Entertainment : \'Tron\' keeps Jeff Bridges on Palace screen for another week

Jeff Bridges plays the Palace two weeks in a row!

“Tron Legacy” will thrill sci-fi fans Friday, January 28 through Thursday, February 3 at 7 p.m. nightly, and Monday, January 31 at 2 p.m. 

This 3D sound and light show is rated PG-13 for violence and bad language and runs 125 minutes.  Not a good combination for our youngest audience members.

The first “Tron” came out in 1982, the year I graduated from High School. I’m not much of a sci-fi fan, so did not see that version.  However, I have great respect for the acting talent of Jeff Bridges, who reprises his 80s role, and must admit the trailer looks good. 

I plan to watch this sequel, but don’t really have plans to find the original, which is unusual for me. Let me know if you have any comparisons to share, and keep reading to the end of this column for more on that.

Anyway….

Kevin Flynn (Bridges) has been trapped in a software program, the world of Tron, for 20 years.  His son, Sam (Garrett Hedlund) discovers a way to his missing father.  Bruce Boxleitner also reprises his role from the original movie, as Tron.  And “House” fans will recognize 13 (Olivia Wilde) in the role of Quorra.

In the movie trailer you see Jeff Bridges as a younger man and I wondered if they’d used old film footage to accomplish this.  With a bit of online searching, I discovered that the reverse-aging special effect was actually done using computer technology.  Appropriate for this film, I guess.

FEBRUARY LOOKS GREAT!

First up is “The Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader” in 3D.  Followed by “The Fockers” and “The Fighter,” “Gulliver’s Travels” in 3D, and “The Dilemma.”  Check out our schedule online (www.vintonpalace.org), or pick up a hard copy at the theatre!

PATRON FEEDBACK

First of all – I LOVED the new “True Grit” and still haven’t watched the John Wayne version.  Although I will, soon!  Having seen this version I’m now even more curious to watch the original.

My favorite part of the movie was the language.  Maddie’s vocabulary, knowledge, and “grit” – amazing.

I heard the Little Blackie life saving seen is in both films, but bet the bad guy with a proclivity for animal sounds was a Coen Brothers addition. More to report next week, I’m sure.

Love hearing from you!  Here’s what other patrons had to say before watching the movie:

True Grit" was one of the first movies I ever saw.  In 1969, I was six years old.  Glenn Campbell played the Matt Damon character.  I remember snakes, and when Campbell got hit on the head with a rock there was blood EVERYWHERE !  And after that, John Wayne went on to make two more movies with the "Rooster Cogburn" character.  I can't remember the name of them, but remember one of them featured Katherine Hepburn.  I believe it was called "The Rooster and the Lady".  "True Grit" was a classic movie from the days when men were allowed to carry guns into the courthouse. ~BL

I, too, was a huge fan of the 'ole Duker'.  He stood for something above and beyond the usual Hollywood froo-froo.  I didn't always see eye to eye with his political and worldly views, but I liked his style.  I liked that his movies stood for something good!  BTW:  (my wifes's) Dad was almost a dead ringer for Duke in looks and size when he was in his 40's.  Both of them died much too soon, in my opinion. ~PS