| Arbor 7 Theatre (F-2) 10000 Research (Arboretum), 346-7919. Old theatre, new fare. Having taken over for the Village the role of chief purveyor of films not starring Steve Martin or Arnold Schwarzenegger (i.e., "art films") about a year ago, the Arbor has transformed itself from a typical, inoffensively upscale neighborhood theatre into a hotbed of oozy carnality and exploding neo-epithets. And that was just one film! Seriously, though, the Arbor -- under new management, it should be noted -- is doing a bang-up for the black beret 'n' clove set. Seven screens, three of which are THX with the rest being Dolby and DTS, and with a virtuous 400 seats in the largest auditorium (with loveseats, no less), Regal's decision to move the art fare from the Village to the Arbor appears to have been spot on. With standard concessions and a Barnes & Noble 30 feet away if you feel like something a little more caffeinated or a tad more literary, the Arbor -- complete with storm clouds brewing on the star-strewn ceiling -- is still the best place in town to see a film featuring Ewan McGregor's naughty bits. Barton Creek Cinema (Cinemark) (F-3) 2224-B Walsh Tarlton Lane, 306-1688. Okay, last time. Take MoPac South, go West at Hwy360, go down to your second light, and take a right. The theatre is that colossal structure on your left. Sheesh, I don't know how many times I've fielded calls from lost filmgoing friends who just couldn't seem to find this terrific Cinemark mainstay. Compasses for all next December, I swear. One of the newer megaplexes in town, this one features a garish color scheme guaranteed to remind you of weird Uncle Deepak's rumpus room. Talking trash canisters bearing the likeness of Cinemark feline mascot Front Row Joe are a nice touch, but it's the wonderful stadium-style seating that steals your heart. That and the enormous screens (eight of 'em) and sternum-cracking THX sound. Wheelchair accessible, of course, and with the usual complement of concessionary wallet-thinners, the coolest thing of all -- and what "everybody's talkin'" about -- is that their gift certificates are nicknamed "Joe Bucks." Somewhere, Johns Schlesinger and Voight are laughing themselves silly. Barton Creek Square (General Cinema) (F-4) 2901 Capital of Texas (Barton Creek Square Mall), 306-9190. It's new, it's big, and it has 14 screens, every single one of them outfitted with Dolby Digital loud enough to looses those fillings (two are THX with EX Sound System's extra channeling). General Cinema's brand-spanking new showpiece is a wonder to behold, sprawling over several acres of film space and featuring too much of everything, including stadium seating and loveseats (you can actually lie down and grab a a quick nap if the mood strikes you). Clearly bigger is better sometimes. With a Starbucks and an Uno's Pizza on-site, famished filmgoers now have the unique option of getting twitchy, scalding their palates, or just letting those old-time Jujubes work their dental black magic. More, please. Dobie Theatre (F-6) 2021 Guadalupe (Dobie Mall, 2nd floor), 472-FILM / 505-1000. There was a palpable sense of loss in the air when it was announced in early '99 that this classic independent had been sold by owner/manager Scott Dinger to Landmark Theatres, the country's largest art-house chain (50 theatres and counting). Sighs of relief are in order, because it's now two months into the transition and everything looks just peachy. Continuing to exhibit the best in independent films from across the globe, the Dobie is known as "that theatre with the funky decor." Indeed, one theatre (there are four in all) boast, an Egyptian theme, another is medieval, while the third puts you in mind of Sherlock Holmes' study. This is the theatre that first screened Slacker and launched the career of local hero Rick Linklater, as well as screening Doug Liman's Swingers for over a year, and more recently, S.R. Bindler's Hands on a Hard Body, which itself has crept past the one-year mark. Sure the screens are a little on the small side, but with Ultra-Stereo and a coming upgrade from Landmark "sometime in the near future." Sixteen millimeter, 35mm, and video, plus those notoriously kicky slide shows between films, make the Dobie a class act all the way around. Did I mention the hot pretzels at the concession stand? How do you spell that sound Homer Simpson makes when he drools? Anyone? Gateway Theatre (F-7) 9700 Stonelake Blvd., 416-5700, x3808. "Hey! You just stepped on the school insignia. Nobody does that, ever!" That line from Nick Ray's Rebel Without a Cause will echo in your head when you see the giant Texas star emblazoned on the Gateway's massive marble foyer floor. Tread away, though. They can take it. Sixteen screens, all THX and Digital, seating up to 242 patrons per screen on stadium-style seats so that guy with the 10-gallon hat in front of you can just leave that sucker bolted on. Like most chain theatres (in this case, Regal Cinemas), the Gateway can screen only the industry standard 35mm prints, but with the Texas-sized opulence going on here, that's less of a sticking point than an observation. True managerial quote: "What's unique about us? Not much. Everybody knows we're the best. That's about it." Hey, Val Kilmer called. He wants his ego back. Great Hills 8 (F-8) 9828 Great Hills Trail, 794-8076. Eight screens, two THX with the remaining split between Dolby Digital and Dolby Stereo, and seating capacities up to 380 exceedingly comfortable. No stadium seating here, but Great Hills caters to the anti-art-house crowd that shies away from the Arbor 7 just a stone's throw away. There's a lot to be said for your standard neighborhood movie theatre, where even the well-trod carpeting feels like home. Wheelchair accessible, of course (almost all theatres are these days). Anything special? "We've got Starbucks coffee but that cappuccino and, what do you call it? 'Latee'?'" Latte. "Right. We don't have that, but we do have plain coffee." Donuts for dunking? "What?" Never mind. Hey, you want a triple mocha half-caf "latee" swirl, go to a java joint. This here's a General Cinema theatre, buddy, not Seattle. Highland Pavilion 10 (F-9) 6700 Middle Fiskville Rd., 454-9562. Another one that's hard to find for some people, stalwart Highland 10 is just a hop, skip, and stagger away from rival Lincoln 6 and 100 yards north of venerable Highland Mall. Ten screens with regular, non-stadium seating, three THX, the rest Dolby Digital, seating up to 300 regular patrons or 200 XXL ones. Just kidding. Like the Great Hills above, the Highland is a fine neighborhood theatre of the General Cinema persuasion without too many unnecessary bells and whistles but with plenty of heart. I've talked at length with a bored ticket taker on a Monday afternoon and found, to my surprise, that, teenage job-wise, "it's not so bad." Free movies, man, free movies. Lake Creek Festival (F-10) 13729 Research, 416-5700, x3800. A long time ago in a theatre way, way the heck out there ... The Lake Creek Festival is off my radar by virtue of being a good half-hour drive from where I live. Still, the one time I did make the sojourn I was pleasantly surprised by this nifty little shopping-plaza-bound eight-screener. Two THX auditoriums with the rest devoted to "regular sound," it seats up to 300, handles 35mm only, and is another link in the Regal Cinema's chain o' fun. That's about it. Lakehills 4 (F-11) 2428 Ben White Blvd., 416-5700, x3803. It's been sitting on the corner of Ben White and Lamar for as long as I can remember, long before that giant Hwy360 interchange was erected almost overhead, so I suppose this qualifies as an oldie but goodie. Four screens, and, um, THX sort of. "I think they're taking away my THX certification," said the unnamed manager I spoke with, "but one of them was THX." Aaarrrgh! That's gotta hurt. Lucasfilm's reign of exhibitor terror aside, the Lakehills can hold up to 400 comfortably, screens 35mm only, and is yet another groovy Regal Cinema. Lakeline Starport (F-12) 11200 Lakeline Mall Dr. (Lakeline Mall), 335-7138. Another cinema that's out in far Northwest Austin, the Lakeline comes complete with nine screens and is notorious as Austin's only bifurcated mall-bound cineplex. While you're running to find the thesaurus, let me rephrase a bit and say it's Austin's only split-level movie theatre, with half up top and slightly more than half below. Handicapped accessible, natch, 35mm only (with chains, like Regal Cinemas, that's what you're going to get), and matching concession stands up and downstairs. "It's an interesting design for a mall, actually," beamed the manager-on-duty I spoke with. Presumably I.M. Pei was not involved, but nonetheless, the Lakeline is still a top-notch cineplex and a blessing to those of us who live anywhere west of the Arboretum. Lincoln 6 (F-13) 6406 I-35 (Lincoln Village), 416-5700, x3804. A personal favorite, the Regal Lincoln 6 is the only movie theatre in town to be built from the ground up as a THX facility (three screens running THX, with another three running Dolby in the theatre annex across the parking lot). With the largest seating capacity of any moviehouse in town (510), it lacks recent touches such as stadium seating and loveseats, but that's a small price to pay for the literally awesome sound in the main auditorium (far and away the loudest, crispest sound in town) and the theatre's proximity to not only a T.J. Cinnamon's but also a fine Italian restaurant. 
Metropolitan
photograph by Kenny Braun | Metropolitan (F-14) 901 Little Texas, 447-0101. You'll feel positively Lilliputian (or possibly like one of Darby O'Gill's little people) as you ogle the grouping of giant, nekkid, bald guys that crowns the top of Austin's newest googleplex (actually 14 screens, but what the hey. It sure seems like a google). Created by Central Texas artist Jerry Post, the gargantuan skinheads were commissioned by Regal Cinemas as an attention-grabbing throwback to the days when movie palaces were honest-to-goodness palaces. Personally, I think it's a great way to discourage marauding fleets of alien invaders ("A race of giants! Quick, Zork, back to Rigel IV!"), but then that's just me. A matching set of uber-femmes grace the wallface behind the concession counter, though thankfully, like Ken and Barbie, none of these gals 'n' gents are anatomically correct. Fourteen screens seating up to 469 per auditorium, stadium seating, wheelchair accessibility, and THX all around. Bigger doesn't necessarily mean better, but in this case it sure does provide hours of jaw-dropping fun. Northcross 6 (F-15) 25254 W. Anderson (Northcross Mall), 416-5700, x3804. Plenty of people seem to dislike mall theatres, but in this case, it's right next to Austin's only indoor public ice-skating rink, so what's not to love? You can go see a movie, then take in a teeth-shattering full body check in the same afternoon. And wasn't there a film called Blood on the Ice? I could've sworn ... Six screens, 176 seats per screen, Dolby Stereo with DTS capability, 35mm only, wheelchair accesibility, and a proud member of the Regal family. A free film fest for the kids all summer (featuring a pre-Titanic Billy Zane as The Phantom -- recommended for fans of The Purple One, and no, I'm not talking about Prince). All in all, a nice little mallplex with plenty of trimmings. It's also the only theatre I've ever been forcibly ejected from after Paul "Martian" Sessums and I snuck in to catch a first-run screening of Return of the Living Dead one sunny summer Sunday back in 1985. The horror, the horror ... Ritz Lounge & Theatre (F-17) 320 E. Sixth, 474-2270. Good things come in small packages, usually with Shiner on tap and a sexy waitstaff. Climbing the treacherously narrow staircase just to the left of the Ritz's main entrance, you find yourself in what used to be the balcony section of the old Ritz Theatre. Now partitioned off for use as a alternative lounge area ("Electric Pussycat Swinger's Lounge" takes over every Wednesday night, for example), the space has also played host to Bill Daniel's "Funhouse Cinema" series, the occasional Luke Savisky film installation, and the "Dark Comedy Night" with some of the city's rowdiest stand-up comics. Quirky seating with rag-tag tables and such accommodates up to 150 people, and manager John Mitchell will let you have the space for free if you're a local filmmaker looking to screen that new opus dei of yours. Purely Austin, it's sort of a low-rent version of the Paramount, a scruffy, slingshot-wielding kid brother to that theatre's Grande Dame. Riverside 8 (F-18) 2410 E. Riverside, 416-5700, x3801. The only real first-run moviehouse on Austin's Eastside proper, the Riverside 8 is another old-school holdover that still manages to pack them in any day of the week. Crowds of bubbly high school kids take over on the weekend, and though this Regal chain outlet has no THX capability, four DTS and four Dolby Stereo more than make up for the lack of Lucasnicity. Seating up to 350, the auditoriums are 35mm only and wheelchair accessible. Standard fare, nicely done. Round Rock 8 (F-19) 2132 N. Mays (Round Rock), 388-2848. Another solid Cinemark theatre with few bells and whistles, this is a staple of Round Rock's moviegoing experience, and easy on the purse strings to boot. Eight screens, with Dolby Surround and DTS divided amongst them, standard seating, and wheelchair accessibility, it's another example of a solid neighborhood cinema catering to the teen and young adult crowd. The kicker is that the Round Rock 8's ticket prices top out at $4 for adults and even less for kids. A nominal fee in today's smash-and-grab battle for the moviegoer's hard-earned dollars. Tinseltown North (F-21) N. I-35 & FM 1835 in Pflugerville, 989-8540. Cinemark's only Pflugerville cinema is also one of their largest, with a whopping 20 screens, but, amazingly, no THX. What happened? Granted, the ability to deafen patrons from 12 different directions simultaneously is not really necessary for a complete moviegoing experience, but you wonder what happened between screen number one and screen number twenty. Instead, you can rattle your eardrums with the entirely acceptable DTS and SDDS sound they've installed, and lounge in stadium seating up to 491 seats in the largest auditorium. Nice. Tinseltown South (F-22) 5501 S.I-H35, 989-8540. Overkill isn't a word Cinemark knows how to spell when it comes to their Tinseltown offerings -- this one has a massive 17 screens, seating up to 290 in their largest section (in stadium seating, of course), and also offers DTS, SDDS, and, oddly, Ultra-Stereo. Again, George Lucas seems to have passed this one by entirely, according to Cinemark's regional rep, but then it's doubly odd that Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is playing there at all, what with the lack of THX. Very strange. That aside, this recent addition to the ever-growing roster of Austin multiplexes impresses by sheer virtue of its colossal size. Eventually, the tubs of popcorn will grow to mammoth proportions as well, I suspect, but until that time you're secure in the knowlege that you have the ability to choose from 17 different films and only one parking lot. Which, of course, is as it should be. Village Cinema Art (F-23) 2700 Anderson (Village Shopping Center), 451-8352. Before the Arbor took over handling first-run art-house fare, this was the place to get your monthly dose of Godard, Fellini, and Danny Boyle. It's still catering to the art crowd, but the lines are a bit shorter these days and the aura that much more subdued. No matter, it's still an old favorite, with four screens, zilch THX (Dolby Stereo instead), and plenty of leg room in its 400-capacity main auditorium. Amazingly, the Village can handle 16mm prints in addition to 35mm (local filmmakers ought to jot that down for future reference), a definite mark in its favor. Standard concessions, wheelchair accessibility, and the like make this a solid home for Austin's burgeoning art crowd. | |  |
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