I love popcorn. I pop it fresh at home, and usually can't resist a big bag of it when I go to the movies. As someone who grew up in San Diego County, I've always been impressed with the popcorn I eat at theaters in the Bay Area (and the theaters themselves). In San Diego, pretty much all movie houses are large cineplexes owned by media chains. So in addition to having to sit through endless entertainment trivia questions and facts while we wait for the movie to start, not to mention the interminable canned pop music blaring through the Dolby speakers, the only popcorn available is often stale (because it's pre-popped) and comes with a neon orange "butter" flavored topping. And, to add insult to injury, most large tubs top $7.50 these days. It's enough to make this popcorn-loving girl eat M&Ms instead.

So after 15 years of living in both San Francisco and the East Bay, I'm still thankful each time I walk into my local Grand Lake Theater, with its beautiful decorative ceilings and theme rooms, ample seating, Friday and Saturday Mighty Wurlitzer organ music before the evening shows, and marquee sporting left-leaning political views (or rather, rants). It's pretty much the antithesis of anything you'd find in my home town and I love it. When I lived in San Francisco, I enjoyed going to the Red Vic, the Lumiere, the Castro, the Clay and a variety of other movie houses. Some were renovated, others a little run down, but none blared the latest country music hit from the speakers or had ads before the show started. Even better, all of the small movie houses I liked had great popcorn.

So while watching How to Train Your Dragon with my daughters recently at the Grand Lake Theater, I started to wonder how many local movie houses really pop their corn on site, and also which offer real butter. In an attempt to classify this information, I emailed or called the main movie theaters in San Francisco, Oakland, Alameda and Berkeley. And, just for good measure, I also asked everyone how much they charged for a large tub or bag. I was impressed to find that all but one theater that responded popped their popcorn on site (and the one that didn't sells unique Asian-flavored popcorn). Interestingly, even large chains that truck their popcorn in for other non-Bay Area locations pop it fresh in their San Francisco, Emeryville and Berkeley theaters. I was also excited to find that all but one of the independents offer real butter as a topping. What surprised me, however, was how much cheaper the popcorn at independent movie houses was in comparison to the chain theaters (often 2/3 the price and in one case almost half the cost), especially considering that the larger chains often use cheaper soy bean or coconut oil "butter" flavored toppings instead of real butter. The admission price is also usually less expensive at an independent house, so you may want to splurge on some Red Vines as well.

Following is a list of my findings. Please note that not every theater responded, so if your favorite isn't on the list, blame the person who answers their email. I tried calling some locations that didn't email me back, but as most only have phone numbers that list movie show times, I couldn't actually speak to anyone. Also, some theaters noted that they offer free refills on their large tub of popcorn, while others simply didn't provide this information.

As you'll see, the state of movie popcorn is pretty good where we live. The popcorn seems to always be popped on site, which makes it fresher. The butter situation, although pretty good, is a bit rockier, with some theaters offering real butter and others that neon orange stuff. But let's just forget about fresh popcorn and butter for a second. Regardless of the quality of these concessions, we're lucky to have so many small movie houses still in existence. Sadly, the day of the independent movie theater is gone in many other parts of the country, but here we can enjoy retrospectives at the Red Vic, walking to the Lumiere or the Presidio on windy nights, seeing a film festival at the Castro, or taking our kids to see the latest 3D movie at The Grand Lake. We're fortunate to have so many old movie houses to choose from, whether you eat popcorn or not.

San Francisco
AMC Loews Metreon 16 -- Orville Redenbacher popped on site. Instead of butter, they offer a popcorn topping that is butter flavored and made from soy bean oil. The person who answered the phone said that a large tub costs $6.75, but their sister theater (Bay Street in Emeryville) says the price should be equivalent to their price (which is $7.50).

Balboa Theater -- Freshly popped with real butter. A large tub costs $5 (including tax) and comes with a free refill. They also offer Kernel Seasons Toppings.

Castro Theater -- The only theater to say they popped organic popcorn. It's popped fresh at the theater and they offer real butter as a topping. A large tub costs $5.75.

Century Theaters (including Century Center 9 and CinéArts @ Empire) -- Fresh Orville Redenbacher popped with canola oil. They offer real butter for a topping and charge between $6.50 and $6.75 for a large size (depending on the location). Free refills are also offered.

Landmark Theaters (including The Bridge, Clay, Lumiere, Opera Plaza and Embarcadero Center Cinema) -- Each Landmark Theater pops their own popcorn on site and offers real butter as a topping. A large tub costs $7.50.

Red Vic -- Fresh popped corn with real butter. A large tub costs $5.

Roxie Theater -- They make fresh popcorn every night, popping it in peanut oil instead of the more commonly used canola oil. They also offer real butter as a topping and charge $4.50 for a large tub, the least expensive tub of popcorn in the survey.

Stonestown Twin 2 -- Popcorn popped on site. Instead of butter, they offer a butter-flavored topping made from coconut oil. At $8.00 for a large popcorn, this is the most expensive popcorn on my list of San Francisco theaters, but you can get a refill.

Vogue Theater -- Fresh popcorn popped on site. They do not offer real butter for a topping. A large bag costs $5.50 and free refills (same visit only).

Viz Cinema -- Viz offers a different popcorn experience than most theaters. They have wasabi, curry, and shichimi (Japanese hot pepper) flavored popcorn that is purchased from an outside baker (no butter or butter flavoring). They sell it in 4 oz bags for $4.00 each.

East Bay

Alameda Theater -- Popcorn popped fresh before each show on site. They also offer real butter as a topping. A large tub is $6.00

AMC Bay Street -- Orville Redenbacher popped on site. No real butter. Instead they offer a butter-flavored topping made from soy bean oil. A large tub costs $7.50.

Elmwood Rialto -- Popcorn popped on site with real butter as a topping. A large costs $5.75.

The Grand Lake Theater -- Popcorn popped fresh on site with real butter as a topping. A large tub costs $5.00.

Jack London Stadium 9, Emery Bay Stadium 10, and Berkeley 7 Theaters -- Popcorn popped on site. Instead of butter, they offer a butter-flavored topping made from coconut oil. Like Stonestown, which is also owned by the same company, they charge a whopping $8.00 for a large popcorn, but you can get a refill.

Landmark Theaters (including Piedmont Theater, Albany Twin, California Theatre, and Shattuck Cinemas) -- -- Each Landmark Theater pops their own popcorn on site and offers real butter as a topping. A large tub costs $7.50.

Okay, I'll admit it: I watch the Academy Awards for the outfits. And for the possibility of crazy behavior on the podium, as the sudden release of mind-bending pressure makes these over-coddled thoroughbreds behave like the hundred pounds of crazy they really are. But really, will anything this year top Bjork's swan? Or the pre-MILF Angelina Jolie smooching her brother?

The tyranny of tastefulness, in both dress and behavior, has taken much of the fun out of these silly shows (along with the huge, indigestible blocks of commercials crammed in every six minutes). Still, though, here in the Bay Area we love our Oscar parties, and if you're going to fill the couch in front of the big screen, you've got to provide the munchies to match.

There are many amusing options at #oscarmenu, from District 9 Prawn Kebabs to Avatunatartare, with a side of pink candy cigarettes to puff like Julianne Moore in A Single Man. And don't forget The Blind Side Salad, washed down with a glass of The Hurt Lager, followed (for you art-house fans) with The Peaches of Agnes.

2010 Oscar Nominee/Food Mashups by David Gartner

As Karen Wilson points out in Bon Appetit, there's a lot of cute (fake) food in Fantastic Mr. Fox. Roald Dahl was a man with a keen palate, as his essay on the Dutch Arnhemse Meisjes (which he called, quite simply, the best biscuits in the world) would prove. Director Anderson makes the edibles in his film come brightly and sweetly to life, from the vividly lit grocery-store shelves to the lavishly set table of the animals' dinner party. And then, of course, are the equally alluring (and equally fake) baguettes and buns rising through the roof in the latest Wallace and Gromit animated short, A Matter of Loaf and Death.

However charming they may look on-screen, though, dinky loaves and pies made from Play-Do and paper-mache don't do much to whet the appetite. For that, I suppose, most people will be turning to Julie & Julia, with its walls of gleaming copper pots and its smear-your-face French chocolate cake. You can't go wrong serving La Reine de Saba, Julia Child's unbeatable chocolate-almond cake, although I'd advise your guests against tearing it with their hands like crazed wildebeests. Chocolate cake on the chin: always a little disgusting, even for a professional cutie like Chris Messina.

Down in Los Angeles at the Governor's Ball, our Governator will be supping (budget issues be damned) on mini kobe beef burgers, lobster tempura, crab cakes with mango, black truffle and ricotta pizza, smoked salmon and potato galettes with butler-passed warm brioche, and baked alaska with espresso ice cream and chocolate sorbet, all whipped up by Mr. Kooky Pizza himself, Wolfgang Puck.

Burgers, pizza and ice cream! Clearly, our governor's celebrity chef is in sympathy with the working man struggling to get by on dollar meals, just like the families at the drive-through in Food, Inc. Wouldn't Michael Pollan be proud.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs -- a movie based on the children's book of the same name by Judi and Ron Barrett -- might very well be the next Ratatouille for mini foodies and their parents.

I don't think they'll be calling in Thomas Keller for a culinary consult, but I do know that Cloudy... is one of my husband's favorite childhood books, and I think a movie treatment is genius. I was initially a little nervous to hear the movie wasn't coming from Pixar. However, after watching the Sony trailer, my nerves are totally dispelled, and I can't wait to see it.

Clearly, it won't be exactly like the book. In fact, it appears the writers used the book more as a jumping off point rather than copying it verbatim, which makes sense because the book is really just a grandfather regaling his grandchildren with stories about a town that would easily beat out San Francisco and New York for best eating.

The movie takes this concept a step further by inventing individual characters, like Flint Lockwood -- the inventor who is responsible for turning his town into a culinary mecca with all sorts of foodstuffs falling from the sky -- and other townspeople, who get caught up in the euphoria and insanity of experiencing manna in a non-biblical sense.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is due out September 18th, but in the meantime, all this talk of meatballs has gotten me hungry, so here's a roundup of my five favorite meatballs in the Bay Area. You might want to think about dining at one or all before seeing the movie to combat any meatball envy you're sure to experience during the movie. Better yet, see if you can sneak some meatball action into the theatre with you.

A16
Meatballs available only on Mondays.

2355 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA

Mayfield Cafe and Bakery
Wood-oven baked meatballs available from the lunch menu.

Town & Country Village
855 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, CA

Pizzeria Delfina
Neapoletan meatballs in sugo only at their California Street location.

2406 California Street
San Francisco, CA

Beretta
Meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce available from their antipasti menu.

1199 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA

Saigon Sandwich
The vietnamese meatball sandwich -- bánh mì -- is a perfect storm of flavors.

560 Larkin St
San Francisco, CA

If you want to make your own meatballs, I've found that the recipe Simply Recipes adapted from A16's original to be quite wonderful.

Finally, no piece about meatballs could go by without this little delight:

Soup and salad, ham and cheese, rice and beans, peanut butter and jelly, dinner and a movie, all great combos. This Summer there are lots of opportunities to see a movie and get a bite to eat without going to a traditional theater. Here are my top picks around the Bay:

1. Charles Chocolates Summer Movie Series
On the patio at the Emeryville factory and store location you can see a movie and snack on caramel popcorn. Bring your own chair, couch or blanket and join the fun. On July 25th see Big Night, on August 8th it's Mostly Martha and August 22nd Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the Tim Burton version) Movies start at 8:30 and are FREE but please RSVP. Movies start at 8:30 pm. 6529 Hollis St. Emeryville

2. Friday Night Flicks at Copia
What to do in Napa after a day of wine tasting? See a movie! Upcoming films include Dinner at Eight, Rear Window and the Seven-Year Itch. Films start at 8:00 and tickets are $7 general admission and $6 for members. You can purchase tickets online or on-site. Have dinner at Julias' Kitchen for $29 or get a cheap bite to eat next door at the Oxbow Market. Copia is located at 500 First St in Napa.

3. Cinema Supper Club
At the Legion of Honor you can see movies with a San Francisco backdrop. On July 17th see The Conversation, on August 7th it's Harold and Maude. For a full listing of films check out the events calendar. Screenings begin at 8pm and tickets are $20 but include admission to the art galleries. Dinner is sold separately in the cafe. Purchase tickets at museumtix.com. The Legion is located at 34 Avenue and Clement St in Lincoln Park, San Francisco.

Sneaking in your own snack? Here's an easy recipe:

Kettle Corn

Makes: 8-10 cups

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup oil
1/2 Cup popcorn
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a large pot, over medium heat.
2. Add the popcorn when the oil is hot and begins to shimmer.
3. Sprinkle the sugar over the kernels, tightly cover and shake the pan to keep the corn from sticking.
4. When the popping slows down remove the pot from the heat and toss with salt.