Art House Theaters — Keystone Film Review

The thing about independently owned theaters is that they break the mold from what we expect from a movie theater. In 2019, we are so used to cookie-cutter… well, everything, that it is nice to go to an establishment which there is only one. A place that is unique and has it’s own “thing” that makes it stick out from other places like it.

One of my favorite pass-times is to go to older theaters and art-house theaters. They are truly the last places on Earth that are trying to keep the old style of movie-going alive, OR are trying something so different, that the experience in itself is worth the price of admission. In a world where megaplexes are dying, these theaters seem to be thriving. And that is due in part to a dedicated community of cinephiles like me.

Located at 112 N Water St, Lancaster, PA

Tonight, I went to a theater I had been meaning to go to for quite some time. But due to their limited hours and showtimes, my busy schedule and a 60+ minute drive to get there, I never did. But tonight, I finally attended a screening at Zoetropolis in Lancaster, PA.

Opening in the mid-90s, this small DIY-style art house theater quickly became a staple of the community in Lancaster and growing the cities film culture by showing smaller, independent and foreign films, a rarity for towns in south-central Pennsylvania. And despite having to change locations twice, this theater continues to pull in audiences with their first-run selection as well as classic screenings.

The biggest surprise to me upon entering the establishment was the full working restaurant and distillery that is attached to it. Not only do they serve food and drinks, but they also share space with Lancaster Distilleries make silver rum, vodka and gin in house and sell it in bottles.

The environment was great from the start. Entering the building, I knew I would have to wait for the last movie to let out, so I grabbed a booth by the concession stand. The restaurant/concession area had a friendly staff and everyone was eager to help people out, a nice change from the typical cashier overflowing with indifference (which as a North-Easterner, I think has a charm in its own right, but still).

Once the theater opened, we were greeted by a plethora of seating options from dining tables, to typical cinema seating and most notably, couches, which of course, my friend and I were all too eager to take the most retro looking one (had to have been from the 70s) and make ourselves comfortable for the film.

The image quality was surprisingly good for the home-level projector that was being used and the sound was even more impressive. Upon entering the theater and seeing the setup, I was a little worried at the level of DIY I saw, but not only did it add to the charm, but the sound was better quality than many big chain theaters I have been to. I quickly realized my initial thoughts were wrong.

This small, one-screen cinema/restaurant/distillery is definitely one of a kind. And even had the movie we just watched not been great (Monos… go see it), it still would have been an enjoyable experience. I look forward to going back to Zoetropolis in the near future.