2. Arclight Theater's Cinerama Dome - Hollywood, California
In the 1950s movie theaters were growing increasingly weary of that newfangled television thingamajig, and they wanted to do something about it. Cinerama was introduced, initially being the process of shooting a film with three cameras all directly next to each other, then projecting the image on three different projectors onto one curved screen that was supposed to make the audience feel like they were being surrounded by the film. As this became increasingly expensive (and as the fad was dying down anyway), they used one camera shooting on 70mm film, analogous to IMAX film stock, called "Ultra Panavision 70" that was then split into three pieces and projected similarly. As that period came and went, certain films were still shot on Ultra Panavision 70 (including breathtaking parts of 2001: A Space Odyssey) and shown on Cinerama screens "flat" essentially meaning that the image didn't curve around with the screen. There are only four Cinerama locations left in the world: one in London, England, one in Dayton, Ohio, one in Seattle, Washington, and the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, California (which makes this list because even the outside of the theater is iconic and from a bygone era). Now operated by ArcLight Cinemas (a division of the small chain Pacific Theatres), the Hollywood Cinerama has digital, 3D, and 70mm film capabilities. With a staggeringly large 86 foot screen it is a sight to behold. I saw Man of Steel there in IMAX 3D, and the spectacle is still mind-blowing. Although you won't get the full curved screen experience for new theatrical releases, it is updated with the highest quality projectors available and well worth the slightly higher ticket prices, especially considering that in Hollywood you are going to pay an exorbitant amount regardless. Rarely when you go to a movie do you get to partake in film history just by going to the theater, but the Cinerama Dome lets you soak it in. On rare occasions they will even screen the old Cinerama classics that were made specifically for this kind of theater. It stands as a testament for the short-sighted and reactionary film industry (I guess things never change), but it also shows you just how clear and beautiful movies can be.