Campus Cinema is a small, four-screen movie theater north of downtown DeKalb, Illinois. The independent theater is within walking distance of the Northern Illinois University campus and several restaurants. Reopened in 2009 under new management, the theater generally runs films several weeks after they are released nationally. As of February 2011, tickets cost $4 for all shows, and parking passes are available for college students.
Nestled between DeKalb and Sycamore, the Carmike Market Square 10 is the largest movie theater in DeKalb. In addition to showing the latest movie releases, the theater hosts the Re-Run Film Series. Since 2001, movie favorites are selected by guests and run during the festival at discounted prices. Auditoriums feature digital light projection (DLP) technology and stadium seating. As of February 2011, adult tickets were $8.25 for evening shows and $10.75 for 3-D films.
The Sycamore State Theatre is close to the Midwest Museum of Natural History in downtown Sycamore's Historic District. The latest movie releases are shown in the theater's three auditoriums. As of February 2011, regular movie tickets were $6. Originally opened in 1925 as the Fargo Theatre, the theater once contained a 60-foot-screen and used to host theater productions. In the 1970s, the building became a church and was reopened in the late-1980s as a theater.
The Marcus Elgin Fox Ultrascreen Theatre is in Elgin, Illinois, about a 40-minute drive east of Dekalb and Sycamore. It features stadium seating, Real 3-D digital technology, and digital surround sound. The theater also has a 70-foot wide, 3-story tall UltraScreen and a dedicated 3-D auditorium. The 15-screen house also hosts special events including simulcasts of live concerts and sporting events, and the concessions include White Castle hamburgers. As of February 2011, adult tickets for evening shows were $9.50, or $12.50 for 3-D movies.