A local, independent cinema in the Auckland suburb of Balmoral. You'll find it situated on…read moreDominion Road, just past the Balmoral Road intersection, and by all the amazing (and cheap) chinese restaurants. It doesn't look much from the outside (my flatmate did in fact wonder what kind of movies were shown there) but walk inside to find a beautiful foyer with chandeliers. A range of snacks are on offer, such as Movenpick ice creams and you can even enjoy a wine with your movie if you so desire. This one cinema wonder certainly delivers on its luxurious surroundings. The plush purple chairs are very comfortable, while the curtain across the screen is a sign of a bygone era. It is a nice change from the cinema mulitplexes that we have become so accustomed to. While the ticket prices haven't gone back to $5, there is still a Tuesday night special (adults $10.50). So make a night of it, perhaps visit a restaurant across the road for some homemade dumplings and then make your way to the cinema for a movie. Thank me later for that great idea.

The Capitol used to be one of my favourite teenage haunts when it was Charley Grays. It had late…read morenight movies on Friday nights and I once saw Auckland icon Killer Ray live here before a showing - probably The Rocker Horror Picture Show or A Clockwork Orange. It closed down for a few years in the 90s and eventually Clip'n'Climb opened amidst fears the old cinema had been ripped out. Thankfully this was not so and the theatre, its foyer and restrooms and have been restored to their former Art Deco period glory. I always especially loved the Powder Room - a good Powder Room is such a girlie pleasure. This is not a 100% faithful restoration as it includes contemporary touches but like its sister The Lido in Epsom, it is beautiful and luxurious with a full bar, lounge-y lobby and gourmet ice cream. The films on show here are usual Indie Festival types and often chosen I think for an older demographic who seem to be in force each time I am here. Make a night of it and get a cheap fast dinner at one of Balmoral's many eateries; the only problem you might run in to is parking so allow time for that before sitting back, relaxing into your huge seat with your goodies and enjoying the show.

I go to Rialto on a semi-regular basis. Most of my experiences here have been good, although they…read moreoften seem short staffed (or the only staff on hand cannot perform all the tasks needed to serve someone). They don't have frozen coke and more often than not don't have Nut Top ice-creams (my favs) but they do have Kapiti ice-cream which serves as a great alternative. For those wanting an alcoholic beverage, they also have quite a range in their bar and bar snacks to match. Keep an eye out for deals - they often have special events or cheaper priced nights!

Rialto cinema is an attractive cinema that offers an extensive range of screenings, bringing to…read moreAuckland otherwise overlooked film festivals. Chirpy French pop played matched to their current French film festival while the current Hollywood hype was advertised beside screening from The Metropolitan Opera. And it is ONLY because of this range in movies that I would give this venue anything above a 1 star rating. While paying almost double the amount of other cinemas, expect service that is nothing short of a teenage bowling alley. Uncleared tables. A caffeinated decaf coffee. Ignored during a 10 minute interval in the movie. No to mention our exquisite opera was preluded with music by a rapper and a Spice Girl. Staff seemed to lack product knowledge, management or incentive so that their lethargic attitude left a bad taste in our mouth and an empty space in our bellies. Now if only there was some way of downloading movies and viewing them in the comfort of your own home...

Sylvia Park Hoyts is one of my fav movie places to meet people from all over town, because it's so…read moreconvenient to get to, either via train, bus or car as it's right next to the Southern Motorway. (and you don't need to grapple with city traffic) The staff here are always incredible, the cinemas are clean and comfy, and they have special prices if you go in the morning or on Tuesday. (think it's about $11) Their La Premiere seats are awesome too if you have a special occasion to splurge out on. I was here last Sunday when our mini earthquake hit, and the building is so strong, I honestly thought it was just the surround sound system making the seats move. haha If you want to watch a movie in a safe, clean and welcoming environment, go here!

Hoyts Sylvia Park has been my regular movie theatre for over five years now. By far the most…read moresuperior theatre in the South/East Auckland areas, its smack bang in the middle of Auckland AND the largest shopping centre in the country, making it easy to get to whereever you are in the city. While people may see this as an negative, I love that this cinema gets busy. I'm the sort of person that would rather see a movie in a full theatre that with a few people, so Sylvia always does the trick. The seats in the theatres are comfortable, there's enough leg room for a basketball player and the arm rests are movable if you're into that sort of thing. I find its always worth it to pay a little extra for the Xtreme Screen because those regular sized screen just don't cut it anymore (maybe Chris Rock was right about women not being able to back in lifestyle...). The La Premiere seats at Sylvia are great too and while its on the pricey side its a great and very comfy way to make that date or girls night out a little more special (...okay, he was right). Sylvia Park also hosts a lot of the midnight screenings for some films and those usually go off without a hitch. Do yourself a favour and book your tickets online or purchase them early from the cinema to avoid the inevitable long queue that will await you!

On a rainy day in Auckland, I decided to take advantage of the weather and see a movie -…read moreOppenheimer. The biggest cinema for mainstream movies is Event Cinemas, part of a large commercial complex right in the heart of CBD. Talking with people, this area still hasn't fully recovered since the pandemic, which speaks to why the complex feels relatively empty and quiet. I even had difficulty finding the main entrance as most of the door area that used to have restaurants and bars are empty and looked closed. Entering off the street and going down, only to go up massive escalators inside, I finally found what I was looking for. The theatres are on multiple floors depending on the style of screen (traditional, IMAX, etc.). The ticket lobby and main concession stand is on the third level. Tickets can be purchased off touch screens in the lobby, where you choose your desired seat. Most theatres have recliners or even full day beds, prices depend on time and type of seat. After purchasing my ticket, I went up another level where usually a ticket taker would be, but the table was empty and remained so. I found it odd there was no one checking - I guess trust (or cameras) were ensuring you are a paying customer. There are bars and concession stands in other areas but all were closed on my visit; maybe only peak time they're open. The screen itself was great quality; seats comfortable, prices reasonable for modern movies, and everything was clean. I was happy taking a break from the city for a few hours and would see a movie here again.

5 stars for the dramatic architecture 2 stars for the…read moreservice/bathrooms. The building is quite simply amazing. This would have to be the most dramatic movie theater I have ever seen. I came here to see Star Wars the Force Awakens and was more impressed by the sci-fi bridges and architecture in the theater than i was with the planet killer bridges and architecture in the Star Wars movie. Event Cinemas never seem to have enough staff and the bathrooms always seem to be a disaster, there is never enough toilets, they are dirty and often in some state of disrepair.

What a great little theater! While the service from the cashier was amateur at best, the…read moreavailability of fresh coffee, cold beer and local wine made up for my "Hi! Yes there is a person in front of you" moment. I came here with some Lady friends for a screening of Grace of Monaco. The theater hosts a regular 'Girls Night' which includes Champagne, gift certificates and a bag of special goodies! The theater is spacious with full sized comfortable chairs. The space between the chair in front of you has enough space for you to stretch your legs, Yes! The screen itself is not massive, but it works. Fellas don't be shy, you're not excluded from Girls night. So if you want to impress, you know what to do. Ladies, this place offers champagne, soft chairs and a movie. Need I say more?

What I love most about this cinema is that movies are $9.90 Sunday through to Wednesday. What an…read moreabsolute steal! On top of this they have a small bar with an espresso machine and plenty of comfy seats to relax and enjoy your pre-movie drink. As for the cinemas, they are relatively small so the view is good no matter where you're sitting and the chairs are comfy with plenty of leg room. Definitely my go-to cinema on the shore!

I love this cinema. I think my love for it comes from a combination of reasons…read more 1. Because it's right next to a food court so it's super easy to have a feed before seeing the movie. 2. Because the self serve kiosks are so quick and easy - queues are so 2005. 3. There are bathrooms both upstairs and downstairs for your convenience. 4. There are always lots of movies playing and lots of different time slots. 5. There's a gaming area where you can test out your basketball shots and your car racing skills before the movie. 6. The food deals are really good. I always grab myself a pop'n'coke combo. 7.The chairs are super comfy! 8. CHEAP TUESDAYS - $10 movies. 9. The staff are friendly 10. The picture and sound quality is perfection. I love seeing movies and my boyfriend and I see almost every movie that comes out. Of all the cinemas on the shore this one comes out clearly on top. Love it.

'Saturday night at the movies, who cares what picture you see'. Well, at Albany Cinemas it really…read moredoesn't matter if the movies are good or not because the cinema itself it so good. The chairs are comfy, the food's good and the screens are awesome. We go here for family outings every now and again and it works out so well because there's loads of parking and a food hall for everyone to have their different choices. The 3D cinemas here are so good. We saw The Hobbit here and I was blown away by the quality. They also have a great system when you can book online or otherwise book at the self service kiosks when you get there. It definitely saves a whole lot of time before the movie and means you can relax even before you get into the theatre. This gets a thumbs up from me.

What to say about this place. It's your typical movie complex: the most expensive snacks ever, a…read morebar & a Timeout game zone. Staffed by surly teenagers who'd rather be SnapChatting or 'Gramming, you won't be getting 5 star customer service. But let's face it, you paid big bucks to watch the latest films on the big screen. And that's what you can do here.

I love this small theatre as its the host for all the Fatso movies I get invited too, it also does…read morea Wednesday deal where you can go for $8. The ice cream, like Rialto is Kapiti - you choose the flavour and whether you want it in a cup or cone. There's a wine bar and its more intimate and cosy - good for a date. The staff are friendly and the place clean and cute. I will always have it as one of my favourite movie venues along with Rialto over and above the larger Events and Hoyts cinemas.

I have this lingering misconception about the Academy Cinema that because it's under the library…read moreall its movies will be serious and educational and a bit humourlessly earnest. This is only partly true. While they do screen a lot of foreign and festival films, some of which are distressingly earnest, they also have more fun films, and host things like the 48 Hour Film Festival heats, or collections of local short films. Also the underground location, slightly old-fashioned seating and booze on sale give the Academy a fun sort of art-studenty feel - like you don't need sensible shoes and a full-time job to come here, but it probably helps if you have a beard and thick-rimmed glasses, and maybe a windswept scarf. This all depends on what's playing, of course. Some films are for old people, some films are for trendy eccentrics, some are for both. The Academy caters to all.