Grownups get the full treatment at Academy Theater on Stark Street. Dine on pizza by the slice, organic chocolate, sushi or ice cream while viewing popular films on three screens. There is even babysitting available to parents for select shows. Beer and wine are offered at the concession stand, so viewers under 21 must attend with a parent.
The original Academy Theater was first opened in 1948. An extensive remodel in 2006 added reclining stadium seating and surround sound, while maintaining the 1940s feel with vintage colors and décor.
The Hollywood Theatre has been an icon in the Hollywood District of Portland since 1926. In recent years, it has been operated by nonprofit Film Action Oregon. Its goal is to support the art of film through educational workshops and sponsorship of independent projects.
Film buffs can see 300 films screened at the Hollywood Theatre each year, including independent films and mainstream titles. In 2010, the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, honoring works of gothic horror, was held at the Hollywood Theater.
Usually when a school is in disrepair, it is torn down. In Northeast Portland, developers took a crumbling schoolhouse and revamped it to become an eclectic hotel, complete with a restaurant, three bars and a movie theater.
Though the large screening room no longer resembles the school's auditorium, it also does not look like your typical movie theater. Stuffed armchairs and comfortable sofas seat up to 300 people, while custom paintings adorn one wall resembling faux windows. The theater schedules second screenings of popular films daily.
While many theaters in Portland embrace historic roots, Living Room Theaters sets itself apart through innovation and technology. Even the modern architecture stands in contrast to older buildings in the Pearl District. The six screens seat less than 65 people each, creating an intimate setting. The most important difference is the format.
According to the theater website, when it opened in 2006, it became the country's "first all-digital and only-digital theater." In addition to screening independent and feature films, the theater accepts submissions from local artists for screenings.