Dig into a world’s worth of movies that happen to be showing right around the corner with Boston’s indie film theaters.
By Danielle Momoh
Nicole Kidman enjoys the dazzling images on a huge silver screen / photo: AMC
“We come to this place for magic.”
The first line of her infamous ad campaign rings out as Nicole Kidman walks through a grandiose and shiny movie theater. She smiles with a twinkle of infinite amusement in her eyes, strolling the halls, as if she were in the middle of the Sistine Chapel, not the utopic version of an AMC building. While the short video has served its purpose to boost AMC’s revenue, (and inadvertently Nicole Kidman’s icon status) it rings truer than a good business strategy. Theaters are deeply important places. They are avenues to appreciate art en masse, the home and thriving ground of films. And local theaters function as much more than a space for your latest blockbuster. Housing local music, lectures, plays, and films for those of the slightly more niche persuasion, they can be the center to an entire community. Boston theaters are no exception.
“We come to theaters to laugh, to cry, to care. Because we need that, all of us.”
One of my favorite local theaters is Coolidge Corner. It’s the type of place that every single film (and film-adjacent) student in Boston knows and has visited at least once. It’s such a staple in the Brookline area— though its influence is felt throughout Boston– it feels like the Coolidge Corner train stop was made just for it. Coolidge has been standing long before most of the people that frequent it were alive. Originally a church, it was redesigned as an “Art Deco'' movie palace in 1933. Its roots as a place of worship feels unsurprising. What else could a non-profit indie theater be but a divine place for people to gather and revere art?
A full house at Coolidge's main screening hall / photo: Coolidge Corner Theater
The Coolidge Corner Theater doesn’t stop at showing the latest A24 film. Its signature programs are what set it apart from any other theater you might find around. With ongoing slots like Big Screen Classics, Coolidge Education and Goethe German Film, there’s never a boring day at the cinema. People go to Coolidge to see movies they never would have otherwise. Where else am I going to catch a midnight screening of the live action Scooby-Doo (2002) movies? Or a free outdoor screening of Tremors (1990)? The latter even came with a fun, but terrifying lecture from a geologist about how realistic the underground creatures from the film were. Spoiler alert: Their existence is shockingly plausible.
“Not just entertained, but somehow reborn together”
The signature brick of the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, MA / photo: the Brattle
Boston’s amazing theaters don't stop at the Coolidge. Though not obvious to the casual movie watcher, those who like to espouse film facts and grouse about camera lenses know that Boston appreciates film. The Brattle Theater is another one of my favorites, specializing in showing classic, foreign and first-run films. They center their selections on a theme each month, diving deep into ideas like “Strange Invaders” or “Vampires in the Arthouse” (who doesn’t want to see Thirst on the big screen!) Their showings can be described as nothing short of esoteric– and immensely popular to the right crowd. Finding a seat at the screening of Possession (1981) was more difficult than I would have thought, but seeing that subway scene made it more than worth it.
“Our heroes feel like the best part of us, and stories feel perfect and powerful…”
There are many more Boston theaters, each of them with a unique draw and crowd. In a city so bursting with culture and people, it's unsurprising that the film scene is equally vibrant. As a movie-lover who is not even from Boston (or America for that matter) having such easy access to these places feels like a privilege. So the next time you stop by a Dunkin' and are wondering what to do with your afternoon, don't just take the T to the nearest AMC. Stop by Brattle, Coolidge, Apple Cinemas, Capitol Theater… your options are (almost) endless.
“Because here… they are”
The links to websites for some local Massachusetts theaters are listed below. Be sure to check some out! :
Brattle: https://brattlefilm.org/
The Coolidge: https://coolidge.org/
Apple Cinemas: https://www.applecinemas.com/movies
The Capitol: https://www.capitoltheatreusa.com/
Somerville Theater: https://www.somervilletheatre.com/
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