Oswego 7 — Local services in City of Oswego

I'm not a huge movie-goer (as I'm not the biggest fan of Hollywood), but when I do, ever since I was a child (and most of my movie theatre memories as a kid), my local hometown theatre is usually where I go (split with the also legendary Midway Drive-in Theatre in Minetto in the Summer -- I always like to support both).

I always enjoyed the old art deco look and feel to the place, so several years ago, I looked it up and learned that it was built in 1940-41 and designed by architect John Eberson. Being one of his few works of its kind still standing, and it's overall look and feel, it is has been listed on the National Registry of Historic Places since 1988. It, of course, has had many renovations and expansions (including the motorized push-back seats solved the issue I used to have with my butt painfully falling asleep), and expanded to I believe 7 theatres (as the name implies) but the main theatre still has that old timey feel.

[Side-story: I've seen every Lucas-era Star Wars movie here (I believe I saw Empire Strikes Back around 12 times there as a kid, and all of the prequels on their premiere midnight showings; sadly Disney ruined it all for me with the new ones -- particularly 8, which I also devastatedly saw there on opening night as well and effectively stopped my streak of seeing every one at midnight openings). Mostly now we just take the kids to one of their favorite kids franchises when they are released (often Disney movies, the very same company that "scarred and deformed" my beloved Star Wars franchise), so you win some and lose some. Rant over! :) ]

In closing, a great old-school theatre in my hometown, and I'll...

Not the experience it use to be coming here. Welcoming isn't even close to the vibe this place gives off the minute you walk through the doors. To start, they suddenly have a bag checking policy which is completely insane considering the other time I came here to watch Joker 2 not one employee checked my bag at all. I feel like they should hold up to the same standards at ALL times, not just when they "feel like someone's bag looks more full" than someone else's. I brought my son and niece to see DogMan with my sister in law after spending close to $40 on tickets, then another $24 for buckets of just popcorn, no drink included. (Which i knew might happen) They both had brought their own mini Gatorades with them just in case, and were told they had to leave them up front until the end of the movie. When the employees were informed that they needed at least some water (which they claim on their social media page that their employees will "complementary" supply) they didn't care and hadn't supplied that water at all. Not to mention we went in the middle of winter and the theater was an ice box, which made it hard to even enjoy the movie. The entire experience all around was just an awful one. I'm disappointed to say the least and will NOT be coming back. I'd rather wait for movies to be released at home or the drive-in season to start back up and have a way better experience than the 4 of us...

Process is bizarre. Bought tickets ahead of time, was told we had to wait in a line that was roped off for anyone who purchase early tickets and it would be open soon so we could purchase snacks from the stand. Then stood there behind the rope and watched others walk right up get their snacks and enter the theatre. When they finally let us in, they told us we could go right into the theatre. I asked "What about snacks, you said we had to wait here to get them?" The reply we recieved was "oh that's our bad, there's a long line over there that's out the door, that's the line for snacks right now."

Rope is meaningless. Staff is rude and disorganized. Lots of eye rolling and bogus tone when speaking to customers. Bag searches like you're entering a courthouse. Snacks are overly salted and stale. Prices are outrageous and since when did they stop offering refills on drinks and popcorn? Didnt realize we needed to take out a loan to see a film. Dirty seating, half the seats were torn to hell, some didn't recline at all. Definitley poorly mismanaged, Needless to say, very uncomfortable and dirty experience, probably won't be back. Not the same theatre I remember as a kid. It's gone so far downhill....