Cineplexes offering cheap kiddie matinees this summer

The economy's still down. Gas prices are up. The kids are out of school and looking for entertainment. What to do?

Movie-theater chains all over the suburbs have an answer: cheap kiddie matinees.

For as little as $1, parents can bring their children to see new or almost-new family films on weekday mornings at nearby theaters. These matinee series generally run from June into mid- or late August.

Some of them, like the Wednesday Morning Movie Series offered by Downers Grove-based Classic Cinemas, offer special amenities in addition to the films, like games and visits from costumed characters. All of the matinee series give parents and child-care organizations an affordable entertainment option during the summer months.

“With the economy the way it is, everyone's thinking about cost,” said Mark Mazrimas, marketing director of Classic Cinemas, which runs a number of theaters in the suburbs. “Our series gives parents a cheap and fun activity to share with their children, often right in their own hometowns.”

Classic Cinemas launched the Wednesday Morning Movie Series about a dozen years ago. Movies begin at 10 a.m. each week, and tickets cost $1.

The films on the schedule this year include recent family hits like “Yogi Bear,” “Despicable Me” and “Megamind.” All of the films in the series are rated PG.

“We try to offer films that are as new as possible,” Mazrimas said. “The final one in the series will be a surprise feature, which has turned into a fun aspect of the whole thing.”

The film is just part of the fun, though. Mazrimas said the theater chain likes to offer games and other special activities before the show to enhance the experience. Classic Cinemas also provides special discounts to groups of children, which makes the Wednesday Morning Movie Series a popular field-trip destination for organizations like day-care centers.

Mazrimas said that what he likes best about the series is that it introduces children to the unique pleasures associated with seeing movies on the big screen.

“Most kids now, when they see their first movies, it's at home on DVD,” he said. “We look at this series as a way to introduce the movie-theater experience to the kids, and so we want to make it as memorable as we can.

“I try to get out to a number of these shows every summer, and I love it when kids come up to me and tell me how much they loved being in the theater.”

Classic Cinemas isn't the only theater chain offering these kinds of matinees. Regal Movie Theaters, Cinemark and Marcus Theatres — all of which serve the suburbs — host similar programs. Ticket prices for these range from $1 to $2, and the movies are recent family fare, all rated either G or PG.

Another chain with a big presence in the suburbs, Kansas City-based AMC Theaters, offers a different kind of series — one geared toward autistic children and others with sensory issues.

AMC's Sensory Friendly Films series gives families a chance to see first-run films in a more comfortable sensory environment. The music and sound is turned down, and the lights in the auditorium are turned up. In addition, young moviegoers are free to move around during the film.

The program got under way in 11 AMC theaters in 2008, when a parent of an autistic child in the Baltimore area requested special movie screenings for local autistic children. This year, in partnership with the Autism Society of America, AMC will offer the Sensory Friendly Films series in more than 130 theaters across the country, including several in the suburbs.

“It gives children, especially those with autism, a sense of inclusion,” said Cindy Huffstickler, manager of community relations for AMC Theaters. “They can see the same movies everyone else is and talk about them with their friends.”

The Sensory Friendly Films screenings occur once a month during the summer. Ticket prices vary by theater; while not as steeply discounted as other summer movie series, tickets for the Sensory Friendly Films screenings generally run cheaper than regular children's tickets.

The movies on this year's schedule include “Kung Fu Panda 2,” “Cars 2” and “Smurfs.”

Huffstickler said that while the screenings are geared toward children with the kind of sensory issues often associated with autism, any child is welcome to attend.

“Lots of children can find movies to be too loud or frightening in a typical auditorium,” she said.

Huffstickler hopes that support for the Sensory Friendly Films series remains high, so that children who might otherwise avoid them can be exposed to movies. (The chain used to run a discounted matinee series like other theater chains but discontinued it because of poor attendance.)

“There's still nothing like seeing a movie on a big screen in a theater,” she said.

<b>Summer matinee series</b>

<b>Classic Cinemas Wednesday Morning Movie Series</b>

Ÿ Movies shown at 10 a.m. Wednesdays, June 15 through Aug. 10

Ÿ Tickets $1

Ÿ Suburban locations: Elk Grove Theaters, Fox Lake Theaters, Charlestowne 18 (St. Charles), Cinema 12 (Carpentersville), Ogden 6 (Naperville), Tivoli (Downers Grove), York (Elmhurst)

Ÿ Titles include “Yogi Bear” and “Megamind.” For a schedule, see <a href="http://www.classiccinemas.com" target="_blank">classiccinemas.com</a>.

<b>Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse</b>

Ÿ Movies at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, June 14 through Aug. 16

Ÿ Tickets $1 (or buy tickets in advance for all 10 films for $5)

Ÿ Suburban locations: Cinemark at Seven Bridges (Woodridge)

Ÿ Titles include “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Cats and Dogs 2.” For a schedule, see <a href="http://www.cinemark.com" target="_blank">cinemark.com</a>.

<b>Regal's Summer Movie Express</b>

Ÿ Movies start at 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, June 14 through Aug. 10

Ÿ Tickets $1

Ÿ Suburban locations: Crystal Lake Showplace Stadium 16, Round Lake Beach Stadium 18, Cantera Stadium 17 (Warrenville)

Ÿ Titles include “Alpha and Omega” and “Legend of the Guardians.” For a schedule, see regmovies.com.

<b>Marcus Theatres Kids Rule</b>

Ÿ Movies start at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, June 21 through Aug. 11

Ÿ Tickets $2

Ÿ Suburban locations: Addison Cinema, Elgin Cinema, Gurnee Cinema

Ÿ Titles include “Rango” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.” For a schedule, see <a href="http://www.marcustheatres.com" target="_blank">marcustheatres.com</a>.

<b>AMC Sensory Friendly Films</b>

Ÿ Movies start at 10 a.m.; the series runs once a month June 4 through Aug. 6

Ÿ Ticket prices vary by location

Ÿ Suburban locations: Lake in the Hills 12, Naperville 16, South Barrington 30, Yorktown 17 (Lombard)

Ÿ Titles include “Kung Fu Panda 2” and “Cars 2.” For a schedule, see <a href="http://www.amctheatres.com" target="_blank">amctheatres.com</a>.