Arts and Culture / Cinemas
Bristol’s best cinemas
Arthouse cinemas: synonymous with intellectual narcissism, glasses pushed up noses and ‘no popcorn thanks I’m writing a review for my blog’ types. Luckily in Bristol however, a UNESCO city of cinema, the local independents are welcoming, vibrant, and inclusive.
Here’s a list of the best independent venues where you can indulge in celluloid wonder.
WATERSHED – 1 Canon’s Road, BS1 5TX
If you’re a fan of indie cinema, then Watershed has you covered. With three screens (and plans for a fourth) showing the best new and classic films from around the world, staff will be more than happy to cater to the neophyte and cineaste alike. In the last year they held a retrospective for the great Taiwanese filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai and often have guest screenings with directors, actors, and industry insiders. Prices for students start at £5.
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CUBE MICROPLEX – 4 Princess Row, Kingsdown, BS2 8NQ
The Cube, located just off Stokes Croft, is Bristol’s home of DIY and upcoming filmmakers, offering you the chance to see local auteurs screen their latest projects. Upcoming events include a competition for the best skate edit, replete with an afters skating in the Bearpit.
The Cube endeavours to screen an eclectic variety of films, giving exposure to underrepresented groups and filmmakers. If you want to broaden your cinematic horizons, see the next Mike Leigh debut a film, or just experience a vibrant community of passionate cinephiles then the Cube is a great place to visit. Student prices vary but most admissions cost less than £5 (after you buy a life membership for just £1).
Inside the Cube – photo: Bristol24/7
20TH CENTURY FLICKS – 19 Christmas Steps, BS1 5BS
The days of Blockbuster may have passed, but this small video shop on Christmas Steps has maintained the long-lost tradition of video rental for more than 20 years, having spent most of that time on Queen’s Road next to the students’ union building.
Imagine a cinema that operates like a jukebox – a collection of over 20,000 films presided over by a small group of dedicated staff. Coined ‘the last video shop’, 20th Century Flicks allows you to rent out one of two cinemas for yourself and friends to screen anything from their collection, with popcorn costing just £2.50. This cinema truly is an epochal gem; a piece of history that the great people of Bristol can protect for years to come. One private screening costs £60.
21st Century Flicks boast over 20,000 movies to choose from.
Main photo: Martin Booth
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