A new wave for cineastes

The art of going to the movies has evolved in Surf City.

Gone are the days of an average movie-going experience, and with three local movie houses changing, or creating, their identity, residents have more cinema options.

Downtown’s Pierside SurfCity 6, formerly Mann’s Pierside Pavilion, is now under the direction of Newport Beach-based company The Movie Experience, which specializes in creating unique theater experiences for locals. The company took over in May, lowered the price of admission and created an art-house setting in some of the theaters, which will screen art and independent films.

“We’re always looking for a way to expand business with new ideas,” said The Movie Experience spokeswoman Lisa Kanno. “But we really feed upon the ideas people give us.”

Residents’ ideas became the inspiration for the theater’s flashback film festival every other Wednesday during the summer. On Wednesday the theater screened “North Shore” and will show “Riding Giants” on July 24.

I’m really excited about the new ownership,” said Leslie Carlos of Big Red Productions, which holds a monthly Surf Theater at Pierside. “They are very progressive with independent films, and they’re open to fresh marketing ideas.”

Looking for an inexpensive family outing or bargain date night? Look no further than the Regency Charter Centre Cinemas on Warner Avenue. After Regal Entertainment Group took over the theater from Edwards Theaters, the company closed up shop.

In March, Regency stepped in and began fixing the place up, and reopened the theater in April as a discount movie house.

“When it closed it certainly was on our radar because it’s just a great area to be in,” said Regency Theatres President Lyndon Golin. “There are a lot of families, it’s a really active retail area and there’s certainly a need for affordable entertainment.”

Matinee showings ? from opening time until 6 p.m. ? are just $2, and evening shows ring up at $3 per ticket. The theater also has $1 hot dogs for sale.

“When ? movies are finished at Bella Terra, they move over to the Charter Center at a discounted price,” Golin said. “So if people can wait a little bit, it’s more affordable.”

The theater also has special deals for certain days and night. Every Wednesday night is Date Night, and for $10 sweethearts can get two tickets, two popcorns and two sodas.

Tuesday and Wednesday mornings during the summer are for the kids with the theater’s Kids Summer Move Camp featuring a different children’s move each week. Next week the theater will play “Shrek.”

“It’s an inexpensive day,” said Westminster mom Jennifer Zubkoff as she and her three kids left the theater Tuesday after watching “Shark Tale.” “It’s nice for the family to be able to get together.”

Hannah Zubkoff, 6, said she had fun going to the movies.

“I liked when the shark was getting the fish,” she said in between running matches with her 5-year-old brother Nathan and sister Talia, 4.

The theater is also planning a fall late night show series for the older crowd with movies like “Scarface” and “Fight Club,” returning to the big screen, Golin said.

Cineastes of all ages milled around the Century 20 theaters at Bella Terra Tuesday night, some trying to decide which flick to watch. With 20 screens showing top box office movies, guests “can literally shop for a movie,” Cent- ury Theatres spokesman Tony Maniscalco wrote in an e-mail.

Each theater is equipped with THX surround sound and Digital Dolby sound, and moviegoers can put real butter on their popcorn, one of the last major theater circuits to have the option, Maniscalco wrote.

“[The theaters] are really nice,” said Samantha Zaragoza, 14, of Huntington Beach as she and three friends bought tickets to the new “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie. “They have a really cool arcade. We love going to the arcade.”

There are also many shops and restaurants for guests of Bella Terra and the Century 20 to peruse.

“It’s the state-of-the-art theaters, but it’s also sitting right there next to the restaurants and the shops that make it more of a total experience,” said Bella Terra spokeswoman Pat Rogers. “You’re not just going out to the movies, you’re going for that and more.”

No matter where locals choose to frequent, there’s bound to be something they’ll enjoy, from the big budget blockbusters to the small independent art film and everything in between.

“The long-standing tradition among [movie theaters] has been people who love movies showing movies for other people who love movies,” the Movie Experience’s Kanno said.hbi.13-theaters-CPhotoInfoDQ1SRAUU20060713j29gb1ncCHRISTOPHER WAGNER / INDEPENDENT(LA)Shoppers walk past the new Bella Terra Century Theater in Huntington Beach.