Events for March, 2012
The Artist
Directed by Michel Hazanavicius. France. 2011. PG-13. 100 min. Weinstein Co. 35mm.
Fri, Feb 17 thru Thu, Mar 8 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
“We rarely think of as great movies as breezy ones: Breeziness is supposedly only for disposable entertainment, though achieving filmmaking greatness in the way we normally think of it — with impressive sets, heavy-duty acting and ultra-polished cinematography — is probably easier than brushing a movie with just the right amount of gold dust. Michel Hazanavicius’s The Artist is a gold dust movie, a picture whose very boldness lies in its perceived lightness. More»
Night of the Creeps
Directed by Fred Dekker. US. 1986. R. 88 min. Sony. 35mm.
Sponsored by EB Art Guide
- Fri, Mar 2, 9:45 pm
Bonus: We’ll be screening the award-winning short The Furred Man along with Night of the Creeps! “Fred Dekker’s 1986 horror-comedy Night Of The Creeps had the curious distinction of being simultaneously anachronistic and ahead of its time. More»
Balloon Freak John Cassidy
Tickets: $8.50. 6+.
- Sat, Mar 3, 2:00 pm
John Cassidy, our most popular kids performer at the Colonial, is an eccentric comedian whose bizarre antics have earned him widespread acclaim as one of the most original and unique performers today. He has also made numerous television appearances having appeared on such popular shows as Live with Regis and Kelly, NBC’s Today Show and Martha Stewart Living and regularly plays Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City and his native Philadelphia. John also holds several Guinness World Records for speed in balloon sculpting. You can learn more about John and check out some amazing videos and photos online at johncassidy.com.
The Ipcress File
Directed by Sidney Furie. UK. 1965. NR. 109 min. Universal. 35mm.
- Sun, Mar 4, 2:00 pm
Early in his screen career (even before he hit it really big with his breakout role as Alfie in 1966), Michael Caine was becoming quite a well-known actor in his native Britain. One of his most highly-regarded performances from that period was as star of this tense and complex spy thriller. At a time when “spy thriller” generally referred to the wild, over-the- top shenanigans of the James Bond films, this was an exciting, often droll exercise in intelligent intelligence work, based upon the best-seller by Len Deighton. More»
Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles
Directed by John Foy. US. NR. 88 min. Argot Pictures. DVD.
- Sun, Mar 4, 4:30 pm
Q&A with director and Philly native John Foy immediately following the screening.
“Alien to the street yet embedded within it, easy to read but impossible to decipher, the Toynbee Tiles are an internationally enigmatic, handcrafted phenomenon. First discovered in the early 1980s, these crudely tiled signs have appeared in pavements all over the world, each uniquely made yet all expressing an identical message: More»
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Directed by Tomas Alfredson. France. 2011. 127 min. Focus Features. 35mm.
Fri, Mar 9 thru Thu, Mar 15 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy challenges audiences to believe in craftsmanship again. The film opens with a directive, and a botched mission. The story is set in 1973, largely in a dismal and businesslike-looking England that’s doing its damnedest to fight off the chill of the Cold War. More»
Looney Tunes
6+. Approx. 75 min. 35mm.
- Sat, Mar 10, 2:00 pm
Selected cartoons from the Warner Brothers catalog featuring Bugs Bunny.
Get Carter
Directed by Mike Hodges. UK. 1970. R. 112 min. Warner Bros. DVD.
- Sun, Mar 11, 2:00 pm
One would generally never think of calm, impassive Michael Caine as being the hero (antihero?) of a brutal thriller – a grim, amoral killer, bent on revenge. But, then again, one could be wrong. In this exciting, sometimes stunning movie, Caine plays Jack Carter (no relation – whatsoever – to the American funny-man of the 1950s and 60s), a small-time hood from London who goes home to the north of England to attend his brother’s funeral. More»
Mister Rogers & Me
Directed by Benjamin and Christofer Wagner. US. 2010. NR. 79 min. Wagner Bros. DVD.
- Sun, Mar 11, 4:30 pm
Q&A with filmmakers and former Berwyn residents Benjamin and Christofer Wagner immediately following the screening.
“Unlike almost everyone on TV who’s invented a persona, Mr. Rogers was the same person off screen. His life and his work touched children, politicians, celebrities and religious leaders. He did it in a way that was both humble and authentic. I learned this watching a profoundly moving film – “Mr Rogers and Me” by Benjamin and Christofer Wagner. I’ve known both Ben and Chris for more than ten years, and always thought of them as a rare combination of storytelling and creative talent. The film took me on a journey along with Benjamin, as he met, and was befriended by Fred Rogers when his he and his mother rented a summer house on Nantucket, next to Mr. Roger’s summer cottage. More»
A Separation
Directed by Asghar Farhadi. Iran. Subtitled. 2011. PG-13. 123 min. Sony Pictures Classics. 35mm.
Fri, Mar 16 thru Thu, Mar 22 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
“Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation begins with the eponymous event: After 14 years of marriage, one that yielded an 11-year-old daughter (Sarina Farhadi), Leila Hatami opts to file for divorce from husband Peyman Moaadi over his refusal to take their family out of the country. And with that first yank of a loose thread, the entire sweater starts to unravel, carrying with it a devastating list of unforeseen consequences that drags all parties into the Iranian legal system and allows Farhadi to comment on class, marriage, parenthood, honor, and justice. More»
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Directed by Stephen Herek. US. 1989. PG. 90 min. MGM. 35mm.
- Fri, Mar 16, 10:00 pm
“Just stupid enough to be endearing.” (Rob Thomas, Capital Times)
“The boys are back in town and back in the telephone-booth time machine. As these high school goofballs travel back in time to score some heavy dudes like Napoleon, Socrates, and Billy the Kid for their history presentation, they wrote themselves into the teen-movie pantheon. Everything Reeves has done since always has the whiff of “Ted” about it. Party on, dudes.” (Marjorie Baumgarten, The Austin Chronicle) More»
Darby O’Gill and the Little People
Directed by Robert Stevenson. US. 1959. 6+. 93 min. Buena Vista. 35mm.
- Sat, Mar 17, 2:00 pm
Albert Sharpe is an Irish caretaker whose tendency to spin the blarney causes no one to believe him when he becomes the guest of the Leprechauns in their underground home. Great special effects create a timeless atmosphere of charm and fantasy. Also starring Sean Connery. (TLA Film & Video Guide 2002-03)
The Man Who Would Be King
Directed by John Huston. UK. 1975. PG. 129 min. Warner Bros. 35mm.
- Sun, Mar 18, 2:00 pm
Famed director and writer John Huston dreamed of bringing Rudyard Kipling’s thrilling adventure story about India in the 1880s to the screen for many years, but he was never quite able to find the right cast or the right amount of funding for the project. Then, in 1975, he was able to secure the services of Michael Caine and Sean Connery, both at the height of their popularity and charisma and, as the saying goes, the rest is cinematic history. More»
The Art of the Steal
Directed by Don Argott. US. 2009. NR. 101 min. IFC Films. 35mm.
Sponsored by Miller DesignWorks
- Sun, Mar 18, 4:30 pm
“As a forward-thinking art collector in the 1920s, Dr. Albert Barnes snapped up an extraordinary wealth of post-impressionist and modernist paintings from the likes of Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, and Cezanne; though dismissed by tastemakers at the time, his collection is now valued in the tens of billions. In his will, Barnes was specific about what the trustees were to do with his assets: He wanted them to remain housed in his small, meticulously conceived institution in the Philadelphia suburb of Merion, never to be loaned out or sold to other museums. He wanted the Barnes trustees to continue his educational mission. And most of all, he wanted to make sure the corporate foundations and politicians in Philly didn’t get their grubby paws on it. More»
Point Entertainment presents An Evening with George Winston
Tickets: $27.50 - $39.50. Buy tickets online.
- Thu, Mar 22, 8:00 pm
George Winston’s melodic folk-style piano, as reflected in his seasonal albums like Autumn, December and Summer (to name a few), has been his signature sound for years. But he is also a renowned New Orleans R&B and stride piano player. His live performances encompass all of that and more, and we’re trilled to have him back at the Colonial. Please join us in support of a local food bank by bringing a donation of canned food to the concert. There will be collection baskets at the entrances. More»
Pina
Directed by Wim Wenders. Germany. 2011. PG. 103 min. IFC Films. 35mm. 2D.
Fri, Mar 23 thru Thu, Mar 29 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
“Like the great Pelé, Pina was a one-name person, a groundbreaking dancer and choreographer with accomplishments so one-of-a-kind that to her admirers no surname was necessary. But whether you’re familiar with Pina Bausch’s work or not, the new film “Pina” is a knockout. More»
Superman
Directed by Richard Donner. US. 1978. PG. 143 min. WB. 35mm.
- Sat, Mar 24, 2:00 pm
“Superman was an extraordinarily expensive film, and on the whole the money was well spent. Perfect casting and stunning special effects combine to relate the origins of the famous DC Comics here. More»
Spring Pipe Organ Concert
Tickets: $5 - $10. plus $1.50 fee per ticketBuy tickets online.
- Sun, Mar 25, 3:00 pm
Glenn Hough will play a selection of music appropriate for Spring, St. Patrick’s Day and the moon. There will be one intermission and the overall program will last about 2 hours. This program benefits the Theatre Organ Society of the Delaware Valley (TOSDV) Theatre Pipe Organ Restoration Fund. More»
Point Entertainment presents Leon Redbone
Tickets $24.50 - $34.50. Buy tickets online.
- Fri, Mar 30, 8:00 pm
Leon Redbone returns to the Colonial Theatre with his own special bled of jazz, ragtime and blues. He’s known for his eccentric sense of humor, skilled instrumental talent, and recurrent gags involve the influence of alcohol and claiming to have written works originating well before his time. More»
Shine and the Moonbeams
Tickets: $8.50. 60 min.
- Sat, Mar 31, 2:00 pm
Take five outstanding NYC musicians with eclectic musical tastes and influences, combine their unique perspectives, add a backing band, and witness the result: a soulful, groove-heavy R&B musical extravaganza in a rock and roll package, capturing the sweetness, uncertainty, and simplicity of youth. Shine and the Moonbeams is family music’s first soul band. Shine sings “Wake Up Baby!” on Dan Zanes recent album Little Nut Tree; and Zanes will be releasing Shine’s first album in 2012.
“There was something in the performance touched folks emotionally.” Out with the Kids raved that Shine and the Moonbeams’ songs were “heartfelt, insightful and emotional, with brilliant musicianship to boot.” – Zooglobble More»
Pariah
Directed by Dee Rees. US. 2011. R. 86 min. Focus Features. 35mm.
Sat, Mar 31 thru Thu, Apr 5 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
“From its opening scenes, Pariah, a vital first feature worked up from a short film by director Dee Rees, draws you into a world largely untapped in American black cinema. The setting is a nightclub where AG’s — “Aggressive Lesbians,” members of a subculture marginalized within their own black community, let alone the rest of the world — can frolic with joy and humor, acting out a raucous, good-natured belligerence denied them in their everyday lives. Yet the movie is anything but combative. Pariah is a tender, sporadically goofy, yet candid examination of emergent identity, a film whose lack of attitude sets it apart from much of the hard-bitten, thug-life storytelling that’s dominated African-American cinema for decades. If anything, its source genre is the coming-of-age movie, and though the universe its freshly hatched lesbian inhabits is all black, Rees is blessedly unwilling to confine herself in any kind of ghetto, whether racial, sexual or aesthetic. More»