Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
year's worth of free screenings. (Most regular shows are $10 suggested admission.) 343 Malcolm X Blvd. (Lenox Ave.),
btw. 127th and 128th sts.
212/582-6050.
www.mayslesinstitute.org
. Subway: 2/3 to 125th St.
AnthologyFilmArchives
For over 40 years now, the cinephiles at this totally indie spot have been programming the
best of the avant-garde along with cheeky mainstream combos (a recent series called For the Birds covered everything
from documentaries to Hitchcock). Your $60 membership ($90 dual) entitles you to free admission for the classic
films of the Essential Cinema program, and $6 for all regular shows. 32 Second Ave., at 2nd St.
212/505-5181.
www.anthologyilmarchives.org
.
Subway: F to Second Ave.
Filmwax Film Series
Brooklyn is a hotbed of talent these days, ensuring high levels of quality for this series,
which gravitates toward BK filmmakers. Screenings move around the borough, hitting bars, festivals, and the
Brooklyn Museum. Documentaries play a central role, although there are also features and shorts. Many nights
Neue Galerie
This elegant museum tailors its film program to dovetail with the 20th-century German and
Austrian masterpieces in the galleries. A recent Otto Dix exhibit was matched with a series of battlefield-themed
films that spanned 1930 to 2001. Movies are free Monday afternoons at 4pm in
Café Fledermaus.
1048 Fifth Ave., at
86th St.
212/628-6200.
www.neuegalerie.org
. Subway: 4/5/6 to 86th St
.
Rooftop Films
What began as a lark atop a downtown tenement has now expanded to lawns, parks, and
rooftops across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. On summer nights, God dims the overheads, and indie shorts
and features play. Despite screening low-budget productions, Rooftop Films does an incredible filtering job, and
quality is impressively high. Film themes run along the lines of “Home Movies” or “Scenes from Texas.” Screen-
ings cost $12, but that's a bargain if you value films made by actual human beings and not Hollywood-studio
automatons. You may score a free beer, too, as many screenings come with after-party freebies. Check the website
for exact locations and times. Movies start after sunset (9pm usually), with live music beforehand.
718/417-7362.
Sony Wonder Technology Lab
Sony goes to bat for high-def technology by hosting free films in its
73-seat theater. The flicks tend to be well-known Hollywood products of recent vintage. The programming splits
between kid and adult fare. Times vary, but generally it's the children at noon on Saturday, and the adults' turn
at 3pm. Reservations are recommended; call on Monday morning when a screening is scheduled for later in the
week.
550 Madison Ave., at 56th St.
212/833-8100.
www.sonywondertechlab.com
.
Subway: 4/5/6 to 59th St.; N/Q/R to Lexington Ave./59th St.
Current Releases for Little Currency
“That $3 theater” became “that $4 theater” and then closed altogether. The Uptown bargain-matinee place got torn down
to make way for million-dollar condos. It's becoming harder and harder to find a current release for anything less than the
usurious $13 charged for prime-time viewing. If you're in the right neighborhood, though, there are still options left.
CobbleHillCinemas
Monday through Friday all shows before 5pm are only $7, as are the first shows of the day on the
weekend (as long as they start before 2pm). If matinees don't do it for you, there are also two bargain days, Tuesdays and
Thursdays, when all seats for all shows all day and all night are a humble $7. (The only exceptions are special engage-
ments and holidays.) 265 Court St., at Butler St., Boerum Hill, Brooklyn.
718/596-9113.
www.cobblehilltheatre.com
.
Subway: F/G to Bergen St.
KewGardensCinemas
First-run films play here, usually more interesting indie fare, with several bargain showtimes.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are $7 for all seats all day. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, all seats are $7 until 5pm, as are
seats for the first show before 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Holidays and special engagements are excepted for the
cheap seats. 81-05 Lefferts Blvd., at Austin St., Kew Gardens, Queens.
718/441-9835.
www.kewgardenstheatre.com
.
Subway: E/F to Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike.
