Movie Theaters | The Best Theaters

Best Public LA Movie Theaters

A completely arbitrary and subjective list.
  1. Mann's Village in Westwood.
  2. Grauman's Egyptian (American Cinematheque) in Hollywood.
  3. Pacific's El Capitan in Hollywood.
  4. Mann's Chinese in Hollywood.
  5. Mann's Bruin in Westwood.

Best Crowds For Opening Weekend Action Flicks

A completely arbitrary and subjective list which assumes you like a somewhat rowdy crowd.
  1. Mann's Village in Westwood.
  2. Mann's National in Westwood.
  3. Mann's Chinese in Hollywood.
  4. Mann's Bruin in Westwood.

Best Theaters To See The Oldies But Goodies

Oddly, this looks much like the Revival Theater list.
  1. The Plaza in Westwood, even if it means you have to stay up late and it's only on weekends.
  2. The New Beverly Cinema in Mid-city LA.

Best Semi-Public LA Movie Theaters

A completely arbitrary and subjective list; I've not been in all that many yet. When you get the opportunity to visit one of these theaters, by all means do. I'll try to post review comments when I can.
  1. Goldwyn Theater at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills.
  2. The DGA Theater in West Hollywood.
  3. The Paramount Theater in Hollywood on the Paramount lot.
  4. The Hitchcock Theater on the Universal Studios lot.
  5. The WGA Theater in Beverly Hills.

Best Theaters To Find If You're Travelling

I'm gonna need some help here, and as this site is sold only for SoCal folks, I doubt many locals from elsewhere will have many suggestions. Hit the mailto link at the bottom and let me know what you know. I hope to eventually have notes and addresses and reviews of the theaters listed here, but at least a name can help you poke around.
  • Cineplex Odeon Uptown Theater, Connecticut Av NW, Washington DC
  • Neptune Theater, U-District, Seattle
  • Egyptian Theater, First Hill, Seattle
  • Music Box, Chicago
  • Castro, San Francisco


I can remember a time when where we went to the movies was just as important as the movies we went to see .... From the moment moviegoers arrived to buy their tickets, there was a sense of something special, a feeling that to step inside was to enter another time and place. - Gene Kelly