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Nuart Theatre
Rating Details »
11272 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 478-6379
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 478-6379
- Good for Kids:
- No
70 reviews for Nuart Theatre
I don't even know where to begin. This has been one of my favorite movie hang outs since I've moved to Los Angeles a few years back. Even though I live blocks away from the Arclight and the Mann, and I find myself returning to Ol' Faithful every time.
Good stuffs:
1. Variety. I like checking out their movie schedule online and see all the cool indie, obscure, and cult classic movies available for viewing. There are times where I wanted to pop on by every week. For example in November and December they will be showing, Casablanca, Thirst, Super Cop, The Royal Tenenbaums, Repo Man, Back to the Future, and Beetle Juice.
2. Vibe. Is it odd that I would be perfectly happy if I literally lived there? Every time I walk in, it feels like that neighborhood bar where everybody knows your name.
3. Concessions. Oh man... vegan cookies? Yes! I can get a sweet treat and fool myself into thinking that I'm eating well! Oh man... and the coffee is strong. When I ordered it, I think I saw the girl make it fresh from a french press. Now that's pretty damn awesome.
4. Q&A. A lot of the movie screenings for new independent flicks have special guests like directors and actors. I say this definitely increases the bang for buck value.
Not so good stuffs:
1. Street parking. Not their fault... just something to note. They're being tricky now and changed the signs from 1 hour parking 8AM-6PM to 8AM-8PM.
2. The seating is not the best if your view is easily blocked by a tall patron in the row in front of you. You have been warned!
Despite a couple of minor details, I can't help but give this "little theater that could" full 5 star rating. Is it because my heart pitter-patters every time a see a new movie schedule come up? Is it because I get that warm and fuzzy feeling whenever the red curtain opens? Or maybe it's just plain kick ass.
Just saw Visual Acoustics here tonight. What a great theatre! They play great films here, independent films as well as classics.
The staff was super friendly and efficient, and the theatre was beautiful. There was a ton of leg room also, it was a really comfortable theatre.
The only reason I'm giving four instead of five stars was the sound issues during the movie. There was no sound during the entire opening sequence, and several times throughout the film, the sound skipped.
Definitely want to come here often in the future, their lineup looks GREAT!
Rocky Horror Picture Show review:
This theatre may be ok for other screenings, but this is strictly a RHPS review which is probably on a whole different level than the other goings on at the theatre.
Let me tell you that I've seen this movie dozens of times and I was more than excited to go to this screening. What??? Live performers? Audience participation? OMG, I my expectations were so high. I convinced a girlfriend to go with me. My days leading up to the Halloween eve showing were spent searching for the perfect pieces to create a Transylvanian costume and the standard props that any real RHPS fan needs when attending a live screening. I'm telling you - I was into it.
So, we get there early and end up waiting in a line as if the theatre was da' club. The "11:59 PM" printed on our tickets meant absolutely nothing. I don't think we walked in the doors until almost 1 AM. Once seated, the real ride started. I knew things could get crazy, but this was so far from what I expected. I was expecting some good actors performing scenes and shouting lines, staff encouraging audience participation, and a drag queen here and there. Basically, the night entailed nonstop shouting of vulgarities that had absolutely nothing to do with the movie. They stopped just short of racial and religious epithets. I'll give them credit - the didn't leave anybody out. But, is that supposed to make me feel better? Imagine the Howard Stern Show on uber-steroids combined with the childishness of Bevis and Butthead. Now imagine all of them drunk as can be, screaming this and that in your ear nonstop for 4 hours. How is that fun? I don't think I've ever been so disappointed. Every line of the movie was an excuse for the actors (and I use that word very loosely) to scream infanities, slurs, insults or something about genitalia. Thank the Lord I only wasted $10.50.
I am a big film and theater nerd but for some reason I had never done Rocky Horror Picture Show in the movie theater so I was really looking forward to this. My friend and I dressed as Transylvanians and came with our bag of props only to find most people were not in costumes from the film, though people did wear other costumes because the following day was Halloween. Anyway, our tickets said the film started at 11:59pm but at that point we were still in line, outside! In fact, we were still outside in line until at least 12:40am!
We get inside and were treated some of Youtube's best (worst) music videos then an original production of "What if Tim Burton Directed Rocky Horror..." featuring some of Tim's most notable characters. It was a joke that went on 15 minutes too long. There were other pre-show delights or misadventures, too numerous to name, and because of them the film didn't start until about 1:30am. The print was horrible and the sound was almost too low to understand what the hell people were responding to. The staging/blocking was also really unimaginative. The film finally ended at 3:45 am and my friend and I were among the first to leave. It was only $10.50 but you should really save your money, really.
The Nuart plays awesome indie and foreign films and has some cool midnight shows. I took my girlfriend to see HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH here when we first starting dating - boy that went over well. They had a band and did basically the whole soundtrack before the movie, and then performed during the movie, like ROCKY HORROR. Quite awesome, I had never seen HEDWIG like this. My girlfriend was a HEDWIG virgin and she thought it rocked - she still plays the soundtrack I got her over and over again.
Came here last night to see WE LIVE IN PUBLIC a fantastic documentary. The director and subject were there afterward for a Q&A. Come to think of it, also saw Paul Dano and Zooey Deschannel after a screening of GIGANTIC. I think it's great we have an art-house theater playing indie and foreign films like this in LA. Reminds me of NYC.
The seats are quite comfortable, however it is not stadium seating. The screen is pretty high though, so I can't ever remember having my view blocked.
The Nuart is in a great area, easy to find street parking, I usually park on Idaho, a block behind the Nuart. Great restaurants around, like Talay Thai and other Asian restaurants. They also have cool DVDs and movie posters for sale - they have a really cool RASHOMON there for $20. Oh, and I so want that CITY OF LOST CHILDREN ginormous poster they have hanging there outside the men's room. Can someone steal or donate it to me please. It would look great hanging in my apartment.
Ooooh, and if you have the munchies, try there organic cookies. They are quite yummy.
saw deadgirl here. it was a pretty gruesome night, lots of necrophilia and blood and stuff. I LOVE. there was a good persian place to eat right around the corner. this was a nice, comfortable theater with very personable employees who genuinely seem thrilled by your presence. they treat you right!
I recently went to the Nuart to see their Saturday midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and it was such a blast! A good number of people showed up in costume, so there were plenty of hot young things in lingerie joking around outside. They frisk you when you go in - so no alcohol or drugs, people!
We arrived a little before midnight, and there was already a line. Make sure you're caffeinated when you come, because the show starts closer to 1am than to midnight. I was a virgin (had never seen the live show before), so big red "V"s were painted on both my cheeks in lipstick, and they wrote "hot c#nt" across my chest with the lipstick (funny when the 15 years old girls ahead of me in line didn't know what c#nt meant).
Before the show, they have all the virgins come up to the front of the stage for embarrassment, which was fun. Then during the show, they have actors performing along with the movie in the background. You yell things at certain parts, throw things at other times, and in general just have a riotous good time.
I really recommend seeing the show to anyone who, like me, was a theater geek in high school and loved to dance along to the "Time Warp."
Long live the Nuart for being the movie revival house that resurrects cult classics, obscure foreign films, and independent epics. As a film geek, I get so excited when the Nuart is playing a Federico Fellini film. Like Fellini's 1957 "Le Notti de Carbiria" ( "Night In Cabiria"), starring Giulietta Masina, an amazing actress and wife of Federico Fellini. Guiletta was an actress who conveyed so much emotion through her facial expressions and silence. She was a talented actress to watch on screen. I loved her in "La Strada" too.
Whether it's a Kurosawa samurai film, a deviant Godard film or an American cult classic, I love the legendary Nuart Theartre for watching a movie classic. Live on Nuart!
This place is definitely unique, bizarre and odd. We waited in line for a hour before they started letting us in...and everyone in line seemed like a quirky, cinema / theater kid. Everything was an experience for sure - even the movie itself which is really odd and out there. I would recommend seeing the movie before coming to this because it's hard to watch the shadow cast while also following along with the movie. I want to take my boyfriend back here because I think he would find the de-virginizing part funny...I won't reveal too much because I think most of the fun is not knowing what to expect. Tip: buy the goodie bag in the beginning.
It's everything you would want from an indie theater + comfy chairs with extended leg room. They are a Calender Theater meaning they get one film for a week and then it moves on. They also have midnight showings of fun old movies and of course Rockey Horror Picture show on Saturdays.
Minus one star for not having a parking lot...what's up with that?
I love old theaters like this...
I saw "The Filth and the Fury" here aaaaages ago.
It was small and comfy and old.
I love the Nuart. There is no parking, but we're in LA people. There is no parking ANYWHERE. And for those that were calling the neighborhood "rough," I'm sorry the Nuart isn't located on Rodeo Drive. If it were, it more than likely wouldn't be as great as it is on lovely SM Blvd.
Let's get to my movie. I've been here quite a few times and have never had a bad experience. Okay, I lie. I got scared of the crowd when I saw Rocky Horror here and left a little early....
Fast forward to recently when I saw Tokyo! and Michel Gondry was present to do a Q&A and answer to the obviously not thought out questions that people had to ask.
The popcorn is AMAZING. I think they put crack in it.
Oh, and minus one star because my seat was a little broken.
So I met up with AJ and his company at the Nuart for some Jean-Claude Van Damme hjinx. Actually, we were there to see "JCVD" on it's last night playing, so that in of itself was special.
I'd never been here before, it's right off of the 405 South--Santa Monica exit, I think Sawtelle is the cross street? I got there a few minutes before AJ, so I proceeded to purchase my ticket. The usher said that wasn't necessary at this time, because the previous showing was being let out. He gave me a quick rundown of where everything was.
The Nuart is funky as funky does. It's ONE giant screen, in one giant hall. The cool part is that the seating is brand new, and it's very spacious. Props on that.
The food is typical overpriced nonsense with the occasional rarity of an item. They also sell dvds of cult classic flicks. We also got a treat when they presented the actual 1986 trailer for Big Trouble in Little China, people went nuts.
Oh, and we were also allowed to bring food from the outside, in. There's a 7/11 across the street. Woot!
All in all, it was great experience. Props to my boy AJ for picking the flick, and to those that could not be there, be on the look out for "JCVD", it was AMAZING!!!!!!
P.S. we may or may not make a UYE of sorts, because January 5th, they'll be showing Aliens: The Director's Cut. Yes, the sequel to Alien, by James Cameron. Stay tuned.
I had one of the worst movie going experiences ever at this theater. The night in question was a Q&A session with Bruce Campbell for his new movie "My Name is Bruce." Sadly the horrible experience started many days before this.
My girl had stumbled upon this special night and wanted to snag some tickets. She called the theater to confirm that Senor Campbell would indeed be doing the Q&A on this night during this particular viewing. The guy over the phone was not only rude, but seemed bothered by her attempts to verify facts. That should have been a warning, but knowing how dorktastic I am she continued procuring the tickets.
The theater isn't close (about 20 miles away) so I could only see us going out there for super special occasions such as this one. 3 highways later we finally arrived at the place. To say the neighborhood looked a little rough is an understatement. We circled several times looking for parking finally finding a dimly lit corner with no obvious "tow away" signs.
We were the last ones to get our tickets due to the lovely LA highways being a total bitch. The ticket booth guy was nice and handed us the tickets quickly. When we got to the front door it was locked. From the concession stand a large disheveled man stomped toward us like the giant from "Jack & the Beanstalk." He opened the door but blocked our way in until we gave him the tickets. It was a cold night and the least he could have done is let us warm ourselves while handing the tickets over. It wasn't like we were going to bum rush him to get into the place. The entire time it felt like we were inconveniencing him by patronizing the establishment. After passing the troll we slid into the theater to enjoy the film.
The movie was cheese, as was expected. The fans were ok. Some of them asked decent questions, but most of them behaved like they were touched in the head. I truly feel bad for Bruce. Once the somewhat depressing Q&A was finished everyone started leaving the theater. Throngs of people made their way to the entrance so my girl and I patiently waited in our seats. Just when the crowd began to ebb the same disheveled man got on the microphone barking a harsh "ALL NON-ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL NEED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY." Some folks giggled thinking he was joking, but soon saw the seriousness of his expression and the seething anger radiating from him.
With such an attitude from the moment we contacted them to the second the movie finished, there is no way in HELL that I'm ever returning to this theater. They can show all the pretentious art-house crap they want, but I will NEVER spend another dime there. I'm almost tempted to write off the entire chain, but that wouldn't be fair to the rest of the organization. With so many entertainment options available, indie film houses need to make themselves as inviting as possible to snag their customers. This place did it's damnedest to keep you the away and make you feel like crap.
It is so nice to see there is still a theatre around with the one screen and colorful shows. I drove by and the Friday night movie was Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas which is just a classic. Saturdays are Rocky Horror Picture Show and have been that same show for the last few years if not more.
Sins Of The Flesh perform there and its an adventure to say the least! Drive by around 11:55 and see a line going down the alley filled with people dressed in underwear, so no need to worry that you might be the only one in underwear. Oh and stay out of crowding the alley for they have a habit of intentionally driving a Jeep down it honking their horn.
Alot of people get their buzz on before and during the show, I did and I Reccomend you do too!
This is a review for the midnight showing and nothing else. I haven't been to a general screening here in years.
1. We were not allowed to enter the theatre until 12:45 or a bit later. The film did not start until after 1am.
2. We were waiting out in the cold for 40 minutes because the DJ had to apply his makeup (poorly I might add) and technical difficulties.
3. Nosferatu was shown on DVD (and it was a really poorly chosen version as well).
4. The DJ was distracting for a few reasons: 1. His monitor/black light lit up a portion of the film screen. 2. His makeup looked horrible under black light (Has he ever watched Nosferatu? Because he only had the ears) 3. Adding sound effects to a silent film is sick and wrong. Especially if you can't keep them remotely close to the image on screen. I.E. Dog on screen 1-2 seconds later Dog Barking sound effect.4. The whole sound accompaniment was distracted and made the film (which is one of my favorites) a pain to watch.
5. I agree with the other reviews in the aspect the manager is a Troll. A filmboy/filmgeek gone bad. Rude from the get go with no apparent reason other than a false sense of superiority.
So, I'm deducting a star because the first thing I noticed when I walked in was the shit smell. What the hell, did a sewage pipe break? It was even more obvious in the restroom. But when you gotta go, you GOT TO GO.
The midnight show ticket was $10.50 but the cashier offered to sell us a DVD for $25 ($4 more than two tickets) and let us in for free.
Deal!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/23/2008
The first time I came to this theater, I experienced something called Rocky Horror Picture Show.… Read more »
MIDNIGHT
MEAT
TRAIN
+ a bunch of other awesome movies I saw/will see here.
Finally, something to do in the late night that doesn't (have to) include drinking!
Hit or miss with movies but I'm so glad the Nuart is still around. They have the usual cult midnight showings but definitely check out their calendar of events for rare and limited releases.
A theater right next to a video store. It"s nice.
Right off the bat the parking sucks look around the side streets for little parking areas which cost a buck a hour or 4 bucks for 10 hours(no idea why thats just how the city does it).
You go here to see cinema you wouldn't usally see in regular theaters, with specials of classics and cult movies and even new B-horror movies.
The theater looks charming inside the seats are nice,but can be a little wobbly. There are only two screens in the place. The picture and sound was great The bathrooms are also nice and clean. Stay away from the overpriced concession, other yelpers have said you can bring food in, I recommend you do also.
Staff like the next door Cinefile are jerks but more so and don't have patience or the ablitity of small talk or helpfullness.
Price wise it's $7.50 before five and after it goes up to $10.50
Love love love this theatre. They always show great movies and cult faves at midnight on the weekends. The type of place you rarely find outside of NYC and LA.
Although Nuart seems like the theater where that comic book store owner from "Simpsons" would hang out, the snobbery quotient is surprisingly low. It's a lot of unassuming folks who appreciate good cinema that tend to congregate here. And I like it! You won't feel alienated if you don't orgasm over Dario Argento films but if you do, you'll have seriously nerdy conversations with the people next to you and make new friends. And maybe all of you can dress up on Saturday night for the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" singalong (if you've never gone, put it on your bucket list).
Regular tickets are a (low in L.A.) $9.50. Concession stand has Izze drinks (yum), vegan cookies, and the usual popcorn/hotdog/pretzel.
Seats are renovated, comfy and roomy, with plenty of leg room. Be careful when you sit down because the chairs rock back abruptly.
Screen isn't as big as a Vista Theater but there's really not a bad seat in the house and the sound is surprisingly good.
Although they don't have a lot, you can park in the back, or park on the north side of Santa Monica.
The employees are all really nice. Except I tried making a joke to this one older dude who was taking the tickets and it was for some artsy fare and I said "Is this the theater for 'Definitely, Maybe?'" and he totally didn't laugh. I thought maybe he was humorless but then I realized I wasn't funny. Another thing I like to do is drop in next door to Cinefile and ask them if they have "Because I Said So" (or another horrendous movie) in stock. Watch their eyes pop out of their heads.
I love this theater, it's quite possibly my favorite in L.A. There are often special events with the filmmakers, and usually a lot of fliers/brochures so you can feel like you're up on your culture. The folks who run Nuart clearly have passion for innovative, interesting artists and like that Irish dude from "Once" said at the Oscars, "Make ahrrrrt." So yay for good movies and people who like 'em.
A throwback to the age when a movie theater only had ONE screen. The Nuart has been around for decades and these days plays an indie selection of films. It was recently bought by Landmark Theaters who renovated the theater, updating the seating, carpets, projectors, etc. Landmark luckily didn't change the overall feel of the theater into that of a multiplex with nameless faces shoveling popcorn at you.
The tradition of the Friday midnight movies continues, usually it's a campy/cheesy horror flick, sometimes something from the 80s, or sometimes a classic. This week they are showing Jaws and two months ago was The Muppet Movie, so the Friday midnight show changes genre week-to-week and will usually have something for everyone every couple of weeks.
Saturday midnight is reserved for The Rocky Horror Picture Show complete with The Sins of the Flesh shadow-cast. If you drive by The Nuart around 11:55p on a Saturday, you'll usually see a line of 300 people in underwear standing in front of the theater. Rocky Horror is an experience and so are The Sins of the Flesh.
The Nuart is a single theater. Which is fairly small all things considered. But the indie status that it carries makes it bigger than just about any theater around.
If you never been through a Rocky Horror Picture Show experience, then you're missing something from your high school youth. That's like not going to Jr. Prom or something. It's worth it to see the freaks come out at night. Just hide in the back if you're afraid you'll be brought out and made full attention of.
All things strange aside, The Nuart has a lot of first run indie films going at a week at a time span that you wont find anywhere else. Though you'll more than likely have to read subtitles through most of them. If you can't deal with that then you should just go see the latest block buster at any of the AMC or other big chains in Santa Monica.
Ticket prices are still low and the food in the place is pretty nice considering the size. On a weekend night it wont be a surprise to see that whatever they are screening is sold out.
An added bonus is the midnight movies they show when it's not RHPS. You can catch up on some amazing classics through that alone and cap the night/or start it off with some good times.
Love the Nuart....there's always something good playing, and their choices for midnight shows are great. Did Rocky Horror in high school and while it really wasn't my thing, it was an experience. Otherwise, I've seen a few Q&A's here too and they've been interesting and well moderated.
It's great when you want to get away from the mall/multiplex atmosphere and just focus on a good movie.
This place would be much better if they had parking. I went here on December 21 to see Bruce Campbell. I think he is great. I just dont like this place. My seat was also broken. They need to fix up the place a bit. I did meet Bruce. I acted like a dork. I say to him can i shake your hand? haha i make myself laugh.
I finally got my Nuart cherry popped this weekend. Just when I think I've run out of cherries to pop, there's one more. (Thanks Mr. R!) Even though I lived in Los Angeles for a long time, I had never been to the Nuart. Shame on me. I know...right??
On Saturday night we went to a French short flick one-two punch with White Mane and The Red Balloon. If you've never seen The Red Balloon, netflix it immediately. It's the cutest movie ever. The restored print quality of both films were quite good. I'm not an expert on old flicks, but even I was impressed. (It helps that I was with a cinephile who knows about things like "restored print quality.")
Since it's a smaller theater, the screen isn't mega-ginormous size but that's okay. The theater is intimate, and the cushy seats are super-comfortable. If I had longer legs, I could lean back and prop my feet up on the seat in front of me. It's nice to be able to push your seat all the way back without worrying about the legs behind you.
I didn't check out the concession stand, but I noticed that they have Izze sodas and real butter on their popcorn. On my next visit, I will have to explore their selections further.
Oh yes, I will be back. I'm just sad that it took me so long to experience the Nuart. Upcoming Friday movies include Serenity on December 7 and The Lost Boys on December 28. The Lost Boys with pre-24 Kiefer Sutherland, both Coreys, and teen vampires....I'm so there!
32 years of living in Los Angeles and I FINALLY went to the Nuart. Unbelievable.
So I'm really not much of a going out to the movies kinda gal. I enjoy a good flick, don't get me wrong, but I also enjoy it in the comfort of my bed, with a glass of wine, some nibblies and a cat or two curled up on the bed with me. People optional.
And so when a new movie comes out and people are all up in my screen saying, "Oh my God!!?! You have to see this movie!! It's so awesome!!?," I take my mental notes and just plan on seeing it within the year when it comes out on DVD or cable.
"Control," however, was not a "wait for" movie for me! Control is the brilliantly shot and told tale about Ian Curtis from Joy Division. It stars Sam Riley, Samantha Morton and a bunch of other actors with bad teeth (hehe, sorry I couldn't resist.) It was also produced by my friend Orian and since I met him a year and half ago, this movie has been his life and what kind of a friend would I be if I wasn't there on opening night. Answer: Not a very good one.
And so my girl Aunny and I made a date a year and half ago to see this film and as the date neared we were like giddy little kids...until we found out we had to drive to the West side!!! Ugh, why couldn't this have played at the Vista?! Oh well, this was a sacrifice I was willing to make and luckily for me, once in the theater, I realized it wasn't a sacrifice at all, because this theater was awesome!
I loved how there's such a cool energy in the place. You just know that some kick ass movies and evenings have played out here. The seats were also super comfy and there is LEG ROOM! That is one of the major reasons I hate theaters. i have some long ass amazon legs so having to pretend like I'm on an airplane for an hour and a half is no fun. Not here though. Roomy and cozy!
The ticket price was I think, $11, which I guess is okay for theater prices. Again I wouldn't really know, cuz I don't go to theaters often. Overall though, I loved our night here and seeing an awesome creative endeavor from my friend on the screen was like the cherry on top of the movie picture Sunday. Yay, definitely check this theater and this film out!
Go see a nighttime show. If you go during the day, you'll have to deal with the hellish traffic in that part of town. With that comes hellish parking.
Once you've arrived, The Nuart is a great theater! They play small independent films, usually for just a week or so. It's a great place to support independent cinema. And, the staff is always friendly. Plus it's small and reasonably priced. It's nice to get away from the crowds at the Arclight sometimes and have a low-key movie night at the Nuart.
Sometimes its nice to go to a theater with charm and "street cred". Street cred meaning even the film nazi's and ex-film-school dorks name drop "The Nuart" to gain their own film buff credibility. Art Institute graduates watch Brothers Quay films here and wax poetic about how Star Wars would have been so much better if Han Solo died. Right.
The Nuart shows films that are important to our society. They show documentaries that add something to your life. They present foreign films that the world is in love with, but America just sleeps on. They have limited engagements with films you won't see anywhere else. It's true you might have some internet connection where you can buy ultra-violent Asian DVDs for your nerdy ass region free DVD player. But come on, pal, you know there ain't nothing like watching a film projected onto a screen with a bunch of other film-freaks who just wanted to watch a damn good movie.
I saw the Piano Tuner of Earthquakes here a few months ago. I didn't love the film at all, but I am so glad that the Nuart gave my arse the CHANCE and the CHOICE to go see it in a theatre setting. I didn't have to go to some obscure website and sacrifice a stolen baby to earn the money it would cost to purchase the limited edition import.
They remodeled it a few months back to give it a few modern touches. Okay, a lot of modern touches. The chairs are super huge and comfy...almost comfy enough to cut a hole in the bottom of popcorn bucket and make out with your date. Just kidding, you wouldn't do that here cuz you're here to see a kick ass film. The concession stand doesn't have the charm of the old Nuart but its still way more personable than your local mega-plex where saying the words "good evening" is a lost art. The actual theatre still seems to be the same --- but the seats make the cinematic experience so much more enjoyable.
The Nuart rocks...plain and simple. Its my art theater of choice. I'll be seeing the Goonies and the cult classic, El Topo, here in March. I'm hoping to be freaked out by Suspiria in April.
And, no...Star Wars is just dandy the way it is...so "laugh it up, fuzzball."
P.S. Did I mention The Rocky Horror Picture Show is holding it down here every Saturday at Midnight? Say Whaaaaaa-? You betta recognize!
The LOWDOWN
Plus 2 stars for the NEW SUPA-COMFY seats! Woo-haa!
Plus 2 stars for the variety of films that are showcased here.
Plus 1 star for being next to one of the best video stores in Southern California, CineFile Video. Stronje!
it's a movie theater.
3.5 stars for playing good movies and having cool chairs and .5 stars for the innocuous waif at the ticket counter who was playing with a tuning fork to pass the time.
Best theater ever. They gave me a free shirt.
I feel like I'd been to the Nuart many moons ago when I first moved to LA and was dating mister smartypants USC film snob. I was also smoking a lot of the ganja back then, so it's all a little blurry.
ANYWAY, the current boy really wanted to see the new George A. Romero zombie flick, "Diary of the Dead," and since it was opening the day after Valentine's Day, I thought I would take him to see it. We got to the theater on Saturday night just in time for the 7:30 show. And while waiting to purchase our tickets, we saw the little sign that said that George A. Romero himself would be at the 7:30 show on Sunday. So naturally, we bought our tickets for Sunday instead.
Parking can kind of be tricky around there since there's no lot, so be prepared to drive around a little. An hour before the show was supposed to start, the line was already wrapped around the side of the building. Once they let people in, it was surprisingly not too crazy. The boy and I split up per usual: I got the seats and he got the snacks.
I snagged a pair of seats in the back row in the middle. The seats are super comfy, but I almost killed myself when I sat down. Since they rock and recline, they sort of flip forward if you sit like you would in a normal theater seat. You have to sit your ass near the back immediately to avoid it rocking forward and hitting you in the head. Oops.
Another plus about this place is that they have delicious vegan cookies at the concession stand. Yum!
After a million previews, George A. Romero finally graced us with this presence and said a few words about his film. The boy was pretty excited, but we were sitting too far back for him to get a good photo of him (my fault of course). But all in all it was a good experience and I plan on coming back to this theater again (even though it's completely out of the way for me).
No parking, but you'll get over there once you park it (wink, wink) in one of their de-luxe seats. Films screen for a week and then fly away to their next destination, and they're always playing some interesting stuff from "Made In U.S.A." to "Donkey Punch". Good for a lark.
I must admit I wasn't too into indie films until I moved to Los Angeles and went to this theatre a few times. Not sure if it's the friend who introduced me to the place or the awesome movies I later saw there with friends(Masculine feminine, Harold and Maude) or the not so awesome movies (Brown Bunny!?) but after this my love for movies that weren't so blockbuster or popular flourished. I began to gain an interest in foreign films and rent lesser known films on my own and actually pay attention to directors and producers etc.
This is a lovely little theatre with not only excellent new films playing every week but a midnight film every week as well that is usually just as interesting if not moreso. The seats are comfy, parking is easy to find and there is sometimes interesting eye candy on weekends. Directors and actors occasionally make appearances and do Q&A sessions after films.
A little tidbit; if you've seen the movie "Ed Wood" they do the screening of one of his movies ( it's his first movie if I remember correctly) at A theatre which is actually Nuart. You know, it's that scene where people throw popcorn at the screen because the movie was so god awful and he runs out crying.
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It is now March 2008 and I've come back to give these guys five stars (previously it was 4) They managed to remodel the place while still keeping it's charm and small theatre-like setting. Not only that but I've been attending the midnight movies lately and the owner (or at least the main guy who speaks before every midnight movie) gives away free DVDs and meals to cafe fifties before each Friday night screening. I look forward to seeing what they play next (Some Godard please!)
Super cool theatre. The old comfy seats and large screen are certainly enjoyable but it's the movies they play that will keep me coming back. A large group of my friends recently went to a midnight showing of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Overall it was a really fun experience. I like how they cycle new indie films in and out and also play cult classics at night. No parking sucks but we found a street spot a few minutes away no problem.
This is a great theater; I have a memory looking for the the Nuart to catch the premier of "Riding Giants." I thought about how perfect it would be to watch this surf documentary in Santa Monica.
I spotted a pretty little girl with her friend in line. I showed I was packing a 5th of Bacardi in my back pocket. It was fall so my jacket covered it.
I got a large diet coke and poured the alcohol in and smiled.
They giggled, and sat next to me.
The divorced one put her arm around mine.
We watched about 90 minutes of surf film goodness.
I remember using the restroom and noticing the rich character of this cinema, "it's a classic"...I recognized the style; the neon outside and the small lavatory smacked of golden age gone bye.
With that thought I took a deep sigh and had a moment of sobriety.
I knew back in Georgia there was a woman who was tired of me and my attics and was waiting for the opportune time to leave me. She had been telling me for years she didn't love me. She even had been to the courthouse to pick up those "magic papers"... it was only a matter of time.
I returned to my seat. "Mary" laid her head on my shoulder. The beauty of the moment was all I needed to make it though the night.
One of these days I'll have a proper girlfriend, and we'll enjoy watching films at the Nuart. If theatres can recapture and pass their former glory , how much the souls of men?
Watched Godard's "Vivre sa Vie" last night with a friend. Good stuff. It was a Friday night and I wanted to watch before 6pm (caught the 5:10) so it's matinee fare of $7.50 instead of $10.50. Good deal. The interesting thing was that there was barely anyone in the theater. I felt like I had the whole theater to myself, which is always good for a selfish girl like me. The theater was clean, spacious, and a great place to watch old good flicks. Check it out, film lovers!
I appreciate the couch where I can wait if my boyfriend uses the bathroom. I miss the foreign movies they used to screen here. I think this theatre can be rented out for short film screenings if you're trying to qualify for that category of the Academy Awards. I used to park in a free lot on Sawtelle for this place. I've never bought food from concessions.
The scene of my geeked out Rocky Horror Picture Show phase from sophomore and junior year in High School, I learned more from reading the bathroom walls than from the boyrfriend who I went there with.
"Diana, why were you in the bathroom so long?"
"Um... let's do the Time Warp agaaaaaaaaaaainnn!!!"
Good times, I say, good fuckin times!
