movies and where can i see them

teddyballgame · September 2005

so it seems as though american apparel and park slope gym will occupy the Flatbush Pavillion space on Flatbush, as has been discussed in several other threads. This sucks for me twofold: I don't work out, and thus, I'm not interested in buying really thin t-shirts that would expose that fact to the world.
It also sucks because I love movies and the movie going experience. When I lived in DC I would go every time I could to Union Station for perhaps the most interactive movie watching experience there is.
During Blade 2, a woman, apparently overwhelmed, yelled for Wesley Snipes to take off his pants. No joke.
Anywho, I'm relatively new to this neighborhood... where's the best place around here to see movies, then? I know that there's a stadium theater by the Boro Hall stop on the 2/3 and then one a little further walk down Court St. that's more independant seeming. Anything else good? Maybe anything in the other direction?
Maybe something that still shows Van Helsing?

ana.log · September 2005

If you go to moviefone.com and type in your zip, you will see which moviehouses are closest - however, a short list is:

BAM on Lafayette St. in Ft. Greene shows a lot of indies. The "other" Pavillion in the south slope on 15th and PPW has a reasonable selection though the theaters and screens are tiny, there's a movie theater in Cobble Hill which I haven't been to and several in Brooklyn Heights - a quick trip on the 2/3 or 4/5.

cupcake · September 2005

I also lived in DC and also saw movies at Union Station, mostly because it was so close to where we were living. My friends and I were astounded by the "interactive" nature of movie-going there (we were fresh-faced clueless 16-year-olds, plucked from our homes across the country and dropped into urban DC for a semester). :oops: It gets to be contagious, I remember yelling during Titanic "Sink the boat! Sink the damn boat already!"

People would also sneak big stinky food into the theater with them. I'm surprised I haven't encountered more of this in NYC.

pitu · September 2005

The interactive movie thing describes the old Flatbush Pavillion experience. I really miss that place and their Hong Kong festivals.

BAM is the best for foreign and indie films (they get alot of what shows at manhattan art houses, just a couple weeks later.) The giant multiplex at Union Sq (14th St) has bigger screens and the mainstream features that play at the Pavillion PPW.

oiseau · September 2005

For non-indie films I will always go to the Court St. megaplex with it's big screens, great sound system and comfy chairs.

teddyballgame · September 2005

sneaking food into Union Station is nothing, they like don't even look twice if you just walk past them with a bag from anything in that awesome huge food court. Apparently other things are pretty easy to sneak in as well, as I saw How High (the method man/redman vehicle) there and thought I was all badass for sneaking in a 40. Little did I know, people (not just like one or two either) would be smoking a ton of weed in the theater. It was like a PFunk concert in there, it was hilarious and awesome, and the movie was pretty good too.

jamesondean · September 2005

People treating movie theaters like their living rooms is why I avoid theaters so much. I am a *huge* movie fan, but I actually had to ask for my money back the last time I went to the Pavilion in Park Slope because I couldn't hear the dialogue ("Panic Room" induces talking?). Sometimes when the lights go up you expect people to say "Cool, now we can go home and talk!" Lack of manners makes my blood boil.

::rant over::

I generally will go to BAM for indie films and the Clearview Ziegfeld in Manhattan for big event movies. I'm also a member of the Museum of the Moving Image (it's cheap), which not only shows films at its building in Queens, but sometimes in Manhattan as well. Next week, for instance, Meggle and I are going into the city for the new David Cronenberg movie, followed by him speaking about the film. We saw Jim Jarmusch and his film Broken Flowers recently in the same fashion. Lincoln Center has a film society with similar gigs too--and you don't have to be a member; we got to see Peter Jackson and the cast of Return of the King a couple of years ago that way.

p.s. Netflix is proof of the existence of God.

jack · September 2005

Your best bet for movie going in Brooklyn is Downtown Brooklyn, Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights. It's really the area that is the last bastion of old school movie going around.

First, you have the Cobble Hill Cinemas on Court Street (265 Court Street Near Butler, Brooklyn, NY 11231). It's a tiny multiplex with tons of small movie murals on it (gotta love the E.T. portraits on it) and it's my favorite small theater. The owners are great and they strictly enforce a 'no talking on the cellphone' policy. They also have matinee days on Tuesday and Thursday I believe? Or is it Wednesday. They seem to change it but they do have them. $5 tickets!

Then you have The Brooklyn Heights Cinema (70 Henry Street near Orange Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201). It's owned and operated by the same people who run the Park Slope Pavillion and the Flatbush Pavillion (RIP) when it was around. Only two theaters in there and it's very small-town-theater-ish. They also have matinee days on Tuesday and Thursday. $5 tickets!

Finally, there is the UA Court Street Stadium 12 (108 Court Street near State Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201). Yes, this is a big impersonal multiplex. But there is a silver lining to this place. There are matinee prices happening there every day for every film as long as you see it before 5:00pm. Quite a good deal if you want to catch the latest Hollywood flick for cheap. Saw the Matrix sequels there and it was fun. And yes, it can be 'interactive' at times, but if you see the right movie it's okay. Like at the end of 'Matrix Reloaded' the woman next to me just shouted 'OHHHHH SHIIIIT!!!!' when the end credits rolled. Now that's what I can a movie going experience!

And finally to defend the Flatbush Pavillion... I truly wish it were still around so I could go see Samuel Jackon's Snakes on a Plane...

- "Get out of the way, there's SNAKE!"
- "Oh no your not opening up that overhead compartment... Oh shit! A SNAKE!!!"
- "What are you going to do now with SNAKE biting you!"
- "Hey, SNAKE!!!!"

jack · September 2005

JamesonVandy wrote: Netflix is proof of the existence of God.

With all of the NetFlix talk I want to also recommend "Video Free Brooklyn" (244 Smith St.) I'm sure there are video stores that are closer for most Prospect Heights residents, but I gladly take the hike to that independent store from my Boerum Hill place. Their wall of "People We Don't Take Checks From" that is filled with neighborhood baby pictures is awesome.

teddyballgame · September 2005

Holy crap Snakes on a Plane looks like it's going to be the best movie ever... that one probably necessitates a return trip to DC...

thanks for all the advice, one question- is the big impersonal court st. one a "stadium" theatre with all the modern amenities like aisles where you don't have to climb over people and do-it-yourself butter-style topping? because, though I hate giving money to the man and all, i think those theaters are awesome, and I hate climbing over people and having them climb over me...

jack · September 2005

teddyballgame wrote: thanks for all the advice, one question- is the big impersonal court st. one a "stadium" theatre with all the modern amenities like aisles where you don't have to climb over people and do-it-yourself butter-style topping? because, though I hate giving money to the man and all, i think those theaters are awesome, and I hate climbing over people and having them climb over me...

Yes, that's it. I don't completely hate it. But I go there only when the movie deems to be multiplex worthy. Like all of the "Lord of the Rings" films and such; saw them there. Ditto with "The Matrix" and it's sequels. But the other ones have their own benefit.

For example, the Cobble Hill Cinemas held a special showing of "Mad Hot Ballroom" where one of the local Brooklyn schools featured in the film had teachers, parents and other kids from the film there to answer questions and talk about the film.

I have no problem with mega multiplex theaters. Just use them when I need them.

ppwgal · September 2005

Jack wrote:
First, you have the Cobble Hill Cinemas on Court Street (265 Court Street Near Butler, Brooklyn, NY 11231). It's a tiny multiplex with tons of small movie murals on it (gotta love the E.T. portraits on it) and it's my favorite small theater. The owners are great and they strictly enforce a 'no talking on the cellphone' policy. They also have matinee days on Tuesday and Thursday I believe? Or is it Wednesday. They seem to change it but they do have them. $5 tickets!

Cobble Hill Cinema actually has matinee prices on the weekend, too. I think we paid $5 or $6 for a movie early on a Sunday a few weeks ago. Seems like one of the best movie deals around.

movies and where can i see them

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