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Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Movies - Pay Less, Get More!

One of the things I love about summer is that it is the season of blockbuster film releases. From Indiana Jones to HellBoy II, the Dark Knight to Iron Man, this summer has seen its share of thrilling action movies. There is nothing like walking down a carpeted hallway with ticket in hand, gawking at upcoming movie posters on the wall, and searching for your theater with an acute sense of anticipation. But if you are bored with going to the same old venue again and again or you're feeling the crunch of a $9.75 movie ticket, I have some suggestions for you to breathe excitement into your summer movie-watching.

For a change from the normal movieplex awash with a sea of people and spilled popcorn, I would like to recommend the Highland Park Theatre at 445 Central Ave in Highland Park, IL. A year ago, I attended this theater and viewed Notes on a Scandal and The Last King of Scotland back-to back. A few months ago, I went there again to see Juno. Each time was a terrific experience: the unique lobby where people were speaking quietly led to a relaxed feeling right when I walked in, and the fact that there were five theaters in this cozy building I found truly astounding. The tickets were $7 (its $5 for seniors), which is not much of a price break, but the experience of supporting a non chain-operated, privately-owned theater was well worth it! They show a mixture of first and second run movies, so there are always a great variety of films at this theater. You can find more information about them at their website: www.highlandparktheatre.net or by calling them at (847) 432.3322.

Another theater that I enjoy is not necessarily about the ambiance, but about value. The Buffalo Grove Theaters at 120 McHenry Road in Buffalo Grove, IL are just north of the intersection of Route 83 and Lake Cook Road. I especially enjoy this second-run film venue because it allows me to catch the releases that I may have wanted to see but didn’t get a chance to at the beginning of the summer. At $2 a ticket ($1 on Tuesdays), I don’t mind waiting to see a film. And there is just something about paying for two people and getting change back from a five-dollar bill that makes me feel infinitely better. Plus, if it was a bad film, you feel better not having spent $18 of your hard earned on it. For show times you can call (847)604.1393 or search Buffalo Grove in any online movie theater database (www.movies.com; www.mrmovietimes.com).

Last but not least among my suggestions is the special program run by Arlington Theaters at 53 S. Evergreen Avenue, Arlington Heights, IL. If you are looking to see a movie on a Monday or Tuesday, and are pretty hungry, Arlington Theaters has a deal that includes dinner and a movie. You can purchase a voucher for dinner for two from a selected menu from a rotation of restaurants in downtown Arlington Heights and two movie tickets for $28. This offer is only good for Mondays or Tuesdays, so it’s a good excuse to move date night up by a few evenings! Please view their website for more information (www.arlingtontheater.com) or give them a call at (847)483.0123.

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to add value to your movie-going experience. Enjoy the silver screen!

2 comments:

Roberta said...

Sadly, the Morton Grove theater closed its doors a few years ago. It was always $1.50, always clean, and had plenty of parking (like the theaters of my youth!). I remember seeing Ocean's Eleven there with a senior crowd, and being the only person who laughed at the Ted Nugent joke.

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