Magic Lantern Theatre

The only problem with the Magic Lantern, is that I don’t go often enough. We recently saw Brooklyn. Not only do I enjoy the small and quaint atmosphere… with plenty of restaurants in the area… but they have the best popcorn of any theater I’ve ever been to anywhere! I love that they serve the popcorn in metal mixing bowls like you might use at home. Love to go to movies here… for $ 6!

Spokane’s best independent movie theater. Great for off-​the-​beaten path films and bottomless popcorn bowls. Two screens. Tasty restaurants nearby. Give yourself a few extra minutes to find parking.

Tonight was my first night in the Magic Lantern theater and I was quite excited coming in not knowing Spokane had an independent theater. I found it very cute and cozy with the miniature concession stand and sharing the same location as the Saranac pub. Also my husband told me the theaters was from the 30s. Ah cool!
Sadly my excitement was squashed due to the 2 workers’ unfriendly demeanor. While purchasing the tickets there was an aloofness that I figured was typical. Then 30 min later, when I went to get a refill on my bottomless popcorn I stood there for awhile while guy #1 seemed to ignore my presence. Knowing he was not busy at all, I gazed over at him for awhile with no response. I asked him for more popcorn please and was told by guy #1 that guy #2 was not here and to help myself. Oh ok no problem, but could you ring me up for a soda? Guy #1 said «I don’t know about that.»
Hmm ok. I am getting strange vibes at this point, and am feeling unwelcome for him to not offer to refill on my popcorn or sell me a soda when there was not a thing else for him to do except stand there and stare off into nothingness. Then as I helped myself I unhinged the popcorn machines door. I said «Oh I might have unhinged the door» then bam like magic guy #2 appears from behind a curtain after I said this. He refills my popcorn and sells me a soda. It’s almost like –gasp– I could have been helped the whole time. The only thing I think may have caused this was what was playing was a Christian documentary for traditional marriage? Whatever it was it was very unprofessional and not something I as a business owner would want for my company.

Great spot to catch a good movie that isn’t filled with over priced tickets or popcorn. It’s like having your own home theater for $ 8 bucks a visit. Usually are playing highly rated films just have to keep an eye out.

The Magic Lantern is fantastic.
My family and I rented the theater for my university graduation party. The staff were so nice and took every step necessary to make sure we were well taken care of.

On it’s uniqueness alone this place is a five. It is in a great up and coming part of downtown. The people are very nice and genuine. Each time I have gone here they have had a unique selection of good but under the radar movies. It seems like going back in time to sit in a small intimate theater. (At times I even felt like I was in a Wes Anderson movie myself.) The added flare is the real glasses for beverages and metal bowls for fresh popcorn just like home. It is always a fun and unique experience at The Magic Lantern Theater.

Love the Lantern. It’s always a nice night to get a pretzel and a drink at the Saranac and go to some wonderful movie (or a series of shorts!) 20 yards away. Come on! You want independent cinema in Spokane, get your self down there and support them!

The place to see off the beaten path movies and foreign films in the area at reasonable prices. Love it when they bring in cookies from next door to sell– There are glasses of free water and you can not beat the popcorn deal. They are friendly folks and want their movie goers to enjoy the experience, Sometimes by the end of the movie I did find my a seat to be a bit uncomfortable depending where I am sitting. Other times I am very comfortable.
Several of the showings feature discussions before or after the film or even feature local talent. I enjoyed to Spokane with Love :) which I saw awhile ago– also some documentaries that are not shown in any other theater in the area–
I like it when the audience is courteous and does not talk during the film otherwise the small sized theater gives you privy to their conversations when you rather be watching and listening to the film.
Its a fun place to go with friends.

Read a few other reviews even talked to the managers about some of them, particularly the comment about movies skipping in some guests and, they admit, is true.
According to them it’s not alway for the same reason, sometimes it’s their fault other times for whatever ungodly reason, it’s the disc it their equipment.
But none of the above, thankfully, was my experience. My wife and I barely made it in time, paying 50 cents for parking at 6:30 on a Thursday evening (after 7:00 meters are free) for the last showing of song of the sea and what a movie!!!
I chatted up with the 2 fellows that where running the magic lantern that night and they where pleasant. The theater has a pretty decent stocked concession stand with DOMA coffee (great choice).
The theater is a one room cute thing. Quite small but there where only 4 patrons total that night so it was a nice and quite-​movie viewing pleasant experience. I recommend this place :)

Conceptually, I adore the Magic Lantern. Independent theaters are vital to our culture and I will support that till the cows come home. With that said, there’s a reoccurring and harmful problem with their projectors, or the hard drives which store the new digital screenings where skipping, lagging, and occasional halts in the presentation occur. This can not only irk some but interrupt the experience of cinema.
I was disappointed when this happened during the SpIFF screening of Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter. During a vital scene, the film skips and eventually resets past where we were and it resulted in the Q&A host having to explain the climax and ending of film to us, which really sucked.
The ticket wasn’t cheap, $ 10 is in the higher end for Spokane evening movie ticket prices, and when these issues occur with AMC/​Regal, the audience is usually rewarded with a pass to return to another movie. This didn’t happen at Magic Lantern and it was really disappointing. The guy next to me mutters «This happens every time I come here!» and that bums me out. Indie cinema is so important and I want to see the Magic Lantern survive, but with these technical issues and a shrugging attitude towards them, I felt left in the cold like poor Kumiko.
This review is subject to change with future experiences, obviously.

Small little hipster theater that serves you bottomless popcorn out of what look like dog bowls, and canned soda with a glass of ice. Don’t get me wrong, I like that about the place!
My main gripe is the size. The theaters are small (under 50 people small), so if you’re someone who’s anti-​people (like me), be prepared to hear everything everyone in the theater is munching on, drinking, or chatting about with their buddy.

I love the intimacy of this theatre. Refreshments are served in glasses and bowls that you drop off on your way out. The theaters was small and seating is a little cramped, which can be irritating if you have a loud chewer at your show.

I love indie movie theaters because 1) the movies and 2) they’re always kinda quirky. Magic Lantern doesn’t disappoint. I really enjoy coming here. I especially love the popcorn, which is served in randomly sized kitchen bowls and can be refilled as many times as your little heart desires.

I keep reading about customer service at this theater — and boy, we sure didn’t experience it today.
Two very disinterested guys were working — and neither one of them had customer service skills. Perhaps they weren’t interested in working the holiday, or perhaps it’s the «B Team» — but they weren’t friendly or helpful at all.
I appreciate the independent movies and the small intimate theater space — but I’m not sure I’m coming back.

Best selection of interesting movies in Spokane with intimate theaters and comfortable seating. You’ll see movies here not offered in any other theaters this side of the Cascades (and some main stream goodies too!)
I appreciate that they serve their endless popcorn in actual bowls that get washed and reused and have a nice water station with real glasses!

Comfortable and nice change of pace. The popcorn is delish!

These guys work hard and do business right. Support indie film. Support independent movie theatres.

I always love their selection of indie movies, and their location is great! I wish they still had wine for sale in the concessions area, but oh well…
I was delighted to see Melancholia here when it wasn’t playing anywhere else. Although the movie brought me to tears, the experiences I have dining in the adjacent restaurant or wandering around the rustic building always leave me feeling happy.

Nice theater, nice people.
They typically have a interesting array of film choices, including those otherwise hard to see in/​around Spokane. Especially good if you’re interested in foreign films. I also like the smaller theatre rooms.
You can order a latté and sit down to your movie. However, within this convenience lies my one criticism: the loud clanking of coffee mugs and saucers while I’m trying to watch a flipping movie. It may have just been the particular crowds at the showings I went to, but the people drinking coffee were making the related noises (in a small theater) which was distracting and obnoxious. Easy solution, use paper cups!

This is my favorite theater in the greater Coeur d’Alene/Spokane area. If we decide to see a movie we always check here first. They usually have new movie (s) weekly and a lot of them are independents and foreign. They even play «cult» classics often. The past two years they have had a Big Lebowski movie night that sounds like a lot of fun. If you enjoy popcorn, dessert, beer, wine or a tasty coffee with your movie, then you’re in luck, because this place supply’s all of them. If you have a choice come and support a local business that supply’s a relatively cheap admission and a good selections of treats.