What to Know
- 2500 Redondo Beach Boulevard in Torrance
- $25-$30, depending on the screening
- "Ratatouille" is on Nov. 14 at 6 p.m., with other family charmers to come
The drive-in movie theater has long been quite the summer staple, the sort of under-the-sky spot you visit when temperatures were warm, nights were lighter, and you could wear your favorite flip-flops and shorts.
But Halloween 2020 changed that notion, for a plethora of pop-up drive-in experiences opened their proverbial doors around Southern California over the last couple of months.
The trend started in the summer, due to safety guidelines and the pandemic.
But autumn saw spooky movies and classic blockbusters showing up on temporary screens from Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks to Mel's Drive-In on the Sunset Boulevard.
And at The Roadium, a place that was doing it up, drive-in-style, well before the summer of 2020? The season for seeing sweet cinematic gems from your car hasn't ended.
In fact, the Torrance-based open-air market is taking its film-fun right through to wintertime, and several fresh family treats were just announced.
Two of the upcoming films have a frostier character, which is fitting for the season to come. "The Polar Express" choo-choos on Dec. 11, while "Happy Feet" dances on Jan. 8.
Other favorites, from "Toy Story" on Nov. 21 to "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" on Jan. 15, add further charm to the schedule.
"Ratatouille" stirs the soup next, on Nov. 14, while "Uncle Buck" arrives near the end of 2021's first month, on Jan. 29.
A ticket is $25-$30 for your car and everyone inside, depending on the screening, and there's "hot food" for sale, if you're thinking of doing dinner from your dashboard. (If you're craving candy, concession-style snacks will be available, too.)
Note that you'll need to stay inside your vehicle to watch the film, and do note the other safety guidelines of The Roadium before visiting.
And be cheered that drive-in movies, that summer staple, and now a fall favorite, will keep on flickering right into the frostiest time of the calendar, winter, when night arrives early and we're in the mood for some cheerfully cozy big-screen fare.
