Reel to reel | Week of October 4

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With Frankenweenie, Tim Burton tries to revive the cliche-shattering success of Nightmare Before Christmas.

17 GIRLS

Inspired by a true story that took place in Massachusetts, Delphine and Muriel Coulin’s provocative directorial debut focuses on a group of bored teenage girls who all make an irrevocable pact. When classmate Camille accidentally becomes pregnant, she encourages her friends and fellow classmates to follow suit. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

AN EVENING WITH COREY FELDMAN

A 60-minute question and answer session with Corey Feldman followed by a screening of the The Lost Boys to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the film. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

BALLET: LA SYLPHIDE-BOLSHOI

La Sylphide is one of the world’s oldest surviving romantic ballets. James, a classic Romantic hero, is utterly bewitched by a beautiful sylph whom he is unable to touch. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theatre

BEAUTY IS EMBARRASSING

Beauty Is Embarrassing chronicles the highs and the lows of a commercial artist struggling to find peace and balance between his work and his art. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theatre

BILL W.

The story of William G. Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. At Boedecker –– Boedecker Theatre

CITADEL

Tommy Cowley is a young father inflicted with chronic agoraphobia since his wife was brutally attacked by a gang of a twisted feral children. Trapped in the dilapidated suburbia of Edenstown, he finds himself terrorized by the same gang, which now seems intent on taking his baby daughter. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

COMMUNITY

Two student filmmakers travel to an estate that’s known for its urban legends of brutal violence and stories of strange locals in hopes of finding some answers. At Denver Film Center/Colfax.

DREDD 3D
This second attempt to adapt the U.K. cult classic comic book stars Karl Urban as the titular Judge Dredd and Olivia Thirlby as the rookie Anderson, who happens to be psychic. Set in a postapocalyptic world, but shot primarily in one enclosed apartment complex, this is a stylish movie that shoots first … and second and third, asking questions never. As dumb as it is loud, at least it’s better than Sylvester Stallone’s Judge Dredd. Rated R. At Century, Twin Peaks and Colony Square. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

EDDIE-THE SLEEPWALKING CANNIBAL
A young celebrity in the art world creates a piece of art from blood, guts and limbs, which then comes to life. At Denver Film Center/Colfax.

END OF WATCH

Two young police officers patrol the dangerous streets of south central Los Angeles and capture the action through handheld HD cameras. Rated R. At Century, Twin Peaks and Colony Square.

EXCISION

A disturbed and delusional high school student with aspirations of a career in medicine goes to extremes to earn the approval of her controlling mother. At Denver Film Society. –– Denver Film Society

FILM/STILL: A TRIBUTE TO STAN BRAKHAGE

Stan Brakhage’s oeuvre includes more than 350 films — made using
hand-held camera and rapid editing techniques, collages and elaborate
hand-painting on the surface of the film. At Denver Film Center/Colfax.
–– Denver Film Society

FINDING NEMO 3D

A
re-release in 3D of the 2003 film about a clown fish on a mission to
save his son from a life of captivity. Rated G. At Colony Square,
Century and Twin Peaks.

FOR ELLEN

In
the midst of a low period in his life, an aspiring rock star agrees to
sign divorce papers with his estranged wife to see money from the sale
of their home, only to discover that by signing, he will forfeit all
custody of his 6-year-old daughter. At Denver Film Center/Colfax ––
Denver Film Society

FRANKENWEENIE 3D

Tim
Burton applies his brilliant and grim creative palette to the story of
a young boy who brings his dog back to life. Rated PG. At Colony
Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

GRAVE ENCOUNTERS 2

Grave Encounters was a found-footage horror phenomenon that many people believed was just a movie. Film student Alex Wright is out to prove them wrong in Grave Encounters 2. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

THE GREAT SILENCE

A mute gunslinger faces off in a grim and tense struggle against a gang of bounty hunters. At IFS at Visual Arts Complex.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3D

Dracula invites some of the world’s most famous monsters to celebrate his daughter’s 118th birthday at Hotel Transylvania, a lavish resort where humans will not be able to bother them. Rated PG. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET

A divorced woman and her daughter move into a house in a small, upscale, rural town. Soon, they learn of the town’s chilling secret. Rated PG-13. At Century, Twin Peaks and Colony Square.

HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE

Sophie, an average teenage girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl. At Denver Film Society/Colfax –– Denver Film Society

THE HUMAN RACE

Veronica suddenly finds herself in a surreal and horrifying marathon race. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

LAWLESS

Because when the law says you can’t drink, only criminals will have alcohol. Based on the true story of the bootlegging Bondurant brothers. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 50TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT: DIGITALLY RESTORED

A one-time-only showing of Lawrence of Arabia in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Rated PG. At Century.

LIBERAL ARTS

When his favorite college professor invites him to campus to speak at his retirement dinner, Jesse jumps at the chance. He is prepared for the nostalgia of the dining halls and dorm rooms, the parties and poetry seminars; what he doesn’t see coming is Zibby — a beautiful, precocious, classical-music-loving sophomore. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. — Denver Film Society

LOOPER

See full review page 49. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

MANHANTTAN SHORTS

More than 100,000 people in 150 cinemas view and vote on these films. At Boedecker.

THE MASTER

Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest challenging character sketch is set against a backdrop of pseudo-Scientology, as Joaquin Phoenix plays a troubled soldier fresh out of WWII, and Philip Seymour Hoffman plays a quasi-L. Ron Hubbard. Depressing, challenging and muted, it’s guaranteed to spark discussion and mainstream teeth-gnashing. Rated R. At Century and Esquire. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

MON AMI

Cal and Teddy, two former best friends, try to rekindle their friendship by hatching a plan to kidnap their boss’s daughter. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

NIGHTMARE FACTORY

Nightmare Factory is the story of how one Pittsburgh boy’s fascination with monsters drove him to the very top of the Hollywood food chain. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

NOSFERATU W/LIVE SCORE BY PLASTIK FACTORY

Nosferatu is the earliest surviving screen adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN

A young couple learns to expect the unexpected when it comes to children in this frolicky romp of a story. Rated PG. At Century, Twin Peaks and Colony Square.

ONLY YESTERDAY

Realizing that she is at a crossroads in her life, bored 20-something Taeko heads for the countryside. At Denver Film Center/ Colfax –– Denver Film Society

PARANORMAN 3D

Norman sees dead people, which comes in handy when a witch haunts his hometown. Rated PG. At Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

A funny and touching coming-of-age story, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a modern classic that captures the dizzying highs and crushing lows of growing up. At Century and Mayan. — Landmark Theatres

PITCH PERFECT

See full review page 49. Rated PG-13. At Century and Twin Peaks.

PONYO

Ponyo centers
on the friendship between 5-year-old Sosuke and a magical goldfish
named Ponyo. At Denver Film Center/ Colfax –– Denver Film Society

RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION 3D

Alice returns to battle the Umbrella Corporation, and more zombies. Rated R. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

RESOLUTION

Michael is committed to getting his best friend Chris to sober up and put his life back on track. But what begins as an attempt to save his friend’s life quickly takes an unexpected turn. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED

An unusual classified ad leads three Seattle Magazine employees to discover Kenneth, a likable but paranoid store clerk. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society

SAMSARA

“Samsara” is a Sanskrit word that means “the ever turning wheel of life,” and it is the point of departure for filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson. At Century and Mayan. — Landmark Theatres

SCARLET ROAD

Passionate about freedom of sexual expression, Australian sex worker Rachel Wotton now specializes in working with people with disability. At IFS at Muenzinger.

SHORTS FILM PROGRAM #1

Perished, Love Bug, Bobby Yeah, Tammy’s Cookies, Baby-sitting. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

SHORTS FILM PROGRAM #2

46 Miles, Zombie Chic, Foxes, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, Braineater, Heaven Sent, Jump, Desert Roadkill, A Little Off The Top. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

SHORTS FILM PROGRAM #3

Ocho, Lazarov, Cheap Extermination, The House That Wept Blood, Divination, Anniversary Dinner, Rotting Hill, Velvet Road. At Denver Film Center/Colfax –– Denver Film Society

SHORTS FILM PROGRAM #4

Tumult, The Captured Bird, Psycho Therapy, Deadbox, Bad Moon Rising, Dorothy, Paralyzed, Certified. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

SHORTS FILM PROGRAM #5

The Table, 88:88, Ododuru, Summer of the Zombies, Other, Escape From Hellview, The Local’s Bite, Mother Died. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

SLEEPWALK WITH ME

Unable to confront his anxieties, a struggling stand-up comedian finds them manifesting in surreal bouts of sleepwalking. At Mayan and IFS at Muezinger. –– Landmark Theatres

STARSHIP TROOPERS 2: HERO OF THE FEDERATION

This sequel brings you a group of troopers taking refuge in an abandoned outpost after a battle only to face more danger that lies waiting. At IFS at Muenzinger.

STARS IN SHORTS

Stars in Shorts is a delightful new program featuring the world’s biggest actors — in their smallest roles yet. At Denver Film Center/Colfax –– Denver Film Society

STRAWBERRY AND CHOCOLATE

An unlikely friendship blossoms between a cultivated homosexual and a heterosexual communist charged with exposing his anti-revolutionary compatriot. At Boedecker –– Boedecker Theater

STITCHES

Stitches the clown is back from the grave and means to have his bloody revenge on the children responsible for his death. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society

TAKEN 2

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) and his wife are captured by the father of one of the kidnappers he killed while saving his daughter. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

TOYS IN THE ATTIC

A teddy bear, a mechanical mouse and a marionette team up to save their friend, Buttercup the doll, from the Land of Evil. Rated PG. At Colony Square

TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE

An aging baseball scout refuses to quit and accepts help from his daughter to check a hot batting prospect. Rated PG-13. At Century, Twin Peaks and Colony Square.

V/H/S

When a group of petty criminals is hired by a mysterious party to retrieve a rare piece of found footage from a rundown house in the middle of nowhere, they soon realize that the job isn’t going to be as easy as they thought. At Esquire. –– Landmark Theaters

WON´T BACK DOWN

Two mothers are unwavering in their efforts to transform their children’s failing school. Rated PG. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

THE WRESTLER

A retired wrestler tries to be a hero in the ring again despite facing tough odds. At Denver Film Center/Colfax. –– Denver Film Society