Look, no one’s going to judge you for watching your third Netflix rom-com in a row in bed in your sweatpants, but personally, I enjoy going out to a movie theatre every once in a while to shake things up. It’s harder to justify spending money to go out for a movie when you’re a tuition//instant ramen/rent paying student, but I’ve found a theatre for you that will make spending your hard-earned cash worth itMeet the Princess Twin Cinemas. Located in the heart of Uptown Waterloo, it’s an independently owned theatre that shows movies that are less mainstream than the ones you’d find at a Cineplex or Landmark Theatres. From thrilling dramas and coming of age stories to old classics and eye-opening documentaries, it has its own unique style unlike any other theatre.
There’s many reasons to go visit the Princess Twin, but here are my top 7:
1. Student admission is $9.
That’s right. Just by being yourself (and having student ID to show for it) you spend $2 less every time you see a movie here over a traditional theatre. And should you find yourself a frequent visitor of the Princess, buy a membership card for $10, which will bring you down to an admission fee of $8. Every dollar counts!!!
2. It’s surrounded by lots of great restaurants.
Should your movie popcorn not satisfy you, after the movie you can hit up one of the many amazing restaurants conveniently surrounding the Princess Twin. Some of my personal favourites include MyThai, the Huether Hotel, Nick & Nat’s, and Taco Farm.
3. It shows many of the Oscar Best Picture nominees each year.
If you really want to win that Oscar pool, I recommend getting to the Princess after the nominees are announced to get your own take on each of the nominated films. The Academy’s picks are usually announced late January-early February, which gives you about a month before the live show to see as many as you can.
4. During October, there are plenty of spooky showings to get you in the Halloween spirit.
This month, check out The Rocky Horror Picture Show and several Tim Burton films to truly embrace the creepy, spooky spirit of this season.
5. It’s only a 15 minute bus ride from the Davis Centre.
With just a quick swipe of your WatCard, you can be at the theatre in 15 minutes. That gives you plenty of time to watch the trailer and find out just where you know that actress from on the way over.
6. They’re obsessed with The Room, the best worst movie ever made.
The Room, by Tommy Wiseau, is arguably one of the worst movies you’ll ever see. Its stiff, unnatural lines and bizarre plot will leave you wondering how exactly someone let this actually be released to the public. But it’s become a cult classic, and you’ll find yourself quoting its best lines after no time at all. The Princess shows The Room quite often, and Greg Sestero himself will be there at the Twin for a double feature of Volumes 1 and 2 of Best F(r)iends on October 31st.
7. The Odeon Gallery is really cool.
Should you make a quick run to the washrooms downstairs before your movie starts, you’ll find a collection of artwork hanging on the walls of the downstairs space. Local artists are invited to show their work here, and it creates a unique mini art gallery.
As a longtime fan of the Princess Twin, I highly recommend that you check out this unique place at least once during your time in Waterloo. The movies it shows are nothing like the ones we’re all tired of at normal cinemas.
Happy movie-watching!