Columbia City Cinema

Hate to compare things in Seattle to Portland but this is not what I was hoping for/​expected. I’m also not necessarily a big fans of the McMenamin clan but what they do to old buildings and theaters is just freakin cool. This place could have a lot more character if the right person/​group knew how to bring it out. Hoping to find something similar to Bagdad Theater up here.

Love their «kid» showings, wish there were more.

My last review of 2010 with 5 stars goes to Columbia City Theatre. We recently attended a matinée here and was reminded of how lucky we are to have such a great independent movie theatre right in the neighborhood.
My husband and I have been going to this theatre for about 4 years, shortly after we moved to Beacon Hill and we love having a local independent movie theather in the neighborhood. This theatre completes Columbia City –why hassle with driving to downtown, find/​pay for parking, shuffle through the crowds when you have this little gem of a place right in the neighborhood?
The Columbia City Theatre reminds me of the southend version of the Admiral Theater in West Seattle during my youth. Friends and I would go for $ 1.50 admission, older movies and .75 popcorn. However the Columbia City Theatre actually screens first-​run films!
We love the boutique size of this theatre with only three cinemas and the
location in an older historic building. Popcorn is cheap and fun to buy compared to the nearly $ 10 you’ll pay for a med popcorn at the larger theatres, and the cozy waiting room/​lounge is great for killing time until the theatre opens for the next film.
For as long as we live in the southend, we will keep supporting this theatre. Now that we have a little one in the family, we are excitied to see family movies here when he is old enough.
Great location, historic building, friendly staff and a cozy homey environment to catch the latest flicks.

A quaint little neighborhood cinema in the heart of Columbia City. I wish I lived closer so I could come here for all my movies. Good popcorn too! (Although, the large popcorn bags are the size of small bags at a regular theater… but maybe that’s a good thing.)

Quaint small neighborhood theater. Pay with cash because they charge a fee to use plastic both at the box office and for concessions.

Quite often, I put my money where my heart is. This is one of those places. I love having a local independent theater in the neighborhood, and I love that they play first run movies with at least one family friendly option.
I love that they serve regular size candy with the popcorn in paper bags, and I’m happy to fork over the $ 4 for popcorn, the $ 1.75 for Junior Mints and whatever else my heart (and family) desires.
I’m aware that how I spend my money is a political statment, and I’m stating that I want this theater to stick around.

You have to love a theatre that has no pretense and good value. I haven’t had this much fun going to movies since hitting small town theatre’s when I was a kid where everyone in town seemed to be at the show.
You have to get used to the way the ticketing works… receipts are the tickets and no one seems to concerned about taking your ticket and tearing it into small pieces before you can sit down. It can be a bit crazy and seemingly inefficient, but they find a way to get you through the door and on your way.
The theatre doesn’t have the bells and whistles of the big multi-​plexes, but it does have character, atmosphere, and people who try to make it easy for you to take in a show. The lounge upstairs is a nice place to hang while you wait for the prior show to end. The popcorn is good and sold in reasonable portions.
For my money, we could use a few more theatres like this one!

Amid the monopolies that make the movie theater experience, this little theater offers everything one needs for an enjoyable night out.
The popcorn is hot and fresh, the screens are big enough, and the charm is well… charming. A converted masonic temple, the Columbia City theater is a nice break from the bright lights, overpriced snacks, and obnoxious teenagers.

I love this theater!!! Small non corporate, run with volunteers.
Their prices are low, they have first run movies and alt/​artsy films.
I love thier members discount tuesday and the cry baby tuesday.
I go and see all of my movies here, and I adore going here.
Had one experience with the owner that was unpleasant… but I dont care if he is a bit standoffish as long as the theater is awesome!
This summer having a place to hide from the heat was a real treat, the air conditioning really ensured my constant attendance.

This ain’t a corporate movie house. It’s a little disorganized, and if I understand correctly, it’s still a mom & pop operation. Still, they play first-​run movies on a decent screen with good sound, and they’re running with the vaguely art-​deco old-​Masonic-​Temple motif rather than trying to mask or overpower it. I saw Sky Captain there shortly after the theater opened, and I can’t imagine a better venue for a retro family film.
The guy who sold me my tickets, then made me wait for popcorn while he went to unlock something… is the owner. If I wanted to feel completely served or catered to, this would not be the place. But if the movie is right, I can get a very good show, feel great about supporting a family business, and keep my money in the community. I’ve been back several times.

I’m sorry. I don’t get the positive reviews here. We went down to Columbia City Cinema last night to see Ponyo, thinking it would be smart of us to avoid the crowds leaving PAX downtown, with the added bonus of supporting a local indie theater.
When we arrived, 15 minutes before the movie started, there was no one at the ticket booth. Granted the concession stand is right there, but we had to go ask one of the people behind the counter, who were doing nothing, if someone could sell us a ticket.
The guy who accepted the challenge was completely stoned. After sauntering over to the ticket booth, he was genuinely befuddled with the process of selling movie tickets. He then neglected to mention which of the three (unmarked) screening rooms would be showing our film.
After consulting some other confused patrons, we entered the theater and it was *completely dark*. Apparently nobody bothered to turn on the lights after the previous film ended, leaving the last crowd to stumble out in the dark. We attempted unsuccessfully to find any sort of light switch and joined the rest of the patrons fumbling around for seats.
Eventually someone found the light. When it came on, we realized two things.
1. The seating section we had chosen in the dark (of two total) was not even remotely in front of the offset screen, nor were the seats even angled appropriately. Straight ahead view was a wall.
2. The place was a sty.
When the kid sitting behind my wife started kicking her seat before the movie even started, we walked out.

Lets face it. If Columbia City rocks (which it does), then Columbia City Cinema is FABULOUS.
With three screens, air conditioning, delicious treats, reasonably priced popcorn (and tickets), and nice/​helpful staff — this is the perfect neighborhood theater.
Even better, they kept many of the original historic touches of the building (which was once a masonic temple). It feels very grand and homey — rather like what I imagine going to the theater in the 1940’s being like.
Next time you head to the movies, consider going to the Columbia City Cinema. Spend your money locally for a great experience!

This theater is absolutely amazing. It is small, very not-​crowded, and you can see a movie for $ 6 on weekdays or weekend days (I think it’s $ 8 on weekend nights, but I have only gone when it is $ 6.)
The seats are good, the screens are fine, and you really can’t find a better theater. It’s pretty small, but if it is showing the movie you want to see, it can’t be beat.

I feel like the kid who showed up 2 hours late to prom and ended up leaving with the DJ for some awesome after-​party writing this review. Columbia City rocks, and I’m now a loyal customer of Columbia City Cinema.
The excellent parts: great price; better snacks (they are not all elephant-​sized); sweet attendants; and (my personal favorite) a comfortable, unpretentious, uncorporate ambience.

Awesome theater and good munchies! I love the small theaters with character so much more than the gigantic «sterile» ones.
I haven’t been around the area for a while, but I remember them having children’s movies in the morning on a Saturday or something like that. I don’t have kids so I never participated in that, but I always thought it was an awesome idea :)

I’ll give it 4 stars and probably rising after numerous future visits.
CCC does a number of things right: they charge lower prices than most other houses ($ 8 for a night movie). My cheap ass LOVES the hell out of that. Next, they serve their popcorn (which is superb-​very, very tasty, and not overpowering like big chain theaters, BUT not quite as tasty as central cinema) in plain, brown paper bags. Lastly, they’re independent-​you gotta love that (well, you don’t HAVE to, but I’m encouraging you. c’mon, like it!)
They’re still renovating the theater, the staff wasn’t the most professional; they look like they hired a bunch of high schoolers with attitudes (edit, they’re volunteers), but I love this place and will definitely be back-​warning, cash only-​and don’t get caught behind the high/​drunk guy across the street at B of A who stands in front of the ATM trying to crack the code of the universe for 15 minutes (no lie) only to leave with nothing-​if you do, you might be late for the flick!

My husband and I are both big film fans and live right by Columbia City, and as such, I would love to love the Columbia City Cinema.
And there are a lot of things about it that I do love. I love supporting a truly independent cinema. I love that I can see first run films that represent more than your standard multiplex fare at a venue that is walking distance from my house. I love that I am not inundated with commercials and trailers before the film. I love that we can sit in the front row and gets lots of leg room (which my bad knee appreciates) and still get a fine view of the screen that does not leave you with glazed-​over eyes or neck pain. [NOTE: This last comment applies to the larger, upstairs screen only. I have not yet seen a film at the newer, smaller downstairs auditorium, so cannot comment on its comfort.]
Unfortunately, unlike others on this board, I have not found the staff there to be particularly friendly. Most often, the ticket sellers and concession staff have acted like they are doing us some kind of favor by waiting on us. Attempts at friendly banter have been met with disinterested glares or dismissive comments.
We went to a very uncrowded matinée there recently. There was a party of four ahead of us in line buying tickets. They wanted popcorn and the concession person had not yet arrived. So, the ticket seller, without even bothering to acknowledge us, walked away from the ticket booth so he could go to the concession stand to get these people their popcorn. (One person in the group even told him he should get us our tickets first, but he did not acknowledge/​heed this suggestion.) It would have taken 30 seconds to sell us our tickets. Instead, he left us standing there feeling stupid for five minutes. I was tempted to walk out. He returned and did not acknowledge that we’d been waiting, thank us for our patience, etc.
I really do want to love this cinema. BUT, it is hard to love a place that makes you feel dissed.

I’m a total fan of old movie theaters (even the ones which are pimped out and restored); they have so much more character than the big cookie-​cutter ones which are more the norm. So, when I recently performed a Columbus and «discovered» Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood, this movie theater caught my attention.
The theaters are actually located upstairs and they also have a room w/​comfy couches where one can chill out before the movie (they rent this room out for functions).
The actual movie theater we went to was old school. No state of the art and comfy seats here — we’re talking old school (circa 1970s or earlier). the sound system is alright, didn’t look to fancy from what I saw, but it sounded passable.
A big plus: the movie started after only TWO trailers! There were five commercials, ten trailers, and then the movie – like at other theaters, so that was a definite plus, too.

Columbia City Cinema is the little cinema that could. A shoestring operation, I hope everyone (especially CC locals) consider this theater and other indies before they run over to the latest multiplex offering. While the business is small, the screen is big and they have Dolby surround.
A few tips:
Temperature. Columbia City Cinema is often too cold. Bring a sweater.
Popcorn. Buy it. This is some of the best and cheapest movie popcorn Seattle has to offer.
Outside food. Sign says «No outside food. Except Starbucks coffee.» (Starbucks is nearby.)
Showtimes. Check the Columbia City Cinema website (
) before you go. Times change. Movies rotate quickly too.
Seating. The seats are surprisingly comfortable. Even the front row, although I’ve never been forced to sit there, seems spaced far enough from the screen to be accommodating.

I shouldn’t give this place 5 stars because then all y’all are going to start going to movies at MY theater.
Yesterday was an interesting day at CCC. I went to see the new Disney/​Pixar Rat flick. Twice. The first time was at the first matinée with all the screaming brats and the mom who stands up in the front row to TALK using her outside voice to her screaming brats WHILE THE MOVIE IS PLAYING. Yes, fatso, I’m talking to YOU. Sit the hell down and shut up so we can watch the movie or go home!
Then the lights came on before the end. Twice. Now, CCC does have the annoying habit of turning up the lights while the credits are rolling and I understand, they’re trying to get us moving. Fine. My kid won’t sit still for credits anyway, but yesterday, after fatso finally sat down the lights came up with about 10 minutes to go. Then again with about 2 minutes to go. WTF?
So we went back for the last screening last night. I wanted to hear the ²⁄₃ of the dialog I missed with all that talking and walking and standing that was going on. Refreshingly few children. Only the well behaved ones (ie, mine) who kept their mouths shut and their rustling popcorn bags quiet. I’m happy to report they fixed the light problem.
So all this ranting and still 5 stars? Yes, it is a totally lovable place. I love it because of it’s quirks and despite them.
And yes, they serve damn fine popcorn.