In the current age of streaming services and social media, it is understandable why people may not find going to the movie theatres very appealing. Schedules get busy, and the sentence “I’ll just watch it when it comes out on Apple TV” is one that often rolls off our tongues. Growing up, I have always gone out to movies with my family and have found that there is a unique joy that comes from leaving your problems at the door, stepping into a dark room with a group of strangers, and experiencing the visceral reactions of your fellow audience members as you are transported into another world together.

I have made some of my best memories at the movies with my family—our favorite thing to do together. 

Here in Los Angeles, we have a lot of wonderful, historic, and independent movie theatres that are worth checking out. Instead of heading to your local mall and going to AMC, I encourage you to try and support one of these theatres. From classic reruns to the newest action movies projected on film, these three theatres have lots to offer you.

The Vista Theatre:

Tucked in a corner of Silverlake/Los Feliz, the Vista Theatre is one of the neighborhood’s most beloved spots. The Vista is one of my favorite movie theaters as it is only a 10-minute walk from my house. On Saturdays, my dad and I often walk down to catch the 10 a.m. movie.

This theatre has been standing strong since 1923 and, since then, has been re-decorated more times than you can count. The Vista has been home to all things entertainment from live performances to special showings. It has a rich and diverse history, collecting as many stories as it’s projected. Most recently in 2020, the Vista was bought and redone by Oscar-winner, director, and beloved film nerd Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino put his spin on the theatre and reopened it as a home to exclusively film-projected movies. Attached to Vista is a retro coffee shop called Pam’s Coffy, named after actor Pam Greer’s iconic title role. The small coffee shop is filled with vintage details, from cereal boxes to small toys.

The beauty of the Vista theatre is its timelessness; whether you are seeing a brand new movie or a classic 1940s noir, it will be projected on film. Once you walk across the array of colorful cemented handprints and past the Egyptian-style ticket booth, you are fully immersed in whatever world you are diving into that day.

The New Beverly Cinema:

The New Beverly Cinema is located on Beverly Blvd, where you can’t miss the bright lights of the marquee shining over the busy streets. Like the Vista Theatre, the New Beverly Cinema is owned by Quentin Tarantino and exclusively projects on film. This theatre predominantly screens old films and is a hub for Los Angeles movie lovers and film nerds. 

One of my first memories of a movie took place at the New Bev. They were showing Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein, a Halloween movie about two silly guys getting mixed up in trouble. For five-year-old me, it was terrifying. I begged my dad to leave the theatre, and as I stood upset in the hallway, I started to hear laughter coming from the audience. I wanted to know what they were laughing at, so I eventually made my way back into the theatre. This is what I love about going to the theatre, it is just as much about the people as it is the screen. 

Something else I love about this theatre is the vintage posters lining the walls throughout the building, each picked out by Tarantino. For foodies, this theatre also has an assortment of special and vintage candy and soda, specific to the New Bev. Additionally, staff hand out printouts of their monthly calendar of screenings and special events that are commonly found on the refrigerators of movie-loving families in Los Angeles.

The Egyptian Theatre:

The Egyptian Theatre has played a pivotal role in Hollywood’s history with glitz, glamour, and film. In 1922, the Egyptian hosted what is said to be the first Hollywood movie premiere showing the film Robin Hood. Since the theatre’s time of red carpets and movie stars, the Egyptian has been restored to its original design, and in 2020, Netflix bought the theatre. The American Cinetique, a nonprofit focused on embracing film culture, has continued to program the showings on weekends while Netflix manages the weekly pictures.

I love going to the Egyptian because it’s right in the middle of Hollywood. Walking up to the theatre and crossing the star-embedded streets really feels like you are a part of that fabulous, celebrity-centric world. Additionally, my family and I like to grab Joe’s Pizza near the theatre before we see a movie. 

The exterior of the Egyptian Theatre looks exactly as it sounds. Large pillars and Egyptian inscriptions surround the entrance, connecting the theatre’s design to its namesake. Once you’re inside the theatre, the intricate gold detailing is so beautiful that it will almost distract you from whatever film you’re seeing. Another unique feature of the Egyptian is that it’s one of five theatres in the United States that is able to project nitrate film, which was used from 1889 to the 1950s, adding to that old Hollywood feeling. 

As Los Angeles citizens, we should take advantage of our city’s rich history and connection to movies and the film industry. Whether or not you are “a movie person,” it is important to step back once and a while and let yourself be transported into a different world, and one of these theatres could possibly be the place where you will experience that unique joy.