I’ve never considered myself a movie buff, because to me that term implies one who has encyclopedic knowledge of film because they’ve seen everything, and will watch anything. My taste is more discriminating (okay, snobby) and I’m drawn towards indie, foreign, and classic films that used to be lumped into what is still sometimes called “art house”.
When I moved to Fort Wort this past spring, I couldn’t find a theater that would show a movie like Parasite, the critically acclaimed comedy/drama/social commentary by Bong Joon Ho. I’m not going to drive to Dallas to see a movie unless some theater there is screening a rare 35 mm print of something I really want to see, and I doubt that will ever happen. I was beginning to accept the depressing thought that most movies I’m interested in are just going to be seen at home on the relatively small screen. While Parasite was appearing on Best of 2019 lists worldwide, Fort Worth theaters didn’t know it existed, until it magically appeared on my search of “Fort Worth Movies” at a theater I never heard of.
Located next to Craftwork Coffee (one of the best coffee shops in town), the Grand Berry Theater specializes in such eclectic films. It’s a small (seats about 60), local, independent business and it’s sure to become my favorite theater in town. It’s not as fancy as Movie Tavern, but they do have a liquor license. At least I hope they do because they offer a decent selection of beers and wines. And the staff is friendly.
My criticism is that the seating, while comfortable, is such that if you’re not in the back couple of rows you will be tilting your head up at the screen an uncomfortable amount. Also the sound system seemed pretty good, but because I was all the way in the back it felt like I was getting too much of the rear surround speakers. Still, I will return. I give the owners a lot of credit for filling a niche and for making good use of an available space. As Fort Worth’s population grows there is sure to be a growing demand for this kind of venue. I think Grand Berry can become an essential part of Fort Worth’s cultural fabric.