It's official. The Traverse City Film Festival has a new home at the downtown State Theatre!

  This is a state-of-the-art movie house showing the best in classic, American independent and foreign classic films and best yet, the State Theatre will be open all year. This is good news for all you movie lovers whom also love Northern Michigan.

Plan on staying all week at one of Visit Up North fine homes, cottages or condos in the Traverse City area. Call us at 800-901-8922 at the Traverse City office for more information. Space is limited so call today!

The film schedule will be posted in June and July. See what's going on at their website.

Back in March we hosted, for one night only, the Traverse City premiere of the new film, "Stop-Loss." The theater was packed for this excellent film by the acclaimed director Kimberly Pierce ("Boys Don't Cry"). Not many films get made by women in this country, sad to say. And it seems that films made about the Iraq War are now being met by an uninterested public.

That's too bad -- and that's why I would once again like to show that the State Theatre is an oasis for films that are powerful, provocative, and highly entertaining. They may not "get it" in Grand Rapids or understand it in Utah, they may be repulsed in Reno or apathetic in Albany. But I am convinced -- and the crowds at the State have proven -- that the people of northern Michigan are hungry for things that challenge them or make them think. People "up north" continually go against the grain and constantly look for ways to experience art and culture and politics in ways that do not breed boredom and mediocrity.

So that's why we're bringing "Stop-Loss" back. This film packs a wallop as it tells the story of a soldier who has served his time -- and then is told he may not go home. He has to go back to Iraq. This story is told with a knowing heart and with an exceptional cast of young actors. When the lights went up the night we showed "Stop-Loss," people were in tears and speechless. Now, I know people want to go to the movies to escape and have a good time. Well, sometimes you need a good cry, too -- and that can feel great!

So, for the next five days, at least once a day, we will show one of the best films of 2008: "Stop-Loss." It's rare that Hollywood produces a movie like this these days -- so please, don't miss it!

A few weeks ago a well-meaning adult accidentally pulled the fire alarm during a performance of La Boheme. Nearly an hour later, the fire department and the alarm company got it shut off and the opera resumed. But some people had to leave, we felt bad about it, and so we asked the Metropolitan Opera if we could show the opera again in its entirety. They said yes, so "La Boheme" will be shown again next Wednesday, May 14, at 6:30 pm. The cost is the same as all previous operas (the price is set by the Met), but if you had to leave the "fire alarm performance" and didn't get your money back, just let us know and we'll print a free pass for you.

We had a modest first week showing this year's Oscar winner for best foreign film, "The Counterfeiters," so we're holding it over a second week (in rotation with "Stop-Loss," so check the daily schedule on our web site or in the Record-Eagle). Here's your chance to see an outstanding foreign movie, set during the Holocaust in World War II and telling a story no one has ever told. Prove the naysayers wrong that TC can't sustain foreign language films in the "off-season!"

Our 25-cent morning matinees this week are "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" on Saturday at 10:30 am for the kids (rated PG-13), and Wednesday at 11 am, Charlton Heston and Jennifer Jones in King Vidor's "Ruby Gentry."

The Sunday noon "Too Hot for TC" film this weekend is "The Idiots," an outrageously brilliant film from Denmark. Made as part of the Dogma 95 Manifesto group of films that emphasized filming movies "naturally" without a lot of the Hollywood gimmicks, this film is strictly a no-one-under-17 movie due to its explicit sexuality and content that some may find offensive. When I saw it I thought, "Wow, I've never seen a film like that, and I thought I'd seen everything!"

On Monday night at 7:30, IndyFlix@theState brings "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." A few years ago, the Bush administration helped the generals in Venezuela stage a coup to overthrow the democratically elected president, Hugo Chavez. By accident, an Irish film crew found themselves in the middle of it, literally holed-up with Chavez while he was under siege. They turned their cameras on and what came out of it is the most amazing film about a real coup and how the men with the guns and the money lost. A fascinating film, this Monday night at the State.

Finally, tomorrow (Saturday), we will participate with hundreds of theaters around the world in "Pangea Day." This is an attempt to link the world together through movies and video. Great speakers from all continents will be beamed into the State Theatre, along with 24 films selected for this event. You won't want to miss this once in a lifetime experience. It's free and it's at 2 pm tomorrow. Pick up your tickets at the box office (no limit), or call the box office at 231-947-3446 and we'll put them on hold for you. Join with millions in exploring the issues of peace, the environment, and the economy.

Don't forget: "Lawrence of Arabia" begins for one week only on May 23. You haven't seen it if you haven't seen it on the big screen at the State!

Yours,
Michael Moore

State Theatre Day-by-Day Schedule
May 9-15

Friday, May 9
The Counterfeiters (R) 1:30, 6:30
Stop-Loss (R) 4:00, 8:50

Saturday, May 10
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (PG-13) 10:30 am
Pangea Day (NR) 2:00
The Counterfeiters (R) 7:00
Stop-Loss (R) 9:30

Sunday, May 11
The Idiots (NC-17) 12 noon
The Counterfeiters (R) 2:30, 7:30
Stop-Loss (R) 5:00

Monday, May 12
The Counterfeiters (R) 12:30, 5:30
Stop-Loss (R) 3:00
The Revolution Will Not be Televised (NR) 7:30

Tuesday, May 13
The Counterfeiters (R) 1:30, 6:30
Stop-Loss (R) 4:00, 8:50

Wednesday, May 14
Ruby Gentry 11:00 am (NR)
The Counterfeiters (R) 1:15, 3:30
La Boheme Opera Encore (NR) 6:30

Thursday, May 15
The Counterfeiters (R) 1:30, 4:00, 6:30, 8:50

Buy Tickets Online
http://www.statetheatretc.org/?page=buytickets

Online Schedule
http://www.statetheatretc.org/?page=comingsoon

Download the May Program Guide
http://www.statetheatretc.org/mayatthestate.pdf