ROBBINSDALE AND CRYSTAL RECREATION DEPARTMENTS Fall 2019 MOVIE DISCUSSION SERIES Movie Discussion series is offered in Cooperation with the City of Crystal Senior Program Movie Descriptions are taken from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb. When: THURSDAYS 1:00-4:00 p.m. (Approximate, depends on length of movie) Sept 5 Zookeeper’s Wife Sept 19 Going in Style Oct 3 Annie Hall Oct 17 The Natural Nov 7 Casablanca Nov 21 The Man Who Invented Christmas Where: Police and Fire Building, Community Meeting Room (lower level) 4101 Hubbard Avenue North Fee: $1.00 (covers cost of refreshments, movie license, and movie) Register: To register or for more information, please call 763-531-1272 Good conversations, great movies, and much fun are practically guaranteed. Refreshments too! Movies are shown on a projection screen, with surround sound. Discussions are informal, but will focus on reaction to the movie. Moviegoers are encouraged to attend the entire series so contrasts/comparisons can be made among the movies. Note: For personal comfort, bring along a pillow for more comfortable seating. Thanks to Video Universe in Robin Center for supporting the movie discussion series with their great movie collection!! “THE MOVIES”….. Sept 5 The Zookeeper’s Wife Director: Niki Caro 2017 2 hours 7 minutes Starring: Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenbergh, and Daniel Bruhl The real-life story of one working wife and mother who became a hero to hundreds during World War II. In 1939 Poland, Antonina Żabińska (portrayed by two-time Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain) and her husband, Dr. Jan Żabiński (Johan Heldenbergh of "The Broken Circle Breakdown"), have the Warsaw Zoo flourishing under his stewardship and her care. When their country is invaded by the Germans, Jan and Antonina are stunned - and forced to report to the Reich's newly appointed chief zoologist, Lutz Heck (Daniel Brühl of "Captain America: Civil War"). To fight back on their own terms, Antonina and Jan covertly begin working with the Resistance - and put into action plans to save lives out of what has become the Warsaw Ghetto, with Antonina putting herself and even her children at great risk. Sept 19 Going in Style Director: Zach Braff 2017 1 hour 37 minutes Starring: Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, Oscar winners Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby"), Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules," "Hannah and Her Sisters") and Alan Arkin ("Little Miss Sunshine") team up as lifelong buddies Willie, Joe and Al, who decide to buck retirement and step off the straight-and-narrow for the first time in their lives when their pension fund becomes a corporate casualty, in director Zach Braff's comedy "Going in Style." Desperate to pay the bills and come through for their loved ones, the three risk it all by embarking on a daring bid to knock off the very bank that absconded with their money. Oct 3 Annie Hall Director: Woody Allen 1977 1 hours 33 minutes Starring: Woody Allen and Diane Keaton "Annie Hall" is a comical look at the up and down relationship between a New York City TV writer and his aspiring actress/singer girlfriend who's originally from the Midwest. Oct 17 The Natural Director: Barry Levinson 1984 2 hours 12 minutes Starring: Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Wilford Brimley, Glenn Close, and Kim Basinger Nothing was going to stop Roy Hobbs from fulfilling his boyhood dream of baseball superstardom. 14-year-old Hobbs fashions a powerful bat from a fallen oak tree. He soon impresses major league scouts with his ability, fixing his extraordinary talent in the mind of sportswriter Max Mercy, who eventually becomes instrumental in Hobb's career. But a meeting with a mysterious woman shatters his dream. Years pass and an older Hobbs reappears as a rookie from The New York Knights. Overcoming physical pain and defying those who have a stake in seeing the Knights lose, Hobbs, with his boyhood bat, has his chance to lead the Knights to the pennant and to finally fulfill his dream. Nov 7 Casablanca Director: Michael Curtiz 1942 1 hour 42 minutes Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains One of the most beloved American films, this captivating wartime adventure of romance and intrigue from director Michael Curtiz defies standard categorization. Simply put, it is the story of Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), a world-weary ex-freedom fighter who runs a nightclub in Casablanca during the early part of WWII. Despite pressure from the local authorities, notably the crafty Capt. Renault (Claude Rains), Rick's café (C) has become a haven for refugees looking to purchase illicit letters of transit which will allow them to escape to America. One day, to Rick's great surprise, he is approached by the famed rebel Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) and his wife, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), Rick's true love who deserted him when the Nazis invaded Paris. She still wants Victor to escape to America, but now that she's renewed her love for Rick, she wants to stay behind in Casablanca. "You must do the thinking for both of us," she says to Rick. He does, and his plan brings the story to its satisfyingly logical, if not entirely happy, conclusion. Nov 21 The Man Who Invented Christmas Director: Bharat Nalluri 2017 1 hour 44 min Starring: Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, and Jonathan Pryce The Man Who Invented Christmas tells of the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer), Tiny Tim and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. Directed by Bharat Nalluri (MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY), the film shows how Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) mixed real life inspirations with his vivid imagination to conjure up unforgettable characters and a timeless tale, forever changing the holiday season into the celebration we know today. .