Milwaukee has become one of the best cities in the Midwest to see a movie. This location was the first theater in the city to show "talkies" when they opened back during Prohibition. Today you can get a drink in their beautiful little lounge, totally legally. Back in the early 20th century, most Americans didn't travel far from where they lived, and instead imagined the rest of the world fancifully via movies. Movie theaters evoked the stereotyped fantasies of exotic distant places and we can travel back to those times at places like the Oriental and now here. The theme of this beautifully restored movie theater is Spain at night, in the main theater you sit beneath a twinkling roof of stars. They've got some kinks to iron out, we went during the most recent polar vortex and their furnace was out, but right on entry they promised that if it was too cold, we could come back out front and get free passes to come back. Since we were watching the last of the Hobbit movies (takes place on cold hill tops) it was actually fitting to watch the movie in our winter coats, and since we went to a weekday afternoon showing, there were only four of us total so I kept my winter hat (and gloves) on without blocking anyone's view. The heat wasn't working, but the multichannel sound system was calibrated perfectly (important with a special effects movie with lots of violence).
The movie and concessions prices aren't higher than the usual soul-less chain mulitplex places, the dinner choices like pizza aren't bad considering you're at a movie theater. The seats aren't retro, they are non-porous (no chance of bed bug infestation) synthetic pseudo-leather, very comfortable big recliners with sliding food trays and cup holders. It's full service, you can get popcorn with real butter at concessions, or get wait service at your seat. They've made going to the movies a classy date setting all over again. This is even better than our previous favorite full service movie theater, the Rosebud, which is under the same ownership. Growing up in Chicago, I used to go to a theater like this on the far North Side that went from old and decrepit, to wrecked and replaced by an ugly modern development in a seeming blink of an eye. Change isn't always progress, and progress isn't always good. If you're visiting from out of town, this theater is an easy trip from downtown, you don't need a cab, take the bus or if it's not polar vortex weather, rent a couple of bicycles. If you are on a date, before or after the movie, stop off at the chocolate shop across the street. read more