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Movies in Tyler Texas

December 20th, 2009

For showtimes at all the movie theaters in Tyler we recommend using an online service like Flixter, Fandango, or RottenTomatoes

Because Tyler, TX is a mid-sized city that is overshadowed by titans like Dallas and Fort Worth, people often say there is nothing to do in the city. There are no pro sports teams, and major concerts with big name artists are rare. Maybe this is true to a degree but virtually ever resident of Tyler Texas love movies and restaurants. There are hundreds of restaurants in the city, but there are three movie theaters: The Hollywood Rose, Carmike 14, and Times Square Cinema. Below is a brief description of each of these.

Movie Theaters in Tyler

Hollywood Rose Cinema

Cost for a regular admission ticket: $7.75

This west Tyler theater was built in the 1990’s, and remains a popular choice for many young people in the city. However, “The Tyler Rose” is generally considered the worst theater in Tyler. The staff members appear to hate their jobs, and the floor is perpetually sticky. The movie viewing, too, is subpar. Expect problems with the projector and sound, and maybe even the temperature. But the biggest problem with The Tyler Rose is the chaotic atmosphere. The theater is ground zero for high school loiterers who have nothing better to do than attract attention to themselves. Fights are routine, and there are often policemen roaming the premises. For other high schoolers, this might be an attractive atmosphere. But not for parents who want to send their kid to a movie, and not for adults who just want to watch a film in peace.[ad#large-blog-block]

Carmike 14 in Tyler

Cost for a regular admission ticket: $8.25

Carmike 14 is Tyler’s largest and most modern theater. It is located close to a hoard of shopping outlets on South Broadway such as Kohls, Target, Walmart Super Center, and Gander Mountain. Carmike 14 is a fine theater, offering digital projection and 3-D movies (when they are available.) The staff are generally cheerful and competent. The stadium seating, too, is great. I have few qualms with Carmike 14, other than the slightly higher prices and the problem of crowds. But at least the crowds are there because it’s a good theater, unlike The Tyler Rose.

Times Square Cinema

Cost for a regular admission ticket: $7.50

Long before The Tyler Rose or Carmike 14 were ever built, movies in Tyler Texas were being shown 7 days a week at a little theater in Times Square on South Broadway. The theater has just six screens, and a small staff. It has an entirely different feel than most modern theaters. It’s a much more down to earth atmosphere because it is a family owned and operated business. When you go there, you can expect digital projection, 3-D viewing, and a clean atmosphere. The screens are smaller than the ones at the other theaters, but the experience is better overall. The best part? The high school kids prefer to hang out at the bigger places. Times Square patrons are their to watch movies, not to attract (or repulse) potential mates.

Video Rentals in Tyler

If you prefer to rent movies in Tyler Texas, there are still two Blockbuster video stores, one on 5th and Beckham, and one on Troupe in the Green Acres Shopping Center. Hollywood Video is still renting to customers on South Broadway. Ten years ago, this city was crawling with video stores! But the advent of Netflix and RedBox movie kiosks have made those places irrelevant. If you want to rent a movie in Tyler, it’s easier and cheaper to drop into WalMart or MacDonalds. Update: Netflix and Redbox have destroyed all rental movie stores. Sorry but you will have to mail order your video rentals, do pay per view, or use the redbox and blockbuster video vending machines around town.

Times Square Cinema: The Grown-up’s Choice

November 11th, 2009

First, you must understand that Times Square in Tyler bears no resemblance in any way, shape, or form to the famous Times Square in New York City. It has always intrigued young Tylerites that this name was ever chosen. Times Square shopping center, featuring staples like Casa Ole, Racquet & Jog, and Double Dave’s Pizzaworks have exactly nothing in common with New York City. But that doesn’t mean that Times Square in Tyler is without merit. Not only are the restaurants good and the location accessible, but the the The Times Square Cinema is a long-standing staple in the city.

Times Square Cinema is a small, privately owned, old time-feel family theater, which is a rarity in the modern age of mega-30 screen cinemaplexes. It is considerably smaller than the Tyler Rose in west Tyler, and a fraction of the size of Carmike 14. Nevertheless, The Times Square Cinema is a nice alternative for those who get tired of the crowds at the other locations. The theater offers digital projection, and 3-D viewing for movies that offer it. The snack bar isn’t huge, but it’s good, and cheaper than the other theaters as well. The staff here are friendly and productive, keeping a smile on their faces, and popcorn off the floor. It is a clean and pleasant place to watch a movie.

This theater is the cheapest in Tyler. Adult tickets are $7.50, a full $.75 cheaper than Carmike. Granted, the screens are not as large, and the infrastructure not as impressive. But the experience should be good, nevertheless.

Who should come to Times Square Cinema? Grown ups. Times Square is no longer a hip hang out place for high schoolers who prefer to congregate in massive crowds. They go to The Tyler Rose or to Carmike. That is reason enough for me to go watch a movie at Times Squaare. I know I won’t have to put up with alot of loudness or nonsense. Unless the movie itself is bad, I know I will have a good experience every time at Times Square Cinema. Because I’m a grown up.

Carmike 14 in Tyler

November 11th, 2009

Ever since Carmike 14 opened several years ago, movie goers have not ceased to rejoice that there was finally an alternative to the infamous “Tyler Rose,” a lousy at a bad location. Over the years, Tyler has continued to expand down South Broadway, with recent additions like Kohls and Ganger Mountain. The Carmike cinemaplex is perfectly located around these shopping centers. This makes it a natural choice for shoppers over the Hollywood Rose theater on West Broadway, which is close to a bank and a chicken store.

Great location aside, Carmike is better than Hollywood Theater in every way imaginable. The staff is friendly and helpful. The box office is inside the door so you don’t have to sweat to death while you’re choosing a movie. The workers do a good job of cleaning up.

This theater also offers digital projection. If you are used to going to movies with black blotches and static lines, digital viewing can be quite a revelation. the colors are so much more vivid, and the picture is always clear. It is important to note that the Hollywood Rose does not offer digital projection. You can also see 3-D movies here at Carmike when applicable.

But for me, the most memorable part of Carmike 14 in Tyler is the snack bar. Because this theater is the only one in town that has the massive popcorn shoot. The popcorn is made upstairs, just over the snack bar, and it flows down to the snack bar like manna from heaven. This type of setup is perfect for those who are easily entertained like me.

The only downside to Carmike 14 is the crowds. Because of its central location, I can rarely drive in to the parking lot without hunting hard for a parking spot. This is especially true on the weekends, naturally. Tylerites love their restaurants and their movies, so expect to have to wade through traffic and lines at the box office and at the snack bar. And expect to pay a little more for a ticket to Carmike 14: $8.25 is the going rate for a regular adult at an evening show. If you don’t like the crowds, consider going to Times Square Cinema, just a couple miles north of Carmike. The screens are smaller there, but the crowds are, too. Just be sure that you don’t go to The Tyler Rose.

Overall, the Carmike 14 Theater in Tyler is a well run establishment, offering a pleasant viewing experience from the opening credits to the last kernel of buttery goodness.

Hollywood Theater: The Tyler Rose

November 11th, 2009

Tyler Rose Theater

Growing up on Tyler’s west side, I remember the excitement that the new 10 Screen Tyler Rose theater opened in the 90’s. It was the first major mega theater complex in the city, topping theaters with 4 to 6 screens. It felt like a grown up Dallas area Cinemaplex. There was an arcade upstairs, neon lights, and stadium style seating.

Ten years later, the Tyler Rose has lost its bloom. Maybe this is due in part to our own growing, unrealistic expectations, or the power of comparison with Theaters in South Tyler, which are far superior. Or maybe it’s just shoddy business practice.

Whatever the reason, the Tyler Rose rarely satisfies customers. If you are looking to go see a movie at this Tyler theater, you can expect the following:

  • Police Officers. Yep, at this movie theater, there’s alot of action, and not just onscreen! Half the people there are loiterers, not paying customers. It can be an unnerving atmosphere. When there aren’t actual fights going on, you can bet there will be lots of teenagers being punks. Put it this way: I would never allow my daughters or my wife to go to this theater by themselves.
  • Poor customer service. The theater workers are not happy to be there, and they are not afraid to prove it to you.
  • A sticky floor. Yes, there were probably kids sitting in that same seat an hour ago, and yes, they spilled their drink and their popcorn. But on the bright side, you can help yourself to a handful, free of charge!
  • A mediocre viewing experience. Don’t expect digital projection. Black splotches will abound.
  • Audio / Visual problems. The sound is often too loud or too quiet. And at worst, the film is not set properly. Once, I thought I was watching an overly-artsy film where the director intentionally kept all the boom microphones in each shot. I thought, “this is infuriating!” Come to find out, the problem was with the projector. The movie staff is supposed to set the film in the projector to cut it off at at a certain aspect ratio. The Tyler Rose staff simply had apparently forgotten to do this. But isn’t that kind of important?
  • Arctic temperatures. Last time my wife and I went to a November movie–the same night with the “boom mic” movie–we could see our breath. It’s a good thing it was a good movie.

On the bright side, a ticket to the Hollywood Rose is only $7.50, fifty cents cheaper than a ticket to Carmike 14. But if a couple of quarters is the issue, you could always go to the Times Square Cinema, which is much nicer and only costs $7.50.

Overall, the managers at the Tyler Rose have run a pretty loose ship, and it shows. That’s why most Tylerites, even those on the west side of the city, now prefer to watch movies at one of the theaters on South Broadway instead. You should, too.