New York - December 21, 2001

Sunshine Cinema Opens

Downtown's New Movie Theater

Friday night. You had a crazy week and are too tired to be charming at dinner. You need a movie, and you need it downtown, just in case by 10 you’re feeling better and want to hit the scene.

Ugh. Not the Angelika again? Those lines! The subway rumbling under your seat! Is this any way to see a movie? Nope. Bright spot: Today the Sunshine Cinema opens on Houston Street on the Lower East Side.

The original Sunshine was built in 1898, but for the past 50 years has been a hardware warehouse. (Oh, the shame.) Now fully restored, it’s a beautiful, grand movie theater with state-of-the-art screens, stadium seating, and Dolby EX sound. And with a Japanese rock garden and panoramic views of the city, the Sunshine will be a cool place to hang out, too. Now showing: Behind the Sun, a Brazilian epic from Central Station director Walter Salles, starring the gorgeous Rodrigo Santoro, and Kandahar, the tale of a young female journalist living under the Taliban.

Sunshine in a dark theater? Oh yeah. We’re there.

The Landmark Theater, 143 East Houston Street, between First and Second Avenues; (212-358-7709).

  Film Buff