Rialto Cinemas is continuing its Free Family Matinee and Big Screen Classics series.

The Free Family Matinee series features kid-friendly movies on the first Saturday and Sunday of each month. They will show at 10 am at Rialto Cinemas Cerrito, and at 11 am at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood and Rialto Cinemas Sonoma County in Sebastopol. The films in this series will be:

• Aug. 5 – 6 The Karate Kid (1984)
• Sept. 2 – 3 The Dark Crystal (1982)
• Oct. 7 – 8 Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
• Nov. 4 – 5 A Cat in Paris (2010)
• De. 2 – 3 Gremlins (1984)

The Big Screen Classics series features films from the classic era of cinema. They will show on the second Thursday of each month at 1 pm at all three Rialto theaters (the Cerrito, the Elmwood, and the Sonoma County). The films in this series will be:

• Aug. 10 The Trouble with Harry (1955)
• Sept. 14 You Can’t Take It With You (1938)
• Oct. 12 The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
• Nov. 9 What’s Cooking (2000)
• Dec. 14 White Christmas (1954)

No admission fee will be charged for any of these screenings. Tickets will be available beginning the Friday before each screening. More information is available at rialtocinemas.com.

By now you’ve probably heard that the Albany Twin Theater on Solano Avenue has closed its doors. Its last day of business was Thursday, June 15. The closure of the Albany was a sad event for local film lovers.

An organization called The Friends of the Albany Twin has formed to save the theater. They are collecting contact information from like-minded people, along with people’s levels of interest. If you sign up, you can receive emails, news of events, petitions, notices of meetings, and other information, depending on your level of interest. The goal is to create a unified effort to bring the Albany Twin back to life.

To submit your contact info, click here:

Friends of the Albany Twin Contact Form

Thanks for your interest!

This is a reminder of the big awards party at Rialto Cinemas Cerrito this coming Sunday, March 12. In addition to the viewing party, there will be food and beverages, a costume contest, games, trivia, and prizes. The event will be a fundraiser for Contra Costa Civic Theater. Our friend Melissa Hatheway will host the event.

The red carpet will start at 4 p.m., and the awards will start at 5 p.m. Tickets are $50.

Please click here for more information, and here to buy tickets on line. You can also buy tickets at the box office. We advise you to buy your tickets soon, as the event may sell out.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the theater!