From 2746 to 3055

There are only two independently operated single screen theaters left in Columbus. For a decade. I used to live a couple of blocks from Studio 35. Back then, it was a between first and second run movie house. Cheap tickets, interesting atmosphere. It was quite run down. The seats were hit or miss. Most rows had a few seats that could not be sat in by people of any weight.

A few years ago the theater was sold and the new owners added draft beer to the mix. Eventually they improved the screen and sound. Over the spring they went all in, closed the place for a few weeks and updated the interior, added a full bar with plenty of tap handles. They also added a digital projector and vastly improved the sound. Finally, the seats are new! And the bathrooms are palatial compared to the old ones.



We gave it a chance last night and went to see the reboot of Spiderman. Friendly but loose service. A number of beers were not available, but we found a beverage for our liking. The back rows of the theater are still taken up by a nifty combination of seats and tables because people are still ordering in pizzas from the place a few doors down. It's not the quietest of movie experiences in this city, it never has been.

We liked the film. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are a vast improvement over McGuire and Dunst. The acting was more than competent. I think Stone's going to be able to write her own ticket very soon. We've seen the plot before. We'll see it again. It's familiar, but not overly so.

We'll even go back to my old neighborhood more often. It's a pleasant, locally owned movie going experience.