No more popcorn and "pipi" smell...

Robert:

Man o man is this area growing and changing quickly. When I first moved here in 1995, the only "picture shows" were three old-style movie houses, in old Vallarta proper. You know the type. 1950s throwbacks with ragged seats, sticky floors, big upper balconies (always closed), and that weird smell of popcorn and "pipi." I actually went to the movies a couple of times in the one just south of the inland bridge over the Cuale River. That's what an old timer I am here.


It was the last one standing, actually functioning as a movie house until four or five years ago. One of the others, also on the south side of the Cuale, tried operating as an "adult" movie house for a couple of years. But, the proliferation of you-know-what kind of sites on the internet destroyed that market completely.

Meanwhile, modern multi-screen cinemas have sprung up all over the place. 16 screens in a shopping center in Pitillal, located right where the old Pitillal cock-fighting arena used to be; multiple-screens in Galeria Vallarta; multiple-screens in the Mezcales/Walmart/Lago Real shopping center; multiple screens in the new Macro Plaza, close to Costco. There might one or two more. I almost can't keep up.

Almost everything is available in either English, with Spanish subtitles, or the reverse. Take your pick. Only the kids movies are in Spanish only.

3D? You betcha.

And I've been away from the USA so long I don't even know what a movie costs there anymore. Here a first run movie averages around 60 pesos. (About $5 USD). Not bad.

Right now I'm wanting to see Life of Pi. Here, they call it Una Aventura Extraordinaria. Tip: Even for the English versions, they advertise the Spanish title. That can lead you to think the movie you want to see isn't playing here. But, it may be, just with a different Spanish title, even though there will be an English version.