Stadium 12: A great place to catch a film

By Jason Wallis
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

The city of Lodi has always had a lot of great things going for it, but for a long while, movie theaters were not among them. Sure, we had the long-standing Sunset Cinema (housing a grand total of one screening room), as well as the token tri-plex with sticky floors and torn screens, two of which weren’t much bigger than the HDTVs you can watch for free at any Circuit City.

But Lodi’s moviegoers have been living the high life since July 19, 2001, which marked the grand opening of the Stadium 12. A cinema palace boasting no less than a dozen state-of-the-art screening rooms, it’s widely regarded as the backbone of Lodi’s revitalized downtown area, and one of the very best theaters in the Valley.

A stable establishment that has seen steadily increasing business since it opened almost four year ago, the Stadium 12 has become a celebrated success, catering to discriminating moviegoers of all kinds.

With matinee showings at only $5.50 and evening showings at $8.50 for adults and $5.50 for children (unless it’s Tuesday, in which case all tickets for all shows — excluding “special engagements” —- are discounted to as low as $3.50 all day), an afternoon or evening’s entertainment can be had pretty cheap on any day of the year.

With so many screens, the Stadium 12 is able to show practically every film in wide release at any given time, and even a few limited-release gems as well. (It should be noted that their independent and art-house series, showcasing films one would otherwise have to go to San Francisco or Los Angeles to see, was unfortunately canceled due to virtually non-existent revenue. However, management is looking into the possibility of bringing it back sometime in the future.) With such a varied selection, any movie fan is sure to find a film suitable to their tastes instead of having to settle for whatever happens to be the “movie of the week.”

For those viewers whose movie going experience is not complete without a bucket of hot, fresh popcorn, a box of their favorite candy and a refreshing soda by their side, the theater offers a more than serviceable selection of concessions, ranging from the usual suspects like popcorn and candy to slightly less common treats such as nachos and Icees.

Or, if you prefer to enjoy a more complete meal before or after a screening, the theater complex houses several easily recommendable dining establishments: Fuego’s, an unpretentious Mexican cafe; Scooter’s, which serves a wide variety of sandwiches, signature “wraps” and gourmet coffees; Quizno’s, featuring unbeatable hot sandwiches; Moo Moo’s, a burger joint that has amassed something of a cult following thanks to their beer-battered french fries; and Cold Stone Creamery, which sells arguably the best, most creatively served ice cream in Lodi.

Once you’re filled up and ready to enjoy your movie, the theater’s stadium seating awaits. Due to the leveled seating, patrons need not worry about having to find that one seat that doesn’t have another viewer directly in front of it; every seat in all 12 screening rooms offers a direct, unobscured view of the movie screen, even if the person sitting in front of you has been taking hair-grooming tips from Marge Simpson. In addition to always having a clear view of the screen, viewers can also get comfortable by reclining their seats slightly and lifting up the moveable armrests, creating a loveseat-like effect.

Because of these features, awkward and uncomfortable seating has become a thing of the past for Lodi moviegoers, as have run-down screening room interiors, stale popcorn and limited movie choices. Say what you will about the kinds of movies Hollywood has been putting out lately — at least we now have a proper establishment in which to cheer or jeer them.