Broadway Centre Cinemas, operated by Salt Lake Film Society — Attraction in Salt Lake City

I'm going to try to offer an in-between review that isn't a slobbering film-buff or a rich single father who somehow expects dual heated, reclining Cinema XD seats from a literal 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

This place has the absolute best selection of films in town. They're your best bet for any independent film with a small theatrical release. The seats are on a decent incline so it's unlikely you'll have the screen blocked by a tall movie-goer in front of you.

The real shame is that with such an incredible selection of mature films, half the screens have some major imperfection, stain, or deformity. It's hard not to notice folds, small tears, or dark streaks streaming vertically across the screen. Your only saving grace is low-key or high-contrast scenes; bright scene in heaven or looking at the clouds? Stains.

As far as ambience, the cost of concessions is ludicrous and while the employees seem nice and knowledgeable, they seem stressed out. You can see in their eyes their love of movies is what first got them interested in the Film Society, but now these local film buffs are relegated to serving $7 sodas and $5 pretzels with no cheese. (But they WILL offer mustard for your salty snack if you ask for a condiment).

It's hard not to notice half the employees are volunteers. It just makes you question an ethos behind the organization. This is a beloved theater with over a thousand positive reviews; they receive plenty of income from these concessions and government grants. And to not put it back into the screen—one of the most critical tools that serves the primary function of this establishment—is odd.

Edit: Review has been updated; a star has been added because I appreciate the receptive response from the owner. My review comes across a bit harsh; this is my favorite theater in Utah for mission, overall-vibes, and film-selection alone. I just want to make sure quality is up to par for...

In the short few months I've lived in Utah, I've found myself coming back to the Broadway more than anywhere else in my free time. This isn't any old movie theater. This is an independent, non-profit theater. They're frequently running indie, foreign and older films that you'll never find the bigger chains. They're also one of the locations that does screenings for the Sundance Film Festival. Somehow, even as a small facility, there's no issue of sound bleeding between theaters! If I had to give any negatives, I'd wish that they expanded the showing schedule a bit. Frequently they'll run a themed series such as the recent "I'm Just Ryan" or current "Kubrick & Kurosawa" series, and only do one showing around 9-9:30. To add to the inconvenience, if you took public transit, you'll have a mad dash to catch the last bus or train home (I've also had complaints for the UTA not running service a bit later)

Overall, this has been one of my favorite theater going experiences. I first discovered them running The Wolf Man from 1941 and I couldn't resist! Since then I've come to see a bunch of imports and smaller films that I wouldn't have even heard of had it not been for the Broadway...

You can tell from the second you walk in that everyone there cares about the best film experience possible, from the staff to the ticket buyers. The atmosphere hits you instantly.

In your average theatre, people talk, text, or loudly fart during the movie. With typical theatres, you have to deal with people who don't really care about the movie or whether anyone else does. Broadway Cinemas is pretty different. People just, you know, enjoy the movie. Most people even sit through the credits, just for fun.

Not to mention the films they show, most of which wouldn't screen anywhere in the state otherwise, especially foreign films. They don't usually have explosions or decepticons, but good writing and acting instead.

If you like theatres where people leave their phone alarms on, come in late, answer a phone call during the movie, and then loudly leave early, maybe this one's not for you. Anyone else, though, will probably be happy...