As the September heat continues to beat down, making it almost unbearable to be at the beach, what better way to spend one of the last days of the summer holidays than at the cinema?

The choice includes some of this summer’s record-breaking blockbusters and the return of some beloved characters- Paula Fleri-Soler

KRS Film Distributors are holding the next Children Cinema Day on Saturday, when cinemas in Malta and Gozo will be screening a selection of films aimed at children and those who are still kids at heart.

The films run the gamut from family adventures to comedies and from superhero origin tales to sci-fi action films, in both animated and live-action features. The choice includes some of this summer’s record-breaking blockbusters and the return of some beloved characters.

I have no doubt that the eagerly-anticipated conclusion to the saga that has enthralled millions for a decade has already been seen by die-hard fans, but there is no reason why it shouldn’t be revisited. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has proven to be one of the most successful films of the summer, a fitting end to the remarkable adventures of ‘the boy who lived’.

Another popular character to feature in Children Cinema Day is Captain Jack Sparrow, and Johnny Depp dons his outrageous costume for the fourth time in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, while fans of the Transformers series can also revisit the third film, Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

Marvel Superheroes feature in the form of Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor, while the origins of the popular X-Men are explored in X-Men: First Class.

Director JJ Abrams pays homage to Steven Spielberg in his 1970s-set Super 8, while the classic Planet of the Apes franchise gets a new outing in the excellent Rise of the Planet of the Apes. While we are on the subject of franchises, check out Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World, featuring the next generations of kid spies out to save the world.

In the animation stakes, both animation giants Pixar and DreamWorks are represented with Cars 2 – a James Bond-type adventure on four wheels – and Kung Fu Panda 2 – celebrating the return of the panda martial artist.

Animal shenanigans are the order of the day in Zookeeper, in which a menagerie of zoo animals rally round to help their lovelorn carer, while comedian Jim Carrey has to contend with a group of penguins sent to him as a gift in Mr Popper’s Penguins.

Nostalgia plays a great part in the enjoyment of The Smurfs, while Winnie the Pooh falls into spot of bother as he searches for his next pot of honey. Speaking of which, dance lovers should seek out Honey 2, set in the world of TV dance competitions.

Tickets for Children’s Cinema Day are available at the reduced price of €2.50 for children and €4 for accompanying adults. Both prices will be slightly higher for those films screened in 3D.

Films being screened in cinemas in Malta run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and will feature at Eden Cinemas, St Julian’s; Empire Cinemas, Bugibba; Embassy Cinemas, Valletta and Tal-Lira cinemas in Fgura.

The two-screen Citadel cinema in Victoria will screen Children’s Cinema Day films at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Cinemagoers are advised to check individual cinema listings for a detailed programme of the films being shown, and due to the continuing popularity of Children Cinema Day, early booking is recommended.

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