This theater is right in the middle of the University District and they always have interesting movies playing, other than just the newest releases. For our visit, they were showing the silent version of The Phantom of the Opera with a live orchestra. This was our first visit to this theater so we got there early to look around. There is a convenient parking garage located directly behind the theater and if you remember to ask, they will validate your parking ticket for $2.00 (we did not remember to do this so we paid $11.50 for three hours!!). They were showing this film on Halloween night, which was also a Friday night, so the University District was hopping! It was fun to walk around and see all of the costumes and various parties going on before heading into see our movie. Since this was a special showing it cost us around $55.00 for our tickets, but we ordered them in advance and were able to pick the seats we wanted. They allowed everyone inside the theater 15 minutes early, so there was quite a long line waiting once we were near the theater door. We saw others carrying soda and popcorn, but couldn't figure out where the concessions stand was! We were barely able to figure out where to find the bathrooms, so we gave up on the popcorn once the door opened for the movie. Once the door was opened, we went in and found our seats. Very comfy seats!!! We sat in the fifth row, so the screen was higher than our seats, but oh so cozy. The show was fantastic, the live orchestra did a smashing job! Very enjoyable visit!! read more

We've been many times now, and it's always a good experience. Regular stuff, special events (concert viewings,) and more. This time Gateway and the library are offering free "book to film" screenings all summer with your library card. Not too busy on Sunday mornings. Great staff. Basic snacks and drinks, plus alcohol. Good picture and sound. Parking discount at the garage, and on Sundays usually street spots nearby for free. read more

One of the best theaters in the Columbus, if not the best. From the staff, to the showings, to the vibe, everything is amazing. Highly recommend to anyone trying to see a premiere or even a festival, or just a movie on a weekday. read more

Absolutely LOVE this cinema! A $15/mo membership gets you all the free movies you can handle There's always a great beer selection at the bar. The speakeasy that is available for members only is pretty freaking cool. The staff are always awesome and super helpful. I can't praise this place enough. It's definitely one of my favorite venues in Columbus. read more

One of my favorite movie theaters in Columbus. Huge bar selection + snacks. Theaters are comfy and huge. Local ads before movie starts. Easy accessible parking in the parking garage. Lots of bars and restaurants nearby to hit before or after your flick. What's not to love?? read more

Clean, with convenient validated parking and comfortable leather seats ... BUT the volume during our film was painfully loud. And it started with an ear-splitting alert sound before the promos started. I wore custom earplugs and held my sweater over my ears, but my ears were still ringing On the way out, we complained to the fellow who had scanned our tickets. He said we should have left the theater to let them know the volume was too high, and they would have lowered it. read more

Gateway is a very cool movie experience. The staff seems genuinely glad to be there and the variety of films they show is unlike any other movie theatre in Columbus. I was surprised by how busy the theatre was on a weekday night. They have both a bar and a lounge/cafe, but only the bar was open during our visit. The seats are not the newer reclining kind, but the audio quality in the theatre was really good. Parking is available in the south campus gateway garage and the theatre validates for $2 parking. read more

Gateway Film Center - the entrance to the movie theater - Cinema Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

See all

I did not get food so I can not comment on a menu here. However they have a full service bar when you walk in which is nice to grab something before heading in to the theatre. What I like about this theater is that it's always well kept, clean, and the customer service is always excellent. It's also not an overrun theater like an AMC or a Regal. They're doing a great job of keeping this less crowded. Would recommend - and Sinners was awesome! read more

I just got a membership at Gateway bc I've been going sooo much! I like watching new releases here, but the real highlight is the amount of themed showings they hold throughout the year! My personal fave is Ghibli-fest during the summer The staff are super nice and fun to chat with, and it's a clean space! read more

The best of the best. Better than the rest. Seen many movies and everything is priced affordable.

One of the best theaters in Columbus! Such great events! The seats in theater 1 are old school and kinda gross but the rest of the place is great! read more

$5 Super Tuesday with a free small popcorn? Sign me up! In my 4 years of living here, Gateway film Center has never cease to fail me. This theater shows oldies, new movies and some you would never see anywhere else in this region of Ohio. You're not looking at five star seats but it's good enough to keep your eyes peeled to the film which is the reason you came anyway. This theater serves food, drink, and different goodies for your viewing experience. I found a lot of titles I wouldn't find anywhere else unless I went to a Cannes Film Festival or something. So living in Columbus we should consider ourselves very lucky to be able to enjoy this place and the surrounding area with it. The theaters are clean, the remember this is where a lot of college kids come and see their films so don't expect a 5 star theatres situation. You are here to see the movies! Thanks Gateway 5 stars! read more

This is a nice theater. It is well maintained and clean. In the theater you're able to order food and drinks if you'd like including drinks from the bar. The seats are comfortable. It is family friendly. You do have to park in the parking garage and walk a bit to reach it but it's not too much of a walk. I'd say it's one of the best theaters in Columbus. read more

As a theater fan, I absolutely love Gateway! Located eight between the university and the Short North, it's a cozy, clean location with decent concessions and a bar. I highly recommend catching their Tuesday $5 special with free popcorn! Parking in the lot next door can be validated inside. read more

Gateway Film Center - Cinema Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Gateway is an amazing nonprofit theater where popular new releases, decades old throwbacks, and niche international films are played, all with the same respect and attention. Although they are partnered with OSU to host some events and provide "d-tix" for discounted tickets, Gateway is dignified and has just as many if not more non-student patrons. Gateway is a gem of Columbus and the OSU area. Although I've enjoyed big student events such as a free showing of Spiderman: No Way Home, I've more so enjoyed watching less popular films, which are often hosted in much a much smaller theater with plush, reclining chairs. All of the seating is comfortable, but these smaller theaters are amazing. I've only had positive experiences with staff here. They are always well-organized and knowledgeable. My only complaints are that the escalators are often down, and several sinks in the women's restroom are consistently not working. Support local cinema!!! read more

What a cozy theater. This was my first time being here and I loved it. I love the fact that they have classic films that play here. If you ever go to see a movie, bring your ticket from the garage because they validate it. I will for sure be back to see many more movies. The sound was decent and the chairs were older, but still cozy. read more

Gateway Film Center - a man standing in front of three movie posters - Cinema Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Very nice theater and the seats weren't too bad. The theater sound quality was excellent. Wish they had more food options available because when my husband and I went they were only serving popcorns. read more

Tonight we went to see a preview of the new movie coming out called "Blinded by the Night ". We all really enjoyed the story line and the lyrics from Bruce Springston music. Parking cost $2 if you park in the Gateway Garage and have your garage ticket stamped at the counter inside the theater. I don't think the chairs in the theater are very comfy because they don't recline and there's not a lot of leg room. read more

Gateway Film Center - Movie screen of what we saw! - Cinema Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Loved the experience here. Feels much more intimate than a giant theater - and you can take a drink in the theater with you!

In the past I've avoided Gateway Film Center due to the lack of parking. However, thanks to the large abundance of scooters darting around Columbus, that stressor is long behind me and I'm happy to say I'll be visiting way more often. I recently came to see Aladdin and I was impressed with the experience from start to finish. It was easy to pull up the shows and times online and purchase tickets. Those tickets were then emailed to me and when I arrived at GFC all I did was walk up to the ticket office and show them my purchase. They then printed out real tickets for me to show the attendant. This is probably the only part that I found unnecessary. Go green! Can't I just show the attendant my email instead of wasting paper? Anyhoo... The theater my show was in was clean, the seats were comfy, and it was easy to get to the restroom. Thanks to the White Claws my friend and I enjoyed during the movie, we both went at least once. The sound and lighting throughout the entire show was also spot on. I never once heard a neighboring theater's sound, which is really important to me. I hate hearing other movies going on, it definitely impacts the experience. I also need to shout out the staff here. I grabbed drinks and popcorn before the movie and the gentleman handling my popcorn was an absolute pro! Popcorn - butter - popcorn - butter. His care in making it just right made my night. I love that GFC is locally owned and surrounded my all sorts of fun things to do. It's easy to make a night out of seeing a movie, grabbing dinner nearby, and enjoying live music outside on the weekends. I will be back! read more

See all

This theatre is right by OSU campus so a lot of college students go there obviously. You would think it would be chaotic, messy or loud but it wasn't at all. There's street parking on High Street by the meter if you're lucky to get one & a garage in the back. You only have to pay $2 to park in the garage as long as you show your ticket at the counter. What I also found fascinating is the fact that this place had the benefits of being an independent house theatre as well as a large chain theatre. You really can't get that anywhere. The chairs were pretty comfortable inside & they seem to have a lot of specials for food & drinks which is always great. Today I watched the Last Black Man of San Francisco & it was one the most beautifully made movies that I've ever seen. I highly recommend everyone to watch it & also visit this theatre! read more

See all

They're super nice here! From the people at the ticket register to the folks at the concession stand. Struck up some conversation with one of the gals at concession and she was super personable. Popcorn is sometimes fresh. As in only when they're busy. Food is cheaper than anywhere else! As a student, tickets are not a bad price if you get them at the OSU Union for $3. There's a restaurant in here so if you get hungry before or after feel free to get some grub! The lobby has seating on the main floor and upstairs if you get there early. I like the setup. It's pretty open inside. Lots of windows make it not so dark in there. Make sure to get your parking validated if you park at the gateway parking structure. Seats in the theater sometimes look atrocious. Ripped up and in need of a serious revamp. Not all theaters in here are like that but some of them really really need to be changed. Otherwise, great place to go! read more

See all

Tied for my favorite theater in Columbus. Located up the escalator and next to the old ugly tuna, this location has several theaters and such a nice vibe. You can grab beer and wine at the bar and standard concessions too. They usually have some local art along the hallway that rotates often enough. Theater seats aren't reclining but are still updated and comfy. Gateway will play a lot of independent and foreign films that won't play hardly anywhere else. They also have really cool events like hitchcocktober (lots of Hitchcock movies during October) as well as "TV on the big screen" series, old classics, and marathon events. Definitely keep an eye on their calendar. Staff is always friendly, bathrooms are clean, just a really cool spot. They will validate parking for you so you only have to pay a couple of bucks max in the garage. Highly recommend coming here! read more

A very nice theater with a good selection of movies to pick from every week. They have a bar if you're into drinking or if you're looking for a quick snack for the movie. The seats are comfortable and the place is well maintained. The decor in the place is nice and the workers are friendly as well, which is always appreciated! read more

I loved the relaxed environment. The people were friendly and the movie quality was A+ for sure. Took my lady there to see Strays... we absolutely loved it and the cost was fair. Snacks were ok, but overall, we really enjoyed it. read more

I think this theatre meets every need out there, which is why I give it 5 stars. Let's face it, they have a great location, attached to several bars and restaurants in a downtown-type of area across the street from the OSU campus. I like this theatre because it has the benefits of an independent art-house theatre AND large chain theatre. It's not too pretentious like some art-house theatres can feel and it's not too corporate like some large chain theatres can feel. The movies are reasonably priced and so are the concessions. They have your typical movie concessions and also have a bar if you're into that sort of thing. They show independent movies as well as the large-scale movie releases and they have a trivia night in the bar. They also show popular TV shows on occasion. I appreciated that when I talked to the man working concessions (he asked me which movie I was seeing), it was very clear that he loved movies and wanted to share that with me by engaging me in conversation about it. It's the little things sometimes, you know? They'll validate your parking in the back garage for only $1! read more

Gateway Film Center - Outside of building - Cinema Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I liked this alternate to the usual AMC, especially since they offer more independent films. Found out that Tuesdays are $5 movies, which is awesome. Plus, if you park in the garage that's behind the bldg., You only have to pay $2. Win-win! read more

Gateway Film Center - Steeper than normal stadium seating. - Cinema Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Very affordable prices compared to other theaters. Screens are not very large, that is the only negative. I

Best movie theater in town, hands down. Why? 1. They offer closed captions for several movies! 2. You can have a glass of local beer with your movie. 3. They show the popular movies and random films as well. 4. They are an independent place 5. They offer OSU discounts So what are you waiting for? Make it a movie night and visit the gateway! read more

Definitely a nice place to go out for a date, has good prices for food and drinks. The service was amazing, the workers were very polite. The lobby area and theaters were clean, the seats are spacious enough for a bigger person. read more

This is a nice, tucked away movie theater. They are pretty clean, have nice seats, good sound, nice staff and a big bar you can stop by before you head into the movies. read more

The Gateway Film Center is a cultural hub of Columbus - my first and only choice for seeing new releases and classics alike, bumping elbows with fellow cinephiles, and enjoying some of the best drinks in town (I can't praise the folks backing the bar in the Torpedo Room enough). Best of all? A membership costs less than your average trip to Chipotle - for $15/month you can see unlimited movies at what many consider the best cinema in town. If you see just two films per month, it pays for itself (and you get a free popcorn each visit to boot). So stop spending money to see the same Nicole Kidman ad every weekend and start supporting independent cinema instead. I'll see you there! read more

Still the best in town. Not so bad even when surrounded by 20-something OSU students. Makes for a more lively environment. They have lots of things going on to bring in patrons; for kids, for families, for college age. They try to do it all. The hook up with the Wex makes it even better. If you are a Wex member you get admitted for student prices. Parking is 1$ when validated by the theater. read more

I really like what they have done with this theater! I believe in an earlier incarnation it was just your typical first-run theater with nothing specific to recommend it above any other one. Today, the film center has a lot more character than that. First of all, the space is really nice. There is an upstairs bar in the balcony area, and there is a nice seating area by the refreshment area. The theaters themselves are stadium style with comfy seats and arm rests. Bathrooms are clean and large. The film selection is wonderful. There are the typical first run blockbuster types, plus a good selection of independent films and documentaries. They also run special events, like Columbus Documentary Week, movies made from books in conjunction with the library, beer tastings with classic flicks, and TV on the Big Screen. The Film Center also functions as an event space, for everything from their regularly hosted trivia nights to being rented out for other events. The location in the Gateway is nice and gives easy access to the parking garage (and parking can be validated by the theater for $1 for 3 hours). The Martini Shot Bistro is well-named - it seems odd to say a bistro in conjunction with a movie theater, but the selection here supports it. In addition to the usual popcorn, candy, and pop that are well associated with going to the movies, there is even a healthier choice with a hummus plate, and a great bar selection featuring beers on draft and bottled seasonal selections, plus wine and cocktails. There are also fun offerings like Jeni's ice cream, White Castle sliders, and pizza from Gateway neighbor Pizza Rustica. Yes, close to campus means there can be a hefty college student draw, but depending on when you go, it may or may not affect you. Earlier flicks seem to be less attended - even the last 8 pm one we went to had only a handful of people in the theater - it wasn't until we headed out at 10 pm that we saw a crowd. Definitely worth checking out, especially if you are looking for a lesser known or independent film. read more

It just doesn't get any better than this when it comes to Movie Theaters! Do you like mainstream movies, indie flicks, classics, alternative and foreign movies, documentaries, television, film festivals, late night horror screenings, craft beer, beer tastings, exclusive sneak peeks, short films, books adapted to screen, kid friendly events, happy hours, the Oscars, parties, or annual 24 hour marathons of Groundhog Day? No? Why are you looking at reviews of movie theaters? Yes? You can stop looking now! This one is second to none! read more

Gateway Film Center - Groundhog Day Marathon 2014 - Cinema Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Gateway FIlm Center is an independent cinema in Columbus. I watched St. Vincent here yesterday and had great time. It's $5 movies on Tuesdays which is a great deal. As much as I like AMC's leather reclining seats, sometimes I just want to support the smaller businesses. Gateway Film Center is a comfortable and convenient venue to watch a movie. There is parking validation for $1 which is nice and there are tons of restaurants and bars around the theater. There is also a restaurant and bar within the theater complex itself and a concession stand that sells beer. Being an independent cinema, they also seem to have various events such as movie screenings combined with beer tastings. This combined with membership perks and pricing makes it an attractive movie venue. They also seem to show indepedent and indie films, which is another plus. I'll be back. read more

I had an excellent time at this theater. It was easy to find using GPS and it was just steps away from the parking garage. I went around 530pm on a weekday. I was delighted to find that all of the seats in the theater were overstuffed recliners. read more

Gateway Film Center - I love the overstuffed leather recliners! I felt as though I were in my own home studio. I think this was my best film experience ever! - Cinema Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

See all

Every movie at Gateway is an other-worldly experience that takes you into a whole other world of wonder. The Gateway film center places the viewer at the center of the experience, ensuring their satisfaction is a top priority. From the delicious popcorn to the refreshing soda, the service at Gateway is stellar. Simply put, Gateway Film Center is the #1 independent cinema in Columbus, and deserves a 5 star rating. read more

One of my favorite places in the city. Gateway is so much more than a movie theater - it is a cultural hub for the city. The film selection is always diverse and exciting. The food and drinks are great. And I've never seen a theater have a better and more passionate staff. read more

This is like a weird, hidden, obvious gem. Yes, it's on campus, which means you have to deal with the campus crowd. Yes, it's in vicinity to all the "clubs" which means A) a weird crowd, drunks wandering in front of your car, and B) GREAT PEOPLE WATCHING. But they have great films, the aire classic flicks, and they have special events (like Walking Dead!). The theatre has been clean, but you do deal with the campus crowd (remember, it's a mix of 17-whatever the fuck age, so *anything goes*). I won't bring my kids here until they're older, because I'll probably get pissed off and have to hurt some punkass. However, when I want to grab a drink and don't care about the crowd, I love this theatre. read more