Catch Award-Nominated Films at FirstLight Festival

By Vanessa Wolf

Nominations for the 19th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards came out on Monday and include a number of films being shown at the FirstLight Film Festival at the MACC this week and throughout the weekend.

This afternoon, Thursday the 19th, the best film nominee “Captain Phillips” plays at 2 p.m.

Tom Hanks stars in this true tale of the first hijacking – the first in two hundred years – of a US-flagged cargo ship, this time by Somali pirates.

At 7:30 p.m. tonight catch “Nebraska.”

Director Alexander Payne (“The Descendants”) is behind this quirky silver screen dramedy, shot in stunning black and white, which tells the tale of a cantankerous father (Bruce Dern) taking an 850-mile journey with his son (Will Forte) to claim his “fortune” after receiving a sweepstakes letter in the mail.

On Saturday, December 21 at 7 p.m . is “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

Legendary director Martin Scorsese directs Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Jon Favreau, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jean Dujardin, P.J. Byrne, Kenneth Choi in his newest feature film.

The flick tells the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.

Considered two of the most serious contenders, “12 Years a Slave” and “American Hustle” screen on Sunday.

At 2 p.m. is “12 Years a Slave,” the remarkably inspiring story of a free black man from New York abducted and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War US.

On virtually every critic’s ‘Best Films of the Year’ list, the movie stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbinder, Benedict Cumberbatch and Paul Dano.

Earlier this week, “12 Years a Slave” scored nominations in multiple categories with the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, including best picture, best actor for Chiwetel Ejiofor, best director for Steve McQueen, best supporting actor for Michael Fassbender, best supporting actress for Lupita Nyong’o and best acting ensemble.

Then at 7:30 p.m. is “American Hustle.”

David O. Russell reunites with his “Silver Linings Playbook” alumni Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper alongside co-stars Amy Adams, Christian Bale and Jeremy Renner in this story of a brilliant con man and his cunning and beautiful partner forced to work for a wild FBI agent.

“American Hustle” also got nods for best picture and best acting ensemble as well as best actor for Christian Bale, best supporting actor for Bradley Cooper, best supporting actress for Jennifer Lawrence and best director for David O. Russell.

Tickets are $15 for single screenings while $48 VIP Fast Pass tickets grant priority admission to four films and can be shared among family and friends.

New this year is the Golden Cinema Circle Membership. For $500 enjoy reserved access to the front row seats of the castle theater mezzanine at any and all FirstLight films.

In other news, kids 12 and under are invited to attend any G or PG rated film for free and, as always, there is complimentary admission to most major film industry guild members.