Dallas Fisher

Whether you’re looking for a cineplex with 15 screens owned by a nation wide company, a hundred year old single screen, a theater that delivers food directly to your seat, or something in between, the Twin Cities has it all.

By my count, the Twin Cities metropolitan area has 36 movie theaters within 30 miles of downtown Minneapolis. I did the research this way because that’s basically where I live and it works for what I am doing. The reason I was doing this research was because I wanted to see a movie at every theater and I can proudly say that I have! It took me a little over two years after moving to this area to complete this feat, but I’m so happy that I have finally accomplished this goal.

I’m sorry to the Capri Theater, Walker Art Cinema, etc… you don’t count for this list because you only show movies a few times a month, or less, and that’s not really the type of “theaters” I’m looking for. I will be ranking all 36 theaters in descending order with a few pros and cons for each. I’ll toss some other thoughts in there as well, if I’m feeling like it.

Some of these theaters I’ve been to 50 times and others, only once. I will obviously be as fair as I can towards the ones I’ve been to only once, but every experience matters. Theaters that I would want to go back to on a weekly basis will be heavily favored, so that’s why every aspect of the movie going experience counts.

Without further ado, MY definitive ranking of all 36 movie theaters in the Twin Cities.

Honorable Mention: CMX Odyssey (R.I.P.)

When I first moved here, this was by far the theater with the best IMAX screen. It closed during my research period and will be dearly missed, well the IMAX screen will be.  A different theater has taken its mantle as the best IMAX screen and will be mentioned at some point during this list.


36. Cinema Grill

Pros: I really want to say none, but the popcorn was great.

Cons: Rows of high top chairs placed at cramped bar like tables, awful screen quality, and lights kept on at random increments throughout the movie. It wants to feel like Alamo Drafthouse but ends up feeling like your uncle’s theater room where he got too ambitious and ran out of money.

35. AMC Classic Mounds View 15

Pros: It’s super cheap and for recent horror fans, it’s the perfect place to feel fully immersed in the world of Backrooms.

Cons: Rundown, ugly, musty, gross, smelly, & dark, off-centered screens. If this was the only theater I had access to, I’d stop being interested in going to the movies.

34. AMC Inver Grove 16

Pros: It shows movies

Cons: 50% of the toilets are never working and they have these weird clear plastic dividers that reflect the light of the film in a distracting way. It was the first movie theater I saw with armed security and it actually feels like they need it.

33. AMC Coon Rapids 16

Pros: The coolest lobby of all the AMCs in town because of how tall it is.

Cons: You need to replace everything on the bottom half of your car every time you see a movie because of the insane amount of pot holes in the parking lot.

32. Andover Cinema

Pros: I could just say it shows movies again, because that’s all I really have to say about it.

Cons: I don’t think there was a single move poster in the place and they have plenty of space for them.

31. The Parkway Theater

Pros: They have exciting film series!

Cons: They show a lot less movies than I realized and if you sit too far back it feels like you’re watching a movie through a VR headset on low brightness. Plus, they don’t have cup holders!

30. Woodbury 10 Theatre

Pros: Budget-friendly for the area and has some solid nostalgic vibes.

Cons: If it’s busy, and you’re short, you aren’t seeing over the person in front of you. There were also way too many kids there for my liking.

29. Plymouth Grand 15

Pros: Feels right out of the 90’s and not in a rundown, we ran out of money way.

Cons: Every seat is cracking and you can tell they tried to shove more screens in the building at one point by the fact you can only access your seat from one side of the auditorium. The quality of the sound and visual elements are also way below average on the “PLF” screens.

28. Emagine Delano

Pros: There’s a nice patio outside where you can enjoy Emagine’s food menu and their audio/visual was solid.

Cons: It’s the only Emagine location where they still have stadium seating and it brings the experience down a lot. If I’m being totally honest, it sucks they have such a small kitchen because they only serve the basics of said food menu.

27. Landmark Lagoon

Pros: I like the area of town that it’s in and seems very convenient for people that live there.

Cons: Parking is a nightmare if you don’t know you’re way around and it’s vintage but not in a fun way. Seats are constantly out of order and it makes me feel empty being there.

Notes: I should have more to say but there’s a reason I’ve only been there twice. It would have been amazing 15 years ago.


26. Emagine East Bethel 

Pros: The VHS wall makes for the best photo op in the cities.

Cons: I don’t remember many negatives about it but I also only had one pro.

25. Emagine Monticello

Pros: There’s seemingly bus stop sized posters laying out for free at all times for movie goers to take.

Cons: A theater this big probably doesn’t need to exist where it does. It’s a muted version of all other Emagine’s.

24. Marcus Rosemount

Pros: Multiplexes that Marucs built have a nice feel to them. It’s a shame they’re only in the far reaches of the universe.

Cons: Having the concession stand so close to the front door, when you know this place gets busy, makes things crowded and confusing. Because of the area it’s in, it seems much more family friendly. While they have great food options, they are available only when the employees feel like it.

23. St Michael Cinema

Pros: Sick lobby and “cheap” concessions

Cons: You’re either sitting below the screen or above it and having so many options for seat type is great, but not when you’re trying to do it from a tiny screen.

22. The Trylon Cinema

Notes: Listen, I know having this theater this low is going to make me lose credibility, but I have my reasons.

Pros: They have an incredible curation of film series and I’m constantly jealous of the movies they are showing. The bathroom with the photos of bathroom scenes in movies is top tier and will always put a smile on my face.

Cons: The seats are the worst in town. I saw Apocalypse Now here once and I was so close to leaving 90 minutes in. The screen size is also not the most convincing reason for me to leave home.

More Notes: Everything counts. So just showing great films isn’t a good enough reason to get me as a consistent returning customer. I’m sorry ❤

21. AMC Southdale 16

Pros: Really nice upgrade IMAX screen, they show everything, plenty of parking.

Cons: Worst of the worst as far as clientele goes. Always more popcorn on the ground than in people’s buckets. It’s unique but having to go upstairs for a few of the auditoriums is confusing the first couple of visits.

Notes: I completely forgot about that Dolby screen and it’s increcible. Place is sitll trashy.

20. Emagine Waconia

Pros: Another fantastic VHS wall and the top of the top as far as the smaller Emagine venues go. I loved it being within walking distance of small town shops.

Cons: Not really worth the drive unless you live on that side of town.

Notes: I love the way the marquee looks

19. Marcus Oakdale

Pros: It’s a multiplex that feels like home.

Cons: $8 for a single scoop of freezer burnt ice cream is a joke

18. B&B Theatres Bloomington 13 @ Mall of America

Pros: It’s never busy. If you’re hot, it’s the coldest theater in town. The seats are comfortable enough, this chain has really good popcorn, and mostly diverse screening options.

Cons: You have to fight mall traffic to see a movie on the weekend which means parking either 5 floors below the theater or walking past 4 shoe cleaning kiosks in order to get to your movie. IT’S FREEZING. Oh, and it’s stupid expensive.

Notes: I shushed a lady here once because she was eating BWW and talking loud enough to where I couldn’t hear the movie. She then threatened to slap me. Top three worst movie goers in the cities.

17. Mann Theatres (Highland)

Pros: It looks and plays exactly like another theater in town! (See #5)

Cons: If you’re in the upstairs theater there are no doors so you get to hear every word spoken in the lobby. There’s seat placements so far in the front corner that you cannot see the screen at all.

16. Alamo Drafthouse

Pros: It’s still the coolest hallway in the area, even if I can’t tell if those movie posters are real or not. The perfect programming as it stills has it’s sway in the theater world.

Cons: Every single change they’ve made in the past 6 months. I go here because of the option to order food while watching a movie. I shouldn’t be forced to feel like a dick and be on my phone if I want more water to eat my horrible tasting, expensive food.

15. Emagine White Bear

Pros: Just enough arcade games in the lobby and those classic movie posters in the lobby will always get me.

Cons: Probably the most average place on this list. No PLF.

14. AMC Rosedale 14

Pros and Cons: All AMC’s are the same, mostly. It’s neither great nor horrible as it’s still middle of the road as far as AMC goes.

I lied, I do have a Con: Why have a mall theater if you aren’t going to actually be connected to the mall?

13. Marcus West End

Pros: The experience of taking the escalator up to the box office is a sweet feeling and I like their food.

Cons: Audio can be a little all over (sorry Gabe) and those seats have seen a lot of ass (derogatory).

12. Emagine Rogers

Pros: Luxury seating within every auditorium and that Super EMX screen is a nice thing to have in the NW suburbs.

Cons: Too much arcade stuff going on for me personally. I just want to see a movie.

11. Marcus Southbridge Crossing Cinema

Pros: Every time I walk in here it feels like seeing a movie on Christmas morning. The layout is super consumer friendly and those PLF screens are beautiful.

Cons: Marcus can just never reach the high point that I want it to. Better than AMC but worse than Emagine as far as consistency goes throughout town.

10. AMC Eden Prairie Mall 18

Pros: It has the best AMC vibes in town and the fact it’s actually IN the mall makes it even more elite. That long hallway rules.

Cons: Worst IMAX in town by far. You’ll never have a worse PLF experience.

Notes: I actually really liked that PRIME at AMC auditorium here the one time I went, but it’s nothing I would go out of my way for. That was two years ago and it is never advertised.

9. Mann Theatres Champlin

Pros: The neon lights, the homemade cotton candy, the perfect parking lot, 80’s vibes galore, and big ass fans.

Cons: The seats are sort of old but still feel new. It makes no sense.

8. Emagine Lakeville

Pros: The biggest IMAX in the state of Minnesota!

Cons: They need to figure out the walking path lighting situation out because if you sit close enough you can see it on the screen.

7. The Main Cinema

Pros: The area is beautiful, MSPIFF is such an excellent film festival, it’s the only time the layout of having auditoriums upstairs makes sense, and that popcorn is something special.

Cons: The bathrooms. As a place that hosts the city’s largest film festival, you’d think they would have more than 10 toilets in the entire building. The parking too. If you get lucky, great. If you don’t, have fun walking a mile and still paying somewhere from $5 to $15 extra to see a movie.

6. Emagine Eagan

Pros: Just go and look around the lobby. A fireplace, a central bar with those Emagine VHS tapes, board games to play, and just the best lighting of any lobby in the state. I love the options of everything from the intimate screening room to the large EMX screen with stadium seating. I also somehow haven’t mentioned it yet but heated seats!

Cons: Like most Emagine’s, the bars that divide each row. They’re unnecessary and if you utilize the reclining seats, they’re a visual problem.

5. Grandview Theatre

Pros: I love the way the marquee lights up at night and honestly the way it’s laid out is super appealing to me. I also really enjoy the way Mann runs their venues. Has some real hometown vibes going on.

Cons: The downstairs theater smells like pennies.

4. Riverview Theater

Pros: The popcorn is really really, really good. The lobby transports you into the past without making things feel old. It’s the only place in town that feels walkable where you don’t have to be afraid of being run over.

Cons: Going back to personal reasons again, just not a theater I’d pick for an every day visit but it’s nice for a trip every once in a while.

3. The Heights Theater

Pros: It’s gorgeous. The seats are actually comfortable for a one screen, 100 year old theater. The audio/visual is great and it’s getting even more upgrades around the time this list is released. It’s overall the best movie going experience that isn’t a modern theater. You can see something on 70mm, 35mm, and digital all in one week. 

Cons: This is just a personal thing, but it’s the bathrooms again. Did people 100 years ago just not pee? Or were they not pee shy like me? Because I cannot pee at a urinal when there’s people three inches from me.


2. Edina Mann Theatre

Pros: Huge comfortable seats, massive screens for the room size that help things feel beyond immersive, and top tier sound. Even though I don’t drink, The Gold Bar is visually stunning and having props from The Shining right there is the coolest thing a movie theater in the area has to offer. If I gave out superlatives, this theater would get the best bathrooms award.

Cons: The concession area feels out of place and almost feels like they forgot about it in any of their amazing upgrades.

1. Emagine Willow Creek

Pros: Two new EMX screens plus 35mm and 70mm capabilities. They’re constantly showing repertory screenings, all the new releases and of course they have Tim at the helm scheduling weekly screenings for Cinema of the Macabre and much more throughout the month.

Overall it’s just an easy place to see a movie. If you want the frills you can choose to have them. Or not.

Cons: Very little, but I do wish each auditorium was consistent with how much light they left on during the film.

Ending thoughts: The top two spots were such a toss up. Edina Mann is absolutely the best and most consistent place to see a movie as far as comfortably and audio/visual aspects go. Willow Creek is 10% less good in that department, but it has the availability to show everything you want to see and the concessions to back it up. In a mostly non walkable city, the parking war is obviously won by WC too.

Alamo Drafthouse and St Micheal Cinema both brought unique movie going experiences that I thoroughly enjoyed, but in recent months they have both done things to their own detriment. It’s a shame because they each had a shot at the top ten.

It’s honestly insane how diverse of a film scene we have in the Twin Cities. You could hypothetically see a different movie every day for two months and only visit each theater twice. I only wish it was possible for me to do that on a regular basis.

I polled my Instagram followers, so I will end with their top three favorite theaters as well.

3. The Main Cinema
2. Emagine Willow Creek
1. The Trylon Cinema


Thanks for reading 🙂