Bruce Gurberg, the man behind the CineStarz movie chain,  is reaching out to everyone affected by the current common front strike impacting  public school unionized staff and nurses in the hospitals.

Erica, Molly and Bernie at CineStarz  Deluxe Cavendish.

Gurberg knows these are tough times, so for starters he has opened the doors of his Côte Saint-Luc Quartier Cavendish,  Plaza Côte des Neiges and Langelier Blvd St. Leonard locales weekdays. For now he is doing so one week at a time.   For parents and guardians looking for activities, they can bring the kids to a movie for the special price of $5 between 11 am and 5 pm weekdays; for adults, notably those on strike, admission has been reduced to $10.

I was at the CineStarz Deluxe Cavendish on Sunday to see The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds. Staffers Molly and Erica told me there have been a lot of families taking advantage of the "strike"  offer. At Cavendish, the added bonus is the presence of Bruce’s dad Bernie -best known for his days at the helm of the Dollar Cinema at Decarie Square. Bernie does not merely take your ticket; he always has some wisdom to share.  On this day, he was showcasing different bottles of wine. So yes parents,  Professor Bernie will provide a little bit of pedagogy.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds is the fifth in the series. However, this one is a prequel, taking place 64 years before the plot of the first edition. It is quite violent, so clearly not geared towards primary students. High schoolers, though, will be kept quite occupied as it runs two hours and 38 minutes. I was on the edge of my ultra-comfortable CineStarz seat!

Also showing at CineStarz Cavendish right now is Napoleon, Trolls Band Together, Silent Night, Wish, Beyonce’s Renaissance, The Marvels, Thanksgiving and Dream Scenario. Wonka opens Thursday