Compiled by Joyelle H. McSweeney Let's face it--as a Harvard student, you're probably not going to find yourself at the Sony Cherie any time soon. Here's a guide to the area movie theaters Harvard students are more likely to visit this summer, the "quirk" which makes each theater unique, and why getting there and getting a seat can be a Mission: Impossible. The Theater The Gimmick The Hitch The Brattle Theater Great old and arty movies you'd otherwise have to rent, if you could even find them in video stores. This one's easy to get to--it's right next to HMV in Brattle Square. But getting a seat can still be a struggle. Imagine an audience full of over-achiever grad students whose hauteness depends on seeing Now Voyager one last time. Kendall Square Cinema Hip art flicks, an espresso bar, and faux-art-deco interior make this the most chichi theater in town. After getting off at the Kendall-MIT stop, you have to cut through the Marriot, negotiate a deathly intersection, cross train tracks, and trudge through the dubious and probably health-threatening wastelands and parking lots of Genzyme. Good Luck. Coolidge Corner This non-profit independent theater sports a huge, old fashioned screen and shows benefit screenings of independent films, local filmmakers, and the Sick and Twisted Animation festival. It's in Brookline, which means you'd have to break the unwritten rule against most Harvard students even attempting to take the bus. Sony Fresh Pond Shows all the summer block-busters and mainstream pictures. Refreshing, isn't it? Getting to the Fresh Pond mall from the Alewife T-stop is an adventure flick all in itself, though that may enhance the viewing experience. After crossing abandoned lots, playing "Frogger" across median-strips on multi-lane highways, hopping the guard rail and scrambling down a 45 degree muddy incline, and, finally, sprinting across the endless asphalt parking lot, you do feel pumped to watch "The Rock." Sony Harvard Square It's actually easy to get to, shows an ok variety of movies, serves up tasty mints on the way out, and even occasionally plays the "Thank You for Coming to Loewe's" jingle with the trailers. It's easy to get to. What's the point of having an escapist, adventursome night out of Harvard if there's no adventure, and no narrow escapes?
