If you never got a chance to see “Lady Bird” or “American Graffiti” in theaters or just want to snag a discounted ticket to “Barbie,” Sunday is your chance.
More than 3,000 movie theaters across the country are offering $4 tickets to all showings in all formats on Sunday, Aug. 27 as part of National Cinema Day. The industry-sponsored event launched last year to try and lure people back to the cineplex following pandemic closures. Tickets in 2022 were $3.
As part of the promotion, a number of theaters in the Sacramento area are offering discounted tickets and additional showings of both current films and some reissued classics.
This year those classics include a Sacramento favorite: “Lady Bird,” St. Francis High School alumna Greta Gerwig’s 2017 Academy Award-nominated film. The movie follows the life of a teenage girl growing up in Sacramento — loosely based on Gerwig’s own River Park upbringing — and features a number of recognizable locations from around the city.
Also on the list is “American Graffiti,” George Lucas’ celebration of the 1960’s cruising scene in Modesto. The city recently ended a 33–year-old ban on cruising, with many residents citing the film’s legacy as a reason to change the law.
“Lady Bird” will be playing at 9:20 a.m. at the Regal Delta Shores, and at 10 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Tower Theater, which is also participating in the event and will have $4-showings all day Sunday.
“American Graffiti” will be at Regal Delta Shores at 4 p.m. and Century Sacramento Greenback 16 at 4 p.m.
If you’re more into current films, Gerwig also has another movie in theaters you may have heard of. You can find a full list of participating theaters and film listings on the National Cinema Day website.
It's the second consecutive year theaters are trotting out the one-day event at the tail end of summer. Last year's inaugural National Cinema Day, put on by the Cinema Foundation, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Association of Theater Owners, was judged an enormous success.
An estimated 8.1 million moviegoers bought $3 tickets on Saturday, Sept. 3. The average movie ticket in 2022, according to NATO, cost $10.53.
The discount gimmick turned into the highest-attended day of the year for theaters. A normally quiet time instead saw cinemas crowded with moviegoers — and theaters sold plenty of popcorn. This year, the day is moving up slightly on the calendar, shifting from Saturday to Sunday, and costs $1 more.
The event is also a way for studios to sell audiences on their fall lineups. A sneak peek of anticipated autumn releases will play before each screening.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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