The Curzon, Soho, London

Even if you prefer mainstream films, I would suggest you try and see them in indie cinemas like this rather than chain multiplexes with shoddy projection. The Curzon has nice café and bar facilities as well as decent-sized screens. Definitely worth booking ahead as the box office queue tends to move slowly.

This theater has a great selection and an even better vibe. I recently watched Milk at Curzon and had a nice night. The bars are always full and people come just to enjoy the atmosphere and have a coffee. The variety of films being shown is very wide and they cover the categories I enjoy most-independent, art house, foreign, etc. The pricing is expensive, but going to the cinema is pricy everywhere. Located in SOHO, so it is a perfect place to go before a night or as the first portion of a date. The individual screening rooms are nice, not too big. Reminds me of older theaters that are more personal. I really like The Curzon Soho, and intend to go back as many times as I can afford! Student tickets are a bit cheaper.

Easy. What’s not to like? Great art house movies, stuff to peruse and buy, right in the heart of London and with particularly enjoyable bars serving drinks and cofees.

If you’re bored on Sundays, there are regular themed double bills that will consume your weekend like a serious drug habit. If you’re borassic, it’s cheaper on Mondays.

Like I said, what’s not to like?

Great cinema with a lot of films you can’t see anywhere else.

Has a nice-ish bar for having a drink beforehand too.

Worth keeping an eye on what they have on.

The last film I saw here was Linha Del Passe, the story of four brothers living in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Normally, I would go to the Cineworld because I have an unlimited pass. However, the Curzon Soho is the only cinema in the West End that screens a lot of the important foreign films. For that reason alone, it is worth a visit. The screens are bigger than in most chain cinemas and at least you don’t have to spend £15 on a ticket. Watch out, though. For the best new films, this place often gets sold out. Also, there is not enough space inside to queue so people often end up waiting outside. Not a good idea in January.

This Curzon is in a decent central London location. It’s arthouse so not the identical fare showing at every Odeon in the city at the same time. The place to go to find limited release foreign films – very expensive though – cost me £12 on a recent Saturday. Attractive bar/café attached – probably worth a visit even if you are not seeing a film! Screens are an acceptable size but not large – main weakness for me are the seats – quite small and low backed so not sinkable into. A lot of independent screens have been lost in London in recent years so well worth your support.

I’ve seen a few films here and it’s a lovely art-house cinema in the middle of the west end. The restaurant/coffee shop that greets you when you walk in is a little busy and expensive - it also seems that people go there who aren’t also there to see a movie. For me, it’s better skipped.

The screens themself are small and the seats aren’t the most comfortable, but whatever film is showing, patrons are very respectful and don’t talk through the screening.

This cinema hasn’t provided me with my most luxurious filmgoing experiences, but it has provided me with some of my best.

I recently attended the Halloween all nighter here run by the Midnight Movie people. I didn’t read the instructions properly so missed out on the band, Creme Brulee, fronted by Jeremy Dyson (of league of gents fame). He had selected most of the movies (except one) and gave an introduction/read from a story he’d written that was a bit creepy but available online from the grauniad.

Lots of people made the effort to dress up, there was face painting and a free cocktail.

The League of Gents xmas special worked brilliantly on the big screen, then there was I walked with a Zombie, which is the most beautifully shot B movie ever. After that a Peter Wyngarde movie for all the Jason King fans, Peter looked practically hairless, no moustache, it was disorienting at that time in the morning (about 2am). Basically he found out his wife was a witch and got really cross because guess what he was a humanist teacher who taught there was no such thing as witches ha ha. NIght of the eagles I think it was called (american title Burn the Witch or something similar)

Then the real treat of the Night (after very strong complimentary coffee and loo visit to the poster loo) The Believers by John Schlesinger starring Martin Sheen. Absolutely brilliant. I recommend it if it’s on dvd. A little bit racist but I can see the influences in the league of gentlemen. All about child sacrifice and secret cults. Very pertinent to these times where dozens of children in africa are murdered every year, accused of being witches (I mean come on)

Finally, the one not picked by JD, Scream Blacula Scream, a rather elegiac B Movie, no nudity unfortunately, and some truely awful vampire makeup.

Then it was about 8am, we got our pastries and coffee and headed out into the chill of Shaftesbury avenue.

The seats are great, has to be said, I don’t think you could have done it in another venue, and I was just near enough to the front for the sound to keep blasting me awake.

Excellent art house cinema that also screens many commercial releases and retrospectives. A better experience than the chains as it’s possible to have a drink in the bar beforehand and have a browse through the shop.

It publishes its listings well in advance so it’s possible to plan a weekend cinema trip with more than just a day or two of notice.

This is a great cinema as they place a lot of international films. They also have a nice bar downstairs where you can sit on sofas and hve a chat with friends before the film. The cafe upstairs also serves some delicious cakes. They sell many films on DVD by the front desk; these are expensive but great for browsing.

Love this place. It’s a Cinema for grown up’s and independent film fans alike and much, much more than your usual stale popcorn, multiplex cinema experience. This has a special stand out from the crowd feel about it. It tends to show more European and Art house films than the mainstream stuff, but saying that I am off there tonight to see Burn After Reading so don’t be put off if you think its all foreign language flicks. Final mention goes to their cafe as the food and snacks are excellent, but in particular the hot chocolate. Bar none this is the best hot chocolate you will drink in the whole of London town. Warning: don’t try when you are full.

This is such a brilliant cinema for those who are sick of going to Odeons and Vues and being ripped off for a fairly mediocre experience. The Curzon is a lovely independant cinema that offers their audiences those critically acclaimed, quite arty and general great films that the big cinemas seem to cast aside. Tickets aren’t exactly cheap but then neither are many cinemas these days. The Curzon actually makes you feel like it was worthwhile bothering to go to the cinema instead of just waiting to watch the dvd.

One of my favorite cinemas, the Curzon has long been the bastion of independent films and film festivals alike.

my first experience with this gem of a picture house was back in 1999 watching High Art in a packed auditorium. Unlike Odeon’s and Vues this truly is a independent establishment that does not fuss itself with hot dogs and popcorn but rather focuses on non main stream films that have been forgotten by the bigger picture houses.

Ticket prices range from 8 pound upwards depending on the feature but look out in the press for special offers and membership.

One of the highlights for the Curzon is the London gay and Lesbian Film festival that hold many of there showing at the venue. Tickets can be booked on line, over the phone or at the box office, book ahead however as often films sale out quickly, especially for the G&L F F.

The Curzon Soho specialises in European and arthouse films. Recently I went to see the film about Ian Curtis and Joy Division 'Control’ here and thought it was the ideal venue. The cinema was decorated with posters of the band leading down the staircase- it really felt like much more of an 'event’ than just going to the pictures. The feeling I get from this cinema is that it seems to really celebrate film rather than just see it as a business. The venue has a cafe and bar and the fact that you can bring a drink into the cinema itself I think is just fantastic for relaxing after work. Consequently it has a much more grown up feel and I probably wouldn’t recommend it to families/children.