The Loft Cinema is a film lover’s paradise, offering a fun mix of indie films, cult classics, and special screenings. The theater isn’t just about movies either — it’s a community hub where cinephiles gather for themed events, interactive screenings, and lively discussions.
Mondo Mondays are one of my favorite weekly screening events at the Loft. They show cheesy movies that are borderline terrible but are incredibly fun to experience because mostly everyone in the theater is shouting at the screen.
Life is Like a Box of Chocolates
All of that entertainment pairs well with food from their concession stand, too, and the Loft has an impressive selection of local bites.
I mean, there’s the popcorn that’s easily some of the best in town (pssst… you get a free bag every time you watch a movie if you’re a member). It’s popped with coconut oil as opposed to other common seed oils — it has a nice crunch!
If you’re aiming for something sweet and spicy, the theater carries a few bags of Tannas Botannas‘ candy.
Heck, toss some of those in your popcorn if you’re feeling adventurous. Like a lot of the food at the concession stand, you can expect to find different variations of Tannas Botannas Puro Fuego. Tannas has been on a tear lately and has even gone national.
The same goes for Monsoon Chocolate‘s award-winning bars. Usually, they’ll have three different chocolate bars to choose from and a couple of bags of other sweets like cashew brittle.
The Loft also offers freshly baked pastries (usually a pack of four for less than $10). However, if you really have a grumbling going on in your stomach, tamales from Tucson Tamale Company and wraps from Cafe Desta ought to do the trick.
“Desta” means “joy” in Amharic, which is the official language of East African country Ethiopia, and that’s exactly what these wraps induce. The wheat tortillas are usually filled with cabbage, potato, carrots, onions, lentils, peas, etc. — it just depends on which one you buy!
Wash it all down with a local beer if that’s your cup of tea. At the concession stand, you’ll find brews in cans or on tap from MotoSonora Brewing and Pueblo Vida Brewing to name a couple.
This is just a sneak peek of what you can order at the concession stand — think of it as a trailer for what to expect. Now, all you need to do is figure out which movie to watch!
Big Things on the Horizon
The local movie theater and non-profit that’s been in the community for more than 50 years is getting a few upgrades in the near future — one of which is a nifty rooftop bar. The Loft Cinema’s new design will have three screens on the ground floor (there’s currently a screen upstairs in the main building). The new “screen two” will be next to “screen three” which is just east of the main building.
The empty space between the buildings will be a brand-new building that connects the two. Out here is where the new “open-air cinema” will be located along with a seating area on artificial turf, new restrooms, and a rooftop bar — you’ll be able to see the outdoor movie screen from the bar.
Also, the lobby and box office area will go under construction so that there’s more space for concessions — the line for food and drinks is usually stretched out to the parking lot on busy nights. The existing lobby will be turned into a lounge area for folks to enjoy their edibles before and after a film.
And, don’t forget! The Loft Cinema is now a Tucson Foodie Restaurant Partner and Insiders can score two free movie passes a year. Learn more.
The Loft Cinema is located at 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. For more information, visit loftcinema.org.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
