Welcome to 2024! Let’s make a New Year’s resolution to see more films in our independent cinemas! The ByTowne and the Mayfair have programmed lots in January to tempt us off of our couches.
In an earlier article, I raved about Hayao Miyazaki’s new feature The Boy and the Heron. I’ll reiterate what I said: you owe it to yourself to see this exquisite film. Chris Knight in Original Cin said it’s “a treat for the eyes, the ears and the mind. Or the soul, if you prefer.”
Aki Kaurismäki’s Fallen Leaves is another film I enthused about earlier. When I saw it, I loved the working-class characters, the dry humour, the cinema references. It’s at the ByTowne.
I’m looking forward to seeing Martin Scorsese’s latest masterpiece, Killers of the Flower Moon, at the ByTowne. Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone star in this macabre western about serial murders afflicting the Osage tribe in 1920s Oklahoma. Scorsese’s film about white settlers’ attempts to wipe out the West’s Indigenous communities—in this case to grab their oil wealth—pairs with his other studies of American male hubris, greed, and violence such as Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, and The Irishman. The Guardian calls Killers of the Flower Moon “an instant classic” and a “magnificent period epic.” Metacritic calls it a “must see”.
Speaking of epics, what could be more epic than a film about Napoleon? The eponymous film directed by Ridley Scott stars Joaquin Phoenix (one of my favourite actors) and Vanessa Kirby. It covers the relentless rise and precipitous fall of the famous military leader and dictator, with a focus on his addictive relationship with Joséphine de Beauharnais. Napoleon is at the ByTowne.
If you’ve not seen enough Christmas films, The Holdovers is what you’ve been waiting for. Another Metacritic “must see”, its star, Paul Giamatti, is being touted as a candidate for the Best Actor Oscar. He plays a curmudgeonly history teacher, Mr. Hunham, at a wealthy New England prep school in the 1970s. Everyone—students, teachers and staff—hate Hunham; he returns their animosity. It’s Christmas, and he’s stuck overseeing several boys who have nowhere to go during the holidays. He clashes with Alex, a troubled student whose mother and new stepfather have abandoned him while they hasten off on a vacation. Mary, the school’s cook, is also stuck at the school. Her son has just been killed in Vietnam. She seems to have no family to share her grief with. As you may guess, relationships improve between these three lonely people. Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail writes, “There is a joy watching interesting people change for the better while in a carefully crafted environment.” At the ByTowne.
There’s a wealth of older films at both theatres.
The Mayfair has a John Cassavetes Film Fest in January. Did you know that Cassavetes was a good friend and mentor of Martin Scorsese? The first film in the series is my favourite–A Woman Under the Influence. It stars Gena Rowlands in what many consider her best performance as Mabel, an alcoholic mentally ill woman whose husband, Peter Falk, is struggling to cope with her illness. I think it’s one of Falk’s best performances, too. A Metacritic “must see.”
Rowlands also stars in Opening Night, the second film in the festival. She plays a famous actress whose big Broadway opening is fast approaching. Tension and anxiety are pushing her toward a nervous breakdown.
The third film in the five-film festival is The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. Ben Gazzara, another of Cassavetes’ favourite actors, plays a strip club owner whose gambling addiction gets him in trouble with the Mob.
Now let’s go WAY back to 1923 with a film written and directed by Charlie Chaplin: A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate.” The ByTowne offers you a chance to see this oldie.
In 1960, Michael Powell’s horror film Peeping Tom shocked and terrified cinemagoers on its release. It’s about a man leading a double life–working in a film studio by day, and filming provocative images of terrified women at night. It’s now considered an influential masterpiece by directors such as George Romero and David Lynch. This 4K restoration is at the ByTowne.
Speaking of Lynch, what I consider his best work—Mulholland Drive—is at the ByTowne. A surreal mystery set in Los Angeles, it follows Betty (Naomi Watts, an aspiring actress who encounters Rita (Laura Harring), an amnesiac woman. They try to discover Rita’s identity. Their paths cross with filmmaker Adam, whose film’s storyline begins to merge with Betty and Rita’s until it’s not clear what’s real.
Last but definitely not least, the ByTowne’s Klassic Kidz series returns with The Iron Giant. This animated treat features voice work by Vin Diesel, Harry Connick Jr., Cloris Leachman and Jennifer Aniston. You may know the story: it’s 1957 and young Hogarth befriends a giant alien robot. He and his beatnik friend Dean protect the robot from the U.S. military and a federal government agent who think it’s a Russian weapon. This signature edition has a few extra minutes of plot.
This should get all of us started on a year full of fantastic films!
Dates, times and tickets for the ByTowne are at www.bytowne.ca. The ByTowne publishes their calendar at least three weeks in advance. Dates, times and tickets for the Mayfair are at www.mayfairtheatre.ca. The Mayfair announces next week’s schedule on Tuesdays, so check their website for the latest info on the next week and the “coming soon” films.
.gif)
