Tag: local theaters

The weather is nice. Let’s all stay inside.

What’s your favorite DC movie theater? Here are a few places to see movies in DC that you might not have heard of! AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center AFI, which is on the Red Line in Silver Spring, often shows award winners, has international film festivals (sometimes in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution), and … Continue reading “The weather is nice. Let’s all stay inside.”

What’s your favorite DC movie theater? Here are a few places to see movies in DC that you might not have heard of!

AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center

AFI, which is on the Red Line in Silver Spring, often shows award winners, has international film festivals (sometimes in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution), and runs series that celebrate a variety of themes. Some of their special programs include films with live accompaniment and horror nights with Count Gore de Vol.

Suns Cinema

Suns Cinema is a truly weird theater, with wallpaper ripped from the Royal Tenenbaums and a carpet straight out of The Shining, not to mention seats cobbled together from chairs and couches. This theater shows a wide range of cult and older films, with screenings often thematic to the season.

The Avalon Theater

The Avalon Theater, located in Chevy Chase, is “an independent, historic, nonprofit cinema in Washington, DC, offering first-run commercial movies, independent and foreign films, and special programs,” as they describe themselves. They offer a convenient location, a great selection of films, and have a nice cafe to boot.

Angelika Pop Up

Angelika Pop Up is located in a warehouse near NOMA-Gallaudet on the Red Line. They often show blockbusters, but also run anime movies and show live theater performances. They often have special deals, including Student Tuesday, where a student ID gets you a discounted Student Ticket and a complimentary popcorn!

Landmark

Landmark Theaters is a national chain, but they’re known for their interesting programming. Whether it’s Ghibli films or Oscar nominees, they’re a comfortable bet for a variety of films at any of their locations. They have many special events, including midnight showings of cult and classic films.


What’s your favorite movie theater in DC? Comment below!

Another challenge for small DC theaters: actually being allowed to show movies

Rendering via Landmark Theaters We’ve talked about the struggles of DC movie theaters in the past, especially neighborhood community theaters like the recently re-opened West End Cinema that have to compete with major chains and often need to foot the bill for new digital projection systems themselves. As it turns out, costs of operation aren’t … Continue reading “Another challenge for small DC theaters: actually being allowed to show movies”

Rendering via Landmark Theaters

We’ve talked about the struggles of DC movie theaters in the past, especially neighborhood community theaters like the recently re-opened West End Cinema that have to compete with major chains and often need to foot the bill for new digital projection systems themselves. As it turns out, costs of operation aren’t even the biggest obstacle to running a small theater: sometimes the big brands can just completely box them out.

The Washington Post recently published an article about the bizarre phenomenon of “clearances” in which major theater groups can pressure film distributors into providing exclusive access to some movies. In the specific case mentioned by the Post, one of Landmark Theaters’ new DC locations couldn’t play the James Bond movie Spectre because Regal had to cloud to limit its availability. A number of lawsuits are in motion – including from Landmark – and the Department of Justice’s anti-trust wing is reportedly investigating these practices.

Such is another odd wrinkle in the life of a local theater. Even if you can afford to operate your theater and maintain its equipment – no small feat even for large theaters nowadays – you might just not be able to show the most popular movies. Remember to support your favorite limited-run theater in the area when they show something you’re interested in watching!