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Adam_S · 02-03-2007, 04:47 PM

The Arclight Hollywood - Expensive, but the best sound and seating arrangements of any theater ever--except the cinerama dome, which is a nice novelty, but unpleasant in comparison to the rest of the multiplex. Each movie is introduced by ushers and you have assigned seating (but you can sneak to better seats if the movie isn't full). The biggest advantage to the arclight, though, is the membership program, which is free, and lets you earn points towards free movies, gift certificates and gets you a dollar discount on most movies currently running. Arclight is a three or four times a year experience (sometimes less) but is worth it and never fails to impress people.

The Egyptian Theatre (part of the American Cinematheque)
One of the best theatres in LA, the chairs are comfy, the armrests will move up, and the screen is fantastic and enormous. Most shows, even special rare screenings of classics never sell out and you don't have to worry about sitting too close. Unfortunately the front row is only about 12 feet from the thirty foot high screen, so I don't recommend anyone sit closer than the twelfth row, at least. They often program interesting material

Aero Theatre (part of the American cinematheque) a nice screen and usually better programming than the egyptian, but the seats are awful, the armrests don't move and the seating system is old school, not stadium, like the egyptian. You need to sit at least two thirds back to really enjoy the films. Aero draws great crowds though, and is usually more full than the egyptian, probably because it's more community oriented. The big drawback is parking. There is none, you'll need to park on a residential street within a four block (or more) radius, so arrive early and find a spot. Montana avenue is one of the great shopping secrets of Santa Monica, very chic if you're into that sort of thing. Many cool cafes and dining spots as well.

Graumann's Chinese theatre -
Best sound in LA, the seating sucks somewhat, but it's a great experience for big bombastic movies.

Graumann's Chinese 6
Tiny and overpriced, not worth the money.

Academy Samuel Goldwyn theatre
The best place in LA to see movies. It has pretty much the best and biggest screen, draws the best audiences, the screen is very far from the first row, so that makes the first five rows some of the best seats in the house, and they show some of the best film events in LA. Since it is the academy, the studios always insure that the best quality print is sent over, though this is sometimes embarassing for studios like Universal, whose print quality of old films is laughable in comparison to studios that really care like WB, Fox, Sony/Columbia, MGM, Disney, etc. Usually the latter studios will strike a new print, just for the academy screening, while Universal sends over a vintage print, circa whatever year the film came out.

LACMA Bing theatre
lame seating, and the screen can be cut off by the stage or side balustrades depending on where you're sitting. Get there early if it's a big event, sound is not great, PQ is good.

USC Norris theatre - Great place to see movies, seating is very uncomfortable but the sound is fantastic and PQ of prints is usually above average though projection can be spotty.

Laemmle Grande (Downtown) -
Worst theatre ever, the entire theatre smells of stale urine and other homeless people smells. Vile to go into, worth walking out after two minutes and not asking for your money back.

Flagship University 3 (USC)
better than it used to be, but the screen stays the same size no matter what ratio the picture is, so every 2.35 film is cropped. Screens are stained, theatre audience is awful. Good for midnight shows.

Pacific's The Grove
Great theatre, the workers have to dress up in bellhop costumes though, fantastic picture and sound, great seating, Third and fourth rows are my favorite in most of these theatres. Projection is usually well above average bordering on excellent. Audiences are respectful. Overpriced, but they will accept Group Activity Tickets for any movie except the newest releases for primetime Friday and Saturday showings. Grove will usually run up to five minutes of commercials before getting to the trailers. on top of charging the third highest rate in LA.

AMC Century City 15
welcome to hell, this is the worst parking garage of all time, Avoid this theatre because you'll need to arrive an hour early to find parking in the garage if you go to any showing on the weekend. weekdays are not bad, but it can take up to ten minutes to find your car and then another twenty to find out how to get out of the parking garage since they close most of the exits after 9. and if you forget to validate it will cost you twelve dollars for two hours, with validation it's free. Guess how I learned that one. It's also virtually impossible to find your way around the shopping center and I've been there a dozen times. Mazelike, horrendous place. The theatre itself is probably the second best multiplex in LA (after Arclight, ahead of Grove) it's cheaper than the Grove (still overpriced) but doesn't take Group Activity tickets except on select older films, they do have student discounts though. picture Quality and Sound Quality are the best of any multiplex other than the arclight. Projection has always been excellent, which is more than you can say for the Grove. The only reason to go is for the pre-noon $6 showings on Saturday and Sunday. Audiences are acceptable.

The Bridge Cinema du Lux
WAY overpriced. And parking is a flat $2 so carpool rather than meeting at the theatre. projection quality is middling to poor. picture quality slightly average and sound is above average. Audience quality is often awful. There is always plenty of parking and plenty of showings though. no student discounts on Fridays and Saturday is wretched. Second most expensive theatre in LA and no where near worth it.

The New Beverly
Yuck. Great programming, sticky, yucky cheap cheap cheap theatre. better to see these movies on DVD than watch them here. no parking

Nuart
Yuckier than New Bev. interesting programming, no parking. cheap and disgusting to be in.

SanFrancisco:
Metreon
Bascially the SF equivalent (in all ways) of The Bridge Cinema du Lux in Los Angeles except the parking situation (as in all of SF) is terrible

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02-03-2007, 04:47 PM	#3 of 50
Adam_S *Adam_S* Member Location: Marina del Rey, CA Join Date: Feb 2001 Local Time: 04:14 PM Local Date: 07-06-2008 Posts: 4,962	Re: Review your favorite Movie Theater The Arclight Hollywood - Expensive, but the best sound and seating arrangements of any theater ever--except the cinerama dome, which is a nice novelty, but unpleasant in comparison to the rest of the multiplex. Each movie is introduced by ushers and you have assigned seating (but you can sneak to better seats if the movie isn't full). The biggest advantage to the arclight, though, is the membership program, which is free, and lets you earn points towards free movies, gift certificates and gets you a dollar discount on most movies currently running. Arclight is a three or four times a year experience (sometimes less) but is worth it and never fails to impress people. The Egyptian Theatre (part of the American Cinematheque) One of the best theatres in LA, the chairs are comfy, the armrests will move up, and the screen is fantastic and enormous. Most shows, even special rare screenings of classics never sell out and you don't have to worry about sitting too close. Unfortunately the front row is only about 12 feet from the thirty foot high screen, so I don't recommend anyone sit closer than the twelfth row, at least. They often program interesting material Aero Theatre (part of the American cinematheque) a nice screen and usually better programming than the egyptian, but the seats are awful, the armrests don't move and the seating system is old school, not stadium, like the egyptian. You need to sit at least two thirds back to really enjoy the films. Aero draws great crowds though, and is usually more full than the egyptian, probably because it's more community oriented. The big drawback is parking. There is none, you'll need to park on a residential street within a four block (or more) radius, so arrive early and find a spot. Montana avenue is one of the great shopping secrets of Santa Monica, very chic if you're into that sort of thing. Many cool cafes and dining spots as well. Graumann's Chinese theatre - Best sound in LA, the seating sucks somewhat, but it's a great experience for big bombastic movies. Graumann's Chinese 6 Tiny and overpriced, not worth the money. Academy Samuel Goldwyn theatre The best place in LA to see movies. It has pretty much the best and biggest screen, draws the best audiences, the screen is very far from the first row, so that makes the first five rows some of the best seats in the house, and they show some of the best film events in LA. Since it is the academy, the studios always insure that the best quality print is sent over, though this is sometimes embarassing for studios like Universal, whose print quality of old films is laughable in comparison to studios that really care like WB, Fox, Sony/Columbia, MGM, Disney, etc. Usually the latter studios will strike a new print, just for the academy screening, while Universal sends over a vintage print, circa whatever year the film came out. LACMA Bing theatre lame seating, and the screen can be cut off by the stage or side balustrades depending on where you're sitting. Get there early if it's a big event, sound is not great, PQ is good. USC Norris theatre - Great place to see movies, seating is very uncomfortable but the sound is fantastic and PQ of prints is usually above average though projection can be spotty. Laemmle Grande (Downtown) - Worst theatre ever, the entire theatre smells of stale urine and other homeless people smells. Vile to go into, worth walking out after two minutes and not asking for your money back. Flagship University 3 (USC) better than it used to be, but the screen stays the same size no matter what ratio the picture is, so every 2.35 film is cropped. Screens are stained, theatre audience is awful. Good for midnight shows. Pacific's The Grove Great theatre, the workers have to dress up in bellhop costumes though, fantastic picture and sound, great seating, Third and fourth rows are my favorite in most of these theatres. Projection is usually well above average bordering on excellent. Audiences are respectful. Overpriced, but they will accept Group Activity Tickets for any movie except the newest releases for primetime Friday and Saturday showings. Grove will usually run up to five minutes of commercials before getting to the trailers. on top of charging the third highest rate in LA. AMC Century City 15 welcome to hell, this is the worst parking garage of all time, Avoid this theatre because you'll need to arrive an hour early to find parking in the garage if you go to any showing on the weekend. weekdays are not bad, but it can take up to ten minutes to find your car and then another twenty to find out how to get out of the parking garage since they close most of the exits after 9. and if you forget to validate it will cost you twelve dollars for two hours, with validation it's free. Guess how I learned that one. It's also virtually impossible to find your way around the shopping center and I've been there a dozen times. Mazelike, horrendous place. The theatre itself is probably the second best multiplex in LA (after Arclight, ahead of Grove) it's cheaper than the Grove (still overpriced) but doesn't take Group Activity tickets except on select older films, they do have student discounts though. picture Quality and Sound Quality are the best of any multiplex other than the arclight. Projection has always been excellent, which is more than you can say for the Grove. The only reason to go is for the pre-noon $6 showings on Saturday and Sunday. Audiences are acceptable. The Bridge Cinema du Lux WAY overpriced. And parking is a flat $2 so carpool rather than meeting at the theatre. projection quality is middling to poor. picture quality slightly average and sound is above average. Audience quality is often awful. There is always plenty of parking and plenty of showings though. no student discounts on Fridays and Saturday is wretched. Second most expensive theatre in LA and no where near worth it. The New Beverly Yuck. Great programming, sticky, yucky cheap cheap cheap theatre. better to see these movies on DVD than watch them here. no parking Nuart Yuckier than New Bev. interesting programming, no parking. cheap and disgusting to be in. SanFrancisco: Metreon Bascially the SF equivalent (in all ways) of The Bridge Cinema du Lux in Los Angeles except the parking situation (as in all of SF) is terrible top 20 films 2008 film list My DVDs; S&S List 62...212 AFI lists: - DONE! HTF Stars list 247/248 Last edited by Adam_S : 02-03-2007 at 04:56 PM.