The mission of an indie theater should be to keep cinema exciting, surprising, and fresh. The Coolidge does this better than anyone, with its constantly changing lineups, film festivals, and HD broadcasts from London’s National Theatre and ­Europe’s grand operas. Too high-brow? Check out the midnight cult films (The Lost Boys, Arachnophobia), kids’ programs, and film classics.

Coolidge Corner Theatre | 290 Harvard St., Brookline, MA | 617-734-2500 | http://www.coolidge.org