When it comes time to get your friends together and hit the movie theater, it's important to consider your options. My advice is to plan early and leave early.
There's nothing more annoying than walking 15 minutes to University Square, only to discover that your first two choices have sold out. Left with the option to either watch a bad print of \The Medallion"" or go home to bang your head against the wall, you'll find yourself punishing the wall in no time. While it might take a little initiative to check the bus routes or to find a friend with car priviliges you can abuse, the many theaters in Madison are worth checking out for their distinct qualities.
At the moment, I have a love/hate relationship with the overpriced Point Cinemas. Their black-box multiplex embodies everything I hate about the modern trends in movie theaters. They carry most major releases, shuffling them through their screen lives quicker than ever. Their ticket prices are inordinately high and their concessions are of average quality but depressingly out of place (note to Marcus: Dippin' Dots belong in theme parks, not in movie theaters).
Finally, the clean, efficient space and unexciting decoration seem designed specifically to suck any emotion and attachment out of the movie-going event. Seeing a movie should be an experience like going out to a fine restaurant-going to Point, I can't help but feel like I'm lining up at the feeding trough.
Yet many of these complaints are reasons that I find myself drawn to Point again and again. The number of screens at your disposal means you'll be able to find something that everyone can agree to see. Better yet, so many screens spread the staff thin and make all-day theater-hopping sessions a piece of cake. However, the single best reason to head out there is the Ultrascreen. Midnight showings of ""Lord of the Rings,"" ""The Matrix"" and the ""X-Men"" series single-handedly turn the unexciting theater into what can simply be described as an ""event."" The crowd, composed of geeks and average moviegoers alike, almost makes it feel like you're about to view a sporting event rather than a movie. For these moments alone, Point is worth keeping in mind the next time a major blockbuster movie comes through town.
Located in the south end of Madison, Star Cinema is roughly the same distance away as Point but slightly easier on the wallet. Star suffers from similar multiplex problems and benefits as Point. Thankfully, there was some attention to atmosphere when Star was created. Efforts to make the place interesting largely prove futile, but the thought counts for something. As for selection, Star offers nearly as many choices as Point. The theaters themselves are actually slightly nicer, which makes sense considering Star seems to be the newer theater. In the end, Star proves to be a good alternative to Point's ??ber-high prices and offers just as good, if not better service.
The most familiar of popular movie theaters, University Square is so centrally located on campus that it can't help but prove attractive. On the downside, the premises appear somewhat rundown and the projectors are horrible. After being suckered into seeing the dreadful ""Joy Ride,"" the experience was completely killed when the projector broke twice during the film's excuse for a climax. The limited number of theaters can often result in sold-out shows as well.
On the other hand, University Square has too many good factors to ignore it, most notably location and price. While the price of a ticket with ID has sadly risen to $4 this fall, University Square is still a good deal for students. The place also offers various food and drink, including full meals, ice cream, dessert and beer. I love the dinner tables in the theaters for eating; granted, they're much more useful as footrests, but does that really matter? Best of all are their new ""classic"" screenings at midnight on weekends. I mean, what could be better than the opportunity to catch ""Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back"" on the big screen one more time? Honestly?
