Nuart Theatre

04/20/07

Quirky, with tons of personality and awesome eclectic films

by pointofinfo at Citysearch

The Nuart is like a fourth home for me as a frequent Rocky Horror attendee. I also often attend the Friday Night midnight films quite often. The staff is eclectic, but not anywhere as eclectic as the films. Mark, the theater manager, is one of the craziest / most awesome guys in the business, and will gladly go off on tirades about how everything is cr*p nowadays. Anyway, I highly recommend the zaniness of this place to anyone who dares come hang out with us weirdos for Rocky Horror or the midnight films. Also, there is a steady stream of foreign and domestic horror films, which I've been told are great (I'm not a genre fan, but many friends whose opinions I trust are). The theater was remodeled late last year, so the seats are comfy and can partially recline. The sound is quite good for normal films (Rocky Horror is played soft so callbacks can be shouted; first-time Rocky watchers should watch the movie at home first so they can actually tell what's going on), and there's actually THX in there. They have listening devices available at no cost that work and are comfortable to wear by comparison. I'd like to note that it says that the theater is not wheelchair accessible, but I'd like to note that every Saturday, at least one person gets all the way from the entrance to the stage in front on a non-motorized wheelchair. Parking is the major drawback, with limited street parking during the day. At night, however, the area is safe enough to walk, and there is a nearby packed hookah cafe with outdoor seating, so no one is about to attempt a car jacking. The place is definitely for the funky target crowd who are interested in seeing things that are cult or cool.

• Pros: Nearby 24-hour restaraunt and 7-11, great film selection, definitively eclectic vibe
• Cons: Pretty bad parking (no lot), sometimes there is a long outdoor wait (exaggerated by only wearing lingerie)

The West side's finest art house, screening the best in offbeat cinema.

by Contributor at Citysearch

In Short
One of the city's oldest independent theaters, the Nuart has been playing the best movies that you've never seen since way before the Independent Film Channel. Showing a mixture of first-run foreign and domestic films, the theater occasionally tacks animation and festival-circuit movies on to its bill. The movie for which the term "cult classic" was invented (well, maybe), "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," screens every Saturday at midnight and always draws an enthusiastic crowd.

10/26/05

My favorite theater

by comicalcupcake at Citysearch

This theater is probably my number one choice for a Friday night, even though we miss Lulu's. But the Nuart alone is enough to attract a crowd. Besides the expansive movie collection and bargain prices (with Landmark discount card, 5 tickets for $35= $7 per ticket), I always look forward to the best popcorn in town! The staff is quirky and interesting, and the audiences are always there for a good time. Mark, the manager, appeared as the movie expert on "Meet the Geeks." He knows everything there is to know about every film ever made. Seriously. But don't try to talk to him, or he'll bite your head off. Tip: park two blocks away, outside the police station for a safe, well-lit street spot.

• Pros: excellent films, delicious popcorn, inexpensive
• Cons: too loud, long lines

11/18/03

it's THX certified

by brendonla at Citysearch

In addition to what others have said, I'd like to add that the Nu-Art is THX certified. Not many arthouse/single-theater cinemas in Los Angeles are. So if you do see a current or recent release here, be assured you'll hear the soundtrack as it should be heard. On the other hand, no parking (same with Royal down the street) so you have to hunt around the surrounding neighborhood or down Santa Monica Blvd. for parking.

Nu-Art stands out for its programming of anime and Asian films too! Saw METROPOLIS and the COWBOY BEBOP movie here recently as well as Tsui Hark's TIME AND TIDE.

• Pros: eclectic films, comfy seats, big screen/THX sound
• Cons: must hunt for parking

03/22/03

Midnight movies

by ProfessorChaos at Citysearch

The Nuart is already a treasure for the movies they play that the giants will not. But you can read enough about that in other reviews. The Nuart achieves greatness in their midnight movies. Every Saturday at midnight is Rocky Horror, which I've never checked out. But every Friday night is a different movie. Last night it was The Goonies. Never thought I'd see that on the big screen again. And talk about a crowd. It was packed with almost 300 screaming fans. The most fun you'll have at the movies outside of a 12:01 Star Wars showing. The selection widely varies from cult classics to so-bad-it's-funny turkeys like Cool As Ice, to fun classics like The Goonies. Ghostbusters is next week. Be there.

• Pros: midnight movies, a true art house, great selection
• Cons: no student discount, expensive tickets

02/07/03

Interesting Variables

by logos_abstract at Citysearch

Only place to see many of the finest cinematic achievements not plugged by the greedy giants in movie distribution. As a side-effect, the folks who work there are elitist, indifferent jackas*es to a degree I've not seen many places elsewhere (even for Los Angeles!).

• Cons: Service

06/13/02

More indy than indy

by wes_burrell at Citysearch

It's lovely to have a theater that shows such small time films that even the independent theaters don't cary them. It's also wonderful to find a theater that plays documentaries. The only drawback is that these first run films run only for a week or so before they move on and you cannot see these films anywhere else (except after they're released--if they're released--on the video/DVD market). Nuart is a very good theater because of its selection alone.

05/20/02

An L.A. treasure

by JSchwartz_Citysearch at Citysearch

Thank the heavens for the Nuart. For decades, this eclectic movie theater has supported offbeat, experimental and truly independent filmmaking. From Fellini and Polanski to George Romero to John Waters, nothing is above--or below--Nuart standards.