Big screen entertainment for a small budget

Brady_LassGusties that were disappointed to see the St. Peter movie theater close now have a new alternative for their cinematic entertainment in the form of Mankato’s Ciné Grand. The theater formerly known as Mankato Place Theater at the Mankato Place Mall is now reopened as the Ciné Grand and has the movies and deals Gusties don’t want to miss.

As someone who’s formerly worked at a movie theater I know that one of the main reasons people don’t go out and see movies is because tickets can be very expensive these days. Thankfully, Ciné Grand has tried to solve that problem by offering tickets that are only $3.50, and has a $1.50 special on Tuesdays. The tickets may seem cheap, but the experience is not, as their seating consists of big red recliners to make your viewing experience as comfortable as possible.

Movies that are shown at the Ciné Grand are films that have just finished their theatrical run, so if you did not get the chance to see these films in theaters a month or a few weeks ago, now you have the opportunity to see them at a low price. The films currently playing appeal to a variety of audiences.

The Pyramid is a found footage horror film that focuses on an archaeologist team trapped in haunted Egyptian ruins. People that are in the mood for an animated film have two options: DreamWorks’ Penguins of Madagascar, starring the lovable flightless birds in a spinoff from the Madagascar franchise, and Boxtrolls, a stop motion film made from the creators of Coraline and ParaNorman that is one of the nominees for the Academy Award for best animated film.

Christian Bale portrays Moses in Ridley Scott’s version of Exodus: Gods and Kings (though he isn’t the first Batman to portray Moses. That would be Val Kilmer in Prince of Egypt). Those in the mood for a laugh can check out The Interview in this theater as well. Not only is there the comedic duo of Seth Rogen and James Franco, but now people have the opportunity to see the film that caused Sony to get hacked in one of the biggest controversies of 2014.

“The Cine Grand has the movies and deals Gusties don’t want to miss.”

One of the more interesting films playing is Big Eyes, a biographical-comedy drama directed by Tim Burton (who’s out of his comfort zone in this one because neither Johnny Depp nor Helena Bonham Carter are seen in this picture). It focuses on the couple Margaret and Walter Keane, who was notorious in the 1950s as he took credit for his wife’s art. It was nominated for a number of Golden Globes and won Amy Adams Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.

My personal pick of the bunch is David Fincher’s Gone Girl starring Ben Affleck and the now Oscar nominated Rosamund Pike. Affleck’s character is blamed by the media for the disappearance of his wife, but the truth of her disappearance is more than any of them could possibly imagine. It has great acting, directing, and a twist that Shamylan wished he could think of. All these films are available for just a few bucks at the Ciné Grand.

-Brady Lass