Rialto Square Theatre Announces Reels at the Rialto 2023
Rialto Square Theatre is excited to announce our year-round movie series called “Reels at the Rialto.” This movie series is a nod to our Vaudeville movie palace past. “It’s important for us to offer a wide variety of entertainment options for the residents of Joliet and surrounding areas,” says Wade Welsh, Rialto Square Theatre Executive Director. “We are thrilled to partner with incredible sponsors so that we can make these movies affordable for everyone.” The sponsors of the Reels at the Rialto movie series are Old National Bank, D’Arcy Buick GMC, Window World, Edward Jones, and Castle Law.
Tickets are $5 each, and will be available day-of or in advance at the Rialto Square Theatre Box Office. Tickets are not available online. Doors will open at 6 PM; a free organ concert will start around 6:30 PM, all showings start at 7 PM. All seating will be general admission—first come, first serve. Bar and concessions (including freshly popped popcorn) will be available for purchase.
The 2023 Reels at the Rialto Movies Series at the Rialto Square Theatre will include the following mix of popular movies, old favorites, and some family-friendly titles:
Casablanca | PG
Thursday, February 23, 2023 | 7 PM
Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). Laszlo is a famed rebel, and with Germans on his tail, Ilsa knows Rick can help them get out of the country.
Wizard of Oz | G
Thursday, March 23, 2023 | 7 PM
When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road toward the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, and en route they meet a Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) that needs a brain, a Tin Man (Jack Haley) missing a heart, and a Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) who wants courage. The wizard asks the group to bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) to earn his help.
Napoleon Dynamite | PG
Thursday, April 26, 2023 | 7 PM
In small-town Preston, Idaho, awkward teen Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder) has trouble fitting in. After his grandmother is injured in an accident, his life is made even worse when his strangely nostalgic uncle, Rico (Jon Gries), shows up to keep an eye on him. With no safe haven at home or at school, Napoleon befriends the new kid, Pedro (Efren Ramirez), a morose Hispanic boy who speaks little English. Together the two launch a campaign to run for class president.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off | PG-13
Thursday, May 11, 2023 | 7 PM
Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) has an uncanny skill at cutting classes and getting away with it. Intending to make one last duck-out before graduation, Ferris calls in sick, “borrows” a Ferrari, and embarks on a one-day journey through the streets of Chicago. On Ferris’ trail is high school principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones), determined to catch him in the act.
The Sandlot | PG
Thursday, June 22, 2023 | 7 PM
When Scottie Smalls (Thomas Guiry) moves to a new neighborhood, he manages to make friends with a group of kids who play baseball at the sandlot. Together they go on a series of funny and touching adventures. The boys run into trouble when Smalls borrows a ball from his stepdad that gets hit over a fence.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail | PG
Thursday, July 20, 2023 | 7 PM
A comedic send-up of the grim circumstances of the Middle Ages as told through the story of King Arthur and framed by a modern-day murder investigation. When the mythical king of the Britons leads his knights on a quest for the Holy Grail, they face a wide array of horrors, including a persistent Black Knight, a three-headed giant, a cadre of shrubbery-challenged knights, the perilous Castle Anthrax, a killer rabbit, a house of virgins, and a handful of rude Frenchmen.
The Blues Brothers | R
Thursday, August 17, 2023 | 7 PM
After his release from prison, Jake (John Belushi) reunites with his brother, Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) — collectively known as the “Blues Brothers.” Jake’s first task is to save the orphanage the brothers grew up in from closing, by raising $5,000 to pay back taxes. The two are convinced they can earn the money by getting their old band back together. However, after playing several gigs and making a few enemies, including the police, the brothers face daunting odds to deliver the money on time.
Young Frankenstein | PG
Thursday, September 14, 2023 | 7 PM
Respected medical lecturer Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) learns that he has inherited his infamous grandfather’s estate in Transylvania. Arriving at the castle, Dr. Frankenstein soon begins to recreate his grandfather’s experiments with the help of servants Igor (Marty Feldman), Inga (Teri Garr) and the fearsome Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman). After he creates his own monster (Peter Boyle), new complications ensue with the arrival of the doctor’s fiancée, Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn).
Hocus Pocus | PG
Thursday, October 26, 2023
After moving to Salem, Mass., teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz) explores an abandoned house with his sister Dani (Thora Birch) and their new friend, Allison (Vinessa Shaw). After dismissing a story Allison tells as superstitious, Max accidentally frees a coven of evil witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy) who used to live in the house. Now, with the help of a magical cat, the kids must steal the witches’ book of spells to stop them from becoming immortal.
Miracle on 34th Street | Not Rated
Thursday, November 12, 2023 | 7 PM
In this Christmas classic, an old man going by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an intoxicated Santa in Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Kringle proves to be such a hit that he is soon appearing regularly at the chain’s main store in midtown Manhattan. When Kringle surprises customers and employees alike by claiming that he really is Santa Claus, it leads to a court case to determine his mental health and, more importantly, his authenticity.
Movies for December will be announced as part of Home for the Holidays 2023. All seats are $5 and seating is general admission. For more information about the entire series, please visit www.RialtoSquare.com/movies, or call the Rialto Square Theatre Box Office at 815.726.6600. The box office is located at 102 N. Chicago Street in downtown Joliet.
Movie Dates are subject to change. Please check the website for the most up-to-date listings.