CLEARWATER — If you are experiencing a case of the nostalgia itch this summer while celebrating America’s 250th birthday, it might be time to check out the Summer Classic Movie Series presented by Bilheimer Capitol Theatre and WXGL 107.3 The Eagle. Film screenings will be presented at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.
To reflect the semiquincentennial, the films chosen for the summer movie series this year represent a wide variety of unique American storytelling through film. Single tickets and loge box four-pack tickets are on sale now. Single general admission tickets starting at $5 are available by calling 727-791-7400 or visiting www.RuthEckerdHall.com. Loge box packages starting at $75 are also available, which includes seating for four in a private luxury box, as well as four snacks and four non-alcoholic beverages.
Single tickets may also be purchased on the day of the film screening at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre box office. The box office will be open one hour prior to the start of the film. General admission seating will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. All movies, dates and times are subject to change.
Here’s a look at the Summer Classic Movies Series:
‘Armageddon’
Friday, July 10 at 7 p.m.
Genre: Science fiction disaster
Cast: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, Will Patton, Peter Stormare, Keith David, Owen Wilson, William Fichtner and Steve Buscemi
Director: Michael Bay
Rated: PG-13
A rogue comet is hurtling toward Earth, and it turns out that the only hope to save humanity from an extinction level event is third-generation oil driller Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) and his ragtag crew of deep-core drillers. Even though it generally takes 10 years to become a fully qualified astronaut, Stamper and his team complete the crash course version in less than a month. There’s plenty of catastrophic impacts in the meantime as meteors bopped out of the asteroid belt by the incoming comet target various major cities. “Armageddon” is among the best disaster flicks around, and it features a fantastic cast — and Willis is in his gritty prime.
‘An American Tail: Fievel Goes West’
Screening: Saturday, July 11 at 2 p.m.
Genre: Animated western musical comedy and adventure
Cast: Phillip Glasser, James Stewart, Erica Yohn, Cathy Cavadini, Nehemiah Persoff, Dom DeLuise, Amy Irving, John Cleese, and Jon Lovitz
Directors: Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells
Rated: G
The sequel to 1986’s “An American Tail,” “Fievel Goes West” follows the story of the Mousekeqitzes, a family of mice who emigrate to the Wild West, unaware they are falling into a trap perpetrated by a smooth-talking cat. Phillip Glasser, Dom DeLuise, Nehemiah Persoff and Erica Yohn reprise their roles from the first film. New characters are voiced by John Cleese, Amy Irving, Jon Lovitz and Jimmy Stewart in his final film role.
‘Captain America: The First Avenger’
Screening: Friday, July 31 at 7 p.m.
Genre: Superhero
Cast: Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper, Toby Jones, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke, and Stanley Tucci
Director: Joe Johnston
Rated: PG-13
It seems like a lifetime ago: When “Captain America: The First Avenger” was released in 2011, it was only the fifth feature film in the still fledgling Marvel Cinematic Universe. This summer will see the release of the 38th film in the MCU. So, take this opportunity to travel back in time (without using the Time Stone) to a simpler age. The film stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, a frail man who, using the “Super-Soldier serum,” is transformed into Captain America. In his new role, he must stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) from using the Tesseract as an energy source for world domination.
‘National Treasure’
Screening: Saturday, August 1 at 2 p.m.
Genre: Action and adventure heist film
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight, Diane Kruger, Sean Bean, Justin Bartha and Christopher Plummer
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Rated: PG
Released in 2004, “National Treasure” launched a thriving franchise. The first film stars Nicolas Cage in the lead role, alongside Justin Bartha, Diane Kruger, Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight and Christopher Plummer. The story follows Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage), a historian, along with computer expert Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) and archivist Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), as they search for a massive lost Freemason treasure, which includes a map hidden on the back of the United States Declaration of Independence. The franchise includes two feature films, a prequel book series, and a television series set 20 years after the films.
‘Stripes’
Screening: Friday, August 14 at 7 p.m.
Genre: War comedy
Cast: Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates, P. J. Soles, Sean Young, and John Candy
Director: Ivan Reitman
Rated: R
“Stripes” is an irreverent 1981 American war comedy revolving around taxicab driver John Winger (Bill Murray), who manages to lose his job, his girlfriend, his car and his apartment all in one morning. Lacking direction, Winger decides to enlist in the army, and manages to convince his friend Russell (Harold Ramis) to join him. The film’s cast also includes Warren Oates, P. J. Soles, Sean Young, John Candy, John Larroquette, Judge Reinhold, Joe Flaherty, and Dave Thomas.
‘Glory’
Screening: Saturday, August 15 at 7 p.m.
Genre: Epic historical war drama
Cast: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, and Morgan Freeman
Director: Edward Zwick
Rated: R
This 1989 film follows the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the Union Army’s earliest African American regiments in the American Civil War. The story ranges from the formation of the regiment to their heroic actions at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner. Matthew Broderick stars as Col. Robert Gould Shaw, the regiment’s commanding officer. Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman portray fictional members of the regiment. The film received five Oscar nominations, winning three, with Washington taking Best Supporting Actor.
‘Miracle’
Screening: Saturday, August 29 at 7 p.m.
Genre: Sports drama
Cast: Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, and Noah Emmerich
Director: Gavin O’Connor
Rated: PG
“Miracle,” released in 2004, is the true story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team’s victory over the seemingly invincible Soviet squad in the Winter Olympics. Kurt Russell stars as head coach Herb Brooks.
‘Apollo 13’
Screening: Saturday, September 5 at 7 p.m.
Genre: Docudrama
Cast: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris and Kathleen Quinlan
Director: Ron Howard
Rated: PG
Originally released in 1995, the film dramatizes the 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission, recounting the story of astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) and Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) on board the ill-fated spacecraft. Apollo 13 was to be the fifth crewed mission to the Moon. An on-board explosion causes a critical loss of oxygen supply and electrical power, forcing NASA to abandon the mission and improvise solutions to return the astronauts to Earth.