Gene Siskel Film Center Reviews

So many interesting films that you can't see anywhere else!

Great place to watch a film. Plus, tons of guest speakers and panels make this experience unlike any other.

Very intimate theater with carefully curated offerings.

Great selection of movies, but get there early if you want a good seat. I mean, really early!

Good for limited release and festival movies, dated amenities but I guess that's expected for art house theaters

I went to the Siskel Center tonight to purchase tickets for Hollywood on State & was treated very poorly by an unprofessional & indifferent staff.

I informed them that I wanted to buy 4 VIP tickets for Hollywood on State & a woman said "sorry the cutoff was yesterday" & immediately turned away. I was stunned.

I then stepped away to check the website to see if tickets were available, which they seemed to be so I returned to the box office to make my purchase.

A cashier said he couldnt sell them to me & directed me to his manager which was the same woman who turned me away previously.

I stated again that I wanted to purchase 4 VIP tickets & was denied. She offered me her bossses email address & I asked her to phone her instead which to me makes more sense considering the event is less than 24hrs away.

Yet again she did not accommodate my request, refusing an $800 sale.

I left to email her boss Jean Aubin.
I have not received a response or explanation.

Great for those rare and hard to find art films. The staff can be a bit off putting and snotty. I am not sure if it is because they are poorly managed, or because they are apathetic. The popcorn it terrible. It is dry and way over priced. Be sure to get to the box office earlier on the weekends and for limited runs, as tickets go fast, and the theaters (only 2) are small.

Love this place! Showings of great independent quality movies, cozy spot, great selection, great prices. You have to see a movie here!

Spend - Wonderful experience of film "War at Home," and a panel discussion. Clean and spacious facility. Small theater good for discussions. Plenty of room where you can meet with a group before or after your film. Staff were great and resourceful. Nice selection of snacks, drinks, and popcorn. Reasonably priced for a theater and a beautiful facility. My Raisinets were kind of old though (that is my only critique.) Make this your next date night.

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Small theatre that showcases unique films that you won't see in the bigger theatres. This place is close to several parking garages, but the best way is on the train Lake/state stops. It's across the Chicago theatre.

This is the place to meet and enjoy real filming art.

If you're interested in the kind of movies that don't make it into normal theaters, keep an eye in Gene Siskel's calendar. Such a wide variety of fascinating stuff that I usually didn't even know about beforehand.

Fun! Saw the film of Fleabag. Even our back row seats were close enough to see the whole screen. Also a nice incline so I could see over the tall people in front of me. My tall husband had enough leg room too.

Great place to see unique films The film that we saw was sold out but they put us on a waiting list because some people who buy their tickets ahead don't show up so we were able to get in for free, the staff there are very accommodating

Very nice theatrical facility. Would not hesitate to visit here again.

It's one the best cinemas in Chicago. I'm never disappointed by the quality of the movies that are shown here. Easy walk from work to catch a nice indie film.

Nice, ambient theatre and a great place to watch documentaries and indie films

Nice little theater with independent films, foreign and old films. Highly recommended

Hands down, the best art house in Chicago. Get a membership for discounted tickets!

I have been here with my family a couple of times, and it was wonderful!

First of all, the location is fabulous. Across the street is the Chicago Theater with its huge light-up sign. Right next door to the Film Centre is a local news affiliate, where you can watch the news readers at their desk, plus there are TVs in the window which display what is on that television channel at the moment. Next to that is a local ESPN (sports radio and television) affiliate, where you can likewise watch the hosts at their desk from the street outside.

Then there is the Film Center itself. They play many foreign and independent films, and often have the director or another important person for the movie visit and have a question-and-answer session after the film, as part of their Movie Club. When I saw the Tom of Finland biopic last week, they had had the director (a Finn himself, and so not able to be there in person) host a Q&A over Skype. I wasn't able to attend that particular screening, I went on the last night of its run. I was amazed by the turnout of the local Leather community even on the last night, many in their full regalia... And the man who took our tickets was himself a Leather boy, wearing a cute arm cuff. The other people working that night also appeared to be members of the LGBT+ community, which felt really good... Like the audience, the hosts, and the filmmaker were all "one big family."

I also found customer service to be excellent, I had difficulty buying my tickets online and then getting in touch with anyone, as it was after business hours, and the final showing of the movie I wanted to see was the next evening. I sent out an (unfortunately rather catty) email, and got a response early the next day, and attempt to help me buy a ticket. Fortunately, I was able to have a friend buy the tickets for me, but I really appreciated it and felt bad about letting my irritation show in my initial email.

The only warning I have is that most, if not all, films have only one showing per night, and I think there are only two films screened at a time. This means that many films sell out quickly and so I recommend buying tickets ahead of time. It would be very disappointing to arrive and the show is sold out!

One of my favorite theaters in the city. Different movies every week, most have such limited releases I don't know where else I would see them.

Great movie theatre offering unique films. Highly recommend!

Small theater but comfortable. I loved the two documentaries I got to see in the past weeks. Seats were comfortable

Great place and very cozy. Saw Miles Davis there and it was great. Easy place to find and safe.

Saw a movie it was really good. Super small. Would go back on a date or with a friend.

Conveniently located in the Loop, this is a wonderful place to see a wide variety of unique films you won't find at your local multiplex.

Great place for foreign movies if you are tired of Hollywood

I've been here twice (to see death in venice and carmen and lola) and I really like this theater! It's very clean and a good place to watch foreign movies!

Where you can watch old movies, foreign movies and other classics. Love this place right in the center of downtown

Great place to see anything foreign/documentary/arthouse/experimental - in other words, non-blockbuster.

A cozy little theater for mostly independent films and events. A wonderful space and tribute to Gene Siskel. The variety of movies is great, since they show a lot of indie films, documentaries, and films that aren't typically shown along with blockbuster hits.

The location is great as well. Transportation, shopping, and restaurants are nearby so you can make a day (or night) of visiting the film center.

Saw the movie Dark Money, a must see if you're worried about out side and unknown influence in our elections

I watch a lot of TMC (Tuner Movie Classics) and sometimes I find the selection of movies kind of limiting. So if I want something more avant garde than what's on Netflix or Hulu, I go check out the Gene Siskel Theatre. Sure the place won't play xXx the Return of Xander, but they will play Zardoz and that's enough for me.

Great for independent and foreign films. Not your typical Hollywood theater

Great venue for lovers of international and independent film.