Review your favorite Movie Theater

Ronald Epstein · 02-03-2007, 02:51 AM

Posted on behalf of a HTF member "Jonesy" (Geoff)

I recently started a blog with reviews of Movie Theatres, to help folks find the best cinemas and avoid the worst ones. I thought HTF readers might want to check it out, and maybe even submit a review. There are lots of posts griping about bad experiences and also many sharing the thrill of a great time at the movies.

The blog is here: http://movietheatrereviews.blogspot.com/

If you'd like to submit a review, reply to this thread. I'll duplicate it in the blog and be sure to credit the Home Theatre Forum.

Cheers,
Jonesy

**HTF Ads**

Holadem · 02-03-2007, 04:04 AM

This may be of some use: http://hometheaterforum.com/htf/showthread.php?t=206642

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H

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

Jonesy · 02-03-2007, 06:31 PM

Great reviews Adam!

Have you ever been to the Ontario Palace? I've heard great things about it and would love to read a full review.

Thanks,
Jonesy

JohnRice · 02-03-2007, 08:39 PM

Ron, I know this isn't exactly what you are asking for, but I think it is worth writing. I have only known one of what I consider a truly great theater.

The Cooper - Denver Colorado
The Cooper was located on South Colorado Blvd in Denver, about a mile north of I-25. It was a reminder of when movies were events, not just a way to kill a few hours. It seated probably over 1,000 poeple, most of whom were virtually surrounded by its enormous Cinerama screen. The seats weren't as comfortable as the best stadium seating venues of today, but the sound system was top notch before movies were concerned with sound, and the projection was bright and clear.

My first experience with The Cooper was in the summer of 1971, just a few weeks short of my 7th birthday, when I was taken there to see Fiddler on the Roof. I had no idea the significance of what I was seeing, but I was hooked. Most movie fans my age became so due to Star Wars, but this was the day that would do it for me. Through the years I traveled the 65 miles to see all three original Star Wars films there, as well as so many more. I drove there during summer and Christmas breaks when I was home from college. I regularly traveled there after college. Even though I lived in Texas then, I often worked in Denver. The final film I saw at The Cooper, suitably I suppose, was Ben-Hur, and the greatest experience of my movie going life. Then it was torn down to make space for another much needed Barnes & Noble. Progress isn't such a great thing.

Kirk Tsai · 02-04-2007, 04:34 AM

Did Adam intentionally miss the Westwood theaters because of the USC-UCLA reasons?

National and Village are two of the best old time, single screen theaters, along with the Chinese. Great sound and screen, and top notch prints. Watching movies at these places, and then even other respectable theater chains, I really thank there is a difference between the prints the theaters receive. I haven't been to National and Village in a while, but they used to have the opening curtain tradition too, which adds a touch of class. Only downside is that Westwood parking is never good; most patrons would have to go for the paid lots. Crowds are good, with lots of students. Big movie events are a blast, and of course a lot of movie premieres there if you want to catch celebrity sightings. Seats are not great.

The Castro in San Francisco: again, another old time, single screen experience. Great, great programming, with some unique fun experiences too. Just went to the Grease Sing Along, with people dressing up, the theater handing out little items related to the movie, dancing in the isle, the whole deal. Live organ play before every movie always stirs up the crowd. Downside? Again, parking, with not even paid lots. On weekends and evenings, parking on the streets are free, but daytime is a 2 hour limit. It's in the Castro district, so those who are wary or disagrees with the homosexual life style, beware.

Completely agree with Adam on the Samuel Goldwyn theater, which also includes a lot of special events and full package features (cartoons, newsreels, etc.). And of course agree on Arclight.

The UCLA theater (name escapes me right now) has a lot of special programming, which is often open to public. For any students there, or those only taking summer school, please enroll in the basic intro to film class, where lots of classic films are shown with great quality prints, with a great screen.

Good to hear about the Aero doing better. It's historical Santa Monica. It was not drawing any crowds in the late 90s, when it operated essentially as a second run theater.

Adam_S · 02-04-2007, 12:18 PM

Well, I've not really been to any of the Westwood theatres, so I can't really review them. Not due to any USC/ UCLA rivalry, but rather if I'm in Westwood it's for Diddy Reise, not movies.

Never been to the Ontario Palace.

Hayes Preston · 02-10-2007, 08:25 PM

Hey Geoff, great blog...

A few words about the AFI Silver in Silver Spring MD. The AFI Silver is a rare thing, a modern theater with state of the art projection (to include but not exclusively digital) and sound, combined with the film choices of the American Film Institute. You are just as likely to see a new "art house" film as you are to see a classic Kurosawa of Kubrick. The main theater in the AFI Silver is also equipped with 70mm (they show Lawrence of Arabia once a week every summer!)

On to another theater:

The Senator in Baltimore http://www.senator.com/

Before (or after) you read my review please check the Senator's websight or this thread http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/showthread.php?t=251790

The Senator is not just a theater, it's a landmark, a haven for film lovers, a center piece to for Urban renewal and home to very nice dog.

The owner of the theater is part of what makes it so special. He LOVES movies, seriously, I thought I was a movie geek, he is THE movie geek. He stays up with the fans all night while waiting to see the midnight premier of Star Wars. He personally greets filmgoers prior to every show. He hosts special events like Lord of the Rings Trilogy day, Star Wars Saga screenings, almost every premier of John Waters movies, and other national and regional premiers. When Ladder 49 was released he worked with the Baltimore City Fire Department to have the real ladder 49 truck parked in front of the theater for the entire opening weekend.

The concession area makes excellent fresh popcorn and features real drinks like cream soda and root beer (they also have standard fountain drinks and candy)

Did I mention the theater itself? The Senator is hands down the best sounding theater I have ever heard, and I have been to many theaters (East and West Coast) If you see an action movie at the Senator and then go to see the same movie at a multi-plex, you may think that there is something wrong with the sound at the later. The screen is huge and very brite (Tom does not play the dim-the-bulb game!) and the interior of the theater (lobby included) is beautifully restored to it's original art deco elegance.

There is also a private "sky box" at the Senator which you can rent for a very reasonable price. The private area is upstair and patron watch the movie from behind soundproof glass, in rooms on either side of the projection booth. The sound proof glass is so you can enjoy your own food and drink (alcohol is allowed) and not disturb the movie in the main auditorium. Each private room has its own sound system with volume control. When you rent to private area, you can bring your own food and drink kas mentioned, the Senator has two rules, no crabs (this is Maryland remember) and no kegs, that's it.

One last thing, the owner Tom plays a mean set of bongos.

Adam_S · 02-11-2007, 05:44 AM

The UCLA theatre is now known as the Billy Wilder theatre, they have a great program of films, I will probably try it out sometime soon.

I forgot to mention the Aero only 'seems' more full. The Egyptian is a 618 theatre with a balcony. The Aero is a 437 seat theatre.

Nick C. · 02-11-2007, 03:52 PM

Some local theaters in the east SF Bay Area...

Landmark Shattuck Cinemas, Berkeley
With 10 screens, this used to be the premiere mini-plex for art house and limited releases in the east/south bay, but competition in the south bay and across the bridge in San Francisco have surpassed their selection, and more importantly, viewing experience. Because the Landmark chain operates several theaters in the area, and with competition, one may not find