With the addition of over 150 new films to our site, there are so many new options for weekend viewing that I feel like a kid in a candy shop… Although maybe a cinephile in a video store would be a better comparison.
To make life easier for you, I’ve picked out 3 great films to rent and watch at your leisure over the coming weekend:
Denis Villeneuve’s Incendies
Our partnership with Canada Screens has brought us an incredible selection of Canadian independent fiction films, and near the top of that list is the Oscar®-nominated Incendies, by Denis Villeneuve. It’s a great time to watch this film, given all the press Villeneuve is getting for his latest release, Sicario, which just premiered at Cannes and earned a four-star review from Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian.
In Incendies, a pair of twins (Jeanne and Simon) journey to the Middle East following the death of their mother to discover their family’s enigmatic history. In the process, they discover a side of her they knew nothing about, and as a result, come to see her in a whole new light.
The F Word (aka What If)
Looking for something a little lighter? Try this fun romantic comedy starring Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Zoe Kazan (granddaughter of Elia Kazan!) and Adam Driver (Girls). It takes a fresh look at the time-old tale of what happens when great friendships blossom into something more.
Barney’s Version
Or maybe you’re looking for something in between – a film that has some humour to make you laugh, but is touching enough to bring a tear to your eye. This film has long been one of my favourites – and not because it’s a Richler novel set in Montreal, but because of the way the screenplay so perfectly extracts the love story of the two main characters from a much larger, more complex story and turns it into the focus of the film. The character of Barney is so unique, and it’s played so perfectly by Paul Giamatti that it’s simply irresistible.
If you’re unfamiliar with the story, it’s about the life and times of Barney Panofsky, an aging film producer who is impulsive, politically incorrect and completely unapologetic. He’s a charmer.
As an added bonus, you can see what screenwriter Michael Konyves had to say about adapting the novel here.
Happy viewing!
