Movie theaters have changed just as much as movies have over the last few decades. Today's multiplexes were nowhere to be seen even 10 years ago. Instead, theaters had other ways of endearing themselves to the public.

Eating questionable popcorn, sneaking a free matinee, sitting in the middle of an excited crowd on a movie's opening day, drinking a huge Coke; these were all the things I loved about the movies as a kid. There were few greater joys than finding a cool theater to escape the summer heat, settling into that familiar, if not a little uncomfortable, chair and then looking up to be taken away for a couple of hours. There might be two or three great theaters around town, all of them unique and with character of their own. That's why I saw movies in a theater, not just for a giant screen but for the communal experience of the local movie house.

Today, theaters today look more similar than ever: stadium seating, digital projection, exorbitant ticket prices and advertisements running before the trailers.

While there have been endless improvements in the quality of picture, sound and certain comforts inside theaters, these changes aren't necessarily received with open arms by older movie lovers. One day, many people will love to watch movies the way they grew up watching them: on their home theater systems. Even further down the road, people will be used to watching them on their computers and cell phones. At that point, although unlikely, it could be possible that traditional theaters will go by the wayside.

Where does that leave today's consumer in the coveted 18-35 age bracket? While many enjoy the technically superior multiplexes, there will always be a significant amount of moviegoers who enjoy a more old-fashioned approach to the theater experience: traditional floor-level seating, a really big screen, no advertisements run before the trailers and a reasonable ticket price. All of this adds up to the classic communal feel of theaters of old, back before people stayed home to enjoy pay-per-view movies on home systems of comparable quality.

Fortunately, Los Angeles is the center of the film universe and there will always be a place here not only for revival cinema but also revival theaters. The three theaters featured below lack nearly all of the bells and whistles of the modern theater juggernauts, but they all share one thing in common: a true love for movies.

The Nuart Theatre in west Los Angeles (11272 Santa Monica Blvd.)shows international documentaries and features from all over the world as well as American independent films and classics. This single-screen movie house has been open for more than 30 years and was revamped last year to include new seats. The screen is huge and the movies are different every few days, so just glance up at the classic marquee to see what's playing. It is run by Landmark Theaters, so there are a few ads before the trailers, but with tickets under 10 dollars it's an acceptable trade-off.

L.A.'s most famous revival theater, the New Beverly Cinema is located just south of Hollywood. (7165 Beverly Blvd.) Also in operation for more than 3 decades, the New Beverly features classic films from every era and every region of the film-making world. Best of all, every day is a double feature with two films that generally share a common bond. You may get two Scorcese films or two Algerian films on any given day. This theater is also a single-screen beauty with a great old-school box office out front and a staff of real film enthusiasts. If you love great movies, there is no better place to go.

If you need to see current blockbusters, though, one place to look is downtown at the Laemmle Grande 4 Plex. (345 S. Figueroa St.) With only 4 screens, albeit not especially large ones, this theater captures a cozy feel without a lack of quality, only a lack of crowds. Don't worry about fighting through a shopping mall's-worth of people for a seat; rather, expect to enjoy new releases with a handful of patrons. This place also is one of the few remaining theaters with a student discount. Movies are still affordable, indeed.

- By Chris Boyd