If you are bored with this summer's biggest blockbuster hits and independent or foreign films are more your taste, look no farther than the award-winning E Street Cinema.
Conveniently located at 555 11th Street N.W., just a few blocks off the Red, Blue and Orange Line's Metro Center station, E Street Cinema evokes a unique and appealing atmosphere.
Called D.C.'s "Best Movie Theater" in 2005 and 2006 by Washington Blade, the theater exudes an upscale and trendy vibe.
"We aim to create a sophisticated, yet accessible atmosphere in our theater," said E Street's assistant manager Will Dempster. "We also try to foster a community atmosphere by offering our guests opportunities to visit the theater for special screenings and events with actors, directors and film producers."
E Street may sell gourmet cookies and cappuccinos at its concession stand, but it also works to be welcoming to all demographics through special movie nights and promotions.
E Street Cinema is part of the national Landmark Theater Chain. According to the theater's Web site, Landmark Theaters is the nation's largest theater chain dedicated to exhibiting and marketing independent films.
According to Lankmark's Web site, "As long as there are filmmakers creating compelling cinema, we will remain committed to exhibiting meaningful films as part of a unique sophisticated entertainment experience."
E Street Cinema's commitment to this goal is without a doubt apparent. Not only does a trip to E Street offer great entertainment, it is also always an opportunity to walk away feeling smarter and more cultured.
"While we do show Academy Award-winning films and some commercial hits every year, we also show many films with a more limited distribution - documentaries such as 'Food, Inc.' and foreign films such as 'Sin Nombre' and 'Rudo y Cursi,' Dempster said. "These films were not shown at other theaters in the city."
Though E Street might appeal to a smaller fan base than the Regal Cinema off the Gallery Place Metro stop, the theater itself is expansive. Boasting eight auditoriums of which seven have wall-to-wall screens and stadium seating, E Street is able to show many movies at once.
Not only is the quantity of films available at E Street noteworthy, so is the quality. According to the theater's Web site, the auditoriums are equipped with "the latest state-of-the-art sound technology, including one auditorium with Dolby Digital Surround EX."
Also worth mentioning is E Street's effort to continually draw the college demographic to the theater.
"We offer several programs marketed directly to students," Dempster said, referencing the student discount as well as their Midnight Madness film series.
The Midnight Madness film series runs every Friday and Saturday night at midnight and shows classic films like "The Goonies," "Back to the Future" and "Office Space," according to Dempster.
The series is only one of the many special events put on by E Street. The theater is often the host of many acclaimed film festivals such as the D.C. International Film Festival, the Politics on Film Festival, the D.C. Shorts Film Festival and the German Film Festival.
Seeing a film at E Street Theater is a must for any AU student. It is a great place to go with friends, family or a date to see some of the years' most thought-provoking, yet often underrated films.
Currently playing at E Street is "Away We Go," "Shrink," "In the Loop," "Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country," "Food Inc.," "Humpday" and "The Hurt Locker."
General admission tickets at E Street Cinema are $10, but are $8 for students with a valid school ID. E Street also offers a bargain discount of $7.50 per film for all shows before 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and for the first show of the day on weekends as well as on holidays.
In addition to E Street Cinema, there is another Landmark theater two Metro stops away from AU on the red line in Bethesda, Md. which shows similar films.
You can reach this staff writer at ostilitis@theeagleonline.com.
