Laurelhurst Theater and Cinema 21 show art house and foreign films, which may be more difficult to find in larger chain theaters. Laurelhurst first opened in 1923 and was one of the first movie theaters in the world to incorporate an Art Deco design. The theater has four auditoriums and offers wine, beer, pizza and, of course, popcorn. Besides showing newly released foreign and domestic films, Cinema 21 offers restored prints of classics, and sometimes directors attend screenings.
For those who want to catch the latest Hollywood action flick or romantic comedy, Portland offers many multiplex theater chains such as the Regal and Century, a subsidiary of Cinemark. These theaters often provide more screens than the indie or art house theaters. Regal has a theater at Lloyd Mall. Altogether, Regal has six theaters throughout the city.
McMenamins offers eight theaters to the Portland community as well as pubs and hotels.These theaters serve beer and have pizza for sale. Besides showing movies, McMenamins theaters also offer live comedy acts and televised sports games. Some of the theaters are located in renovated schools and old movie houses. The lineup of films usually include Hollywood blockbusters.
Portland offers a wealth of theaters which serve beer on the premises (often local microbrews) and also show independent films as well as more mainstream fare. Often such theaters impose age restrictions because alcohol is served on the premises. However, a babysitting service is provided at the Academy. Some of the theaters include St. Johns and Academy Theater.