Today, movie theaters have truly transformed the way people look at movies. From reclining seats to a menu full of dinner entrees, the future of movie theaters have provide customers with an assortment of choices that provide customers with a full night of entertainment. Here are a couple of Houston movies theaters that not only set a staple to the city but also across the country.
For The Art/Film Lovers
Angelika Film Center and Café- Houston
510 Texas Avenue
Houston, TX 77002
http://www.angelikafilmcenter.com/angelika_index.asp?hID=3854
Buying Tickets online: yes through Fandango
Prices: Adult: 9.50, Adult Matinee (Sun-Thurs, Before 6) 7.25, Adult Matinee (Fri/Sat/Holidays, Before 4pm) 7.25, Child: 6.75, Senior: 7.00
Theater Size: Small
Parking: For all theater patrons, parking is located underneath the theater in the Theater District Parking garage. Theater District parking is validated when you bring your parking ticket to the box office at the time of ticket purchase. Valet parking is also available in front of the theater, but is not validated. The price varies on certain days: Monday- Friday before 5: Up to 3 hours, $7.00 (The box office offers patrons a Validation Sticker to be placed on the back of their parking ticket that is good for 3 hours. After 5 and all day Saturday and Sunday: $7.00: Guests may present their parking ticket at the box office for a reimbursement of $6.00 or 6.00 off of their movie ticket.
About Angelika Houston: Located in downtown Houston, inside Bayou Place, The Angelika Film Center & Café is the city’s most unique theater, playing several independent and major studio productions. Also, since the theater is located in the exclusive Bayou Place, customers can catch a movie before shopping or going to a concert. Filmmakers and film lovers will fall in love with The Angelika Houston because of its diversity in movie selections as well as it distinct architecture choices . The eight auditoriums that make up the Angelika offer stadium seating, wall to wall screens and digital sound. If you love a great movie and the arts, then the Angelika is definitely a theater you will want to see!
Events: Angelika Houston provides a day for parents to bring their children to the movies. Crybaby Matinee is held every Friday and Saturday @ 11:45 for mommies or daddies can bring their little ones without having to worry about tantrums or feeding children in the dark. With the price of regular admissions for adults and free for kids under 5 , each matinee will have the essentials, to every parent needs, such as changing tables and dimmed lighting, so they can enjoy a day of fun family entertainment. Mondays is Student Monday in which students can pay a special discount of $7.25 and have unlimited popcorn throughout the night.
Advantages: Student Mondays: Unlimited popcorn throughout the night, great seating and great venue for artistic lovers to admire.
Disadvantage: Parking! Not close to theater, have to pay $6-7 dollars for parking.
Fine Film Dining
Studio Movie Grill City Centre @ Town & Country
805 Town and Country Lane, Building 10A, Suite 200
Houston, TX 77024
http://www.studiomoviegrill.com/index2.html
Theater Size: Modern to large
Buying Tickets online: yes through theater’s website
Prices: Before noon: $ 5.00, Adult Evening: $8.75, Adult Fri/Sat (after 6pm): $9.00, Adult Matinee (before 6pm): $6.00, Student with ID: $7.75, Senior (55 and up): $6.00, Child (2-10): $6.00
About Studio Movie Grill: At Studio Movie Grill, you can make going out easy! The reason: because you have the benefits of going to a restaurant and movie all in the same place. With this great movie theater, you get full food service, soft drinks, beer, wine and liquor menu available before and during the movie. You can either purchase your tickets at the box office or online. Once you are seated in one of the auditorium’s individual leather chairs, (which can swivel, roll and tilt), servers will take your order like any restaurant. Your food will be brought to you inside the theater, usually before the movie begins, so you can enjoy your dinner during the movie. The neat thing about this theater is the coaster light, which is used for patrons when they need to signal the satff for orders or service. While you wait for your movie to begin, you can always sit around at the full fledge bar set up in front of the theater, where you can sit and relax and have fun with your friends or spend time with your significant other. The Theater is equipped with 9 auditoriums which offer the top of the line projection, 100% Dolby Digital Surround Sound, and individual leather chairs. Each auditorium is also wheelchair accessible. City Centre is also the only SMG in its franchise to have 3-D, which is great for movies that provide this feature.
Menu: Studio Movie Grill provides the best food that could definitely compete with a standard restaurant. From your regular burgers and fries to unique dishes such as coconut tenders, chicken fried steak sandwich and sweet potato fries. When coming to Studio Movie Grill, the dishes to try are Grilled Thai Chicken Tenders, BBQ Bacon Cheddar Chicken Sandwich, and Chicken Quesadilla.
Events: Studio Movie Grill provides several events throughout the year. One in particular is their Summer Children’s Series which show a different family movie for a week. This is a great way for children and their parents to get out of the summer heat and relax in a nice, breezy theater and spend quality time. The series run throughout the summer and admission for this series is $1.00 for Children and $2.00 for adults.
The theater is also committed to the advocacy of special-needs children and their families. The theater, in partnership with Variety Children Charity, holds several private screenings throughout the year for special-needs children and for their parents. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to spend a day to enjoy a movie and have a great time. This shows massive effort in the part of the theater to do something meaningful for their customers.
Advantages: Children 2 and under are not allowed into PG-13 or R-rated movies after 6:00p.m. Students discount are everyday, great events for families, great seating and great food.
Restaurant -Style Theater
15719 I-45 North, Houston, TX, 77090
http://www.movietavern.com/theaterlocations7/richeyroad4007.asp
Buying Tickets Online: yes through theater’s website
Prices: (Mon- Thurs after 6 pm) Adult: $7.50, Adult Weekend (Fri-Sat after 6): $8.00, Adult Weekend Sunday: $7.50, Matinee (Mon-Sun before 6): $5.50, Child/Senior: $5:50
Theater Size: Small
About Movie Tavern: Movie Tavern on Richey Road recently endured a huge renovation to update their seven screen theater and added a full service restaurant and bar. Although each auditorium has stadium styled seating (which all seats reclined), and individual tables, Movie Tavern provides a more intimate feel for customers can enjoy and not have to worry about huge crowds around them. The lobby provides a more restaurant feel that provides a huge bar and tables for people to sit and relax or eat before seeing a movie.
Menu: Movie Tavern’s menu combines the best in casual dining cuisine: from traditional hamburgers and fries, homemade pizzas, and tasty salads. The best meals to try at the Tavern include their Southwest Chicken Eggrolls, Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Bacon Cheeseburger Wrap, and Fried Pickles (yes, Fried Pickles!). Their dessert is also great, with selections from Cheesecake to Apple Crisp, you will not be disappointed with the variety their menu offer. Movie Tavern also has an extensive liquor list, which include wine, beer, and margaritas.
Events: Flapjacks and a Flick! Did you ever wish you can have pancakes at the movies? Well your wish has come true. Every Saturday at 9 a.m., Movie Tavern offers a great deal where you can have all-you-can-eat pancakes, a drink, and a movie ticket for only $10 ($8.50 for children). This event is not only unique but fun because you have a great breakfast while watching your favorite movie.
Advantages: Movie Tavern gives you the option to have a restaurant-style dinner inside their lobby before a movie or in the auditorium during the movie. Great events, great prices.
Disadvantages: None
Events Galore
Alamo Draft house- West Oaks Mall
2600 Highway 6 S #429
Houston, TX 77082
http://www.drafthouse.com/westoaks
Buying Tickets Online: yes through theater’s website
Prices: General Admission: $9.00, Student w/ College ID: $7.00, Seniors (60+): $7.00
Size: Small
About Alamo Draft house: At Alamo Draft house, this multiplex is one of the first theaters to start the dinner movement by providing customers with a full dinner entrée during a movie. With their spacious seating and high powered sound throughout the theater, patrons are in for a treat as they feast on appetizers, pizzas, sandwiches, and salads. Also a full fledge bar serving a variety of drinks and draft specials is set out in the lobby for customers to relax as they wait for their movie to begin.
Another element that stands out from other theaters is that Alamo Draft house caters to their adult audience, which means that no one under the age of 18 is allow in the theater unattended unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Children under 6 are not allowed at all during movie times except during Baby Day Out or during movies that pertains to all ages. This is one reason why there is such a huge following with Alamo Drafthouse because adults can enjoy the movie in a peaceful and intimate setting.
Events: Alamo Draft house is events galore as customers can enjoy a variety of events that will keep customers entertain and have a whole lot of fun. With events such as Anime at the Alamo, Baby Day Out (which parents can bring children under 6 to the movies), Karaoke Night and even TV parties of today’s most popular television shows, Alamo Draft house provide interesting events that will keep people coming back for more. And with their great food and excellence service, customers will definitely have a reason to make the Alamo a weekly event!
Advantages: Great prices, great food, and a more adult atmosphere.
Disadvantages: No disadvantages at all for this theater!
