Sip Bloody Marys During Sunday Matinees at Hamtramck’s New Indie Movie Theater

The Film Lab, a new indie theater and bar, will begin screening movies in Hamtramck on Saturday, October 19, starting with a lineup of international and classic horror films.

Cofounders Josh Gardner and Lara Sfire took over the Post 1 P.L.A.V. building at 3105 Holbrook Ave. this spring with plans to open a two-story dine-in cinema. The renovations are taking place in two phases. Gardner and Sfire will host a grand opening preview on Friday, October 18 sans film so visitors can check out the 1,600-square-foot first floor. The theater’s upcoming list of films includes a Mexican thriller called Feral, a Polish movie about carnivorous mermaids called The Lure, and cult classic horror film The Wicker Man.

The refurbished space features a 50-seat screening room and a marble bar held over from the 95-year-old veterans hall. The next stage of the project, scheduled to be completed in late-2020, will feature one large, 75-seat screen room and a 20-seat screen room on the second floor. The venue is primarily geared toward adults 18 and up.

Gardener tells Eater the bar menu at Film Lab will feature six cocktails with names based off of films such as the Daisies, a drink with raspberry, Cocchi Americano, lime, orange bitters, and a choice of gin or vodka. There’s also a Dead Ringers with David Nicholson bourbon, maple, Byrrh Quinquina, Angostura bitters, and rosemary. The cocktails range from $9 to $12. Additionally, two cocktails — a bourbon-banana soda and a vodka-sake spritz — will be available on draft for $8. Film Lab will also serve beers including Eastern Market Brewing Company’s Market Day IPA on draft and cans of Tiger Beer from Singapore.

In addition to evening showings, Film Lab planning some Bloody Sunday matinees at 1 p.m. every Sunday with horror movie classics and bloody marys on special. The first of the matinee series will be held on Sunday, October 20 with a showing of David Cronenberg’s Rabid. Admission to the theater is $8 per person.

• Hamtramck’s New Film Lab Will Start Screening Offbeat and Foreign Films Oct. 19 [Freep]
• A Funky Indie Movie Theater With a Bar Is Coming to Hamtramck [ED]
• Independent Movie Theater and Bar Coming to Hamtramck This Summer [CDET]