Arts and Entertainment continued from page 42 Awards-anointed fl icks such as Parasite and Drive My Car are evidence that fi lmmakers in Asia, as well as peers aligned with the re- gion’s diaspora, are among the most innova- tive on the planet today — and the annual Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival dem- onstrates that there’s plenty of fascinating material beyond the highest-profi le produc- tions. The 2022 edition, which ran in early March at the Sie FilmCenter, gave viewers the chance to see many of these fi lms on the big screen, where they belong; programming ranged from Listen Before You Sing, inspired by the true story of the Vox Nativa Taiwanese Foundation Choir, to Free Chol Soo Lee, a documentary focused on a man wrongfully convicted of a gang murder in San Francisco in the early 1970s. Best Movie Theater — Art House Landmark Mayan Theatre 110 Broadway 303-744-6799 landmarktheatres.com/denver/mayan- theatre The look of most art-house theaters tends toward blandness and conformity. But the Mayan, which opened in 1930, during the golden age of motion-picture palaces, is a reminder that going to the movies used to be an event. The Art Deco stylings, originally created by architect Montana Fallis and dis- played to particularly spectacular effect on the building’s towering facade and inside the main auditorium, make every screening feel a little more special. And the libations provided at the Mayan bar are capable of making even the most challenging cinematic fare go down a little more smoothly. Best Movie Theater — First Run AMC 9+CO 10 826 Albion Street 720-961-7180 amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/ denver/amc-9-co-10 The newest multiplex in Denver proper, the AMC 9+CO 10 debuted in 2021, during a time when it was unclear if movie-going was on the way to extinction. The venue has thrived since, which is good news for those who un- derstand that watching a fi lm in a communal setting is something that can’t be duplicated at home. The sightlines in the auditoriums are fi rst-rate, the seats comfortable, the projec- tion and sound systems state-of-the-art, and the location convenient for much of the city, with plenty of eating and drinking options nearby if you want to stretch out the evening. Best Movie Theater Perk Pre-show at Alamo Drafthouse Multiple locations drafthouse.com It used to be the worst part of seeing a fl ick at the theater: sitting through the elevator music in the semi-darkness, trying not to fi nish your popcorn before the previews. Alamo Drafthouse has changed all that by producing pre-show entertainment that’s actually entertaining and directly related to the movie that you’ve paid to come watch. It’s so good that even though Alamo the- aters have reserved seats, many patrons still show up early on purpose just to catch all the trailers. Reely. Best Fashion Show Fashion West fashionwest.org Fashion West rode onto Denver’s fashion scene in August 2021. The forward-think- ing fashion show was founded by Charlie Price and inspired by the raw spirit of the American West and the fashion sense of the creatives who give it style — not to mention Price’s experiences at Milan Fashion Week and on the reality TV show Shear Genius. Working with talented models, stylists, makeup artists, photographers and more, they showcased the city’s fashion designers both on the runway and in partner publica- tion Fashion West magazine. Cowboy boots were optional. Best Dance Project The Conversation Series: Stitching the Geopolitical Quilt to Re-body Belonging helaniusj.com/the-conversation-series University of Colorado Boulder dance edu- cator Helanius Wilkins likes to say that he’ll most likely keep tweaking his current project, Stitching the Geopolitical Quilt to Re-body Be- longing, until he dies. It all began when the pandemic lockdown collided with the mur- der of George Floyd, when Wilkins would walk alone for up to sixteen miles a day, gathering his thoughts about being a Black man, a dancer and an artist seeking both his place and a realization of social justice in an unstable world. That led him to visualize a project akin to sewing a quilt, which has de- veloped into a process that begins by hosting conversations with communities of marginal- ized people across the nation. Each group’s unique stories culminate in a movement per- formance choreographed by Wilkins. It’s a beautiful cycle, and it’s only just begun. Here is your friendly reminder to go to the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. Cool? Cool. 44 Best All-Ages Playground Junkyard Social 2525 Frontier Avenue, Boulder junkyardsocialclub.org Junkyard Social isn’t just a playground for kids; it also serves continued on page 46 APRIL 7-13, 2022 WESTWORD | BACKBEAT | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | westword.com
