Megan told you about this in the Morning News, but I think it deserves its own Slog post, because it's big news: The Sundance Cinemas chain is taking over the Metro in the U District and is going to remodel it into a 10-screen movie theater with stadium seating. Starting in May, it will be called Sundance Cinemas Seattle.

While Seattle's independent cinemas—SIFF Cinema, Northwest Film Forum, the Cinerama, Central Cinema, and the Grand Illusion—are first in my heart, I'm happy to see another art house chain make a play for Seattle's filmgoing market. I go to theaters owned by Landmark Cinemas all the time, and I love them for their wide selections of films and friendly staffs. But Landmark has taken over all these beautiful movie theater landmarks in Seattle—among others, the Egyptian, the Guild 45th, the Varsity—and it's basically let those buildings rot. Of all the Landmark Theaters in Seattle, only the Seven Gables and the Harvard Exit are still what I'd call well-maintained. The Guild 45th and the Varsity's interiors are falling apart, and the Egyptian is well on the way to disrepair, too. Quite frankly, it's getting too depressing to see a movie at the Guild 45th. I love the space and the exteriors, but that skanky bathroom stairway and the duct-tape detailing on the carpet and walls is about as demoralizing as a decrepit sex shop.

I hope that the arrival of another art house theater chain in Seattle after Landmark's long run as the only major game in town will inspire Landmark to put a little effort into it. For better or for worse—mostly worse, in my opinion—people's home theaters are vying for attention with movie theaters. You need to give moviegoers a great reason to leave the house, and special events, fun experiences, and close attention to patron comfort* are probably the most compelling reasons. If your theater is a dump, why should someone bother to unshackle themselves from the fifty-inch behemoth screens sucking up attention in their living rooms? Landmark has to start trying again, and maybe the arrival of a hot new player like Sundance Cinemas will be the kick in the ass they need to start fixing themselves up.

But most importantly, hooray for more moviegoing options in Seattle! I'm glad to see that theater chains are expanding after a few years of stagnancy. The news that Alamo Drafthouse is bringing a theater to New York has filled me with the irrational hope that one day we'll see that chain trying to get a foothold in Seattle, too. We're a town that loves watching movies, and the more theaters we have, the better the filmgoing experience is for everyone.

* By which I mostly mean someone who can cheerfully crack the whip on movie-texters and loud-talkers.