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[StoOgE]

Well, it looks like Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas is leaving Austin and going nationwide.. which means the rest of you luck out, and hopefully it wont ruin the whole thing (like Schlotzky's was win it became a chain)..

The main attraction is that the seats in every other row have been removed and replaced with a table.. and with an awesome pully system you can order drinks (beer, shots, mixed drinks, as well as soda), snacks and food (full meals) in the middle of the movie without interupting anyone at all.

Locally they do some other cool stuff, they have a portable inflatable outdoor movie screen which they have shown movies in the park downtown.. they have floated it on town lake for Jaws (watch the movie while floating in an innertube), and they took it up to crawford (where Bush's ranch is) to show Farenheit 9/11 (Moore came down for it) while Bush was in town.

they also show cult classics at midnight, have a free documentary night (still pay for drinks), a dollar movie night, Foleyvision (wierd foreign films without a sound track, with live performers doing dubbing and music like that old woodie allen movie), Mister Sinus Theater (improv group doing MST3K live).. its such a great place, I just hope it keeps its charm (if you consider being a dive charm, I know I do) and doesnt turn out like every other movie chain.

They show first run movies as well as indie films (Blackballed with Rob Cordry is great, saw it last night).

Also, all of their theaters have wi-fi in them. Dont know why you would want to surf the net while watching a movie, but you can.

 

[Hitman]

HOLY SHIT. All that sounds pretty radical. It probably won't come up to Canada though eh.

 

[Azwethinkweiz]

Here's hoping they open one in Charlotte. I hate not being able to get tanked when I go watch a comedy.

 

[Quadrophenic]

Scholzky's? Is that that sandwich place? I liked that place. How did it change after going national?

 

[Dead]

we already have one in houston, havent been there yet though, noticed they occasionaly play anime as well (slayers for example)

 

[StoOgE]

we already have one in houston, havent went there yet though

yeah, they opened a few up in some Texas cities allready, but they are now actually making them franchises, so anyone can open them up with the money. I heard on the news the the northwest is most likely to get them first.. there is a group that wants to put several in Portland and Seattle.

Edit: they do show anime a good deal, especially major releases.. and they have spike and mikes sick and twisted animation festival.. which isnt necesarily anime, but more akin to what CN produces for adult swim.

Super Hyper Edit Edition II : Forgot to mention, no kids under the age of 6 allowed inside. Booyaah stupid screaming children.

 

[Dan]

The main attraction is that the seats in every other row have been removed and replaced with a table.. and with an awesome pully system you can order drinks (beer, shots, mixed drinks, as well as soda), snacks and food (full meals) in the middle of the movie without interupting anyone at all.

This is quite possibly the last thing I want in a movie theater. It's bad enough that people are noisy as hell with food already during a movie, why would I want them to be able to eat an entire meal, or god forbid get drunk? Most people leave the movie to use the restroom anyway, not get food, so this doesn't really solve that at all. It just makes people more likely to spend more on food.

The only thing of interest I see is the showing of old movies.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

This is quite possibly the last thing I want in a movie theater. It's bad enough that people are noisy as hell with food already during a movie, why would I want them to be able to eat an entire meal, or god forbid get drunk? Most people leave the movie to use the restroom anyway, not get food, so this doesn't really solve that at all. It just makes people more likely to spend more on food.

The only thing of interest I see is the showing of old movies.

Um, this may influence you decision a little, no one under 16 without an adult, AKA no bratty junior high school pricks. BIG plus. And they also serve Schiltz by the bucket, its the epicurian's choice.

But yeah, its usually quiter then an average movie theater. Its very nice.

 

[Mason]

Actually, there is another small theater chain that is just as good as (if not better than) the Alamo Drafthouse.

Food and drinks (and alcohol) are served during the movie, as there are trays that fit into the cupholders and go across your lap. After 8:00 PM, you have to be 17 or older to get in, and they show cult movies every Friday and Saturday night (last week was Fight Club). There is also a sports bar attached to the theater with one of the world's largest projection screens which is used mainly for sports events.

One of the other theaters in this chain has a four story screen (I believe the largest in the world for normal films (ie not IMAX)) with a balcony that you must be 21 to sit in. It also has a cry room, which is a room at the back of the theater with a soundproof window so people with crying children can take them in there and not disturb other patrons.

 

[StoOgE]

It is a pretty silent theater.. it does help that all of the ones in Austin are in nicer areas of town... also, if you can afford to get really drunk at this place, your last name is likely gates.

 

[Dan]

No, what I'd be concerned with is drunk adults spoiling the experience. Teens and the like suck at movies often too, but drunk adults manage to be annoying at restaurants and public places all the time, shit I've had some terrible times on long plane flights with adults that just drink and drink and drink. I'd be really shocked if this wasn't a relatively common thing at the Alamo Drafthouse, unless they actually have an alcohol limit and enforce it. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that if alcohol is present, someone will become loud, obnoxious or disorderly, or some combination of the three (and I'm excluding parties and whatnot, where that's rather par for the course). That's not what I need if I'm paying to see a movie on a big screen.

also, if you can afford to get really drunk at this place, your last name is likely gates.

I've seen 20-somethings get drunk on flights that charge $20 a drink.

 

[distantmantra]

We already have theaters like that in the Seattle area, one of them in particular is the Big Picture, you can't get in unless you're 21, and they primarily show indie films. I saw Word Wars there (documentary on Scrabble players) a couple weeks back.

 

[Meier]

They've had a place like that in Orlando for about 20 years now called the Enzian. The whole ordering thing kinda bugs me personally but a lot of people like it. They also just have these really big cushy seats around tables instead of your traditional theatre seating.

The chairs are bigger and the tables are more circular since this picture has been taken -- but you get the idea.

 

[GDGF]

That's awesome sounding, but I doubt we'll get them anywhere near here. Carmike runs the show here (and this is Carmike's hometown, too)


I want beer and food, though

 

[border]

I've only been to the Enzian once and it kinda sucked. Who wants to hear five yuppie assholes trying to figure out how to split the tab when you're trying to watch a movie?

A local theatre around here has a snack bar that's actually at the back of the theatre -- they serve beer, wine, pizza, etc. It has worked out okay everytime I've been there.

 

[Bowser]

Here's hoping they open one in Charlotte. I hate not being able to get tanked when I go watch a comedy.

You and me both (hoping they open one in Charlotte, not getting tanked )!