Much ado about movie theaters

There’s much ado about this week’s opening of the movie “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

An exclusive sneak preview takes place at Harkins Theatres – Fashion Square in Scottsdale at 7pm on Thurs, Nov 18.

Tickets are $20 apiece, and benefit Arcadia High School STUGO Prom and Project Graduation. They’re available only at the Arcadia front office and bookstore — and only while supplies last.

Maybe “Harry Potter” isn’t your vibe. If you’re more of a Metropolitan Opera buff, check out today’s movie theater showings of “The Met: Live in HD.”

“Donizetti’s Don Pasquale” can be seen at several Valley movie theaters Sat, Nov 13 (mostly AMC, but also Cinemark) — and more live MET performances come our way during the 2010-2011 season.

We’ve already got our tickets to see a live broadcast of the 25th anniversary performance of “Les Miserables In Concert.” It’s playing in select movie theaters nationwide on Wed, Nov 17. (Take note if your child is a Jonas Brothers fan.)

Harkins Theatres and Emerging Pictures present “Das Rheingold” this week as part of the “The Opera and Ballet in Cinema Series.”

It’ll show at 11am on Thurs, Nov 11 at Arrowhead Fountain 18, Chandler Fashion 20 and Scottsdale 101 14 theaters.

Other big news in movie theater world this week includes the Fri, Nov 19 opening of a new theater at the Scottsdale Pavilions (just off the 101 at Indian Bend).

Those of us who’ve driven for months through and around Pavilion-related construction zones are especially pleased that we’ll soon be able to reap some of the rewards.

UltraStar Cinemas’ UltraLuxe Theater in Scottsdale plans to add two family-friendly features come December. 

Their “Parenting Movie Morning” program will show a new film each week in a baby-friendly environment (think low light rather than total darkness, lower volume that’s easier on babies’ ears, accessible changing tables and such).

The “Kidtoons” program will feature a different G-rated film each month, to be  shown Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30am.

I like the timing on this baby. Get your exercise in the morning, then hit the movie theater. Take kids home for a healthy lunch and watch them nod off during naptime.

Movies are selected to appeal to preschool through school age children, and tickets for those who’ve passed big birthday number two are just $2.50 (littler one are free). And kids who attend get free giveaways like stickers or temporary tattoos.

The first “Kidtoons” movie shows at 10:30am on Sat, Dec 4. It’s “Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas.” Sounds like the perfect warm-up for an afternoon trip to see the many monkeys living at the Phoenix Zoo. (You can now enjoy “Curious George” on PBS television too.)

Technically, much ado about movies should involve Shakespeare in some way. So naturally I found that too. Turns out the fine folks at Emerging Cinemas now present “Ballet in Cinema,” “Opera in Cinema,” and “Shakespeare in Cinema” (complete with performances from the Globe Theatre in London).

But more about that in a future post. For now, we have “Harry Potter,” “The Chronicles of Narnia” and other holiday blockbusters to attend to.  

— Lynn

Coming up: Movies and mental illness, Finding art at the Phoenix Zoo