Cinema Variety
Two theaters willing to add a little fizz to your movie
By Rye Silverman |
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The Movie Tavern
The movie-going experience has evolved dramatically in the past decade. In addition to issues like our straggling economy and the growing public consumption of pirated films, theater owners have also had to deal with the age of BluRay players and flat-screen TVs, essentially competing with their patrons' own living rooms. While bigger screens and a new generation of 3D films have helped movie houses, the concession stand has also been forced into the new millennium. Gone are the days when a moviegoer is satisfied with snack counter options limited to popcorn (with butter, or extra butter), and instead fans of the cinema can drink a draft beer and chow down on some fried chicken strips or even sushi while they watch Bruce Willis kick some ass.
The Movie Tavern, located in Hilliard's Mill Run Plaza, takes the new movie food concept to the extreme. Rather than waiting like a groundling in a long concession stand line, impatiently eyeing your watch as the start time of the movie draws nearer, closer, the Movie Tavern provides a wait staff who quietly brings your food to you in the theater - even once the movie has started. As you sit in your high-back swiveling chair at a hybrid bar/table, armed with a red button that alerts your server to bring you more to consume, the only thing missing is a pair of street urchins to polish your shoes and call you 'guv'na' to make you feel like any more of a pampered member of the aristocracy.
Joe Auerbach, a local film buff, who came to a showing of Sherlock Holmes, is a big fan of the service-in-the-cinema concept.
"At first, I thought it might be disruptive, but as it turns out, screaming teens and people talking on their cell phones are more disruptive than someone quietly bringing in a plate of food, and since Movie Tavern doesn't seem to have too many of those first two things, I'm sold."
And the food value?
"It's a little more expensive than I'd pay if I were just going to eat, but it's not like I can get a giant movie put up at those places."
Studio 35
Seeing a movie at Studio 35 is almost like watching it at your buddy's house, if only your buddy had a popcorn machine, a liquor license, and a movie projector. This single-screen Clintonville movie house has been open for decades, always way ahead of the alcohol-at-the-movies curve, with a full service bar located right inside the lobby, and beer on tap that can be purchased along with your ticket. In addition to a pretty old-school movie theater concession stand, you can also order pizza and subs delivered to the theater from nearby Clintonville Pizza.
What really makes Studio 35 stand out amongst the other cinema choices in town is its eclectic blend of both mainstream new releases and cult favorites. In addition to a monthly midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, hosted by The Fishnet Mafia, Studio 35 allows patrons the chance to experience movies on the big screen that they may have missed during their original run, from '80s classics like The Princess Bride, to recent underrated gems, such as Pootie Tang. Studio 35 also works hard to make these showings feel like an event, such as January's second annual Dude-A-Thon, for which the theater screened the Coen Brothers' classic The Big Lebowski, with events like big-screen Wii Bowling and a Sunday beer tasting.
While the theater has a very loyal following among the local hipster community, the experience of seeing a movie at Studio 35 can be a little bit of a shock to the uninitiated. While the theater advertises its show times as 7 and 9:30 p.m. on most nights, those who have been to the theater a few times know that those listings should include the additional text, "in theory." Sometimes the line just gets a little long as patrons buy tickets and place their drink and food orders, and, not unlike watching a movie at a friend's house, Studio 35 knows the importance of making sure everyone has their beer and their seat before starting the film.
Originally Published: February 1, 2010
