Picture Show Theater in Santa Ana Provides Reclining Seats and Cheaper Prices

   Over this past spring break, I decided to try something new and visit a new movie theater. I am usually a sucker for the Metro Point movie theater in Costa Mesa, but its expensive prices for food and drinks are beginning to get out of hand. This is why I decided to try a more affordable option (even though it is a little bit further). 
   The movie theater I decided to try is called Picture Show in the Main Place Mall in Santa Ana, California. Upon researching Picture Show, I was first surprised by the prices of the tickets. I ended up paying $6.75 for my ticket to see the movie Dumbo which was a huge difference from the $11.45 I typically pay. Along with this, I noticed how Picture Show offered films that are no longer showing in other theaters such as Captain Marvel and Shazam. I thought this was pretty cool for those who missed a movie that may have been released earlier in the year.
    As I entered the theater, I was immediately shocked to see how long the line to buy popcorn was. I soon found out that the line for popcorn and drinks was also the same line to purchase a movie ticket. Luckily, I had already purchased my ticket online. However, this system made me have to wait a long time to see my movie and almost be late to my movie. I stood in the line for about 15-17 minutes. While I was a bit upset about having to wait in the long line, I felt pretty good knowing that I wasn't going to spend $30-$50 on snacks. After purchasing a medium popcorn, a large coke, and a Slurpee, I spent around $15-a steal!
   After I finally got my snack, I walked in the movie theater. As soon as I entered, I was absolutely amazed to see the theater had reclining chairs! I found my seat with my cousin and immediately laid back and relaxed. However, my relaxation quickly came to halt as soon as the movie started. Immediately, I was shocked to hear the amount of babies crying and people talking throughout the whole movie. This was something I have never experienced before and really ruined the whole experience for me. While it was not the theater's fault, it was really disappointing. 
   Overall, I would rate the Picture Show a 6/10. While it had great amenities, there was a lack of care and efficiency. The unfortunate crying and talking throughout the movie was upsetting. While the theater is not necessarily to blame and it was typically a family day at the theater, hopefully they will work to improve the establishment of their movie theater rules. If you don't mind a noisy theater and enjoy cheap prices/being able to sit in a reclining chair during a movie, then it's worth giving it a shot. Who knows, maybe if you go on a more quiet day of the week it will be a different experience. I personally think I will stick to Metro Point.
​(714) 953-8467

Reporter: Cosette Terriquez