Coolidge Corner Theatre

For cinephiles in Boston, Coolidge Corner is at the epicenter of the entertainment map, featuring everything from independent films and local filmmaker showcases to first-runs and children's matinees. In operation since 1933, the theater is housed in the former Beacon Universalist Church, a structure in existence since 1906. Though it has undergone many adaptations since being morphed into Brookline's first movie theater, the Coolidge has survived as the only operating Art Deco theater in the Boston area. In honor of this illustrious history, Favermann Design recently completed an architectural overhaul of the theater's marquee, eliminating the 1960s design and replacing it with an Art Deco configuration in keeping with the plush interior. The new facade is reflective of an active new era at the Coolidge, with a schedule including cutting-edge film festivals, Meet the Director screenings, a weekend Midnight Movie series and Kids Variety Shows on Saturdays in the remodeled upstairs moviehouse. Recently voted one of the nation's best film venues by USA Today, this community treasure has the kind of atmosphere that makes movie-going seem like a rarefied retro experience. -- Julia Clinger