If you've worn yourself into the ground after a tiresome traipse around St Peter's Causeway (God…read moreforbid) and feel you owe yourself a big box of popcorn and a film, Showcase Cinema is at your rescue. A whopping great cinema with 15 screens, most of which are dedicated to showcasing blockbusters, you're guaranteed a comfortable seat and some all out American style grub. And if mega budget Hollywood films are your bag, you'll no doubt reach seventh heaven in an instant. What's more, this place is rarely busy so queues are virtually non-existant. All in all, flashy: yes. Art house: no.

What can you really say about this place? If it's the nearest multiplex to your house, you may want…read moreto come here. If it's not, then you may want to go to the one that is. It's got about 15 screens, free parking, popcorn and soft drinks. Just like any other muliplex. If you want to save some cash, Tuesdays are cheaper and Wednesdays are Orange. If you want to watch something challenging, you may want to take your custom elsewhere.

The Cube microplex cinema is a volunteer run venue that is part of the bedrock of Bristol…read moresubculture. In a world of multiplexes, and corporate sponsored music events, this entirely independent entity makes a really refreshing change from the spoon-fed, plastic-fantastic, candy-coated mediocrity that is so prevalent within mainstream entertainment. The Cube is keeping it real! With showings of cult classics and new indie films, with a sprinkling of blockbusters every now and then, the film programme has always got something to offer everyone. Music nights are always a real treat too. They have great bands on really regularly; it's worth going even if you haven't heard of them before, the standard is always exceptional. It's better to book tickets as the auditorium only has a 105 seat capacity. I wonder if they're going to show live matches of the World Cup like they did four years ago? I'm no football supporter, but enjoy the buzz I get from watching the occasional international match. I went to quite a few of the World Cup screenings last time, and it was a real laugh! I'll be there again soon if they do it again. Tangent Books Tangent Books is a quintessentially English business that produces eccentric and innovative non-fiction titles. With offices at Paintworks, it is a mainstay of the creative quarter - an ideal location for Richard Jones, (Director), who has lived in Totterdown for many years. Older titles like Bash The Rich by author and Class War founder Ian Bone, have earned cult status, but it's newer titles like Home Sweet Home, that have propelled Tangent to a more high profile position within the publishing industry. Home Sweet Home, researched and written by Steve Wright, probably offers the best insight available into the emergence of graffiti in the UK. It charts a fascinating journey of a handful of Bristol born artists that, through their prolific and skilled renderings, have inspired a nation to create some incredible works of public art! Newer titles like Wild Dayz and Art and Sound of the Bristol Underground offer more insight into Bristolian subculture, and the inspirational influences that it has been responsible for over the decades. I am deeply enamoured by the entirely exceptional Cheo Colouring Book. What a fantastic idea! It's so profoundly imaginative! (Cheo is one of the most renowned Bristol graffiti artists). Brilliant!

The Cube Cinema you may or may not know is an independent establishment run totally by volunteers…read moreand has a strict not for profit policy. This small and quirky site exists purely for the love of independent, underground and subversive film as well as live music of the kooky kind. I went to see a film called 'Moon' by Duncan Jones, a thought provoking, existentialist space thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed. The program for the Cube is always diverse, often featuring films themed to current events or relevant social topics. One can subscribe to receive the program of events via email. Just visit: www.cubecinema.com. What I love about this place is the complete lack of pretention. The site is tucked around a corner from Jamaica street so somewhat off the beaten track. It survives very much on word of mouth so you will notice the absence of advertisement and visual barrage of 'buy buy buy' that you get with mainstream cinemas. There is a little bar (bonus) and one can enjoy their beverage in the theatre. I would like to make special mention of the welcoming atmosphere of the friendly staff. One can immediately sense the fun and chilled out work ethic. There is also a mini garden out the front, all ramshackle bricks and overgrown foliage. There is art and movie memorabilia scattered around the front room and bar area lending a dusty type charm to the place. I would describe the Cube Cinema as small yet mighty. To the discerning film goer it is an absolute haven from mainstream schlock. To anyone seeking an alternative experience, something to get the little gray cells ticking, it's a must. I challenge anyone not to be won over by the delightful and quirky charm that this place embodies. On a practical note there is ample parking available around the site. Those coming by bus alight at the bottom of stokes croft road and it is a 2 minute walk from there. Tickets are £4, not bad really I think and those with children might be interested in the baby cinema day time matinees on offer.

I went to see 'Finding your Feet' with friends. I like being able to choose my seats and there is…read moreplenty of leg room. The seats are comfortable and the sound is good. Staff were friendly and altogether it was a good evening out. I bought most of my ticket on my Nectar points, which made it good value. I do not buy food or drink at the cinema as it is too expensive and I imagine if it were cheaper a lot more would be sold.

This is one of my local cinemas - set inside a 'leisure' park part of Longwell Green's set of…read moreretail parks. This Vue for some reason has completely abandoned their ticket office and you have to buy tickets from the ice cream stall which, if someone actually wants ice cream, means that it can take forever to get through the queue. Tickets are quite expensive and a bag of Minstrels will set you back over £3! They also have a band of leather seats across the upper middle of the screening rooms which you have to pay extra for - I come here maybe once a week and I have NEVER seen anyone sat in these seats - why do they bother? The staff have even stopped trying to push the 'luxury' seating on to us as we buy tickets so they can't be impressed either. Sadly when they do a special screening (this week was American Werewolf in London - fantastic) it goes down like a lead balloon (5 people in that showing) so they don't do it very often. Does what it does good enough.

I get the feeling these things come in flat packs, complete with popcorn machine, questionable…read morecarpets, and no character whatsoever. With that said, it's actually pretty good. They've got plenty on offer, I counted 12 films showing last time I went. The showings run late as well, with films starting at midnight. It's obviously a bit of a trek getting out to Cribbs Causeway. Probably not worth the hassle unless you've got a car given Bristol's got the Showcase and Odeon in town. There's plenty of free parking. Popcorn is horrifically over priced, as you would expect. You can also buy Ben and Jerries ice cream, which is pretty cool. At £6.65 for an evening showing it's not that cheap but not too bad. The cinemas themselves are really good. Big comfy seats and big screens. It's usually fairly empty as well, you'll probably have a couple of rows to yourself. Don't get taken in by the 'VIP' seats. They do some films in 3D, which is pretty cool. However, I'm yet to see anything I like being shown in 3D. Vue is a souless multiplex but a fairly good one.

I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of going to the cinema. I've become a bit of an old far WAY…read morebefore my time but I get annoyed by other people eating loudly, over priced tickets and uncomfortable seats. So when my friends wanted to check out the new Showcase Cinema in Cabot Circus I always cringed with defiance. I judged it was before my bum was in the seat or the ticket was in my hand. The overall experience (ticket, drink, obligatory sugary snack) will probably set you back around £15 - 20 which the scrooge in me really disapproved of. The cinema itself did have comfy seats, great sound and massive screen but at the end of the day it's just a trip to the cinema. If you're going to the movies, this cinema is probably your best bet in the city centre to watch mainstream blockbusters.

An identi-kit cinema to go with the many chains of Cabot Circus. Expensive popcorn and the latest…read moreblockbuster releases are to be expected here. With that said, they've got more screens than the Odeon, which does bring a bit more choice, always a good thing, and food offerings include cheesy chips. So a chain place, but still bringing a few new things to Bristol. The 'de lux' tag seems to mean comfier seats, another good thing. I think the screens are bigger at Vue out at Cribbs Causway, so if you're the sort of person to take your cinema going experience seriously maybe make the trip out there. Their prices aren't too bad (you can pay as little as £5.50 if you're a student), and they've driven down the cost of the Odeon, Bristol's other city centre cinema. Slightly worrying that they tell you the staff will be surveying you with night vision goggles to combat piracy, but I can live with it.

A plush little cinema with vintage velvet cinema seats plus - and this is either great or dangerous…read more- a licenced bar. They do special cinema nights, such as Ghostbusters on Halloween (genius) and an up-coming David Lynch night. Find out what's on by joining their Facebook group and also influence what films you want to see. They also have a lot of stand up comedy here - it has moved up to four nights a week. I have yet to go to one of these but the line ups are impressive. Let's hope the Jester's crowd don't find out about it.... Recently they also had a Playstation night with Pro Evo competition. Are you getting the idea of the lovely fantastic geeks that own this place are up to yet? Join in and have fun!

Back in the old days, when the idea of an out of town 'multiplex' was the stuff of a madman's…read moredreams, the Odeon ruled over a quaking Bristolian public with an iron fist. Now we have more than enough of the American multiscreen complexes, the Odeon has lost its way a bit. The location is one plus, it's now one of only two cinemas in the city centre, but the facilities are very outdated. It only has three screens and, unlike the Orpheus which has chosen to screen some more leftfield fare to distinguish itself, it continues churning out regulation Hollywood crap. The only plus is the Saturday Kids' Club, where an adult and a child get in for a grand total of £1 (that's 50p each!), unlike most others where the grown up pays full whack. It's also opposite a Tesco Metro which is handy for stocking up on cheaper, less sugary munchies.

The Odeon is one of the first places I think of when someone says 'Let's go watch a film!'. In…read moreother cities, the Odeons are big and overbearing in their city centers, but this one really fits in. It certainly looks like it needs some TLC on the exterior, and interior, but weirdly, that is what I really like about it, and think that, aside from a little scrub up, they shouldn't do anything else to the building! The cinema rooms are huge, and can get very very warm in the summer and too cold in the winter, but that still doesn't deter me from liking it here. It gives you the feeling like you're a teenager again, somehow. Prices have kept relatively quite low too, and they have various discounts if you're a senior citizen, a student, a kid and even a family. I would say that this is the most low key, friendly, unpretentious cinema in Bristol. Thumbs up.

The Watershed cinema has three screens showing smaller and independent film releases. They are…read moreoften chosen when a film gets a limited release across the country (I saw the UK premiere of Loud Quiet Loud here, with a talk from the director beforehand). You get the chance to see more foreign releases here (I saw Thirst here the other week, definitely the only chance to see a Chan-wook film on screen), and they also are hosts of the short film and animation festivals. For every film there is an A4 sheet you can pick up in the corridor to the screens which has background information on the film and an interview with the filmmakers. Films are often only on for a week so keep an eye out for their monthly guides - free in the foyer or look online. They do also have the odd mainstream release but considering the small size of the screens you may prefer to go to a larger chain cinema for that (plus they don't do the Orange Wednesday offers here). The best thing about this cinema is that people who go here love films, and they know to shut the f. up during the film. A rare thing these days.

With the Arnolfini progressively showing less and less films, and the Cube's output sporadic and…read moreoffered up on archaic equipment, it's probably fair to say that the Watershed leads the way when it comes to local art house cinema. Indeed, such is their dominance that they've got three screens (practically a multiplex in this domain!). Their output varies from fairly well-known new releases, some of which may also get screened at the multiplexes, to truly baffling stuff that would leave even Mark Kermode slightly confused. It's a bit pricey - they obviously don't have Orange Wednesdays - though the flipside of this is that you get to watch your film with a respectful audience without the constant interruption of chatting and mobiles going off. One tip: it's worth booking in advance for bigger releases as this popular cinema often sells out in advance. Oh, and look out for quirky special events such as directors' Q&As and film festivals.