{"id":5428,"date":"2024-03-17T14:54:39","date_gmt":"2024-03-17T18:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/betsiecurrent.com\/?p=5428"},"modified":"2025-05-13T14:11:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T18:11:23","slug":"monthly-movie-club-at-the-garden-theater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/betsiecurrent.com\/index.php\/monthly-movie-club-at-the-garden-theater\/","title":{"rendered":"Monthly Movie Club at The Garden Theater"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Free \u201cnostalgic\u201d flicks create party atmosphere<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Aubrey Ann Parker<\/strong>
Current Editor<\/strong>

As a millennial born in the mid-1980s, I remember \u201cthe ole days\u201d when we watched movies on VHS (\u200b\u200bvideo home system) tapes in our VCR (video cassette recorder), which was attached to our television. 

My parents had bought a 100-year-old farmhouse in the boonies of Leelanau County just a few months before I was born, thus we did not have cable television\u2014with about 100 channels\u2014like my grandparents, who lived in the great metropolis of Traverse City. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"monthly
Witches out on the town at Old Town Grille in Frankfort before the film.. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
Woodland witches. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Jessica
Hatted witches: Jessica Gilbert, Erin Gilbert, Tara Hutchinson, Erica Plesha, Cassie Lietart, and her daughter (left to right). Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Sally
Hooded witches: Sally and Dean Rook at The Garden Theater concessions. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
Green-faced witch. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"nan
Nan Merica and Terri Parker are dressed as witches for a free showing of Practical Magic at The Garden Theater. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"kelly
Helena Brozofsky and Kelly Ottinger are dressed as witches for a free showing of Practical Magic at The Garden Theater. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"michelle
They have a photo-bombing witch behind them! Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
Part at The Garden Theater in October 2023. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"katie
Katie Jones (right), director of The Garden Theater, is AMAZING and totally was into our wacked-out idea to have a wicked night of witches–thank you so much Katie! Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
Kilwins treats for everyone! (Especially if you dressed up!) Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
Nom nom nom. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
Witches at The Garden Theater in Frankfort. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cheryl
Cheryl Bouschor, Linda Little, and Cheryl McKeen attend a free showing of Practical Magic at The Garden Theater. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
Witches at The Garden Theater in Frankfort. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
Witches at The Garden Theater in Frankfort. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
Witches at The Garden Theater in Frankfort. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"cory
“Thanks for coming to our party,” say Cory Bissell and Aubrey Ann Parker, owners of Kilwins Frankfort and The Betsie Current newspaper, respectively.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cory
Cory Bissell (left) and Aubrey Ann Parker: “Seriously, though, thank you. We had no idea this would be so well received, and it felt really awesome to share this with all of you!”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cory
“There are some things I know for certain: always throw spilt salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, and fall in love whenever you can.” Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
On a cold and blustery Thursday, October 26, 2023, witches of the Northwoods descended upon The Garden Theater in Frankfort–hailing from near and far, southern Manistee to the tip of Leelanau County, from the shore of Lake Michigan to the shore of East Grand Traverse Bay. They were quite varied in style and sorcery, but they had one thing in common–a love of good cinema and community. Plenty of treats were had by one and all. More than $200 were raised to assist the Women’s Resource Center in their mission. And, of course, we all laughed and cried watching Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in the 1998 cult classic, “Practical Magic”–almost exactly 25 years (+10 days) after the film debuted in theaters!! Design by Grace \/ The Garden Theater<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So rather than television, of which we had three stations\u2014PBS, CBS,<\/em> and NBC<\/em>, thanks to an antenna atop our TV\u2014I watched a lot of movies growing up. And, of course, I watched most of them on repeat, because we only owned a few dozen VHS tapes, mostly Disney animated films. (Unlike my cousins who lived up the road and had close to a thousand movies that they had, rather illegally, \u201ctaped\u201d: for you youngin\u2019s out there, that was when you owned two VCRs, and you would rent a VHS movie from the local video store and play it in one VCR while recording it onto a blank VHS tape in the second VCR. Then you would return the rented VHS to the store, but you would still retain your pirated copy in perpetuity at home. This meant you could rent a movie for $4.99 and \u201ctape it,\u201d as opposed to buying it for $19.99 at full price and owning the cover jacket that came with it. It was total copyright infringement; but it was pretty rampant, as I recall.)

There was the odd occasion when we would rent a \u201cnew release\u201d movie\u2014meaning that it had been in theaters about six to 12 months prior, as that was the average amount of time that it took between the end of a theatrical release and the time that a film was available on home video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"monthly
Several of our guests tonight decided to dress in the theme, which was to dress as your “grumpier older self.” Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Linda
Flannels and crochets. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"asa
Notice the teenager (Avery Kelly) in the wig and glasses on the right, along with her parents Asa and Traci Kelly! Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monthly
Fish–love their guppy! Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Janet
Janet Pearce wearing fluff. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"sally
Linda Turner is photo-bombing the geezers, Sally Ramey Rook and Dean Rook! Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"kristen
Grumpiness on point! Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"katie
The Garden Theater’s own Katie Jones (director) delivered a very convincing performance! Photos by Aubrey Ann Parker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Kilwins
Everyone who came to The Garden Theater in January for \u201cGrumpy Old Men\u201d received a Kilwins \u201cbait puck\u201d–a chocolate-covered Oreo with sprinkles and a gummy worm. (To go with the film\u2019s ice-fishing theme.) Photo by Cory Bissell of Kilwins Frankfort.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"grumpy
Your hosts for the evening: Aubrey Ann Parker of The Betsie Current and Cory Bissell of Kilwins Frankfort. Who wore it better: Aubrey Ann Parker & Cory Bissell or Jack Lemmon & Walter Matthau?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"grumpy
We had around 75 people show up last night on Thursday, January 18, 2024! The Betsie Current and Kilwins Frankfort were so excited to be partnering with The Garden Theater to bring one of our favorite winter-season movies–Grumpy Old Men (1993, PG-13)! The showing was FREE to all guests, who were encouraged to dress up as your “grumpiest older self,” and everyone got a free Kilwins treat! Grumpy Old Men is a 1993 American romantic comedy film, directed by Donald Petrie, written by Mark Steven Johnson, and starring Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith, Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, Ossie Davis, and Buck Henry. Lemmon and Matthau play feuding next-door neighbors\/retirees–who both live alone–and they spend their time ice fishing, trading insults, and pulling cruel practical jokes on each other. That is, until they both find themselves attracted to their new neighbor (played by Ann-Margaret) across the street who is a free-spirited English professor. Chaos, calamity, and hilarity ensue. The film is considered a cult classic. Graphic design by Grace \/ The Garden Theater.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It all seems so strange to look back on now, despite that I lived it. 

Nowadays, there are thousands of television shows and movies at my fingertips to \u201cstream\u201d from an online platform\u2014Amazon Prime, Apple TV, BritBox, Disney Plus, Hulu, Paramount Plus, Peacock, (HBO) Max, Netflix, Tubi, YoutubeTV, the list seems to grow every month. I can watch these on my computer, my television, my tablet, or even my phone. I can watch from home; I can \u201csign in\u201d to my accounts when I am on vacation or from an airport (as long as I\u2019m not international, that gets tricky); and I just pay a once-a-month flat rate of $7.99 (or whatever) for everything that is available on the entire platform. (Though obviously \u201crenting\u201d something newer might cost me an additional $4.99, and I only have 48 hours to watch it.)

Moreover, if I make a \u201cmistake\u201d and choose something that I am not really liking, I can stop it at any time and switch to something else immediately. 

\u201cKids today\u201d will never know the agony of going to the video store with your best friend, who had come to your house for a weekend sleepover. You would walk into the Blockbuster rental store and have to decide on one\u2014maybe two, if you were really lucky\u2014movies that your parents would rent for that evening. (Usually we were allowed one new release or two older movies, because the price of the new movies were about three times that of the old ones; not to mention that a new release was due back to the video store within usually one to two days, whereas you could keep the older movie for sometimes up to 10 days. This was especially important if you were renting on a Friday night, and your parents were not going back to \u201ctown\u201d for work until Monday; it might not give them enough time to return the movie, and then they  would have to pay a \u201clate fee.\u201d So, your chances of getting to rent a \u201cnew release\u201d were often better if you chose to have a Saturday night sleepover, strategically.) 

We would busy ourselves with reading the description on the back of the VHS jacket, look at all of the pictures, read the snippets of Siskel and Ebert reviews printed as quotes, and try to decide if the film was going to be any good. 

But sometimes, it was just too scary to rent something new, at least until enough of our friends had seen it to tell us if it was any good. So instead, we would opt for the low-risk, tried-and-true favorites. Movies we had seen a half-dozen times already that same year, but we knew that we were guaranteed to like it.

That is what Practical Magic<\/em> was to me and my friends.

Considered a cult classic, the film came out in October 1998, which means that I was just 13 years old when it was in theaters. Practical Magic<\/em> is an American fantasy\/romantic drama, based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Alice Hoffman. The film stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman\u2014among others, like Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Aidan Quinn, and Goran Vi\u0161nji\u0107\u2014who play sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, descended from a long line of witches. Raised by their aunts after their parents’ death from a family curse, the sisters were taught the uses of \u201cpractical magic\u201d as they grew up. As adults, Sally and Gillian must use their magic to destroy an evil spirit before it kills them. 

I have watched this flick at least 100 times by now, because I watch it every year at least once, and when I was younger, we probably watched it at least quarterly. There were several movies like that which my gal pals and I would re-rent over and over, if we could not agree on something new: Now & Then<\/em>, A League of Their Own<\/em>, Hocus Pocus, The Secret of Roan Inish<\/em>, Magic in the Water, 10 Things I Hate About You<\/em>. (Are you seeing the theme of girl-power films? The \u201890s were great for that.) 

Well, this past fall marked the 25th anniversary of the release of Practical Magic<\/em>. And as soon as the air begins to get crisp and the leaves begin to change color, I get the itch to watch it. (Hell, sometimes I get the itch on a random January evening, too.)

I had promised to watch it with my best friend, Cory Bissell\u2014you might know him as the guy who owns Kilwins in Frankfort\u2014but I just could not wait. Or did not want to, at least.

And understandably, Cory got a little upset.

So we were sitting around joking about how I was going to have to watch it again with him\u2014\u201cOh darn,\u201d in my most sarcastic voice, \u201chaving to watch it twice in one season!\u201d\u2014and Cory said something like, \u201cSo many people love this movie, we should just get The Garden Theater to show it.\u201d 

\u201cUh, yeah, we should,\u201d I responded, very seriously, all sarcasm now gone.

So we reached out to Katie Jones, executive director of the theater, and she was on board with the idea as a free community event. 

But we had no idea what we were in for. We had no idea\u2014though perhaps we should have\u2014that this movie resonated with so many other people as strongly as it did with us. 

We had hoped that maybe 25 to 50 of our friends and family would come 

Instead, 125 people\u2014about 90 percent of whom were dressed as witches\u2014showed up on a random Thursday night before Halloween for a witch-themed party and a 25-year-old movie, all because we had asked the movie theater director, half as a joke.

It is so great living in a small town, right? It is truly amazing.

So this got us thinking: What if we did something like this more often? <\/em>

At that first event in October, we passed around a clipboard to gather email addresses, so that we could let people know if we decided to do more events, and we asked for suggestions for future \u201cnostalgic\u201d movies that we could show\u2014movies that people would actually show up for again.

So, in January, to kick off the new year, we showed Grumpy Old Men<\/em>, which is from 1993, and we had about 75 people show up, even though it was a snowy night. Then in February, for Valentine\u2019s Day, we showed Casablanca,<\/em> which is from 1942, and we had our biggest crowd yet of 135 people. In March, we showed The Big Lebowski,<\/em> which is from 1998, and we had 105 people show up. 

Each time, there was a dress-up theme encouraged: \u201cdress as your grumpiest older self\u201d in January, \u201cdress in your sweetest Valentine\u2019s outfit\u201d for February, and \u201cdress in your best Lebowski fit\u201d for March. (I have always said that there are just not enough \u201cdress-up\u201d parties in post-college adulthood, and the number of people who have participated in this monthly experiment has been extraordinary.)

Over the course of just a few months, we have had hundreds of community members show up\u2014many in costumes\u2014to enjoy a movie they have perhaps seen hundreds of times. 

Not only that, but we have raised hundreds of dollars for local organizations. 

Yes, like I mentioned earlier, the movies are technically free to the public, because we want anyone and everyone to be able to attend.

But back in October, when we showed Practical Magic<\/em>, somebody suggested that we could do a fundraiser to go along with the free movie showing. Since that movie does have a few scenes of very real and raw domestic violence, we thought it was a great opportunity to raise awareness and a few dollars for the Women\u2019s Resource Center in Traverse City to help those in our community\u2014we were able to donate $300, thanks to what the \u201cwitches\u201d gave us that night. 

When we started planning out the core parts of Monthly Movie Club\u2014free, nostalgic\/throwback films, dress-up theme, and free movie-themed treats from Kilwins for those who dress up\u2014we really liked the idea of pairing each movie with a local group and raising funds.

So in January, we obviously paired Grumpy Old Men<\/em> with Benzie Senior Resources, and we were able to raise about $100. In February, because Casablanca<\/em> is a World War II-era film, we raised $125 for Mid-Michigan Honor Flight, which takes World War II, Korean, and VietNam veterans to Washington, D.C. (Read the article that we published on this subject last May in our online archives.<\/a>) In March, we raised $215 for the Frankfort Area Community Land Trust, because everyone deserves a home \u201cwith a nice rug to tie the whole room together.\u201d To quote The Big Lebowski<\/em>. (See the full list of all of the movies we show and the amounts raised each month below; we will keep this list updated as time goes on, even after the March 2024 publication of this article.)

The plan is to continue Monthly Movie Club as a free event, as long as the community keeps showing up for it. 

Ready for some nostalgia? Come join us. Somehow, a throwback film that you have seen so many times before just hits differently on a big screen, while surrounded by others\u2014all laughing when you laugh, all crying when you cry\u2014with the smell of fresh popcorn hanging in the air.

There truly is something magical about seeing a favorite film among a community who love it just as much as you do. (Or who are sometimes experiencing it for the first time, as was the case for me and The Big Lebowski <\/em>earlier this month; I had friends afterward say that they enjoyed seeing it for the first time again through my eyes, because I had never seen it before.)

Learn more at \u201cThe Betsie Current\u201d on Facebook<\/a>, @thebetsiecurrent on Instagram<\/a>, or email <\/em>aubreyannparker@gmail.com<\/em><\/a> to be added to the email list for future events or to give us your \u201cnostalgic\u201d movie suggestions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Movie Name<\/strong><\/td>Date<\/strong><\/td>Total Attendance<\/strong><\/td>Fundraiser<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Practical Magic<\/em> (1998)<\/td>10\/26\/2023<\/td>125<\/td>$300 – Women’s Resource Center<\/td><\/tr>
Grumpy Old Men<\/em> (1993)<\/td>1\/18\/2024<\/td>75<\/td>$100 – Benzie Senior Resources<\/td><\/tr>
Casablanca<\/em> (1942)<\/td>2\/14\/2024<\/td>135<\/td>$125 – Mid-Michigan Honor Flight<\/td><\/tr>
The Big Lebowski <\/em>(1998)<\/td>3\/6\/2024<\/td>105<\/td>$215 – Frankfort Area Community Land Trust<\/td><\/tr>
A League of Their Own <\/em>(1992)<\/td>4\/11\/2024<\/td>105<\/td>$316 – Frankfort-Elberta Youth Sports Boosters (summer softball team)<\/td><\/tr>
The Great Outdoors <\/em>(1988)<\/td>5\/23\/2024<\/td>70<\/td>$120 – Sleeping Bear Wildlife Fund<\/td><\/tr>
The Goonies<\/em> (1985<\/em>)<\/td>6\/18\/2024<\/td>210<\/td>$380 – Benzie Area Pride Network<\/td><\/tr>
Dirty Dancing<\/em> (1987)<\/td>7\/18\/2024<\/td>170<\/td>$338 – Get Up & Dance (scholarships for local kids to take 8 months of dance lessons)<\/td><\/tr>
Overboard <\/em>(1987)<\/td>8\/22\/2024<\/td>100<\/td>$519 – Water-safety classes at Frankfort Elberta Area Schools<\/td><\/tr>
Clueless (1995)<\/td>9\/26\/2024<\/td>65<\/td>$140 – Food Pantries at Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools<\/td><\/tr>
Beetlejuice (1988)<\/td>10\/29\/2024<\/td>75<\/td>$180 – Drums for Frankfort Elementary music program<\/td><\/tr>
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (1987)<\/td>11\/21\/2024<\/td>85<\/td>$410 – Purchased eight $50 gift cards at Family Fare for Thanksgiving dinners for families whose children attend Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools<\/td><\/tr>
Love Actually (2003)<\/td>12\/26\/2024<\/td>120<\/td>$265 – Theater programs at Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools <\/td><\/tr>
The Shining (1980)<\/td>1\/21\/2025<\/td>55<\/td>$8 – Bear Lake Cares Box<\/td><\/tr>
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)<\/td>2\/12\/2025<\/td>80<\/td>$770 – Women’s Resource Center<\/td><\/tr>
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)<\/td>3\/2025<\/td>60<\/td>$272 – Remain In Touch<\/td><\/tr>
You’ve Got Mail (1999)<\/td>4\/2025<\/td>80<\/td>$226 – “Pay It Forward” program at The Garden Theater<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Upcoming movies — check back for the updated list as time goes on!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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