Regency Academy Cinemas

Reviews 6

OL

Oly San

This has been my go to movie place since I rediscovered about 6, 7 years ago. Its improved 100% from the first time I ever went (around 15 yrs.)The current owner(s) have done a great job. The Academy is so clean, comfortable, has newer screens and sound, more ACCESSIBILITY (phisycally speaking) and super affordable prices = $2 for matinees & $3 dls. regular ONLY every single day!!!! The best for families and kids!! Also as a person who uses a power-chair (or electronic wheelchair) I appreciate the very friendly and helpful staff and the accessibility of the majority of the place, including the bathrooms wheelchair stall. That was SO NEEDED in the beginning. Snacks are pretty cheap depending if you get a special like on a Wednesday when you buy 2 tickets, 2 small popcorn and sodas for $10!! Or hot-dogs at ONLY $1 (WHAT?!?!!) all the time. Theres no other place in the North East LA/Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley like it. Ive surely give it a 5 star if it wasnt only because there are movie halls in a second floor that is not too easy to get to since Id have to wait for a staff member to go with me through a door outside the theater, to use an elevator in another area to access the 2nd. floor. They should announce somehow the movies playing upstairs so we dont have to go there if we can plan ahead what were going to see. Or make the elevator accessible through the inside of the theater, and improve the illumination upstairs in the office halls where I have to go through the times Ive needed to do this. Its a bit annoying and even had made me get to the movie late. I wish this could be "fixed" somehow. At least announce what movies are being played upstairs while this accessibility issue is resolved, please. Otherwise its been a great experience going there and I plan on keep on doing it for years to come.

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BR

Brandon Wiesner

About what youd expect from a second run theater. If theres a movie that I really want to see, I will usually see it before it hits here but if by an off chance I missed it, or I was on the fence about it, then seeing it here is a good alternative. Tickets cost $2 for matinees and $3 after 6. That is really the big draw for this theater. I dont typically go for concessions when Im at the movies but I decided to try out their "date night" on Wednesdays, where you get 2 tickets, 2 popcorns and 2 fountain drinks for $10. The popcorn was stale and the drink was so small, I finished it in 2 gulps. The seats arent the most comfortable. I keep sliding down in them and keep having to adjust myself. Plus, most of the houses dont have stadium seating, so if someone tall sits in front of you, it gets really annoying. Most of the audience and staff alike, dont have any qualms about disruptive behavior. Expect to see a lot of cell phone backlights, hear a lot of conversations where people arent even bothering to whisper, crying and screaming kids that the parents have all but tuned out, so it doesnt even dawn on them to take them outside, and people that cant afford to pay more than $3 per ticket, so lets just say they arent always the best smelling or cleanly dressed. Overall, I see movies in the first run theaters a lot more than I do here but once in awhile, I dont mind coming here to check out something that I wouldnt or couldnt pay $12+ to see.

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QU

Quoleshna Elbert

This place rocks. As mentioned in a previous review, if youre a little patient you can be assured to see the big ticket movies at much more marvelous ticket prices than whats become the norm. Spend the excess on some pie from the down-home pie place right around the corner (by the nearby parking lot), or on another treat for yourself or someone you love! The facilities are not the newest, at all, but new isnt always better. You walk in and it feels like youve stepped right into an old skool style of night out. Their movie theatres range from relatively small to quite spacious but usually feel cozy (and never uncomfortable) either way; and from the many, many times Ive visited its always been kept clean and the staff is capable, attentive and friendly. I adore visiting here because its like that great "hole in the wall" that marks you as more aware than everyone else...hah. Parking can be a challenge, but Ive recently heard theres free parking in the evening at a nearby lot if you show your ticket stub. You might want to ask about that. $3 for a show and a 100% beef hotdog? Score!

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A

A Private User

I would love to convince myself to dissuade readers from going to this theatre, because I love this place and love when the theatre is only sprinkled with movie-goers. But I cannot dissuade you. I would be doing one of the last best theaters a disservice and you you as well. The Regency has $2.00 matinees and $3.00 after that. They also have Weds. date night. For $10.00 you get two tickets, two sodas, and two popcorns. All you first daters bring your girl or boy and impress them by making them think youre paying a lot of money. Have them go play a video game while you pay. They also have $1.00 hotdogs. The screens are little small, the second floor theaters have an odd design -there are red hand poles right in front of the seats and in some cases a wall-. If you are short, like my wife, you might need a couple of phonebooks to see the screen. But you know that is all part of the experience. This place is great and if you havent been here then you need to support them. Or there wont be anymore good theaters. Remember what happen to the Rialto?

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A.

A. Blah

We happened on this theater since it was the closest showing the movie we wanted to watch, Inception, which has dropped off pretty much all other theaters. I guessed it was a second-run theater, so I didnt expect it to look like the Arclight. But when we go there, it was still a shock. The entrance is so dreary it looks like it is out of business. There is one guy selling tickets and snacks. Cash only. The carpet if so filthy, you wonder what they hell is ground into it. Then we walked down a corridor to the theater (3) and it was the filthiest corridor I had ever seen. There were padlocks on side doors, and the entrance to the theater had yucky curtains. Inside, it was very old-school seating. Forget about stadium seating or movable arm rests. On top of it, the seat covers were grimy, and even through a jacket, the seat felt musty. We were there before 4 pm, so the tickets were $2 (evening prices are $3). But I dont see why they cant charge, say $4-$5, and maybe hire a damn cleaning crew.

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PA

Patrick Kiernan

So I believe I speak for everyone when I say I miss the times when a night out at the movies was a cheap time/date. Frankly, that is about the only option we had in my high school days where I lived was go to the mall and catch a movie. Now, prices have gotten a little high especially in Pasadena. Really I want to watch most movies on a big screen without most of the luxury perks found in Pasadena theaters, blankets, IMAX, etc. I was intrigued when I saw Academy Cinemas second run lineup and $3 price tag. I had visions of duct tape on the screen and missing reels. I saw 300 Rise of an Empire on a Friday night and was impressed. It was a clean theater with a normal screen and sound system. It isnt an IMAX experience, but an improvement over watching it at home. The seats were a little tired and stained, but nothing major. For a couple of dollars it was a worthwhile experience and Ill be back.

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