A beautiful space and atmosphere. I still remember it fondly nearly 10 years since I last visited, now seeing I had this rating as a draft.

Cute venue for small movie screenings. Parking is challenging but it has a nice back patio to mingle.

Appears to be closed. I have enjoyed these indie movies many times over more than 10 years. But I went tonight (4/6/24) to see a film (about the founder of the Art Car concept, which I REALLY wanted to see) that is active on their website, and that I had received an email about just yesterday. No cars around, no people around, and the building was locked up tight. No sign taped to the door. ?? Before the show, when I tried to purchase a ticket on-line, there was no link nor any other way to buy a ticket. I tried "Contact Us" but there was no phone or working email. Maybe I should have taken the hint. Puzzlingly enough, when I got home and was trying to figure out what was going on, I checked the film's site again, and there WAS a link to purchase a ticket. So, I went through most of the steps (didn't put in my charge acct #, nor hit "Purchase"), and it appeared to be active. In other words, it probably would have taken my $, and I would have showed up to see the movie, and found the theater closed. Cresandra's been talking about closing and moving on for several years. Perhaps that's happened. Indeed, there is a "For Sale" sign on the lawn. But, if they've closed shop, it would be nice if they stopped sending out promotional emails, and if they put a notice on their website. And stopped trying to sell tickets to a show that's not happening. And ... if the Art Car guy's movie actually IS showing, please let me know, because it really enticed me, and I'd love to see it! read more

I love what this place does. It's like a home, but a movie - theater... You are able to bring your own snacks and BYOB. When I went you where able to buy wine or beer as well. Great place hidden in the community. I will come back again in the future. read more

14 Pews - Cinema Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Small theater space tucked into a neighborhood area. Very intimate space so not a bad seat in the place. No dedicated parking, so plan to show up a bit early to find a spot on the street (plenty available). read more

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I scheduled a walkthru with Cressandra, along with my fiance and his mother (who drove 3 hours to get here..) only for her not to show up. I sent an email, called her cell phone number that was in the email, rang the doorbell several times, and knocked on the front and side doors. We waited about 15 minutes, then decided to go ahead to leave. I get an email this morning asking if we would like to come by on another day. There was no apology for the forgotten appointment, or even an explanation. I am bummed that this happened with 14 Pews. We were looking forward to getting married here. If I can't trust someone to show up at a scheduled appointment, I probably can't trust someone to run a business on the day of my wedding. read more

What a brilliant idea! I had to hitch a ride to get there , but it was well worth it. There were free cookies and doggies to play with! How can you beat that? Tell me! How? Hopefully they'll have a priest here soon to bless my camera. read more

Adorable little venue, quaint and quiet - We saw Oleanna and while we did not quite get the direction it was heading ( and almost left early) in the end, we were so glad we stayed! It was great acting and a great plot twist! read more

I heard what a cool little place 14 Pews was so I decided to check it out as the venue for my 30th birthday bash. We met with Cassandra and we decided the venue was absolutely perfect! A few days before the big party, I called to ask how many tables there would be outside. Cassandra did not know any of the details of the party. She asked me what day, what time, what areas were rented, was I having a band, etc. This took place over about 4 one minute phone calls in a row. At the end of the last convo, she asked me if I could please email her all of those details so she had them. I was very worried that she was not in the know since we had booked with her months before. The day of the party came, we set up and she was there to help. When I arrived, I noticed there was an older lady (at least in her 70s) sitting inside the venue where the band was set up. I wasn't sure who she was, but went on greeting guests. I ended up in the back where we had tables set up with drinks and food. We tried to get everyone inside the venue so we could all enjoy the band. Not too long after getting the party going, the police came to the door and stopped our music. They said there was a neighbor complaint and they had just passed a noise ordinance in the city a few weeks before. Total buzz kill for the party. We called Cassandra who was not present and asked her about the permits. The older lady (who ended up being Cassandra's mother) told the police that the neighbors were known to pay for sex and started off on a rant. Odd, especially being that they were there for a simple noise complaint. We told the officers we would have the band lower the music and continued on. -The cops were called again so we ended up shutting our music down. The police even mentioned that it was ridiculous they were called but had to appear if called. -My fiance called Cassandra 3 times asking her to please come up to the venue -Cassandra's mother met many of our guests at the front door and told them they could not go inside and had to go to the back area. This is ridiculous as we paid for the inside of the venue. -Her mother became a huge problem. She was in our guest's faces. She asked a guest to leave (If Cassandra wanted security then she should have hired proper security). She made our guests uncomfortable. She was intrusive. And we had no notice that she would be there that evening. We did have a guest who was incredibly rude to the mother, which is completely unacceptable. I would never condone the disrespect he showed the older lady. However, if she would not have been there that evening (which she should not have been), the situation would have never happened. I do not think Cassandra knew the music would be an issue. I am sure she would have told us if she did. I do, however, think that once it became an issue, she should have come back to the venue to help us figure it out. We finally told her to ask her mother to leave the party. And she did. I am sure 14 pews is an excellent venue for readings and movie watchings. But, it is not consducive for a party or reception....as advertised. After the party, I asked Cassandra for a refund of the amount paid for inside use of the venue since her mother was sending our guests away and we did not know. Because of that, no one was inside or enjoying the live music we paid for while they were able to play. We exchanged several emails and phone calls with voicemails. To date, a refund was never issued. Stay clear of this place if you are even considering having a live band....or a good time. read more

I have been a professional event planner for over a decade and I can say unequivocally that this is the most unprofessional and least accommodating space I have worked with. There were red flags from the beginning - for example having to pay the deposit AND for the event space before they would even show it to me - but my boss really wanted to have our event there, so I made it work. Afterwards, the only complaint from attendees was about the space - it was too small and too dark outside to get to the bathrooms, which were not well stocked, musty and not well ventilated. They very much overestimate the capacity of the space. We were fine with paying the cleaning fee because we had teenagers and food (and we all know how they can be) but I've never had an owner complain to me about taking out the trash (one bag) and emptying ashtrays (we had no smokers at our event). The whole interaction left a very bad taste in all our mouths and we will not be patronizing this establishment again. read more

I have been to two documentaries here and the picture quality is great as well as the sound. You sit on as the name indicated on one of the 14 pews. They can become a little uncomfortable, but the charm of the old church makes you forget about it. There is no need to get there super early as both times I have gotten there they did not open up until about 10 minutes till move time. They sell beer and sodas, but I understand you can bring in your own with snacks. Its a gem in the city that you should experience. read more

14 Pews has an intimate, unique, and enchanting ambience, and its programming embodies all those things as well. A lovely place to enjoy a film or live performance. Every seat in the house is good! Definitely a Houston treasure. read more

14 Pews is the perfect venue to see that impossible to find film or one of a kind performance you've been searching for. It's intimate, warm and unique. Places like this are incredibly hard to come by and once you find a gem like this, you will be going back as often as possible. read more

What is interesting about 14 Pews (it is housed in a former church with 7 rows of cushioned benches of each side of the middle aisle) is that it provides a venue for new and emerging artists - music, film and more - in an inviting comfortable venue. I went for the first times this weekend. The first was a kid-friendly event introducing a music video about Houston (good music, fun and lots of energy). The second was a film Examined Lives which included conversations with a number of philosopher. It was worth watching and, although too long and included a couple of people who didn't really contribute much, provoked some thoughts in my head and presented concepts I hadn't really considered before. So, what's wrong with that? read more

This is a wonderful venue, where thought-provoking and eclectic films can be viewed in a charming, relaxed, and intimate setting.

14 Pews in one of my favorite small venues in Houston. It's so inviting and warm! The owner is so kind and loves getting to know the people who are visiting. I've been there a couple of times to enjoy a Houston-based puppet troupe and the venue created such a lovely atmosphere. Love it! read more

Awesome spot gifting us all with the opportunity to see great films you won't easily (or ever) find elsewhere. Do yourself a favor and check it out! read more

I wish I had found this place sooner. It is a nice venue with friendly folks. So far, I've seen an amazing documentary about the Río Grande River. I throughly enjoyed the film and this place. I highly recommend if you are interested a unique experience. read more

Clean atmosphere and great movie selections that you can't find elsewhere. Much appreciated addition to the community.

Great cinema. We got a lot of emotions watching movies with excellent sound and big screen. Location is great, comfortably reached with the any transport. We were pleased with delicious popcorn. read more

Amazing gem in Houston Heights area! I recently had an opportunity to tour 14 Pews and am truly impressed. This is an intimate setting that can be used for a multitude of events. This old church is the perfect setting for art shows, private screenings, small plays, concerts, weddings, birthday parties or any type of special occasion event. There is a lovely area in the back too that can be used for receptions. I was impressed hearing about the history of the 'art house' in this neighborhood. The owner is truly bringing art opportunities to this area and I was impressed with her success. I'd recommend stopping in for a performance or two to check it out yourself. read more

Great little venue to watch a documentary or movie.

More evidence that the Heights is way cool. If you haven't been to this amazing little venue, make plans to go. Take your own "beverages" and snacks and be part of a very small community setting. You can stay afterward and discuss the film with 14 Pews curator, Cressandra Thibodeaux, and the other attendees. The films are enlightening and you leave with a real sense that you have witnessed something important. read more

Amazing learning opportunity! I took a class here last summer and it was the highest quality. A huge range of local talent taught the classes. Kudos to Cressandra for all the hard work and planning to make this such a success. I hope she offers a similar class in the future. read more

I'd never been here when it used to be the Aurora Picture Show but I imagine not too much has changed in terms of venue. I came here recently for their second ever in a new reading series, Word for Word, because I had friends reading. The place has a vintage feel with wooden ceilings and interior. There are pews which make it obvious it used to be a church, and that gives the theater a quaint feel. Not too large, it feels more like a chapel. There's a bar that sells beer and sodas so you can sip on a beverage while enjoying a show. Since this was only their second reading, there is still some ways to go in regards to ironing out the details. E.g. there were no mics which, if the A/C wasn't so loud, would be okay, but we often had trouble hearing the reader, and we were sitting in the third row. The flow from one reader to the next was awkward because there were no introductions--it'd be nice to get a short bio about the reader from the emcee. I also found it awkward that the host went around collecting "donations." If it's truly a donation, then a collections box should be set by the door. And if it's not, then, well, it should just be stated outright that a $5 admission fee is required. I'm sure with time, things will work out just fine; 14 Pews just needs more time and experience. Nice little venue though. read more

Intimate setting to have a one-of-a-kind film experience. I love the talk-back after the film. It's like going to "Movie Night" at a friends house, and is a great way to meet people. read more

My Fiancée and I's experience with 14 Pews was unfortunately, less than acceptable. Cressandra seemed pleasant on the phone, so we scheduled a time to look at the church in person. She mentioned that an event would be occurring next week, and we were welcome to stop by a few minutes before she opened the doors and chat with her. Once we arrived, Cressandra was too busy to give us the time of day. She waved us away to chat with her mother, and couldn't be bothered to ask our names. We hypothesize that she forgot about our scheduled tour. We had been inside 14 Pews for less than five minutes before she opened the doors to the facility and yelled to us across the church to say, "Can you leave now?" rather rudely. She very brutishly showed us the door. In an effort to give her the benefit of the doubt, I called the next day to schedule an actual sit down appointment with her before signing any church contract, but she has never responded to my call. The stress of planning a wedding is challenging enough without the poor customer service at 14 Pews. read more

14 Pews is a hidden "Jewel in the Heights"!!! After moving from Kingwood to the Heights, we were looking for some avante garde venues and entertainment! We found it in 14 Pews! Cressandra Thibodeaux has brought in wonderful, intriguing films, speakers and artists!! She is incredibly knowledgeable in all the arts and has had fabulous "Zombie Parties" Keep them coming!! :) read more

tucked inside a sleepy little heightshood this gem is once and forever a Houston Phenom......great place to bring your friends and outta townies to show them how we do it 'round here. Ive seen Movies and puppet shows here .....it's wonderful host and owner is beyond gracious and the soft warm interior makes you wish you had more friends so they could "find" this jewel too. read more

Feels like home but watching a big screen. The staff is so helpful. I go there with my family and we all have a good time eating and watching a movie. It takes my mind off of writing my book. I just moved to Houston from California and the people make me feel like I am really part of their family. read more

14 Pews is INCREDIBLE! I recently screened my film "Yes, Your Tide is Cold and Dark, Sir." at this venue and was beyond pleased with the accommodations and the atmosphere of this delightful establishment. The owner, Cressandra, was pleasantly laid back, knowledgable, and considerate. My screening went without the proverbial hitch. The venue... think inspirationally moody with panache and warmth in the heart of a former church. I LOVED it. Honestly, if I could, I'd watch a month's worth of films in this venue once a year. As well, drinks are served by Cressandra's mother, Marilyn, and there is a spacious, ornamented backyard space in which to have a food spread and a meet and greet with your audience after your flick/concert. Further, the house dogs, Rusty and Hazel, make great viewing companions. If you are in Houston, treat yourself to a film or an event at 14 Pews. I will most certainly return! read more