Best Commercial Theater, Reader's Choice: the Davis

Reader’s Choice

Davis Theater

By any objective standard, you’d have to choose AMC’s River East 21, which has good projection and typically offers at least a dozen current releases. But of that dozen, eight will be garbage, and the other four will also be screening at the Davis, just south of Lincoln Square. Back in 2000 the theater became a cause celebre when a developer tried to buy the building and turn it into condos. Neighbors banded together, bought the place themselves, and took over the management. The four screening rooms are passable, with some of the screens at slight angles, the result of the theater having been carved into four separate spaces in the 80s. But whoever’s booking the place has good taste, and you can feel the love when you walk in the door—love for the movies and love for the neighborhood. If that isn’t the best of Chicago, I don’t know what is. 4614 N. Lincoln, 773-784-0893, davistheater.com, $8 adults, $5.50 before 6 PM. —J.R. Jones

Readers’ Choice

Landmark’s Century Centre

2828 N. Clark, 773-509-4949, landmarktheatres.com/market/Chicago/Landmark’sCenturyCentreCinema.htm.

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