America has only a few truly unique art forms that it invented all on its own. While who the inventors of moving images are is debatable, what isn’t debatable is that America took this oddball, roadhouse curiosity and turned it into the international show business that it is today. And there are few things more American than a date night at the movie house. These are the absolute best movie theaters to visit in America. Check ‘em out.

The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Brooklyn, NY
“Originally a music hall, then converted to a playhouse, the venue was transformed into BAM Rose Cinemas in 1998, restoring the playhouse's elegant proscenium and preserving the history of the space while providing a state-of-the-art viewing experience.” While the digs are nice, BAM is most noteworthy for its unique screenings of indie films and those of an often academic ilk. I once switched my flights to allow myself time to see the newly restored 70mm print of Lawrence of Arabia at BAM and it was a magical experience. Definitely check out their programming if you’re in the area.

Hollywood Arclight, Los Angeles, CA
This is the best movie viewing experience you’ll find—bar none. All the screens are those slightly curved, IMAX-sized gorgeous works of architecture that get me pumped just looking at them even before the show begins (note: seating stops five minutes prior to the show times). Each screening has a technical employee watching the movie with each audience to ensure the ultimate in sound and picture quality. There’s a beautiful bar/lounge out front along with an ever-changing display case of the actual costumes from the biggest movies playing at the time (I’ve seen the actual suits worn by the actors playing Captain America and Kylo Ren last year). Not only do they screen actual 35mm or 70mm when applicable (the 70mm print of Inherent Vice blew me away) but they have the famed Cinerama Dome out front which is truly a sight to behold.

The New Beverly, Los Angeles, CA
If you want a true Los Angeles film-going experience, you must visit the New Beverly. Known to locals as the New Bev, this famous theater was founded in the 1920s as a vaudeville house which later became a nightclub and finally emerged in its true form in the 1950s as a good old fashioned movie house. In the late ‘70s, Sherman Torgan took over and started the screening series’ that carried over to this day: double features every night of classic/contemporary films often paired with a similar but off the beaten path counterpart. With cheap tickets and a dollar-priced snack bar, the New Bev pulled in young cinephiles like Patton Oswalt (who wrote a book about his love for the New Bev) and Quentin Tarantino (who now owns the theater). Due to its off-beat and cinephilic nature, you never know what the viewing experience is going to be like. I once sat for a double feature screening of Sorcerer/Runaway Train with a homeless man on my left and Peter Bogdanovich (famed director of The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon) on my right. 

Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, CA
I mean sure, go see a movie here. It’s a great experience (the 70mm print I saw of Interstellar was breathtaking) but you really want to go for the history (the premiere house of King of Kings and the original Star Wars among scores of others). This is the classic theater with all the handprints in the cement out front, so it’s definitely worth a visit. But enough of Hollywood theaters.

Alamo Drafthouse, Austin, TX
Alamo Drafthouse is the true modern Mecca for indie cinephiles. Originally founded in Austin, TX by Tim and Karrie League with the intention of showing discounted movies, their passion and predilection for stellar programming soon caught the eye of Hollywood heavy hitters such as Richard Linklater and Harry Knowles. Within their first year, Quentin Tarantino was hosting 5-day marathons of his favorite exploitation films straight from his personal collection. Today they’ve expanded to multiple locations, each with the same commitment to quality film viewing. There are no commercials before movies, ABSOLUTELY no cell phones allowed, Weird Wednesday Screenings, and some of the best film programming around. They recently hosted the “women’s only” screening of Wonder Woman that you may have heard about, and it’s definitely worth checking out their other gimmicky screenings.

The Music Box Theater, Chicago, IL
“Opened 1929, the Music Box Theatre retains its original architecture and design. With a dark blue ceiling, “twinkling stars” and moving cloud formations suggesting a night sky, and walls and towers suggesting an Italian courtyard, patrons are made to feel as if they are watching a film in an open-air Tuscan palazzo.” At the time the Music Box opened, movie houses seated close to 3,000 people per flick, so an 800-person movie house was considered an elite engagement—which nowadays is quite the deluxe experience. This theater has a gorgeous theater organ which plays before special events, and it’s ironic that the Music Box is the only theater in the Chicago area regularly presenting silent films with organ accompaniment, despite beginning in 1929 playing only “talkies.” Also worth noting is the ghost of the original manager named “Whitey” who is said to haunt the theater (but in…like…a friendly way?)...seriously, there’s a whole paragraph dedicated to him on the theater’s website.