pure popcorn. trailer Tues Aug 19 - Thurs Aug 21 THE GRAND SEDUCTION(PG-13)115min 6:00 and 8:30 Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter, In Bruges) stars in this English language remake of a French Canadian film, Seducing Dr. Lewis.In this eccentric, endearing comedy, he is the mayor of a small, picturesque Newfoundland fishing village whose economy has been devastated by the collapse of the fishing industry.They have the potential to lure a recycling company and plenty of jobs, but to be considered, the town must have a full-time doctor.When an American surgeon (Taylor Kitsch) gets stopped at customs with contraband, they hope they can entice him, with a little deception, to stay.trailer
******************** Sunday Aug 17 INTO THE ARCTIC II(NR) 85min 2pm FREE For years, artist Cory Trépanier has explored and painted some of the wildest places in Canada. Few have walked into these landscapes. Even fewer have captured them on canvas. Now, he's gone further, into a breathtaking Arctic wilderness to experience and paint a land that might never be the same again. Join Cory for three months of filming in a dozen arctic locations, many which have never painted or filmed before, as he brings his fresh perspective to the hidden treasures at the top of the world. Experience the majesty of the north through stunning cinematography and the dramatic experiences of a passionate artist. Featured Speakers, Cory Trépanier and John Demos of the Alaska Wilderness League. trailer
ok, y'all, this takes us past Labor Day and straight into back to school. Better get it in now, if it has to happen before the end of summer!!
We have two special programs on Sunday August 17th. In the afternoon, our 5th annual Sierra Club Matinee series continues, with the movie INTO THE ARCTIC II, with guest speakers John Demos, the Alaska Wilderness League representative for the Northeast, and film subject and artist Cory Trépanier. Doors will open at 1:30, the film/speakers start at 2pm and admission is free. Then later, at 11pm after our regular programming, it is time for another round of IMPROVISION with our friends at ImprovAcadia. We screen a cheesy grade B movie without the sound and the comics make up, on the fly, a new story in a totally different genre. It's a new show every time and always loads of fun. Hope you can join us for one or both.
Also remember on Wednesdays in August, Chris is showing Outdoor Family-Friendly Movies in Agamont Park, co-sponsored with Machias Savings Bank and in conjunction with the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce. The pre-show starts just after 8pm and the feature at 8:30 when it gets dark. Remaining shows are 8/13 FLY AWAY HOME, 8/20 THE ROCKETEER, 8/27 SPIRITED AWAY, and 9/4 THE SEVEN CHANCES. Rain venue (and it has to be coming down) is the Congregational Church next door to Reel Pizza.
We'd like you to put the weekend of Sept 12 - 15 on your calendar for our non-profit arm FIRST LIGHT FILM SOCIETY'S 6th edition of MIFF By-the-Sea, a specially curated 'best-of' selection from the most recent Maine International Film Festival (MIFF). We have planned both films by locals and about locals, several filmmakers scheduled to attend, and other fun things in the works. Hope you will make some time that weekend to join us for a film or two. The schedule and film list will be posted on our website later this month, and we will have printed flyers soon too. (and of course I will send out an email with all the details as well.) One film, ALIVE INSIDE, which is on this current schedule, was the Audience Award Runner-Up at this year's Big MIFF; the MIFF AA winning film will be playing at the festival.
This schedule is fully booked on both screens, so there are times included for all the films. It's a diverse offering this go-'round; hope you find something intriguing. We look forward to seeing you soon.
-Lisa and Chris
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8/12 - 8/14 BELLE (PG)105min 6:00 and 8:30and JERSEY BOYS (R)134min 5:30 and 8:15
8/17 INTO THE ARCTIC II(NR) 85min 2pm FREEand IMPROVISION (NR) 11pm *in addition to our regular programming!*
8/15 - 8/28 THE GIVER(PG-13)100min 5:30 and 8:00 (2 weeks) 8/15 - 8/18 HERCULES(PG-13)99min 6:00 and 8:30 8/19 - 8/21 THE GRAND SEDUCTION(PG-13)115min 6:00 and 8:30
8/22 - 8/28 THE GIVER(PG-13)100min 5:30 and 8:00 (2nd week) 8/22 - 8/25 LUCY(R)89min 6:00 and 8:15 8/26 - 8/28 IDA(PG-13)80min[in Polish with subtitles] 6:00 and 8:15
8/29 - 9/04 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY(PG-13)121min 6:00 and 8:30 8/29 - 9/01 BEGIN AGAIN(R)101min 5:30 and 8:00 9/02 - 9/04 ALIVE INSIDE(NR)74min 5:30 and 7:30
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Tues Aug 12 - Thurs Aug 14
BELLE (PG)105min 6:00 and 8:30
BACK by Popular Demand!This opulent and stirring period costume drama tells the story of two real-life 18th century cousins; one is the illegitimate bi-racial girl of a Navy Admiral bequeathed a substantial fortune, the other, a white girl abandoned by her father.Both are being raised with privilege by their aristocratic great-uncle, a judge.His nieces cause him to reconsider his opinions.trailer
-and-
JERSEY BOYS (R) 134min 5:30 and 8:15
Clint Eastwood’s latest is a crowd-pleasing portrait, adapted from the Broadway show, about the successes and troubles of popular and talented doo-wop quartet The Four Seasons. trailer
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Sunday Aug 17
INTO THE ARCTIC II(NR) 85min 2pm FREE
For years, artist Cory Trépanier has explored and painted some of the wildest places in Canada. Few have walked into these landscapes. Even fewer have captured them on canvas. Now, he's gone further, into a breathtaking Arctic wilderness to experience and paint a land that might never be the same again. Join Cory for three months of filming in a dozen arctic locations, many which have never painted or filmed before, as he brings his fresh perspective to the hidden treasures at the top of the world. Experience the majesty of the north through stunning cinematography and the dramatic experiences of a passionate artist. Featured Speakers, Cory Trépanier and John Demos of the Alaska Wilderness League. trailer
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Fri Aug 15 - Thurs Aug 28 (two weeks)
THE GIVER(PG-13)100min 5:30 and 8:00
BRAND NEW!Based on Lois Lowry’s Newbery Medal winning novel, this haunting story centers on Jonas, (Brenton Thwaites) who lives in a contented although colorless world.When he starts spending time with the Giver (Jeff Bridges) who keeps all the community’s memories, he quickly begins to discover the dark and deadly truths about his community’s secret past and, despite the extreme odds, realizes he must escape this world to protect them all, a challenge no one has ever succeeded at before.Also starring Meryl Street, Alexander Skarsgård, Katie Holmes, and Taylor Swift, and directed by Philip Noyce.trailer
Fri Aug 15 - Mon Aug 18
HERCULES(PG-13)99min 6:00 and 8:30
This fast-paced and funny revision of the classic myth, adapted from Steve Moore’s graphic novel, stars Dwayne Johnson as the ancient Greek demi-God, son of Zeus, who has lived his entire life as a mortal man.With six other lost souls, after the entreaties of Princess Ergenia, they hire themselves out as mercenaries to Lord Cotys (John Hurt) King of Thrace to train his soldiers into the greatest army of all time to defeat a tyrannical warlord Rhesus.Brett Ratner (Horrible Bosses, Rush Hour) directs; Ian McShane and Joseph Fiennes costar. It is a fast-paced epic action picture with impressive special effects, pure popcorn. trailer
Tues Aug 19 - Thurs Aug 21
THE GRAND SEDUCTION(PG-13)115min 6:00 and 8:30
Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter, In Bruges) stars in this English language remake of a French Canadian film, Seducing Dr. Lewis.In this eccentric, endearing comedy, he is the mayor of a small, picturesque Newfoundland fishing village whose economy has been devastated by the collapse of the fishing industry.They have the potential to lure a recycling company and plenty of jobs, but to be considered, the town must have a full-time doctor.When an American surgeon (Taylor Kitsch) gets stopped at customs with contraband, they hope they can entice him, with a little deception, to stay.trailer
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Fri Aug 22 - Thurs Aug 28 (second week)
THE GIVER(PG-13)100min 5:30 and 8:00
Fri Aug 22 - Mon Aug 25
LUCY(R)89min 6:00 and 8:15
French writer/director Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element) presents another powerful female action hero in this bold, funny and adventurous sci-fi thriller. Lucy, played by Scarlett Johansson, starts the film as a spacy, party-loving student in Taiwan whose new boyfriend sets her up with some crazy Asians who force her to become a mule to transfer a new, valuable synthetic drug to Europe.But before she can fulfil her mission, she is assaulted, the bag inside her ruptures and she suddenly finds herself increasingly able to use much more than the proverbial 10% of our available brain power.Mayhem ensues.Morgan Freeman plays the role of a brain scientist who helps her understand what is happening as she seeks revenge. trailer
Tues Aug 26 - Thurs Aug 28
IDA(PG-13)80min[in Polish with subtitles] 6:00 and 8:15
Acclaimed Polish-born British director Pawel Pawlikowski (Last Resort, My Summer of Love) revisits his roots with this unforgettably moving and intimate drama about a young orphan who discovers a dark family secret on the eve of becoming a nun.She is told by her Mother Superior that she has an aunt, her sole living relative, whom she must visit before taking her vows.Her Aunt Wanda is a worldly and cynical Communist party insider who shocks her both with her demeanor and her news.They undertake a journey to the countryside that will change both of them.trailer
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Fri Aug 29 - Thurs Sept 4
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY(PG-13)121min 6:00 and 8:30
Inventive, irreverent and especially funny, this new fast-paced, outerspace adventure features some of the lesser characters from the comic book universe.Human orphan Peter Quill (Chris Pratt, TV’s Parks and Recreation) leads a rag tag group of scoundrel outcasts and misfits including a gun-toting Racoon (Bradley Cooper), a tree-humaniod (Vin Diesel), a deadly and green female alien (Zoe Saldana) and a brutal, revenge-driven Drax (pro-wrestler Dave Bautista) as they try to destroy a mysterious orb that threatens the cosmos if it gets into the hands of villain Ronan (Lee Pace).Also starring Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, and Glenn Close; from director James Gunn (Slither, Super). trailer
Fri Aug 29 - Mon Sept 1
BEGIN AGAIN(R)101min 5:30 and 8:00
This joyful and sweet musical fairy tale is the follow-up film from John Carney, the writer/director of ONCE.In this engaging and soul-stirring romance, Gretta (Keira Knightly) has just moved to NYC with her longtime boyfriend (Adam Levine of Maroon 5) when he gets a big record deal and dumps her.At an open mike night, a disgraced record label executive (Mark Ruffalo) hears her and imagines what her music could become with his talents.From this chance encounter, an enchanting and transformative collaboration emerges.trailer
Tues Sept 2 - Thurs Sept 4
ALIVE INSIDE(NR)74min 5:30 and 7:30
Winner of the Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, as well as runner up in last month’s Maine International Film Festival (which anticipates September’s MIFF By-the-Sea Festival here at Reel Pizza) this uplifting and joyous film explores music’s capacity to reawaken the mind.Social worker Dan Cohen founded Music and Memory, a nonprofit dedicated to combating memory loss and loss of self through personalized music.He brings personalized iPods to nursing home residents, transforming the lives of those who suffer from dementia, Alzheimer’s and other debilitating aliments.Exploring eldercare issues, this crowd-pleasing documentary by filmmaker Michael Rossato-Bennett shows how enhancing the quality of life for our increasing population of senior citizens can have miraculous effects.trailer
This coming week we are departing from our normal schedule and bringing you four films. Two will play Friday to Monday, and the other two will play Tuesday to Thursday. There is no movie this week that will be on screen for an entire seven days. Hopefully you have enjoyed having another chance to see MALEFICENT, DRAGONS 2 and CHEF these past two weeks (I did!). This coming week we will be giving you an additional opportunity to see another surprise hit from the summer of 2014, BELLE. We tried but were unable to secure a booking of 100 FOOT JOURNEY on the break, so will be looking for it in early September.
Also a special news flash. This Wednesday (8/6) at the later (8:30) show of THE IMMIGRANT, we are delighted to be able to welcome Christopher Spelman, the creator of film's score (described by the NYTimes' AO Scott as "lush"); Mr Spelman will make some introductory comments about the film and its music. Remember tickets go on sale at 4:30 at the box office day of the show.
See you soon! -L
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Fri 8/8-Mon 8/11 SNOWPIERCER(R) 126min6:00 and 8:30 PLANES: FIRE AND RESCUE(PG) 83min5:30 and 7:30
Tues 8/12 - Thurs 8/14 JERSEY BOYS(R)134min5:30 and 8:15 BELLE(PG)105min 6:00 and 8:30
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Fri Aug 8 - Mon Aug 11 SNOWPIERCER(R) 126min6:00 and 8:30 A failed attempt to mitigate the effects of global warming have gone disastrously wrong, the Earth has frozen over completely, and all that remains of humanity resides on a high-speed train that travels around the globe using a perpetual motion machine.The inhabitants are separated by caste, with the have-nots in the back of the train, and the haves in the increasingly pristine first class up front.After seventeen years circumnavigating the planet, the poor are ready to revolt, and must work their way through the train cars to get to the mastermind.In this ambitious, audacious, inventive, bizarre and suspenseful post-apocalyptic thriller and his English language debut, South Korean director Bong Joon-ho (The Host) has attracted a sensational cast, including Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Octavia Spencer, Ed Harris and Jamie Bell.trailer AND PLANES: FIRE AND RESCUE(PG) 83min5:30 and 7:30 Aerial star Dusty (voice of Dane Cook) is finally showing his age and unable to race like he once could.He takes on a new career, reassigned to the Aerial Fire Fighters at scenic and historic Piston Peak National Park to become a Single Engine Air Tanker with the help of other fire and rescue vehicles, including water scooper Dipper, heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter, transport plane Cabbie, and a lively bunch of brave ATVs called the Smokejumpers, all led by the group’s leader, helicopter Blade Ranger (voice of Ed Harris).In no time Dusty has made a new group of friends and, although learning the secrets to dousing fires takes time, Dusty is a fast learner.When the time comes to battle a massive wildfire, he will be able to do his part.This is the sequel to the animated Pixar Cars spin-off, Planes.The early word is there is a stirring plot, a good amount of action, silly jokes and beautiful animation of the southwest setting. trailer Tues Aug 12 - Thurs Aug 14 JERSEY BOYS(R)134min5:30 and 8:15 Clint Eastwood directs his 33rd film, adapting this 4x Tony Award-winning Broadway show into a crowd-pleasing portrait of the doo-wop quartet The Four Seasons, a group of teenagers from a working class Belleville, New Jersey neighborhood who had both successes and troubles over their decades long career.John Lloyd Young reprises his winning Broadway role as little Frankie Castelluccio, soon to become Frankie Valli, whose sweet falsetto endears him to the local mob boss (Christopher Walken) keeping him out of trouble; two performers of the national touring show, Michael Lomenda and Erich Bergen, also reprise their roles.From their discovery, to their first hit "Sherry" on American Bandstand, to their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this well-told and appealing film explores the highs, and the lows of this unlikely but talented group. trailer AND BELLE(PG)105min 6:00 and 8:30 Inspired by an unusual painting, this opulent and stirring period costume drama tells the story of two real-life 18th century cousins; one, Belle, is the illegitimate bi-racial daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral who bequeathed her a substantial fortune, the other, Elizabeth, a white girl without any inheritance and abandoned by her father, both being raised with privilege by their aristocratic great-uncle (Tom Wilkenson), a powerful judge, and his wife (Emily Watson). Belle’s unique heritage causes gossip and mixed messages about her status in the home.When the girls both come of marrying age, her uncle is considering a landmark case about an insurance claim after a slave ship massacre.His nieces cause him to reconsider his opinion.trailer
