Thursday Movies - January

Continuing the tradition of Thursday night movie watching at Hoyts Belconnen, the titles for the next month will be:

11 January - Arthur and the Invisibles
Director Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element) directs a (mostly) CGI animated children's film. There's evil grownups threatening to take possession of a kid's house, and magical little people in the bottom of the garden, but mostly there's Besson's wonderful ability to make entertainment regardless of whether there's a worthwhile plot to be seen. There's also voice work by the likes of David Bowie, Madonna and Snoop Dogg. Should be fun.

18 January - Pan's Labyrinth
Continuing the theme of fairy tales from unlikely directors, this time it's Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy) who's venturing into the woods, although it's certainly not a film aimed at children. Post-war fascist Spain has never looked so magical. If you were left disappointed by last year's Mirrormask or Lady in the Water then this is probably the movie you were waiting for.

25 January - The Fountain
The Fountain looks like the best of an odd crop of movies this week. Director Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream) tells the millennia-spanning story of conquistador Thomas Creo (Hugh Jackman) and his search for the Tree of Life, source of eternal youth.

1 February - Stranger Than Fiction
Will Ferrell stars as an IRS auditor who finds himself suddenly beset by a mysterious voice narrating the progress of his life. Directed by Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball) and also starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah, Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson. It sounds like it might get me through until Charlie Kaufman's next movie hits screens.

As always, $11, Thursday nights at Belconnen Hoyts, at the first session on the late side of 6.30, and it helps to RSVP with me in advance. If I don't have anyone notify me that they're coming I reserve the right to cancel at the last minute. If you want to vote out a movie and tag something else being released that week, let me know, but for the most part they're really not hard picks.

Speaking of Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), I just heard he was responsible for one of the earlier (unused) drafts for the recent A Scanner Darkly adaptation. I can't help but wonder how that would have turned out.