Chicago theater, stage & film guide: Chicago plays, theaters, movies and more

Landmark Century Centre Cinema
Located on Clark Street in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, Landmark Century Centre Cinema is a convenient spot for North Siders to catch a flick in style and comfort. From the street, Landmark has an old-fashioned movie house appearance with the traditional marquee, ornate stone pillars and carved exterior embellishments. Inside, moviegoers find a state-of-the-art cineplex with seven separate auditoriums boasting stadium seating, Dolby digital sound and gourmet concession stands. The multi-level theater occupies the building’s upper stories while the lower floors house a small shopping mall.

Although the Landmark is best known for playing foreign and independent films, it shows a variety of features that include first-run Hollywood blockbusters as well. General tickets are $10, children and seniors are $7.50 and special bargain shows are also $7.50. The next door garage provides ample parking for just $5 with validation.

Navy Pier IMAX Theatre
This is not your typical cinema. The IMAX at Navy Pier houses the biggest movie screen in all of Chicago! The specialized IMAX screen is eight-stories tall and so wide the audience feels like the picture wraps around them. A high-tech sound system accompanies the visuals to create a sensory experience unlike any other in the city.

Want to go a step deeper? Try a 3-D IMAX show and be amazed as the giant-sized images leap out of the screen towards you! We’re not talking old school 1950s paper 3-D glasses here – the IMAX uses ultra-advanced technology to create super life-like encounters. Audience members wear E3D headsets with electronic liquid-crystal shutter lenses to produce the ultimate three-dimensional effect.

Features at Navy Pier IMAX are limited because movies must be shot on an extra-large format (about three times bigger than standard film) to play on the screen. But whether the theater is showing nation-wide releases or specialty IMAX adventures, you’re sure to be impressed with the sheer magnitude and clarity of the images before your eyes.

AMC River East 21
322 East Illinois Street
(847) 765-7262
Opening in late 2002, AMC River East is a relatively new addition to Chicago’s downtown movie watching options. The multi-story cineplex is located a few blocks west of Navy Pier in the heart of the Streeterville neighborhood. With 21 theaters and several showings of each film per day, River East has become one of city’s most popular spots for movie nights.

AMC River East theaters were designed to provide unobstructed sightlines and ultra-comfy seating. The stadium-style rows have 18” risers, so you can always see over that person in front of you, and the plush, high-backed chairs recline just enough to ensure everyone is relaxed while enjoying the film.

To help keep things efficient and smooth – especially on busy weekends – the cineplex installed Automated Box Office stations where patrons can purchase and pick up pre-ordered tickets. Pay parking is available both in the next door garage and across the street in the surface lot.

Gene Siskel Film Center
164 North State Street
(312) 846-2600
The Film Center of the School of Art Institute of Chicago was renamed in 2000 as a tribute to late movie critic Gene Siskel. The center is internationally recognized for its support of independent, foreign and classic films. In 2001, the organization relocated to a building touted as the most technologically-enhanced film facility in the region. In addition to having roughly 1,500 screenings yearly, the Gene Siskel Film Center hosts around 100 guest artist events every year that draw more than 65,000 movie buffs annually.

AMC Loews
600 North Michigan Avenue
(312) 255-9347
AMC Loews is a convenient downtown theater off Michigan Avenue at Ohio Street. There are nine screens that show a limited selection of first release films. Because it is a slightly older establishment, AMC Loews doesn’t have the luxury of stadium seating or a super crisp sound system. But movie watchers can still indulge in the usual concessions of popcorn and candy. It may not be the most updated cinema in town, but the easy-to-get-to, not-too-crowded factor balances out the downsides and keeps this location at the top of the list of Chicago movie theaters.

Theater and Film: Movie Theater Index