As much as I love movies, I haven't been to a movie theater in over 10 years. Last movie I saw in a…read moretheater was "Black Mass" with Johnny Depp as Whitey Bulger in South Orange with my oldest friend and a relative (who is a former San Quentin inmate and looked like he should have been up on the screen performing instead of in a seat, watching). Why the long gap? Partly because of the movies they make nowadays, which seem designed to appeal to children, childish teenagers still in love with comic books and anime, and the addle-brained. Other reasons? I dunno...maybe just because. I'm older now and watch old and new movies on my blu-ray from the comfort of my dilapidated couch. Have I been tempted to go back? Yeah (especially back to the bygone days when I'd see a movie in the Hudson Valley whacked out on Vicodin or Percocet. I had long since stopped drinking in situations where I had to drive, but I figured the opiates were medicinal and wouldn't impair me. I stopped after 1 trip where I became sick during a viewing of "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." The pill hit me badly and instead of staring in mezmerized adoration at Kristinna Loken on the screen, I broke out in a cold sweat, was nauseous, and had to use every fiber of my being to keep from vomiting on the floor. The sick feeling eventually receded, and, in my stupidity, I figured if I popped another pill after the movie, I'd be ok to drive home. Instead, I was confused by the darkened, unlighted streets leading off from Rt. 9, and as I approached the Bear Mountain Bridge, a torrential downpour descended on me, making the drive even more perilous. I said aloud, "If there is a God or a Heaven, get me home in 1 piece, without killing myself or someone else, and I'll never do this again." I still don't know if there's a God or a Heaven, but I got home in 1 piece, and I never did it again. Anyway...back to the review...) I took off July 4 (last year, getting out of Hoboken where I work was a nightmare and I vowed never again). I hadn't seen my old narcissistic friend in a while, and since he was off on Saturdays, we got together. He suggested a movie. Given we were in the middle of a fierce heat wave, I figured an air-conditioned movie theater might be just the thing, and I wasn't all that interested in what we'd be seeing. In all honesty, I was "jones-ing" for movie theater popcorn, along with a box of cookie dough candy, and a large Coke. My friend mentioned Reading Theater in Manville, and I was game. We had once talked about going there when they were showing "The Exorcist" (a favorite for both of us), but it was only for 1 night, and we couldn't make it. I drove. Even though I'm not all that familiar with Manville, the drive was not too far from where I live. We pulled into a large parking lot and entered the theater hastily to escape the soul-shredding heat. Inside, the theater was enormous. My friend had ordered tickets on-line, a procedure I'm not familiar with, but I was told you can pay for your tickets the old-fashioned way if so inclined. I ended up ordering a large vat of popcorn with butter (I remember being told that the next vat was free, but I responded that if I return for another vat, call 911). Cookie dough candy. A large Coke. I was in pig heaven. Prices for everything seemed fair. There are 6 theaters, if I remember right. Someone had recommended the movie we were to see to my friend, and I believe it was in Theater 6. A large room, with many empty seats. We went to seats that weren't assigned to us (at my friend's suggestion) only to be displaced by the people who had actually reserved them (we were all polite to each other, but...seriously...in a huge empty theater, you HAD to have those particular seats!?! Anyway...) The movie was "Obsession" which I took to be a "cute" Rom-Com film for whatever they're calling young people these days, and I made an exit for the bathroom, which was clean and spacious. When I got back, the Rom-Com had transformed into a horror movie. (My verdict on the film? Ambivalence. The plot seemed a steal from the old E.C. comics or an episode of Twilight Zone, but it was pretty effective, and special kudos to Inde Navarrette for making a very difficult, implausible part plausible and frightening. Anyway...) There was a built-in tray by each seat for foodstuffs, which I appreciated. Previews for movies I have no interest in seeing. Then the movie itself. Any downsides? I don't know if it was just for this particular movie, but anytime there was a "got-cha!" moment designed to startle or frighten the viewer, the sound system let loose what I can only describe as a sudden, booming explosion that left my nerves frayed, but probably not for the reason the film-makers intended. Overall? I enjoyed myself. I'd like to see another movie here in the not-too-distant future. Recommended. I hope in future they show more old movies like "The Exorcist," or maybe even "High Sierra."

July 4th movie 2…read moresenior tickets with small popcorn - $32 Friendly service Comfortable seats

Love that they have early showings. Great reclining seats with warmers!…read more Wish they had more concession options (hot foods and a coke freestyle machine would be nice) but the overall experience always makes up for it.

A very solid theater!…read more A good snack bar, big comfy reclining seats that I heard only after that they are also heated(!!!!), clean theaters and bathrooms, and lots of parking outside. Nothing not to love. I came here with a big group on New Year's day to watch Wicked For Good and the only seats all together when we arrived were the front row. Even there, if you recline, it's a perfect spot.

This is why movies at home are just better now. Chairs are…read moreworn out, so is everything there actually. Popcorn isn't even made there, just warmed up.

This cinema is a wow! Clean and spacious! Even the restrooms smells good! The recliners are…read morecomfortable as well! Defined would be watching new movies on this cinema again.

Sure, they don't have the fancy reclining seats... as a matter of fact, the seats are not that…read morecomfortable. Yes, it's a bit musty from decades of use, but that said it's a nostalgic theater and a great place to see a movie with family and friends. The screen is big, and the picture quality is great. The sound system is first-rate, the ticket and concession prices are reasonable and it's conveniently located. They also show interesting indie films that you can't see in big theaters. Come back to Hickory!

So thrilled this theatre is open again.. I love a wonderful reclining seat as much as anyone,…read morehowever I love seeing so many indie films that are not in the big movie comple

First time in a regal theater. Went to iron lung. Ordered tickets on line. Had machos and a…read moredrink. Lots of room an reclining seats

I haven't been a regular visitor to the movie theaters in years with my last visit in 2018. While…read morein town and with the threat of rain, last minute plans meant the kids' first trip to the cinema! I ordered tickets online and discovered they have discounted tickets on Tuesday plus 50% off popcorn if you sign up for their loyalty club... which I did. If you buy online, you'll need to download the app. The app was actually very easy to use. The theatre itself was a bit tucked away but I eventually found the parking lot. There's ample parking and the building echoed times when movie theaters were bustling with visitors. It was a little run down and quiet and 2 people working concessions, 1 working as the ticket checker, and... that was it. There are a few claw machines and a motorcycle arcade game, plus a Photo Booth that didn't really work. Restrooms were decently clean... though there was one stall where the cover to the toilet paper dispenser had opened and the entire roll had tipped into a toilet bowl. There are about 15 screens there and - wow - I did not expect the size of those reclining chairs. Because they reclined, the aisles between each row are quite spacious. My kids are small and they were tiny in the seats, haha. Very comfy and though there were cracks in the seats, it didn't really have a negative impact on me. The theatre looked clean. For a first trip with my kids, it was a pretty good experience! I was terrified that the kids wouldn't sit still or would be loud, but it wasn't bad. It did help that there were only two other people on my row with the rest all crowded on another row. The ticket checker was pretty blasé if he wasn't checking tickets but the concession stand staff were pretty helpful and nice! No real complaints other than maybe have a step stool for kids to wash their hands a little easier. This is a good location for another movie outing!

For a girl who has a phobia of movie theaters (long story), I only go when I need to.. and that is…read moremostly to appease by baby girl. Other than that, I try to stay far away. With that being said, the last time I was a theater was probably at least 7 years ago. So, I was pleasantly surprised by my experience at Cinepolis! During a holiday weekend when I expected it to be busy, it was very manageable. Very close parking to the theater.. inside is nice and welcoming. I appreciated the menu options for food and libations. I LOVED that our first cocktail came out in a glass with a fancy piece of ice lol. I was disappointed that our second one came in a plastic cup.. We only ordered popcorn but my friend loved the truffle parmesan one. Inside of the theater, spacious and (as clean as they can be) seats. Very spacious leg room in front. The only complaint was that the bass was a little out of whack and distorted parts of the movie. I would have liked an option to not have to get up to place any additional order (you miss parts of the movie).. but, overall, I did really enjoy the experience. So much so, that I may drive an hour to this theater again when the time comes for any future movie magic in my life.

Clean, modern, and a great place for a date or even for family night. Full bar and decent food in…read moreaddition to the usual movie theater food. AND they bring it to you! Seats to new releases often sell out so get your tickets in advance! The reclining seats and discount days are also a draw!

The good: very clean. No issues with smells, no sticky floors, sound was very good with the movie…read moretoo. The not so good: this was my 1st visit and it was a bit confusing to find the entrance. We went to the exit and then had to go into the mall and walk a while (not a big issue). 1st time visiting & ordering food there - the food cashier wasn't too pleasant but not extremely bad. The bad: The hamburger was NOT good. It was oddly very overly sweet (both the bun & onions) and the meat was a bit odd - just didn't give me confidence that I really knew what I was eating. I bought tix for the 4th row in a very small theater... sadly it was still far too near to the video screen - any fast motion on the screen really mad me it way too difficult & blurry to watch.

Friendly staff. Cleanish theater. Unfortunately, no reclining seats in any of the auditoriums.read more

Beyond personally experiencing the abandonment of delightful local theaters like the Utopia in…read moreQueens, I'm infuriated by events like New Haven, population 135,081 per Google, losing its only theater. The Cranford Theater is an honorable holdout in the war against AMC nonsense, even more important because of its relative proximity to the nauseating Route 22. A ticket to The Holdovers was a reasonable $13.75, and it's delightful to see a place that avoided the pointless reserved seat bandwagon. The young guy selling tickets was quick and friendly. Fellow explorers of inner-ring suburbs should note that Cranford is closer than you might think and the theater is minutes away from the train station. (For my next coffeehouse open mic performance I plan to read the first two sentences of this review in the voice of the Paul Giamatti character from Holdovers).

The New Branford Theatre was opened on November 29, 1926 and over the decades its ownership and…read morename have changed several times. Eventually it settled on the name "Cranford Theater". In 2017, New Visions theaters took over and it seemed like it may have been a bright new chapter in the theater's history. However, in September 2019 the theater was unceremoniously shuttered and many fans of this wonderful downtown area in New Jersey were left to wonder if their beloved theater would ever play to audiences again. Fast forward to November 8, 2019 and the Cranford Theater has reopened! This time out it is owned by the folks who own the property. They did not just dust off what was there and open back up. Instead, the entire theater has undergone a renovation. New lighting, projectors, seats, carpeteting, a new concession stand and even a "mobile" box office station are all part of this treatment. The blue, gold and silver colors incorporated into the theater are intended to align with some of the colors that represent Cranford itself, making for a theater that truly wants to be part of the community. The theater is full of friendly staff and courteous, local patrons who all seem to know each other (I have watched entire rows of people chatting with each other like old friends). The new seats are very comfortable and have a nice high back. There are several screens divided in a space that once only showed one movie so this is not the place to look for an IMAX or Dolby experience. However as someone who goes to movies often I had zero problem with the screen size and sound quality. You may not want to see "Star Wars" here, but a film like "Joker" or "Last Christmas" is just fine on these screens. I am very happy Cranford Theater has made a return to the neighborhood and I have every intention of supporting it as much as I can.