January 11, 2011 08:00AM EST

Price of a Movie: 01.11.11

Price of a Movie is back after a holiday break—and hell-bent on filling up your calendar without burning through your year-end bonus (or that check from grandma). This week, head to Astoria to eyeball the $65 million expansion of the Museum of the Moving Image, bid on (or just peruse) pieces from Dennis Hopper's collection at Christie's auction house, and roll around on the faux lawn in a downtown gallery's fabricated green space.

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The Dennis Hopper Collection Auction
As you might know, the late actor Dennis Hopper was an art aficionado, and built up quite a respectable private collection, with works by Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter, Annie Leibovitz, Helmut Newton, and Kenny Scharf (along with several pieces by his close friend, actor Viggo Mortensen).

Though the first installment of the two-day auction ended on January 11, today's sale features vast array of memorabilia and decorative objects from Hopper's LA home. Among them: from Easy Rider, an original 1969 poster (est. $1,000-$1,500) and an unbound shooting script (est. $2,000-$3,000), and an award commemorating his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (est. $1,000-$1,500). Short on cash? You don't have to bid; the collection is open for public viewing.

Where: Christie's, 20 Rockefeller Plaza, Manhattan
When: Viewing times, 9:30 am to 5 pm; auction at 10 am and 3 pm
Price: Free to look!



Bonanza
Part of the Under the Radar Festival, this theater-film event offers a documentary portrait of an abandoned gold-rush town in Colorado called Bonanza. Where there were once thousands of residents, it's now down to just seven, but that doesn't mean the town doesn't have its fair share of feuds, gossip, litigation and even accusations of witchcraft. On the stage, underneath a scale model of the town, are five small screens – one for each home in Bonanza – onto which is projected the lives of the inhabitant(s). They include an artist, a reverend, a cowboy, and, yes, a possible witch.

Where: Robert Moss Theatre, 440 Lafayette Street, Third Floor  
When: Wednesday, January 12 to Sunday, January 16, various times
Price: $15 


PHOTO CREDIT: A rendering of the new 267-seat theater.
[Image courtesy of the Museum of the Moving Image.]

Re-opening of the Museum of the Moving Image
After a $65 million expansion and renovation, the museum re-opens Saturday, January 15, with lots of new ways to celebrate film, television and the video arts. Along with the 15,000-square-foot core exhibit "Behind the Screen," which shows you how movies and TV programs are made, there's a six-week inaugural program called "Celebrating the Moving Image." It features screenings of newly restored classic and contemporary films (opening weekend is "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "The Hustler"), workshops (digital drawing), and performances (Saturday is the first Signal to Noise party, with live electronic music, silent films, and interactive art from 8 pm to 2 am).

On MLK day, museum admission is free, as are the screenings: "Coraline" in 3-D, and "King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis."

Where: Museum of the Moving Image, 3601 35th Avenue, Queens
When: Opening Saturday, January 15
Price: Museum admission, $10 (free on Monday, January 17 and Fridays after 4 pm)



Park Here Indoor Park
Snow and slush and leaf-less trees are everywhere you look – except at the Park Here pop-up green space. A Nolita gallery has been transformed into a 4,500-square-foot indoor park, complete with faux lawn, trees, park benches, forest murals, and light boxes that treat seasonal affective disorder. Stop by for a daytime yoga or Pilates class, or sign up for a special flower-arranging workshop or chocolate tasting. And what would a day at the park be without a picnic? There are tasty offerings from Luke's Lobster, Mexicue, and Sweetery, and regular evening movie screenings sponsored by Urbandaddy.com. 

Where: Openhouse Gallery, 201 Mulberry St., Manhattan
When: Daily through Sunday, January 30, 11 am to 7 pm
Price: Free (there's a fee for classes and food)



Oyster Bar Happy Hour
It's often assumed that oysters are only safe to eat in months with the letter "r" in their name (meaning May to August, you're out of luck). That's actually a myth, but nevertheless, worriers can indulge without fear for the next few months and take advantage of the Oyster Bar Happy Hour at the John Dory. For $15, you get a choice of a half-dozen oysters (either East or West Coast) or clams (Long Island or Wellfleet, depending on season), along with a glass of sparkling wine or a can of Snapperhead ale. Best of all, the twice-daily happy hours satisfy both the after-work crowd and late-night partiers.

Where: John Dory Oyster Bar, The Ace Hotel, 1196 Broadway
When: Monday to Saturday, 5 pm to 7 pm and midnight to 2 am
Price: $15

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