Alright, so you’re in New Haven for a summer language class (or, come Fall, you need some time off from reading for Old Testament), and you’re looking for something to do. Although there are other options in New Haven, (such as student rushing a play at the Schubert or the Yale Rep), nothing beats the tried-and-true standby of going to see a movie (in case you haven’t picked up on it, I’m a pretty big movie buff, and I will be seeing as many of the summer’s “pop corn” movies as humanly possible).
There are two good options in the New Haven area: Showcase Cinemas in North Haven and Criterion Cinemas in New Haven.
Showcase Cinemas is a pretty standard multiplex. For those of you who will have a car, it’s a nice way to take a break from Yale and New Haven. It also has more screens than the Criterion. I couldn’t find ticket price information online, and it’s been a while since I saw a movie there, so I can’t provide you with exact pricing information. Matinees run somewhere around $8 and regular show times around $12, though. That’s a pretty standard price for tickets in the area. I’ve never had a problem with the projection systems there, but the theaters themselves don’t have stadium seating and could really use a remodel.
Criterion Cinemas is my preferred theater. Like Showcase, it doesn’t have stadium seating, but it has been recently remodeled. It has fewer, and smaller theaters, but it manages to have a good mix of mainstream blockbusters, foreign cinema, and independent films any given week. The “projector” in the smallest theater is little more than a nice Blu-Ray player, but if you’re there to see a major release, you’ll be in one of the larger theaters. Concession prices are about the same as at Showcase, but the quality seems a little better, and there are discounted prices on Tuesdays (when Criterion Club members also get a discount on movie tickets; prices for other show times are available on the website). They also run special features such as “movies and mimosas” on Sundays (which is the best way ever to skip church) and “Insomnia Theater” on Friday and Saturday nights, which typically features a cult classic. All in all, it’s one of the better small independent theaters I’ve been to. With all the fuss that people make about supporting local produce and businesses, you’d think we’d talk more about supporting local movie theaters, too. So get out, go down to 86 Temple St., join the Criterion Club, and support your local movie theater. If you do, I promise that I’ll get down off my soapbox.
Also, some general advice: do yourself a favor and skip “Prince of Persia.” It looks like it was edited by a monkey with a short attention span.
