Filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard once said, "The cinema is truth at 24 frames per second," making slo-mo sports replays and sped-up Benny Hill gags nothing but cruel, cruel lies. Get the real deal with today's Groupon: for $12, you get two general admission tickets and a large popcorn (up to $24 value) to any of these STL Cinemas theaters: Moolah Theatre, Chase Park Plaza, Granite City Cinemas, or Galleria 6. This deal is not valid for special engagements or 3D shows, and it expires May 19th, 2011.

Like the CGI monster-filled remake of How Green Was My Valley, STL Cinemas combine state-of-the-art technology with classic Hollywood aesthetics. Mainstream blockbusters and independent films happily rub silver-screen shoulders on each theater's marquee, while the retro lounges and concession stands serve enough beer, wine, and classy sweets to keep movie-goers sugar-buzzing—or just plain buzzing—through any double-feature. Voted Readers' Pick Movie Theatre by St. Louis Magazine readers, the Moolah Theatre's single screen is one of the biggest in town, and cinephiles can take their pick of 400 stadium seats, plush leather couches, or balcony seating. Chase Park Plaza Cinemas—nestled inside the Chase Park Plaza Hotel building—boasts five auditoriums with luxury seating. Granite City Cinemas is brand-new with all digital projection. And exposed beams and stage lighting add a vintage touch to Galleria 6's lobby, while its bar provides a lovely backdrop for post-film discussions, screenplay pitches, or outbursts of hard-boiled dialogue and artfully lit cigarette smoke.

Glammed-out interiors and intimate theaters make STL Cinemas a refreshingly classy alternative to massive movieplexes, which insist on wearing their pajama pants in public. Invite along a buff film buff, and share a contentious popcorn perch and a night at the movies with today's Groupon to STL Cinemas.

Reviews

The Riverfront Times blog featured Moolah Theatre & Lounge bartender Sean McElroy as a Bartender of the Week. Sixty-eight Yelpers and 16 Yahoo Locals give Moolah an average of 4.5 stars. Thirty-eight Yelpers give Chase Park Plaza Cinemas a four-star average and Yahoo! Locals give it a 4.5-star average. Thirteen Yelpers give Galleria 6 Theatres an average of 3.5 stars:

• My bar is the only bar in St. Louis where... You can get an excellently prepared, reasonably priced cocktail and take it into a movie with you. – Sean McElroy, Riverfront Times blog
• We love the ambiance of the Moolah Theater. The comfy love seats and wide screens are a perfect way to spend the afternoon. – K, Yahoo! Local