This is just too cool. Before the Oscars are handed out Sunday, Cinemark Movies 16 in Lubbock has a trio of events to get you caught up in case you may have missed a few of the big titles.
On Saturday the theater is hosting an all-day marathon of five of the nominees for Best Picture. Yes, nine movies are nominated, but organizers are wisely showing the ones that have their directors nominated, too. That's where the real heat of the race is, and besides, did you care to sit through "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" again?
Tickets for the mini-festival are $20. Here's the schedule:
12:15p.m. Tree of Life
3:00p.m. Midnight in Paris
5:00p.m. Hugo in 3D
7:30p.m. The Artist
9:45p.m. The Descendants
That same day, the theater will be showing all of the Oscar-nominated short films. You know, the ones you just fill out blindly on your ballot. Now you won't need to use that part of the Oscar broadcast as a snack or bathroom (or both at the same time?) break. Tickets for the Short Films are $10 and will be shown at 12:30p.m., 4:15p.m. and 8p.m.
Finally, there will be a double feature starting Friday and lasting all week. "The Iron Lady" and "My Week With Marilyn," two fine films with Best Actress nominees will be shown back-to-back for the price of one movie ticket.
I've complained a lot recently about certain Oscar-nominated films never playing in Lubbock - sorry, no "Albert Nobbs" before Sunday - but this is a great way to make it up to Lubbock viewers.
Bravo - and bring on Billy Crystal.
