Film + Dining Guide Winter 2019/2020 by Firstontario Performing Arts Centre

THE FILM HOUSE FIRSTONTARIO PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

FILM+DINING GUIDE

DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020

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FILM HOUSE ADMISSION $9.50 - general admission + HST $7 - member & 13 and under + HST

MORSELS: DOWNTOWN EATS Tiffany Mayer [TM], Jordy Yack [JY], Michael Chess [MC], and Stephen Remus [SR] share their favourite meals in these bite sized reviews. Dinner and a movie in downtown St. Catharines has never been better.

THE FILM HOUSE at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre FirstOntarioPAC.ca

Box Office: 905-688-0722 250 St. Paul St. / St. Catharines ON

Film+Dining Guide designed by Niagara Artists Centre Cover Image: Parasite

HARVEST TIME We’re well into it. It’s the 2019/20 film awards season, harvest time for film lovers. Beginning in November and ending in February, it’s a four-month meta-cinema moment where the drama of the films themselves is compounded by the drama surrounding which of them will emerge as the best of the year in a myriad of categories. There’s a lot at play, not the least of which are politics and money. Some members of the Film Programming Group are not ashamed to admit that they keep an eye on the odds Vegas offers to leading contenders. Coincidentally, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Joker, Waves, and Parasite are all on the bookies’ lists for the Best Picture Oscar and populate this edition of the calendar. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite would be a breakthrough win, the first foreign language film to be named Best Picture in Academy Award history. There are plenty of opportunities to dive deeper into film this December and January beyond assessing gambling odds. On the heels of the Better Cities Film Festival, the Niagara Society of Architects returns with their popular series of titles exploring architecture and design including post-screening events. As a complement, we’re bringing on-screen explorations of the works of Leonardo da Vinci and a tour of The Hermitage, arguably the world’s greatest art museum. We’ve also loaded up on opportunities to meet the filmmakers of four of the titles we’re presenting: The River You Step In, Mountain Top Sessions, Word After A Word After A Word, and The Road to the Lemon Grove. The Film House gets you up close and personal with film. This calendar also sees The Film House embark on a new partnership with the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) - Brock. A five film series of LBGTQ2 titles will kick off in January co-presented by the Niagara Artists Centre. We Are The Radical Monarchs brings the story of a scout troop for girls of colour with lessons on how to inspire our youngest citizens to be more and to affect change. Peppered in the mix for variety is a pair from the canon: Sunset Boulevard and The Apartment. We’ve also pulled some things from the margins including Nude on the Moon and a 60th anniversary celebratory screening of select episodes of the Twilight Zone introduced by Film Programming Group Member Barry Grant. Our audience numbers continue to grow. We’ve set new records for attendance at The Film House in 2019. The Programming Group has scoured the universe of film to bring you this outstanding crop of titles. We welcome you to be part of an authentic cinema experience, take in a film downtown. Stephen Remus Film Programming Group Niagara Artists Centre

The Film Programming Group is: Barry K. Grant, Joan Nicks, Sara Palmieri, Natasha Pedros, Stephen Remus, Kasia Smuga, and Annie Wilson

Fri 6 Dec 9PM / Sat 7 Dec 9PM / Sun 8 Dec 4PM / Tue 10 Dec 7PM

GREENER GRASS

USA, 2018. Jocelyn Deboer and Dawn Luebbe. 101 min. 14A A twisted comedy set in a demented, timeless suburbia where every adult wears braces on their straight teeth, couples coordinate meticulously pressed outfits, and coveted family members are swapped in more ways than one in this competition for acceptance.

“3.5 out of 4! Greener Grass is as enticing as it is bizarre ... a comedy destined to achieve cult status for anyone lucky enough to see it.” - Anne T. Donahue, The Globe and Mail “A deliciously twisted suburban fable of a pastel-coloured universe ... nutty lives held together by pink frosting … Tonnes of fun, zero stress, and zany to the max.” - Christine Bentley & Kate Wheeler, What She Said Radio

Thu 12 Dec 7PM / Fri 13 Dec 6:30PM / Sat 14 Dec 6:30PM Sun 15 Dec 7PM / Tue 17 Dec 7PM

HARRIET

USA, 2019. DIrected by Kasi Lemmons. 125 min. 14A Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, Harriet tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.

“Harriet Tubman, as this film portrays so beautifully, was a force to be reckoned with.” - Kristin Smith, Plugged In “Erivo captures Tubman’s shining spirit and courage with compassion, beautifully reflecting her bravery on a toughened face she wears with pride.” - Tomris Laffly, Roger Ebert.com

Thu 19 Dec 7PM / Fri 20 Dec 6:30PM / Sat 21 Dec 6:30PM / Sun 22 Dec 7PM

WAVES

USA, 2019. Directed by Trey Edward Shults. 135 min. 14A Set against the vibrant landscape of South Florida, and featuring an astonishing ensemble of award-winning actors and breakouts alike, Waves traces the epic emotional journey of a suburban African-American family—led by a well-intentioned but domineering father—as they navigate love, forgiveness, and coming together in the aftermath

of loss. From acclaimed director Trey Edward Shults, Waves is a heartrending story about the universal capacity for compassion and growth even in the darkest of times. “Shults ... wrote, directed and co-edited Waves with urgency and a pulsating life force. His camera expresses the internal worlds of its subjects with such intimacy you almost forget it’s even there — until you are hit with yet another glorious, breathtaking shot.” - Sasha Stone, The Wrap

PHARMACII SNACKBAR 22 KING STREET JEON PULPO $11

This brand new modern snackbar is located in the former Dora’s Grill and brings tapas to a whole ‘nother level. Flavourful and charred Galician octopus is served on a savoury Korean pancake with a sous vide egg, garlic mayo and just the slightest amount of heat. Jeon Pulpo should be a gymnast, because it has perfect balance. [JY]

BLUE MERMAID

10 MARKET STREET / 905-684-7465 LOBSTER SANDWICH $24 The Blue Mermaid is a Garden City institution, having offered Niagara fine dining for over forty years. On Friday and Saturday nights in the Court Room Lounge you’ll find Eddie Pizzo at the piano, entertaining at one of the last great piano bars in the country. It’s populated with regulars, most days you’ll find Art Ellis in his ‘corner office.’ A mainstay of the lunch menu is the Lobster Sandwich, toasted golden and filled with fresh Canadian lobster alongside crispy fries and salad. Like everything at the Mermaid, it’s a classic. [SR]

Fri 27 Dec 2:30PM / Sat 28 Dec 6:30PM / Mon 30 Dec 9PM / Tue 31 Dec 6:30PM

OFFICIAL SECRETS

UK, USA, 2019. Directed by Gavin Hood. 111 min. 14A She risked everything to stop an unjust war. Her government called her a traitor. Based on world-shaking true events, Official Secrets tells the gripping story of Katharine Gun (Keira Knightley), a British intelligence specialist whose job involves routine handling of classified information.

“[The story] shows the power of a single act of moral courage, and it does so while being blisteringly entertaining cinema.” - Olver Jones, Observer “Director Gavin Hood gives the proceedings a rousing electricity, and he’s aided by a cast which leans into the story’s urgency and continued relevance.” - Tim Grierson, Screen International

Fri 27 Dec 6:30PM / Sat 28 Dec 4PM / Mon 30 Dec 6:30PM / Tue 31 Dec 2:30PM

HAPPY NEW YEAR, COLIN BURSTEAD

UK, 2018. Directed by Ben Wheatley. 95 min. PG Colin Burstead rents a lavish country manor for his extended family to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately for Colin, his position of power in the family is under

serious threat following the arrival of his estranged brother, David. “It is pure, uncut Wheatley — biting, bitter, irreverent, and funny.” - Alex Godfrey, Empire “One of his best, most fluid films.” - Guy Lodge, Variety

Fri 27 Dec 9PM / Sat 28 Dec 9PM / Sun 29 Dec 7PM

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

USA, 2019. Directed by Quentin Tarantino. 161 min. 14A Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood visits 1969 LA, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore.

The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age. “Tarantino returns, refreshed, with this funny, beautiful period piece, wrapping his story’s loopy laces around movie lore and history, and mixing life and art into a cool, wild collage.” - Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media

Tue 7 Jan 7PM/ Thu 9 Jan 7PM / Fri 10 Jan 6:30PM Sat 11 Jan 4PM / Sun 12 Jan 7PM

DOWNTON ABBEY

UK, 2019. Directed by Michael Engler. 122 min. PG The worldwide phenomenon Downton Abbey becomes a grand motion picture event, as the beloved Crawleys and their intrepid staff prepare for the most important moment of their lives. A royal visit from the King and Queen of England will unleash scandal,

romance, and intrigue that will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance. Written by series creator Julian Fellowes and starring the original cast. “For a few fleeting moments, they’ve returned us to a time of bygone glamor when class trumped crass and even treachery was sweetly done.” - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Fri 10 Jan 9PM / Sat 11 Jan 9PM / Thu 16 Jan 7PM Fri 17 Jan 9PM / Sun 19 Jan 4PM

PARASITE

South Korea, 2019. Directed by Bong Joon-ho. 131 min. 14A

Presented in Korean with English subtitles.

Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims sense a golden opportunity. The Kim children expediently install themselves as

tutor and art therapist to the Parks. A symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. When a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims’ newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out, threatening to destroy the fragile ecosystem. “It’s a heartbreaking tale of why the haves and have-nots will stay that way, crafted by a virtuoso director at the very top of his game.” - Chris Tilly, ING

Fri 17 Jan 6:30PM / Sat 18 Jan 6:30PM / Sun 19 Jan 7PM Tue 21 Jan 7PM / Thu 23 Jan 7PM

FRANKIE

France, Portugal, 2019. Directed by Ira Sachs. 98 min. PG

Presented in English, French and Portugese with English subtitles.

Unfolding over the course of a late summer’s day in the fabled resort town of Sintra, Portugal, Frankie follows three generations who have gathered for a vacation organized

by the family matriarch (Isabelle Huppert). In this fairy tale setting, husbands and wives, parents and children, friends and lovers — stirred by their romantic impulses — discover the cracks between them, as well as unexpected depth of feeling. “What a thorough pleasure to be in the company of Frankie, a film that feels like a sumptuous beach read on a lazy sunny afternoon.” - Tomris Laffly, Roger Ebert.com

Fri 24 Jan 9PM / Sat 25 Jan 9PM / Tue 28 Jan 7PM Thu 30 Jan 7PM / Fri 31 Jan 9PM

JOKER

USA, 2019. Directed by Todd Phillips. 122 min. R Forever alone in a crowd, Arthur Fleck seeks connection. As he trods the sooted Gotham City streets, a hostile town teeming with division and dissatisfaction, he wears two masks. One, he paints on for his day job as a clown. The other he can never remove; it’s the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel he’s a part of the world around him, and not the misunderstood man

whom life is repeatedly beating down. When bullied by teens on the streets, taunted by suits on the subway, or teased by his fellow clowns at work, this social outlier only becomes even more out of sync with everyone around him. “Joaquin Phoenix digs into the title role, kicks out the jams, and stamps the character with a danger all his own. ‘Phenomenal’ is a puny word to describe his gut-punch performance.” - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

CAFFE GATTI

3 RACE STREET / 905-641-5009 BENEDITTO $5.50 The greatest breakfast sandwich ever created! This blessed Italian twist of a benny on a bun piles poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce, grilled Peameal bacon and fresh red hot chilli peppers on an English muffin in all its steamy and sloppy deliciousness. [MC]

MA CHINESE CUISINE 123 GENEVA STREET / 289-362-2888 ALL YOU CAN TASTE BRUNCH $22.99

It’s the indecisive eater’s dream come true: a menu of dozens of small plates to sample Ma’s most popular dishes, including sweet and spicy Yu-Shiang eggplant and tofu en casserole, toothsome fried noodles with vegetables, and delicate dumplings filled ready to burst with juicy fillings. [TM]

SAT 18 JAN 9PM

AIRPLANE!

USA, 1980. Directed by Jim Abrahams. 88 min. PG Airplane! is one of the wildest, most outrageous comedies ever. Trans American Flight 209 carries the strangest collection of characters this side of the Marx Brothers. When the crew and passengers are afflicted with food poisoning, ex-fighter pilot Ted Stryker (Robert Hays), who only boards the flight to patch up a fight with his flight attendant lady friend, reluctantly takes the controls. Will Stryker, who is terrified of planes, be able to land? “Without a doubt, this movie reigns as king of all 80s parody films.” - Elliot Panek, Common Sense Media “Surely, this is essential. Maybe, but don’t call me Shirley.” - Caroline Westbrook, Empire

SAT 25 JAN 11:30PM

NUDE ON THE MOON

USA, 1961. Directed by Doris Wishman. 83 min. 18A Crew-cut hunk Jeff uses a $3 million inheritance to build a spaceship for he and his pal ‘The Professor’. They blast off in one rocket (a little toy model), and land on the moon in another (also a toy model), only to discover a tropical paradise. And, yes, yes, they also discover a nudist camp right there on the lunar surface, populated by naked moon people. You can tell they’re moon people because they have pipe-cleaner antennas on their heads. Nude on the Moon represents everything that’s perfect about American pop culture, it’s less a movie than a catalog of pure kitsch delirium. Stupid to the point of breathtaking!

SUN 26 JAN 7PM

MY TWENTIETH CENTURY

Hungary, 1989. Directed by Ildiko Enyedi. 104 min. NR Presented in Hungarian with English subtitles. On the eve of the 20th century, two twin girls, Lili the anarchist and Dóra a luxurious woman of loose morals, along with Mr. Z. who loves them as an entity, all reach the Hungarian border at the same time on board the Orient Express. Their story, rushing under the spell of Edison’s inventions, is a special ‘research of happiness’, reclaiming the ‘mass murdering century’ from the restlessly changing world and the miracle of existence. “My Twentieth Century is a jeu d’ésprit, a whimsical erotic fantasia of central Europe, a millennial meditation on modernity, all in black-and-white and infused with the spirit of early cinema.” - Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

CHILE AND AGAVE

51 HARTZEL ROAD / 905-688-8383 TACO BAJA $17.20 The crunchy battered haddock shines atop shredded cabbage and crispy lettuce. But the absolute stunner in this equation? The roasted pineapple habanero hot sauce! Tangy, sticky, and sweet – I think I’ll take a bottle next time. [JY]

ANTIPASTOS

87 HANNOVER DRIVE / 905-641-5211 HOT TABLE/PANINOTECCA SANDWICH BAR $4.99 - $9.99 Still Niagara’s go-to place for consistently delicious take-out lasagna, penne/meatballs, and other traditional Italian catering. But if you haven’t been on-site in a while, their refreshed European market and deli layout offers a wealth of rotating new house-made and imported delights such as this rolled veal Parm sandwich, prosciutto with buffalo mozzarella and baby watercress, grilled polenta with puttanesca sauce, and Roman style pizza with heirloom cherry tomatoes and fiordilatte cheese. [MC]

SUN 1 DEC 7PM

ROAD TO THE LEMON GROVE

Canada, Italy, 2019. Directed by Dale Hildebrand. 88 min. PG A deceased Sicilian father, has one last outrageous mission in store for his son - spread his ashes in the lemon groves of Sicily and reunite two feuding families. Road to the Lemon Grove has garnered Best Comedy Feature Film Award at the Edmonton International Film Festival as well as the CIRS award at the Taormina Film Festival and Best in Performance and Best in Italian-Canadian Cinema at the Italian Contemporary Film Festival. With an introduction by director Dale Hildebrand.

TUE 14 JAN 7PM

THE RIVER YOU STEP IN

Canada, 2019. Directed by Jon Michaelson. 100 min. NR When a young First Nations client dies after she commits her to police custody, Stevie Vandervliet (Astrid Van Wieren, currently appearing in the Tony-nominated Come From Away) struggles to keep the troubled people she works wth away from the system she no longer trusts. Post screening Q & A with Director Jon Michaelson, cinematographer Blake Hannahson, and actor Marcel Stewart.

905-641-5211

DINING IN DOWNTOWN Amakara Japan Bansaree Authentic Indian Cuisine Beechwood Doughnuts Bella Noella's Pizza Blue Mermaid Seafood & Steakhouse Bolete The Brazen Café Burrito Boyz Café Garibaldi / Savoy Room Caffe Gatti Chef Mi Dani’s Bistro Dispatch Restaurant East Izakaya EATZ Downtown Encore Café & Bistro Fiddler’s Pour House Fine Grind Café Freshii Grand Yard Greek Garden Restaurant Green Lotus Thai Lao Cuisine Hambrgr Helen's Deli Heraki Middle Eastern Bakery Hometown Ice Cream Hot Pot King Hub Café Huong’s Kitchen Incoho Restaurant Kaz’s Pub Kenzo Express Kully’s Original Sports Bar Kwong Chow Restaurant Lost and Found Taqueria Ludology Boardgame Café Mahtay Café & Lounge Mansion House Mele Trattoria Merchant Ale House

19 Geneva Street 342 St. Paul Street 165 St. Paul Street 159 St. Paul Street 10 Market Street 176 St. Paul Street 19 King Street 224 St. Paul Street 375 St. Paul Street 3 Race Street 104 King Street 259 St. Paul Street 386 St. Paul Street 129 King Street 30 Church Street 301 St. Paul Street 149 St. Paul Street 37 James Street 281 St. Paul Street 219 St. Paul Street 459 St. Paul Street 55 St. Paul Street 233 St. Paul Street 50 James Street 71 King Street 142 St. Paul Street 239 St. Paul Street 80 King Street, main fl. 12 Queen Street 281 St. Paul Street #B 107 St. Paul Street 200 St. Paul Street 223 St. Paul Street 310 St. Paul Street 259 St. Paul Street 52 St. Paul Street 241 St. Paul Street 5 William Street 26 Church Street 98 St. Paul Street

905-684-0612 905-684-3411 905-682-6887 905-685-7510 905-684-7465 905-641-9559 289-438-8816 905-682-2699 905-988-9033 905-641-5009 905-685-6888 289-362-0222 289-273-2393 905-228-3688 905-684-3289 905-704-2324 905-346-1225 905-348-3214 289-434-5290 905-348-8999 905-682-9882 289-362-1311 289-362-4440 905-685-0452 905-685-0123 905-988-6174 289-312-2166 905-688-1717 289-362-4302 905-682-0766 905-687-6846 289-362-6438 905-684-1771 905-682-5111 289-398-0306 289-362-4839 905-685-4040 905-685-5651 905-685-6353 905-984-4060

ST. CATHARINES Michi Ramen N’ata Cosa Ristorante Pizzeria Oddbird The Office Tap & Grill OLiV Tasting Room & Artisan Kitchen Patrick Sheehan's Irish Pub Pharmacii Snack Bar Pizza Pizza Rise Above Sahla Thai The Saucy Chicken Seasons Sushi Seoul Korean Cuisine Shawarma House Small Batch Co. Smoke's Poutinerie St. Catharines Club Subway Sunset Restaurant Sushi Ai Sweet Street Café (Library Atrium) Taibah Tim Hortons Donuts Touch of India Restaurant Twenty Kitchen and Bar U Needa Pita Vulies Tea & Café Wellington Court Wind Japanese Thai The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro

12 King Street 259 St. Paul Street 52 St. Paul Street 22 James Street 67 St. Paul Street 101 St. Paul Street 22 King Street 137 St. Paul Street 120 St. Paul Street 270 St. Paul Street 174 St. Paul Street 55 Carlisle Street 249 St. Paul Street 79 King Street 204 St. Paul Street 10 Summer Street 77 Ontario Street 168 St. Paul Street 180 St. Paul Street 75 St. Paul Street 54 Church Street 80 St. Paul Street 70 James Street 126 St. Paul Street 259 St. Paul Street 116 St. Paul Street 43 Church Street 11 Wellington Street 131 King Street 60 James Street

289-362-2033 905-397-7494 905-322-4043 905-984-4440 289-362-5550 905-687-7329 905-687-1111 289-362-2636 905-984-4482 905-688-6868 905-641-3636 905-397-7777 905-641-1097 905-682-2873 905-684-1193 289-362-4556 905-682-2287 905-397-7087 289-990-1696 289-362-3582 905-687-9996 905-988-1155 289-969-8583 905-682-7482 905-988-5060 905-682-5518 905-682-8838 905-685-9675

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