Raise the Hammer

Please join us for a timely showing of this interesting and acclaimed documentary (made pre-global economic crisis!), which will serve as a cautionary tale to us all as we enter the Christmas season. All are welcome and invited to participate in a post-movie discussion with Spectator columnists Meredith MacLeod and Lisa Grace Marr.

********************************** Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders (James Spurlock, 2006, 90 min.)

Friday, December 4, 2009 at 7:00pm. Melrose United Church Locke St. & Homewood Ave.

Suggested Donation $5 (Includes Complementary Fair-Trade Coffee) Supervised Children’s Movie: ages 3-12, $1 per child **********************************

Maxed Out takes viewers on a journey deep inside the American style of debt, where things seem fine as long as the minimum monthly payment arrives on time. With coverage that spans from small American towns all the way to the White House, the film shows how the modern financial industry really works, explains the true definition of "preferred customer" and tells us why the poor are getting poorer while the rich keep getting richer. Hilarious, shocking and incisive, Maxed Out paints a picture of a national nightmare which is all too real for most of us.

We are especially proud and pleased to announce that we will be joined for a post-movie discussion by Hamilton Spectator columnists Meredith MacLeod and Lisa Grace Marr -- writers of the "The Way We Spend" 13-week multimedia series. In part, the series has followed the financial makeover of four families with the help of local financial experts. During the discussion they will share some of their experiences and personal insights made in producing the series.

Bring your friends, neighbours and family for what promises to be an interesting evening, with a thought-provoking film and insightful discussion to follow.

http://www.maxedoutmovie.com/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0762117/

Our schedule for the entire 2009-2010 season is posted on our website.