Ren P.
Yelp
My ideal movie theater offers films that venture beyond Hollywood tripe, is devoid of louts who shine laser pointers on the screen, isn't so packed that I'm forced to freestyle though teeming humanity to access the ticket counter and restroom and one of the last few empty seats in the theater, sets the volume below the threshold for hearing damage, and provides me with a comfortable seat.
In the case of The Little, I say 3.75 out of 5 ain't bad.
Gripes first, 'cause that's the mood I'm in.
The Little suffers because it is a commercial venture and because this is Rochester. In this far-from-primary market it can be 6 months to a year after the debut of a film before the Little can lay hands on it, and some films I've looked forward to haven't come at all. The Little will also park an example of popular/lucrative drivel (Poster Child: My Big Fat Greek Wedding) on a screen long-term in a bid to make some money, while other edgier and less accessible films have blink-and-you'll-miss-them engagements.
The movie times drive me nuts. The early evening times are too early to comfortably make after coming home from work. If we decide to eat and then catch the "late" show, we frequently have an hour to burn before the film begins. When it's too much trouble to figure out how to fill it, we ditch the film and do something else.
Once in the theater, the surprisingly uncomfortable seats bust my butt, punish my back, are impossible to slouch in properly, and are so close to the seats in front that I splay my legs and invariably find myself playing footsie with my neighbor. The theaters betray the dirt of ages - that ground-in, tired dirt that can't be washed away and that I always associate with an elderly person's long-time residence. And, oh my, the chunky, gloppy, nasty, black insulation stuck to the ceilings ....
That said, I appreciate The Little and am glad it's here.
I'm still blown away thinking about them having FIVE screens. Very cool. The other theaters that I've known (in other cities) that show independent/alternative films only have one or two.
The Little may not be able to show everything that's out there, but they do a great job of bringing a lot of little-known and talked-about-in-independent-film-circles films to Rochester. There's almost always something interesting showing on their screens, and devoting their screens to the year's multiple film festivals (offering a great variety of unknown and truly alternative efforts) is a great idea. They also set aside the occasional week to showcase a set of related films. There isn't anything else in the area to rival them.
There's hardly ever a crush of people, and those that come have come to see the film, not be an irritant. The Little doesn't need to blast the volume to drown out the miscreants.
The cafe offers some decent stuff (with vegetarian-friendly soups and sandwiches), and I rarely have trouble finding a seat. Although, it's a small space, and it can be tough to eat here if you don't get into the live music - there's no escaping it.
Parking isn't bad, if you're flexible. I can infrequently find a spot in their small lot, I only look for a spot in the lot they share with 2 Vine if it's right before the last film showing, and most times I just head straight to the garage on Scio. There is a gravel lot on the other side of 2 Vine - it's probably fine but I don't get good vibes from it.