Blog posts matching ‘pg-13 movies’ (2024)

Theaters

From MLive.com: Nostalgists, take note: Northern Michigan is home to a moviegoing experience that’s part of a not-quite-bygone era. The Cherry Bowl Drive-In Theatre near Honor – about a 40-minute drive from Traverse City – throws back harder and farther than most in this throwback business. The Cherry Bowl is a place for a classic family outing, offering a double-feature, activities for kids and all the nostalgic touches of a summer night out in the ’50s. Here are five things you need to know about this historic place.

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Theaters

From the Tampa Bay Times: There’s a brand new Publix across the street, a McDonald’s next door and two movie theaters about 15 minutes north in Riverview.

While the area around it bustles with development, the Ruskin Family Drive-In on Highway 41 has remained a constant in south Hillsborough County since it opened in 1952.

Owner Karen Freiwald said the new movie theaters — Goodrich Quality Theaters and Xscape Riverview 14 — aren’t hurting her business in the least.

“Our customers come from Bradenton, Sarasota, Port Charlotte, Venice,” Freiwald said. “If they’re going to drive by all those other theaters, they’re not going to stop for those.”

No, her biggest concern isn’t competition. Her customers are loyal. They like to sit outside in an atmosphere so family focused that her husband has been known to stop the movie if he catches someone sneaking a beer.

Rowdiness of any kind is forbidden. And at a time when tickets to an indoor theater with popcorn and drinks can set a family of four back $100, Freiwald works to keep prices low. For $24.99, one family of four ordered a large co*ke, two 12-inch pizzas, and two nachos. Movie tickets run $6 each for adults. Cash only.

“If you spent $40 here at the snack bar you wouldn’t even be able to eat it all,” Freiwald said. “Customers appreciate you looking out for their best interest and they come back for more.”

The biggest issue facing the Ruskin Family Drive-In is supply: The lineup of kids movies available has been running thin for the last several years.

“They don’t even make G-rated movies any more,” Freiwald said. “Everything is PG or PG-13.”

Her customers just don’t turn out when the movies are too violent, too complicated or sexual and that hurts business.

“Some people don’t even have kids, they just like the kids movies,” Freiwald said. “Customers will tell me they want to see more action movies but when I play them no one shows up.”

This year, the hottest kids movie of the holiday season is Sing, an animated, musical film starring a koala. But that’s about it. The second showing will be Almost Christmas, a live-action PG-13 movie about a family struggling to get along during the holidays.

A couple of years ago, Freiwald and all other theater operators had to come up with about $100,000 to upgrade to new digital projectors. She was able to make up the difference, but many drive-in operators weren’t. The Ruskin theater is now one of only about seven drive-ins in the state, Freiwald said. But the business is still going strong.

With space for 220 vehicles, there’s no more room to expand on the property. During peak season, like over the summer or during spring break, she has to turn people away because the lot fills up.

The Internet has made it easier for people to find the theater. And as it grows into more of a novelty, Freiwald said, she has seen an increase in European tourists seeking the old-time American experience.

But it’s the locals who have kept the business alive so long.

“I’ve been coming here my whole life,” said Chris Jordan, 47, of Ruskin, who had a front-row spot last week to see the new Jack Reacher movie with his 17 year-old son, 14-year-old daughter and his wife. “It’s kind of like you step back in time.”

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Theaters

From the News Leader: Between 1920 and 1929 Waynesboro movie-goers enjoyed three movie theaters all within a mile of each other. But the youngest, the Cavalier, was considered the bad boy of the three.

The city’s first was the Star Theater, located at 544 West Main Street, in a building that still stands. A former Presbyterian Church, the structure was bought and converted into a theater in 1922 by Col. Max Patterson and Carl C. Loth, film impresarios who were eager to capitalize on the booming 1920s movie business. The small, spartan Star played silent films with piano accompaniment probably provided by Wenonah School music teacher Frank Vanderherschen. In 1925 the Loths started constructing the Wayne Theatre just down the hill, and the Star closed when the Wayne opened in 1926.

While not an extravagant “movie palace” like those built in larger cities, such as the Byrd and Lowes Theatres in Richmond, the Wayne was still considered “lavish,” and a distinct improvement over the Star. A pipe organ – also played by Vanderherschen – provided accompaniment to the silent films until talkies arrived in the late 1920s. In 1929 the Wayne installed an “RCA high fidelity” sound system, and the first commercial sound film, “The Jazz Singer,” was a sensation, with lines reportedly stretching up the hill.

Buoyed by their enormous success with the Wayne, Patterson and the Loths incorporated, then built another theater at the other end of town at 307 West Main Street to better serve eastside and Basic City. They held a contest to name the new cinema, which was won by Eva Yount for her suggestion the “Cavalier Theatre.”

While the Wayne was designed and operated as a luxurious first-run movie house, the Cavalier was more of a rowdy adult recreational destination, with films and live shows that reflected its earthy atmosphere and blue-collar demographic. With a capacity of about 900, the interior walls were painted cinderblock, a luncheonette served up fast food until after midnight to cater to shift workers at nearby Stehli and DuPont, and a bowling alley (with cigar smoking encouraged) operated in the basem*nt. Since there were no automatic setters, local boys earned pocket money in that hot, smoky basem*nt setting pins after every roll.

Historian Curtis Bowman in 1967 described the distinct aroma upon entering the Cavalier (also nicknamed “the flea bag” and “the scratch”) – “a mixture of disinfectant, perspiration, cigar smoke and cooking food … the proximity of rest rooms to the entryway did not help.”

After the 1941 flood ruined the Cavalier’s basem*nt bowling alley, the Loth Corporation – consisting of President Max Patterson; F. R. Loth, vice president and manager of the Wayne; J. Ellison Loth, secretary and manager of the Cavalier; and Col. C. C. Loth, treasurer and manager of the bowling lanes and the luncheonette – built the Cavalier Lanes on Federal Street. On February 23, 1952, that building was completely destroyed in a five-alarm blaze. The Cavalier Theatre frequently featured live shows by traveling movie stars and performers, especially cowboys. Actor Billy Barty, film’s first “little person,” appeared in 1938. The following year, Roy Roger’s singing group the Sons of the Pioneers appeared in person, and happily posed for pictures with star-struck locals. The Three Stooges stopped by in the early 1940s. Johnny Mack Brown brought his horse on stage to do tricks.

Throughout the 1950s the Cavalier maintained its “PG-13” reputation as an eastside hangout, showing more provocative grade-B horror, western and juvenile delinquency films. The former basem*nt bowling alley was sometimes used at this time as a shooting range.

As a result, many Waynesboro parents refused to allow their children to attend the more risqué movies shown there – so of course, many teens dropped off at the more reputable Wayne would sneak three blocks to the Cavalier.

In 1964 the Loth Corporation sold the theaters to the B&K Virginia Corporation, then in April, 1966, Davidson Theaters in Washington D.C. acquired the Wayne Theatre on a long-term lease but passed on the Cavalier, which was forced to close. The building was purchased and torn down by Advance Auto.

Despite being gone for 50 years, the lowly Cavalier still had the distinction of being the last movie theater built within the city limits of Waynesboro until Zeus Theaters opened in 2010.

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Technology

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Sci-Fi. Myths. Monsters. … plus remembering Ray Harryhausen

At The Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre 54 Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ 07306 Tel. (201) 798-6055 Fax: (201) 798-4020 Web: www.loewsjersey.org

Friday, June 7 8PM
Men In Black

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Theaters

KANKAKEE, IL — Midnight at the Meadowview continues into September in celebration of Meadowview’s 45th Anniversary. The next decade featured during this midnight movie series will be the hip Eighties with the 1986 John Hughes classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (PG-13). The film is slated for September 14th at midnight and will be shown using Meadowview’s state-of-the-art 4k digital projection and sound technology. Tickets are $5.50 per person and available at the Meadowview box office. The Meadowview Theatre is located at 55 Meadowview Center.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is a true coming of age story that follows the quick witted teenage mastermind Ferris Bueller (played by Mathew Broderick), who feigns ill and refuses to go to school. By employing theatrical and elaborate tricks in order to convince both his resentful sister and his suspicious that he is truly unwell. With his girlfriend Sloan, and best friend Cameron, the trio tours the Chicago area, glimpsing landmarks such as Wrigley Field and The Art Institute in attempts to seize the day, and escape their pursuers.

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Events

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — The historic Tivoli Theatre in downtown Downers Grove brings holiday cheer to movie fans during its Annual Holiday Film Festival. This yearly tradition at the Tivoli, 5021 Highland Avenue, offers movie-lovers the rare opportunity to see their holiday favorites on the big screen in a beautifully restored 1928 movie palace. Mark your calendars for the first film of the series, “Holiday Inn,” starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, on Sunday, December 11th at 7:00 and 9:30 PM.

This year’s line up has something for everyone. It features Christmas classics, comedies and dramas. Guests who arrive early are encouraged to participate in a sing-a-long accompanied by Tivoli’s Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ. Tickets are available at the Tivoli Theatre Box Office. For further details on the Tivoli Holiday Film Festival, please visit www.classiccinemas.com.

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Events

KANKAKEE, IL — The Daily Journal is sponsoring a Classic Film Series at the Paramount Theatre, at 213 North Schuyler Avenue, in honor of the theatre’s 80th anniversary. The series will take place at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month in October, November and December. The first film to be presented is “The African Queen” (1951) on October 13th, starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn.

“The African Queen” takes place in Africa during WWI and tells the story of a riverboat owner/captain who is persuaded by a strait-laced missionary to use his boat to attack an enemy warship.

Each screening of the series is free to subscribers of The Daily Journal with a limit of up to four passes per subscribing household. Passes for these movies will be available to subscribers at The Daily Journal offices in Manteno, Bourbonnais, Kankakee and Watseka two weeks prior to each showing. Non-subscribers will be admitted at the door for $5 per person.

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Events

FLINT, MI — The annual Back to the Bricks cruise weekend will kick off on Tuesday, August 17 with the Bricks Flix Free Drive-in Movie at the US 23 Drive in Theatre. The cruise night begins at 5 p.m. with a car show with 600 drive-in spaces reserved for vintage cars. The remaining 600 spaces are open to the general public. There will be a display of vintage Indian motorcycles which fits in with the free movie starting at dusk, “The World’s Fastest Indian,” rated PG-13.

The idea for a showcase event at the drive-in theater came after nearly 400 cars showed up to view a movie on a large inflatable screen in the parking lot of Whiting Auditorium during last year’s Back to the Bricks cruise weekend.

At the time, the US.. 23 Drive-in wasn’t open.

“When we heard the drive-in was open this year, we said we were going to give it a shot,” said Bricks Chairman Al Hatch said.

Additional details from the Flint Journal.

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Technology

In a recent opinion piece written for Newsweek magazine, critic Roger Ebert offers nine reasons why he is less than enthusiastic about the current resurgence of 3-D. While not opposed to 3-D as an option for presenting certain films, he feels 3-D will add nothing to certain kinds of films. Among other minuses, he cites the added admission cost and the pressure on exhibitors to install and present 3-D; he also laments the seemingly imminent demise of analog projection. If Hollywood really is interested in using technology to improve picture quality and audience involvement, he would like to see, instead of universal 3-D, further development of processes such as Showscan and MaxiVision48.

3-D is a waste of a perfectly good dimension. Hollywood’s current crazy stampede toward it is suicidal. It adds nothing essential to the moviegoing experience. For some, it is an annoying distraction. For others, it creates nausea and headaches. It is driven largely to sell expensive projection equipment and add a $5 to $7.50 surcharge on already expensive movie tickets. Its image is noticeably darker than standard 2-D. It is unsuitable for grown-up films of any seriousness. It limits the freedom of directors to make films as they choose. For moviegoers in the PG-13 and R ranges, it only rarely provides an experience worth paying a premium for.

Read the whole article in Newsweek.

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Events

SAN PEDRO, CA — Hoping to offer locals an affordable opportunity to get out of the house on down to the movies during the week, the Warner Grand is dishing out “Warner on Wednesdays”.

Warner On Wednesdays will run every Wednesday in the Summer, accept July 8. Movies are only $3, and for $10 couples can enjoy a “date night” package of 2 tickets, 2 drinks and 2 popcorns.

The 12 movie schedule includes:
6/17 – [PG-13] The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | 6PM AND 9PM
6/24 – [PG-13] Twilight | 6PM AND 9PM

See the full list and more at PR Log.

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