Don’t like the latest movie releases at the cinema?

Go retro.

Go nostalgia.

Go classic.

Go back to the future.

I did when I saw “American Graffiti” May 28 in the Nostalgia Cinema series at Civic Theatre of Allentown Civic514.

In the discussion afterward, I got to ask why the California license plate on the Little Deuce Coupe that John Milner tooled around in was THX 138.

Do you know?

The license plate THX-138 references George Lucas’s first feature movie, “THX 1138” (1971).

It was great not only to see the canary-yellow 1932 hot rod and other custom and special interest cars in “American Graffiti” (1973), but also to see Richard Dreyfuss, Cindy Williams, Ron Howard, Charles Martin Smith, Paul Le Mat, Harrison Ford, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, Wolfman Jack, Bo Hopkins and Suzanne Somers (the Blonde in the T-Bird) back on the screen. And see them so young.

It was great to hear a bevy of 1950s and 1960s rock and roll and pop music on the “American Graffiti” soundtrack right out of “Blue Moon Cruising,” hosted by Jimmy James, 5 - 7 p.m. Saturday, WDIY.

Moreover, it was interesting to climb into the Way Back Machine and revisit Modesto, Calif., on a languid summer night in 1962 on the cusp of big change, and some loose change, not only in the lives of the “American Graffiti” cast playing recently graduated high school seniors, but in a time of innocence before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the British Invasion of Beatlemania, the War in Vietnam and the Generation Gap tore a nation asunder.

If you, too, are weary of what Hollywood is releasing in movie theaters, you can revisit your favorite film in retrospectives at area movie theaters and drive-ins.

Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, ArtsQuest Center, SteelStacks, Bethlehem, has an ongoing series of classic, retro and special interest cinema.

The Summer Classic Series at Banko, 7:15 p.m. Wednesdays, includes: “Desperado,” June 22; “To Kill a Mockingbird” (60th anniversary), June 29; “Mystic Pizza,” July 6; “Girls Trip,” July 13; “The Karate Kid,” July 20; “Smokey and the Bandit,” July 27; “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (60th anniversary), Aug. 3

Also, at Banko:

First Saturday Horror Series, shown 9:45 p.m. the first Saturday of the month: “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (25th anniversary), July 2; Sidney Poitier Tribute Series: “Stir Crazy,” which Poitier directed, July 9

LGBTQ+ Film Series: “Shiva Baby,” June 21; “A Night With Curt McDowell,” June 28; 60 Years of James Bond: A 007 Film Retrospective: “The Spy Who Loved Me,” a double feature with “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,” July 30; “License to Kill,” Aug. 16; “GoldenEye,” Sept. 7; “Skyfall,” Oct. 2

1977 Retrospective Series, noting the 25th anniversaries of some of that year’s films: “Face/Off” (25th anniversary), June 23; “Good Burger” (25th anniversary), July 23

Subtitle Sundays, the last Sunday of the month: “City of God” (20th anniversary), June 26; “Cinema Paradiso,” July 31

Fem in Film Series: “Me and You and Everyone We Know,” July 14

Cinema Significa ... : “Spy Kids,” July 14

Other series at Banko include: Black Film: Then and Now, and Being Black in Amerikkka

Upcoming outdoors at The Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks is the Free Family Movie Series: “Alice in Wonderland” (1951), in Spanish, June 28; “Alice in Wonderland” (1951), English, June 29; “Inside Out,” Spanish, July 5; “Inside Out,” English, July 6; “The Muppet Movie” (1979), July 13; “How to Train Your Dragon,” Spanish, July 19; “How To Train Your Dragon,” English, July 20; “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971), July 27; “Luca,” Aug. 3; “Encanto,” Spanish, Aug. 16, and “Encanto,” English, Aug.17

Banko Cinemas offers a Sensory Friendly Family Film Series Films for children and adults with autism:

“Alice in Wonderland” (1951), June 29; “Inside Out,” July 6; “The Muppet Movie” (1979), July 13; “How To Train Your Dragon,” July 20; “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971), July 27; “Luca,” Aug. 3; “Encanto,” English, Aug. 17

At the area multiplexes, look for Fathom Events and TCM Big Screen Classics: “Cabaret” (50th anniversary,” July 17, July 30; “Star Trek II: “The Wrath of Khan” (40th anniversary), Sept. 4, 5, 8; “Poltergeist” (40th anniversary), Sept. 25, 26, 28; “In The Heat of the Night” (55th anniversary), Oct. 16, 19; “To Kill A Mockingbird” (60th anniversary), Nov. 13, 16; “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Dec. 18, 21

There are also cult classic film series at the Mahoning Valley Drive-In Theatre.

If you want a classic movie-going experience, check out Becky’s Drive-In, Shankweiler’s Drive-in, The Roxy Theater and Emmaus Theater.

And, so you don’t forget, “The Blobfest” is back.

Cue the theme song, “The Blob,” Burt Bacharach’s first hit from “The Blob” (1958), Steve McQueen’s first lead feature film role.

“The Blobfest” is again in person where the film was made, July 8, 9, 10, the Colonial Theater, Phoenixville, after a two-year hiatus because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shutdown.

Whatever you drive, cruise on over to a movie theater near you for some summer classics.

Theatrical Domestic Movie Box Office,

June 17-19: “Jurassic World: Dominion” dominated at No. 1, two weeks straight, $58 million, in 4,697 theaters, $249.7 million, two weeks, as “Lightyear” buzzed to No. 2, close behind, opening with $51 million, in 4,255 theaters, $51 million.

3. “Top Gun: Maverick” dropped one place, $44 million, in 4,035 theaters, $466.1 million, four weeks. 4. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” dropped one place, $4.2 million, in 2,465 theaters, $405 million, seven weeks. 5. “The Bob’s Burgers Movie” stayed in place, $1.1 million, in 1,350 theaters, $29.7 million. 6. “The Bad Guys” dropped two places, $980,000, in 1,477 theaters, $94.2 million, nine weeks. 7. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” stayed in place, $959,631, in 679 theaters, $64 million, 13 weeks. 8. “Downton Abbey: A New Era” dropped two places, $830,000, in 1,179 theaters, $42.1 million, five weeks 9. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” $228,392, in 439 theaters, $190.4 million, 11 weeks. 10. “Brian and Charles,” opening, $198,000, in 279 theaters.

Box office information from Box Office Mojo as of June 19 is subject to change.

Unreel,

June 24

“Elvis,”

PG-13: Baz Luhrmann directs Tom Hanks, Austin Butler, Olivia DeJonge and Dacre Montgomery Music Drama Biography. A look at the rise and fall of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

“The Black Phone,”

R: Scott Derrickson directs Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone and Mason Thames in the Horror film. A kidnapped pre-teen boy receives calls from previous victims.

Movie opening dates from Internet Movie Database as of June 19 are subject to change.