A small nice theater. The place is a bit old and worn, but its comfortable and charming. They have a good amount of movies and documentaries that youll have a hard time finding elsewhere. Also, concessions are not as expensive as a mainline movie theater, which is a plus!

Mill valley film festival going on at Rafael, its a good place and fun films all year.

One of the best of top quality Art film theaters and film culture centers (renowned for various film festivals, including the world famous Mill Valley Film Festival - now 40 years old), as well as Educational opportunities for youth in various aspects of film making. First release Feature films; and International, documentary, and quality independent films shown in a beautifully remodeled art deco theatre. Q&As with filmmakers, actors, musicians, creative celebrities from around the world. Bravo to the Smith Rafael Film Center staff and volunteers!

Great theater to catch a movie. The seats have that old charm, plus they are comfy. I wish more theaters were like this.

Always unexpected and rare movies! For something different and more intelligent, come here.

I have been visiting this Theatre since I began visiting Marin before I moved here in the 1990s.Smith Rafael has offered my family and friends and I so many wonderful film experiences that I couldnt remember all of them.However, I have never had an experience there which I wasnt fond of.Every great Yoga movie has been shown there.And many excellent documentaries over the years have been held over by popular demand.The staff is always friendly.The space is neat and tidy.The seats are pretty comfortable.And the films are spectacular.They keep the very rare and novel films and documentaries going continually so there are always excellent topics to choose from.

Great selection and low prices. One is the best movie theaters in the area! Thanks!

Very nice movie by Pedro Almodovar. The cinema I love it beautiful. Great atmosphere

Always good and important films! Often foreign films, docs which appeal to me. Not to mention the actors, directors and producers who often speak or are available on nights when there’s Q and A.Mill Valley Film Festival is in early October each year. I’ve gone for decades! And had film experiences that have enriched me, inspired me and enlightened everyone I know.

The Rafael Theatre on 4th Street in downtown San Rafael is a favorite destination for film enthusiasts and movie goers. Incomparably wonderful in all respects!

A cultural treasure and indispensable educational resource for the Bay Area and beyond.

The theater is very nice with excellent AV and limited seating but big enough for that theater experience. I saw the The Spy behind the Plate about baseball player Moe Berg and his contributions to the war effort during WWII. I highly recommend it.

Good auditorium. Historic. Beautiful. Good air conditioning. Average sound, small screen.

What a wonderful place to see a movie... has a old time feel overall .. all smiles here =)~

Maybe the greatest movie theater that Ive ever watched a movie in.

Blessing that they opened up the small screening room upstairs for the Dalai Lama In His Own Words with intro by the filmmaker and Dalai Lama sister in law. Touching event

Very nice, beautiful people in every way!

One of the true Art Deco, independent film theaters left. They have a wonderful selection of movies, they are very reasonably priced. The seating and general Ambiance is quite comfortable!

Great offerings of independent, documentary and foreign films that you wont find at the major multiplexes.

Great theater. Well mannered patrons.

Great downtown theater where you can see art films and current new releases. Also home to film festivals. Many restaurants downtown to enjoy before or after your film!

First time here, awesome old building. Found parking on street pretty close, pouring rain might have helped tamp down visitors....was there for Banff Film Festival. What a night!

Beautiful space with indie films we all want to see.

Wonderful selection of hard to find films.

Home to the Mill Valley Film Festival, this lovely three screen theater that shows films that you wont see anyplace else around here. If you like thought provoking movies you should also purchase a membership to the CA Film Institute to get a discount on tickets.

Great joint in downtown for a movie that might be hard to find!

The beauty of the Smith Rafael is its connection to the community, and its devotion to sometimes obscure documentaries that you cant see anywhere else. I also appreciate their flexibility when one of these indies sells out, the Rafael will schedule a viewing of it again for those who missed it. I dont need a reclining seat, I just want to see the film. I think pretty much everyone loves the Rafael!

Love this place. Been here twice for film festivals and its been great. Excellent space, no bad seats and its close to everything.

I was lucky enough to attend the world premiere of a new movie about the great cornetist buddy bolden. The facility is really nice and the staff were extremely professional. The movie was about New Orleans jazz musicians and there was a brass band playing live in the lobby.

Great theater. Home to the Mill Valley Film Festival. Great programming. First run treats not found anywhere else, and old classics. Lots of guests over the past years. Everyone from Jonathon Winters to Sir Ian McKellan to Helen Mirren has been on stage for interviews. Part of the California Film Institute.

Comfortable and accessible (elevator), eclectic selection of films/documentaries.

Good Theater. They should sell healthier snacks.

The Rafael & CFI (California Film Institute) are a priceless gem in the Bay Area! Throughout the year wonderful independent & top feature films emerge from the experienced evaluations of professional staff with what constitute stimulating, thought-provoking film!Every form of taste & preference can be satisfied with the wonderfully creative leadership of CFI, not only at the marvelous Rafael theatre but other fine theatres in the county from the Sequoia in Mill Valley to the Lark in larkspur, but make the Rafael your first stop in your journey of exploration into the world of exciting film from every corner of the globe. As a former film producer, actor, financier I cherish the experiences as will you.

Comfortable seating, courteous attendants, small theater with wonderful film selections.

This review is not about the theater. I give SR cinema the highest praise, hence 5 stars.I actually want to submit areview about a current movie:Happy End. I give the movie 1 star. In short, it’s a terrible film. I just can’t see any redeeming value in it. I know it’s not supposed to be ‘ Hollywood’. But over all, it is a ware of time. No amount of artsy discourse will remedy the films pervasive flaws. I can’t see any redeeming quality or message, or even novel film art craft. It simply fails at each level and device inmovie making. The critics offer some immense stretches of the films merits. I can’t agree on any point. To sum it up, while movie making is not an easy endeavor, and while, equally important, many non standard presentations can be done with beautiful effect, the subject should be left to qualified people. I came away with the notion that I had witnessed total failure in the craft.review for a current movie:Happy End

Good interesting films and a comfortable beautiful atmosphere make this my favorite Theater in Marin County

All good except for a massive hairy dog someone had to bring. Ridiculous.

This place is a treasure! Love the films and the atmosphere. You can pretty much pick any movie at random and know it will be excellent. Great special events, too, where they bring in filmmakers, actors, and more.

Great classic movie house

Great neighborhood theater. Therere always good international movies or independent films here.

Love this theater! They show the best movies and they have beer and wine on the weekends.

Always the best place to watch great movies in San Rafael

Excellent, brilliant and wonderful. A hidden gem and an absolute must visit!

Nice movie theater . Comfy seats

Friendly employees.One of my favorite theatres, and if you like popcorn, theirs is always fresh!

Small, indie theater that plays small, indie movies like The Party. And yes they accept MoviePass.The concessions are expensive (no more than your chain theaters), run by teens (who are pleasant, but its probably a first job, dont expect movie trivia conversations) and theaters that are intimate (50 seats perhaps).Parking can be a pain, but there are garages and a lot. Go there for a curated selection of movies that you will rarely find in chain cinemas.

The three theaters are wildly different in size and quality, but all are good. Well worth supporting the theater as well as the types of films they show.

Love this movie theater. It has old-time charm, good popcorn and always showing intriguing documentaries, unusual and some mainstream movies.

Just saw the movie, At Eternitys Gate about Van Goghs life w/ Willem Dafoe cast as the crazy famous painter. It was excellent! Very real

Best non-block buster titles in town; quality movies. There is no free parking, but there is parking available within a block or two. Plenty of eateries around.

Allways a nice experience, great service and interesting movie selection.

This theater usually shows artistic and Indie movies. The seats are not super comfortable compared to other theaters. But the place is clean. Flawed design: the cup holders are too small to fit the large size soda cup they sell.

Really nice theater on the first floor! Came here for the Mill Valley Film Festival.

Great classic theater. Often host to special presentations. In a great neighborhood.

Beautiful theater that shows award winning national and international films.

Fun to have a glass of wine while watching a good film. And a classic building with now-comfy seats.

This is a very nice venue, I dont like the surroundings though.

It is one of - if not the best - movie house in the Bay Area. Why? Because of the broad range of movies and documentaries shown, including superb animation. Ive been educated viewing political documentaries, nature films (Symphony of the Soil was short of amazing and still relevant today), artsy films I consider way out there, and main stream. Of course, foreign films. I cant say enough good things about this theater. Also, dont miss the beautiful art (deco?) designs in the theater-on the walls of three women and elk or bucks. Very cool.

Awesome place so nostalgic, love it here - plus off the beaten path movies! Highly recommended :)

Best place for Documentaries

Great little art house theater. Thank goodness we have a place to see quality independent films.

Secret Ingredients was great and so eye opening about 5 families that went 100% organic and literally reversed Autism Spectrum children, diseases....the Writers were there, great Q & A, excellent movie about the positiveness of organics!

Great movie house for independent films. Great seats and screens. Go!

A good place to see films of culture.

Great theater, shows interesting off Hollywood films

Marins arthouse theater. The screens are pretty small and the seats close together but its still a fun place to catch an indie film without driving to the City.

Great films.

I love this theater, the parking situation is horrible, but the theater is fabulous. Retro. Inexpensive. Great older, and indie films

Great mix of arts and documentary films that we cannot find elsewhere

Smart programming and pretty little theatre. Always a treat

Still clean and elegant after all the remodeling from several years ago.

This theater is beautiful. It offers independent films. Return trips will be taken.

Brought back childhood memories of seeing first-run Disney films. Beautifully renovated and comfortable.

Amazing films, documentaries. My friends and I appreciate this wonderful venue.

Best art theater in Marin. We joined and live being exposed to the films they bring in. Beautiful inside too.

I loved seeing Autumn Sonata, and Liv Ullman speaking afterwards. Thank you! Lovely building.

I visited for the Banff Outdoor Film Festival. It was a good venue for this. It would be nice if there was additional food offered besides candy and popcorn. Other than that, it was a nice theater.

Wonderful facility and excellent films.

Fun place. Very relaxing here. They have wine too.

Center for art, independent and first-run features and home to California Film Institute. Excellent seats, sound and screens.

One of the sweetest venues to enjoy good movies and good time from soup to nuts...or rather from popcorn to sound system and from seat comfort to grand Art-deco atmosphere what a gem in the heart of San Rafael to enjoy great films...

Great acoustics and bookings for films

Vintage building Art is in and shown in films played. Events offer unique local pride

Been twice. Artistic films and cushy seating. Ill go back.

THE Landmark of San Rafael. Find an expansive and encompassing selection of film from around the world, a wonderful alternative to mainstream.

A great place for small-release, art house films.

Saw a great movie here in an amazing old theater.

Excellent events, presentation, and staff.

Came here for an event . Nice staff

Clean, classy and great films!

Nice theater for a atmosphereic experience. Dolby atmos

Indie vibrations

Jewel of a Theater with great movies

Great presentation and programming. Only negative is the popcorn is sub par.

Great movies and space

Wonderful films at MVFF!

The place in Marin to support women filmmakers, documentaries, independent films, and the Mill Valley Film Festival

I would really like a way to find out which theatre the movie I wish to view is in. If it is in the tiny, ridiculously stuffy #3, upstairs on the right, I will not come to see it!What a horrible theatre experience...I felt like a sardine...two different times, and could not enjoy the movie!!

Loved the show LIVES WELL LIVED!!!!

Wonderful independent film center.