Exempt from hyperbole, the following statement is true. AVENGERS: ENDGAME IS THE GREATEST PIECE OF CINEMA THAT HAS EVER BEEN PRODUCED! I saw the first Avengers movie after my friend Darius recommended it to me. He said something along the lines of "Sounds like some nerd, incel kinda movie you'd enjoy", lol. Darius is such a riot. And I'll admit the only reason I keep coming back to the Avengers saga is because of Paul Rudd. How can you not get lost in those eyes? And that smile? *swoons* laugh-out-loud jk (but not really ) I ate at Little Big Burger shortly before the movie, since it's right across the street from Cinemagic. That's not relevant to my review but I figured I should let you guys know. I might even write a review for them sometime! I felt so at home and welcomed when I walked into the establishment. And guess what?! They were playing 'This Old Dog' by Mac DeMarco! I was so happy. I ordered a veggie burger and some truffle oil fries. The cashier was incredibly friendly and even gave me a free refill on my soda pop! I bouyantly devoured my burger and fries like I was Hulk! After I finished my meal at Little Big Burger, it was time to get my movie (End)game on! The theater was pretty full when I arrived, but that didn't bother me since we were all collectively there to see men and women in spandex suits fly around and shoot lasers! What a time to be alive! I had invited some of my friends to see the movie with me but they all said they were busy. Imagine my surprise when I saw them all in the theater! I guess they had managed to find the time to hang out with me, and watch the best superhero movie EVER! Unfortunately since I arrived after my friends did, their row of seats were all occupied. There was one seat free but Darius said it was for their jackets and bags, which I completely understand! One time I went to see a movie called Weiner Dog - directed by Danny DeVito (who should legally change his name to Doggy DogVito lmao!) - and I draped my jacket over the back of my seat but completely forgot about it after the movie! I was far too ecstatic after seeing a movie about a dog, so I understand the importance of designating a theater seat for jackets just in case! Anyways, I digress. I sat in the row in front of my friends so I could still be close to them. As much as I enjoyed the cinematic magic of the Russo brothers, let me tell you, my buddies seemed to enjoy it even more! They were so entertained that they were spilling their popcorn everywhere and it was hitting me in the back of my head, a lot! Darius even accidentally spilled his soda pop down my shirt, laugh-out-loud! My only criticism of Avengers: Endgame, is that Rocket should have been a dog. I like racoons too, but nowhere near as much as I like dogs. The theater was pristine in cleanliness, and the staff were super friendly. I listened to the Roky Erickson song, 'Two Headed Dog', on my way home, because you know the only thing better than a dog? A dog with two heads!!! read more

It's a fact! There's no better way to spend a 100 degree day than in an air-conditioned movie theater. Cheap ($5 before 6pm), popcorn was $5 for the biggest bag I'd ever seen. Seats are quite comfy, and the theater itself is decent (better fix the toilet in the handicap bath before it comes out of the floor completely!). I do like this theater. BUT... before the film had even started started, they turned off (way down) the AC and never turned it back on from what I could tell. It was still cooler than my attic space but come on... (to be read with arrested development accent). I would have paid $6 for a couple more (less) degrees. They also don't take debit/credit only - which is a pain. So all in all - I would give this theater 3.5 stars if I could, and I might have even given it 4 if they didn't toy with our emotions and comfort by screwing with the AC. read more

I don't get why this place is being compared to Laurelhurst or Bagdad when those theaters show outdated and this one always shows the most anticipated new release of the hour. You could be paying $11 at a modern multiplex for the convenience of paying by credit card and then deal with obnoxious patrons such theaters seem to attract, or pay $7 in cash and look around and enjoy the lack of loud obnoxious patrons and hooting teenagers. It's especially quiet on weeknights. It's annoying if it's your first time at this theater and you only have a credit card, I grant you that but that's not been a problem since. Cosmetically speaking, the place could definitely use some sprucing up. The seats should probably be banned by health inspectors for surpassing the number of years that a high volume of behinds have consistently warmed them. Not to mention, they don't offer free tetanus shots to go with the springs stabbing through the fabric. Not that this bothers me, personally, but I can see why people would complain. Furthermore, from outside during the day, the place looks like it was closed down and abandoned 20 years ago and someone likes to put new release titles on the sign as a joke. No, really. I lived right around the corner from this place for some time and I couldn't tell if it was a real theater or a trap. Yet, the aesthetics isn't enough to keep me from loving this place. I love that Portland offers theaters like this. We've never had to go to a multiplex in years, thereby saving 4 of the 11 bucks we could have spent each time we went to a movie. The experience is more intimate and personal somehow, maybe because it's a small theater. My only complaint would be those terrible Voodoo Doughnut ads. read more

I love this theater. It's 2-3 dollars cheaper than the big theaters, and sometimes you can catch movies within a week or so of their release. The seats are cushy and comfy and recliney. Oh, and the vintage ladies bathroom is super cute. read more

Small theater, nice staff. Great location on Hawthorne, but street parking is pretty tight around there in the evenings. Very little area to wait outside in pre-show, tiny lobby once you get inside. The theater itself has a very shallow rake, which means that even if you're in one of the back rows, you're gonna have your view of the screen completely blocked by any late-comers. I didn't partake in any of the concessions, but the popcorn seemed to be popular among the others in the crowd. (I've only been to this theater once, for a showing during PIFF, so factor that into my opinion accordingly.) read more

This theater looks really cute and funky from the outside.....but I found the seats very uncomfortable. The ticket price wasn't all that bad, but I would rather pay two dollars more for a really comfortable seat. That's all. You might like this theater for movies that aren't playing anywhere else. Maybe that's why it's called CineMagic. Because, magically that one movie you have been wanting to see and thought was out of theaters by now is probably playing at the CineMagic. Tip: Before submitting yourself to Blockbuster, check the movies and times for Cinemagic. You might be in for a big surprise. read more

Awesome little theater! I ended up seeing the Avengers on its opening day for $4.75, as opposed to ten freaking bucks at Regal (RIDICULOUS). Also, their popcorn is really tasty since they actually use real butter as opposed to those imitation butter things. Also, cash only! read more

"Do you guys happen to have any coffee?" "Uh, I think we have Folgers. Oh wait, sorry, we're out. Oh...no.....we do have some." Folgers in PDX? On Hawthorne? Should we call the police? Oh and the theater smells like teen spirit a bit. May want to give it a once over... read more

I should come to this theater more often. It has certainly held up over time since I saw "Spirited Away" back in 2003. The architecture is still the same. The auditorium itself is pretty nice. The chairs are very comfortable and the screen is huge. The sound quality is not bad either, I was able to hear the movie when sitting towards the back. The prices are great even for a first-run movie; about $4.50-$6.50 depending on the time of day. The concession stand is very affordable, cheaper than the theater pubs even. The only drawback is that it is cash only and when I tried to use the ATM, it had network problems. Luckily my friend spotted me so not a total letdown. Despite that hick-up, it's another great local theater to support in the Portland area. read more

I never saw 'The Secret of Roan Inish' but I hear it is the film that saved CineMagic from oblivion. Thank you Roan!!! It was a great cinema before - but now that it is showing first run, opening day films, we should ALL be supporting this neighborhood movie house. Who needs a multi-plex when you can have retro restrooms, real buttered popcorn and squeaky rocking seats that may (or may not) leave you looking at the ceiling from the lap of the person behind you?! The price is right and the atmosphere is right-er. Rock on, CineMagic! read more

How can you complain!? $4 tuesdays? Great selection of beer and cider on tap? Delicious, buttery popcorn? Historical touches? Fun staff? Ack! Brain cannot compute! No complaints. I've been to shitty theaters that charge way more. The seats could stand to be updated, but nothing worth docking stars for. read more

Cinemagic could be so great; cheap first run flicks, BUT WHERE THE HELL IS THE BEER? One of the guys who work here told me they were working on getting their license but that was nearly a year ago and still there is no booze! The theater is nice enough though, but put some beer on the menu (obviously I am stuck on this lack of booze thing) and there will be a nice new STAR added to my review of this place. read more

I love movie theaters that have a little character. I love historic and independent theaters. I love paying less than $10 to see a movie. But I also expect certain things from a theater. I expect to feel comfortable in my seat. I expect to be able to hear the movie clearly. And I expect to be able to comfortably use the bathroom (particularly right after the movie is let out). Let's take a step back and chat about what is good about Cinemagic. The Academy Awards are coming up, and I'm frantically trying to see all of the best picture nominees. American Hustle was showing here (which at the time would be considered a first-run movie). I was able to see it here for just $5 with a student discount, which is a remarkable price compared to my other options. Not to mention this place has more character than a multiplex. But beyond that, my experience here was a disaster. This theater first opened in 1914, changed hands multiple times, and became Cinemagic in 1991. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the bathrooms hadn't been updated since 1914 and theater facilities hadn't been updated since 1991. Bathrooms are tiny and cramped. They clearly can't handle the full capacity of the theater, especially during the post-movie rush. Even in an historic property, the one thing that really needs to be kept current is the bathroom. The sound system leaves leaves a lot to be desired. Coupled with the squeakiness of apparently every chair in the theater, I really struggled to hear the movie at times. And unfortunately, I think the squeaky chairs were exaggerated by everyone moving around and trying to get comfortable in what are otherwise not very comfortable chairs. Look, I get it. This is a discount theater and I shouldn't expect luxury from a $5 movie. But I've gotten so spoiled by other old, independent theaters in Portland that are really spectacular. This is apparently not one of them. I would rather pay $10 and give up a little character to be able to comfortably hear the movie and use the bathroom quickly. read more

This theater is not really made for short people, we had to move seats 3 different times when someone a little on the taller side sat down right in front of us. $4 for a movie (Juno) on a Sunday night, can't beat that! I found the chairs to be pretty comfy too :) read more

If you want to see a New Release hot off the Hollywood presses in Portland you can either go to one of those massive, manicured, packaged corporate behemoths like Regal Cinemas OR you can support Cinemagic- a small, historic, run-down-but-charming locally owned theater on Hawthorne. If you do the former, chances are the picture and sound will be a tad (note: a tad) better, the ticket prices will hover around $10-13, the crowds will be thick and the parking lots full. If you do the latter, you'll pay half of what you'd pay at the former for your ticket, you'll experience a new release in a classic old theater that feels more like a second-run brew-n-view than a blockbuster cinema, you'll sink into your creaky rocking seat, and you'll support a local Portland institution. I love going to the movies, but I don't go just for the movie! I know this sounds odd, but when I go to a movie I want that classic, retro movie theater atmosphere. I want a musty old lobby that reeks of decades worth of popcorn, old movie posters framed on the wall, seats with worn springs, etc. I want to feel like I stepped back into time, even if the movie is contemporary. I spent my Chicagoan childhood going to see movies in a gorgeous, historic old movie theater that more closely resembled an opera house than a movie theater. Old historic theaters have a deep set nostalgia with me and going to a shiny new corporate mega-theater like Regal just doesn't do it for me. So if the movie itself is all you care about, and you don't mind giving a chunk of your money to The Man then go ahead and find your nearest Regal. But if you, like me, want the entire package deal, the "classic-old-movie-theater-experience" (and like the idea of paying half price for a New Release!) than Cinemagic is for you! NOTE: Cinemagic is not a brew-n-view. Alas, you cannot buy pitchers of beer here. My hope is that one day they will, but for now, I recommend hitting Vicente's Pizza a few doors down before the show to pickle yourself a bit before the curtain rises. read more

Love Cinemagic. Sure it's got janky seats, and maybe you wouldn't want to lick the floor or anything, but how can you argue with $4 tuesdays? I hardly ever go to movie theaters but Cinemagic is super conveniently located. The price is right for checking out movies you might not otherwise see and when something good is on there's no reason not to go. My one gripe is the bathroom situation; as a trans person, using gendered bathrooms that aren't single occupancy suckkkks. They're also kinda gnarly and smell weird, in general I recommend not using them if it's avoidable! read more

Just fine for what it offers. The seats squeak, the sound isn't great, no beer. On the other hand, it's on the East Side, the staff is nice, the sundries are cheaper than your typical Regal nonsense and the first-run movies are priced just right at $7 instead of $11+. But yeah, if I can wait, I'll hold out for the Laurelhurst or Bagdad. read more

Absolutely horrible handling of long lines. I bought my tickets 2 weeks in advance and we still missed the beginning of the movie from waiting in line. I understand high demand but this happened to me last time I saw Venom in this theater last year. Couldn't hear the audio at all so I'll have to rewatch the movie elsewhere read more

Not all seats are created equal. We won't go again. We like the Roseway theater on Sandy so thought we would try this small local theater. You could feel the springs in the seats and you had to try and hold still during the movie or the springs would creak and annoy everyone. Some seats were worse than others so I moved around a bit until found ones that were less noisy than others. The screen and sound were fine but with seats that bad it doesn't matter if they had the best sound system in town. read more

I like this place for the historical, almost kitschy feel, but therein lie some of its flaws as well...as other reviewers have stated, the seats are fairly uncomfortable, and the bathrooms are weird and not big enough to serve the amount of people who need them. They don't have a very wide selection of snacks. There are good things about this theater too. The staff has ALWAYS been friendly to me. Contrary to older reviews, they DO accept credit and debit cards. They have a really decent selection of beers, both on tap and in cans. Their popcorn uses REAL butter. They often have first run movies for only about $7, and $4 Tuesdays. As one of only three theaters in walking distance of my house, i will be going back often, despite the flaws! read more

As much as I like second-run movie theaters, its fun to see a current movie every now and then without resorting to the trashy Lloyd Center. Yes, the seats are a bit uncomfortable, but the movies and snacks are pretty reasonable. The theater is huge so you're not going to end up on someone's lap. read more

Hello. I was at the showing of Django that had troubles. I've been trying to relate my issue, but either get no response or a response that indicates that my whole letter isn't being read. My issue is not that the film messed up. I understand that 35 MM does that. My issue is that no one told the audience what was going on for 40+ minutes. The lady at the front was unable to give refunds or vouchers and so when I left, I got neither. Nor did anyone call the number I left. Recently holly L wrote me a FB message saying sorry for the "bad night" (her emphasis) and that it is now digital which A) doesn't solve my problem and B) makes me feel like "bad night" is passive aggressive. I really would like a resolution but I have to say, this situation and the response isn't really making want to give cinemagic another try. read more

I'm all for quirky, independently run businesses but this one will not be getting any more business from me. Grimy, run-down, they don't take cards, the sound is terrible and the seats (those really old, kind of spring-loaded ones) were THE most uncomfortable thing I've ever sat in at a movie theater. There are other theaters in Portland doing a much better job of this - the Roseway comes to mind: beautifully restored, comfortable, first run movies, state of the art sound, independently owned and only 50c more per movie. We'll be going there from now on. read more

I hate Regal and really prefer to go to a local place. We love Roseway Theater (also has first fun movies), but Black Swan is no longer showing there, so we thought we would try Cinemagic again. Last time I went there was probably 7 years ago. Wish I could write more about the experience, but can't tell you much else because they weren't open! There was a crowd of people waiting for the first show today and no one showed up to open the theater. People tried calling and everyone finally gave up. Maybe schedule more than one person to work to ensure that at least one person may show up....... read more

It's quaint and cheap. The 50s style bathrooms are neat but not really a draw to the place; the first two rows of the theatre aren't really comfortable, no one sits in them (but who really prefers to sit in the first two rows anyway?). The place really needs to start accepting credit cards; I know there is a small 3-5% surcharge for credit card transactions but charging an extra 10 cents for admission would cover it. I don't really drink beer/coffee with my movies all that often so I can't really comment on the lack of availability of those items. It's a discount movie theatre so I don't really expect much when it comes to fringe benefits. Customer service is not good (as others have mentioned), but as the ticket counter guy has never been overtly rude to me I can't complain. The guy probably makes minimum wage, and he does his job competently enough. read more

I've been to this theater many times over the 16+ years I've lived in Portland, but I tend to go here less these days even though it is the closest one to my home. I'd honestly rather walk 20 blocks up to the Bagdad than just across the street. I will tell you why in just a few reasons: - The staff still needs a lesson in customer service and not acting like little snots to their patrons. When you treat me like crap then I see you being all lovey-dovey with the people after me it's not going to sit well with me. Be consistent; it's not difficult and it's your f-ing job. I thought businesses were supposed to get BETTER at this when they went under new ownership and management, but this clearly didn't happen. Must be something in the walls. - The original 1951 or whatever men's room smells like it may not have been cleaned since 1951. I hope for more from my local theater's restroom than I do my local pub. I mean, I would not want to take a child in there (not that I have any) nor wear sandals (not that I wear them, gross). - While those two items are probably less expensive and more actionable than this, PLEASE, for the love of the movie supreme beings, buy some god damned oil or something and go to work on the chairs. The constant squeaking is disruptive and annoying, especially when you got Johnny "Can't Hold It" Johnson sitting on your right and he's throwing back more pints after his Sunday afternoon pre-func. You seemingly don't care about what anyone says on here, so I'll assume that will remain the case with this review. I'll give it another chance because it's close and because it's cheap but there's not a whole lot convincing me to expect much better. And for what was once such a cool place that is pretty sad. read more

The first word that comes to mind is cozy and quaint. You have to love an old movie theatre to get this place. It's feel with warm. The ticket prices are comparably cheap to others theaters. There's also popcorn and beer to hold you over while you watch your movie. They have one or two movies at a time. So the selection is very narrow for what you might get to watch, but if they're playing something that you're dying to see I suggest you go. Also they have authentic 1950s bathrooms in the joint. read more

You honestly can't beat a $4 movie that would be close to $15 at a "typical" movie theatre. There are some draw backs, the theatre is really old (part of the charm!) so the seats are small, the arm rests don't lift up (no cuddling here!), and you may feel a bit panicked that your seat will break (feeling the springs and hearing them every time you move). I don't expect too much in regards to movie theatres and I'm no germaphobe but I really wished that their floor was less dirty! I held my purse in my lap the entire time. That being said, it's a fun little quirky venue. Good for college students who are ballin on a budget and don't want to miss out on the Hollywood block busters. I've also never been in such a rowdy movie crowd that wasn't a midnight release. (People laughing loudly / clapping at the end of the film, etc) read more

I'm still in shock how filthy this place is. You may be paying less for tickets but the environment and chairs and the theatre is in terrible shape and there is garbage on the floor and chairs all over the theatre. This is NOT an exaggeration! I will include photos. I don't know if it's always like this but this is the condition of the theatre today. It's the same price or cheaper to buy or rent the movie you want to watch in the comfort of your home without having to worry about stepping or sitting on garbage. Unbelievable! read more

Cinemagic - Cinema Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Pros -cheap first run movies Cons -the ac sucks and it gets really hot when there are allot of people in the theater -the movie started more than 15 minutes after it was scheduled -the seats are pretty beat up and nasty read more

Seats being renovated and now accepts MoviePass (less an issue now that MoviePass offers so few options since contract updates), great dining options at neighbors for a dinner/date combo, either pizza by-the-slice w/Mason jar cocktails at Blackbird or truffle fries at Little Big Burger just paces away read more

Reasonably priced theatre, especially for first run movies. However, the seats are old and squeaky, theatre smells a little, and the screen is small. I suppose you get what you pay for. Good beer selection! read more

Casual, local, cheap, soft seats, vintage bathroom, not crowded, beer and snacks available.

Only go here if you're desperate to see a movie they are showing. Cash only (really? in 2013?) Noisy/uncomfortable seating. Poor food/drink selection & no alcohol. Likely hasn't been vacuumed since 1978. read more

I dig Cinemagic in a totally nostalgic sort of way. It's just like the theaters of my childhood - before the multiplexes took over. It's also where I had my first date with my partner and we continue to frequent it, mostly because of the pleasant service and good movie choices. Good prices, good movie selection, no nonsense non-pretentious movie-watching experience. read more

whenever the mercury starts rising i think of this great, worn-down little theater. yeah, about a fourth of the seats are stuck in the recliner position. yeah, the pre-movie slide show of the same 5 slides has been there and done something. but who doesn't want to veg in front of the escapist screen with a/c eating a slice of Hot Lips pizza in the dark while it's 90+ degrees outside? star 1: first run movies at cheap prices star 2: a/c star 3: eating Hot Lips pizza during the movie star 4: friendly staff & laid back crowd that doesn't mind if you snicker/heckle during the hokey parts star 5: lost in the streets trying to find an ATM because they only accept cash read more

Super friendly staff, terrific theatre, very underrated and when here it feels like a well kept secret.

Customer service was awful. The two guys behind the counter seemed like they couldn't care less about the customers (me included). They barely made eye contact. They were terribly rude & snarky. I was not pleased with that, nor was I pleased with the "cash or check only" policy. But I did like that it was .3 miles from my place & it was quite reasonably priced. And what they say is true: the chairs are noisy as fuck. Mine squeaked the entire film (Prometheus) & I wasn't even fidgeting. Next time, I'll come earlier to test my seat & pray that the people behind the counter wake up on the right side of the bed that morning. read more

This is a cool theater! It's just one big room where you can see first run movies super cheap while drinking a beer. They only have one screen so they just play one movie at a time but they're worth checking out if you want to see what they're playing. Oh! And the bathrooms are nuts! They haven't been remodeled since they opened and they're really cute! They only work for one person at a time (at least the ladies room does) so maybe try not to pop in right after the movie ends. read more

Quirky in the best possible way, and inexpensive ($5 cash only), Cinemagic is a nice alternative to McMenamins theater pubs. No beer (yet -- they've applied for a liquor license), they offer a good variety of craft sodas. To the viewing experience, you have to make your own luck: Try to avoid having someone sit in front of you, as the floor has minimal decline, and try to find a less squeaky seat (they all squeak, but some less so). Once you're settled, sit back w/ you fancy soda and relish that you aren't at Cinetopia or Regal. read more