[Avon-theatre-news] AVON THEATER NEWS---DEC. 9th, 2011

Skip Huston Skip at TheAvon.com
Wed Dec 7 11:29:32 EST 2011


NOTE: THE STREET WORK IS DONE!!
COME SEE OUR NEW FACELIFT!!

WEEK OF FRIDAY, DEC. 9th thru THURSDAY, DEC. 15th  ONLY!!
  Check out our way cool website at: www.TheAvon.com
NOTE: PLEASE PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO THE ABOVE EFFECTIVE DATES FOR 
THIS NEWSLETTER!!  

Click this link: http://www.facebook.com/TheAvonTheatre

OPENING:


 THE DESCENDANTS (R) George Clooney in an Oscar-caliber performance! ONLY at the Avon!

  NEW YEAR'S EVE (PG13) An astoundingly stellar cast in a fun-filled romantic omnibus!
+++++++++++++++++++++
FREE THURSDAY, DEC. 15th!!
LIVE ON OUR STAGE & SCREEN!!
The Chicago Swing band "THE FLAT CATS" @ 6:30 PM
and "A CHRISTMAS STORY" right after their appearance!!
FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE
+++++++++++++++++++++
CONTINUING:
 THE MUPPETS (PG) Amy Adams and a great cast with all those crazy Muppets! Sure-fire Holiday hit for the whole family
! 

COMING SOON:
 DEC. 16th: SHERLOCK HOLMES 2: GAME OF SHADOWS (PG13) Robert Downey Jr. returns as the famed sleuth!

 DEC. 23rd: WE BOUGHT A ZOO (PG) Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson in a family treat for the holidays!!!

 DEC. 25th CHRISTMAS DAY!!: WAR HORSE (PG13) The Best Film of the Year? See for yourself!!

 NEW YEAR'S EVE ONLY!! THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (PG) An Avon Tradition Returns!! The Mighty Musical!!
+++++++++++++++++++


THE DESCENDANTS (R)
Here we have the newest film from one of our finest filmmakers, Alexander Payne ("About Schmidt", "Sideways") and said to be on the short-list for one of the BEST films of the year! 
GEORGE CLOONEY has never been better than in this film, and is also said to be on the short-list for a "Best Actor" Oscar nomination this year.

This is a movie about family, and tradition.
Its very funny.
Its also sad.
Just like life!

Here is Avon-fan LEONARD MALTIN'S review of it:
THE DESCENDANTS reviewed by Leonard Maltin 

Watching a film as mature, moving, original and unpredictable as ‘The Descendants’ renews my faith in American movies, and reaffirms Alexander Payne’s status as one of our most gifted storytellers. He has also bestowed the gift of an exceptional role on George Clooney, who gives the best performance of his career. 

Clooney can be a charmer, but here he embodies a character devoid of that trait. He’s a successful lawyer in Hawaii who, as he freely admits, has become so consumed by work that he has neglected his wife and two daughters. Fate intervenes when his wife is injured in a water-skiing accident that puts her in a coma. Overnight, he is forced to become a full-time father to his alienated teenage daughter (Shailene Woodley) and her younger sister, who needs to be sheltered from the dire news about her mom. In the midst of this, Clooney also has to make a momentous decision about a huge parcel of virgin land on the island of Kauai that is owned by his large, diverse family.



The challenge in describing the film is that it doesn’t neatly fit into any pigeonhole. It’s a serious movie that happens to have a sense of humor, because Payne and his collaborators see the absurdity in everyday existence. They know that life can turn tragic in the blink of an eye and an encounter between two characters can play out as high drama or be undercut by humor. That’s one of the qualities that distinguishes all of Payne’s movies and makes this one so special. (The screenplay was first developed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash from a little-known novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings.)

Hawaii is more than just a backdrop for the story; it is part and parcel of the characters’ lives, which becomes clearer as the story progresses. That’s not to say that there aren’t breathtaking beauty shots peppered throughout the film; they help us understand what this island paradise means to the people who live there full-time and call it home.



Although he’s inevitably described as “director Alexander Payne,” it is his writing, usually in collaboration with Jim Taylor, which helps define the filmmaker’s sensibilities. While he’s not above making fun of his characters (think of the hapless schoolteacher played by Matthew Broderick in ‘Election’, or the often-clueless Jack Nicholson in ‘About Schmidt’) he never trivializes them. There is an unexpectedly funny moment in ‘The Descendants’ in which Clooney, fired up with rage, impulsively runs to a friend’s house…but because he’s wearing flip-flops, the dramatic impetus for the scene is somewhat defused by audience laughter at the sheer incongruity of the moment. That’s Payne in a nutshell.
Clooney’s character isn’t a bad person; he’s imperfect, like most of us, and in the face of some extraordinary challenges, he tries to summon his better self. That’s what I love about ‘The Descendants’: it makes us reflect about how we conduct our lives, and how we might strive to be better. By Leonard Maltin (used with permission)

‘The Descendants’ is the best movie I’ve seen this year. I hope hordes of people go to see it…and that it inspires other filmmakers.
Watching a film as mature, moving, original and unpredictable as ‘The Descendants’ renews my faith in American movies, and reaffirms Alexander Payne’s status as one of our most gifted storytellers. He has also bestowed the gift of an exceptional role on George Clooney, who gives the best performance of his career. Clooney can be a charmer, but here he embodies a character devoid of that trait. He’s a successful lawyer in Hawaii who, as he freely admits, has become so consumed by work that he has neglected his wife and two daughters. Fate intervenes when his wife is injured in a water-skiing accident that puts her in a coma. Overnight, he is forced to become a full-time father to his alienated teenage daughter (Shailene Woodley) and her younger sister, who needs to be sheltered from the dire news about her mom. In the midst of this, Clooney also has to make a momentous decision about a huge parcel of virgin land on the island of Kauai that is owned by his large, diverse family. The challenge in describing the film is that it doesn’t neatly fit into any pigeonhole. It’s a serious movie that happens to have a sense of humor, because Payne and his collaborators see the absurdity in everyday existence. They know that life can turn tragic in the blink of an eye and an encounter between two characters can play out as high drama or be undercut by humor. That’s one of the qualities that distinguishes all of Payne’s movies and makes this one so special. (The screenplay was first developed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash from a little-known novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings.)Hawaii is more than just a backdrop for the story; it is part and parcel of the characters’ lives, which becomes clearer as the story progresses. That’s not to say that there aren’t breathtaking beauty shots peppered throughout the film; they help us understand what this island paradise means to the people who live there full-time and call it home.Although he’s inevitably described as “director Alexander Payne,” it is his writing, usually in collaboration with Jim Taylor, which helps define the filmmaker’s sensibilities. While he’s not above making fun of his characters (think of the hapless schoolteacher played by Matthew Broderick in ‘Election’, or the often-clueless Jack Nicholson in ‘About Schmidt’) he never trivializes them. There is an unexpectedly funny moment in ‘The Descendants’ in which Clooney, fired up with rage, impulsively runs to a friend’s house…but because he’s wearing flip-flops, the dramatic impetus for the scene is somewhat defused by audience laughter at the sheer incongruity of the moment. That’s Payne in a nutshell. Clooney’s character isn’t a bad person; he’s imperfect, like most of us, and in the face of some extraordinary challenges, he tries to summon his better self. That’s what I love about ‘The Descendants’: it makes us reflect about how we conduct our lives, and how we might strive to be better.‘The Descendants’ is the best movie I’ve seen this year. I hope hordes of people go to see it…and that it inspires other filmmakers. Watching a film as mature, moving, original and unpredictable as ‘The Descendants’ renews my faith in American movies, and reaffirms Alexander Payne’s status as one of our most gifted storytellers. He has also bestowed the gift of an exceptional role on George Clooney, who gives the best performance of his career. Clooney can be a charmer, but here he embodies a character devoid of that trait. He’s a successful lawyer in Hawaii who, as he freely admits, has become so consumed by work that he has neglected his wife and two daughters. Fate intervenes when his wife is injured in a water-skiing accident that puts her in a coma. Overnight, he is forced to become a full-time father to his alienated teenage daughter (Shailene Woodley) and her younger sister, who needs to be sheltered from the dire news about her mom. In the midst of this, Clooney also has to make a momentous decision about a huge parcel of virgin land on the island of Kauai that is owned by his large, diverse family. The challenge in describing the film is that it doesn’t neatly fit into any pigeonhole. It’s a serious movie that happens to have a sense of humor, because Payne and his collaborators see the absurdity in everyday existence. They know that life can turn tragic in the blink of an eye and an encounter between two characters can play out as high drama or be undercut by humor. That’s one of the qualities that distinguishes all of Payne’s movies and makes this one so special. (The screenplay was first developed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash from a little-known novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings.)Hawaii is more than just a backdrop for the story; it is part and parcel of the characters’ lives, which becomes clearer as the story progresses. That’s not to say that there aren’t breathtaking beauty shots peppered throughout the film; they help us understand what this island paradise means to the people who live there full-time and call it home.Although he’s inevitably described as “director Alexander Payne,” it is his writing, usually in collaboration with Jim Taylor, which helps define the filmmaker’s sensibilities. While he’s not above making fun of his characters (think of the hapless schoolteacher played by Matthew Broderick in ‘Election’, or the often-clueless Jack Nicholson in ‘About Schmidt’) he never trivializes them. THE DESCENDANTS  (R)
(Showtimes in brackets denote $5.75 "Bargain Matinees")
FRI:  (5:00) - 8:00
SAT & SUN: (2:00) - (5:00) - 8:00
MON thru THURS: 7:00
 +++++++++++++++++++


NEW YEAR'S EVE (PG13)
New Year's Eve celebrates love, hope, forgiveness, second chances and fresh starts, in the intertwining stories told amidst the pulse and promise of New York City on the most dazzling night of the year.
18 major stars, that's right! EIGHTEEN major stars come together for this holiday delight!
NEW YEAR'S EVE (PG13)
(Showtimes in brackets denote $5.75 "Bargain Matinees")
FRI: (4:15) - 7:15
SAT & SUN: (1:15) - (4:15) - 7:15 
MON, TUES & WED: 6:40
THURS: 7:00 
+++++++++++++++++++

THE MUPPETS  (PG)

On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets' former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.
THE MUPPETS  (PG)
(Showtimes in brackets denote $5.75 "Bargain Matinees")
FRI: (4:00) - 7:00
SAT & SUN: (1:00) - (4:00) - 7:00
MON, TUES & WED: 6:30

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

RANTS, RAVES & RAMBLINGS FROM THE HEAD HONCHO

So, for those of you who were on the planet Zontar last weekend, or who are not local residents, you should know that BEN AFFLECK paid a surprise visit to downtown Decatur on Friday night!

How did we find out about this clandestine visit in time to get picture proof??
Well, thanks to some customers who had just left the groovy downtown eatery "Bizou", and happened to mention it casually to me as they bought their tickets for the last showing of "Twilight" that evening.

When they said, quietly, "We just left Bizou and Matt Damon was there"...


Remember, I can't hear very well through that glass, so I thought they were asking about when Matt Damon's new movie "We Bought a Zoo" was going to open!
"No, it opens on Dec. 23rd" said I.

The people said they had meant to say Ben Affleck, and that he was there at Bizou for dinner and a meeting with local philanthropic and business magnate Howard Buffet.

As they walked over to get their popcorn, I was texting my entire staff to tell them this news, and was met with various replies of disbelief and skepticism!

-Avon "Godfather" Troy Taylor sent me a few text messages in reply that basically indicated he thought I was finally losing my mind.

BUT then...
I let 2 of our girls go down to Bizou to check it out, and, as soon as they hit the Avon door they RAN the block to Bizou!

IT WAS TRUE!!!

Ben Affleck with Assn't Manager Ashtyn Kline (left) and Popcorn Hostess Megan Huston-Markwell (Skip's niece) at Bizou last Friday.

It was an exciting weekend in downtown Decatur as a major Hollywood star, writer, director & Oscar-winner went bar-hopping!

And it serves as a reminder to all of you that the best in movie entertainment, dining and partying lies NOT in the "outlying areas" of Decatur, but right in DOWNTOWN!!
DOWNTOWN DECATUR IS ALL YOU WANT IT TO BE!!
++++++++++++++++++++
* Our NEW "Gift Options" are in and ready for purchase! Here are the details:


1.) $10.00: Our NEW 2-Movie Pass! This is up to a $15.00 value, and entitles the bearer admission to TWO movies at any time! May be used all at once or split up over two visits.

2.) $20.00: Our NEW 4-Movie Pass! This is up to a $30.00 value, and entitles the bearer admission to FOUR movies at any time! May be used all at once or split over up to 4 visits.
-or-
2A.) $20.00: Our standard $20.00 gift certificate.

3.) $50.00: Our VIP PASS that is good for TEN MOVIES! This is up to a $75.00 value, and can be used for up to FOUR admissions per visit.

These new passes replace all gift certificates with the exception of the $20.00.
The new passes are a higher value, and much quicker and more convenient to use!

AND...You can now purchase the gift passes and certificates ONLINE and have them mailed for only $1.00 extra!
Just go to our website at www.theAvon.com and look for the banner. Click on it and you are almost done!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

FREE CHRISTMAS MOVIE SCHEDULE!!
The Avon Theater & The Cromwell Radio Group (WEJT, The Party, The Fox, Talk 101, & Magic 98)
PRESENTS....
The Avon Theater's FREE FREE FREE Holiday Entertainment: 
December 15 - 6:30 PM: FLAT CATS Live-on-our-stage ! Chicago-area Holiday Swing Band Show!
Followed by A CHRISTMAS STORY (PG)

December 16th- 10:30 PM: LOVE ACTUALLY (R) (Christmas for the couples & adults too!)

December 17 (Saturday morning at 10:00 AM):
The Grinch that Stole Christmas (animated short)
Followed by HOME ALONE (PG)

December 22 -- 7:00 PM:
A Charlie Brown Christmas  (animated short)
Followed by National Lampoon's CHRISTMAS VACATION (PG13)

So, howsabout them apples, huh?
We're doing up downtown Christmas fun like never before!
++++++++++++++++
Come See Me Soon!
-Skip Huston  

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