5 of Upstate's Best Independent Movie Theaters — According to Escape Brooklyn's Hannah Crisafulli
From historic single-screen cinemas to classic drive-ins, a few favorite places to catch a film
Every other week, we ask someone with real experience and insight to share a quick “Top 5” from their world: design, hospitality, food, nature, and the quieter corners of culture that shape how we travel. It’s a chance to hear directly from people who genuinely live and breathe these spaces and experiences, and a small bonus for our paid subscribers.
We kicked off the series with Casey Scieszka — writer, innkeeper, and co-owner of Spruceton Inn — who shared her Top 5 Motels in the U.S., drawing from years spent restoring, running, and reimagining one herself. Tom Roberts of Homestedt and North Branch Cider Mill weighed in on the most charming shops, while Hudson Valley–based brand Big Towel shared their Top 5 saunas — a winter-ready reset rooted in ritual and design. More recently, wedding photographer Joshua Brown shared his five most photogenic venues across the Catskills and Hudson Valley, while Drew Frankel of Impact Concerts and Assembly highlighted five standout music spaces in the region.
For this week’s installment, we’re turning the spotlight inward to someone on the Escape Brooklyn team, Hannah Crisafulli.
Our readers may recognize Hannah Crisafulli as the voice behind From the Group Chat, our biweekly Escape Brooklyn real estate roundup highlighting notable listings across the Catskills and Hudson Valley. She also contributes regularly to our Friday and getaway partners newsletters, and plays a key role behind the scenes — writing across the site and working closely with many of our real estate and getaway partners.
Hannah studied cinema and photography at Ithaca College, but her interest in film started much earlier. She grew up in a household where watching “the most important movies ever made” was practically mandatory — with early viewings like Heathers (1988) shaping her lifelong taste for cult favorites and offbeat classics.
During her time at Ithaca College, Hannah found herself in a town with a strong independent film culture and began seeking out smaller theaters whenever she could. As someone who’s obsessed with cinematography and lighting, she’s found that the smaller spaces in historic cinemas — or the atmosphere of a classic drive-in — often offer a more immersive way to watch a film.
With a soft spot for horror, cult classics, and themed screenings, she’s spent years exploring independent theaters across Upstate New York. Below, she shares five in the Hudson Valley (and beyond) worth adding to your list.
Enjoy,
– Erin + the EB team
(P.S. Hannah’s list stands on its own, but I couldn’t resist slipping one personal favorite into the mix — a bonus sixth pick below.)