Rialto Cinemas Elmwood

I love this theater — it’s really a neighborhood sort of place. It’s comfortable, clean, well maintained and the theaters are «just right.» Where else can you pop in on a random Wednesday night to see «Blue Velvet» with only half dozen people in the audience? Support the Elmwood and keep this gem in business!

I am hesitant to be harsh toward a movie house that consistently shows such high quality films (I recently enjoyed a richly rewarding, immensely moving Japanese/​German collaboration called «Sweet Bean» that was sadly — and puzzlingly — ignored/​underplayed in the Bay Area). So, thank you, Elmwood, for that.
The seats are an orthopedic surgeon’s best friends. If you don’t have a strong core, or are prone to lower back pain, be afraid. Be very afraid.
The ticket process. Ah, the ticket process. If you purchase your tickets online, be prepared for a process abstracted from a Franz Kafka novel once you arrive at the theater. It is byzantine to the point of being demented. I could go on with this one, but suffice to say that you will be subjected to acquiring a conventional movie «ticket» before being allowed through its hallowed doors. If you think you can arrive «just a few minutes» before showtime and swoop through the entry with barcodes in hand, think again, my friends. And yes, even with your online «tickets», you could well be denied entry due to a packed house. ‘Tis true; oh, so true.
And if you suffer from any degree of claustrophobia or are prone to fainting episodes due to stagnate, boggy, warm ambient air; again, be afraid. Be very, very afraid.
Given all these issues, I will probably (astonishingly) return in the future should another excellent film, ignored by all the other East Bay movie houses, plays at this House of Pain.
In addition to Elmwood’s fine film selections, the College Ave strip in this neighborhood has an embarrassment of eating riches to steel you for what lies ahead. Low doses of ethanol would not be unreasonable for the upcoming adventure.

Finally came to this theater after years of driving by it when I went to UC Berkeley. I’ve been to a lot of tiny theaters before, so I knew what to expect before I got here. I saw a super limited screening of Boy and The Beast. The staff was friendly and as soon as I walked in it I liked the old school feel to the place. They sell a variety of movie foods downstairs, but because I had just ate dinner already I opted to just get a bottle of water. Our theater was located upstairs which were small theaters almost like a screening room. We sat in the second row since the movie was subtitled and I didn’t want to have to strain my eyes if it was small. The screen quality was actually really good and the sound wasn’t the loudest, but it was sufficient. Some gripes I did have was that the small theater next to us as well sound bled over to our theater during some quiet moments. It wasn’t super annoying, but It did stand out a few times. Also as many reviews have talked about the seating is pretty terrible. Our movie was about 2 hours and 15 minutes long and my legs were getting cramped after it all. Very little cushion on the seats. On top of that the Marquee outside wasn’t updated and still showed movies from December! The place just needs a little TLC (and perhaps a small renovation) and it could be a sure fire winner for the indie films it plays. Overall, I still enjoyed it while I wasn’t the most comfortable I still appreciate theaters that play the hard to find indie films like this one.

2pm movie ‘start’ time
2:05: no movie
2:10: no movie
2: 15: no movie
2:18: ads for the movie theater, but no movie
2:20: ads for other things, but no movie
2:25: more ads (Toyota!)
2:26: more ads (Alcohol!)
2:30: previews (had go downstairs to ask to skip those)
2:30: reminder about turning off phones!
2:31: another Ad, for the movie we’re ostensibly here to see!
2:35: showtime!
Pretty disappointed. An offer of a refund or comped ticket would have been the right thing to do.
I try whenever possible to support local theaters. I’m a fan of this one, generally.

I’e always liked the Elmwood, but had an unfortunate experience with their new management (they have recently joined the Rialto «chain.») earlier this month, when I went to see the free special screening of the Black panther documentary. It was my own fault that the chain of events began — I t6hought I had enough tome to catch a quick bite of Japanese food at Manpuku, a hole in-​the – wall sushi bar across the street. it was busy and I came in holding a takeout bag of vegetable tempura and miso soup… and was told firmly that I couldn;t bring food in. I tried arguing my case; that I was sorry, had been working all day, and would put it away — but the woman who was working the front lobby got very firm with me and ordered me out, and next thing I knew, a male manager about twice my zixe was standing VERY close and saying I must leave right away ‘and don;t come back.” I asked him to please step back — and the two of them said, «I think it;s time to call the police.» I said I had done nothing illegal, that I had just wanted to eat in the lobby if I could, and they told me, «No, you’ll take it outside.» which I did, and then, after disposing responsibly of my trash, got told by the same older woman that I;d better not think about trying to re-​enter the theater for any reason or she would call the police. I asked her to please take a different tone of voice, apologized again for not remembering that there was a rule against all outside food, and she agreed to speak more softly but said, «:you don;t listen anyway, Three reasons that I can’t let you back. One is that you were very aggressive with our manager.» I said that this was absurd, that he is twice my size and I simply asked him to step back a bit to allow me to comply without acting so intimidating. She went on «You insisted on bringing in outside food, and besides that, you smell to high heaven and I can;t let someone with your poor hygiene in here. You are really off the chart.»
I suppressed the urge to ask if she was either hallucinating or delusional, but said,
«Maybe you don;t like the smell of Japanese food, but I seriously doubt ‘smell to high heaven’ — I shower every day and change my clothes, and no one has complained about me.»
It was clear to me that she was trying hard to build a case against me as an ostensibly aggressive, deranged, dirty, probably homeless mentally disturbed street person, and that she might indeed call the police if I even attempted to pleas my case further. I know when I am defeated. I asked three friends, including one who is 8 months pregnant and VERY sensitive to odors, if I smelled, and they all, quite obligingly, stood close enough to sniff my hair and armpits and said that I didn’t smell at all (I am mildly chemically sensitive and use unscented laundry products, shampoo and conditioner, and bathe often to make up for not being able to use deodorant) and that my clothing was «relaxed and casua;» but entirely «clean and appropriate-​looking.»
On the way home, I remembered that recently, a yuong man with deverlopmental disabilities DIED after being restrained by police for not leaving a theater when he tried to show-​hop, and I realized that had I pushed any further, I could easily have been in a dangerous situation. I caution everyone who visits the new Rialto ELmwood to watch out for management and security at the front lobby; they do not screw around.
I have NEVER been treated like this by the Elmwood as a paying customer in the forty or so years that I have been coming to films there, and I am curious as to whether I will be treated differently the next time I pay for a seat.
I will probably return; I like the architecture, the location, and many of the art films and documentaries that appear there. but I will *not* be so foolish as to carry any takeput food where they can see it, and I will remember that at elast one team that I encountered on a Wednesday evening there takes no prisoners.

Went here Saturday to see Suffragette and found it was gone. It was in the Thursday West County Times movie listings. The nice man in the box office said it was gone on Thursday. The point of that section is to show what will be on screen over the weekend. If a movie is out of the theater on the day of the listing, why list it? If the listings aren’t accurate, we can’t know what will actually be on the screen, so why go?

We have a premium film series of plays by the National Live Theater series, not a cheap ticket at $ 25 a piece, and the plays are wordy and tricky. What makes it worse is you cant hear the dialogue because the noise from the lobby is so loud, and that’s mostly the staff members talking to each other. The seats are so uncomfortable, and after 3 hours even the most interesting film becomes a chore. There are only 3 toilets for women, so don’t order anything to drink or you’ll be standing in line.

Come here for indie and other small, hard-​to-​find films. Just saw the movie, East Side Sushi, in the main theater. The second floor balcony has been converted into smaller screening rooms. The only negative, thin cushions that make for uncomfortable seats.
Located in the heart of the Elmwood District, there are lots of dining choices for movie date night. Easily accessible. BART is close by and there is a bus stop just steps away.

Didn’t seem to want our business since we had a small ice cream cone. Almost the first time seeing a movie here. Looks like we will have to find another theater. Disappointment.

I think anyone who gives this theater less than four stars has very unreasonable expectations. This is obviously an old-​school nostalgic style art house theater that is kept up as a labor of love, not a major profit-​making venture. Watching a movie in this theater feels like going back in time (the upstairs restrooms look circa 1945.) They show the best independent and foreign films that are out at any given time, and the staff is friendly and the snacks good. The only reasons I removed a star are 1) the seats are pretty uncomfortable and rickety and loud, and 2) there seems to be a chronic problem with regulars at this theater talking loudly during films. I don’t mean to be ageist, but it might be that the audience is typically a little older??? In any case, it is VERY distracting, and although I know staffers notice this, I’ve never seen anyone «shushed» for talking during a show.

The definition of a cozy movie theater. Don’t come here expecting all the bells and whistles of one of those huge movie theaters. Here at the Elmwood, be ready for a bit of an old school cool and if you choose right, you’ll get a rad little movie out of it too.
The marquee is pretty darn classy, I’ll give it that. Definitely gives off a nostalgic vibe, especially in the slightly pretentious College ave area. Big and bold. The theaters themselves are small. Maybe seating about a third of the amount of people that one of the chains could accommodate. It’s literally one long and narrow room, staring down at a screen that might double as a wide screen TV. The seats are uncomfy and they like to squeak right at that silent part of the movie. Bells and whistles? What are those?
The whole reason this theater gets a pass though, is because of the movies they show. You can catch movies here that you won’t see at the huge chains. Wanna see that small little indie flick that got all those olive branch surrounded awards at some random film festival so hence it must be amazing? Yeah, you can probably catch that film here at the Elmwood.
Good place to keep in mind when wanting to avoid the huge chain theaters. It’s really nice catching a movie at a spot like this without having to worry about lines or huge crowds or annoying little kids scrambling to and from the newest money making parent trap movie.

This is one of those old-​school, small independent theaters without all the bells and whistles of the big chains. It’s a little run down, but I enjoyed watching the film and the popcorn was good. The theater I was in didn’t seat a lot of people, but unless what you are trying to see is super popular, I don’t think you’ll have a problem.

Not a bad little theater. Wife and I saw The Interview on opening day. Would probably come back for another movie.

Complete with an old school marquee and box office window, Rialto Cinemas Elmwood is a flashback to the theaters of old, like the Tower Theater in Sacramento.
Even though they do have a box office out front, we still had to walk inside and purchase our tickets at the concession stand. Three people worked the concession and all three were polite and friendly. I can’t say much about the snacks since I didn’t order any except for the fact that they have all your theater favorites. Popcorn, soda and a multiude of candy to choose from.
The look and feel of modern theaters are lost here. You wont find stacked seating with nice cushy comfy chairs. You get wooden chairs that do have cushions but still manage to be slightly uncomfortable. The screen did have a film burn on it, which was a little distracting at times but easily can be looked past. I thought the sound quality was pretty good as well as the film quality itself, so no complaints there.
The best reason to keep theaters like this around besides the nostalgia of it all is the fact that they show the more independent movies. That is a great plus and something well needed.

This might sound strange, but what like best about the Elmwood in the wonderful marquee, and that they sell tickets from a classic box office that is surrounded by colored movie tile. The interior is plain and the seats are not very comfortable. The bathroom with a small lounge is upstairs; which might be a problem for some people
I am willing to over look the seats because the Elmwood does screen movies that do not play anyplace else, even other Rialto theaters. And I have no problem dashing upstairs or, when I leave, to my car that no doubt will be parked blocks away.
3.5 rounded up. I enjoy small vintage neighborhood theaters.

laughed the entire way though snowpiercer.
its an older cinema, and i dig it.

This is a decent independent classic theater, but their prices are a bit on the high side ($ 11 general admission? Seriously?) Plus, they’re cash only, which is a major setback in today’s world.
I recently saw a remastered showing of the 50 year old film «Hard Day’s Night» starring the ORIGINAL British boy band, the Beatles. It was a fun movie and made me want to travel back in time to be a Beatles fangirl, though lacked in plot. I also saw Snowpiercer here, which was okay. Both movies were screened in the large theater, which has ample legroom, though some seats were squeaky and they don’t have stadium seating (not fun for short people!)
As for parking, you will probably end up parking in a residential area if not on a side street. This is pretty typical for the whole area. There is also a small public parking lot on the other side of Ashby near Your Basic Bird, but it’s often full.
In general, this is a decent independent theater.

Read as 3.51. It has been decades since I was at the Elmwood, long before Rialto took it over. For my recent birthday friends gave me a Rialto gift card. Normally I would have used it at the Cerrito, which is our local theatre, but «Chef», which we’ve been wanting to see, is playing at the Elmwood, so off we headed yesterday.
I paid w/​my card and we headed upstairs to the theatre. Staff were friendly and helpful at directing us where we needed to go and lines were nonexistent. The screening room was small and the stairs were steep. I heard someone tell the man at the box office that it was too hot in that room and when we arrived it was, but the temperature soon dropped to a more comfortable level. We took a seat in the last row. The chairs were a little tired, not as new and comfy as the ones at the Cerrito. The sound separation wasn’t as good either, as I could hear people laughing in the screening room next door. There was minimal crap before the main feature, a couple of car commercials and some interesting trailers for coming attractions. The movie was good and the experience was enjoyable. Afterward I used the bathroom which was a short flight of stairs up from the screening room exit and while it was clean, the stalls were small and cramped. The Cerrito’s are much larger and more modern. I would return to the Elmwood if they were showing a film I really wanted to see, but I’d know what to expect.

Came to watch «Coriolanus» presented by National Theatre Live to see my BB Tom Hiddleston spout Shakespeare for three hours. It’s an interesting theatre and although they had a hiccup printing tickets and getting us in. They did have quite a large viewing area in the theater.
Only downsides were the theater smelled like stale popcorn butter and the seats, after sitting for 3 hours were a tad uncomfortable. Also if you were any closer than I was to the screen you’d definitely be walking out with your head sideways just trying to get comfortable watching the film.
Regardless, I’m glad they’re showing these limited run presentations like live theatre preformances and other little-​knowned films. Would definitely go to this theater again for the right movie.
TIP: There is a parking lot past the theater a block away called Elmwood Parking Lot. make a left where you see a «P» and it looks like a one-​way street. It’s literally behind the store fronts on College Ave. :) Free parking after 6pm Monday-​Saturday, and all-​day free parking Sundays.

$ 8 for a movie for students so a bunch of us saw The Conjuring.
Small but purposeful theater.
Tip: cash only!