Seventy-seven years after it first opened, the former College Theatre continues to kick cinematic ass. Valley Art's consistently interesting roster of foreign films, independent movies, and arty flicks appeals to ASU jocks and cineasts alike. Despite its hipness quotient and a 15-year-old $1 million renovation that modernized the old-fashioned theater, it still retains its vintage charm. The only single-screen theater in the Valley, the venue is one of dozens in the Harkins chain, which spans five states and includes more than 400 screens, and it's the one where the whole chain began. Owner and CEO Dan Harkins is wise enough to let his programmers slot rare fare at Valley Art, which in recent years has shown us Kuchar Brothers festivals and animation extravaganzas, as well as small movies getting notice in New York or L.A. that other commercial houses won't risk showing. Valley Art is a beautiful thing.