Winchester 21

Farewell to the wonderful Winchester Century theaters.
Sad to see them go, but it’s a big piece of property so totally understand that it was destined to happen.
Saw the «Star Wars» trilogy here with my late brother (he later became a model maker for George Lucas and worked on the prequels), «ET», «Indiana Jones», «Ghostbusters», so many awesome and funny movies. Went on dates here, hung out with friends. I remember lines would stretch to Winchester Avenue when a blockbuster would come out. It was a big deal back then to see a new movie.
Things come and go and the Valley’s landscape continues to change. This is just another one of those changes.

Goodbye, Century 21 — you will be missed. Back when — is it really almost 50 years — you made reservations and got your tickets well before when you planned to attend.
I recall going to showings in coat and tie for dates in high school. Concession stand — fine, but NO FOOD OR DRINK was allowed in the theater (So, no sticky floors or seats). I will miss the days of the high end theaters — the Centurys, Cinema 150 in Santa Clara, and the high end theaters, including the Cinerama theater in San Francisco (Was it the Orphium?) but times have changed. Want to watch a movie these days — stream it.
Too bad the current generation will never know what it it was like for it to be a special event to go to a major film event.

Going to miss you!

I’ve been coming to these theaters since I’ve been a little kid, I love this place! Brings back so many memories watching movies here and spinning donuts in their huge parking lot. What’s not there to love?!

Something about this theater makes me feel nostalgic, I guess it’s because growing up I waited in line here for all the big blockbuster movies, batman, top gun, terminator 2, days of thunder, who framed roger rabbit and so on and so on. The staff is friendly, the theater is clean and something about watching a movie under a dome is cool.

I really enjoy coming to this theater. It is very relaxed, you can bring outside food and you never have to worry about finding a seat. Prefer it over the larger theaters. Classic SJ location!

Based on all the rave reviews, I was really excited to finally see a movie here at the Winchester 21.
Everyone raves about this place, the giant screen and what an awesome, experience it is. I took the opportunity to see Gravity here at 5:15pm on opening day and walked out less than a minute into it.
I’m all for the dome experience. The Cinerama Dome in Hollywood is amazing. The 21 is not. The bathrooms are awful, the floors and seats creak and my favorite — you can hear the projector running. Yes, it’s loud. Can’t they even put a window between the projection room and the theater to keep the noise down?
We were watching the previews and during a quiet bit, I noticed the noise. I thought, «Well, the previews are on rolls, but the actual movie is going to be digital and we won’t hear the clicking of the projector for the entire time, right?»
Wrong.
Gravity starts out in space, with Sandra Bullock riding her bike, spokes loaded with cards, in the International Space Station. Oh, wait… sorry, I must’ve been distracted.
I knew that the annoying projector sound would ruin this supposedly epic movie, so we bailed before any of the plot was spoiled.
I’ll never go back.

If you don’t want to deal with the crowd at Cupertino Square or Santana Row, this is the theater for you. It wasn’t busy on a Saturday night, and I loved how big the theater was. This place reminds me of old theaters that I used to go when I was little, just 10 times bigger. It has that old theater-​libraryish smell, but I don’t mind it at all.
The best part? Their seats recline back a LOT.

This is a nice, old school, big movie theater. When you go to the movies there, it feels the same way that it felt to go to the movies when I was a kid. As far as I know, this is also the biggest screen in San Jose. There is ample space in the lobby and plenty of stalls in the restrooms. My husband and I went here to see Man of Steel and we were both pleased with the location. If you’re looking for a real theater experience, go to Winchester 21!

Empty a lot-outdated.How does this place make money? Big screen, yes… but no frills for sure! Old school. Good thing Phở 24 opened 24 feet away! :)

San Jose’s Century 21 was one of the first theaters in the United States built for presenting films in Cinerama. It is one of the last theaters, of the Cinerama era, still in existence. It is the «mothership» in the Century theaters chain. Built with a wraparound projection booth, and a larger lobby area, there is no other Century dome theater like it.
Next year, the Century 21 will celebrate its Golden Anniversary — 50 years — making it eligible for historic landmark status. In addition to it being an awesome place to see a movie, it is an iconic piece of Bay Area history.
If this were Los Angeles, the Century 21 would be a place for special events. Tickets would be $ 20 and lines would form around the building. Hipsters would dress up in their finest, and cocktails would be served.
But this is not Los Angeles.
With developers eyeballing the Century theaters property, and the City of San Jose committed to spreading the «Urban Village,» a la Santana Row, will anyone be surprised if/​when the bulldozers come out?
There is truly only ONE Century 21 dome… and we have it. I’ll take historic landmark over cheap stucco box any day.

Largest theater screen I have ever seen! (minus IMAX, but that gets me motion sick anyways). This theater may not be as new as some of the others in the area, but it’s well kept so that hardly matters. I love that the screen takes up the entire dome so I can sit and have my whole field of vision filled with glorious movie. I also prefer the seats to the unmoving high-​back cushions you find at Oakridge. The seats here alternate every other row, between reclining and non-​reclining. I prefer the reclining so I can relax and look up in awe! I have the fondest youthful memories of watching Return of the King here on opening day & again, 7 more times…
The only downside is the prices. They offer early bird pricing for the earliest showing of a movie across all of the domed theaters (not just this location), and a student rate that is only good one day of the week, so their discount programs are pretty poor. They also are no longer part of the Winchester theater group so they do not accept the concession coupons they used to.

If you want to see a gigantic movie without 3-​D, or IMAX, go here. The Winchester 21 is right next to the Winchester Mystery House, and next to the Winchester 22 and 23. The big difference between the 21 and the others is that in the same amount of space that 22 has 2 screens, or 23 has 3, the 21 has 1 gigantic screen.
It’s not the most up to date theater, but it gives you the big screen experience without the extra cost of IMAX. The sound is usually excellent as well. They do not have 3D here from what I’ve seen. Because they don’t have the latest tech, it’s often easier to get good seats early in a movie’s release cycle than at other places. Sometimes, the place seems to make the wrong bets on big movie weekends. For example, they missed The Avengers for John Carter, but when they have the big movies, see them here.

I can’t believe I just found out about this theater! Sure this place isn’t as modern or glitzy as other Century theaters, but it’s huge and apparently had no problems with big movies on opening weekend.
I came here to watch «The Hobbit» the Saturday it came out, so we came early in anticipation of having to wait in line to get into the theater. When we got there an hour before the movie, we realized that we were the first people there for the showing. When it came time to get seated, I realized just how astronomically large this theater is. Not only did we have no problem with seats, but this place wasn’t even filled halfway when the movie started. There was a fair amount of people there, but because of the size of the theater, you could barely tell.
I love this new find, and will be taking advantage of it come every opening weekend of any movie I’d like to watch.

I guess I am biased and can look past the age of this theater. Like so many other reviewers on here I grew up going to the Century Theatres. Unlike 22,23,24, Century 21 is not «cut in half» — so the screen is huge.
So many memories of waiting in line for The Empire Strikes Back, Indiana Jones, etc. Many a hot summer day was spent in that parking lot sharing good banter with people in line — everyone sharing the same expectation for the cool air conditioning and awesome movie that waited inside.
Yes, the theater is outdated, but the popcorn tastes the same and candy is just as sweet as the newer googleplex’s. I have a trick where I walk down the aisle until I find the center by looking up at the ceiling (it has supports like spider legs)… you can center yourself perfectly by looking at these.
Also, for the old timers, you can sit at the far back and actually hear the sounds of the projector whilst watching your film.
Look past the age and you will find plenty of personality, a sound system comparable to any, and a screen that you just can’t find in any AMC theatre.

Has this place been around for a long time or what? My dad has taken me here since I was a little child and still does today once in a while. We used to go here to watch all the Happy Potter series and Spider-​man. The last time I went here to watch a movie was watching Planet of the Apes.
This would have to be a favorite movie theater, there are better but because this place has been in my life for so long and has been a place I go with my dad since I was little, its one of my favorites.
I like to think of this place as IMAX but cheap. ha-​ha. The employees here are really nice and customer friendly. That’s always important and a big deal for me where ever I go.
The theater does have student discounts and early bird discounts a lot like other theaters, but what is different is the theater size! It’s huge! I always find a good seat. The sound is terrific and the video quality is amazing… Makes movie experience a whole lot better.
The popcorn, drinks, and snacks here are the usual stuff… Nachos, Hot Dogs, etc. And the price is fair, I find it a little cheaper than other places such as Century Theaters or CIneArts in Santana Row.
5 STARS!

This says 21, as if it’s just one place, but don’t be fooled — there are actually three separate buildings (21, 22, & 23), and each one plays a different movie. I have happened to be at two of them, and so far, it was pretty awesome.
Every movie theater is different, it seems, but these ones need a more extreme synonym — it’s a giant dome, and you’re circled around the screen. Hell, even down in the front it isn’t so uncomfortable. All around great place to watch a movie, even ones you leave going, «Why the fuck did I just pay 25 dollars to watch Kristin Stewart act like she’s out of breath all the goddamn time.»
Four stars because it’s still stupid expensive.

I don’t care what else anyone has to say.
Only one fact is relevant to this.
I saw Star Wars here in 1977, when I was 8. My grandma took me, and my two brothers.
Best movie theater EVER. Ever.

These theaters are seriously old school and I must say I kinda prefer them over their newer snazzy cousins in the area
There’s probably a good 500 or more seats in each dome and opening night of Columbiana — granted, the movie sucked– but about 15 people showed, giving you an idea that this place is long past it’s hayday.
With a skeleton crew of about, most likely 5, they probably run this place on a shoe string budget and that makes me love it all the more. I always root for the little guy, especially if they’re a clean with good service little guy.
It also doesn’t hurt that I love empty theaters and really much prefer them to the packed, loud, wailing and running around children ones.
Yay Winchester.

I have driven pass Winchester 21 – 23 numerous times and it had never occurred to me that I want to watch anything there. I blame it on their modest and unassuming appearance. The entrance looks like something from a 70s movie — totally old and dated. Yes, I could this shallow at times.
The inside of this theater tells a completely different story. The screen is enormous, possibly the biggest one I have seen in the South Bay. Sitting under this beautiful dome structure I almost felt like I was in a planetarium watching the stars under the sky. It was amazing. At some point I almost forgot I was just watching a blockbuster summer movie. Rather than sitting at a cramped AMC staring at a tiny screen I was lying comfortably in a grand theater.
I seriously hope one day they will do something about those ugly lighted signs and the outdated front entrance. This cinema has the potential to be one of the hottest spot in the area.