Orange County Register

With the economy the way it is, is movie-going still an escape from the world’s woes?

I’m not just referring to the onslaught of political films that have been big-screened in the past couple years. Ticket prices, of course, pose a more immediate danger to cinematic enjoyment than Iraq reenactments and Dick Dreyfuss’ best Dick Cheney.

Each week on Irvine Retail, we’ll post theatrical options that won’t break the bank. If any get glossed over, feel free to comment below.

The UC Irvine Film and Video Center shows free films with rotating themes. All screenings take place in Lucille Kuehn Auditorium (click for map), Room 100 of the Humanities Instructional Building. This week finds two film noir titles with iconic femme fatals:

Thursday (tonight)
Sudden Fear
starring Joan Crawford and Jack Palance in a thriller about a murderous plot within a plot.
7 p.m.

Friday
Gilda
starring Rita Hayworth as the wife of an impervious casino owner.
7 p.m.

The Irvine Multicultural Association offers free admissions for its periodic movie nights at City Hall (click for map), 1 Civic Center Plaza.

Friday
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring
a simple story that follows the life of a monk in a remote Korean Buddhist monastery.
6 p.m.

Down the road a bit, The Woodbridge 5 (click for map), at 4626 Barranca Parkway, is Irvine’s only known discount movie house. Ticket prices are a throwback to the 1960s: $1.50 for matinees (before 6 p.m.) $2.00 post-matinees and $1.00 all day on Tuesdays.

Here are this weekend’s showtimes (click films for synopses):

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2D)
Rated PG for intense adventure action and some scary moments.
12:25 p.m. | 2:35 | 4:45 | 7:30 | 9:45

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
Rated PG-13 for mature material and sensuality.
12:00 p.m. | 4:30 | 7:00

Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Rated PG for sci-fi action violence throughout, brief language and momentary smoking.
12:15 p.m.| 2:20 | 7:20

The Pineapple Express
R for pervasive language, drug use, sexual references and violence.
4:30 p.m. | 9:35

Step Brothers
Rated R for crude and sexual content, and pervasive language.
2:30 p.m. | 9:30

Tropic Thunder
Rated R for pervasive language including sexual references, violent content and drug material.
12:30 | 4:20 | 7:15 | 9:40

WALL-E
Rated G for general audiences.
12:10 p.m. | 2:25

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