I'm 53 years old and been going here since I was a kid but it's really run down now. Sad since I…read morelive practically next door. 93° and no air conditioning? I'll go to bourse instead

I caught a movie at Ritz Five for the first time this week to see Saltburn (side note:…read moreWOW!!!!!!!!!) and had a nice time. There are some things I think others may want to know ahead of time so they can plan accordingly. - I'd buy your tickets ahead online. There was a long line to get tickets in person and the lobby space isn't too big so it gets cramped. - Give yourself time to grab a seat. I know that assigned seats in movies is relatively new, but it's pretty common now. This is a good old first come first serve theater. - Make sure you add salt to your popcorn because they don't and the butter does not hit quite as well as the big chain movie theater popcorn that I often crave. Some of the highlights I'd note are that the theaters are spacious and there is a good amount of room between rows for people to pass you to get in and out of their seat. The person checking tickets was a great communicator and was often shouting out which movies were in which theaters and when they started so that nobody missed theirs!

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.

A mouse crawled up onto my recliner and the manager acted like it happens every day…read more Today just so happen to be Sep-11, I was sitting in my recliner waiting for the movie to start, phone in my hand while the commercials played. When a large mouse climbed up the left armrest -- right where the front of the armrest meets the leg recliner. I looked up from my phone. We made eye contact. Then it ran. I jumped out of the seat. In my 45 years of going to the movies I have never seen a mouse or a rat in a movie theater. Not once. This is a place where people sit for hours and eat. A place where people bring their kids. A rodent that close to my hands, crawling all over the seats is disgusting. I went to the counter and asked, politely, to speak with a manager. She came quickly. I told her what happened, quietly, as to not make a scene. She was not surprised. She was not shocked. Her face said this was ordinary. All she said was that she would let the exterminators know, and then she asked if I was leaving. That was it. No apology. No offer to move me. No check of the seats. No sense urgency that a customer had just had a mouse on the arm of their chair. Just "I'll tell the exterminators" and "are you leaving?" The mouse was bad. The indifference was worse.

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.

Went to see a matinee viewing of Superman. The kiosk was not working to buy tickets so we had to…read morepurchase directly with someone. The seats were comfortable. The sound and projection of the movie was good. I did not notice that there was anything to sit the popcorn on at the seat so the popcorn stayed on my lap. I was nervous the butter would stain my skirt so I placed napkins under the bag of popcorn.

Bad experience despite comfortable seats. 30 minutes of previews. Sound levels way too loud. I…read morewill not come back.

I actually like this theater a lot. Bonus for being in an area with a nice big parking lot. The…read moretheaters are small and there aren't a lot of them but that keeps us less crowded so I like it. The seats are great and I've always noticed the theater as clean, unlike other reviewers. The staff is always super nice. Last night they ran out of popcorn for a minute and also seemed to be out of a lot of other things. the manager went out of his way to find us and apologize and he didn't have to do that. Things happen and people here are trying to do a good job. Yes, the womens bathroom is not great. And there's a very bright light in theater 4 that blinks the whole movie. Those are the reasons I dropped a star. Other than that, this is my go to theater so give it a shot.

I got here at 1030 am to wait for them to open at 11 and it's now 11:25 and they still aren't open…read moreand it says they open at 11 am. I'm just trying to buys tickets in person to avoid all the fees online.

Great art house theater Combined the best new movies with…read morerespect for restored classics Courteous and knowledgeable staff. I've always been a donor to this type facility I'm now 80 and this is the best

Great experience on Main Street in Ambler…read more Ambler Theater is a very relaxed experience with a hand full of staff that makes you feel welcome. The movie theater is very old however it brings with it wonderful charm. My girlfriend and I have been coming here for just about a year now and are thinking of becoming members (this is a non-profit movie theater that exists by the support of its members). This spot reminds me of the Ritz movie theaters in center city without the hustle bustle. Definitely check it out for a date night or a reason to check out the quiant town of Ambler. As always people SYOY!!

Great independent theater. I love that they show films that aren't usually played by the major…read moretheater companies. The staff were all very friendly. Concessions prices are reasonable. Ticket price is a reasonable. The seats are old-school, not like the new recliners, but still very comfortable. What's a beautiful location

I like the Institute because of the independent and retro films they screen, but not all theaters…read morein this multiplex are the same. Or as comfortable. I appreciate stadium seats. I like walking upstairs to the mezzanine to find my perfect spot. (I may sound nuts, but I look for a seat where the screen is big and doesn't require a head tilt -- more of a 'movie' experience than watching Netflix at home.) Well, Theater 1 doesn't cut the mustard. The auditorium is one level, oddly long. To achieve my important no-tilt criteria, I sit far back. But then the screen looks small! If there's a movie I want to see, should I call the theater to find out where it's being screened? I probably won't. But I might! Fingers crossed that it's not in Theater 1.

This theater is super small but very clean and cute. The employee working on this date was so kind…read moreand friendly, and the prices are not too bad for tickets. I came here to see an older movie that was playing and it was really fun. The seats are decently comfy, though they're not recliners. They also will give you a discount for parking in the garage next door which is very helpful!

First time at this theatre for the 33rd Philadelphia Film Festival and it's in a great location (5…read moremin walk from Bourse). Staff is super friendly and helpful and the seats and very comfortable with cup holders.

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...

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.

Love this place! Especially for the old horror movie showings. So glad places like this still exist!read more

Perfect theater! Well-designed, comfortable. good sound, friendly employees, great mix of events.read more