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Why yes, yes they do: http://drafthouse.com/

I don't have one near but, but the Emagine Theaters near me serve beer, wine, and mixed drinks. http://www.emagine-entertainment.com/

Beer, cocktails, a full menu with the kitchen to back it. Also, reserved seats that you can pick in advance, and a strict no phone policy that they actually enforce. Definitely worth a look.

I just moved from an area where the Alamo Cinema Drafthouse chain was pretty much the only place I would go to watch a movie. There is no Alamo where I'm living now, and I'm considering looking in to a franchise agreement. Can't bear the thought of sitting through a movie with Brenda from Scary Movie.

We have zero tolerance for talking or cell phone use of any kind during movies, and we aren't afraid to kick anyone rude enough to start texting their friends during a show right out of the theater.

• No one under 18 (unless it is a kid's event)
• no talking
• no texting
• no arriving late
• real food and alcohol served to you at your seat

In fact Alamo a few years back threw out a seemingly drunk individual for texting and turned it into a pre-movie PSA.

The ticketing server for the movies on the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema site is not responding either via the web or their cell phone app. I'm hoping this is just because of Slashdot curiosity and not a denial of service attack or hack of some sort.

The Alamo Drafthouse was serving Klingon Blood Wine during the premiere of the 2009 Star Trek (also Romulan Ale and Raktajino). I wonder if CBS had to license them.

The Alamo Drafthouse was serving Klingon Blood Wine during the premiere of the 2009 Star Trek (also Romulan Ale and Raktajino). I wonder if CBS had to license them.

You need to go to better movie theaters. Alamo Drafthouse is the best and got some good publicity when they did this a couple years ago.

http://drafthouse.com/blog/entry/she_texted._we_kicked_her_out

There are two option to deal with rude people in theatres; kick them out or make radio frequencies unavailable in theatres. I prefer the former you prefer the latter.

I think you are exaggerating the "constant stream of people leaving and returning". The people I am talking about are very few in number and don't get important calls very often.

I'm sorry, but that's just you are more important than other people.

I do not see a few extra people leaving the theatre for a few minutes as a major distraction. I bet if you talked to a few other people they would say the same thing. You have no evidence to the contrary. It seems that your desire for a completly undisturbed theatre experience override other people's desires. It seems that you think you are more important than other people. That is why I talk about compromise, allow phones to be on in the theatre and require use to be outside the theatre. It is not perfect but accommodates everyone.

Here is the policy from Granite Cinema;

We ask that you turn off your cell phones or other devices during the show. If you must answer a call or send a text, please do so in the lobby. Cell phone use or texting in the auditorium will result in you being asked to leave without a refund.

Notice they say "answer a call".

Even Drafthouse, who is cited in one of the linked articles, does not say to turn off your cellular phone;

We have a zero-tolerance policy towards talking and texting during the movie. If you talk or text, you will receive one warning. If it happens again, you will be kicked out without a refund.

Notice that they do not even ask one to turn off the phone. All they require is not talking or texting during the movie.

They think their own behaviour is justifiable, even though it's against the rules and against civil standards in a theatre, just as you do.

Is it against "civil standards in a theatre" to go out of the theatre for a few minutes and then return? People do it all the time to go to the restroom. Whether it is nature's call or a buzzing phone makes no difference to me.

It's a lack of empathy, and you share it.

You also have a "lack of empathy" for people who are on call. I see the minimal disturbance of a few people having to leave a theatre to pick up a shift as a minor inconvenience compared to never allowing shift workers to go to the movies.

Yes, the jammer solution would require a change in the law.

That will never happen as jammer signals will interfere with nearby radios.

The Alamo Drafthouse theaters (now in many major cities and expanding) famously has a very strict no talking and no cell usage policy during all movie showings. Here's an example of their strict policy in action from their corporate blog: http://drafthouse.com/blog/entry/she_texted._we_kicked_her_out

The Alamo Drafthouse theaters (now in many major cities and expanding) famously has a very strict no talking and no cell usage policy during all movie showings. Here's an example of their strict policy in action from their corporate blog: http://drafthouse.com/blog/entry/she_texted._we_kicked_her_out

No talking or texing. Period.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/05/31/ethan_hawke_julie_delpy_don_t_talk_psa_for_alamo_drafthouse_is_the_best.html

http://drafthouse.com/about

I'm surprised no one mentioned Alamo Drafthouse. They serve good food, and the adverts, if there are any, are fun cheesy ones from the 70s that relate to the movie you're going to see. They have special events, and a strict no texting/talking policy. If you want to kill a half-hour, watch their PSAs about it. For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U6o08BOR2Q

More gimmicks equals more expensive ticket prices. Yep, we'll see this happen in the US for sure.

You'll see it happen, then fail as people are too cheap (or like me, too wary of gimmicks) to pay for it.
I'd prefer an experience like http://drafthouse.com/ any day.

The Alamo Drafthouse came up with a cheaper solution - zero tolerance. If you can't go a couple hours without using your phone, the theater is not for you.

Probably something more like the Alamo Drafthouse. The theater/bar/restaurant combo is actually pretty awesome.

Probably less likely if it's "Grandma's Boy Quote Along" night.
YMMV.

They exist.

If you're in Texas, drop by an Alamo Drafthouse. Check the schedule to see if there's a special event like a sing-along. Or just watch the movie with a nice cold beer. But whatever you do, leave the cellphone off. And don't talk during the film (unless participating) or else (former) governor Ann Richards will take your ass out.

There are other chains here in Texas that serve dinner and a movie, and almost certainly even more in other states, but I don't think their PSAs are nearly as awesome.

Alamo was the model of the future and in my opinion is still one of the best theatre chains out there. I trek to one at least once a month, despite the ~50 mile round trip. They have the world's best "no really, you aren't talking during the movie" policies ever: you will be booted with no refund after one warning for talking or texting. Period. End of story. They regularly feature fun events like quote-alongs, sing-alongs and MSTK 3000 style mocking by Master Pancake Theatre. As well as oddball events; everything from showings of Crispin Glover movies, complete with poetry readings by Mr. Glover himself, Jay and Silent Bob Watch a Movie, to showings of cult favorites.

Unfortunately half of the experience is food, and the food quality plummeted after their old CEO came back. To allow growth Mr. League washed out the regional differences in each location, but it just means their food menu is consistently mediocre now and ADH no longer feature great seasonal beer selections. I still wish Mr. League well and will certainly frequent his new Alamo Drafthouse closer to my house when it opens, but there's room between Alamo Drafthouse's good film selection but mediocre food and Sundance's mediocore film selections and high end menu. As others have stated, movie-going audiences need a compelling reason or experience to justify the premium; home theater TVs are getting better all the time.

Alamo was the model of the future and in my opinion is still one of the best theatre chains out there. I trek to one at least once a month, despite the ~50 mile round trip. They have the world's best "no really, you aren't talking during the movie" policies ever: you will be booted with no refund after one warning for talking or texting. Period. End of story. They regularly feature fun events like quote-alongs, sing-alongs and MSTK 3000 style mocking by Master Pancake Theatre. As well as oddball events; everything from showings of Crispin Glover movies, complete with poetry readings by Mr. Glover himself, Jay and Silent Bob Watch a Movie, to showings of cult favorites.

Unfortunately half of the experience is food, and the food quality plummeted after their old CEO came back. To allow growth Mr. League washed out the regional differences in each location, but it just means their food menu is consistently mediocre now and ADH no longer feature great seasonal beer selections. I still wish Mr. League well and will certainly frequent his new Alamo Drafthouse closer to my house when it opens, but there's room between Alamo Drafthouse's good film selection but mediocre food and Sundance's mediocore film selections and high end menu. As others have stated, movie-going audiences need a compelling reason or experience to justify the premium; home theater TVs are getting better all the time.

The Alamo Drafthouse theaters, mostly in Texas but slowly spreading out (1 in Colorado and one in Virginia now) are superb models of successful customer-friendly theater experiences. Good equipment and seating, first-run movies, a clear and well-enforced no talking/texting policy, and oh yeah, good (yes, actually pretty good) food and *beer*. Not to mention great local events, a variety of special showings and unusual feature runs, and no crappy ads for cars and stuff before the show (instead a series of usually topical shorts or Youtube vids, usually hilarious). They are awesome and I hope they continue to spread.

- Oshyan

is here.

The Alamo Drafthouse http://www.drafthouse.com/ (San Antonio/Austin areas) has been doing his for years. They don't have the over 21 thing, but they have the eating, dining, beer, and even when me and my wife went to watch Toy Story 3, the kids were well behaved because the parents wanted this atmosphere too!

Case in point: The Alamo Drafthouse. They play first run movies (as well as cult films and other such), serve food and alcohol, and have actual pre-show video entertainment (not commercials). If a movie isn't playing at the Drafthouse, I generally don't bother going. It's not worth putting up with general obnoxiousness of the large corporate theater chains like Cinemark.

Good point. Portland, OR has the McMenamin's establishments that operate in a very similar manner. I reckon that most major cities have something similar. The clientele is more polite (don't insist on texting and annoying every patron behind them) , the menu is far superior, and there's good beer. What's not to like?
Even the small town I lived in a few years ago had a small, locally owned theater that offered an experience that was superior in every way to the multiplex chains that have so fucked up the cinema business. I confess that I still hit the big theaters once or twice a year, for something that I just can't stand to wait for, but that's a tiny fraction of what I used to do. I've sent my message. How 'bout y'all?

Case in point: The Alamo Drafthouse. They play first run movies (as well as cult films and other such), serve food and alcohol, and have actual pre-show video entertainment (not commercials). If a movie isn't playing at the Drafthouse, I generally don't bother going. It's not worth putting up with general obnoxiousness of the large corporate theater chains like Cinemark.

There is at least one theater chain that understands.

http://www.drafthouse.com/

I LOVE movies, but I'm almost to the point of swearing off going to the cinema.

You can blame the big budget mass market movie theatres for that. If you are ever in Austin, TX you should try the Alamo Drafthouse.

Hell yeah. I basically won't see movies anymore except at the Alamo Drafthouse. Basically the same setup you describe, with tables between rows of seats. Having real food and beer makes the experience so much better by itself. But then factor in the extra leg room, and the fact that to get at the two empty seats in the middle of the row you don't have to climb over other people, and it's simply awesome. Also, for some reason people tend to be quieter there than at other theaters. Maybe because they have Chuck Norris threaten to choke you unconscious if you talk.

Oh, plus the downtown one has all kinds of fun stuff, like MST-styled movie riffings, sing-alongs, kung-fu marathons, and so on and so forth.

My suggestion is to have theaters that are 21 and older. This way, the teenie-bopper problem is taken care of, and they can serve alcohol. This way they can lower ticket prices and more than make up for it in bar sales.

You're going to the wrong cinemas, man. http://www.drafthouse.com/ Over 18 only, a full waitstaff to bring you food and beer while you enjoy the show, and plenty of mainstream, non-mainstream, and local movies. I don't go to regular theaters anymore since I moved to Austin and discovered the Drafthouses.

Holy shit you're right! I'm so stupid! I should drive accross town just to see a movie at one of the prearranged times, pay for someone else's beer and chips plus the babysitter!

Or... I could press play from the comfort of my own TV, have a beer, water, soda, tea, coffee, whatever, listening to my children sleep, pausing whenever the baby monitor picks up something abnormal.

Downloading movies isn't just about sticky floors. The Alamo Drafthouse doesn't solve every problem the over 21 crowd has. In fact, for a lot of us, it poses more problems than it solves (so much for the dinner in the movie, can't take kids). So, I'm left to wait for the DVD. Or, honestly, I've likely forgotten about all the movies that sounded good 3-6 months ago.

For those of us who want to see a new movie and can't afford to hit the theaters a few times a week, we either can download what we see advertised on television (2 bucks for a movie would be a reasonable download fee but torrents are a convenient alternative), or we can do a bunch of research on Rotten Tomatoes to pick out something we can queue up in Netflix (waiting days to weeks for the selection) or drive to blockbuster.

I don't know anybody who watches any downloaded movies they'd pay to see in the theaters. The geek crowd still turns out in droves to see Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, even though we all have the ability to download. Downloaded movies take the place of television, in my experience. MPAA members don't suffer from missed revenue. Maybe NBC and CBS should do the suing...

http://www.drafthouse.com/

Over 18 only, a full waitstaff to bring you food and beer while you enjoy the show, and plenty of mainstream, non-mainstream, and local movies. I don't go to regular theaters anymore since I moved to Austin and discovered the Drafthouses.

1.) Go to a store and watch the movie/listen to the CD."
What about movies that are currently in the theatre and I want to know if it's worth paying the 25+ bucks to see it on the big screen (I always go with my roomate and girlfriend). I see movies all the time at movie theaters, or more aptly, theatre.

"2.) Go to a friend's house and do the same thing."
Ummm no. I have the amenities want at my house. Nor do I have many friends, as I'm a recent implant of Austin.

"3.) Double-click a stream on the internet. Get a sample from iTunes, for example."
30 secs in the middle of the song, chosen out of the best 30 secs mind you, does not a good representation make. Especially for any song over 2 minutes. I have a favorite band, they have music on iTunes. I listened to the previews, they were good so I decided to buy the CD. The CD sucked, and I couldn't get my money back.

"4.) Listen to the radio (yes, SOME channel out there plays what you like)."
Broadcast Radio does not play the songs I like. Now if your talking internet radio it normally takes (even the big guns in my genre) 4-6 weeks for them to get it in the stream, and I can only listen to internet radio streams a) when I'm online, b) when I'm not doing something else online, c) when I feel like it. Kinda hard to stream an mp3 stream to my car (I know I could pay upwards of $60+/month for a highspeed cell connection, but up yours if you expect me to do that.

"5.) Rent the item before buying it."
Tell me a place where you can rent a PC video game, an obscure industrial audio CD, or even a buy either one of them and return for my money back when I don't like it, I'll love you forever.

"With all those options available, pirating seems less and less of a legitimate option."
Actually it is looking like a more viable option.

"Who's pirating? A lot of people. What are they pirating? A lot of stuff."
Say the numbers on Slyck are correct and we'll add in another 10 million on BitTorrent/Other networks. This gives us 17.5 million people pirating. 17.5 million is alot. But that is what 5% of the total population of the US. The numbers, even at 100 million pirates, are satistically nil when dealing with the populations of the planet (potential 6.5 billion). Sure that's alot of people... you're right.

"Just because a lot of people do it doesn't make it legal, moral or right.
If a majority do it and put thier will to their representatives it _CAN_ be legal, morality is based on ethics which changes over time, and there is no such thing as "right".


As for the story, I think that TPB needs to get servers going BACK IN .SE, else they (MPAA, RIAA, White House, WIPO) will consider it a win.

-jijin

If you're ever up in the Austin, TX area, you should stop by the Alamo Drafthouse. They have most of the stuff you mentioned and more. Definitely my favorite theater.

My wife and I (oops, I'm out of the /. demo already) haven't
been to a non-Alamo Drafthouse theater in a very long time.

They bring you snacks, dinner and drinks during the movie,
including a fine selection of beer and wine.

Their pre-show entertainment is actually entertaining (no Coke
commercials), in ways that true movie fans love. Obscure
Japanese TV commercials? Check. Bollywood production numbers?
Check. Cheesy disco dance instructional videos mashed up with
the theme from Knight Rider? Check.

And, if you talk during the movie, they'll "take your ass out".
Seriously: if you raise an order card for the waitstaff, a manager
takes care of a noisy patron near you. But I've only had to do
that once in many many visits, since all shows are 18 and up.
W00t!

*That's* what the mainstream movie theaters need to understand -
the whole movie going experience has to be upgraded, not just
the movies or their projection technology (but that's another rant).

I don't work for the Alamo, but sometimes I wish I did:
http://www.drafthouse.com/

The big theater chains should stop whining like spoiled brats.. These folks do a hell of a job --> http://www.drafthouse.com/ [Alamo Draft House]

The big chains should be more like this local chain. They are based in Austin, TX and they are growing like a wildfire. Their business model provides higher profit margins than traditoinal movie theatres. And if memory serves me right, they are planning on expanding to other states.

In Austin, when people want to see a movie, they look to see when/if it's at the Draft House. I can't remember the last time I saw a movie anywhere else. I gaurantee the Draft House folks aren't bitching about early DVD releases.

I'd still go see a lot of movies at the Draft House even if they were out on DVD at the same time. Hell, they show a lot of older movies that are already available for home viewing. I've seen movies there when I would normally wait for the DVD release.

• No commercials before the movie begins. Instead, they show cool retro film clips, movie previews, and whatnot.
• You can order dinner while you watch the movie. They have a full menu including alcoholic beverages. i.e. It's not just popcorn and junk food
• They have cool events and whatnot associated with the movies. Ex: When that crappy Ben Stiller movie "Dodgeball" was out, they jazzed it up and actually had dodgeball matches in the parking lot after the movie. Ex2: They had chocolate fountains running with free treats for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". Ex3: They do funky/funny things like "Videoke". Etc...
• And I'm sure I failed to mention some other intangibles I haven't thought of at the moment.

So I'm actually on the movie studios side for once. They should give the big theaters the big finger. And Regal Entertainment and the like should put up or shut up..

If a movie isn't showing at the Alamo Drafthouse, I usually don't go. You can't beat cheap tickets, no commercials, respectful patrons (no little kids screaming, no teens talking on cell phones, no jackasses throwing popcorn at you), great food and beer served during the movie, great staff, special events, quirky movies, and weekly special events. Um .. then again, if you don't live in central or south Texas, you can ignore this :-)

"This solemn moment..." pure genius
-l

Most cities will have a few smaller theaters with much better conditions. The screen may not as big, but it is plenty big. Also, the sound systems generally sound much better.

Luckily I also live in Austin Texas, and we have the Drafthouse.
A wonderful theater that serves food and beer. Get a bucket of beer, and a couple pizzas and you're good to go. I don't even care I just dropped 40 bucks at the theater cuz it's just a better experience.

When I'm not seeing a movie at the drafthouse, there is still a nice "normal" theater we go to. It only has like 8 screens, but has all the latest flicks. The screens are big, the sound system is excellent, the conditions are clean, the seats are comfortable, and the ushers will respond to noise complaints. Not that there really are any, the theater is in a kind of a posh shopping center. Any kids there must have good parents, because they are well-behaved. The ticket prices cost .50 less than the tinseltown multiplex down the street.

If you have a shitty movie going experience, switch theaters. Stay away from the huge multiplexes and theaters inside malls. Find the good ones. Or start a drafthouse franchise in your city :D

Why I hate going to the movie theater:

1. Time. If I'm lucky, what I want to see if a blockbuster so there are start times around the clock. Otherwise, "Um, one showing at 4:23".
2. Focus. Here in Vancouver, the big chains don't even bother to focus properly. I stopped wearing my glasses (I'm only marginally near-sighted) because the focus is so bad.
3. Lighting. As Roger Ebert and Kodak have complained for years, the big theatre chains are deliberately dimming the bulb to save on "bulb life". But as many professional projectionsts claim there is no gain in bulb life.
4. Film stock. The film stock, especially up here in Vancouver, is just horrible. During dim scenes, I could say the film grain dancing big as life. There was a time when film was copied onto quality film stock, but someone, somewhere is cheaping out.
5. Ads. I once spent 30 minutes sitting through commercials (not trailers!) to see a bad movie. 'Nuff said.
6. The Theater. The seats are uncomfortable, the floor is sticky and if I'm lucky, the drink holder is gum free. The annoying teens kkicking the back of my seat, the goof ball popping open his brightly lit cell phone to check e-mail, the sound system that hasn't been adjusted since the floor sweeper fiddled with the control because some person complained that it was disturbing their infant they brought into the latest guns-and-explosion action fest from Vin Diesel. AARGH!

Give me DVDs any day of the week on my big screen and decent sound system.

I dunno what you're talking about. My movie theater serves beer. And pizza. And comfy seats.

Only if the optics of the bottom of your beer glass match a particular signature. Or you could just go here.

I enjoyed the movie... saw it at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX about a month ago. The show sold out and there was a long line of people waiting to get in in case some ticket holders were no-shows. ^_^ Much of the show was filmed in or around Austin (the filmmaker was at the University of Texas). Steve Jackson was in attendance, and there was a funny exchange at the show- apparently, he had been invited to be in the documentary, but he said that it sounded horribly boring and wanted nothing to do with it. The crew of the movie kept that email around for angry inspiration, and they also mentioned it in the credits. ^_^ (SJ was in the bathroom at the time, so missed those, though...)

It takes an interesting look at miniature gamers, roleplayers, and LARPers, how they feel about each other, how random people on Sixth Street (Austin party/bar street) feel about D&D... One of the funnier bits was that they were filming on 6th between midnight and 2AM, getting people's thoughts. One of the questions they asked passer-bys was, "Which would you prefer, a basketball player, a something-I-forget, or a D&D playing girl?" The guys chose the D&D player , "because she would be freaky." ^_^

Plus, while we sipped beers and waited for Spiderman II to begin, instead of the usual barrage of ads they were showing episodes of a hilariously bad Japanese Spiderman knock-off. (I had no idea Spiderman owned a rocket-car or a giant battle-robot!)

If you live in Austin, you can see the Tron guy at a screening of Tron at the Alamo Drafthouse

-prator

Art House cinema is a term reserved for theaters that run their business by showing movies that are usually not in the mainstream, or foreign films. There are a hell of a lot of movies out there that people never even hear of (most of the best ones, sadly). The more successful Art House flicks sometimes end up taking a trip through the main cinema chain after having a smashing success on the art circuit (Spirited Away and My Big Fat Greek Wedding are two recent ones to do this). Bubba Ho-Tep looks to be on target to do the same thing, hopefully. Word of mouth like this article on slashdot are often the only things these movies have to recommend them.

If you're getting sick of the majority of the mainstream hollywood fare, chances are you've been going to the wrong theater. Give a real theater a try for a change and see the difference. Most art house theaters are local affairs run by film lovers, and they differ greatly from commercial theaters. Typically they offer a lounge, bar, dinner, and live bands, as well as frequent film festivals and a variety of film clubs and club activities. They cater to people who love film as an art form and enjoy seeing films and discussing them with others.

The most well known art house is probably The Alamo Drafthouse, mostly through their association with Harry Knowles from AICN.

The art house in my area is The Little Theatre.

The best way to find one of these in your area is to check the newspapers for the local movie listings. They need your support, so if you've got the option of seeing a film there please do so.

Or, you could go to a real theatre, like the Alamo Drafthouse here in Austin.

Mmmm, beer.

Alamo Drafthouse In Austin, Texas. It's been mentioned a couple times on /., but it's an awesome movie theater where you can sit & watch your movie while enjoying a cool one and a tasty alfredo chicken pizza. They are quite geek friendly there, what with the 802.11b access, and the frequent live performances from the Mr. Sinus crew. They are like Mystery Science Theater 3000, but with movies like Top Gun & the Terminator.

See show details

Not at the event.

However, if the event is at the Drafthouse Downtown, you may find a slightly greater likelihood at Polly Esther's Culture Club across the street. Remember to bathe, groom, and put on clean clothes.