This week we remembered actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, showing the lesser-known gem Owning Mahowney. Even though the weather outside remained brutally cold, we managed to keep our MovieNight family feeling comfy and warm, and it felt great to be able to bring you something you would otherwise have missed. [Insert pat on back here]

In other news, the great Broker’s Gin shortage of 2014 continues. As a consequence, Martini Mike has temporarily renamed himself Manhattan Mike. Hey. Change is good?

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With part II of our Woody on Blu-ray mini season, we managed to win over a few Woody-haters. This 78 year old director  just keeps on going! (Energizer Woody?)

Of course, there are a few annoying things about Blue Jasmine (I watched it three times in one week, so started to notice a bit of stilted dialogue), but Cate Blanchett’s performance was simply wonderful. She brought Blanche DuBois into the twenty-first century, Xanax and all. Bobby Cannavale’s Stanley Kowalski-esque turn was also nicely modernized… real men are considerate these days it would seem.

Thanks again to our popcorn chefs, Julienne and Mike 😉

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This week saw the start of our 3-part mini-season, “Midwinter Nights Mini-Season: Woody on Blu-ray”. Sleeper was a fine way to start. Sure, you’ve heard the gags before, and if you’re like me, you might have gone through periods of your life when one more Woody joke would have been one too many. Mr. Allen’s film-making, while still exploring similar themes, has become rather more nuanced over the past several years (have you noticed anyone getting hit on the head with a rubber mallet?), and now, going back to visit the old schtick was rather like catching up with a good old friend. Apparently you thought so too 🙂

And c’mon… silver-painted pumpkin as orb? Pretty funny, even if I say so myself!

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One couldn’t accurately describe this week’s MovieNight screening as jam-packed… nevertheless, it was great to have some long-missing guests back in the house for Sarah Polley’s touchingly public revelation of a deep family secret. The Stories We Tell adds yet another feather to the cap of this talented Canadian woman.

BTW, might I just take this opportunity right a wrong that annoys the heck out of me and my fellow Canadians? We do not pronounce “out and about” as oot and aboot; it’s more like owt and abowt. So there, eh?

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