Best of Tucson 1996: Best Movie Theater

Best Movie Theater

The Loft Cinema
3233 E. Speedway

READERS' PICK: The Loft Cinema, or do we still need to qualify it as the "New Loft" Cinema, for those who fondly recall its humble days in that building that used to be on Sixth Street and Fremont Avenue, before the Great Parking Crisis intervened? Ah, what's in a name. You know what we're talking about: You've voted it the best place to catch a flick for 10 years running. See the extended pick on page 83 for details.

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: While the beautifully remodeled Cineplex Odeon Catalina Cinema (at 2320 N. Campbell Ave.) is not exactly a rare gem, it's certainly a precious stone. Centrally located near the corner of Campbell Avenue and Grant Road, this multilevel, multi-screen facility is attractively decorated in an art deco theme with cool salmon and teal colors with lots of glass and chrome. It's very well maintained, has state-of-the-art sound systems, spotless restrooms, fully stocked concession counters, and an Arctic-blast air-conditioning system that'll perk you right up on a hot, humid, non-soon summer day. The Catalina shows the most current popular movies as well as the more off-beat films that rarely surface at the other multiplexes. They also tend to give their selections a longer run than other theaters around town. They offer a matinee price for the first showing of the day, too. So play hooky and sneak in for an afternoon showing at about half the usual ticket price, park in the theater's shaded parking garage, and walk over to Bookman's afterwards and see if you can't find a used copy of the novel the movie was based on. Does life get any better?

STAFF PICK: The Gallagher Theater, UA Student Union, boasts a massive stage with 30-foot, red velvet curtains just like in the bygone days of the movie palace. For film buffs it's nice to be able to stay through all the credits and study the posters out front for upcoming movies. With a seating capacity of 575, it's rarely over-crowded, with ample space either to sit front and center in the first row without neck strain, or find a dark corner in the back to sit by yourself and mope. Where else can you get last year's blockbusters for just $2.50, classics like Lawrence of Arabia in 70 mm Panavision, and popcorn for only a buck?