Really cool venue, run by volunteers, with great programming! Cant wait to come back here. $14 tickets and $7 large popcorns are extremely reasonable, and the atmosphere (full of film nerds) is cool and welcoming if you're into that sort of thing. I also think it's really cool - in theory - that they show older movies in 70mm. Went with a friend to watch T2 and had a great time. The big downside is that the film quality was quite poor. I'm sure restorers and projectionists were doing the absolute best with what they had, and the 70mm print was simply very degraded. That said, there were frequent jumps where 2-5 seconds of movie would be cut out, consistent sound quality issues, and noticeable tearing and lines all over the picture. If you're seeing something in 70mm here, you're seeing it to appreciate the history and preservation quality of film, not because you expect the print to be high quality. Didn't bother me too much, but want to warn people who might come to a film screening expecting movie-theatre-quality visuals and sound. They're heroically doing the best with what they have, but at least for this print, what they had was very uneven. Still a great time, and excited to return to catch more of their programming! read more

I've been to Aero Theatre a few times as I'm part of American Cinematheque and this is one of their beautiful theaters they do showings at. I saw Ben Affleck (swoon) interview Timothée Chalamet, following a screening of Marty Supreme. I also saw a Monsters: The Ed Gein Story screening with Charlie Hunnam and Ian Brennan - just to name a couple cool things I've experienced here. Staff is always very well organized and friendly! Snacks are always abound and popcorn is tasty here. I can comfortably sit in the seats for a few hours for the movie and Q&As after. Temperature in the theater is signature movie theater cold so bring a sweater but it's not unbearably so. Parking can be hit or miss but sometimes you'll luck out with a spot in meter parking on the street! Arriving early always helps. Overall, I love coming to movies at Aero Theatre for their organization and seamlessly good experiences. read more

See all

Our first night in town and the local theater was playing Young Frankenstein. It was my first time seeing the movie and it was a great way to see it. Buying tickets was easy ahead of time and there are no bad seats. It's angled so everyone can see. It's a large theater. I really enjoyed it! read more

Aero Theatre - Cinema Near Me - Santa Monica, California

See all

I went to the Aero Theatre yesterday. I went to see Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery + Q&A with filmmaker Ally Pankiw and executive producer Cassidy Hartmann. I had a good experience. It was easy to check-in with my free RSVP ticket. I parked on the street at a meter with a max time limit of 3 hours. read more

See all

I come here frequently for American Cinematheque showings. The Aero has 4k and 70mm capabilities. The screen quality is excellent. The seats are basic, but there is hardly a slope in the rows, so the odds of you sitting behind someone who's too tall and blocks the view are high. The concessions are limited but well priced. The bathroom situation is genuinely the worst of any theater I've been to...prepare to stand in line for a while. There's no room for chit chat in the lobby afterwards, you have to immediately take it outside. This theater is a fantastic piece of history in the Santa Monica area, but it could desperately use a refresh. Don't touch that beautiful marquee though, that's the best part of this theater. Heads up, there is no parking here! Read street signs when parking in the neighborhood to save yourself a ticket. read more

See all

I enjoy this place. The atmosphere is casual and gives off a warm, inviting vibe. The seats are comfortable but be prepared to rub elbows literally if you have a 6ft guy with you and I'd recommend sitting near the ends since the restrooms are upstairs and there may be a line for them during events. The concession counter has a good selection, even chocolate Pocky sticks.... but be prepared to pay about fifteen bucks for just a few things. Wear comfortable shoes since everything is within walking distance but blocks away in different directions. The movies they show here are good and the screenings are intimate and feel cozy. Overall good experiences here, it's a lot smaller so you get more of a casual vibe, and great location. Excellent for groups or a solo adventure. Recommend. read more

I came all the way out to Santa Monica to watch the 30th anniversary of Heavyweights! One of the best movies ever. The theater itself is pretty large. It's located in a very nice area, very welcoming. You may have a hard time finding parking so make sure to come early! read more

See all

We often see American Cinematheque screenings here, and it's pretty fun. The theater itself is rather large, so there's plenty of seating (unless there's a sold out show, then definitely come early). The seats are a bit smaller, so it's not super comfortable, but the experience overall makes up for it. Definitely recommend for AC screenings, as we always have a great time. We always find parking on a nearby street fairy easily. Definitely come early if it's a sold out show! ;) read more

See all

Wonderful choice of movies in small neighborhood theatre. The best popcorn and volunteers read more

Excellent theater. Went to a Q&A a while back with Matthew Barney. Felt surreal to hear him speak. Cremaster III was excellent! Great fidelity on sound and projection. Very cool crowd. Parking was a challenge. Otherwise great spot! read more

Aero Theatre - Matthew Barney! - Cinema Near Me - Santa Monica, California

See all

Superb- a wonderful independent theater. Great seats, sound and screen. Popcorn as well!

Everything from easy online purchasing of tickets to the people at the theatre and concessions being helpful and making sure everything was the best! read more

Loved this theater but unfortunately closed its (non-corporate) doors. Now used for special events.

Been here twice and it is an older theatre-we have been here to watch the KCET Cinema Series. Here are some helpful info: 1. Parking can be expensive - we paid $12 and had to walk about two blocks away. For our second time, we found street parking. Just be careful of the signs as this neighborhood has permit parking 2. Restaurants nearby across the street but can get busy during a weeknight so join the waitlist or make reservations 3. There is one bathroom for disabled individuals (All Gender) on first floor and restrooms (Men/Women) on the second floor 4. Snacks available - there's popcorn for $5 or $7 which is a rarity these days read more

Aero Theatre - Inside of theatre - Cinema Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Love this theater! They always seem to have free screenings and double features and Q&A's with great directors and actors. I've seen Sean Penn, James L. Brooks (last weekend), Helen Hunt, director Tim Hunter, an all day 80's horror fest with 6 movies (could only handle 4; saw director Amy Holden Jones and 80's icon Kelli Maroney) for $20 and The Three Colors Trilogy (Blue, White, Red) there for $15. The staff is fine, the seats are fine, bathroom small but clean. Someone said the screen is too small?? Um, just sit closer lol. The screen is fantastic and the sound is Top 7 in LA. When I go, I go early and sit front left. On the aisle. If you come late and want to sit in the middle it's probably difficult. Same with parking. NEVER had a problem after 6pm - plenty of street parking in the neighborhood. Before 6 am? The signs are tricky, but I found parking on 14th street less than 1/2 mile away. I drove around less than 5 minutes and was willing to walk - no big deal. American Cinematheque said they show 1500 movies here per year? That's amazing. This place caters to the cinephile and film nerd. Only issue is that sometimes the old 35mm prints are terrible. James L. Brooks even joked about how bad Terms of Endearment was; but hey, it was free and on the big screen! read more

See all

My partner and I love this theater, especially when there are Q&As. Oftentimes, there are double features which is super cool, though we always go at night and are typically too tired to stay for the second movie. The concessions has all the candies you need, and popcorn is sold at a lower price than any big theater popcorn. The staff are always friendly. Parking can be a struggle, so make sure you arrive early and read the signs when parking around the area. The lights go off pretty quickly, and looking for seats in the dark is not enjoyable for anybody. Some movies can get pretty packed and you may be climbing through a lot of limbs. read more

Quick beats: 1) no icees LAME, popcorn is pre-popped 2) quirky staff, not a positive or negative 3) screen is outdated and small 4) seats are uncomfortable and cramped 5) sound is good 6) they show quality films, which is the biggest draw 7) attracts the type of crowd that likes to "participate" in the movie. hard to explain this unless you go and see what I'm saying, but sometimes it feels like people are trying to hard to find opportunities to audibly react (laugh, gasp, etc) 8) parking sucks read more

An incredible theater for catching amazing films, new and old. Not the greatest parking situation but if you arrive with some extra time, you'll be able to snag some good street parking and a lovely Santa Monica walk. read more

Aero Theatre - The theatre itself. - Cinema Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Well run, best film fans / audiences in LA!! It's a great place to watch all of the movie!!

I love it here. Gives me that old school nostalgia. I come for the American Cinematheque events. There are plenty of very cool free movies screening events. Lovely theater, cute snack bar. read more

My neighbor invited me to go to a free screening of King Richard and Rocky. After the movie ended there was a Q&A with the film maker and editor. This is a great theatre I love the vibe and the employees have a great personable attitude. After this experience I look forward to coming back to enjoy some more future screenings. read more

Aero Theatre - King Richard MAR2022 - Cinema Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Best selection of movies from the past a person could ever desire. Inquire at movie theater regarding membership. Best ticket you will ever purchase. read more

Great sound great picture and really great programming and it has only gotten better since they refreshed over the last year. This is a theater for lovers of film, and unlike other revival houses they aren't afraid to show movies digitally. The only real draw back is the lack of a parking lot but that isn't really the theaters fault and I have never had an issue finding street parking, in fact the meters near the theater are 3 hour meters plenty of time to catch most movies... well unless you like James Cameron films or Lord of the Rings films.. or a double feature. Well just remember to feed the meter if you need to. read more

I love Going there. It like feeling old hollywood in a sense that film lovers Condé movies here.

Cute local theater that has amazing screenings, often with a Q&A. They serve alcohol & the usual concessions, and there's lots of street parking available. read more

Love the vintage screenings. Pristine 70mm prints and great Q&A offerings. Reserved seating would be nice however.

One of few "neighborhood" theaters left around even though they got bought out by American Cinemathque. Still, it has that local feel and two screens now. I remember in the 80's, 90's when it was just one big screen playing classic double features for 6 bucks -- but we can't live in the past. Alot of times the filmmakers come and talk about the movie afterwards. I saw "Slapshot" with some of the actors and it was a hoot. Support your local theaters before they are all gone! read more

Just saw true romance 30th anniversary at the film fest and I miss living in Santa Monica, I can't believe I never went when living there but anyway awesome experience the crowd was so fun and seeing that movie on the big screen is a game changer!!! read more

See all

This little theater on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica is downright precious. It feels like you've traveled in a time machine to get here. Pay for your tickets ($11 general admission), move two feet over to go through the turnstile, and another two feet forward to get in line for concessions. A small popcorn and a bottled water = $7. There's one screening room. It's super old school, but that's what makes it so glorious! A screening of REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE completed the time machine experience. read more

A fantastic place to see a film for true film buffs! This is a single-screen historic cinema house with tons of seating and a huge panoramic screen so that you can watch a movie the way it was meant to be seen. Tickets are only $11, except when they have double features which are only a few bucks more. The films are usually one night only. I love that they not only show current films, but also modern classics as well as really old films. Check out their calendar online where you can also buy tickets. The Aero sells a popcorn and soda combo for only $6. The Aero and the Egyptian Theatres are the venues for the American Cinematheque, a local non-profit membership organization that is all about keeping the art of cinema alive in LA! I recently attended a screening of The Revenant (starring Leonardo DiCaprio) at the Aero and afterwards they had an incredibly thoughtful Q&A with the movie's costume designer, Jacqueline West. This was part of American Cinematheque's Oscar series leading up to the Academy Awards. They also had a double feature at the Aero recently where they showed Creed and the original Rocky films and featured Sylvester Stallone as the guest speaker. TIP: Street parking in the neighborhoods is limited to 2-hours before 9PM. read more

Aero Theatre - American Cinematheque holds special Oscar screening events here! Tonight was Jacqueline West, the costume designer for the film The Revenant - Cinema Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Why should a movie theatre be so strict about vaccination status is beyond me! My wife's phone was out of juice, so she'd left it at home, and despite showing them her healthcare provider license, which she wouldn't have if she hadn't been vaccinated, the idiots at the entrance gave us a very disrespectful attitude about trying to access my wife's government records, which couldn't be done through my phone. If there was any information about proof of vaccination, we would've brought her card, or better yet, gone to another theater. But being so strict for no rational reason has ruined my Halloween night! Not returning here! :-( read more

Came here for Ghibli Fest which my husband is an animator and loves Hiyao Miyazaki from Japan. It's great that this theater has so much variety from classic American films and also International films and festivals. I only wish that you could assign seats because it's open seating so you have to go early to make sure you get good seats. They also have concession stands for popcorn & sodas. A little pricy, wish they had free popcorn with your ticket. They also have great speaker series with people in film. I saw "The Godfather" marathon here a few years back and it was awesome! Took all day because they showed them in sequence but was great. A Santa Monica gem right off beautiful Montana Ave. You can pay to be a member/patron or just buy tickets as you go for films that you are interested. read more

See all

A lack of stadium seating or great sound system can't replace the heart and respect for cinema the small Aero theater imbues as part of its character and movie going experience. As part of the American Cinematheque (http://www.americancinemathequecalendar.com), the Aero has had a storied reputation for being receptive to the needs of moviegoers itching for anything from cult movies to classic movies. I went here for a screening of "My Neighbor Totoro" recently and was touched by the manager of the theater having her young daughter introduce the movie. I also have to say it was great to be surrounded by Ghibli fans and parents who wanted their children to experience Totoro for the first time and to see what their reactions to the movie would be like. Street parking is the only kind of parking you'll find here but the areas around here are mostly residential and have fairly generous parking hours. There are also a lot of restaurants and coffee shops along the street so there is still more to do after a screening at the Aero. I, for one, will not hesitate to come here to attend a screening of a movie I have missed out on the big screen. read more

I've been to the Aero a few times. It can be a fun experience but tonight we dealt with an awkward audience member and situation. There were absolutely no seats and we luckily happened to come across some chairs to sit. There was nobody sitting there and what appeared to be an old black abandoned jacket that had fallen down on the seats. It was so dark we didn't even see it until someone sat on it! One of the people I was sitting next to decided to kindly take the jacket to lost and found for whoever had seemed to lose it. We all sat down and the movie was about to start when this man came over and started freaking out about the seats and the jacket. A gentleman in front of us told him that you're not allowed to keep clothes on the chairs and that it was against policy. So if you want a reserved seat that's in a different section of the theater which I think he was possibly unaware of. We were all in the regular section. The situation started to escalate between everyone and the movie was about to start. It became super awkward as nobody knew what to do. Since the movie was about to start the man finally got his jacket and found a chair to sit down in. This caused a lot of tension the whole night as I believe everyone felt uneasy about the whole chair situation and who was "right and who was wrong" in the situation. I think the biggest issue about this theater is that it's first come, first serve and there's no designated seating like AMC has. A lot of people don't scoot over so there are scattered open chairs and large groups of people who are unable to sit next to each other. If you're coming alone that works out well but if you're in a group it's a nightmare and causes unneeded stress. Hopefully, the theater can start implementing more assigned seating or have staff ask audience members who are alone to fill in the empty chairs so groups can sit together. Overall it's a nice theater but the seating situation really ruined the night for both parties. read more

With so few venues left for classic films on a big screen in Los Angeles I was thrilled when the American Cinemathque started programming here along with the Egyptian in Hollywood. I have visited it a number of times. They often have special guests for Q&A which just enhances the film going experience. Plus you can sense the audience includes many fellow film buffs which just adds to the magic. The concession stand includes standard fare (popcorn, candy, sodas, cookies). The popcorn is freshly popped and they have butter flavoring you can pump onto it. The seats are tight. For someone like me who is plump they are uncomfortable but bearable. Great to see classic films in a historic venue. Parking is a problem but several transit lines serve it. There are some restaurants and a coffee bar nearby. read more

See all

We love supporting American Cinemateque but it's just playing wrong that when a movie is supposed to start at 7:30 they kept the loop of trailers, old commercials and their slides going for 10 minutes. For that matter it was boring to sit through the loop three times - as though they're punishing their supporters for arriving early. Also the bass accompanying their slides is too loud BTW the movie was supposed to start at 730 and it's now 7:40 and the loop is still going. So disrespectful. read more

I've been here twice and both times were great experiences! The films they pick are excellent, really well curated series. Hoping to come in and catch another Wes Anderson film but we'll see! Affordable, no bullshit, no previews, and they kick out d-bags who use their phones during the movie! Love it! read more

I'm a member of the American Cinematique, and the Aero Theatre is my go-to place for screenings and events. It's always clean, the employees and volunteers are always friendly and helpful, and the endless variety of films shown here is incredible. I literally make the drive from Orange County to watch movies here, buy popcorn, and enjoy the company of other cinema enthusiasts. That's how much I love it! read more

Long been one of my favorite theaters. Saw, Dawn of the Dead, last night. As always a great presentation. But the 5 stars is a thank you for a sold out showing and an audience that was all checked for having been vaccinated. Made me comfortable seeing a movie knowing we all did what was needed and a theater that cared about doing what they have to do to put this all behind us. Clearly they had no problem filling the house and doing what was needed. Bravo and way too go. See ya soon!! read more

**IDEAL THEATRE FOR FILM LOVERS** Built by the Donald Douglas Company in 1939, the Aero Theatre originally opened as a continuous 24-hour movie theatre for aircraft workers who worked in shifts around the clock. It later became a neighborhood theatre. PARKING ======== There is plenty of free street parking on Montana Avenue after 6:00pm. Check north/south street signs for unrestricted parking after 7:00pm. AMBIANCE ========= In January 2005, the Aero Theatre was reopened by the American Cinematheque after a $1 million dollar restoration including a new screen, sound and projection equipment, a new concession stand and reduced seating, from nearly 600 to 425. Impressive screen: 38 feet wide and 18 feet high. EXPERIENCES ============= FIRST TIME = Tim Burton interview and the movie, Frankenweenie. SECOND TIME = Forest Whitaker interview and the movie, The Butler. Not a bad seat in the house. Great panel discussions. STAFF ====== Friendly. Communal. All theatre go-ers were respectful. If you're a film geek (like me), then I strongly encourage you to become a member (tax deductible) for members-only private screenings: http://www.americancinematheque.com/amcinebiz/BuyMembership.htm HIGHLY RECOMMEND. read more