October 24, 2026
Congratulations to Sam Barron of New York. who watched a movie in every state! He sought out independent or "cool" movie theaters, but often chose what was most convenient during his travels. When he was close to a state border, he crossed over and saw a movie in that neighboring state. He mostly picked whatever was playing, but saved a few movies for specific theaters.
Favorites - Indianapolis and Portland. Portland had a bunch of old-school moviehouses.
State #50 - Hawaii. No one in the theater knew it was the final movie of his goal. Instead, they likely saw him trying to stay awake! He was jet-lagged like crazy!
Memorable Experiences:
-
Going to North Dakota and seeing the bison at Teddy Roosevelt National Park.
-
Visiting Odessa, Texas, the real-life setting of Friday Night Lights (my favorite book), and attending a high school football game there, experiencing the legendary “Mojo” spirit of Permian Panthers football firsthand.
-
Taking a tour of Kurt Cobain's hometown in Aberdeen, Washington.
-
Taking a photo with a porcupine in Alaska.
-
Landing in Hawaii and realizing that he had officially completed his 50-state mission.
Sam Barron's Movie in Every State
Alabama: A Quiet Place: Day One, AmStar Theatres, Oxford
Alaska: A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, Regal, It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley, Bear Tooth Theatre, Anchorage
Arizona: Silent Night, Star Cinemas, Lake Havasu City
Arkansas: Retribution, Malco Town Cinema Grill, Jonesboro
California: Good Burger
Colorado: Warfare, Cinemark, Aurora; Drop, Denver
Connecticut: Too many movies to count!
Delaware: Talk to Me, Cinemark, Wilmington
Florida: The Pursuit of Happyness, AMC, Fun with Dick and Jane, AMC, Orange Park; Mars Attacks!, Miami; Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, Miami
Georgia: The Lost City, AMC Parkway Pointe 15; As They Made Us, Studio Movie Grill, Sandy Springs
Hawaii: Resident Evil, Consolidated Theatres, Honolulu; Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!, Consolidated Theatres; Primetime, Regal, Hilo; Forgotten Island, Regal, Hilo; Heart of the Beast, Regal, Hilo
Idaho: Thunderbolts, Royal Theater, Idaho Falls
Illinois: Highest 2 Lowest, Gene Siskel Film Center; A Little Prayer, Music Box Theatre, Chicago
Indiana: JazzFest, Living Room Theaters, Indianapolis; Left-Handed Girl, It Was Just an Accident, Kan-Kan Cinema, Indianapolis; Train Dreams, Landmark Theatres
Iowa: Mean Girls, AMC, Council Bluffs
Kansas: Priscilla, AMC, Olathe
Kentucky: The Forgiven, AMC, Newport
Louisiana: The American, New Orleans (theater has since closed)
Maine: Elemental, Smitty's Cinema, Sanford
Maryland: 12 Rounds; Motor City, Cinemark, Baltimore
Massachusetts: Charlie's Angels; When in Rome, Vengeance, Barbie, AMC Boston Common, Boston
Michigan: Babes, MJR Marketplace, Sterling Heights
Minnesota: Deadpool & Wolverine, Mall of America Theater, Bloomington
Mississippi: The Equalizer 3, DeSoto Cinema Grill, Southaven
Missouri: The Marvels, AMC, Kansas City
Montana: Blink Twice, Montana Theater, Miles City
Nebraska: Land of Bad, Marcus Village Pointe, Omaha
Nevada: Eileen, AMC, Las Vegas
New Hampshire: DC League of Super-Pets, Cinemark, Salem
New Jersey: Kite, Edison; Buried, The Father, Alice, Darling, Past Lives, Oppenheimer, AMC Garden State, Paramus
New Mexico: 80 for Brady, North Plains 7, Clovis
New York: Too many movies to count!
North Carolina: Independence Day, Good Luck Chuck, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, The Nutty Professor, Michael, Space Jam, Jack, My Fellow Americans, A Very Brady Sequel, House Arrest, Liar Liar, Star Wars: Special Edition, My Best Friend's Wedding, George of the Jungle, Batman & Robin, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Return of the Jedi: Special Edition, Vegas Vacation, Out to Sea, Gone Fishin' (most seen in Boone)
North Dakota: Alien: Romulus, Griffin Theatres, Dickinson
Ohio: Lightyear, AMC Dine-In, Hamilton
Oklahoma: Magic Mike's Last Dance, Northridge Cinema 8, Guymon
Oregon: My Old Ass, Moreland Movie Theater; The Wild Robot, Cinema 21, Portland; Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Studio One Theaters, Portland
Pennsylvania: Strays, AMC, West Chester
Rhode Island: Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul, Showcase Cinemas, Providence
South Carolina: MaXXXine, AmStar Cinemas, Anderson
South Dakota: Lisa Frankenstein, Coyote Twin Theater, Vermillion
Tennessee: The Little Mermaid, Hook, Tom & Jerry, Memphis
Texas: No Time to Die, Odessa; The Last Duel, Cinergy, Odessa; Princess Kaiulani, Basquiat, Angelika, Houston; Ant-Man and the Wasp, Cinemark, Amarillo
Utah: Dream Scenario, Megaplex, St. George
Vermont: No Hard Feelings, Bennington Cinemas, Bennington
Virginia: Companion, AMC, Arlington
Washington: The Quiet Girl, SIFF Cinema, Seattle; Scream, AMC, Seattle
West Virginia: Paddington in Peru, Berkeley Plaza Theater 7, Martinsburg
Wisconsin: My Penguin Friend, Hudson 12 Theater, Hudson
Wyoming: The Legend of Ochi, Movieworks Cinema 4, Jackson
Washington, D.C.: Captain America: Brave New World, Landmark Theatres