Welcome to the best theatre in Edmonton.
By Gregg Beever
Hey Edmonton, what’s happening? Nice shoes, are they new? Well, they look great. Edmonton, you like movies, right? Yeah, I know you do.
Dinner and movie, that’s an evening well spent, isn’t it? Well, I’m going to do you a favour, Edmonton, and let you in on a little secret: only watch movies at the City Centre theatre. Before I tell you why, let’s first explore the reason you shouldn’t watch movies at the other theatres.
North Common and South Common are crowded, crowded and full of people who watch movies like Fast and Furious (not to be confused with THE Fast and THE Furious, the absence of articles apparently denoting a sequel). Their teenage attention spans barely last beyond the opening credits and soon there’s a beautiful electronic séance of cellphones illuminating the theatre. If the sea of texting isn’t distracting enough the ripe, musky smell of Axe is wafting through the air.
Both North and South Common are inconveniently placed on the edge of the city, ditto for Silver City (yes I’m still calling it Silver City, I don’t care what bank attached its name to it). Fifteen, twenty minute drive through traffic and construction to watch a movie? No thanks. It will take more than a giant latex dragon to convince me that’s a good idea, especially when I make the drive on opening night only to have to watch the film from the front row. If I wanted to watch movies one inch from my face I’d download them to my iPod.
Empire City Centre 9 is not crowded, there are no teenagers armed with cellphones, and seeing a movie opening night is no problem at all. To top it all off, it’s central, making City Centre 9 our city’s best kept secret.
I know what you’re thinking, Edmonton, why am I letting the cat out of the bag, to which I answer, why would I put a cat into a bag? Do people often keep their felines in bags? If they do it’s an entirely new and bizarre concept to me. Does it keep them fresh? I would think a cat would be rather restless were he to be placed in a bag, it sounds dark and unpleasant.
Look Ma, no lineups!
…where was I? Oh yes, why am I letting the secret out. Let’s be honest, Edmonton, North and South Common theatre regulars don’t read this website, they’re too busy watching Paul Blart: Mall Cop and drinking Rockstars.
So, I’m quite safe to invite you to experience a theatre where the people are cool and considerate and lineups are modest at their worst.
The best part is City Centre 9 just renovated. Comfortable seats and a free armrest on either side, why would we go anywhere else?
The Empire City Centre Theatre is also home to the 2009 Edmonton International Film Festival.
its true, this theater is probably edmontons best kept secret, I live on the south side of edmonton so I find myself always hitting up south edmonton common for movies, just because its so close to me (5 min drive) but I have to say city center has my favorite theater! there’s never any lines, and the theater has a more cozy’r feel to it than others in the city. Recently saw a PREVIEW screening of final destination 3-d at city center, honestly it was the first time i’d actually seen a huge lineup there( keep in mind it was a preview!) other than that its always been really awesome! love the new rennovations theyve done too, looks great
“Their teenage attention spans barely last beyond the opening credits and soon there’s a beautiful electronic séance of cellphones illuminating the theater. If the sea of texting isn’t distracting enough the ripe, musky smell of Axe is wafting through the air.”
The only thing that would have made this paragraph better would have been if you ended it with, “All you damn kids get off my lawn!” =]
But in all seriousness, I agree. The theatre at Eaton Centre (if you get to call it Silver City, I get Eaton Centre) is one of the best in the city.
I totally agree. The lack of line-ups on opening nights is downright magical (though it happens more often now that they rennovated)
Its also conveniently located for post-movie boozing, at the elephant & castle or some other downtown establishment.
You forgot to mention the armrests can be folded up so appropriate cuddling can take place.
I agree, this renovated theatre is fantastic. There’s loads of restaurant choices nearby- makes for an ideal date night!
As I sit here sipping my delicious Rockstar, I would like to point out a major factor you’ve forgotten in your story.
There is a reason people don’t go to the delightful little theatre in the heart of Edmonton. And, believe it or not, it’s not because they’re Axe-wearing Paul Blart fans.
There is no parking. Yes, the prices are reasonable – but I’m also leaving my car in an area with high break-ins and paying them a lot of money to allow me to do so.
I know what you’ll say next. It’ll be the whole public transportation speil. Well, guess what? I live just a little north of Downtown. Although City Centre is the closest theatre to drive to, it would take a ridiculous amount of time to bus to and from. And walking? The distance isn’t all that far… But in the middle of the night? No thanks.
I’m going to stick to driving to North Edmonton Common which I’ve never had to wait in line at and have always had great service.
Your little theatre downtown is difficult to get to, and I’m sorry to say, not the best movie theatre ever. The Garneau even ranks higher for me, and I rarely go see a movie there.
Janine, there is tonnes of parking near City Centre—much of it free after 6pm. And, I’ve gone to many, many movies at City Centre. Never once has my car been broken into.
That said, I prefer North Edmonton Common because it’s got better sound systems, bigger screens. I do hate going there on opening night, though.
I am so validated by this! Totally my favorite theatre ever.
And for the record, Janine, it takes about 10-15 minutes to get to city centre from 111 ave and 124 st, pretty much the most inconvenient “north of downtown” spot there is – so i’m just going to guess you’ve never tried it?
Sally, as I mentioned, it’s not the distance – it’s the middle of the night part that doesn’t sit right with me. I don’t need to be another dot on the map. http://crimemapping.edmontonpolice.ca/
That’s the theater where I slugged that guy! He had it coming. You’re allowed to talk until the opening credits, then you shut up. And if I ask you *nicely* to shut the hell up, take the hint.
Oh, and you put cats in bags if you’re taking them out the river to throw them in. If you let it out, ZZZIIPP! they’re gone. Then you have to catch them again.
I’m not going to point any fingers, but I think it’s enough to say that we should all try and stay on point.
No flame wars, kids.
p.s. I should note that this theater also rules because it will show smaller movies and movies that are/almost are indie.
They only show movies until like 11 p.m., Janine. I think you’re safe.
ugh. why are you giving away secrets?!? the more people that know the more that will go!!
also, Janine if you live off 124 st ride your bike there. there’s a place to park them in the parking garage attached to the mall.
Halen, Ohmygodohmygodohmygod, I haven’t seen one of those since our apartment building back in Toronto…
I got in trouble for bringing my bike to the office one time, but I’m not leaving on the street all day.
But…to stay on topic…cool that they have that for theatre-goers. Umm…I also like the fact the mall has a hotel AND a theatre. It was one thing that irked me when I stay in downtown Toronto. Eaton Centre (still called that there) doesn’t have a theatre. Dumb.
I live down in oliver and walk back and forth all the time, I’ve never gotten the impression that downtown was particularly unsafe after dark. I’d say that I’ve been walkin’ its mean streets for a while but really its more skipping gaily while listening to my iPod..
blatant self- (not self-) promotion:
The Edmonton International Film Festival holds all of its screenings at the Empire downtown now. Good for them!
(admittedly, that ‘good for them’ is pretty weak… i just wasn’t sure how to follow up that first statement…)
I heard a radio ad the other day that said Empire (downtown) is having customer appreciation on Saturday. I confirmed this with The Movie Guy… Movie, popcorn & pop for $10!
I enjoyed this article and agree with most of the points. I am a fan this theatre and many other movie theatres in Edmonton One line really jumped out at me however…
“Let’s be honest, Edmonton, North and South Common theatre regulars don’t read this website”
Last time I checked this website was not called “The Downtown-ian” or “The Whyte Avenue-ian”. (or even “The Smitty’s-ian”) I find out a lot of good information about my city through all the contributors and articles posted here. I just think it’s a little harsh to be judged this way because I go to movie theatres other than City Centre. Yes I do understand this is just one person’s opinion, but please cut a North-sider some slack eh? :-)
Way to go Janine, I’m with you. I would also like clarification… Does “cool” people mean pretentious, “I think I’m really cool, because I like to watch indie films and am far too advanced to watch a mass release film” people? Because I find the clouds of Axe much more inviting than listening to a bunch of quasi-intellectuals pontificate on who the better James T Kirk is…
Movies are for fun people, not to pretend you’re “cool”.
Get over yourselves and accept the point of view of a young woman who is concerned about her personal safety.
Mmmm Rockstar…
I really love the fact that one man’s opinion about a movie theatre can spark so much debate!
I hope if there are any comments left to come they remain on task (about the theatre and other theatres, a lack of opening night lineups, Edmonton Film Fest setting up camp and cats in bags).
While the hope is to increase the newsy content around here, these are the kinds of things Edmonton does talk about (instead of say, water-skiing squirrels…) because these are the little things that make up a city.
And I think, regardless of the neighbourhood we call home, we can all appreciate a little customer appreciation this Saturday for $10.
Look to the editor Jeff!
Nice that you’re profiling the newly-renovated theatres (and I agree, they are nice, and they seem to have fixed the HVAC that spewed Arctic air in the middle of a -40 Monday night, praise Jebus). I am also a great fan of downtown gentrification, so I appreciate articles that invite people from all over the city to come down to the core and see what’s what. But do you *really* have to fill the article with bullsh*t condemnation of theatre-goers of the city’s multiplexes? It’s a disappointing tone of elitism and condescension on an otherwise excellent site.
OK, I was just at City Centre Theatre on the weekend—my first time since they’ve renovated—and I’m very impressed. Odds are that I’ll still end up at North Common quite often (my girlfriend has a Scene Card Visa, so she has tonnes of points to use toward free movies…but only at Cineplex theatres, not at Empire), but I’m definitely going to start checking out City Centre again, especially when I want to see something on opening night.