The State Theatre

1/28/2016

I like it coz it's in town
I like it coz they select the best movies
Their chairs are not very comfortable but feels classic and has history

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  The experimenter

  The experimenter

1/15/2016

This is the type of theater where the movies and the popcorn are sooo good and artfully done that the facility and fixtures don't even matter. For $10 per ticket, you get what you pay for.

That said, I'm so glad that this theater exists because it shows the movies that are too devastating, too rich, too thought-provoking to be shown elsewhere AND all right within central campus.

This theater embodies the progressive, left wing, nostalgically optimistic ethos of the University of Michigan of yesteryear, and I love them for it. I would give them a 4 for being a solid theater, but I'm going to try to game the system and give then a 5 because the selection and price can't be beat, and I want to see their ratings increase for good measure.

8/6/2014

I have nostalgia coming out my ears (eyes?) for rickety art house cinemas run by kids in their early 20s who discuss every detail of every film while slinging your popcorn and beverages. I don't mind the squeaky chairs and the wear and tear of years gone by (we're way past the golden age, here, people).

I think what's got me feeling abysmal about the State is the last few films I've seen here have been digital projection - which makes me think that they don't want to dole out the $$ for union projectionists to handle emulsion film (though these days, everything is platter anyway, right?). I just can't handle the lack of good sound and the not-quite-black box around the cropped image.

I don't need the frills of reclining plush seats. I don't need my feet to glide on unsticky floors. I don't need an organ and fancy architecture. What I do need is my film image to be lush and non-digital, and the sound to be immersive and surrounding.

And so, for these reasons, I'm gonna work my tuchus off to try and make it to the showings that are at the Michigan, before they get handed down, raggedly, to the State.

1/2/2016

Very historical and nostalgic cinema with a friendly group of people running it! There is a stage in front of the screen, which gives a quite a different "feel" to watching a movie here, very cool...and great location too.

11/20/2014

After a long line in the snow we were the one of the last people to find a seat for the Princess Mononoke show. First we are grateful that we made it in time, because many didn't. I'm not sure how buying the tickets in advance works here (if at all). It was cozy (2 screens I think) and they had concessions. There is a stage in front of the screen, which is awkward to sit against, but you take what you can get.

Definitely will go here again, as well as Michigan theater on Liberty.

6/11/2014

I give the State maybe a 2.5/5, especially after seeing movies here all last weekend for Cinetopia. It has ZERO leg room, and is worse when compared to its sister theater, the Michigan Theater (small amounts of leg room, but at least some). I sat down in one seat closer to the screen one night and had to move - and I'm 5'4" - because I couldn't fit.

It does have its charm, though. Sound system was better than I remembered also.

3/22/2014

I agree with Annette, this theatre defines the criteria of A-OK.  It's older, the seats are kind of tattered, there isn't a lot of leg room, it's cold and you can hear everything from the neighboring theatre.  BUT sometimes it's kind of fun to go to a theatre thats not owned by a major company and you are not giong to be bombarded with 15 minutes of previews before the show.  It's retro.  And for right now retro is cool.  They show nerwer films as well as art films.  I saw the film Nebraska there and it was a very fitting theatre for the show.

They sell popcorn, soda and candy and the staff are very nice.  Near Halloween they show the Rocky Horror Picture Show film.  A lot.  At Christmas time they show National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and other holiday related films.  Throughout the year they have other themed showings.

It's nice to have two theatres in downtown Ann Arbor.  It's worth a visit!

1/22/2015

Ended up there last night with a friend to watch a movie. OMG how amazing is this place - feels royal! And the staff were so friendly! My friend had a bag of left over food from dinner and they themselves offered to keep it in the fridge for us.
I couldve sat there without a movie - I mean its such a treat for the senses - felt like I had time-traveled into the past and was looking at this place in all its glory!

11/9/2014

I don't come to State Theater for the experience. The seats aren't great, the walkway is unlit, the aisles are narrow, and it's honestly a failed uncomfortable experience when they're packed. What I do come here for, however, is the movies I wouldn't be able to see anywhere else. I come here because their popcorn is seriously fantastic, and maybe I want to watch some oldies or indies after having dinner nearby.

My very first (and only, so far) experience at State Theater was for the premier of the movie Dear Black People. The theater was PACKED. My partner and I ended up sitting way in the back, which is an ideal location in a more modern theater, but the stadium seating isn't exactly as expected and my legs were uncomfortable sitting in the narrow aisle-ways. I'm only 5'6", and my 5'10" partner sat mostly with their legs in the walkway as we were lucky(?) enough to get a seat on the end. With people next to me on either side, there wasn't much room to move around. Having bought concessions, I was disappointed to find no cup holders (which I wouldn't have cared about at all had  the seat next to me been empty), and I had to stack my coat, purse, and beverage in my lap during the movie.

If it sounds like it, I want to clarify that my experience wasn't terrible! I think I'll avoid premiers and popular films in the future so I don't feel so closed in, and maybe I'll get a bottled beverage next time.

I do definitely have plans to come back in the near future for my oldies and indies fix.

3/23/2014

I've come to prefer attending films here over the nearby Michigan Theater for the fact that the State seems to have greater character and offbeat charm than its more prestigious neighbor. Can't beat the location nestled right into the heart of Ann Arbor, and they keep up to date with current film offerings, focusing on the alternative/art-house crowd. If a film is a hit, they'll keep it around -- American Hustle and Blue Jasmine each played here for nearly three months, and Philomena has been off and on here for about the same time.

It's true that the theatre is older and the legroom/screen dimensions are not ideal, and initially I felt annoyed by that, but now I feel it adds to the uniqueness of the experience. Though be prepared for that!

What would REALLY be nice is if the theatre owners bought out Urban Outfitters downstairs and restored the whole building to its former grandeur, as it's currently a sad case of commercialism overtaking art, where the theatre is shoved upstairs while the retail space downstairs so obviously used to be a large grand screen - and is still somewhat intact to be able to go back to that immersive experience.... someday??!!

In the meantime, I hope that the State continues to thrive. It's certainly not perfect but it is a great and key component of downtown Ann Arbor, with an outright iconic and beautiful marquee inviting patrons in at all times of the day.

10/20/2014

Nice place to catch a movie for a good price! I went here with some friends the other night to see the midnight showing of The Shining. The movie was $7 and I hear normally student tickets are around $8 so definitely affordable. They actually had pretty good popcorn too, advertised with "Real Butter"...
One of the downsides of this theatre is the limited amount of leg room. Our group sat in a row without seats in front of us so we were lucky, but others were complaining.
They also left some of the lights on during the movie. I don't know if that is normal or not, but it was a bit annoying.
Overall, this is a fun place to watch a movie, just grab a seat without a row in front!!

2/1/2013

The State Theatre is the definition of A-OK. As a facility it's honestly not my favorite. The seats aren't all that comfortable and the aisles are fairly narrow (I don't have the longest legs in the world yet I almost knocked the lady in front of me in the head uncrossing them) and it just feels like it's seen better days.

BUT they show some really awesome indie flicks that aren't shown in the multi-screen megaplexes in the area and for that I'm thankful. They also have a really awesome midnight movie program showing loads of cult classics and comedies (like The Room and the Wayne's World double feature coming up! WHAAAT). Tickets are the same price as most movie theatres and they do offer student pricing with an ID. Plus their location downtown is really nice if you want to dinner and a movie it.  

No, not my favorite theatre in the world but I sincerely am grateful that they're here in Ann Arbor showing first runs of indie and foreign fare that you can't see anywhere else in the area.

1/4/2013

The State Theater has one thing going for it: midnight movies.

Midnight movies are exactly what they sound like.  Maybe fifteen or twenty nights (Fri/Sat) each year, the State does a midnight screening of an old fav or a cult classic.  These are FUN!  The theater is usually packed and a little rowdy, and we've seen some really quirky stuff here.  You can also see "Rocky Horror Picture Show" here.

Other than that, oof, this place is a mess.  The theaters are unusual shapes and sizes, due to this being a chopped up space.  This means that the screens are small and it's hard to get a good, central seat.  Speaking of the seats, they are REALLY uncomfortable.  Finally, the couple times my friends have gotten popcorn, it's been stale.  And I want to say they don't accept credit cards.  Not sure, though.

11/2/2012

Their selection of movies is great.

The midnight movies (cult movies) are good. During "The Room" they let us throw spoons at the screen.

The seats are small and crowded.

8/7/2014

Definitely check out a movie if you're on campus and have time.  It's a bit of a dumpy, old, run down theater and the picture quality can be rough at times.  For certain showings, it can be a good value and for certain films it's the only place you'll see them in the area as well.  I saw the Rocky Horror Picture Show here and it was a great theater for that.  It's nowhere near as good as the Michigan Theater as a theater but it's fun to see a show here too.

1/24/2015

Great selection of movies year round. It gets all the movies that aren't popular enough for the Michigan theater. They also do really cool midnight cult classic movies which are really fun. The only thing bad about this theater is that the seats are the most awkward, small, and uncomfortable seats in history. My only suggestion is to see a movie at an unpopular time so you can spread out and put your feet over the seat in front of you.

5/27/2014

Nice old historic theater with student tix for $8. Lobby is small and concessions are expensive but it is a neat place. There is a stage in front of the screen which is interesting but makes the actual movie screen smaller. All in all, it was nice to have a more local place for movies versus the dime a dozen AMC places.

10/26/2012

Love the movies but I just can't sit in the seats any longer.  I am 5'9" and I can not get comfortable unless sitting in one of the front row seats, which of course, are the first to be taken.  Everything else is OK at the State but I can't withstand being so uncomfortable anymore.

3/17/2014

It's a little worn but this and the Michigan Theatre are Monday favorites for movies. Seeing Philomena tonight. Drew at the counter was quite nice and agreeable with a most fabulous mop of full blonde hair. Thanks Drew!

8/25/2012

Student tickets for $8... that's more expensive than regular theaters. I guess my feeling of this place is that I've experienced better (the seats are so crowded and uncomfortable), but the concessions stand is surprisingly cheap compared to what I pay at Rave or Quality 16. And I do love me some movie popcorn.