Assorted ramblings from the world of entertainment:

• Movies return this weekend to the Robins Theatre with the cult favorite “The Big Lebowski.”

The Joel and Ethan Coen film wasn’t a commercial hit when it came out in 1998. It earned less than $20 million in theaters. And following the acclaim for the Coen brothers’ “Fargo,” its critical reception was muted.

Rotten Tomatoes shows its score at 83 percent positive, but that’s mostly using reviews posted in recent years. Back in 1998, I gave it a B but called it “second-tier Coen Brothers.” Even the positive reviews were mildly dismissive even while praising it. One called it “instantly forgettable.”

“The Big Lebowski” may be a lot of things, but it definitely wasn’t forgettable.

The movie may have inspired more T-shirts and more memes than any film not based on a comic book or set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Back when people wanted their phones to make noise, you could download a whole set of soundbites from the movie to use as text alerts, ringtones, etc. For a brief period, my ringtone was Steve Buscemi’s voice saying, “Phone’s ringing, Dude.” And there’s one line from John Goodman’s Walter Sobchak that I’ve quoted more times than I can count in the last four, five years, especially while watching the news.

And how many movies have inspired their own religion? I never developed a taste for white Russians, but I am an ordained Dudeist Priest who has performed a couple of wedding ceremonies.

Folks have written dissertation-length analyses of the movie’s meaning. But at the very least, “The Big Lebowski” is packed with amazing actors — Jeff Bridges, Goodman, Buscemi, John Turturro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Sam Elliott and more — who all get at least one perfect moment to shine.

It’s a true cult classic. Show times are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the downtown Warren theater.

Other films on the schedule include “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” on Feb. 5 and 6, “Sleepless in Seattle” Feb. 12 to 14, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” Feb. 19 and 20; “Cool Hand Luke” Feb. 26 and 27 and “Easy Rider” March 5 and 6.

• The National Independent Venue Association has an interesting proposal to speed up COVID-19 vaccination distribution — use its venues and workforce.

NIVA and some of biggest names in the concert industry (Live Nation, AEG) were among those who proposed using these closed performance venues as distribution sites. And while no one is suggesting bartenders can administer shots, the venues’ currently unemployed workers have “crowd management” training that could be useful in keeping those long lines moving.

Of course, these venues have a vested interest in the vaccines getting distributed to as many people as possible as quickly as possible. Clubs, theaters and arenas won’t be able to operate at anywhere close to capacity until the infections and deaths caused by the virus are curbed.

In a press release sent Tuesday, NIVA Board President Dayna Frank said, “Since the pandemic shuttered our industry almost a year ago, our buildings and our co-workers have been paused, unutilized, and struggling. These vaccines are our best chance at putting COVID-19 behind us, and our experiences organizing events and managing crowds now put us in the unique position of being the best prepared and most qualified industry to support the vaccination effort and get this country on the road to recovery.”

Andy Gray is the entertainment editor of Ticket. Write to him at agray@tribtoday.com