When you step into Silverspot Cinema at Mercato, opening Friday, September 11, you will instantly know you have arrived at a theater unlike any multiplex you have ever stepped foot in before. The generic interiors, boisterous crowds, long ticket lines, and uncomfortable seats of today’s movie houses have been replaced with a sophisticated, luxurious intimate ambiance that is truly fitting of a night out in Naples.

The first indication that you have come upon an extraordinary experience is the absence of a ticket line. Catering to today’s tech-savvy consumer, Silverspot encourages its customers to purchase tickets online or via the automated guest relations station that rests just outside the theater entrance. While this alone speaks to the no-hassle atmosphere that is unique to Silverspot, it is the reserved seating that will undoubtedly please even the most discerning theater patron.

Arrive early, not because you want to get a good seat but because you want to enjoy drinks and appetizers with friends at the intimate lounge whose floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the lively shopping areas of Mercato. Or you may prefer to partake of a sumptuous meal in the 65-seat restaurant. A state-of-the-art kitchen, serves an array of delicious entrees, desserts, even a creatively inspired children’s menu. Now serving wine and beer, soon a full bar will complement and enhance this decadent venue.

“The idea is to create an experience that allows you to disconnect and recharge, where you walk out feeling like you went on a two-hour vacation,” said Ariadna Navarro, partner at Asylum Consulting, who helped develop the brand identity and environmental design. The décor alone will inspire you to relax with its designer lighting, neutral tones, and stunning hardwood floors. The restrooms are enveloped in opulent Marquina marble.

In keeping with its traditional movie theater roots, Silverspot also has a concession stand offering all of the customary goodies one would expect, including popcorn, soft drinks and the ubiquitous Dots, Milk Duds, and candy favorites. In yet another reflection of the theater’s sophistication and modern sensibility, Silverspot’s popcorn is cooked in healthier coconut oil. They’ve also added fun snacks such as edamame and nuts.

“Films, of course, are the real reason one comes to a theater,” says Gonzalo Ulivi, Silverspsot’s co-president with his cousin Ilio Ulivi. When it comes to actually viewing a movie, Silverspot delivers the goods. When your film of choice is about to begin, a long carpeted hallway guides you to one of the 11 theaters. Within each theater’s dark cocoon awaits approximately 100 deluxe leather seats, specially designed and manufactured for Silverspot; Dolby Digital sound enhanced specifically for Silverspot; and state-of-the-art projection technology, all of which combine to create an outstanding movie experience.

A full roster of the latest Hollywood blockbusters as well as a smattering of independent and foreign films will be shown on Silverspot’s screens. Opening weekend will include such well-known pictures as District 9, Julie & Julia, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Extract, Inglourious Basterds, (500) Days of Summer, as well as a documentary about Vogue magazine called The September Issue, and in 3-D, The Final Destination.

The combination of its modern, immaculate setting, its selection of films, and its amenities distinguishes Silverspot from the standard multiplex.

“This is the boutique hotel of movie theaters,” said Navarro. The concept, devised by the owners, was born eight years ago in their native Caracas. Today, they have five theaters in Venezuela, one in Argentina, and are currently remodeling a cinema in Chile. Silverspot in Naples will be the first of its kind in the United States, and other locales are now being considered that would suit this concept.

“Naples was the perfect match and Mercato presented itself as the perfect home for Silverspot,” said Ulivi. “We share the same consumer and the same mission, to create an experience where people would walk out of the theater feeling special.”

After the VIP opening on September 10, 2009, Silverspot will open at noon every day of the week and show movies continuously until just after the midnight hour. Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $10 for children. Senior tickets are $12 and matinee ticket prices are $10 for all films except 3D Digital. Films in 3D are $19 for adults, $14 for children, $16 for seniors, and $12 for matinees.

Silverspot Cinema is located at 9118 Strada Place, #8205 in Naples. To reserve your seat today, visit www.silverspotcinema.com or call 239-592-0300.