Music Box Theatre — Attraction in Lake View Township

I was blown away by how terrible my first experience was here. I took my girlfriend to see the special 70mm screening of "2001: A Space Odyssey", I'd seen it before but she had not. The theater itself is super outdated and the screen was much smaller than anticipated, which I'm fine with for an independent theater. Gives it some charm.

The real issue was the audience. I was expecting an audience of respectful film fans given the type of screening we were at, but reality couldn't be further from that. People laughed CONSTANTLY throughout the whole movie. For anyone who's seen it before, 2001 is a bit awkward and outdated, but most of the film is FAR from a comedy. The first and last acts of the film are deeply introspective and existentially terrifying, but all the audience could do was snicker at the deadpan line delivery of the main characters. Every single clever shot or witty dialogue received a loud snicker from the crowd, which was completely distracting and took away from my experience.

And I had seen the movie before! I went with my girlfriend who had never seen it before, and it was legitimately hard for her to keep up with the dialogue given how loud the audience was. The crowd was legitimately laughing throughout the entirety of the film's dramatic climax. The long sequence of Dave breaking back into the ship and disconnecting HAL had me on the edge of my seat. Meanwhile the audience laughed at every line of monotone, extremely dark dialogue. I felt like I was watching The Room. Either the entirety of the audience had seen the movie a million times before and wanted to flex their film-bro elitism by snickering at/acknowledging every remotely clever aspect of the film, or most hadn't seen it and were completely misinterpreting most of the film's tone. In reality it's probably both.

Overall the experience was overwhelmingly negative, and I'm not enticed at all to come back. The staff was great and the theater was old-school and a bit charming, but I have a feeling my experience with the audience wasn't unique to my showing. If the normal audience is always loud and disrespectful, then I won't be back. Would not recommend based on...

The Music Box Theatre in Chicago offers a truly unique cinematic experience, especially highlighted by my recent viewing of "Oppenheimer." This historic venue stands out not just for its films but also for its distinct old-school charm and commitment to the traditional art of cinema.

While watching the movie, the sound quality was notably impressive. The clarity and depth of the audio added a remarkable layer to the viewing experience, making every scene more impactful. The acoustics in the theater were so well-tuned that they significantly enhanced the film's dramatic effect.

A standout feature of the Music Box Theatre is its rare offering of 35mm film screenings. Watching "Oppenheimer" in this format added an authentic, nostalgic feel to the experience. This is particularly special in an era dominated by digital cinema, making the Music Box Theatre a cherished venue for film purists.

The theater itself, though charming with its vintage aesthetic, does have less comfortable seating. However, this minor inconvenience is a small price to pay for the theater's overall ambiance and unique cinematic offerings. It’s a reminder of the golden age of cinema, preserved in the modern day.

The staff's friendliness and passion for film further enrich the experience, making visitors feel genuinely welcome.

In conclusion, the Music Box Theatre is an exceptional place for movie lovers. Its combination of superb sound quality, rare 35mm screenings, and enchanting vintage charm outweighs the less comfortable seating, making it a must-visit for a memorable movie-going...

This theater has really good programming and the organist before shows is cool and it's nice they've kept the old decor and not turned it into some modern monstrosity.

But I really hesitate to go to screenings here because the audiences are so obnoxious. They laugh at EVERYTHING. Not just jokes, but basically anytime anything happens in a movie even if—sometimes especially if—it's sad or disturbing. I'm not sure why they do this but my guess is that it's self-conscious film nerds desperate to show the other self-conscious film nerds that they "get it".

Any creative act on the part of the film, acts which usually work movie magic and immerse you the viewer in the soul of the movie, is scoffed at by the freaks in the audience to signal to others that they picked up on the magic, the end result being to pull non-freak viewers out of the immersive experience, while the freaks are left to play their little game of who-can-scoff-the-most.

It seems like a lot of people go here not to watch movies, but to be watched appreciating a movie. And the way they signal to others they are appreciating the movie is by laughing at inappropriate moments. And when half the audience is doing this, a sickening chorus of forced, joyless laughter emerges and any chance you have of engaging with a film on its own terms disappears.

Just imagine watching a Lynch movie and anytime something odd happens, instead of letting it wash over them, the people next to you cackle. I can't imagine a...