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City Cinemas Village East
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: East Village
181 2nd Avenue
(between 11th St & 12th St)
New York, NY 10003
181 2nd Avenue
(between 11th St & 12th St)
New York, NY 10003
- Nearest Transit:
-
3rd Ave-14th St (L)
Astor Place (6)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
20 reviews for City Cinemas Village East
I'm giving this 3 stars. You'll see why.
On a tuesday...
5 stars. Amazing, amazing, amazing deal. 7 bucks, free popcorn, any movie, if you have a student ID. I try and go every Tuesday. As a matter of fact I'm going to go see Bronson in like....10 minutes.
Any other day of the week:
1 star. Digital projectors? If I wanted to see shitty video, I'd stay at home and watch porn on my VHS. One better make sure they're seeing a movie projected in 35MM FILM. Digital isn't as good as film yet people, I don't care how amazing the Genesis or the D21 or the Red is. FILM IS STILL FILM.
3.5 stars
PROS:
-- student discounts for just $7 on tuesdays. even if you're way out of school, search for your old student id. my old 90s college id got me in for the price of a 90s ticket.
-- the main theater upstairs is old school grand. unfortunately, in all my many visits, i've gotten to see only one movie in this theater.
-- a few times out of my many visits, i got fresh popcorn. it was very well above average. i'd give their popcorn on those good days an A-
CONS:
-- it feels kind of like a 60s moviehouse turned dilapidated porn theater.
-- the flat slope in most of the theaters here makes it tough to get an unobstructed view of the screen even if someone your height is sitting directly in front you.
-- on a majority of my visits, the popcorn was a little stale. i give their popcorn on those bad days a C-
This is clearly an overpriced neighborhood cinema. Went there because it was the only place showing the movie I wanted to see.
The theatre was small and the screen was low. i was able to watch the movie sort of comfortably because it was an afternoon screening and there weren't that many people there. If someone had seated in front of me, it would had been impossible for me to watch the entire screen as I'm pretty sure someone's head would had taken up at least half the screen.
Seating is not very comfortable either. Again, think of the typical neighborhood cinema. Don't go there unless you are in my situation, only place showing the movie and saturday afternoon screening.
Hit a good movie today at this Cinema, but the screen was tiny, and the
theater needs a vast renovation. The seats are kinda mushy also.
I went to buy some soda and popcorn, and the popcorn butter was
empty, they had to refill it and heat it, which I had no time for... the popcorn was cold. They had no hot dogs, or pizza, and no trays to
carry anything also. Gee, what else can they eliminate? The place
at least was clean, I'll say that much.. the guy serving me also was
in charge of the projections of the movies. Skeleton operation I guess.
I still go here... for movies slightly off the main grid. They call 'em "artsy fartsy ones." Plus they carry mainstreams ones too.
There's so many levels you practically feel like you're climbing the Tower of Babel. In five years of going here, I've never seen the two upper-level concessions open.
Umm the screens are like microscopic. I'm sure there are rich people with TVs bigger than the screens here. I guess this helps them have a wide range of show times (small screens, small theater, more theaters in the building...maybe?), but damn. The trip to the bathroom was a little bit of a maze which was annoying, especially since I'd been holding it for most of the movie. Tuesday's they do $9 for students, which is cool, but if you want to see an action flick with lots of loud sounds and crazy special effects, the impact will be lost on theses teensy tiny screens.
This is one of those theaters that has clearly gone downhill. I loved goin here years ago because it is very "indie" but still has a coolness and mainstream feel to it. Also this theater you can tell has been there forever, a large historical value in the theater industry. I try to avoid the popcorn here because it always seems stale. I do recommend a visit to the theater. It is kind of small and it does get really annoying when someone walks in late because of the way the theater is set up but hey that is life. I saw what was the movie "The Grand" a few months back here and stars of the movie were there for a Questions and Answers session so that was cool.
This theatre is just okay. It has been here for years, small in size and insufficient leg room when someone needs to utilize the facilities in the middle of a movie or arrives in late to bump into your legs or accidentally stepping on your feet. There is no stadium style seating. Some of the theatres are relatively small compared with the multiplex theatres. Definitely avoid the popcorn as per previous reviews as it does not taste fresh. The concession stands only offer Pepsi and NO Coke for choice of soda which doesn't bother me as I don't drink soda except for Ginger Ale when I'm nausea as I was buying the Coke for someone whom enticed my interest.
This theatre has gone way downhill in recent days. Even though they have recently remodeled (new carpets, new fancy numbers outside of the theatres), they seem to have raised the prices on the concessions and gotten rid of the great vending machines they used to have downstairs where you could get a reasonably priced snack.
In fact, their concession prices may be the worst in the city. It is currently $4.15 for a sport bottle of Poland Spring, $4 for a small popcorn (which is absolutely tiny, definitely smaller than other small sizes at other theatres), and $3-$4 for candy.
Outrageous.
The only redeeming factor of this theatre is its historical significance and their one large screen theatre which is quite fun to see a movie on.
Many years ago, my friend and I went to go see "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" at this theatre.
It was a rainy summer afternoon, and we went to see a rainy movie, and then it rained inside the theatre.
No joke. Imagine watching a Charlie Kaufman film while rain comes down in front of the screen, forming puddles (rapidly becoming pools, becoming lakes) on the floor.
I probably would've been horrified if it wasn't so poetically appropriate...an indelible memory for my (not so) spotless mind.
Seeing a movie here can only be described by the word "clusterfuck."
Even though we had physical tickets in our hands, we stood in 4 different lines. When they cleared the front of the theater because of a fire hazard, they moved us into a line they later did not recognize. About five different employees told us 7 different things about which was the correct line. It was like buying bread in the 1940s Soviet Union. When we did get in, about half the seats in the balcony are basically perpendicular to the screen. This experience made me never want to see a movie in the city again.
Good job andrew. You really know how to be a douche (don't worry all, we're friends. I'll tell you his personal information if you want it).
Key here is: large theater in the back, good. Small theaters, shit. I'm telling you right now, you are going to get so annoyed at anyone who comes in during the movie because the exit is right by the screen. Its really annoying. And they are SMALL. You could probably get a better, more comfortable experience if you have a 60 inch plasma (I don't, but that doesn't mean I like the tiny 40 seat theater that's not quaint at all). The large theater is pretty nice, its a good view on the balcony area and the screen is huge. Wish the rest of the theater was like that.
Oh and the staff is unorganized here; they let people into the theater for the next show, while the current one is still going. 6 people had the last few minutes of Lady Vengeance ruined for them.
This a beautifully built theater! Somehow whenever i go there i get the really big theater on the top, which is a plus cuz its huge! (and i fucking hate when ppl sit in front of me!) also the ceiling looks like a church, very pretty.
bad parts---
- its so big that the bathroom is in the basement, so if ur on the top floor, hold ur pee pee or loose about 7 mins of the movie.
--- The place is huge and maze-like, u might get lost
Good Part
--- the snacks are cheap, and it is easy to steal soda (i filled my water bottle with some Serra Mist), sadly the soda is usually flat. maybe its only flat cuz i stole it?
-- The people who work there are funny and awesome, laid back, but not lazy
I've only been in the big theater here. I almost felt like rating this place 4 stars to stick up for all the negative reviews. I went with Andrew J. to see the Kevin Bacon opus Death Sentence (amazing, by the way.) And I had a good time.
The theater had a mezzanine like quality but also configured somewhat oddly. All in all, I had a fine time seeing a movie here and I'd be up for it again. It ain't perfect, but the theater I was in twasn't bad.
Last night I went to go see a movie at City Cinema's and I kind of felt myself chuckle as I walked into the movie. The theatre where my movie was being shown was incredibly small. I'm not sure if every theatre is as small as the one I was in, but I almost felt like I was in someone's living room watching a projector. I definitely watched the movie and wasn't distracted by the size of the room once, although that could be due to the fact that I saw a great movie. The popcorn was a bit stale and the workers were a little less than friendly, but I don't really come to the movies to eat or be treated like a prince, so that kind of stuff rarely bothers me. I guess, at the end of the day, the fact is that I would definitely go back again, so I can't complain too much about what this place lacks.
Not the best place to go in Manhattan for movies, but this is one of the four cinemas in the city where I can see movies for $1.50. How? Not telling. Anyway, the projectionists here are not the most skilled bunch of guys (as a projectionist for going on seven years, I find myself complaining at least once every time I go there) and the prints are never in the best condition. A friend and colleague of mine went there to see ZODIAC two weeks after it had opened and the print looked like a tiger had taken it in its mouth and thrashed it around until it stopped moving. What? No dice on the National Geographic metaphor? Anyway, their prints are usually in terrible condition so if you are a projectionist or someone who has a good eye for what makes a print look good or bad, be prepared to be horribly frustrated with this place.
I can't believe the bad reviews - this is my favorite theatre in New York. It used to be a Yiddish vaudeville theatre back in the day and the main, large screen is incredible. I love that they kept the original decor and how big it is! Yes, the smaller screens do suck, but they're not so bad midweek when it is less crowded. Or you could make like me and only see whatevers playing on the main screen. Trust me, it is worth it for the ambiance alone. Being an independent movie theatre, CC tends to get 2nd pick for the movies they show, but sometimes it works to their advantage as they show some interesting films before they become big blockbusters.
I'm not quite well-versed enough to review movie theaters, and normally wouldn't have enough to say. Like, yes, the theaters are pretty. I had no problem with the seats, although my boyfriend did (I don't know if I'm just petite enough, or what). BUT. This place goes down to a three star review (still better than what my fellow Yelpers thought) because this is seriously one of the most abominable bathrooms I have ever seen. I don't know if there had been children having a toilet paper fight in there just beforehand, but seriously. I know that when you're in a ladies' room at a bar, you can expect this kind of mess, but a movie theater? Come on. Some things just ought to be better.
Oh my god, sitting in this theater for the length of a movie made me ENTIRELY LOSE FEELING IN MY ASS. The seats are *tiny* and cramped, so god forbid you need to get up and go to the restroom during the movie--if you do, you're going to get really familiar with everyone else in the row as you climb over their laps to get out. But, I guess this is the price you pay for seeing damned arthouse film festival movies.
Unless you have no other choice for a particular movie, don't go here. I went to see a new release in the main theatre, and when the movie started, they didn't turn the freakin' lights off! They took about 10 minutes or so to shut the main lights down, but still left on the dimmers lighting up the dome on the ceiling. Another 10 minutes later the lights were still on and finally I went to complain. By the time I got some help and returned to my seat I missed a pivotal scene in story, only to discover that the film was slightly out of focus, and it remained so for the rest of the movie. Ugh.
