The marquee that looms over the tree-lined sidewalk along Massachusetts Street advertises the latest in independent and foreign film, but Liberty Hall, 644 Mass. is a throwback to the movie houses of old.

Its two screens stand in marked contrast to the multiplexes that have come to dominate movie exhibition in recent years.

However, the difference in ambiance isn’t the only thing that sets Liberty Hall apart from larger theaters. According to box-office attendant Maggie Allen, the difference is in the types of films Liberty Hall shows.

“It brings in a different clientele,” Allen said.

Allen said that Liberty Hall’s varied audience consists mostly of college students, open-minded adults and “people who won’t accept the mainstream crap.”

Liberty Hall’s current slate of films includes two Academy Award-nominees for Best Picture and an award-winning Australian film.

Director Robert Altman’s “Gosford Park,” which finishes its run at Liberty Hall today, won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (by first-time screenwriter Julian Fellowes) and was nominated for six others, including Best Picture.

While “In the Bedroom” failed to bring home any Oscar gold, the domestic drama was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Though the Australian drama “Lantana” was not nominated for any Academy Awards, it practically dominated the Australian Film Institute Awards. The film took home the awards for Best Film, Best Direction (Ray Lawrence), Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Source (Andrew Bovell), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Anthony LaPaglia), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Vince Colosimo), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Kerry Armstrong) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Rachael Blake).

According to Allen, “Lantana” is selling the most tickets, a fact she attributes to it being the newest movie to hit the theater.

“A lot of people have already seen the other two,” she said.

Still, the two Oscar-nominated films have benefited from the added recognition.

“It was pretty late in their run when the Oscars aired and attendance was dying out,” she said.

Allen said that the exposure given to the films during the televised Oscar ceremony led to an increase in ticket sales of nearly 30 percent.

Allen said she hopes for a similar boost for the drama “Iris,” which opens Friday. Jim Broadbent won an Academy Award for his role as the husband of an Alzheimer’s disease-stricken novelist, played by Judi Dench.

Tickets at Liberty Hall are $6 for adults and $3.75 for children, senior citizens and matinees.

Josh Gooding is a student at Baker University in Baldwin.