Valentine To Community: New Film Program Debuts At Mattituck Cinemas

NORTH FORK, NY — It's a Valentine's Day gift to the community: A new film program is set to debut this week at Mattituck Cinemas, with showtimes for timeless classics including "Sleepless in Seattle" and "The Little Rascals" to be shown for only $5.

For now, Marc LaMaina, who operates the theater's concession stand and has planned a host of new activities for the theater, the tickets are first come, first served.

"We are working on online ticket sales in the near future but that theater has around 200 seats. We are hoping the community comes and supports!" he said. "We are really excited to be a part of this and are hoping for the best. We can guarantee a neat experience that is only going to get better."

The full schedule for the films is posted in the flyer shown below.

With a full slate of new offerings set to unfold at Mattituck Cinemas, including a brand-new axe-throwing room, many wondered in recent weeks if the future of the theater would still include, well, movies.

Recently, LaMaina, who is working to bring other activities including axe-throwing, a new arcade and putt-putt attraction and more to the space, said that movies will be offered — but in a new and exciting way.

Although the theater will no longer show first-run films, classic films are on tap — and movie-goers will have the chance to weigh in on what favorite cinematic offering they'd love to see again on the big screen.

Maybe it's "Casablanca." Or "Dirty Dancing." Maybe it's anime, or westerns, or horror flicks. Whatever viewers want, they can choose, LaMaina said.

A new movie club launched recently, he added. "Join now! if you want a say in what movies your local theater shows, join the Facebook group "Mattituck Cinemas Classics," LaMaina wrote. "The possibilities are endless."

Discussing the decision to keep movies alive at the theater, LaMaina said: "The people have spoken. Well, actually, they’re still speaking, but so are we, and we are listening to you. We want your opinion on what movies you’d like to see us play."

Mattituck Cinemas will now be curating classic films, he said. "That give us lots of room to play with. Since you, our community, will be the ones joining us, we want to know what you want to see on the big screen," LaMaina added. "It can be a movie you’d like your kids to see, or something perfect for your very first date night. We hope you’re as excited about this as we are."

LaMaina said he hopes the entire community gets involved and direct their ideas to the new Facebook page.

"The positive of our team taking this on is you can still see a movie in Mattituck. The hope is that’s appreciated. Because the alternative would be not being able to see a movie in Mattituck. Nobody wants to lose their local movie theater. That's something to think about this week when we get our fill of screen time binge-watching Netflix. Times have changed. It’s our hope that the nostalgia going to the theater — of a great movie that may be new to you or the people around you — and paired with other fun activities, will create something special there. Different. But special."

LaMaina, who said he does not own the space — the theater is owned by the Cardinale family — said the decision was based on changing times.

"Not many people are more vested in this space than I am," he wrote. "Hopefully there will be enough interest in this scale-down to continue it past the spring. If not, unfortunately, more change will come. Support your local theater. Or lose your local theater. It’s simple economics."

Meanwhile, he and Matt Chizever, who also works at the theater, are excited by the new opportunities that abound.

"For the naysayers and skeptics: This will be something special," Chizever wrote. "If it’s not a new release to you, it still might be new to your kiddos. Movie magic doesn’t need to be restrained to the films coming out this year. Think of all the classics that keeps us from seeing again on the silver screen. Think of the thrill it was to see Marty McFly on a hoverboard for the first time. The goose bumps you had when Clarice Starling met Hannibal Lecter," Chizever said. "The excitement you felt when Thelma and Louise went over the — well, I don’t want to give anything away for those that haven’t seen some of these, but you get the idea! We can feel the passion of all of those moments again, and experience them with a whole new generation in the seats."

Chizever said as someone who came to Mattituck Cinemas as a child and now, today as an actor, father and North Fork local, he is excited by the project and honored to be a part of the plans.

"You can tear it down before we even build it if you want to, or, you can choose to be part of the fun," he said.

"Welcome back to the movies," LaMaina said.

LaMaina said other plans for the space could be in store. "We are flirting with the idea of a few archery lanes in the next open theater space and a much larger project, working with Greenport's Ricky Saetta here, as well."

That project entails a Ricky TeeVee Indoor Putt Putt course designed for kids and adults, he said.

"There is a lot of potential and energy being put here right now to try to make this space a family and date-night destination," LaMaina said. "We have all the pieces of the puzzle, just need the stars to align."