Best Cinematic Sendoff 2022 | Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure at Circle K | Megalopolitan Life | Phoenix
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Best Cinematic Sendoff

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure at Circle K

For more than 30 years, the Circle K at the corner of Southern Avenue and Hardy Drive in Tempe was more than just a convenience store: It was the shooting location (and subsequent local landmark) for some of the pivotal scenes in the classic '80s comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. (You know: "Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.") Then the news came this spring that the store was closing, and a generation of local film buffs bemoaned the imminent loss of this cultural touchpoint. Local movie chain Harkins Theatres responded to the outcry by giving the Circle K the best possible sendoff: On May 18, it hosted two screenings of Bill & Ted in the parking lot of the convenience store. Tickets sold out pretty much immediately for both shows, and attendees showed up ready to party, several of them dressed up like the titular characters. The screenings included a prerecorded intro from Alex Winter (a.k.a. Bill S. Preston, Esq.) and a sense of nostalgia so strong it was palpable. Today, the convenience store at Southern and Hardy is called Corner Market, but to us, it'll always be the starting point of a most excellent adventure.

Best Live Film Event

RPM Orchestra + Filibus

Film archivists have a term for the chemical reaction that causes old film stock to deteriorate. It's called "vinegar syndrome," and it often looks like pools of luminescent liquid eating away at the celluloid. When the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix screened a restoration of Mario Roncoroni's 1915 film Filibus with an original live score by avant-garde dieselpunks RPM Orchestra, the visual quality of this silent movie was excellent — full of striking colored tints and silvery B&W photography — except for a distorted scene in the middle of the film that suffered from a bad case of vinegar syndrome. It was the best part of the screening. A film shot in the same spirit as Louis Feuillade's classic serials like Les Vampires, Filibus is the story of a cross-dressing female thief who pulls off heists from her secret airship. RPM Orchestra's score added a playful and immersive energy to Filibus, but what made their music particularly entrancing is how they responded to the quality of the physical film. Whenever there were scratches or distortions the music would take on a similar dissonant quality. When the vinegar syndrome was at its worst, RPM Orchestra wailed a cacophony that would make Merzbow reach for some earplugs. It was sublime.

Best Film Festival

Indie Film Fest

Let other cities have glitzy film festivals filled with celebrity sightings and movies by big-name directors. Here in Phoenix, we have a hometown festival that makes it easy for anyone to experience an eclectic array of films that reflect the diversity of human experience and give us pathways for forging fresh conversations and collaborations. The Indie Film Fest gives voice to local talent, while expanding our vision beyond the Valley of the Sun. We're never sure what creative community-based activities the Indie Film Fest organizers are going to come up with, but they always add another layer of fun. With shorts, documentaries, music videos, and more, the festival mixes it up to remind us that there's true movie magic beyond our favorite couches and streaming services.

Best Indie Movie Theater

Pollack Tempe Cinemas

When was the last time you spent just $3.50 on a movie ticket? Ticket prices keep rising, but you'll always find a movie bargain at Pollack Tempe Cinemas at McClintock Drive and Elliot Road. The theater plays second-run movies (those no longer showing in regular cinemas) in addition to classic features such as The Breakfast Club and Friday Night Lights. Pollack Tempe Cinemas an old-school, Hollywood-meets-Disney vibe replete with life-size displays of characters from Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, and Superman. Head to the snack bar for popcorn, Blue Bunny Ice Cream, or a Hebrew National Hot Dog to accompany your flick, then sit back and enjoy the show knowing that you snagged a great deal.

Best Luxury Movie Theater

AMC Dine-In Esplanade 14

If your idea of being pampered is having someone else fetch your beer while you sit on the couch watching movies from your favorite '80s franchise, it's probably time you step it up a notch. There's luxury to be found at AMC Dine-In Esplanade 14, where you can order appetizers, burgers, flatbreads, salads, bowls, snacks, and more on your phone and get them delivered to your seat. You can also spend some time at the bar before or after the flick to enjoy beer, wine, or cocktails. The theater is surrounded by luxurious shops, so you can enjoy a little walking and window shopping on either side of your movie time. While you're there, you can typically choose from classics, new titles, and artisan films. Special Fathom Events screenings from anime films to opera performances take you beyond the ordinary movie lineup, and you can bring a touch of class to your next party by booking a private screening. Just be sure you don't show up in your tattered Big Lebowski bathrobe.

Best Place to See a Classic Movie

Majestic Neighborhood Cinema Grill

For local cinephiles who are tired of watching classic films on the small screen, the Majestic Neighborhood Cinema Grills are your huckleberry. The three east Valley locations regularly screen repertory films alongside new releases. Where else in the Valley can you see Robocop on 35mm one week and then catch a restoration of Lost Highway the next? The Majestic team has done a great job in catering to both arthouse and grindhouse audiences, screening horror cult classics such as Blood and Black Lace and Texas Chainsaw Massacre alongside film canon staples including Rear Window, Wings of Desire, and The Seventh Seal. They've also had special guest Q&As, film and meal pairings, and other fun events. If you've ever wanted to drink a beer and eat a cheeseburger while reclining in a comfortable chair with Richard Elfman's deranged Forbidden Zone playing in front of you on the big screen, they're the only game in town.

Best Co-Working Space

The McKinley Club

Walking into the McKinley Club near a strip of Grand Avenue renowned for its offbeat arts scene, you hardly feel like you've entered a working space. When you see oodles of plants, hanging chairs, and a geometric mural by local artist Danielle Hacche, you get the vibe of your favorite home decor show where it's all about combining comfort and urban chic. The club has private offices in various sizes, plus dedicated desks in shared spaces, and open space memberships, too. Check out the roster and you'll see a compelling mix of Phoenix thinkers, makers, movers, and shakers — each bringing creative flair to their own projects and their conversations with other great minds working in various ways to help the city, and those who live and work here, move forward.

Best Late-Night Study Spot

Lux Central

Dominique Chatterjee
Desert at Lux

Most bars in the evenings are starting to get rowdy. At Lux Central, a coffee bar on Central Avenue, the music is always blisteringly loud, and the space is usually packed — and yet most customers are deep in a book or clacking away on laptops. For those that enjoy getting work done in bars and cafes, Lux is simply the ultimate choice. Its counters are stocked with mouthwatering pastries. It has big tables and comfy pink armchairs. It serves both espresso and stylish cocktails. The jalapeño bacon mac-and-cheese is to die for. Working late in the evening here, you feel productive — and still cool, because you made it out, at least, to a place like Lux.

Best City Drive

Central Avenue

They don't call it Central Avenue for nothing: As metro Phoenix sprawls endlessly every which way, the thoroughfare continues to mark the boundary between the east and west sides of town. And a drive from its northern terminus to the southern end (or vice versa) provides a vibrant look at the heart of the city. You can start in Sunnyslope, where Central dead-ends near North Mountain Park. Take it south and admire the historic, upscale neighborhoods that line Central from Northern to Missouri avenues. This section boasts the historic Murphy's Bridle Path; no longer used by horses and the people who ride them, the tree-lined path is often filled with pedestrians out for a little fresh air. Head a little farther south, and you're into central Phoenix proper. Check out Midcentury Modern architectural gems such as the Phoenix Financial Center, stop for a bite at popular eateries including Clever Koi and Forno 301, or get some culture at the Heard Museum or Phoenix Art Museum. Keep going, and you'll cross the trendy Roosevelt Row arts district before finding yourself entangled in the mess that is downtown Phoenix construction (a low point on our tour while the streets are still torn up). Make it through downtown, and you're now in south Phoenix, where the buildings are shorter and you'll see much more Spanish on the signs of the businesses. This stretch of Central has its fair share of work going on (they're building a new section of the Valley Metro Light Rail), so consider pulling over for some shopping or a meal to support the local businesses who have seen their revenues drop because of the construction mess. Finally, just as it began at a mountain, Central Avenue ends in South Mountain Park. Pull over to stretch your legs and contemplate the slice of urban Phoenix life you've just experienced.

Best Scenic Drive

Road to Dobbins Lookout

Jennifer Goldberg

It's ironic that the southern end of Central Avenue, the urban heart of Phoenix, is the beginning of one of the most gorgeous scenic drives in the city. Located in the South Mountain Park and Preserve, the road to the Dobbins Lookout starts off gently as you travel through visitor checkpoints and parking lots. Then, you begin to climb. Gentle twists, turns, and switchbacks are the name of the game as you ascend the mountain on a well-maintained paved road. It's hard to decide what's better: gazing at the majestic South Mountain close up or watching the city fall away behind you. After about five miles, you'll make it to Dobbins Lookout at 2,330 feet. The altitude makes for spectacular views of the entire Valley; you can try your hand at identifying landmarks with the compass on the observation tower, or you can get out of the sun in the stone ramada. On your way back down, before you leave the park, make sure to stop at what remains of Scorpion Gulch, a neat little house and store that was built in the 1930s.

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