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Where To See Your Holiday Blockbuster
By
Karen Wilson
Published Jul 3, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Karen Wilson
Published Jul 3, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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With the mid-week Fourth of July holiday, an abbreviated work week practically demands an afternoon at the movies complete with giant tub o' fatty snacks and subzero air conditioning. New York is a real haven for movie theater aficionados, and we all have our favorites. Here's a brief breakdown of what to see, and where, this holiday. In the comments feel free to weigh in on the best and/or worst places to see giant alien vehicles attack earth or betrothed couples acting goofy.
*** Cinema Village East** (181 2nd Ave at 12th St.)
Pluses old fashioned balcony seating, snack vending machines.
Minuses often only a single ticket seller outside (can bypass with the electronic kiosk inside)
What to see: Ratatouille.
*** AMC Loews Village 7** (66 3rd Ave)
Pluses sweet but slightly out of it ticket taker won't flinch if you bring in an outside drink like coffee.
Minuses: long lines for the tiny bathrooms, sometimes the trip to your theater is a hike since the building is narrow but tall.
What to see: Transformers, Knocked Up, or if you missed it earlier in the summer Hot Fuzz. Buy tickets from Fandango.
*** Regal Union Square Stadium 14.** (850 Broadway)
Pluses can pick up snacks from the nearby Whole Foods, Trader Joes and well-stocked candy aisle at Duane Reade on 4th Ave for those who bring large handbags to the movies. Also, they're now featuring a snack cart inside the theater just before the screening.
Minuses: long ticket lines and sometimes chaotic electronic kiosk area on the ground floor.
What to see: License to Wed, Live Free or Die Hard, or Sicko. Buy tickets from Fandango.
*** AMC Loews Kips Bay** (570 2nd Ave. between 31st and 32nd St.)
Pluses often cited as a favorite cineplex for cinephiles, the huge theaters have great sound and screen quality.
Minuses: a little remote unless you live in the nabe.
What to see: License to Wed, Transformers, Ratatouille, Live Free or Die Hard or Sicko. Buy tickets from Fandango.
*** AMC Loews 34th St.** (312 W. 34th St.)
Pluses huge complex with well-staffed ticket and snack lines.
What to see: Ratatouille, Live Free or Die Hard, Transformers, Sicko, or License to Wed. Buy tickets from Fandango.
* In Times Square: AMC Empire 25 (234 W. 42nd St.) or Regal E-walk 13 (247 W. 42nd St.)
Pluses gigantic complex, easy to move between theaters if you're up for a on-the-sly double feature.
Minuses the Times Square tourists clogging the sidewalks.
What to see: Ratatouille or Live Free or Die Hard; Transformers, and the older Knocked Up or 28 Weeks Later.
*** Clearview's Zeigfeld** (141 W. 54th St.)
Pluses: old time movie palace ambiance, massive multi-tier theater and gigantic screen.
Minuses: have to venture to mid-town on your day off.
What to see Ratatouille.
*** AMC Loews Lincoln Square with IMAX** (1998 Broadway)
Pluses: perfect venue for when you need to see Michael Bay's masterpiece in three dimensions, actual food offered at the concession stands.
What to see: Transformers, License to Wed and Introducing the Dwights. Buy tickets from Fandango.
*** UA Court Street Stadium 12** (108 Court St., Brooklyn)
Pluses: convenience for Brooklynites who need a Hollywood fix.
Minuses: legendary. Long lines, slow staff and further (grammatically incorrect) commentary are all cataloged on the theater's Citysearch page.
What to see: License to Wed, Transformers, Ratatouille, or Live Free or Die Hard. Buy tickets from Fandango.
*** UA Kaufman Studios Cinema 14** (35th Ave and 38th St., Queens)
Pluses: not far from the Silver Cup studios, this area of Queens is rich with movie culture and tons of cheap eats.
What to see: Ratatouille, Sicko, Live Free or Die Hard, Transformers or License to Wed.
In their summer issue, New York magazine broke down why they love their top 5 first run theaters as well as a convenient list of excellent indie screens.
Photo via Paxton Holley's Flickr.
Tagged
amc
breakdown
broadway
cinema
cinema village
coffee
comments
die hard
duane reade
free
holiday
hot
Hot Fuzz
kip's bay
Knocked Up
live
Live Free
movies
new york
theater
trader joe's
transformers
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Whole Foods
Karen Wilson
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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