The Colonial will feature a variety of Holiday film programming starting in late November. We will feature everything from family favorites, our own annual traditions, classic movies, and film concerts*. Please spend the holiday season with us and make a few memories. – Bob Trate, Director of Programming.
*Please note is not the final list of films as additional titles are pending confirmation.
The Last Waltz. “More than just one of the greatest concert films ever made, The Last Waltz is an at once ecstatic and elegiac summation of a vital era in American rock music. Invited to capture the farewell performance of the legendary group the Band at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving, 1976, Martin Scorsese conceived a new kind of music documentary. Enlisting seven camera operators (led by director of photography Michael Chapman, and also including renowned cinematographers Vilmos Zsigmond and László Kovács) and production designer Boris Leven to design the strikingly theatrical sets, Scorsese created a grandly immersive experience that brings viewers onstage and inside the music itself. That music—as performed by the Band and a host of other generation-defining artists, including Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, the Staple Singers, Muddy Waters, and Neil Young—lives on as an almost religious expression of the transcendent possibilities of rock and roll.” – Criterion. November 23rd. Sponsored by The Record Shop.
Elf.Son of a nutcracker! The big elf returns to the big screen. Hard to believe it’s been 20 years already since Will Ferrell teamed with director Jon Favreau to gift us this modern holiday classic. A deadpan Bob Newhart plays the adoptive Papa Elf and an understated James Caan is Buddy the Elf’s biological father; Zooey Deschanel charms as Buddy’s love interest, Jovie. And what about Ed Asher as Santa Claus?! This film is full of fun, laughs, and heart–all that much bigger on the silver screen. November 29th to December 1st.
The Polar Express.When a doubting young boy takes a train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. November 30th.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail. A comedic send-up of the grim circumstances of the Middle Ages as told through the story of King Arthur and framed by a modern-day murder investigation. When the mythical king of the Britons leads his knights on a quest for the Holy Grail, they face a wide array of horrors, including a persistent Black Knight, a three-headed giant, a cadre of shrubbery-challenged knights, the perilous Castle Anthrax, a killer rabbit, a house of virgins, and a handful of rude Frenchmen. December 1st. This will be Python’s curtain call at the Colonial as an annual event.
Firebird: Built to Burn.In resurgent Phoenixville, PA, a tight-knit community gathers each December to ignite a new, giant wooden phoenix, fueling the passions of local artists and rekindling a unifying, pre-rust belt spirit.Through intimate interviews, painfully relatable video calls, and fly-on-the-wall vérité, Firebird: Built to Burn chronicles the efforts of a diverse group of volunteers who persevere through pandemic restrictions, local government negotiations, and months of arduous construction to orchestrate the return of the cathartic annual festival following its 2020 cancellation. A wholesome look into an uplifting, unconventional tradition and its folklore origins. December 5th.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. As the holidays approach, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) wants to have a perfect family Christmas, so he pesters his wife, Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo), and children, as he tries to make sure everything is in line, including the tree and house decorations. However, things go awry quickly. His hick cousin, Eddie (Randy Quaid), and his family show up unplanned and start living in their camper on the Griswold property. Even worse, Clark’s employers renege on the holiday bonus he needs. December 7th to December 20th.
Batman Returns.The monstrous Penguin (Danny DeVito), who lives in the sewers beneath Gotham, joins up with wicked shock-headed businessman Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) to topple the Batman (Michael Keaton) once and for all. But when Shreck’s timid assistant, Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), finds out, and Shreck tries to kill her, she is transformed into the sexy Catwoman. She teams up with the Penguin and Shreck to destroy Batman, but sparks fly unexpectedly when she confronts the caped crusader. December 7th.
The Muppet Christmas Carol.The Muppets perform the classic Dickens holiday tale, with Kermit the Frog playing Bob Cratchit, the put-upon clerk of stingy Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine). Other Muppets — Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear and Sam the Eagle — weave in and out of the story, while Scrooge receives visits from spirits of three Christmases — past, present and future. They show him the error of his self-serving ways, but the miserable old man seems to be past any hope of redemption and happiness. December 7th to December 20th.
Die Hard. New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there’s no one to save the hostages — but him. December 20th.
A Christmas Story. Based on the humorous writings of author Jean Shepherd, this beloved holiday movie follows the wintry exploits of youngster Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), who spends most of his time dodging a bully (Zack Ward) and dreaming of his ideal Christmas gift, a “Red Ryder air rifle.” Frequently at odds with his cranky dad (Darren McGavin) but comforted by his doting mother (Melinda Dillon), Ralphie struggles to make it to Christmas Day with his glasses and his hopes intact.
It’s A Wonderful Life.George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) is so troubled he’s considering ending it all — and it’s Christmas! His guardian angel Clarence (Henry Travers) shows him what Bedford Falls would have become had it not been for all of George’s good deeds over the years. Frank Capra’s first post-WWII film is rich with emotion, sacrifice, and a strong sense of community. Still uplifting more than 70 years later. December 22nd. Sponsored by Century 21 Norris- Valley Forge.
The Thing. At a remote Antarctic base, a group of American research scientists are disturbed by a helicopter shooting at a sled dog. When they take in the dog, brutality and a frightening realization follow: the beast can assimilate and imitate other organisms. A resourceful helicopter pilot (Kurt Russell) and the camp doctor (Richard Dysart) lead the crew in a desperate, gory, and possibly futile battle against the vicious creature.
The Apartment. Insurance worker C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) lends his Upper West Side apartment to company bosses to use for extramarital affairs. When his manager Mr. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray) begins using Baxter’s apartment in exchange for promoting him, Baxter is disappointed to learn that Sheldrake’s mistress is Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), the elevator girl at work whom Baxter is interested in himself. Soon Baxter must decide between the girl he loves and the advancement of his career.
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