Christmas movies showing at Milwaukee-area theaters
Sometimes, the movies showing during the holiday season actually are about the holidays.
In addition to Yule-themed Hollywood offerings (“A Bad Moms Christmas,” “Daddy’s Home 2,” “The Man Who Invented Christmas”), an array of holiday chestnuts — along with a few forgotten gifts — are showing in Milwaukeearea theaters in December. Here’s a list, worthy of checking twice. Marcus Theatres is showing “retro” Holiday Classics from Dec. 1 through Dec. 14 in multiple locations, including the Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, North Shore, Ridge and South Shore cinemas, and the new Bistroplex at Southridge Mall. Tickets are $5. Showtimes and ticket info: marcustheatres.com. Dec. 1-7: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Elf” and “The Polar Express” Dec. 8-14: “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “A Christmas Story” and “White Christmas”
Rivoli Theater
The Rivoli Theatre’s holiday-season tradition — a marathon of Christmas-y fare — returns starting Dec. 8 with 16 straight days of movies and TV shows on the big screen at the Cedarburg discount movie house, W62-N567 Washington Ave. Admission is $3.50. Info: rivoliofcedarburg.com.
Dec. 8: 7 p.m., “A Christmas Story”
Dec. 9: 1 p.m., “Samantha: American Girl Holiday”; 3:30 p.m., “The Polar Express”; 7 p.m., “White Christmas”
Dec. 10: 1 p.m., “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”; 3:30 p.m., “Elf”; 7 p.m., “It’s a Wonderful Life” Dec. 11: 7 p.m., “A Christmas Story”
Dec. 12: 7 p.m., “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” Dec. 13: 7 p.m., “Holiday Inn” Dec. 14: 7 p.m., “The Bells of St. Mary’s” Dec. 15: 7 p.m., “White Christmas”
Dec. 16: 1 p.m., “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”; 3:30 p.m., “A Christmas Story”; 7 p.m., “Elf”
Dec. 17: 1 p.m., “Samantha: American Girl Holiday”; 3:30 p.m., “The Polar Express”; 7 p.m., “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Dec. 18: 7 p.m., “White Christmas” Dec. 19: 7 p.m., “The Holiday” Dec. 20: 7 p.m., “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” Dec. 21: 7 p.m., “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Dec. 22: 1 p.m., “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”; 3:30 p.m.,
“Elf”; 7 p.m., “A Christmas Story”
Dec. 23: 1 p.m., “Elf”; 3:30 p.m., “The Polar Express”; 7 p.m., “White Christmas”
IPic Theater
IPic, 5800 N. Bayshore Drive, Glendale, has booked some fresh holiday offerings during the first half of December, including an extended run of 2013’s “The Best Man Holiday.” Showtimes and ticket info: ipictheaters.com.
Dec. 1-6: “The Best Man Holiday”
Dec. 2-3: “The Polar Express” and “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Dec. 9-10: “Elf,” “Gremlins” and “White Christmas”
Neighborhood Theater Group
The operators of the Avalon Theater and Times and Rosebud cinemas load up on their own brand of Christmas cheer in December, mixing staples like “It’s a Wonderful Life” with some should-be staples, such as “Die Hard,” “Trading Places” and 1974’s “Black Christmas.” Here’s what they have listed showing so far; admission, except where noted, is $5.
At the Avalon, 2473 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. (info: avalonmke.com):
Dec. 1-2: 10 p.m., “Die Hard”
Dec. 8-9: 10 p.m., “Trading Places”
Dec. 9: 10:30 a.m., “The Bishop’s Wife”
(also has a $15 brunch option)
Dec. 16-17: 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., “Jingle All the Way” Dec. 23-25: 10:30 a.m., “It’s a Wonderful Life” Dec. 29-30: 10 p.m., “Love Actually”
At the Times, 5906 W. Vliet St. (info: timescinema.com):
Dec. 16-17: 11 a.m., “Holiday Inn”
Dec. 22: 9 p.m., “Black Christmas” (DJ spin starts at 8 p.m.)
Dec. 23-25: 11 a.m., “White Christmas”
At the Rosebud, 6823 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa (info: rosebudcinema.com):
Dec. 23-25: 11 a.m., “It’s a Wonderful Life”