Events for November, 2009
Harvey
Directed by Henry Koster. US. 1950. NR. Running time: 104 min.
- Sun, Nov 1, 2:00 pm
What better way to start off a month of James Stewart classics than to feature him in one of his most beloved roles, that of Elwood P. Dowd, in this delightful comedy/fantasy? Elwood is a pleasant, gentle, gregarious inebriate with a very special friend, Harvey, who happens to be a six-foot-tall invisible rabbit. More »
Better Day
Tickets: $15.
Presented by Praying Mantis Entertainment
- Sun, Nov 1, 6:30 pm
Praying Mantis Entertainment presents alt indie rock band Better Day, with local favorites Rocket 88 from Oaks, Faced from Pottstown, and Matt Cermanski from Phoenixville. Also, Lead Foot Driver and Eden’s Unkown. More bands TBA. Tickets are $15 available at the door. Doors open at 6:00pm and the show starts at 6:30pm.
It Might Get Loud
Directed by Davis Guggenheim. 2008. PG. Running time: 97 min.
Fri, Oct 23 thru Wed, Nov 4 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
“Marketed as a guitar summit between The Edge, Jimmy Page, and Jack White, Davis Guggenheim’s affectionate, intermittently insightful behind-the-music doc is more electric triptych than meeting of the minds. Yes, the trio gather ’round the soundstage amps to teach each other a few tricks, but it’s anticlimactic—save for the schoolboy smiles of White and The Edge’s mug when Page instructs them in the finer art of piloting a Led Zeppelin.” More »
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
Directed by Gary Halvorson. 1999. Ages 3+. Running time: 73 min.
Sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
Tue, Nov 3 & Sat, Nov 7 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
Elmo loves his fuzzy blanket so much that he gets into a tug-of war over it with his friend Zoe, losing it in far-off Grouchland. Nothing will deter Elmo from retrieving his treasured possession, plunging himself into a series of adventures including a battle of wits with the Queen of Trash (Vanessa Williams). His Sesame Street buddies come to the rescue and help him learn a valuable lesson about sharing and friendship.
The Muppet Movie
Directed by James Frawley. 1979. Ages 6+. Running time: 95 min.
Sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
Tue, Nov 3 & Sat, Nov 7 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
From Kermit the Frog’s humble origins in a swamp, to the entire gang being hired by studio head Orson Welles, The Muppet Movie is an absolute delight. As Kermit makes his way to fabled Hollywood, he assembles his team of like-minded individuals, including Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo the Great, and others. The movie includes Kermit’s heart-tugging “Rainbow Connection,” and the film ends on a surprisingly existential note.
Dog City and Storyteller (Shorts)
Ages 6+. Running time: 70 min.
Sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
- Tue, Nov 3, 4:00 pm
Originally shown on the Jim Henson Hour, Dog City (1989) features one of the most fully realized Muppet universes—an entire 1940s film noir city populated entirely by dogs (all incredibly detailed and realistic puppets). With Muppet favorite Rowlf the dog (voiced by Henson) narrating from a piano, the action and in-jokes come at a furious pace. The Soldier and Death (1987) is one of the finest episodes produced for Henson’s landmark TV series, The Storyteller. It recounts the tale of a soldier returning home from war being given three magic objects, which he uses to outwit a pack of demons, leading to his encounter with Death himself. Written by Oscar-winner Anthony Minghella.
This screening is included with ticket purchase to see The Muppet Movie.
Labyrinth
Directed by Jim Henson. 1986. Ages 10+. Running time: 101 min.
Sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
- Tue, Nov 3, 7:30 pm
Henson returns to the land of fantasy, this time creating a modern-day Alice in Wonderland (with conceptual design by illustrator Brian Froud). Jennifer Connelly plays Sarah, a young girl who must travel through the Labyrinth to save her baby brother from the Goblin King (David Bowie, “perfectly cast”—The New York Times). Full of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop’s typically imaginative creature design, the film’s eye-popping sets, including the M.C. Escher inspired castle, create a wholly believable world existing just behind the facade of reality. More »
The Art of Storytelling and Puppetry (Shorts)
Ages 10+. Running time: 70 min.
Sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
- Tue, Nov 3, 9:20 pm
Go behind the scenes to witness the magic of the Muppets in this compilation of rare footage of the variety of puppetry created by Jim Henson. See a classic episode of The Muppet Show (1979, Philip Casson) including a Harry Belafonte’s performance of an African song with puppets derived from traditional masks. Another kind of puppetry is used in The Storyteller: The Heartless Giant (1989, Jim Henson). In this episode of the remarkable TV series based on classic folk tales, an evil giant—who has hidden his heart so he will feel no emotion—tricks young prince Leo into releasing him from his dungeon. Consumed with guilt, Leo searches for the heart and learns about friendship and betrayal.
This screening is included with ticket purchase to see Labyrinth.
It Goes to 11 Double Feature: Spinal Tap and Anvil
Directed by Rob Reiner and Sacha Gervasi. 1984 and 2008. R and NR. Running time: 82 and 90 min.
Sponsored by PJ Ryan's Pub $2 domestic drafts after the show!
- Thu, Nov 5, 7:30 pm
Bust out your leather pants and your bics because two of the greatest rockumentaries of all time are coming to the Colonial for one night only. The show starts at 7:30, and yeah, it goes to 11:00. More »
Bright Star
Directed by Jane Campion. UK. 2009. PG. Running time: 119 min.
Fri, Nov 6 thru Thu, Nov 12 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
“Set in the bucolic suburbs of early-19th-century London, as fresh and dewy as a newly mowed lawn, Jane Campion’s Bright Star recounts the love affair between a tubercular young poet and the fashionable teenager next door. It’s more conventionally romantic than wildly Romantic—but no less touching for that.” More »
Muppet Music Moments
Ages 3+. Running time: 60 min.
Sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
- Sat, Nov 7, 2:00 pm
Music was always an integral part of The Muppet Show, and we have assembled a collection of some of the classic music numbers interpreted as only the Muppets can. This compilation features a wide range of musical genres, including performances by guest stars Harry Belafonte, Elton John, and Linda Ronstadt. This screening is included with ticket purchase to see Elmo in Grouchland on Saturday at 12:30pm.
A Better World: Living in Harmony
Ages 6+. Running time: 60 min.
Sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
- Sat, Nov 7, 5:30 pm
A rarely seen Fraggle Rock (1983, Jim Henson) episode that contrasts three communities—the musical Fraggles, the industrious Doozers, and the giant Gorgs, who all co-exist in a carefully balanced underground world—with those mysterious creatures who live above ground, the humans. Despite their differences, the groups are interdependent, demonstrating the ideal of harmony and peace in the world. More »
Muppet Fairytales
Ages 3+. Running time: 70 min.
Sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
- Sun, Nov 8, 12:15 pm
The Frog Prince (1971, Jim Henson), The Elves and the Shoemaker (David Grossman, 1994) and Rapunzel. What happens when you kiss a frog? No one can better tell that classic fairytale than Kermit and his friends. And, what if the elves that come to the aid of the shoemaker are actually Elvises? If Rapunzel appeared on Sesame Street, what twists on the story would you expect? See these classic tales through the eyes of the Muppets in this program of rarely seen shorts.
Rear Window
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. US. 1954. NR. Running time: 112 min.
- Sun, Nov 8, 2:00 pm
In his first pairing with Alfred Hitchcock, Stewart is a news photographer who, wheel-chair bound with a broken leg in his Greenwich Village apartment, watches his neighbors through his bedroom window and comes to believe that one of them (a pre-Perry Mason Raymond Burr) has murdered his wife. More »
The Informant!
Directed by Steven Soderbergh. US. 2009. R. Running time: 108 min.
Fri, Nov 13 thru Tue, Nov 24 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
“One of the many baffling wonders of Steven Soderbergh’s lively dark comedy The Informant! is that thanks to a running voiceover it’s almost always clear what’s going through the protagonist’s head—but that doesn’t help viewers decode him, or get any closer to him as a person. Even in high-stress situations, his mental processes are a nervy, hilarious babble of musings about polar-bear hunting techniques and poisonous butterflies. He seems a million miles away from his own life, which helps explain how he makes such a profound yet fascinating mess of it.” More »
Matilda
Directed by Danny Devito. US. 1996. 8+. Running time: 93 min.
- Sat, Nov 14, 2:00 pm
“Matilda, a girl of extraordinary talent and sensitivity, has the natal misfortune to be the daughter of crass, oafish car salesman Harry Wormwood and his tacky, tartish wife, Zinnia. More »
Vertigo
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. US. 1958. NR. Running time: 120 min.
- Sun, Nov 15, 2:00 pm
This is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most thoroughly discussed films, primarily because it is seen as one of his most personal and, possibly, most self-revealing films. Considered by many to be the ultimate Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Vertigo is a fascinating study in obsession and transformation. More »
Point Entertainment presents The Outlaws
Tickets: $29.50 - $39.50 Buy tickets at ticketweb.com.
- Sun, Nov 15, 7:30 pm
With songs like “Green Grass and High Tides,” “There Goes Another Love Song,” and “Ghost Riders In The Sky” The Outlaws have established themselves as one of the premiere bands in Southern Rock. More »
Point Entertainment presents The Four Bitchin’ Babes
Tickets: $29.50 - $39.50 Buy tickets at ticketweb.com..
- Fri, Nov 20, 8:00 pm
The gals that brought you Hormonal Imbalance, the Four Bitchin’ Babes, unveil their latest entertainment destination: Diva Nation…Where Music, Laughter, and Girlfriends Reign! More »
James and the Giant Peach
Directed by Harry Selick. US. 1996. 6+. Running time: 79 min.
- Sat, Nov 21, 2:00 pm
“Roald Dahl’s charming children’s story makes for an equally charming animated tale. When young James loses his parents, he is forced to live with his two oppressive aunts. That is until a giant peach miraculously appears in their garden, offering James flight across the ocean. More »
Point Entertainment presents Leon Redbone
Tickets: $24.50 - $34.50 Buy tickets at ticketweb.com.
- Sat, Nov 21, 8:00 pm
Neo-vaudeville crooner Leon Redbone is known for his trademark Panama hat and sunglasses, his distinctive, baritone voice, and his modern interpretations of ragtime, pre-war jazz and blues standards, and Tin Pan Alley classics. His performances have a true “vintage feel” and blend his talented musicianship with a subtle, dry wit. It’s been several years since he’s been on our stage, so we’re thrilled to welcome him back to the Colonial. More »
Anatomy of a Murder
Directed by Otto Preminger. US. 1959. NR. Running time: 160 min.
Sponsored by Royal Bank America
- Sun, Nov 22, 2:00 pm
In somewhat of a change of pace for him, Stewart portrays a small-town Michigan lawyer faced with defending an Army lieutenant (Ben Gazzara) on a murder charge after the man’s wife (Lee Remick, in her first starring role) has possibly been raped. Though the subject matter made the film quite daring in its day (e.g. controversies over whether to speak about contraception or use the word “panties”), it now can be enjoyed for its forthright and entertaining rendering of a complex and suspenseful situation. More »
A Serious Man
Directed by Ethan Cohen. US. 2009. R. Running time: 105 min.
Wed, Nov 25 thru Thu, Dec 3 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
“Joel and Ethan Coen have frequently explored classic movie genres, usually through the prism of a particular era. The Big Lebowski is a wise-ass riff on detective stories, but it’s also an examination of the cultural wasteland of the early 90s. The Man Who Wasn’t There is a noir about the noir era; O Brother Where Art Thou is a musical about the 30s, and so on. The brothers’ latest, A Serious Man, finds them off in their own headspace more than usual, making another era-pastiche for the late 60s, this time they’vemixed with their version of profound philosophical inquiry.” More »
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Directed by Terry Gilliam. UK. 1975. PG. Running time: 91 min.
Fri, Nov 27 thru Mon, Nov 30 -- Roll over to view showtimes.
Consistently listed by critics and fans as one of the greatest film comedies of all times, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a very silly retelling of the epic story of King Arthur’s search for the Holy Grail. More »
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Directed by Mel Stuart. US. 1971. 6+. Running time: 98 min.
- Sat, Nov 28, 2:00 pm
Audiences young and old enjoy this larkish musical/fantasy featuring precocious children and childlike adults. Gene Wilder stars as the eccentric candy maker searching for the child who will inherit his fantastic factory.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Directed by John Ford. US. 1962. NR. Running time: 122 min.
Sponsored by Halladay Florist
- Sun, Nov 29, 2:00 pm
With good guys like James Stewart and John Wayne, eminently hiss-able bad guys like Lee Marvin and Lee Van Cleef, and direction by John Ford, what’s not to like with this classic tale of a tenderfoot lawyer (Stewart) who helps tame the West? More »
City Rhythm Orchestra: Holiday Style
Tickets: $27 / $22 (Prices include a $2 Restoration Fee).
- Sun, Nov 29, 7:00 pm
On Sunday, November 29th, the 15-piece City Rhythm Orchestra will present “Holiday Style”, a big band concert that’s a perfect way to start the yuletide season. More »