Volver

This Friday, Movie Night In The Back Yard presents Volver (2006). Since this season's film selections were inspired by a recent trip to Spain and France, I knew that I had to include something from the current king of Spanish cinema, Pedro Almodovar. I could have chosen any number of worthy films from Mr. Almodovar, but because this will be his first showing at MNITBY, I felt the need to chose my favorite. Like most Almodovar films, Volver features a gorgeous Penelopy Cruz with some serious family issues, but in this case her mother has returned from the dead to take care of unfinished business. Don't miss the last film of the 2010 season!

North by Northwest

This Friday, Movie Night In The Back Yard presents North by Northwest (1959). For this film, Ernest Lehman was tasked with writing a script to fit the images Alfred Hitchcock had in his mind. (One of those images is a race across the faces of Mt. Rushmore.) Lehman responded with a film noir thriller that was so unique no one could predict the ending. The resulting picture is one of Hitchcock's best.

A Town Called Panic

This Friday, Movie Night In The Back Yard presents the Belgian stop-motion animated film A Town Called Panic (2009). Directors Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar have created quite a buzz with this story about plastic toys Cowboy, Indian and Horse. This was one of the better reviewed films at the Portland International Film Festival this past year, and it received critic's picks in the Oregonian each week for almost its entire run at the Hollywood Theater. Don't miss this chance to see it on the big screen.