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Phoenix movie theaters for the long sit

Two hours of cold air, a huge screen and a bucket of popcorn is basically the perfect Phoenix afternoon. Here's where to watch.

In a Phoenix summer, the movie theater is a survival tool. The Valley has an Arizona-born chain that's been running screens since the 1930s, a drive-in that never closes for the season, and dine-in rooms where the food comes to your recliner.

Sesh at home, then grab a ride. Theaters don't allow smoking, and neither does the law in public, so get it done first and let a sober friend or a rideshare handle the driving. Plan the food after the movie with our Phoenix munchies guide.

Harkins: the Arizona movie chain

Harkins Theatres is a local story. Dwight "Red" Harkins opened the State Theatre in Tempe in 1933, and the company is still headquartered in Scottsdale. It has spread to a few other states, but the Valley is home base, and if you ask a Phoenix native where they see movies, the answer is usually a Harkins.

The chain also has a long memory. The original Phoenix Ciné Capri had the biggest screen in Arizona, and when it was demolished in 1998, more than 200,000 people had signed to save it. Harkins rebuilt the idea in Scottsdale. That's the room to know.

  • Scottsdale Fashion Square

    Harkins Camelview at Fashion Square

    7014 E Camelback Rd, Scottsdale

    The Valley's main art house, inside Scottsdale Fashion Square. It replaced the old Camelview 5, which Red Harkins opened in 1973 and which closed in 2015 after decades as the indie film spot. The new one has 14 curved screens with reclining loungers, and the programming leans hard into foreign films, festival titles and indie releases.

    There's a full bar, and a private screening room called The Freezer tucked behind a hidden back room if you ever want to rent a theater for the crew. It's a short hop from Old Town Scottsdale, so dinner and a movie is easy.

    TipCheck the art film lineup here first. If a small movie is playing anywhere in the Valley, it's playing here.

  • North Scottsdale

    Harkins Ciné Capri at Scottsdale 101

    7000 E Mayo Blvd, Scottsdale

    The rebuilt Ciné Capri opened at Scottsdale 101 in 2003 and kept the name when most of the chain's other Capri rooms were rebranded. The screen runs about 30 by 80 feet, the sound is Dolby Atmos, the seats are rocker loveseats, and a real curtain opens before the previews. Old-school showmanship on a giant scale.

    Scottsdale 101 also hosts the Phoenix Film Festival, so it pulls double duty as the Valley's festival house.

    TipSee the big loud stuff here. Sit in the middle and let the curtain do its thing.

  • Tempe

    Harkins Arizona Mills 18 with IMAX

    This is Harkins' IMAX house, at the Arizona Mills mall in Tempe. When a movie is shot for IMAX and you want the full tall screen and the chest-thumping sound, this is where Valley people go.

    It's a mall theater, so the outside isn't much. The inside is the point.

    TipBook IMAX seats ahead for big openings. Center rows go first.

Dine-in theaters and the old Alamo Drafthouse rooms

If you're looking for Alamo Drafthouse in Phoenix, here's the deal. The Valley had three Alamos, in Tempe, Chandler and Gilbert, run by local franchisees Kim and Craig Paschich. After the pandemic shutdowns they left the chain and rebranded the three theaters as Majestic Theatres. Same buildings, same recliners, same food and drinks brought to your seat, different name on the sign.

For munchies during the movie instead of after, dine-in is the move. Order before the trailers end so the server isn't crawling past you during the good part.

  • Tempe

    Majestic Tempe 7

    1140 E Baseline Rd, Tempe

    Opened in 2018 as Alamo Drafthouse Tempe and now part of Majestic. Seven screens, all recliners, with a full kitchen and bar, near Baseline and Rural.

    It's the closest of the three Majestic theaters to central Phoenix and the easiest pick if you're already in Tempe. The Chandler and Gilbert theaters run the same setup farther east.

    TipOrder a big shareable plate early and you won't think about food again until the credits.

  • Scottsdale

    RoadHouse Cinemas Scottsdale

    9090 E Indian Bend Rd, Scottsdale

    A dine-in theater with roomy auditoriums, wine and Arizona craft beer, and food you order from your seat. It's a local operation rather than a giant national chain.

    Good choice for a relaxed weeknight movie where you want a burger and a recliner without the mall.

Drive-in movies near Phoenix

The Valley's drive-in is still going, and it's still a good time. The car does double duty as your private theater and your snack bar.

  • Glendale, West Valley

    West Wind Glendale 9 Drive-In

    5650 N 55th Ave, Glendale

    Nine screens and double features every night, sometimes triples, all on one ticket. You get an FM channel when you pull in and the movie plays through your car stereo, so you control the volume. The West Wind company has run drive-ins since 1952, and this is its Arizona outpost.

    It runs year-round, which in Phoenix means the cooler months are prime time. On weekend mornings the same lot turns into the Glendale Public Market swap meet.

    TipBring blankets and camp chairs for the back of the car in winter, and leave the car off between movies to save the battery. The car is no place to sesh, so do that at home and have the sober friend drive.

Outdoor movies in the cooler months

Once the heat breaks, Valley cities start putting screens up in parks. Most of these are free, family-friendly and pretty low key: bring a blanket, show up early for a good patch of grass, and pick up food after.

Parks are public places, so no smoking there. Sesh before you leave the house and keep it a nice night.

  • Tempe

    Tempe Movies in the Park

    Kiwanis Park, Tempe

    The City of Tempe runs a free movie series on Friday evenings in the fall, on the soccer fields at Kiwanis Park just west of Mill Avenue. Family movies, big screen, lots of picnic blankets.

    Dates change each year, so check the city's events page when the weather starts cooling off.

    TipBring a low chair or a blanket and get there before sundown to claim a spot.

Questions people ask

Is there still a drive-in movie theater in Phoenix?

Yes. West Wind Glendale 9 Drive-In at 5650 N 55th Ave in Glendale shows double features nightly on nine screens, and it's open year-round. Sound comes through your car's FM radio.

Is there an Alamo Drafthouse in Phoenix?

Not under that name. The Valley's three Alamo Drafthouse theaters in Tempe, Chandler and Gilbert were rebranded as Majestic Theatres by the same local owners. They still do recliners and dine-in service.

Where can I see foreign and indie films in Phoenix?

Harkins Camelview at Fashion Square in Scottsdale is the main art house in the Valley, with 14 screens built around indie and foreign releases. It also hosts film festival screenings.

Is FilmBar in downtown Phoenix still open?

No. FilmBar, the indie microcinema on Second Street in downtown Phoenix, closed after about 11 years during the pandemic era. Camelview at Fashion Square is now the go-to for the same kind of programming.

Is Harkins Valley Art in Tempe open?

The Valley Art on Mill Avenue, built in 1940 as the College Theater, has been dark since the pandemic, and Harkins has not reopened it. Check Harkins before you plan a night around it.

Where is the biggest movie screen in Phoenix?

The Ciné Capri at Harkins Scottsdale 101 has a screen about 30 by 80 feet, with Dolby Atmos and a curtain reveal. For IMAX specifically, Harkins Arizona Mills in Tempe is the chain's IMAX theater.

Can you smoke weed at a drive-in or movie theater in Arizona?

No. Arizona's legal cannabis law doesn't allow use in public places, theaters don't allow it, and lighting up in a public lot can get you a ticket. Smoking in a car also brings driving questions you don't want. Sesh at home first, and let somebody sober drive. See our where to smoke guide for the rules.

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