CinemaSalem Showtimes for this week

We have a great theater in Salem - it's right downtown, so it's perfect for pairing a movie with a meal (Essex NY Pizza and Asahi Japanese are right there in Museum Place Mall). The weather's been a bit April-showery lately, so movies are a good escape.

The best part is that CinemaSalem gives back to the community - providing grants to arts and cultural organizations in Salem.

Now Playing:
Hannah Montana (G);
I Love You, Man (R);
The Pope's Toilet (NR);
Monsters vs. Aliens (PG)!

Visit CinemaSalem.com for complete info, descriptions and times.

The weather outside looks gloomy...

...so go to the movies - here's what CinemaSalem has scheduled for this weekend:

Although it's the blockbusters and family fare that pays the bills, it's awesome to be able to bring in quality cinema of the more artistic kind, including three great flicks in the last three weeks: The Duchess, Appaloosa, and this week's title, Oliver Stone's W. With more great films rolling out this fall, we hope to keep the streak going for a while longer.

W (PG13-129 minutes) impressed the New York Daily News: "W. is not the hatchet job some may have expected (or hoped for). It is instead a measured and thoughtful meditation on a leader who, this terrific movie believes, inadvertently made the world as roiling as his soul."
With the national holiday falling in Tuesday, we've got a hefty schedule of screenings for all our films. W will play on Friday at (4:50) and 7:30; Saturday and Sunday at (11:40 AM), (2:15), (4:50) and 7:30; Monday at (4:50) and 7:30; Tuesday at (11:40 AM), (2:15), (4:50) and 7:30; and Wednesday and Thursday at (4:50) and 7:30.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (PG- 99 minutes) a great new family animated feature from Dreamworks. Variety Magazine loves it, calling it "a notable improvement on its predecessor in every department."
Madagascar 2 will play Friday (5:00), 7:00 and 9:00; Saturday at (11:00 AM), (1:00), (3:00), (5:00), 7:00 and 9:00; Sunday at (11:00 AM), (1:00), (3:00), (5:00) and 7:00; Monday at (5:00) and 7:00; Tuesday at (11:00 AM), (1:00), (3:00), (5:00) and 7:00; Wednesday and Thursday at 5:00 and 7:00.

That's right, you read it correctly: six screenings of Madagascar 2 in one day, a new CinemaSalem record. If anyone buys tickets to all six shows of the film on Saturday, we'll offer them unlimited FREE delicious coffee drinks, smoothies, desserts, and alternative concessions in the new Cinema Café!

Even if you can't devote a day of your life to watching MAD 2 six times in one day, you can use your CinemaSalem ticket stub to any movie in order to get a steep discount at the Café, either $1.00 off the Daily Special (such as a Mint Mocha or Hot Caramel Cider) or a large beverage for the price of a small!) Or if you don't want to come to the movies to earn a discount, you can always clip the attached coupon.

Still drawing big crowds at CinemaSalem is the finale of the film series that defined a generation, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, and it's not because of Dick Cheney's cameo (since there isn't one). The Washington Post wonders why you (yes, you) haven't taken it in: "Despite its own over- processed production values, "High School Musical 3" exudes genuine appeal, thanks to director Kenny Ortega's brilliant choreography and a gifted cast.
HSM 3 will play Friday at (4:30), 7:15 and 9:35; Saturday at (11:30 AM), (2:00), (4:30), 7:15 and 9:35; Sunday at (11:30 AM), (2:00), (4:30) and 7:15; Monday at (4:30) and 7:15; Tuesday at (11:30 AM), (2:00), (4:30) and 7:15; and Wednesday and Thursday at (4:30) and 7:15.

For those of you who are sorry that Halloween is over, -- surprise! -- SAW V (R - 85 minutes) stays for one more week with Friday and Saturday night shows at 10 pm.

The Lace Reader

There are some very cool things afoot in Salem these days. One of them is the upcoming publication of the novel, The Lace Reader, by Brunonia Barry. The book takes place almost entirely in Salem, and features some of our favorite spots including The Hawthorne Hotel, Salem Common, Derby Wharf, The Custom House, The Salem Ferry, Reds, The Peabody Essex Museum, The Ropes Mansion, the First Church, Chestnut Street, The Willows (need I go on?).

In preparation for the promotion of the publication of the book, William Morrow sent Fireman Productions to Salem to shoot two short videos. They shot all over town, and did a lot of work with Brunonia Barry. I can't wait to see the final product!

Because The Lace Reader is about women who make Ipswich Lace (Lace making in Ipswich is believed to be one of the first female industries in America), local lace maker and historical reenactor Linda Lane was brought in to demonstrate the impressive art of lace making. These photos are of Linda's lace making pillow and her beautiful bobbins, and of Linda and film makers Claude and Jeff at work in the Hawthorne Hotel.

The novel comes out on July 29. Visit www.lacereader.com for more information.

Come to Salem and See the World!

I am so excited to tell you about the first annual Salem Film Fest!

Kudos to Paul Van Ness at CinemaSalem, Rinus Oosthoek at the Salem Chamber of Commerce and their team, which has compiled an excellent schedule of films and special events that begin today.

Salem Film Fest will be a "celebration of international film and music in Salem, America’s first international city." And it will feature
documentaries, feature and short films from around the world. There will be discussions with filmmakers, and parties with world-class musicians in one of America’s most beautiful and historic cities.

The screenings are happening at CinemaSalem and the parties are being hosted at venues throughout Salem. It's an excellent reason to spend some time in Salem this weekend and next week!