Ballet, opera, classic films and more highlight upcoming film calendar at Regal Old Mill ScreenX & IMAX

One of Bend’s emerging holiday traditions is happening right now at Regal Cinemas in the Old Mill District.

Through the end of the year, Regal Old Mill ScreenX & IMAX – the theater’s new name reflects the transformation of one of its screens into a new 270-degree ScreenX experience – is hosting multiple special events, everything from world-acclaimed ballet and opera performances to anime classics and old favorites returning to the big screen for a limited time.

Here’s some special screenings we’re looking forward to over the holidays. Tickets for all  events are available online at www.regmovies.com or in person at Regal Old Mill ScreenX & IMAX in the Old Mill District.

The Met Opera: Live in HD
Akhnaten
Saturday, November 23, 9:55 a.m.*
Wednesday, December 4, 1 and 6:30 p.m.

Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo headlines American composer Philip Glass’s transcendent contemporary creation, with Karen Kamensek conducting. Phelim McDermott’s stunning production employs a virtuosic company of acrobats and jugglers to conjure a mystical reimagining of ancient Egypt.

TCM Big Screen Classics
When Harry Met Sally… (1989) – 30th Anniversary from Warner Bros.
Sunday, December 1 – 4 and 7 p.m.
Tuesday, December 3 – 4 and 7 p.m.

There are rom-coms and then there’s When Harry Met Sally…. Though it was hardly the first film that brought together romantic opposites and let the sparks fly, director Rob Reiner’s charming comedy is something special. That’s in part because of the brilliant screenplay by Nora Ephron – but it’s also because of the winning chemistry between lead performers Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, who become best friends when they drive from New York to Chicago and Harry claims that women and men can never be “just friends.” Over the years, Harry and Sally keep running into each other and claiming they are just friends… until a climactic New Year’s Eve party, which brings both the film and the 2019 TCM Big Screen Classics series to a memorable close.

Regal Holiday Special
Gremlins
Saturday, December 7, 1 p.m.
$5

A boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town in this 1984 classic.

The Met Opera: Live in HD
The Magic Flute
Saturday, December 7, 12:55 p.m.

Julie Taymor’s kaleidoscopic production returns to select cinemas this holiday season in an encore presentation of the company’s first-ever Live in HD transmission that includes tenor Matthew Polenzani, baritone Nathan Gunn, and bass René Pape in this abridged, English-language version of Mozart’s classic fable.

Documentary Special
They Shall Not Grow Old
Saturday, December 7, 4 & 7 p.m.
Tuesday, December 17, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, December 18, 4 & 7 p.m.

Back by popular demand and to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the theatrical release, They Shall Not Grow Old is returning to select cinemas. Academy Award-winner Peter Jackson’s acclaimed documentary brings to life the soldiers and events of the Great War in a way the world has never seen before.

Using state-of-the-art technology to restore, colorize and enhance original archival footage, Jackson brings to life the very people who were there. After months immersed in the BBC and Imperial War Museums’ archives, narratives and strategies on how to tell this story began to emerge for Jackson. Using the actual voices of the soldiers, the film explores the reality of war on the front line; their attitudes toward the conflict; how they ate, slept and formed friendships; as well as what their lives were like away from the trenches during periods of downtime.

The event includes an exclusive introduction from Jackson, along with a behind-the-scenes look at how the documentary was made, its historical accuracy and why the project was so important to him.

TCM Big Screen Classics
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) – 75th Anniversary Event
Sunday, December 8 – 1 p.m.
Wednesday, December 11– 4 and 7 p.m.

Fathom Events, TCM and Warner Bros. Pictures present Meet Me in St. Louis returning to select theaters for a special 75th anniversary event. Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brien star in this heartwarming tale of a colorful early 20th century St. Louis family who learn their father has been transferred–and they will have to move away from the town and friends they love to New York. This anniversary event includes exclusive insights from Turner Classic Movies.

Regal Holiday Special
The Polar Express
Saturday, December 14, 1 p.m.

Tom Hanks stars in this holiday classic from 2004 about a young boy who embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express. During his adventure he learns about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas.
$5

Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema
The Nutcracker
Sunday, December 15, 12:55 p.m.

The ultimate holiday classic takes audiences of all ages on a magical journey through a world of enchantment, set to Tchaikovsky’s sublime score.

Studio Ghibli Fest
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Monday, December 16 (dubbed), 7 p.m.
Wednesday, December 18 (subtitled), 7 p.m.

This powerful and soaring epic that redefines animated storytelling and marks a triumphant highpoint within an extraordinary filmmaking career for director and Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata.

Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter and his wife, a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthralls all who encounter her – but ultimately, she must confront her fate, the punishment for her crime. Featuring the voice talents of James Caan, John Cho, Darren Criss, Lucy Liu, James Marsden, and Chloë Grace Moretz, director Isao Takahata’s final film was nominated for an Academy Award and hailed as a masterpiece by critics.

Regal Holiday Special
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Saturday, December 21, 1 p.m.
$5

Can you really enjoy the holidays without watching this 1989 holiday comedy classic? The Griswold family’s plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster. Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo and Randy Quaid at their finest.