Another great reason to visit Traverse City and the State Theatre. Stay with us and receive $50.00 off of your reservation in December too.

Christmas is coming early to TC this year! I just spoke to James Cameron and his producing partner Jon Landau — and they have graciously and enthusiastically agreed to hold the Michigan premiere of the much-anticipated holiday blockbuster “Avatar” right here in Traverse City at our very own State Theatre!

This will be a ONE TIME ONLY — ONE SHOW ONLY — event, the likes of which we have not yet experienced since we re-opened this historic movie palace in 2007. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT! It’s all happening this Thursday night at 9 pm. It will be a benefit premiere and 100% of the proceeds will be split between the food banks of Northwest Michigan and the nonprofit Traverse City Film Festival/State Theatre restoration project.

Tickets/donations will be $15. Those of you who are loyal members of the State Theatre will get first crack at the tickets beginning at noon tomorrow (Wednesday). Tickets will be available in person at the box office or you can buy them with a credit card by phone (231-947-3446 or 231-392-1134). Please limit 2 tickets per person. Then at 6 pm, we will release to the general public whatever tickets are still available. We expect this to sell out quickly.

The film is already being hailed as a landmark movie. A number of critics have called it the best movie of the year and one even said that from this point on, movies will be discussed as having been made “Before ‘Avatar’ and After ‘Avatar’.” Roger Ebert has called it “this generation’s ‘Star Wars’.” What has enthralled those who’ve attended early screenings in Hollywood (the movie has been kept under strict wraps with no one from the public intended to see it until Friday) is that this is not just a special effects movie, but rather a special effects movie with a great story and great acting. “The special effects serve the story, not the other way around,” “Avatar’s” star, Sigourney Weaver, told Jon Stewart last night.

James Cameron has spent the last 12 years of his life on this masterpiece (his first film since “Titanic”). Today it was nominated for Best Picture by the Golden Globes. When I asked him for this favor for Traverse City, he immediately went to work to make this happen for us. The generosity of his spirit, I told him, will be felt by everyone here. This one night event will help our nonprofit theater get through the winter — but much more importantly, it will put food on the table for hundreds of area families who are going through very tough times right now. He said that he knew what Michigan was going through and was happy to help in this small way.

Of course, it won’t be small for us! This is guaranteed to be one of the best and biggest events since we brought the State back to life two years ago. I sincerely hope you are able to join us on Thursday night, to be among the first people in North America to see this truly amazing film.