If you’re looking for a way to spend the two days of Eugene 08: U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials that don’t feature any competition, look no further than the air-conditioned havens of Eugene’s movie theaters. If you know where to look, a good movie is never too far away.
Cinemark Movies 12 Gateway Mall
Known as the “$1.50 theater,” Movies 12 offers a discounted movie-going experience for viewers with a tight budget. For $1.50 (or $2.00 on Friday and Saturday evenings after 6 p.m.), you can catch a less-than-new flick in the less-than-new theater that became home to the $1.50 movie after the new Cinemark 17 theater was built. Also, movies are discounted to an even more enticing $1.00 all day Wednesdays. If you don’t feel like waiting for a movie to be released on DVD, hop over to Gateway and catch it for cheaper than the $4 rental fee at Blockbuster.
A selection of current movies at Movies 12: “21,” “Baby Mama,” “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.”
Cinemark 17 Gateway Mall
Newer, cleaner and bigger than Movies 12, Cinemark 17 is the best place in Springfield to catch a movie. The stadium seating means you won’t have to dodge someone’s head to see the action on screen, and a number of screens with digital projection provide the opportunity to see big-screen blockbusters in hi-definition video and sound. Sure, it costs more than Movies 12, but it makes up for it in a better selection and better overall experience.
A selection of current movies at Cinemark 17: “Wanted,” “Wall-E,” “Get Smart,” “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
Regal Valley River Center Stadium 15 Valley River Center
Regal Stadium 15 is the newest theater in town. It doesn’t have as many screens as Gateway’s Cinemark 17, but the unfortunate draw for many people is the simple fact that it isn’t located in Springfield. And, like Cinemark 17, the theater offers the newest mainstream films with the occasional option of digital projection and sound, and plenty of stadium seating. The theater also features a party room, making it a good place to hold a birthday party.
Recent releases at Regal Stadium 15: “Kung Fu Panda,” “Iron Man,” “The Happening,” “The Love Guru.”
Bijou Art Cinemas 492 E. 13th Ave.
If you’re looking for something decidedly less mainstream than “Iron Man,” then the Bijou is for you. The Spanish-style building, formerly a funeral home and church, is home to Eugene’s only art cinemas. From artsy independent films to eccentric late-night showings of 3-D erotica and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” the Bijou proves it’s the theater with the most character. Just ask Boo, the Bijou’s resident fat cat, who is known to wander around the building or lounge in a chair awaiting affection.
Currently screening at the Bijou: “Bigger, Stronger, Faster,” “The Fall,” “Who Killed the Electric Car?”
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