Cheap thrills
The dynamic duo

Jim Furbush

Back in the 1980s Bird and Magic helped save the NBA. Every NBA Finals in the decade had either the Celtics or Lakers playing for a championship. To me, Bird and Magic are the quintessential duo: better then Oscar and Felix, or peanut butter and chocolate.

Get ready for what potentially may be the greatest superhero team up in the history of mankind. Beer and the movies. That's right, you heard it, move over Bird and Magic.

It's surprising that until recently, with theatres supposedly hemorrhaging money, they've never officially teamed up with beer. It seems so perfectly logical and yet, it's seldom done. People sneak booze into the theatre all the time, but a couple of movie theatres in Massachusetts are now giving patrons the chance to drink legally in the theatre—and cheaply, I might add.

Stoughton Cinema Pub and Chunky's Cinema Pub in Haverhill are two shining examples of this theatrical experience. Stoughton Cinema Pub is a charming one-screen theatre. It is slightly rundown, but if you look past the superficial blemishes you realize this might be the coolest movie going experience around.

Located in Stoughton Center, the Cinema Pub has been serving food, brews and movies for just over 10 years. They show second-run features, which, given the shrinking length of theatrical runs isn't really as bad as it used to be. Tickets are a mere $5 for a nighttime show. On a recent visit, I saw "Memoirs of a Geisha." Had I dropped $10 to see it at a multiplex I would have been steaming mad.

All in all, my girlfriend and I only spent $32 on our night out, which included two theatre tickets, four beers, two cheeseburgers with chips, a bag of candy, and one medium popcorn. Pretty awesome, right? The employees of the theatre are friendly and they even deliver your orders to your seat.

The food was surprisingly excellent. The burgers were still warm and reminded me of a summer cookout. The beer selection is pretty barebones, but they have the essentials -Bud, Guinness, Sam Adams, etc.

I can't remember the last time I had this much fun at a movie theatre.

Chunky's Cinema Pub is more of a restaurant with a giant movie screen, rather than a movie theatre with food. They show first run movies, but admission is only $6.50. The theatre is set up almost like an indoor drive-in. Tables with old car seats to lounge in fill the floor.

The menu’s classic pub fare entrees are all under $15 and it's a testament to Chunky's that their food is every bit as good as TGI Fridays, or any of those cloned restaurants you would find attached to a mall. The barebones booze selection could use some help, but the prices are okay.

From Boston it's a bit of a drive to Haverhill and Stoughton, and it's sad that there is nothing like this in the Hub. I'm throwing down the gauntlet right now! Beer and the movies! What could be better?

Either of these cinema pubs are worth driving to. There are also two others in the Bay State, in North Attleboro and Amesbury. For more information about these theatres check out the info below:

Route One Cinema Pub
652 East Washington St. (Route1)
North Attleboro
(508) 695-3918; (508) 643-4618
http://www.cinema-pub.com

Stage Two Cinema Pub
109 Main St.
Amesbury
(978) 388-6555; (978) 388-3676
http://www.cinemapub.com

Chunky's Cinema Pub
371 Lowell Ave.
Haverhill
(978) 374-2255; (978) 374-2200
http://www.chunkys.com

Stoughton Cinema Pub
807 Washington Street
Stoughton (781) 344-4566
http://www.stoughtoncinema.com

Jim Furbush can be reached at jfurbush@theoysteronline.com

03/01/2006   |   Permalink