This week in film rounds up the most noteworthy independent screenings and cinema-related events happening in Toronto.

TUESDAY JULY 19TH / THE TRIP / CUMBERLAND CINEMA / 9:20PM
The Trip is a sly, sly fox of a film. At the outset it's another Michael Winterbottom road-trip comedy starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as two not-quite-friends who go on a road trip together when Coogan's girlfriend bails on their vacation. But the big laugh is that they play loose caricatures of themselves in their travels, basically extending their roles from A Cock and Bull Story a few years earlier. The Trip was initially a sitcom in the UK but was reduced to a 2 hour film for different markets and includes some of the best bits of the series. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the cinema or online.

WEDNESDAY JULY 20TH / FUNNY GIRL / DAVID PECAUT SQUARE / 9PM
Sing in the park this week with TIFF in the Park as it presents Barbra Streisand in her stage-hit-turned-blockbuster-movieFunny Girl. Based on the true story of the life and times of Fanny Brice, a comedian, actress, singer and star, the film follows her modest rise to the top as one of the most charming entertainers of the early 20th century. Trivia, producer Ray Stark is actually the son-in-law of Fanny Brice and hooked his leading lady into a two-picture deal, forcing her to reprise the role of Fanny for an oft-forgotten sequel, Funny Lady. General admission as this is a free outdoor screening, movie starts at sunset or 9pm.

THURSDAY JULY 21ST / CINEMACABRE PRESENTS FRIGHT NIGHT / TORONTO UNDERGROUND CINEMA / 9:30PM
This screening of Fright Night is special for two reasons; it's the first official screening of the monthly Cinemacabre series that will take place at the Toronto Undergound (they formerly ran at the Bloor Cinema) and to honour this new venue change, the screening is absolutely free! Charley, a nerdy teenager who would rather watch horror films than football, discovers that his new next door neighbour is a vampire and quickly his fannish obsession with the occult turns to dread. As he tries to warn his parents, his friends and the authorities, his only ally is an aging actor who claims to be a vampire killer and his girlfriend who the vampire desires above all.

FRIDAY JULY 22ND / ECO-PIRATE: THE STORY OF PAUL WATSON / TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX/ 7:15PM
The documentary that filled houses at Hot Docs this year is back in an exclusive run with multiple screening times at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. Following the life and politics of environmentalist Paul Watson, famed activist against whaling and other seafaring abuses, he's the star of the reality TV series Whale Wars, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and infamous for being prickly, aggressive, openly confrontational and direct. The man himself and his public persona are explored in this feature, with a mixture of archival footage, vicious videos of animal slaughter and interviews with Watson and interviews, the film took eight years to complete and Watson certainly still has more to say. Ticket are $12.50 and can be bought at the cinema.

SATURDAY JULY 23RD / WILD ZERO / TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX / 11PM
The Best of Midnight Madness continues this week with a film that truly encompasses the word 'madness.' Wild Zero is a zombie horror comedy film from 2000 (years before Zombieland or Shaun of the Dead) that stars Japanese punk band Guitar Wolf as they try to save their #1 fan from a zombie horde. The problem with most third rate horror films are the very things that make Wild Zero so amazing, bad direction, a nonsensical plot and terrible acting are all energized by the inherent coolness of Guitar Wolf. You know exactly what is going to happen at any given time but somehow it will still surprise you — it also makes for a perfect drinking game! Ticket are $12.50 and can be purchased at the cinema.

SUNDAY JULY 24TH / ANNIE HALL / THE REVUE CINEMA / 9PM
Easily one of Woody Allen's best known and loved films, it's hard for a month to go by without Annie Hall being featured or screened somewhere in the city, and this time it lands at the Revue Cinema as part of a double bill with his newest film, Midnight in Paris. While Annie Hall is on the surface a film about Alvy Singer and the great love of his life, the enigmatic artist Annie Hall, what it really seems to cover is the anxiety and stress of people always fighting to be happy in their lives. Simple little pleasures are elusive for these characters and even in their relationship they still struggle against one another for fulfillment. Tickets are $11 and can be purchased at the cinema.

For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.

Still from Wild Zero