In addition to the annual Miami Film Festival in February and other, smaller film events, Miami has nearly as many multiplex cinemas as it does palm trees. And for good reason. When it rains in Miami, what else is there to do besides go to the movies, a museum, or the mall? But if 40 screens of Jurassic Park III isn't your idea of a day at the movies, consider the following arty theaters, known for playing lots of subtitled, foreign films as well as those that get bumped off the big screen by the Jurassic Parks of the celluloid world.

Absinthe Cinemateque, 235 Alcazar Ave., Coral Gables (tel. 305/446-7144), is a small one-screen theater that shows good movies, often Spanish-language films, without the hustle and bustle of the crowded multiplexes. The Alcazar shows the more artsy of the major films as well as some obscure independents. Tickets are $6.

Astor Art Cinema, 4120 Laguna St. (tel. 305/443-6777), is an oasis in the midst of a desert of Cineplex Odeons and AMCs in Coral Gables. This quaint double theater hosts foreign, classic, independent, and art films and serves decent popcorn, too. Tickets are $5.

The Bill Cosford Cinema, at the University of Miami, is located on the second floor of the memorial building off Campo Sano Avenue (tel. 305/284-4861). This well-endowed little theater was recently revamped and boasts high-tech projectors, new air-conditioning, and a new decor. It sponsors independent films as well as lectures by visiting filmmakers and movie stars. Andy Garcia and Antonio Banderas are a few of the big names this theater has attracted. It also hosts the African-American Film Festival, a Student Film Festival, and collaborations with the Fort Lauderdale Festival (a very small film festival). Admission is $5.

The Mercury Theatre, Biscayne Boulevard at 55th Street, Miami (tel. 305/759-8809), is the city's newest art house cinema, showing classic and contemporary films from all over the world. Tickets are $8 or $6 for seniors and matinees.