A PLACE TO ESCAPE

I'm pretty certain this base is in the oft-mentioned "Sunni Triangle".

For a few hours a day, soldiers, airmen and Marines stationed at this sprawling base can take advantage of the best escapism that Hollywood has to offer.

The reason: a recently renovated movie theater that would make movie buffs at bases in Europe or the States envious...

“When we arrived, we looked around and it was just like home,” he said. Concession stands in the lobby sell “American” pizza, drinks and popcorn. Hundreds of cushioned red seats that might grace any theater in the States face the screen. A state-of-the-art Dolby surround sound system is in place. And the movies themselves are the same ones that are still showing at home — give or take a week.

The result is a theater that seats 740, including 130 in a balcony that generally will be opened only when the bottom section is full. Movies are shown three times a day — and they’re free to servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians. The pizza and popcorn aren’t. But Ortiz says the pizza business is booming.

“It tastes like American pizza,” Hill says.

Movies listed on posters outside the theater late last week included: “Twisted,” “Hidalgo,” “The Big Bounce” and “The Perfect Score.” Ortiz said AAFES is shipping the movies directly from its headquarters in Dallas.