Cinemagic — Local services in Portland

I've been going here for over 15 years now, and I've only now had an unpleasant experience at Cinemagic. So I want to qualify my present comments with a general admiration for the place and its staff through the years, yet I feel that I should speak up here. I showed up for a Tuesday early evening showing of Birdman a few weeks back. My friend and I arrived over 15 minutes before the stated showtime, nor was this a brand new release at the location. We waited in line for over half an hour just to be admitted to the theater, thereby missing the first 10 to 15 minutes of the movie because the theater was so poorly staffed, and the staff so poorly coordinated that they could not admit the majority of the customers in time to start the movie on time. Yet the projectionist saw no problem beginning the movie on time even though half of the crowd was still waiting in line for the very nice, but overwhelmed, woman working the door, food and drink stations. Could there not have been better communication with what I assume had to be the only other employee to help this poor woman up front, or to delay the beginning of the movie until the crowd was actually admitted to the theater?? There was no explanation, no remuneration, nothing said at all. Very poor business. I'll wait a while before I return. I actually like being able to watch ALL...

A great little cinema on Hawthorne! We watched Taxi Driver on 35mm yesterday, and the whole experience was perfect.

From the moment you arrive, the entrance board sets the tone — it feels like stepping back in time. The space has a nostalgic, traditional charm, with a small area featuring booth tables, vintage movie posters, an old-school popcorn machine, and super friendly staff. It’s got a great vibe.

The theatre itself is beautiful. We didn’t catch the gold curtains in action, so we will have to return! The seats are spacious and comfortable, and it’s open seating, so you can just walk in and choose where you’d like to sit.

Before the movie started, a staff member introduced the film, shared info about upcoming shows, and gave a brief update on the cinema’s progress. It felt warm and personal, such a refreshing change from the usual digital ads and trailers (this screening didn’t have any, since it was shown on 35mm!).

I’d highly recommend checking this place out. Tickets are just $10, and they have great snacks, drinks, and atmosphere. Definitely keep an eye out for their 35mm screenings, there’s something incredibly nostalgic and...

Sound quality and image quality are great. VHS tapes lining the walls and lots of cool posters and memorabilia. Arcade games are free with the ticket. I was in Portland for four days and this was one of two theaters with repertory screenings. I’m from the Midwest and was expecting the big city to have a lot more niche movie offerings but most places are showing only the live action Lilo and Stitch. Maybe this is a tourist problem, but the only other theater i could find offering old movies was showing The Graduate and Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Great movies but at Cinemagic I saw the original Suspiria and then The Wailing. I know Suspiria is hugely popular, but it seems to me that this is the theater to look into if you want to see an old movie you haven’t seen before. I appreciate the...