Film

Telluride Film Festival presents “Sunday at the Palm”: “The Wizard of Oz”

Telluride is sorta kinda like Oz, only our denizens are taller. And we are not plagued by witches – although switching around a consonant or two could be a game changer.

"The Wizard of Oz (1939)" is as much a part of American culture as burgers, beer and baseball. The Library of Congress named "The Wizard of Oz" the most-watched film in history, and the movie is often ranked among the "top ten best movies of all times" in  critics' and popular polls.The perennial fantasy film from MGM during its golden years is the Telluride Film Festival's Valentine to the community. "The Wizard of Oz" is the featured film on Sunday, February 14, part of the Festival's ongoing Sunday at the Palm series hosted by outreach/education liaison Erika Gordon.

Nuggets from the Nugget: “Avatar” and “The Book of Eli”

The Nugget Theatre in Telluride is showing "Avatar" and "The Book of Eli" the week of Friday, February 12-Thursday, February 18. Note that the Telluride Film Festival is presenting "Me and Orson Welles" on February 18.

"Avatar" has garnered eight Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture, and is rated PG-13.

Denzel Washington stars in "The Book of Eli" and it's his job to prevent A VERY IMPORTANT BOOK from falling into the wrong hands in this post-apocolyptic Western. Plenty of action, rated R.

For showtimes, see below, for trailers and reviews, see the Nugget website.

Nuggets from the Nugget: “Avatar”

James Cameron's "Avatar" recently replaced James Cameron's "Titanic" as the highest grossing movie, and Telluride can see "Avatar" this week, Friday, February 5-Thursday, February 11, at Telluride's Nugget Theatre. On Friday and Saturday, there are two showings each day.

If you know nothing about "Avatar" you must have been living in a cave. In fact Roger Ebert calls "Avatar" "...one of those films you feel you must see to keep up with the conversation." The movie is a hero's quest in the sense of Joseph Campbell, and now you can join in the conversation.

See below for showtimes, and the Nugget website for trailers and reviews.

Nuggets from the Nugget: “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and “It’s Complicated”

Something for everybody at Telluride's Nugget Theatre this week, Friday, January 29-Thursday, February 4. And those of you who are young or young at heart have two opportunities to see Alvin and company on Saturday.

In "Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel" the furry ones go to high school and are pitted against a girl chipmunk trio in a music contest. Alvin and group hope to win the $25K first prize to support the school music program. Need more plot than that? It's rated PG.

Meryl Streep (Jane) and Alec Baldwin (Jake) are ten years divorced, and find themselves out of town together. This being Hollywood, they have an affair, though Jake is re-married and Jane has an incipient relationship. "It's Complicated" is rated R, for sexual situations and some drug content.

See below for showtimes, and see the Nugget website for trailers and reviews.

Nuggets from the Nugget: “Sherlock Holmes” and “Up in the Air”

The Nugget Theatre in beautiful downtown Telluride is showing two movies for the week of Friday, January 22-Thursday, January 28.

"Sherlock Holmes" is back for a replay. Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law are Holmes and Watson. The movie is rated PG-13. Check out last week's "Nuggets."

Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air" stars George Clooney and premiered at the 2009 Telluride Film Festival. The film was singled out by TIO for the awards season, garnered several Golden Globe nominations, and won Best Screenplay. Rated R, "Up in the Air" was right on in its timing. With the U.S. economy on its ear, the film tell the story of a man whose job it is to go around the country firing people. Pretty funny, eh? But pertinent.

See below for showtimes and the Nugget website for trailers and reviews.

Nuggets from the Nugget: “Sherlock Holmes”

"Sherlock Holmes" plays twice nightly at Telluride's Nugget Theatre the week of Friday, January 15-Thursday, January 21.

Director Guy Ritchie's "Holmes" is a modern take on the Arthur Conan Doyle classic, complete with some impressive special effects. The movie stars Robert Downey, Jr. as Sherlock Holmes, Jude Law as the faithful Watson. Rachel McAdams is Holmes' love interest/foil. "Sherlock Holmes" is rated PG-13.

See below for movie times, and the Nugget website for reviews and trailers.

Nuggets from the Nugget: “The Blind Side” and “Old Dogs”

Telluride's Nugget Theatre is showing "Old Dogs" this week (Jan 8-14) along with the repeat performance of "The Blind Side".

TIO talked about "The Blind Side" last week: the story is about a homeless kid in Memphis who is adopted by a well-off family, and becomes a football star. (PG-13)

"Old Dogs" is a comedy with John Travolta and Robin Williams, one a confirmed bachelor, the other a bachelor by way of divorce. They are on the verge of a big business deal with the Japanese, with the complication of having to take care of 7 year old twins. The critics mostly hated it; audiences seem to love it. You'll have to go and make up your own mind. (Rated PG)

Showtimes below, reviews and trailers on the Nugget website.

Nuggets from the Nugget: “The Princess and the Frog” and “The Blind Side”

Telluride's Nugget Theatre resumes with "The Princess and the Frog" and "The Blind Side" for the week of January 1-7. That's 2010, folks. How did we get to 2010 so soon?

For information on the two films, see last week's Nuggets. For reviews and trailers, see the Nugget website. For showtimes, see below.