As the cost of big-name, first-run theaters has grown out of control, it’s become increasingly difficult to have an easygoing night out at the movies. Luckily for us, we live in Portland, and avoiding the larger chains is pretty effortless.
Movie madness!
As the cost of big-name, first-run theaters has grown out of control, it’s become increasingly difficult to have an easygoing night out at the movies. Luckily for us, we live in Portland, and avoiding the larger chains is pretty effortless.
Want to avoid giving up an arm and a leg to see The Avengers? Simply like theaters without neon lights reflecting off every surface, leaving bright spots on your corneas? There are plenty of local Portland theaters that offer lower prices, better food and sometimes even beer.
Movie night used to be a happy-go-lucky pastime for teenagers making out in the dark recesses of the last row, adults ignoring their mortgages while munching on popcorn and college students trying to forget about how much debt (and homework) they have. You’d go pay a few dollars for a matinee and split some popcorn and a soda for a couple bucks more.
Today’s reality: outrageous ticket rates and unfathomable prices on bottled water. At the downtown Regal Cinema, it costs $10.50 for one adult to see a movie.
After a greasy bag of popcorn, a mammoth-sized coke that will have you peeing halfway through the film, and maybe some Red Vines to really get that sugar high going, you can easily end up spending more than $25 per person.
At this point, you’re probably thinking, “Yeah, I know what it costs to go see Bradley Cooper do stupid things with Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms, but it’s fun!”
We all know it’s expensive.
Which is exactly why it’s preposterous that we’re still willing to spend that kind of cash on a movie night. With all that money, you could have a steak dinner, you could rent a kayak and paddle on the Willamette, you could even buy quite a bit of new clothing (if you know the right places to shop).
So stop throwing it away on giant, flashy theaters and start saving money so you can do cooler things, like not going broke.
Cinemagic, a small local theater located on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, features new movies at low prices. If you show your student ID, you can see films like The Hangover: Part III and Iron Man 3 for only $5. For what you’d pay just for yourself at a Regal Cinema, you’d be able to buy yours and your buddy’s ticket.
If you don’t absolutely have to see a movie the moment it comes out, you have even more options. Portland’s awesome second-run theaters charge a fraction of what Regal and Century do, and you’re supporting the local economy.
Laurelhurst Theatre, located on East Burnside Street at 28th Avenue, is one of those magical places that serves pizza for under $3 a slice, has tables inside the theater and only charges $4 a ticket. But its absolute best feature isn’t the cheap admittance or the convenient pizza. No, it’s the fact that you can get microbrews like Ninkasi Sterling Pilsner, Lucky Labs’ Stumptown Porter and Hopworks’ Organic IPA on tap. You can even buy a pitcher for $11.50 and share if you feel so inclined.
Another amazing local theater is McMenamins Bagdad Theater on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard at 37th Avenue. Grab some delicious beer and food in the theater itself, or hang out at the McMenamins restaurant, cigar bar or pool hall, all of which surround the beautiful old cinema.
For only $3 per person you can sit on a couch up in the balcony and admire the building’s gorgeous 1920s architecture. This is one of the city’s best theaters for cheap tickets, and its location means that there’s a bunch of fun things to do after the movie gets out. All of this equals a fun night out with friends or a unique movie date.
Portland State students are doubly blessed: 5th Avenue Cinema, located (unsurprisingly) at Southwest Fifth Avenue and Hall Street, isn’t just run by PSU students, it’s also free for PSU students. Plus: free popcorn! While you might’ve only experienced the theater as a classroom, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening it actually runs a variety of movies from eclectic indies to cult classics.
Whether you’re more interested in the newest release or passionate about accompanying film watching with a cold beer, no PSU student should spend more than $5 on a movie. No one else should, either, even if the newest and best multiplex has the latest and greatest super-incredible digital projection and out-of-this-world digital sound.
Don’t let the megaplexes steal your wallet.
