Burning gas to trek to Hunt Valley or White Marsh for an $11.50 movie ticket isn’t as easy or as cheap as popping down to the Towson Circle to catch the latest film. For one long year, movie fans watched bulldozers and cement trucks slowly erect a new entertainment hot spot to replace Towson’s last local cinema, the Towson Commons. At last, the new Towson Cinemark Theatre is open and in full swing.

Cinemark Theatres advertises their Towson location as their flagship theatre, and it’s not hard to see why. With the gargantuan imperial staircase that leads up to the lavish self-serve concessions area, it’s clear that Cinemark aimed to amaze. But despite the luxurious surroundings, it’s easier to see a movie on a budget than you might think.

Cinemark runs several discounts and promotions that nearly-broke Towson students can take advantage of. Tuesday is “Discount Day,” where every ticket for every show time costs $6.50. You might just spend more on concessions than that ticket. If you’re planning a date on any day of the week, you might consider seeing a film before dinner, as Cinemark offers an Early Bird Special. A ticket for the first matinee show time of any day is also only $6.50. That should leave plenty of cash to go to dinner at one of the new restaurants surrounding the theatre, such as Nando’s Peri Peri or the soon-to-open Bonefish Grill.

To explore Cinemark’s more extravagant features it takes a few more dollars, but it might be worth it. For an enveloping experience of Cinemark’s full wall XD screen, featuring 3D for some films, you’ll pay $16 for a weekend evening show, only $4.50 more than a standard ticket. If you’re looking to impress, “Reserve-Level” seating comes complete with tables, private balcony access to auditoriums, and an expanded dining menu, all for $16.50. Plus the cost of all the fries you order, of course.

Whether you’re looking to grab a cheap seat for the next super hero movie before it leaves the theatres or planning an ornate evening out, the Towson Cinemark has options for everyone.