Adam Goldsmith
A Guide to DC-Area Movie Theaters
Adam Goldsmith
Fall 2015
Washington, DC is often viewed as a one-dimensional city, strictly concerned with politics. While reminders of the city’s political culture are ubiquitous, the nation’s capital still offers plenty more. For instance, if you’re anything like me, you love going to the movies, and the DC area has a variety of theaters to satisfy all kinds of movie-goers. Here are a few recommendations:
Landmark Theatres – E Street Cinema – 555 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20004
This is probably my favorite theater that I’ve encountered here, and it’s for one reason: the choices. The E Street Cinema shows a number of indie and foreign films, along with movies that haven’t yet achieved a wide distribution. For any lover of smaller films, there is always frustration knowing that there might be a wait to see movies that may already be available in New York or LA; this theater acts as a remedy for that problem.
The Landmark Theatres – E Street Cinema marquee.
Regal Cinemas Gallery Place 14 – 701 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Being from Syracuse, NY, this is the kind of theater that I regularly frequent when I’m back home. It offers all of the major releases on big screens and is conveniently located near the Gallery Place-Chinatown metro station (Red, Green, and Yellow lines). What more could you ask for?
AMC Mazza Gallerie – 5300 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015
I usually come to this theater because it shows many big films, but is also in an area where it doesn’t attract too much attention. This means that you don’t have to battle crowds to see popular films. Living in a large metro area, it’s comforting to know that there is a theater that has a solid selection of films and a lot of available seating.
AMC Tysons Corner 16 – 7850e, Tysons Corner Center, McLean, VA 22102
I’ll be honest, if you’re in DC, this theater is quite a ways to travel just to see a movie. Though, I would argue that AMC Tyson’s Corner 16 is worth the lengthy trip. This is primarily for one reason: it offers the opportunity to select your seats online. When a highly-anticipated film is about to released, I love knowing that this theater allows me to secure good seats well before I arrive.
AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center – 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910
AFI is a highly reputable name in the film world, and this theater is just another reason why. Not only does it offer a variety of great indie films, but it also often shows other movies decades after their initial release. So if you really want to experience, say, Goodfellas or One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in a theater, this is the place to go.
Adam is a senior studying political science and interning at the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
