Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,398
2,032
Most seem to be small little screen theaters :( With no bigger than 150 to 200" inch screen.

We had one but it closed down a while ago sadly. Not because it had to but mainly because of covid times sadly.


Yes true I have my own movie theater but sometimes I like going to a real theater, if you want to call it that, and see a movie. Not always but sometimes. I got my own theater for this reason alone. It is nothing special or expensive but still good enough.


We kinda have one but they only show film festival and indie movies sometimes and it is difficult to determine when. Hmm maybe I should ask how to get a list of what is coming soon ?


I guess what I am asking is there any alert system out there that will search all theaters in the US or just local to me and tell me when any film festival or indie movies are playing a week or more ahead of time?


Would easily pay $50 a month if it kept updated live with all theaters in the US constantly. Doubt it exists though :(
 
Last edited:

max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,398
2,032
And where can I find all the foreign films playing right now all over the US ? In a movie theater, today and in the future ? (Like a few days from now or week from now)


Like a list?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: Wheel_D

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,141
46,584
In a coffee shop.
Temporary solutions might include: Arts festivals.

And universities.

Places where the liberal arts are thought to flourish might have a critical mass of population that would - or could - support such an endeavour.

A specific art house cinema (although I will grant you that they tend to be smaller than standard movie theatres, as they attract a smaller audience) may well be found in such places, and, such places will almost invariably be urban spaces.
 

Silencio

macrumors 68040
Jul 18, 2002
3,462
1,573
NYC
There used to be a lot of repertory cinemas in the US through the 90s, at least, but they've largely dwindled away. I spent most of my high school years at the now long gone Varsity Theater in Palo Alto watching a wide variety of art house, indie, and foreign films, plus the occasional midnight screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show, of course.

Just doing a quick search turned up a listing on Wikipedia. Many of these are in NYC or LA, but there are still quite a few spread across the country:


There is a longer list of "Revival Houses" which show old, classic films. This includes the gorgeously restored and impeccably programmed Stanford Theater in Palo Alto.

 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe

sjsharksfan12

macrumors 68000
Jun 29, 2020
1,888
2,382
San Jose, CA
There used to be a lot of repertory cinemas in the US through the 90s, at least, but they've largely dwindled away. I spent most of my high school years at the now long gone Varsity Theater in Palo Alto watching a wide variety of art house, indie, and foreign films, plus the occasional midnight screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show, of course.

Just doing a quick search turned up a listing on Wikipedia. Many of these are in NYC or LA, but there are still quite a few spread across the country:


There is a longer list of "Revival Houses" which show old, classic films. This includes the gorgeously restored and impeccably programmed Stanford Theater in Palo Alto.


Since you mentioned Palo Alto, I went to the cinearts theater a few times before the pandemic and it closed. Saw quite a few “indie” and small movies there.
 

max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,398
2,032
Thanks everyone.

I prefer foreign films.

The best being horror sometimes. Not always though.
 

Rafterman

Contributor
Apr 23, 2010
7,022
8,379
The reason AMC is as large as it is, is due to the big studios pumping money. There could never be an art or indie chain the size and capability of AMC.
 

KaliYoni

macrumors 68000
Feb 19, 2016
1,729
3,808
The reason AMC is as large as it is, is due to the big studios pumping money. There could never be an art or indie chain the size and capability of AMC.

I agree it is unlikely an art house mega chain is sustainable in the current movie-watching environment, as evidenced by the demise of relatively small operations such as Landmark and locally owned single screens, but the growth of gigantic megaplexes run by huge companies was not funded by the major studios. Between the late 1940s and about three years ago, anti-trust agreements prevented studios from owning and operating theaters.

But with the recent hollowing out of urban downtowns and the crash in commercial real estate values, who knows? Maybe there is some hope for theatres that show independent and non-blockbuster movies. City governments are finally beginning to realize the ground floor-retail plus upper floor-offices model is no longer working and consequently are beginning to consider providing incentives for arts and entertainment uses. Property owners are beginning to broaden their thinking as well. This could result in city and regionally based chains popping up that could eventually be consolidated into a national chain.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rafterman
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.