Iowa City Real Estate Blog

Seems the weeks just fly by... Here I am again already with my weekly look at new movies in Iowa City and Coralville. I'll include new movie releases for February 26 plus a couple of hot picks on what's going on in Iowa City this weekend.

You can check the schedule for movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Cinema in Iowa City...

And now onto what's new... Two new releases this week. The first is a Kevin Smith movie, Cop Out starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. Sounds like a pretty average storyline with two NYPD partners on the trail of a stolen mint condition baseball card. It doesn't get particularly good reviews, but I'm going to bet that doesn't mean a thing. This is Bruce Willis - who cares about reviews?

The Crazies is the other new movie out today and is loosely based on the book of the same name. It stars Timothy Olyphant and is about what happens to the residents of a small town after toxins infect their water supply - Mayhem ensues as they loose their sanity and start killing each other off. I'm going to reserve opinion on this one, except to say if you're looking for a feel good movie, this isn't it!

Looking for live entertainment? The Mill is one of the liveliest places in town and will be especially lively this weekend. Orquesta Alto Maiz, AKA The Salsa Band is performing tonight, (Friday) and it's the Vagina Monologues on Saturday.

If you like your country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great music and great food and free wi-fi...They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays...They're on Facebookand do a better job than anyone else I've seen using that media to give info on specials and upcoming events.

I'm going to round it up this week with The Iowa City Yacht Club. Couldn't resist telling you that Trampled by Turtles + The Boomchucks will be playing there tonight. (I would have liked to be in the room when they came up with that name!) The fun continues on Saturday with Big Funk Guarantee + Amanda Miller and the Smoking Sextion.

For more ideas on things to do in Iowa City this weekend I've put together a couple of posts making it easier for you to find theaters and live entertainment venues in Iowa City.

What's new at the movies this weekend in Iowa City and Coralville? Seems I'm getting quite a following to this weekly post asking that question. Here's what's coming out today, February 19 along with a few other ideas of things to do in Iowa City this weekend.

You can check the schedule for movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Cinema in Iowa City... And now onto what's new... Only one new release, but it's a real humdinger!  It's Shutter Island, a Martin Scorsese movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo. Two US Marshals are called in to investigate the disappearance of a murderess from a high-security hospital for the criminally insane. Sounds very intense to me. Leonardo DiCaprio gets better and better as an actor and it's a Scorsese film - There's really nothing to add to that!

Moving onto the regular theatre... The Iowa City Community Theatre is taking the stage at The Englert this weekend with performances of Leonard Bernstein's Musical Wonderful Town.

The Riverside Theater finishes its run of End Days on February 21. If you follow my blog you'll know this is a play about science, religion and suburbia. (A surprising combination we're all agreed).

The Mill is one of the liveliest places in town and will deliver it's usual busy program this weekend. They kick off Friday with Brighton MA - a five piece Chicago rock band and continue through the weekend with their fun packed schedule. You'll find more info on their website.

If you like your country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great music and great food and free wi-fi...They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays...They're on Facebook and do a better job than anyone else I've seen using that media to give info on specials and upcoming events.

Last, but definitely not least for this week I'm going to round it up again with the Riverside Casino. It's not all about the casino, they have plenty of live entertainment too. New Odyssey is playing there this weekend - Three guys playing thirty instruments. That's what I call multi-tasking!

That's it for my round-up of new movies and a some of the things you can do in Iowa City and Coralville this weekend. I just pick up on things that catch my eye, so this is not an all inclusive list. Iowa City is a busy little college town - we have LOTS going on around here. Another good source for events and activities in the area is the Press Citizen.

Exciting weekend coming up as we look forward to Super Bowl Weekend. While you're preparing for the big game there's still time for a trip to the movies or take in a show before Sunday.  If you're looking for choices, this is what I've come across in Iowa City and Coralville for this weekend February 5 through February 7... 

Two new movies to share with you this week. The first is From Paris with Love - A deceiving title I think... I would have expected a romantic comedy and I would have been wrong... It's an action adventure movie with John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Myers. John Travolta plays a trigger happy CIA agent with his green side kick (Jonathan Rhys Myers) who are running around the streets of Paris causing mayhem as they try to prevent a terror attack. John Travolta is great in this kind of crazy roll so probably steals the show.

The other movie is Dear John, Lasse Hallestrom's adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' novel. It stars Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. It's about a young man who goes to war after meeting the love of his life. The letters his new love sends him are what get him through his days, but these very letters have consequences that neither could have envisioned. I've said it before, I've never seen a movie that truly lived up to the book. I love Lasse Hallestrom movies, but I'm going to stick by that statement!

You can catch these movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Cinema in Iowa City.

Moving onto the regular theatre... Lots of fun to be had this weekend in Iowa City. I'll kick off with the Englert where you can see improv sketch comedy at it's best with the 50th anniversary of Second City on both Saturday and Sunday. This is where some of today's most famous comedians started out, so you can expect big laughs as the troupe looks back at 50 years of classic sketches.

More comedy at The Riverside Theater where End Days continues it's run until February 21. This is a play about science, religion and suburbia. (Yes, I did say comedy... And I'm sure you're as surprised as me that a play about science and religion makes it into the comedy gendre!)


Another great weekend at The Mill of course. Friday sees the return of legendary singer-songwriter Dave Moore.  Dave has played on nationally known radio programs like A Prairie Home Companion and The World Cafe.

Just to prove the point that The Mill is "the in place in town" Dr Dog with the Growlers is performing on Saturday and that show is sold out already! There's a reason The Mill was voted Best Live Entertainment Venue in the Press Citizen's Best of Area list...

If you like your country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great music and great food and free wi-fi...They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays...They're on Facebook and you'll find a list of their specials there.

And for those of you who feel like kicking it up a notch the Riverside Casino might be just the place for you this weekend. It's not all about the casino, they have plenty of live entertainment too. This weekend they have quite a show lined up on Friday and Saturday with The Britins, a Milwaukee band who entertain audiences with a tribute to The Beatles. Talk about a trip down memory lane... It seems we have quite a bit of that going on this weekend in Iowa City.

All of this of course culminates with the big game on Sunday. Who are you rooting for? I think the soft-hearted amongst us will be rooting for the "underdog." From what I can see they know how to celebrate in New Orleans and if they pull this off that will be one heck of a party!