“It might be the most empathetic and exhilarating mainstream American animated feature ever made.” -Adam Nayman, The Ringer

The Iron Giant is a wondrous animated fairy tale of post-Sputnik paranoia and the related fears of “otherness” that carries with it warm messages about friendship and non-violence. What should have been an unqualified hit, however, managed a scant $23 million at the box office due to an infamously indifferent advertising campaign by Warner Bros., which demonstrated that its animation competitors (Disney and Dreamworks) are far more comfortable with this end of the business. After all, the materials are all first-rate, from the incredibly cool-looking gentle giant, to the enthusiastic vocal talent, to the tight adaptation of Ted Hughes’ book by directors Brad Bird and Tim McCanlies. What might seem on the surface like a simple “boy and his robot” tale is secretly a wicked parody of the 1950s, targeting not only hair-trigger government agents, but also pulp monster movies and laid-back beatniks. What provides the spine-tingling emotional core is the tender characterization of the childlike giant, whose swirling circular eyes and gravelly voice (thank you, Vin Diesel) convey heart-breaking empathy. Watching him innocently chomp junked cars and farm equipment is also oodles of fun. The struggle between this benevolent soul and his battle droid pre-programming, which appears in a flashy display of inventive artillery near the end, also sends a crystalline message to children that guns are bad — an idea rarely communicated to them in so entertaining a fashion. It’s a real shame that Hughes died during production, meaning he never got to see this glorious realization of his work. (AllMovie)

THEATER POLICIES

All seats are first-come, first-served.

The theater opens 30 minutes prior to showtime, except for “Happy Hour” events and pre-shows when the theater opens at the listed start time.

All ages are welcome at Arkadin except for Drinkolas Cage events, which are restricted to 21+. We follow the MPAA rating guidelines for all other films.

Tickets can be purchased using the BUY TICKETS link above. Upon ordering, you will receive a confirmation email from Square. Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the show at the concession counter.

If you’ve purchased advance tickets, when you arrive, please give your name at the concession counter to check in.

Tickets are returnable by sending a request through the contact form located on our About Us page prior to showtime.

When an event is sold out, we reserve the right to release open seats to customers on the waitlist. If you have a pre-purchased ticket and arrive late and there is no seat for you, your ticket will be refunded.

All screenings are held in our indoor theater unless indicated otherwise in the event description above.

Please respect your fellow movie-goers by remaining quiet and refraining from using your cell phone throughout the screening.