« Adaptations, Remakes, Sequels - Oh My! | Main | The Bitter Taste of 'Chocolate'. »

Regal. Spinelli. The Music Hall. Cinemagic. Etc.

These are your local options folks, and some of these joints are chains.
When it comes to seeing what you want, you gotta go where the motion pictures are,
but WHAT IF it's showing at two, three, maybe four locations ?

Here are my Top 3 Favorite Seacoast Movie Theaters.. .

1. The Music Hall (Portsmouth, NH)
The best little movies. The most awesome atmosphere.
And those seats ! Not too comfy, not even hard...
and you don't need to put your feet on the backs
(smack yourself if you do .. respect this place).
Even though the adult admission price isn't far from the general
expensivo price of about $9, you can't feel bad about paying it, since you
are supporting The Music Hall, and not some schmuck multiplex that charges $7 for popcorn.
Student/Senior price is $6. Hell of a deal. And the concessions rule.
It's the only theater in the area selling Orangina and Lindt Chocolate.
Also, one major cool thing they do every once in a while is open THE BALCONY for sitting.
Even though you might have to wait for the little film you want to see hit there
a month or two after the initial limited release, you still don't have to drive down to Boston to
catch it. Plus, if it doesn't come during the regular movie seasons, they'll play it during the Summer Film fest, which is going on right now through early September.
Also, they host the Telluride By the Sea festival over the third weekend in September.
So if you really call yourself a film buff, you'd better be going to The Music Hall.

2. Cinemagic (Salisbury, MA)
I have to admit,
I would travel to Salisbury to the Cinemagic more often if I had the time and patience for I-95.
But when I do stop in to this theater, I always have a good time. The crowds are never unruly (which might be my luck), and the prices are just right. Plus, they have something no other theater in the Seacoast has -- STADIUM seating. Ohhh yes. No heads in the way - just pure awesome viewing.
Occasionally, the Cinemagic gets smaller movies playing, but in general, it's a big first run kind of theater. If you've got the time, and want an alternative to the Regals around, drive down and check this place out.

3. The Strand - Spinelli Cinemas (Dover, NH).
The Spinelli Cinemas chain has four locations - Barrington, Lilac Mall (Rochester), Somersworth, and the Strand in Dover. If you want a small theater feel with reasonable prices and could care less about the big multiplex experience, The Strand is the place for you.
I grew up with The Strand having second run movies - months after the big stuff would come out,
you could go to this as a discount cinema , catching all the movies you thought you missed.
But now the theater features first run movies - and the price has gone up slightly.
But it's still a delightful theater that makes you feel more apart of a screening room,
and not a open shell for the masses.

Quick Note -
I'm not a big fan of the Regal Cinemas in Newington, or anywhere,
but the Portsmouth location (formerly Hoyts, and Canad Cinemas)
does have really interesting large screen attributes.
It's not just the DTS that appeals to me --
somehow, the seats are on a slight, long slope and the theater is extremely dark -
Major caution when trying to find a seat when the previews are rolling -
get there early or you might sit on someone you can't see.
There's this different, indescribable feel about their two main screens -
definitely something that isn't like anywhere else.