Madison is a city with a lot of movie fans, but not a lot of movie theaters. In the last decade, Marcus Westgate Cinemas, Market Square Cinemas, and AMC Madison 6 have all closed, so if you live in the city and want to see a movie, you have to pack up a car and drive to the edges of town (Marcus Point, Flix Brewhouse Madison) or beyond (AMC Fitchburg 18, Marcus Palace in Sun Prairie).
Or do you? What Madison lacks in traditional theaters it makes up for in unexpected and offbeat places to see movies. Here’s a list of places you might not know about, or might not expect to get the big-screen experience.
In addition to showing live music and comedy, the east side gem has gone back to its roots as a movie theater by booking more and more one-night-only movie screenings, as well as touring short film festivals such as the “Trail Running Film Festival” (March 17) and the 2026 Fly Fishing Film Tour (March 19).
This free film series in Vilas Hall on the UW-Madison campus curates an eclectic mix of new indie movies, restored classics, and retro crowd-pleasers. This weekend, filmmaker Owen Kline will present his own film, “Funny Pages,” as well as eight of his favorite classic films.
Students on the UW Wisconsin Union Directorate Film Committee program this lovely theater on Union South’s second floor with classics like “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “When Harry Met Sally,” and with newer films like the “Social Cinema” documentary series. And it’s all free.
Several library branches show free movies on the regular, such as Hawthorne Library’s Anime Club and Goodman South’s Friday Family Films series. Also worth checking out is the Cinesthesia monthly series at the Central Branch — Spike Lee’s “Inside Man” is playing there March 17.
MMoCA will sometimes show films in its lecture hall, often tied to exhibits on display. The museum really comes alive every August with Rooftop Cinema, where films are shown at night in the museum’s rooftop garden.
The exhibition space regularly shows experimental films in its Mills Folly Microcinema series, and has other film screenings as well.
Best known for dance parties and burlesque shows, Crucible might not be the first place you think of for movies. But catch the monthly “Schlock and Awe” series, where Madison comedians screen a bad movie and make jokes during it, “Mystery Science Theater 3000”-style.
The hip north side vinyl bar has been partnering with Four Star Video Rental for monthly “movie parties” in its Sidecar Lounge. “The Big Lebowski” is coming up on March 11, including a costume contest and White Russian specials.
Madison Parks’ Sina Davis Movies in the Park series brings outdoor family movies to parks all over the city for free once the weather warms up.
