New Movies & Events in Iowa City & Coralville This Weekend

March 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

It’s Friday again and time for my weekly update on new movies in Iowa City and Coralville. I’ll start with the new releases for March 12 and include a couple of other ideas on things to do in Iowa City this weekend.

You can check the schedule for movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Cinema in Iowa City… Our Family Wedding is only showing at Sycamore, the other new movies this week are showing at both theaters.

Lots of choices this weekend with 4 new movies to tell you about. Probably the most interesting new movie is Green Zone starring Matt Damon. Action packed and building on the idea of the Bourne films chances are this is the movie to watch out for this weekend. (Don’t write off Alice though.Tim Burton and Johnny Depp’s collaboration made $116M last weekend – that was light years ahead of anyone else out there and there’s no reason to think they’re anywhere near done yet!)

With those two heavyweights the other 3 new movies have their work cut out for them to see some action this weekend. Romantic comedies are always a winner in my book and top pick for me from the remaining new movies is She’s Out of My League starring Jay Baruchel and Alice Eve. No reason to elaborate on the storyline – the title says it all!

Remember Me is a romantic drama with a twist. It stars Robert Pattinson who has a strained relationship with his father, played by Pierce Brosnan after tragedy hits the family.  Things get messy when a girl, Emilie de Ravin enters the young man’s life and the rest you will need to find out when you go and watch the movie….

Our Family Wedding is the last new movie this week. It stars Forest Whittaker and America Ferrera. Once again no need to elaborate on the storyline, it’s all in the title! Neither of these last two movies get particularly good reviews, but if you like the actors I’m sure you’ll be forgiving of that. Lots of times we go to the movies to see a friendly face and can be forgiving of the script.

When it comes to live entertainment you can’t beat The Mill – as you must know by now if you’re a regular reader of this post. Tonight, Ed Gray – who’s termed as a wildly inventive improv musician will be playing. Saturday it’s Shame Train and on Sunday they have a one of a kind event called the Found Footage Festival! Looks like another fun packed weekend to me. You’ll find much more detailed info on their website.

If you like your country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great music and great food and free wi-fi…They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays…They’re on Facebook and do a better job than anyone else I’ve seen using that media to give info on specials and upcoming events.

I’m going to round it up this week again with The Iowa City Yacht Club. They hit my radar a few weeks ago when I noticed that bands with the most original names play there… Tonight, (Friday), they have a benefit for Haiti. Meh Funk + Mother Culture + Stubborn Tiny Lights are all performing at this benefit. Kudos to them!

On Saturday Paul Kresowik & The Instrumentals + Collectible Boys will be playing.

For more ideas on things to do in Iowa City this weekend I’ve written a couple of posts pulling things together making it easier for you to find theaters and live entertainment venues in Iowa City.

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New Movies & Events in Iowa City & Coralville This Weekend

March 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Another week has just flown by on us and the weekend is here again. And with a balmy 41 degrees we’re all thinking summer has arrived here in Iowa City! Not here to talk about the weather though, I’m here with my weekly update on today’s new movie releases, (March 5), along with a couple of other ideas of things to do in Iowa City this weekend.

You can check the schedule for movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Cinema in Iowa City…

Exciting weekend for movie-goers this weekend with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp sure to make box office with Alice In Wonderland. Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter and I’m sure he’ll be sensational! The other new release this week is Brooklyn’s Finest also starring some pretty top notch actors, including two of my favorites, Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke. It’s a tension filled drama revolving around three police officers in the NYPD. Hardly worthy competition for Alice! So sorry guys, maybe next time…

When it comes to live entertainment you can’t beat The Mill – as readers of the Press Citizen will tell you. Tonight, members of the renowned Writers Workshop will be picking up their guitars and singing rather than reading their work – Very Dylanesque… On Saturday Dave Zollo & the Body Electric will be playing their brand of blues and rock music.

If you like your country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great music and great food and free wi-fi…They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays…They’re on Facebook and do a better job than anyone else I’ve seen using that media to give info on specials and upcoming events.

I’m going to round it up this week again with The Iowa City Yacht Club. They hit my radar recently as it seems they find the bands with the most original names to play there… Hen House Prowlers & Porch Builder will be playing there tonight. (Definitely up there for original names.:-) The fun continues on Saturday with Dennis McMurrin & The Demolition Band.

For more ideas on things to do in Iowa City this weekend I’ve written a couple of posts pulling things together making it easier for you to find theaters and live entertainment venues in Iowa City.

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New Movies and Events in Iowa City & Coralville this Weekend

February 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

It’s Friday and we’re heading into Super Bowl Weekend! As you’re preparing for the big game there’s still plenty of time to take a trip to the movies or take in a show before Sunday rolls around. If you’re looking for choices, this is what I’ve come up with in Iowa City and Coralville for this weekend February 5 through February 7...

First, let’s look at new movie releases. Two new movies to share with you this week. The first is From Paris with Love with John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Myers. John Travolta plays a trigger happy CIA agent with his green side kick (Jonathan Rhys Myers) who are running around the streets of Paris trying to prevent a terror attack. John Travolta is great in this kind of over the top roll so probably steals the show.

The other movie is Dear John, Lasse Hallestrom’s adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ novel. It stars Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. It’s about a young man who goes to war after meeting the love of his life. The letters his new love sends him are what get him through his days, but these very letters have consequences that neither could have envisioned. I’ve said it before, I’ve never seen a movie that truly lived up to the book. I love Lasse Hallestrom movies, but I’m going to stick by that statement!

You can catch these movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Cinema in Iowa City.

Moving onto the regular theatre… If you feel like laughing, then the Englert is worth a visit this weekend. You can see improv sketch comedy at it’s best with the 50th anniversary of Second City on both Saturday and Sunday. This is where some of today’s most famous comedians started out, so you can expect big laughs as the troupe looks back at 50 years of classic sketches.

More comedy at The Riverside Theater where End Days continues it’s run until February 21. This is a play about science, religion and suburbia. (Yes, I did say comedy… And it’s a play about science and religion. Interesting).

Another great weekend at The Mill of course. Friday sees the return of legendary singer-songwriter Dave Moore.  Dave has played on nationally known radio programs like A Prairie Home Companion and The World Cafe.

Just to prove the point that The Mill is “the in place in town” Dr Dog with the Growlers is performing on Saturday and that show is sold out already! There’s a reason The Mill was voted Best Live Entertainment Venue in the Press Citizen’s Best of Area list…

If you like your country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great music and great food and free wi-fi…They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays…They’re on Facebook and you’ll find a list of their specials there.


And for those of you who feel like kicking it up a notch the Riverside Casino might be just the ticket. It’s not all about the casino, they have plenty of live entertainment too. This weekend they have quite a show lined up on Friday and Saturday with The Britins, a Milwaukee band who entertain audiences with a tribute to The Beatles.

Excitement all round if you ask me with plenty of choices for entertainment this weekend… All of this of course culminates with the big game on Sunday. Who are you rooting for? I think the soft-hearted amongst us will be rooting for the “underdog.” From what I can see they know how to celebrate in New Orleans and if they pull this off that will be one heck of a party!

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New Movies and Events in Iowa City & Coralville this Weekend

January 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

We’re heading towards another chilly weekend in Iowa City and Coralville. Cabin fever? Maybe a trip to the movies will help. Let’s see what we’ve got going on in Iowa City and Coralville with my weekly round up of movies and events for January 29 through January 31.

Two new movies to share with you this week. The first is vintage Mel Gibson in Edge of Darkness. After the death of his daughter Thomas Craven, a Boston detective (Mel Gibson), takes to the street looking for vengeance. A classic revenge movie by all accounts. If you like Mel Gibson you probably won’t be disappointed.

The next movie is When in Rome starring Kristen Bell. As the title suggests, she’s in Italy and guess what, she has a man problem! Actually, more precisely after visiting the famous fountain she has too many men wooing her. The movie doesn’t get good reviews, but that’s nothing new for what I guess my sons would call a “chick flick.” Seems like film critics often get it wrong when it comes to light and breezy comedies and children’s movies too. Danny DeVito is in this movie, that makes it worth a second look right there…

We have two excellent movie theaters in the area, the first is the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and then there’s the Sycamore Cinema in Iowa City.

The Englert has a weekend of opera lined up with performances of Mozart’s La finta giardiniera (The Disguised Garden Maid) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It’s part of the UI’s Martha-Ellen Tye Opera Series and is directed by Gary Briggle.

More into comedy than opera? The Riverside Theater also has a show opening tonight. End Days is a funny play about science, religion and suburbia. (Interesting combination. Science and religion are not the first words that spring to mind for me when it comes to comedy). It runs from January 29 through February 21.

In the live entertainment arena The Mill has another fun filled weekend for us. In fact today, (Friday), they have 2 acts for us. The first is part of their Jazz after 5 series with OftEnsemble, a UI Jazz group performing 5.00pm – 7.30pm. Later, at 9.00pm The New Duncan Imperials will be making “the most glorious noise on the planet.”

On Saturday Adobanga with Sarah Cram and the Derelicts will entertain us with an evening of rustic and rocking folk music.

If you like your country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great food, great music and free wi-fi…They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays…They’re on Facebook and you’ll find a list of their specials there.

Moving in a different direction, Riverside Casino is another very popular local venue. You may be drawn by the casino, but they have plenty of live entertainment too. 

Iowa City is a busy little town and Coralville has The Mall, the Ice Rink and Children’s Museum for a great afternoon out with the family.

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New Movies and Events in Iowa City & Coralville this Weekend

January 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The weekend is almost here. Time for my weekly round up of movies and events in Iowa City and Coralville for January 22 through January 24.

Let’s say when it comes to new movie releases we’ve had more exciting opening weekends. I have 3 new movies to share with you. The first (and probably the best) is Extraordinary Measures, starring Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser. It’s a film based on a true story about a father, (Brendan Fraser) getting together with a brilliant, but unconventional scientist (Harrison Ford) to save his dying children. Definitely a tearjerker, so don’t forget to take tissues with you! The next one is Legion with Paul Bettany and Dennis Quaid. This is a movie that’s probably not going to sit well with everyone – A horror movie where God is unhappy with the world and sends down his angels to bring on the Apocalypse. We’ll see. I don’t see it having much of a chance with Avatar and The Book of Eli out there, but that’s just me…

Our movie for kids this week is The Tooth Fairy with Dwayne Johnson, (and an all time British favorite Julie Andrews). It doesn’t get good reviews, but as I’ve said before, it’s not like they’re never wrong!

You can catch these movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Cinema in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Theatre in Iowa City.


Moving onto The Mill, a favorite live entertainment venue any day of the week. Tonight you can experience an evening with Dr. Z’s Experiment – who have this to say about themselves: “A unique talent of the group is the ability to go into a free vocal jam at any time, switch instruments inside of a set, or make spontaneous segues from the middle or end of one song into another song, or something totally new.” I guess this is why they have the word “Experiment” in their name!

On Saturday it’s a night with Samuel Locke Ward and the Boo Hoos playing what they’re calling “weirdo lounge” (that’s a new one on me) and rock and roll. With an almost all girl backing group it sounds like it could be interesting. (Now I guess I need to find out what weirdo lounge is!)

For country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great food, great music and free wi-fi…They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays…They’re on Facebook and you’ll find a list of their specials there.

And to wrap it up again for this week, Riverside Casino is another very popular local venue. You may be drawn by the casino, but they have plenty of live entertainment too. You’ll find a calender of events on their website too.

Iowa City is a busy little town and Coralville has The Mall, the Ice Rink and Children’s Museum, just for starters. My post is just a snapshot of a few of the highlights this weekend. Another good source for what’s going on in the Iowa City area is the Press Citizen.

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