July 26 The Graduate (PG)
The Graduate (1967) is one of the key, ground-breaking films of the late 1960s about a recent East Coast college graduate who finds himself alienated and adrift in the shifting, social and sexual mores of the 1960s, and questioning the values of society.
The story is mainly told through the eyes of Benjamin Braddock, a confused twenty-one year old, who is worried about his future but who does not simply want to follow the commercial path of his affluent family and their friends. His life becomes complicated when he is embroiled in an affair with an older woman, Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father's business partner. It becomes impossible when he falls in love with Mrs. Robinson's daughter, Elaine.
August 9 The Reader (MA)
A decade after his affair with an older woman, a law student re-encounters his former lover defending herself in a war-crime trial...
Set in post-WWII Germany, The Reader confronts us with questions of justice and shame. When a man holds information which could liberate a woman from an unjust conviction, but expose her to a shame which she finds personally more terrible, what is the right path? Wrestling with memories of their previous secret life together, what is it that balances healing, justice and truth?
August 23 Departures (M)
Daigo Kobayashi is a devoted cellist who is suddenly left without a job when his orchestra is dissolved. He decides to move back to his old home town with his wife to start over, where he answers a classified ad entitled 'Departures.' Thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency, he discovers the job is actually for a Nokanshi, a traditional funerary celebrant who prepares bodies for entry into the next life.
While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of "Nokanshi," acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living.
September 13 Invictus (M)
Nelson Mandela's release from prison and his ascent to a democratically elected President of South Africa marks a radical change in the country. This change away from apartheid will not be easy for anyone in the country, but Mandela has to figure out how to galvanize the residents of the country together. Because of his love of the game, Mandela places his support behind the Springboks, the national rugby team. South Africa is hosting the 1995 Rugby World Cup, that being the only reason the Springboks are even competing in the tournament as its years on the sideline of world rugby events has not made it world ranked. The Springboks were previously considered the team of white South Africa, and as such was denounced by Mandela when he was in prison. But he does whatever he can to make it the team of all South Africa.
September 27 Paint Your Wagon (PG)
Stake Your Claim To The Musical Goldmine of '69!
A Michigan farmer and a prospector form a partnership in the California gold country. Their adventures include buying and sharing a wife, hijacking a stage, kidnaping six prostitutes, and turning their mining camp into a boomtown. Along the way there is plenty of drinking, gambling, and singing. They even find time to do some creative gold mining.
October 11 The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (PG)
A timeless story of innocence lost and humanity found.
Young Bruno lives a wealthy lifestyle in prewar Germany along with his mother, elder sister, and SS Commandant father. The family relocates to the countryside where his father is assigned to take command a prison camp. A few days later, Bruno befriends another youth, strangely dressed in striped pajamas, named Shmuel who lives behind an electrified fence. Bruno will soon find out that he is not permitted to befriend his new friend, but continues the friendship anyway.
October 25 Avatar (M)
When his brother is killed in a robbery, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully decides to take his place in a mission on the distant world of Pandora. There he learns of greedy corporate figurehead Parker Selfridge's intentions of driving off the native humanoid "Na'vi" in order to mine for the precious material scattered throughout their rich woodland. In exchange for the spinal surgery that will fix his legs, Jake gathers intel for the cooperating military unit spearheaded by gung-ho Colonel Quaritch, while simultaneously attempting to infiltrate the Na'vi people with the use of an "avatar" identity. While Jake begins to bond with the native tribe and quickly falls in love with the beautiful alien Neytiri, the restless Colonel moves forward with his ruthless extermination tactics, forcing the soldier to take a stand - and fight back in an epic battle for the fate of Pandora.
November 8 K-Pax (M)
Is he crazy?...or is he light years ahead of us?
Prot is a patient at a mental hospital who claims to be from a far away planet. His psychiatrist tries to help him, only to begin to doubt his own explanations.
November 22 The Shipping News (M)
An inksetter in New York, Quoyle returns to his family's longtime home, a small fishing town in Newfoundland, with his young daughter, after a traumatizing experience with her mother, Petal, who sold her to an illegal adoption agency. Though Quoyle has had little success thus far in life, his shipping news column in the newspaper "The Gammy Bird" finds an audience, and his experiences in the town change his life. Then he meets the widow Wavey...
December 13 It's a Wonderful Life (G)
George Bailey has the picture perfect life: a loving wife, Mary (Donna Reed), four young children, and his own business, which he inherited from his father. However, on Christmas Eve, George encounters severe business difficulties at the Bailey Building and Loan. George's Uncle Billy loses the cash they owe the bank, which is owned by the Scrooge-esque Mr. Potter. This leads George to a life crisis, and he contemplates suicide. He's saved at the last moment by the apperance of his guardian angel, Clarence.
Clarence shows George how much his life means by showing him how the world would be without him.
In order that all men may be taught to speak truth, it is necessary that all should learn to hear it
- Samuel Johnson -