Movie Theatres in and Near Belleville, Illinois

Belleville, Illinois and surrounding cities are filled with great movie theaters that each offer variety in the movie going experience as well as prices. Even with two theaters closing in the last several years, the city is still home to a large movie going audience.

In the city of Belleville itself, there is the Lincoln Theatre , located in the heart of downtown. It once was a cheaper theater with dollar matinées and had movies a few weeks after they premiered. It's chief rival at the time was the Ritz theater, which did the exact same thing. Over the years it has remained a lower cost venue while moving up to newer films. Prices are $6 for adults while students and seniors are $5. They still feature a lower cost matinée on the weekends, going for a straight $4. Their seating is an old fashion movie style but very comfortable. They have a basic but well priced concession stand. Really their only flaw is having fewer options, they usually only show three films at a time. But they have teamed up with Fantasy Books, a local comic book shop and will have special midnight premieres of many films at the regular prices, which is very nice.

Belleville is also home of one of the last remaining drive ins. Sadly a dying breed, the Skyview in Belleville still gives a great experience along with two movies for a low price. Admission is $9 dollar for an adult, and for every adult you can get two kids in for free, after which any additional children are $2.50. Most likely this is to ensure the kids are watched over, but even then it is a good value. There are two screens and four movies play a night, two on each screen. It is the old fashion double feature, so really the cost is $4.50 per movie. The concession stand is a bit pricey, but since you bring your own seats in your car, you are free to bring food and drinks along with you (including alcohol). If you need anything there is the concession stand or a grocery store right next door. The staff does let people leave and come back (on foot), so in between movies you are free to grab anything you may have forgotten. For sound you have to have your radio on the specific station, so sound is just as good as your own speakers. Skyview is open from April-October, from April until May, and August until October, they are open only on the weekend, and the rest of the summer it is every night of the week. If you have never been to a drive in movie, you owe it to yourself to go at least once, they use to be the most popular way to see movies and have sadly declined to the point of near death. Skyview typically takes the biggest movie of the weekend and shows it with a recent movie from the last month or so that is similar, while the other screen does the same with a different new movie. Last year when the Dark Knight came out, it was shown with Iron Man, for example.

Just outside of Belleville, no more then a ten minute drive, lies two theatres that are quite similar, the O'Fallon 15 , and the St. Clair 10 . Both are owned and operated by Wehrenburg Theatres, both have stadium seating, and near identical movie selections of the top new releases. Both start their adult pricing at $9.25, with seniors at $7, the only difference in price is that the O'Fallon 15 has kids at $7, while St. Clair 10 it is $6.50. Their matinee prices (before 5 PM) are both $7 flat, but once more the St. Clair 10 has kids at $6.50, neither theater has student pricing sadly. They both also feature arcade games for entertainment before the show, with the O'Falln 15 having a larger area. Their concession stands are both near mirror images with popcorn, soda, and candy. They also have free refills for popcorn and large soda, any other size costs a dollar to refill though. There are some differences between the two. The O'Fallon 15 is larger, and houses at least one theater with 3D capability. They have also from time to time over the summer ran cult movies on Saturday nights at a low price, including one memorable night of Rocky Horror Picture Show. The St. Clair 10 on the other hand is a bit smaller, but seating for the new releases is usually houses in the "cuddle" seat theaters, where the arm rest can be lifted and you can sit nice and close with your date. This feature really makes the 10 the better place to go on a date and just helps with a cozier and more comfortable feeling in general.

Finally, if you cross the river from Belleville, there is the Tivoli Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a local art house theatre, and if you want to see any limited release films it is the place to go in the area. It features three screens, including one with giant seating, though the other two do not lack for space. The seats are very comfortable with lots of room for any customer. Tickets cost $9 general with $7 at the various special deals, which includes seniors, children, and Monday-Friday before 6PM and all weekend. They also feature weekend cult films starting in May that have ranged from Army of Darkness, to Fight Club, and also include horror films, and anime, the only consistent is the weekend near Halloween, and the weekend before is four nights of Rocky Horror Picture Show, it always sells out and also features the local group, the Samurai Electricians doing a floor show during the film. They are also part of many film festivals including the St. Louis International Film Festival. The concession stand is well stacked and for anyone tired of typical movie popcorn, they pride themselves on using real butter on their popcorn. The Tivoli is the perfect place to see independent films, documentaries, and the cult classic, you won't see the new big blockbuster there, but you will see many quality films.

Sources: http://www.lincolntheatre-belleville.com/

http://www.skyview-drive-in.com/secondpage.htm

http://www.wehrenberg.com/theaterDetail.asp?theatre=21&date=4%2F19%2F2009

http://www.wehrenberg.com/theaterDetail.asp?theatre=27&date=4%2F19%2F2009

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/St.Louis/TivoliTheatre.htm