By 1. The Art Theatre of Long Beach
Address – 2025 E. 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814
Distance from CSULB campus – 3.2 miles or a 12-minute drive
Constructed in 1924, the Art Theatre has survived fires, earthquakes and remodelings to remain the oldest operating theater in Long Beach. Its front facade was re-built using original 1933 blueprints. Photo credit: Delfino Camacho
Located on Fourth Street on Retro Row, the Art’s single-screen cinema offers patrons access to an eclectic range of films in its 340-seat theatre room.
Long Beach Art Theatre Head Programmer, Kennedy Ghaill, said the theatre likes to provide an “alternative curriculum” to what’s usually shown in Film 101.
While still featuring first-run films, the Art is primarily a revival of arthouse cinema with curated screenings spanning genres and decades.
The head programmer of the Long Beach Art Theatre Kennedy Ghaill poses for the camera while the 1928 silent film Joan of Arc plays inside the single-screening room. While 2008 saw a switch to digital projection, The Art pays Theatre homage to its history through old-fashioned theater benches and special 16-millimeter screenings. Photo credit: Delfino Camacho
The theater is commemorating its centennial celebration by hosting a year-long film series showcasing films that are 100 years old including “The Thief of Bagdad,” “Michael” and “He Who Gets Slapped.”
The Art recently participated in the Long Beach Q Film Festival from Sept. 5-8.
This is the second year that Kennedy Ghaill, a trans-filmmaker, programmed some of the trans-themed films to be screened.
“I’m really lucky as a person with the identity that I have to get to do this job at all,” Ghaill said. “I want to do good with it, and I hope I have because I do want this to be a center for community and conversation.”
2. Milagro Cinemas
Address – 13917 Pioneer Blvd, Norwalk, CA 90650
Distance from CSULB campus – 12 miles or a 15-minute drive
Tucked away inside Norwalk Town Square, Milagro Cinemas recently opened on Aug. 5. The Milagro Cimenas offer themed alcoholic drinks for the movie “Beetlejuice,” among other releases. Photo credit: Delfino Camacho
With eight screens, 4K digital projectors and modern, two-motor reclining seats, Milagro Cinemas is the newest and largest independent theater on this list.
The Milagro’s owner, Moctesuma Esparza, designed the theater with an emphasis on Chicano culture with concessions like tacos, burritos, nachos, Mexican beer and wine.
The theater shows primarily first-run modern films, but smaller independent movies, including “DiDi” and Spanish-language film “El Candidato Honesto” are also hosted.
To learn more about the history, features and future of the Milagro, read the full profile here.
3. The Frida Cinema
Address – 305 E 4th St #100, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Distance from CSULB campus – 17 miles or a 20-minute drive
The inside of the two-room theater, The Frida Cinema holds a two-wall spanning mural of different movie characters designed and painted by artists Trace Mendoza and Ry Beloin as seen on Sept. 3. Photo credit: Delfino Camacho
Located in historic downtown Santa Ana, The Frida Cinema is Orange County’s only non-profit art house theater.
Frida’s film programmer, Trevor Dillon, and his team of 12 employees and 70 volunteers make the most out of their two-screen space; he estimates they play “50 to 60 movies a month.”
Dillon, who describes his programming style as an “unpretentious arthouse,” said that the space will regularly play movies like the 100-year-old “Phantom Carriage” right next to a screening of “Twilight.”
The space hosts monthly Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings featuring KAOS, a troupe of actors that recreate the movie live during screenings.
“We love to ‘event-ize’ screening because nowadays movie theaters are kind of going away and it’s nice to build a community around our programming,” Dillon said.
4. Gardena Cinema
Address – 14948 Crenshaw Blvd, Gardena, CA 90249
Distance from CSULB campus – 18 miles or a 27-minute drive
Judy Kim, owner and operator of the Gardena Cinema, said she sees the theater as her and her family’s legacy. The Gardena Cinema is doing a two day Monster-Thon screening event and begins at 2 p.m. on Oct. 26 through Oct. 27. Photo credit: Delfino Camacho
South Bay’s last independent theater has gone through many different eras since it was first built in 1946.
The Crenshaw Boulevard one-room theater is almost impossible to miss with its classic marquee and front facade. The impressive, single-screen room features a whopping 800 seats and a large screen.
“We’re small, but big,” theater owner and manager Judy Kim said with a laugh.
Owned by the Kim Family since 1975, the theater temporarily became a Spanish-language cinema serving the Hispanic community during the ‘80s and parts of the ‘90s.
Following financial hardships and the death of the family matriarch Nancy Kim, Judy worked to designate The Gardena Cinema as a non-profit revival theater.
Owner and programmer Judy Kim locks up the front doors of her family-owned theater, The Gardena Cinema on Sept. 3. Beyond a theater, Kim hopes the space to become a place where filmmakers can congregate and discuss films. Photo credit: Delfino Camacho
Now, with a team of volunteers and increasing sales, The Gardena serves to show older classics and lesser-known indie projects. They work with local filmmakers to host community film festivals.
On Nov. 30, Nancy Kim’s birthday, the theater will host a special screening of the John Woo action classic “Face/Off,” Nancy’s favorite movie.
5. New Beverly Cinema
Address – 7165 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
Distance from CSULB campus – 33 miles or a 50-minute drive
The front of the Beverly Cinema on the evening of Sept. 4. 2007. Director Quentin Tarantino, known for films like “Django Unchained” and “Pulp Fiction,” bought the theater and vowed that “as long as he was alive and rich” the theater would continue to play movies on 35 and 16 millimeters, always. Photo credit: Delfino Camacho
The farthest and perhaps most well-known independent theater on this list is steeped in movie and Hollywood history.
First built in 1929, the location served as a storefront for different businesses before being refurbished into a one-room theater in 1949. The space features a small lobby, concession stand and a snug, single-screen room with 228 available seats.
The theater offers double features almost daily. On weekends, the New Beverly Cinema hosts “kiddie” matinees at 2 p.m. and midnight movies.
