M Park 4 Theatre of Koreatown in Los Angeles, California: Review

When it comes to movie theaters in Los Angeles, California there are many to choose from.There are the big national chain (AMC, Regal) mega plexes showing Hollywood blockbusters or smaller art houses (Laemmle, Landmark) showing independent and foreign films. I am now going to talk about and review my recent visit to the M Park 4 theater in Los Angeles' Koreatown. The M Park 4 theater is located inside of the Wilshire Galleria on the 3rd floor. The building is located at 3240 Wilshire Blvd at New Hampshire. It is one block away, a short walking distance from the Wilshire-Vermont METRO station.

The now Wilshire Galleria was formerly the I. Magnin, a high fashion and specialty luxury department store which opened in 1939, remodeled in 1959 and closed in 1990. The M Park 4 theater opened in November of 2006. The theater has 4 auditoriums all with stadium style seating with the following seat counts: auditorium 1- 250 seats, auditorium 2- 174, auditorium 3- 165 and auditorium 4- 174. They are equipped with large screens and Dolby Digital surround sound. With great high back plush seats and good leg room.

As with most cultures, action films tend to travel and translate the best with audiences. This is also true of the movies programmed at the M Park 4. This theater being in the Koreatown part of Los Angeles does show movies with subtitles. So if seeing Hancock or The Dark Knight with Korean subtitles bothers you then this is not the theater for you, it did not bother me at all. The Korean films presented here sometimes have English subtitles but not always, so you might want to call before hand and ask. They typically show 2 Korean films and 2 first- run Hollywood blockbusters. But during the winter holidays and summer season they tend to have all 4 screens with major first-run Hollywood blockbuster films.

The reason why i like coming to see movies at the M Park 4 is because they are a modern, clean and not crowded facility. On Friday June 27,2008 I went to see the action movie- Wanted starring Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy. I saw the first matinee of the day at 10:40am and there were only a total of 8 people including me. One of the employees told me that they get really busy on Friday nights and Weekends. They have early morning matinees everyday and late shows on Fridays and Saturdays only.

The concession stand is stocked with the traditional movie watching snacks of popcorn,sodas and candy. But they also have coffee and nachos.

There is a small but cozy lounge past the concession stand but before the auditoriums. It has a huge screen playing coming attractions- movie previews. There are a couple of couches and several tall tables with chair-like stools to sit and relax before the movie.

The restrooms are very clean, well lit and efficient with touch sensory sinks and paper towel dispensers. The staff was very attentive, friendly- eye contact and smile and helpful during my visit.

So if you are looking for an alternative to the busy, noisy and crowded national chain mega plex with hard to find parking, give the clean,quiet, modern, independently owned and public transit adjacent M Park 4 theaters a try.

The admission prices are: Adults: $10, Children (12 and under) and Seniors (65 and over) $8.

On weekdays only: first showing is $6. and before before 5pm is $8.

3240 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles,CA 90010 (213) 384-7080 www.mpark4.com