F and I attended a showing of the film Surviving Bokator for the Philadelphia Asian American Film…read moreand Filmmakers. This wonderful experience started as soon as we walked through the doors... We were greeted so warmly by the gentleman at the reception desk and he was helpful and informative. He really made an impression on us. Give that man a raise! The lobby area had seating as well as room to gather and/or meet and greet. The theater itself is very intimate but not tiny. The seats were comfortable and the sight lines seem to be good from anywhere in the house. The film Surviving Bokator was fantastic, and there was room on the stage for a live demonstration of the Cambodian martial art of Bokator.

From the owner: Lightbox Film Center is Philadelphia's premier exhibitor of film and moving image art…read more As the signature arts program of International House Philadelphia, an independent nonprofit organization, Lightbox presents an unparalleled slate of repertory, nonfiction, experimental and international cinema. Beyond the traditional movie theater experience, Lightbox delivers enriching film programs with artist talks, live music and other multidisciplinary programs year-round in a dedicated venue known as a gathering place for cinephiles.

We have watched a few movies here, most recently Wicked For Good in 3D. I like that I can order my…read moreseats on line and know exactly where to go when I enter the theater. I love that the seats recline way back and it's fun to play with the knobs on them. I like that there's a bit of distance between the coupling of chairs. I love the sound system. I mostly go to the matinee which is less expensive, often cleaner, fresh, hot popcorn and usually quieter. It's located on the 3rd floor in the Fashion District Mall. Good times.

This was our second time coming here. Since this was a late Friday night showing on the opening…read moreday/weekend of the movie (Jordan Peele's "Him"), it was much more crowded than the first time we came here (Sunday evening). Even though there were a lot of people, we didn't feel like we waited long for anything - coming in, ordering food and ordering drinks. General area and within the theater was kept decent. We like and enjoy the dine in your seats aspect. Food is decent and most people would be able to find something. They were low on stuff at the condiments bar, so we had to get some stuff from the staff working the concession stand. We got in the theater as previews were about to start and a staff member brought the food to our seats within minutes of us sitting down - so perfect timing. Good experience and we plan to see more movies here moving forward.

How is it possible no one has ever written a review of Secret Cinema? (I mean, aside from the fact…read morethat it is Secret)? I hope that by being the first to review Secret Cinema I'm not somehow violating some unwritten rule of Secret Cinema: "The First Rule of Secret Cinema is...you don't talk about Secret Cinema." Secret Cinema is a labor of love of its founder and his wife (?) who have been showing vintage movies (on film only, never video, as they will proudly tell you) for well nigh on 20 years, in various locations around Philly. However, their more-or-less permanent home seems to be the cinema at Moore College of Art and Design on 20th and Parkway in Center City. Their programs are typically 1.5 -3 hours long and feature a wide range of rare, obscure, and generally neglected but culturally significant movies, shorts and cartoons. I think they do maybe 10 showings a year, usually Friday nights, and admission is only $6-7 per show, making it probably one of the best cheap date opportunities around. The breadth of the programs is truly astounding. In the few years I've been attending, I've seen everything from classic cartoons from the 30's (the politically incorrect kind), corny educational films from decades past (including one sex-ed film from the early 80's featuring coitus between immense puppet genitalia which made everyone in the audience squirm), to almost-lost home movies of the Velvet Underground, to Saturday morning kid's programs, to a Philly premiere of the works of an almost totally unknown 50's-60's director, J. X. Williams: I am still searching for words to describe that show... Jay, its MC and creator, clearly loves rare cinema and is himself an encyclopedic resource on each of the programs he compiles. He prefaces the shows with his own (somewhat monotone and sometimes seemingly interminable) intros in which he provides the context of what you are about to see. That said, the selections can be somewhat hit-or-miss. One showing, which featured a documentary about Scottish agriculture in the 1940's, left me scratching my head to find the entertainment value: I guess it was a bit more 80's-style irony than I was willing to take. Some others leave me cold, as, apart from the historic value, the entertainment value of some of the programs can be very low for someone who is not specifically interested in that very subject. In other words, the selections can veer into arcana from time to time. But, you go there to have your horizons broadened, not to see more of what you would otherwise see in the mainstream media. So on balance I guess it's a good thing. So kudos to these folks for putting on consistently interesting (if not entertaining) programs which are clearly outside the mainstream. And kudos for being squarely in the Philly DIY tradition and staying true to that ethic all these years. Go and check it out.

I've been to about 4 or 5 of these underground film events hosted by curator and film nut Jay…read moreSchwarz. There is a certain ritual to it - paying $8, listening to Jay's informative droning introductions, not knowing what to expect. Secret cinema is a tribute to the dying medium of film. It's only film- no vhs or digital. He rescues film reels from flea markets, garages, libraries and cobbles them together with a theme. Some of what he shows is ironic, hilarious and cringeworthy in its racial stereotyping. It's a history and cultural studies lesson doled out in 5-7 minute chunks. I refer to Jay as a mad genius and hope he remains that way. His obsession with film and opening rare finds to the public is a great service. Secret Cinema isn't widely advertised. Getting on the e-mail list is the best way to catch these semi-frequent (every month or two) events.

As a self-proclaimed cinephile, I saw the 70mm print of "2001: A Space Odyssey" last night and had…read morevery high hopes since I had heard this theater is amazing. Well, it's basically awful (the theater, not the movie.) The uncomfortable seats don't recline, which really would be clutch since the projection is elevated, so, you're basically looking up the whole time. Legroom is at a minimum and you'll most surely get your seat kicked a few times if a large person is sitting behind you. Also, watching any narrative film will have you physically turning your head constantly to see the action in different parts of the blown-up frame. Also, this may not be a direct critique of the theater, but the film quality of "2001" was so poor, it seriously looked like old VHS quality. Every bright color washed out, and worse, you could see the actual screen panels clearly at various times, totally distracting you from being immersed. During loud moments, one of the sub-woofers was so annoyingly rattling, that I started to feel hoodwinked I didn't just watch this flick at home. The King of Prussia IMAX theater is so much better than this one, it's not even funny. If "great concession prices" is the high watermark of these reviews, then film buffs beware.

It's time to invest in some renovations...Especially the panels you can see are broken, they can be…read moredistracting during movies...The seats are stiff and cramped so by the time you leave, your back is aching...Fun to watch short movies on but for the price you pay you want them to last...such a catch 22... Try to sit high up if you can. I prefer the KOP IMAX...

Good movie experience, but limited in some ways. Didn't have all the soda options - ie just plain…read moreCoke and no flavor options - and every is worn a bit. But the Popcorn was good, the chairs were comfortable, and staff were friendly and helpful. Seats were easy to score - but we were there at 10:30 in the morning! Not as terrible as some other reviews would suggest. Parking lot behind the building is available - but find the number of a spot and make sure to find the pay kiosk near the very back, half hidden by dumpsters...

This AMC theater has improved since it first opened. They have large comfy recliner seats. The…read moreseats are so comfortable that I've dozed off during a movie. Having the large recliner seats also means there are a lot less seats than there used to be. Less people are a good thing in this day and age in which patrons can be so unruly. The concession stand has good options, and you can order from your phone on the way to the theater and pick up the food when you get there. There is a small bar open on the weekends. The screens are large with good sound quality. This AMC does seem a bit understaffed at times, but the staff working does a good job. I would go more often if I lived closer to it.

The international House of the place that College students of all nationalities and backgrounds…read morelive while attending local Philly colleges. It is also a venue that's often used by several organizations to hold festivals that presents movies and art receptions etc. It is a well laid out space with a lot of of options if you need to hold or sponsor a special event. Within the last 12 months I attended two festivals BLACKSTAR and The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. Both I enjoyed immensely, I was able to view movies in a very comfortable and reasonably priced theater. The International House always appears to be fairly clean and staffed with an employee at the 'front desk'. Check out their website for more details, you might like what they have to offer.

Talk about an interesting place. where else can you go to take cheap language classes, catch a…read morediverse and entertaining film festival, see a band, and potentially live in? and their not joking by International. picture a place that has bright college students from 30 to 40 different countries living under it's roof? this place runs rampant with culture. The film fests are the best though. they had a festival of films by Alejandro Jodorowsky, who is perhaps the most unique and artistic director of all time. and it had a Kung Fu festival that didn't show the traditional Jackie Chan/Sonny Chiba kind of films that you would expect. The are getting ready to had a Spaghetti Western festival next.

Went there for the first time for the Oscar screening event 2019!…read moreThe theater itself is quite old and medium sizing, could see some revitalization here and there. They do provide alcohol and even inside the actual theater that I have never been before. During the event they did bring out popcorns and snacks for us! The red velvet cookie was my favorite of the night! One thing to complain though,there's not holder or removable handle on the chairs, so you have to put everything on the ground or holding it on your own, and that you cannot pull the handle up and cuddle with the person next chair like you can in some theaters.

Covid precautions are top notch and above requirements. Transparency on the website is clear about…read moretheir cleaning habits and air filters, etc. Checked for vaccination proof at the door *with* ID. Lovely staff who are pleasant and real -- leagues away from AMC! All that *and* they show the big blockbusters?? Total win!!

The Philadelphia Film Society is truly one of my favorite escapes while living in Philly. They're a…read morenonprofit dedicated to keeping the cinematic experience alive, and their curated film series are chef's kiss. Imagine "25 Days of Christmas" with holiday classics on the big screen, or "Lost in Animation" where they show anime gems you'd usually only dream of seeing in theaters. I took myself on a solo date here to watch "Home Alone" during the holiday series, and it was peak nostalgia. The theater itself is cozy but high-quality, with great sound, comfy seating, and a crowd that actually loves movies which makes the atmosphere that much better! I love the PFS experince and when you become a member ticket prices are discounted and you can enjoy all year. ( This is from my recent trip to Spike Lee's newest film "Highest 2 Lowest" )

Pricing and amenities are lacking and not worth the price. Bad management. Terrible crowd control…read moreand queuing.