Trail will get a taste of Hollywood this weekend when the Royal Theatre pops some bubbly and rolls out the red carpet for the Oscars.
For its second year, the Trail theatre in conjunction with the Trail and District Arts Council will showcase four Oscar-worthy movies -– “Iron Lady,” “Shame,” “Hugo” and “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” – Friday and Saturday, plus a live broadcast of the 84th Academy Awards ceremony Sunday.
“It’s something new and different, something that big cities are already doing so why not do it in a small town,” said theatre owner Lisa Milne. “You didn’t have the option of watching the physical Oscars live on the (big) screen up until just a few years ago because you didn’t have the capability so this is a also a new experience.”
The event is a celebration for the arts council, too, which has already shown many nominated movies during its Sunday Cinema showings.
“I’ve always watched the Oscars, I started watching when I was a little kid,” said Betty Seinen, manager of the Trail and District Arts Council, who said this year’s best films hold a lot of nostalgia.
Together the women have handpicked movies that speak to a wide demographic.
“Iron Lady” will kick off the event with a 7 p.m. showing Friday. The film follows the story of Margaret Thatcher – performed by Meryl Streep -– the longest serving prime minister of The United Kingdom.
While there have been mixed reviews, critics say Streep’s performance may land her best actress.
The much-anticipated “Shame” will follow at 9 p.m. Friday for those over 18 years old.
The Royal is one of the few theatres in Canada showing this “risqué” and “controversial” film.
“It actually hasn’t been nominated for any Academy Awards but all of the critics and pundits say Michael Fassbender, the star of “Shame,” was robbed,” said Seinen. “It’s about a successful young New York Wall Street man who is a sex addict and leads a hollow and emotionless life until his sister comes and changes his dynamic up.”
Saturday will start on a lighter note, for fans of all ages. “Hugo” is director Martin Scorsese’s first 3-D film, based on author Brian Selznick’s “The Invention of Hugo Cabret.” The film that has been nominated for 11 awards is set in 1930s Paris, where an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.
Those who can’t make the 2 p.m. flick will have another opportunity at 6 p.m. that same night.
Saturday will cap off with an 8:15 p.m. showing of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” which is based on a classic novel written by John le Carre.
Set at the height of the Cold War years, espionage veteran George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6.
After taking in featured films, the glam will pour in Sunday at 4 p.m. with an event that will show the live broadcast of the Oscars. Residents are encouraged to dress to impress and walk the red carpet at the event that will also include light appetizers and one free drink.
“It’s just something fun to do, grab a group of friends and come down,” said Milne.
Attendees will have an opportunity to win a prize for predicting the outcome of the awards on a ballot prior to the showing, plus the best-dressed will also be recognized at the Trail theatre.
Tickets are $9 for each movie, $18 for just Sunday’s event (which includes appies and one free drink) or $40 for a full-gala pass, which can be passed off to a friend or family member to ensure the best bang for the buck throughout the weekend. Part of the proceeds will be going to the Trail and District Arts Council, a non-profit group.
The theatre is shooting for a full house - 400 seats – so residents interested in attending any of the nights should buy tickets in advance from the Royal or at the Charles Bailey Theatre’s box office.
Some tickets will be held at the door to ensure enough are spread around and should a film sell out, Milne said the Royal would bring it back for a second free showing.
For more information, visit www.royaltheatretrail.com