Movie lovers have a choice. They can eat good food and drink adult beverages of their choice while they enjoy the latest Hollywood has to offer in the comfort of their own home. Or they can experience film the way it is meant to be, in all its big-screen splendor, complete with an audience, the latest sound-system - and stale popcorn and overpriced candy.

Soon movie buffs in Naperville will be able to have both the fine fare and the big-screen excitement.

Hollywood Palms, a themed-based movie house similar to Hollywood Boulevard in Woodridge, is scheduled to open in 2009, bringing restaurant-quality food and alcohol in the cinematic experience.

Saying he was "certain it would happen," Hollywood Boulevard owner Ted Bulthaup said that with the recent approval of the Naperville City Council, the only holdup is finalizing the deal with the owner of the Naperville property, which houses Nova 8 Cinema in the Westridge Court Shopping Center at 352 S. Route 59.

Hollywood Boulevard is unique in that is serves alcoholic beverages and food with first-run movies. While there are other "brew-and-view" cinemas in the Chicago area, none of them show first-fun films.

Movie fans at Hollywood Boulevard can nosh on Bubba Gump Cheese Shrimp of Lord of the Onion Rings. For the main course, they can have the Whoopi Goldberger or the Jake and Elwood Beef and Cheddar. Wednesday is college night, with half-priced admission. Thursdays are the $5 "Rat Pack" martinis.

The various rooms - there are nine at Woodridge - are testaments to the "Maltese Falcon," "Casablanca" and Marilyn Monroe. "We consider ourselves the best movie experience there is," Bulthaup said, promising a similar experience for his Naperville patrons. "We don't just show movies. We're in the hospitality business." He wouldn't let on as to the secret of his success, saying he suffered a "long learning curve" and wouldn't give competitors any help.

But he did say a key was the rapport he had with customers. "Ask them," he said. "They don't like this house - they love it." The fans that came out in the snow Tuesday seemed to agree. "I drive here all the way from Joliet," said Tony "the Tiger" who brought his friend Amy to their first date to see "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Jessica Bearden and Sam Lang work at Argonne National Laboratory and came to see the latest James Bond flick. "I like the dinner and a movie concept," Bearden said, while Lang liked it because it's "nearby."

In keeping with its Hollywood theme, Hollywood Boulevard hosts film stars on a regular basis, the most recent being Leslie Nielson of "Airplane." This coming weekend Karolyn Grimes, who played ZuZu in "It's a Wonderful Life", will appear. Bulthaup promised more of the same at Hollywood Palms.

Bulthaup got his start in a similar cinema almost 20 years ago in Indianapolis operating a venue that he only closed recently, moving everything to Illinois for the new theater. Noting that this business in Woodridge is up 22 percent this year, he looks forward to the same success in Naperville. The City Council recently gave him the go-ahead to install roof-top searchlights to let people know the new cinema is there. "They were a necessity," Bulthaup said. "Without them, we are invisible from Route 59." If Bulthaup is happy about coming to Naperville, the city is pleased to have his cinema. "It will be a great addition to the shopping center," City Planner Katie Forystek said. "We hope it will be as successful as the cinema in Woodridge...it will be unique to the city."

CELEB HOT SPOT

A roster of the movie stars who have recently visited Hollywood Boulevard Cinema in Woodridge includes:

-Chicago's own Jennifer Hudson, star of "Dreamgirls."

-Amanda Bynes, star of "What a Girl Wants."

-Film legend Jane Russell, most famous for her role in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."

-Tony Curtis, who spoke at length about the making of "Some Like it Hot."

-Paul Rieser and Peter Falk discussed the filming of Rieser's feature film, "The Thing About My Folks."

-Michael Madsen and David Carradine took part in the Quentin Tarantino Festival and talked about their roles in "Kill Bill."

-Karen Allen took part in an "Animal House" reunion.