Landmark Renaissance Cinema

This is an example of how great a place Highland Park is. Years ago, I would pretty much avoid Highland Park despite its being next to my suburb (Deerfield). I did not find it to be the friendliest place. That has since changed. Highland Park has gone out of its way to make itself the place to be, on the Lake, easy in terms of parking, having a train to the city, and being home to great restaurants. The movie theatre is great because it has lots of foreign movies and the popular American ones as well. You can have a drink if you like and the popcorn is good. We love this place!

This theater is So much better now that they renovated. Not all rooms has the nice reclining chairs, so Check which one doesn’t so you won’t be disappointed. They have some e tea food besides popcorn and full bar.

The best part about having my stepdaughter in town is the fact that I get to do something totally and completely random… like go on a movie date with my hubby. I went to see The Martian at 10PM on a Monday night. This is something that never ever happens, so it was a nice treat (though really too late for this tired mom).
The Landmark Renaissance is a newly revived theater and part of the fancy theater movement with wine and beer and a bistro attached to it. They serve bites like smoked gouda and mac n’ cheese. It’s not a cheap theater, but going there really felt like an experience.
Though The Martian was showing at other theaters in the area, it was nice to support my local cinema. Renaissance typically shows arty independent films, but from time to time they throw in a mainstream movie. We saw the show in a smaller, more intimate theater that seemed to have great views from everywhere. The leather reclining seats were comfy, and the sound was perfect – especially for a movie like this one.
I had excellent popcorn, and it was nice to grab an Honest Tea instead of a soda. The venue was nice and clean, including the bathrooms, but I don’t know if that’s because it was a late night uncrowded showing. I get the sense this place is typically pretty clean though.
Parking is a breeze. There is a great underground ramp with three hours of free parking, or if you’re lucky you can get rockstar street parking like we did. Take note, Beelow’s is a nice steak restaurant next door to the theater. For those who have the opportunity to get out more often, this could be a great option for dinner and a movie.
I’d like to go back for one of their independent movie showings.

No stadium seating. Do not allow regular size cups for water without charging you for a regular drink. (Even if you are buying popcorn…). Make you fill up the cup with water yourself at their drinking fountain. Have three ticket machines but only one worked. Leather seats but the didn’t even rock or recline at all. I have better quality sound in my living room. $ 11 tickets. Small hallways get easily crowded and only 1 exit door made walking slow. Water to wash hands in bathroom was freezing cold.

Great little theater. While the prices may be about the same as a regular chained theater, it’s a great place to go to see independent movies that may not be playing at the chains.

Great theater! It’s very small, but the seats and auditoriums are very comfortable! I saw National Theatre Live’s Coriolanus with Tom Hiddleston here, and it was an incredible experience! The small sized popcorn was actually quite large, and I definitely enjoyed the experience! It’s a cute little theater that I will visit again if they do an encore screening of Coriolanus, for sure!

Nicely renovated. Some theaters are small with large reclining seats. Awesome butter and popcorn that is usually fresh. I enjoy going to Highland Park Theater now if it wasn’t for so many irritating people who usually go here for movies.

Convenient theater with beer and wine available. Seats are comfy but slope of theater less than ideal.

Gem of a theater that shows indie films too. Saw a Film Festival Flix presentation of «Iris». Looking forward to February’s selection. It has an inviting atmosphere with a bar and very comfortable seating in the lobby areas and the theater.

Love this theater. Besides the fact that they recently remodeled the theater and now have a couple rooms in which there are the most comfortable seats (large leather chairs fully recline!), they also get great, high-​quality indie films. Just saw two movies there in the last two weeks — both were so wonderful. It’s a great place to see a movie.

Screen 5 is closest to the lobby, where it is quite noisy. We could hear all the noise whenever there was a crowd waiting to get into the other 4 screens, or coming out. New seats were comfy, but less than 40 seats-​due to the small capacities, seems there were already 2 other shows sold out. Love the indie films there– not so happy with the increase in pricing, noise level, and smaller capacity. I would give extra stars for showing indies you can’t find elsewhere, though there are less of them in the new theaters c

I made the trek here this weekend because this Landmark is the ONLY cinema in the Chicago area showing The Audience (live streaming production of the play from the National Theater in London). The theater is small, though no worse than any other indie theaters that I have gone to, and I can’t fault the place for not having stadium seating. The production was excellent, and I found the location central, especially as I came in by train. It was a bummer that the theater/​box office didn’t open until 10:30 am, considering the show was at 11:00 am and there were already customers queuing up in anticipation, but that was a minor hiccup. I look forward to returning, if ever I am in the mood to make a day of it at the movies.

We used to love this theater for the independent films, even though the theaters aren’t designed the best. No stadium seats. Now they have remodeled and it is no better, actually worse. They are now showing mainstream movies on 2 screens, movies you can see anywhere else. Two of the theaters are so small that they sell out quickly. When you check online you have no way of knowing which theater the movie is in. The larger theaters have new seats but they are not stadium seats. They raised the prices quite a bit also. We were happier before the remodeling.

We’re a bit frustrated with Landmark. I feel like a kid lining up for a concert there. If you don’t show up very early and buy your tickets early, you will be SOL.
I don’t know if it’s because of the «older» clientele or because it is the only gig in the area to see independent films, but on multiple occasions my husband and I have tried to buy tickets to a film only to discover it’s already been sold out.
Of, if the tickets are not sold out, if you don’t get there just as the doors are opened for the movie, then you end up sitting in the front rows or apart from each other. It’s become so frustrating that we’ve actually stopped going to this theater.
I suppose if you’re a couple who don’t have to worry about their kids, it’s not a big deal to show up early, etc. However, we’re battling babysitters, bedtimes etc. So it’s just not feasible for us. We still love this theater for the movies they show. Well, that is if you can actually get a seat!

A-​OK & a lot to like here with hard to find International films and limited releases.
We managed to catch The Sessions in what looks like it’s last date THERE and maybe everywhere with a dvd release 2÷12÷13. Fantastic movie, only released in October, oddly limited release for a Sundance early buy and winner, which I think is a shame. Helen Hunt AND Hawkes should win Oscars for their amazing performances, very courageous, nekid too. William Macy as a Catholic PRIEST you can trust, Oy, but I digress…
Seats ARE ok, you just have to kind of sit back and lean into the headrest, actually pretty comfortable, and the high screen keeps some tall guy in front of you from blocking. Sound’s ok, they do have hearing boosters for your Winter Cold stuffed-​up ears. Street parking, and small lots turnover fast. $ 10 admission, you have to buy a book of TWENTY FIVE tickets for $ 200 to get an $ 8 deal, pass. I don’t know enuf people across the Landmark country to GIVE enuf Holiday movie tix to get rid of all those.
Pricey concessions, no free refills on large popcorn sizes served by uninterested bored untrained teenage staff. I say replace them with some nice bluehairs and nohairs, with affection.
The streets DO rollup early in Highland Park. There are some reasonable close places to eat, as long as you don’t drink your dinner, like Café Central, Tamales and Bluegrass.
I say support them.

Pricey admission ($ 10), limited concessions and average theaters.
Given that this theater is in Highland Park, I was expecting a really nice, above average theater. Overall, everything was just average.
For starters, the concession stand didn’t have just plain pretzels… only the fancy ones with all the toppings. Also, no nachos?!
The theaters are a bit tiny (unless maybe it was just the screen we were in) and aren’t stadium seating.
The main redeeming factor is that they run limited release movies that you can’t find playing all over.
If I was in the area, I would see a movie here, but I wouldn’t go out of my way otherwise.

I agree it is great to see independent movies in the burbs. It is a clean and comfortable cinema and as regards to high price of tickets as I am on the e-​mail list I am sent info and you can purchase a book of tickets which are priced at $ 8 each ticket. You can read details here:

This is a two star review for the simple reason that more than 50% of the time I walk away from this place frustrated and in a bad mood. It does show the more artsy and independent films, which is great. The downside, too big a demand for such small theaters. More often than not they are sold out for the show that we want to see. And yes I do think ahead and get there early, guess just not early enough. And with these prices (as noted below) who wants to pay the additional on-​line fee?
I don’t find the seats uncomfortable as others have mentioned but they are kind of weird. Because of the way the seats and the theaters are designed you have to slump in the seat and almost look up at the screen.
Finally, one word on the pricing — HIGH! Most times it is just easier and cheaper to wait until the HP library gets it on DVD. And they do get all the good ones!

Yes, tickets are a little pricey, but as far as I’m concerned, that is the only negative.
— Foregin and independent films without the hike down to the city.
— A parking garage underneath the theater with an elevator/​stairs that lead directly into the theater lobby, and the first three hours free.
— Healthy, organic, and fair trade snacks/​tea available at concessions, among the traditional movie snacks. Love the Divine chocolate. Mmmmm. And more eco-​friendly popcorn bags now too.
— Wonderful downtown Highland Park for independent dining options ranging from casual counter-​service to upscale fine dining — not to mention an after movie frozen yogurt from Love’s or ice cream from Dairy Queen on warmer evenings

Needs some new seats as the current ones are kind of worn out. Otherwise … LOVE this theater. Independent. Foreign. Unique films. And no kids. Ever. No talking. No cell phones. It’s truly a place for adults to watch important films.