Film

Telluride Film Fest Cinematheque Monday November 16

A handshake between the Telluride Film Festival and the Wilkinson Public Library developed into a popular local's film club, Telluride Film Festival Cinematheque. Last season, Telluride Film Festival director Gary Meyer  based his programming on the theme of the French New Wave. (Not a hairstyle.) This season, the subject is film noir, flicks with chicks who put the mythological sirens to shame and hapless heroes whose lives are one bad hair day.

The next FREE program in the noir genre occurs Monday, November 16, starting at 5:30 p.m. for the pre-SHOW reception. The evening is double-billed as it would have been in the 1940s and 1950s when film noir was in its heyday. First up is Stanley Kubrick thriller "The Killing" (1956, 83 minutes), considered by buffs to be the director's most perfectly crafted film.

Nuggets from the Nugget: “Where the Wild Things Are” and “Capitalism: a Love Story”

The Nugget Theatre in Telluride is showing "Where the Wild Things Are" Friday, November 13 through Wednesday, November 18. There are two screenings nightly, plus a matinee on Saturday. "WWTA" is based on the wonderful Maurice Sendak children's book, and the critics have raved about the integration of live characters and the special effects "Things" who are animated (inhabited) by the human actors who provide the voices.

On Thursday, November 19 there will be two showings of Michael Moore's "Capitalism: a Love Story." Moore's films often irritate, but they inevitably make us think.

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

Nuggets from the Nugget: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” and “Law Abiding Citizen”

Telluride's Nugget Theatre is showing "Law Abiding Citizen" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" the week of Friday, November 6 through Thursday, November 12, with a free showing of "The Lives of Others" on Thursday. See below for movie times. See the Nugget website for trailers and previews.

"Law Abiding Citizen" stars Jamie Foxx as an assistant DA who accepts a plea bargain from a killer in order to convict the murderer's accomplice. Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) witnessed the killing of his wife and daughter and takes matters into his own hands when the killer is released fro prison after ten years. That's when things get interesting. Rated R for violence.

Nuggets from the Nugget: “Couples Retreat” and “Zombieland”

Telluride's Nugget Theatre is showing "Couples Retreat" and "Zombieland" the week of Friday, October 30-Thursday, November 5.

"Couples Retreat" (Rated PG 13) takes place in Bora Bora. Couple 1 is having some marital difficulties and for reasons of economy talks Couples 2-4 into joining the fun. Everyone gets therapy, as it turns out. And even the "happy" couples need it.

I won't say too much about "Zombieland" (Rated R for zombie violence) except to quote Roger Ebert: "...not many zombie comedies can make me think simultaneously about 'Psycho' and 'Garfield.'" He liked the movie, by the way.

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

Nuggets from the Nugget: “The Invention of Lying” and “Fame”

The Nugget Theatre in beautiful downtown Telluride is showing two films this week, October 23-29, with a bonus matinee on Saturday, "No Impact Man," which tells the story of a man who decides to make no environmental impact for one year, without taking into consideration that his wife would rather go shopping.

"Fame" is a remake of the 1980 movie, and follows the lives of young people with the aim of dancing, singing, playing, acting their way to FAME.

Imagine a world in which no one lies for any reason, until one man finds that he can get what he wants (maybe) by not being so truthful. That's the premise of "The Invention of Lying" and the result should be interesting.

For reviews and trailers, check out the Nugget website. See below for schedules. Note that the 8:30 movie on Wednesday, October 28 has been cancelled.

Nuggets from the Nugget: “9”

The main movie at Telluride's Nugget Theatre for the week of October 16-22 is the animated "9" with one showing next Thursday of "In the Loop."

"9" (Rated PG 13 for animated violence and scary situations) paints a picture in somber tones of a post-apocalyptic world. The machines have won and it is up to nine handmade puppets to meld their strengths to prevent the total end of humanity. The effects are meant to be worth the price of admission. Showtimes are 7:00 pm nightly except for Thursday, October 22 at 6:30.

"In the Loop" (not rated) is a smart movie about how words matter, especially in the world of politics. In this case careless words push the US and Great Britain toward war with an unspecified Middle Eastern country. "In the Loop" shows at 8:30 on Thursday, October 22.

(editor's note: TIO apologizes for posting this article late. We are on the road and a few things slipped through the cracks. Mea culpa.)

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

Nuggets from the Nugget: “The Informant” and “Signatures”

The Nugget Theatre in Telluride is showing "The Informant" the week of Friday, October 9-Thursday, October 15. Showtimes for "The Informant" are 7:00 pm nightly except Saturday, October 10. On Saturday, it will play at 6:30 pm, with a special viewing of "Signatures" at 8:30.

"The Informant" (rated R for language) stars Matt Damon as a whistle-blower at Archer Daniels Midland. You don't have a story unless there are problems. In this one, the problem is Mark Whitacre (Damon). When you want to blow the whistle make sure your own situation is very clean.

"Signatures" looks like a must-see: snow-porn at its best. Shot on the northern Japanese island of Hokaido, the movie is poetry in motion.

See the showtimes schedule below, and check out the Nugget website for trailers and reiviews.