A Great Movie Watching Experience – Ta Chien Cinema @ the Westin Taipei Hotel. Movies: October 2012: "ARGO"; November 2012: 007 "Skyfall"

A Great Movie Watching Experience 

Ta Chien Cinema @ the Westin Taipei Hotel

Westin Taipei Address: No. 133, Section 3, Nánjīng East Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, 104

Everyone loves movies.  It is one of the world’s most enjoyable things to do and most movie goers go to movies often to see thier favorite movies or just to get out of the house.  For young and old, going to a movie theater is a great date, day or night, and it can be fun, entertaining and romantic.

I personally love to watch movies at a movie theater or even at home.  I enjoy it much more than watching normal TV programming, and my first thing to do when I turn on the TV is to look and see what movies are being shown on local channels, HBO, Cinemax, ShowTime, etc.

I can remember back in Ohio going on my first date to a movie theater.  It was a “blind date”.  My friend fixed me up with his girfriend’s best friend.  I was excited, scared, and nervous about the blind date and for these reasons, I really do not remember what was movie showing.   I remember it cost me fifty cents in the US ($0.50), (today it is about $10.00 US).  The four of us all sat in the back of the movie theater in the corner, and I did more holding hands, whispering and kissing, than movie watching.  Years later when I got my automobile drivers license and car, the best date was not at the indoor movie theater, but at the outdoor, drive-in movie theater (much more private and relaxing).  Since then, I have watched probably more than 1 thousand movies in hundred’s and hundred’s of movie theaters in the US and around the world.  There are simply to many theaters and movies to count or remember exactly.   

Courtesy of" cinematreasures.org"

In the US, you can find the older, almost historic, boutique movie theaters in downtown areas of small cities and towns.  Today most of those are now replaced with the mega-movie theaters with modern conveniences, and 10 to 20 or even more movies being shown at the same time.  Most movie theaters cram in so many seats, so close together, it is not the most comfortable place to watch movies. 

Courtesy of flicker.com

In San Francisco California, I have gone to a couple of theaters, including the famous Clay Theater, built in 1910 that only shows eclectic movies, foreign films, and "classics" that you won’t find on TV or at other theaters. 

The Hackworth IMAX dome theater in San Jose, CA

In San Jose California, I went to my first 84mm IMAX movie experience in the Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater, part of the Tech Museum of San Jose.  The dome panoramic view is a thrilling sight and sound experience that was almost a sensory overload on my first visit.   In Shanghai, I went to a modern shopping mall theater and watched a Qing dynasty movie in Chinese with English subtitles.

But today in Taipei Taiwan, I got the chance to watch the movie “ARGO” at the Westin Taipei’s Ta Chien theater which for me is unlike any other movie theater I have ever experienced. I plan on going again soon.  

 The theater only shows one movie each month or so.   Argo is being shown in October, and the new 007 movie SkyFall will be shown in November.

I truly enjoyed the movie, a riveting story based on the Iran-American Hostage crisis of the 1980’s, so go see the movie. But,  now lets talk about the Ta Chien Theater.

Located on the B2 floor of the Westin Taipei Hotel, it is a quiet and lovely setting for a movie theater, but you can find this at other modern movie theaters.  So what is so terrific about this To Chien theater movie experience?

The theater layout of 30 seats

Price List per person or to rent the entire theater

The movie theater is small and only seats 30 people.  You can even rent out the whole theater for a group party.  Each “love seat” has two regular pillows, two small “throw pillows”, two comfortable foot stools, two small end tables for food and drinks, and one, yes only one, blanket for two people to snuggle up together and enjoy the movie.  

The screen is not as large as commercial mega theaters, but in this small intimate setting, you don’t need a huge screen.  It certainly is much larger than any “home theater” screen I have ever seen.

They have a great menu that you can order in advance and have it delivered to your seat. 

So talk your best friend, lover, or spouse to the Ta Chien Theater, enjoy their selection of food, snacks, beverage, and even a small cup of Haagen daz ice cream.  

Get ready for a fun, relaxing and memorable movie watching experience.  

One final note, get there one time or in advance.  The movies start promptly, and they really prefer not to let people walk in the theater once the movie has started.