"It has been our laboratory to test concepts and take risks." That's how Celebration Cinema owner JD Loeks described Studio C when the company announced its closing, as WLNS reported in August. The lab at 1999 Central Park Drive showed its last film on Oct. 4, after 14 years in the space that used to be an AMC.
This is Okemos's first holiday season in a long time with no theater inside the township, so the easy version of movie night is gone. You used to be able to decide at 6:30 and be in a recliner by 7 at Meridian Mall. The good news is that the region's best movie deals between now and Christmas Eve are tied to set dates anyway. Free family films, $5 double features and the cheap weeknights all run on a schedule. If you plan ahead, you'll do fine.
Why the lab closed, and where its ideas ended up
Studio C wasn't a typical theater. According to WLNS, it was the first in the company's lineup to offer recliner seating and a full kitchen. Loeks said the company opened it in 2012 intending to "un-learn everything we thought we knew about movie theatres." Alcohol was on the menu too.
The company says the closing came down to the lease. Spokesperson Emily Loeks told the Lansing State Journal that the lease ran out this year. She said running a "small scale theatre on leased property with higher fixed expenses" was "no longer viable," and that the company has been "choosing to reinvest in the properties that we own." She also said the most successful experiments have since been built into renovations and additions at Celebration Cinema theaters across West and Central Michigan.
In other words, the ideas didn't go away. They moved to theaters Celebration owns. The closest one is Celebration Cinema Lansing at 200 E. Edgewood Blvd., off I-96 on the south side. Its C Premium XL auditorium has two 4K laser projectors, Dolby Atmos sound, a 72-foot screen and heated reclining seats. If you were a Studio C regular, your VIP and C Rewards memberships and benefits carry over to every other Celebration Cinema location.
The other big screen nearby is NCG Eastwood Towne Center at 2500 Showtime Drive in Lansing, which has an IMAX auditorium. Between those two theaters, plus one free option on campus, here's what the season looks like.
The cheapest seats this season have dates attached
The deals are spread over a five-week stretch, and most of them only happen on certain days. This table runs from publish day through Christmas Eve:
| Date | Where | What's showing | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Nov. 19 | NCG Eastwood | The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens | Regular pricing |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | MSU Film Collective, Wells Hall B122, 7 p.m. | Los Lobos del este | Free |
| Nov. 29, 30 and Dec. 2 | NCG Eastwood | Krampus + Jack Frost | $5 per movie |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | MSU Film Collective, 7 p.m. | El Gezira | Free |
| Dec. 4 to 6 | NCG Eastwood | Elf | Free tickets |
| Dec. 6, 7 and 9 | NCG Eastwood | Bad Santa + Christmas Vacation | $5 per movie |
| Thu., Dec. 10 | MSU Film Collective, 7 p.m. | Seven Islands and a Metro | Free |
| Dec. 11 to 13 | NCG Eastwood | The Grinch | Free tickets |
| Dec. 13, 14 and 16 | NCG Eastwood | Gremlins + A Christmas Story | $5 per movie |
| Tue., Dec. 15 | NCG Eastwood | Dune: Part Three early access | Check listing |
| Thu., Dec. 17 | NCG Eastwood | Dune: Part Three, including IMAX, and Avengers: Doomsday open | Regular pricing |
| Dec. 18 to 24 | NCG Eastwood, 10 a.m. daily | The Polar Express | Free tickets |
The free family titles come from NCG's Holiday Family Film Festival, which shows a different holiday movie each week. Tickets are free, but NCG notes that event terms apply and that online or upgrade fees may apply. The $5 double features are part of NCG's Naughty & Nice Festival, which leans toward the grown-up end of holiday movies. It started earlier in November, so Okemos readers can still catch the last three pairings.
The Thursday screenings on campus are the low-key option. The MSU Film Collective shows international and repertory films at 7 p.m. in Wells Hall B122. They're free and open to the public. Three Thursdays remain this fall: Nov. 19, Dec. 3 and Dec. 10.
Filling the weeks between the festival dates
Some weeks have no special screening. For those, the regular discount nights cover most of the gap, and they also depend on the day of the week:
- Tuesdays at NCG Eastwood. NCG says every Tuesday is discount day, with tickets at $6 for most shows. Some exclusions and fees apply, according to NCG's FAQ.
- Monday through Thursday at Celebration. Celebration Cinema lists weekday savings Monday through Thursday, plus Tuesday discounts for C Rewards members. That second one matters if your membership came over from Studio C.
- Family matinees at Celebration. Celebration's deals page lists Flick's Family Film as free for kids 12 and under.
- Sensory-friendly showtimes at Celebration Cinema Lansing. The Edgewood theater runs showings with adjusted sound and lighting. Check the theater page for dates.
Celebration's gift cards might work well as stocking stuffers now that the nearest Celebration is a short drive instead of a walk through the mall. They come in $10, $25, $50 and $100 amounts, they don't expire, and you can use them for tickets and concessions at any Celebration Cinema.
Meridian Mall's own December lines up with the free movie weekends
The theater's lights are off, but the mall's December calendar is still full. Several of its events fall on the same weekends as NCG's free films, so you can plan one outing around both.
The Meridian Mall events page lists the Okemos Winter Wonderland Craft & Vendor Market on Dec. 5 and 6, the same weekend NCG is showing Elf for free. The Holiday Bash Craft & Vendor Show runs Dec. 18 to 20, which overlaps the first three days of the free Polar Express run. Since The Polar Express plays at 10 a.m. every day from Dec. 18 through Christmas Eve, you can see a morning movie on the west side and still get back to the mall for the vendor show that afternoon.
A few other mall dates to know:
- Nov. 21: Read with Buddy's Pals! at Schuler Books, Music, & Café.
- Nov. 28: Signing Day Saturday, Small Business Saturday Edition, at Schuler Books.
- Nov. 30: Pet Photos with Santa at Santa's Workshop. That's also the second night of the Krampus and Jack Frost double feature at NCG.
The Saturday farmers market has also moved indoors at the mall for the winter. Between the market, the vendor shows and the bookstore, there's still plenty to plan a December Saturday around. The difference is that the movie part now takes a drive.
How to plan a holiday movie season from Okemos
Put the dates on the fridge before Thanksgiving. The free family films run Friday through Sunday on Dec. 4 to 6 and Dec. 11 to 13, and the Polar Express week is the busiest stretch, right as school lets out. The $5 double features run Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. The campus screenings are on Thursdays. So in every week from Thanksgiving to Christmas, at least one day has a deal. Since all of these are live theater listings, check showtimes and any online fees on the theater's site before you leave.
Studio C's recliners, kitchen and anything-goes approach shaped the theaters that came after it. Starting Oct. 4, Okemos residents see those features at 200 E. Edgewood Blvd. instead of at the mall.
At Advantage In Team, we keep track of how changes like this play out in everyday Okemos life, from the farmers market moving indoors to movie night now taking a drive. Places opening and closing nearby also shape what your home is worth, so if you've been wondering where yours stands this season, start with a quick, no-pressure look. Get Your Instant Home Valuation, and we'll gladly talk through it over popcorn.