Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
a chit, which you'll trade for a free ticket at an adjacent table).
150 W. 17th St., btw. Sixth and Seventh aves.
212/620-5000.
www.rmanyc.org
.
Subway: 1/2/3 or F/M to 14th St.; L to Sixth Ave.
chashama
The innovative use of multiple spaces is a reinforcement of this arts group's name (it's Farsi
for “to have vision”). Storefront windows in scattered locales host free art exhibits, live music, and theatrical pro-
ductions. In late November or early December, the group sponsors a film festival. The programming follows a
theme, like '12's “The Rise of Societies,” with docs, shorts, and features all in play. Everything is free, but seats
are limited, so make sure to RSVP. Check the website for times and locations.
chashama Flagship Space, 217 E. 42nd St., btw.
Second and Third aves.
212/391-8151.
www.chailmfest.com
.
Subway: 4/5/6/S to 42nd St./Grand Central.
Chelsea Classics
Clearview's Chelsea Cinema keeps the natives from getting too restless by breaking up its re-
gimen of mainstream Hollywood fare with a weekly night of camp classics. Drag darling Hedda Lettuce warms
up the room before the early showing. In the programming, Joan Crawford and Bette Davis do not go overlooked.
Shows are Thursdays at 7 and 9:30pm, and only $7.50. After the movie, your ticket stub morphs into a free drink
if you take it to the nearby
XES Lounge
(
www.xesnyc.com
).
260 W. 23rd St., btw. Seventh and Eighth aves.
212/777-FILM
(3456).
www.clearviewcinemas.com
.
Subway: 1 or C/E to 23rd St.
Ciné Barbès
In the eclectic spirit of its namesake Parisian neighborhood, Barbès' monthly film series focuses on
the quirky and the overlooked. Documentaries on Queens's Willets Point and the life of Candy Darling are recent
highlights.
There's a $5 suggested donation, every third Sunday of the month at 5pm.
376 9th St., at Sixth
Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn.
718/965-9177.
www.barbesbrooklyn.com
. Subway: F/G to Seventh Ave.
Coney Island Museum
On Saturday nights in summer, the museum screens movies made in the spirit of Coney
Island's sideshow past. Expect uplifting cinematic triumphs with the words “bikini” and/or “bandit” in the title.
Low-budget productions beget budget prices: Entry is just $6 Saturdays at 8:15pm. In late September, look out
for the Coney Island Film Festival. Most programs are only $6 and run through a full weekend of shorts and fea-
tures.
1208 Surf Ave., 2nd floor, near 12th St.
718/372-5159.
www.indieilmpage.com
.
Subway: D/F/N/Q to Coney Island/Stillwell Ave.
Members Only: Four Cinemas for Savings
FilmForum
Does Hollywood still make movies that aren't just flimsy remakes of second-rate television shows? Just
when we're ready to give up forever on the medium, the marquee of the
FilmForum
draws us in with some irresistible
nugget and we're hooked again. Three screens rotate between revivals, retrospectives, and indies that can't be found
elsewhere. The crowd is just as interesting, with big-shot actors and directors often in the house, upping their avant-garde
cinematic cred. A 1-year membership to Film Forum is one of the city's best steals. Seventy-five bucks buys you close to
half-price movie tickets for all three screens 3651⁄4 days a year. That's $7 instead of $12.50. The next membership level
up is an even sweeter deal: $110 entitles you to
two
half-price tickets for every show. Imagine: cheap date opportunities
every single day. Membership is good for 1 year from the date of purchase. But wait, there's more. It's also 100% tax
deductible (as are the other memberships listed below). Now if only they could make the seats a little more comfortable.
209 W. Houston St., btw. Sixth Ave. and Varick sts.
212/727-8110.
www.ilmforum.com
. Subway: 1 to Houston St.
MoMA
As frustrating as MoMA can be, a membership there carries too many perks for me to resist. On top of compliment-
ary museum admission and sneak previews to new exhibitions, members also get a year's worth of free films. MoMA's
programming is excellent and with movies showing in three separate theaters daily, it's hard to run out of cinematic possib-
ilities (1,500 screenings play each year). Members can also buy half-price tickets for up to five friends (just $5 per ticket)
to come along with them. At $85 per year ($140 dual), membership pays for itself after seven flicks. 11 W. 53rd St., btw.
Fifth and Sixth aves.
212/708-9400.
www.moma.org
.
Subway: E/M to Fifth Ave./53rd St.
TheMayslesCinema
Documentaries like
GimmeShelter
and
GreyGardens
forged the legend of brothers Albert and
David Maysles. Although David has passed on, Albert continues to be an active force in the film world, making document-
ary film and video accessible to underserved populations from his Harlem HQ. A $50 membership here will get you a
