Great local cinema that plays lots of independent films that you won't find anywhere else. If you…read morejoin Club Dendy, movies are just $13 anytime and they offer preview screenings of new films before they are released to the general public. The recent refurbishment has made this my favorite local cinema. Good, comfy seats, and nice (if small) screening rooms. And, as an added bonus, the Dendy tends to attract more of a movie-lover crowd, so I don't end up with idiots sitting next to me texting and/or talking throughout the film.

We arrived at Dendy in Newtown a little bit late and bought our tickets from the Candy Bar. We…read moretiptoed through the doors and took a seat up the back in one of their smaller cinemas. The film was 'Blessed' and like all Australian dramas it made you want to slit your wrists. So how do you review a cinema when the mood of the piece that you see there is so heavy that it surely will effect your opinions. The film was depressing, but the cinema was not. If you see a comedy, you're bound to leave with an upbeat attitude thinking, wow this cinema, absolutely hilarious! So let us look at the markable qualities within and try and ignore the child burning, man-slaughtering, sexually abused themes of the film we saw there. The cinema is quite small compared to its blockbuster equivalents. The cinema we watched 'Blessed' in, couldn't have sat more than one hundred and twenty people, this is a plus in my books. Less people, less chance of a phone call, a crumpled chip packet or an older person who assumes the cinema is a pantomime. "Look out behind you Batman! It's Heath!" The tickets are relatively cheap as they do not do 3D and thus do not feel the need to rob you for something so unnecessary as the third dimension. The range of films they get in is always interesting; foreign films, small Australian films and even blockbuster films from time to time. The main issue with Dendy in Newtown is the parking, but that goes for the whole of Newtown. Trains and busses are available or it's a pleasant stroll through a cafe and boutique rich suburb should you decide on walking. Let's be honest, a fresh aired walk is just what you'll need to clear your head of suicidal thoughts after experiencing the latest Australian familial drama.

The cinema that ruins every other cinema experience for ever more…read more Quite simply the finest, classiest, most demure, seductive, charming and good old-fashioned fun cinema experience in Sydney and quite possibly the universe. Every time you visit a soulless megaplex after your time at Hayden Orpheum it will be a singularly disappointing experience bereft of any aesthetics or cultural value because really, how can anything compare? The cinemas are stunning art deco, they sell old-school choc tops, there's a solid program of the latest blockbusters and art house / doco fare, and they have insanely fun cult classics like a monthly interactive showing of the word movie ever made, The Room. There are love seats in the main cinema, and a freaking organ that rises up out of the floor for matinee performances. I know right! What what all the way. Best.

Being an eastern suburbs dweller, I've only been to the Orpheum on a couple of occassions. Each…read moretime I've sworn to journey over there more often (it's not even that far FFS). The Orpheum has kept it's gorgeous original deco interiors and exteriors intact, and the last time I visited (John Cleese triple bill including the Life Of Brian on Easter Sunday- kudos Orpheum!), there was a vintage pianist playing the grand piano in the lobby. I would love to see a silent movie thing here and I would bet money that they do them, it's that kind of place. Check out retro cinema Sundays- awesome and affordable triple bills that people dress up for. Old school wholesome entertainment, I love it.

Went to the earliest screening of bohemian rhapsody on a Friday morning. Theater was super clean,…read morestaff were extremely friendly and the movie WAS SO AMAZING!! Love the location of this theater--steps away from the iconic opera house and right by the train station and ferries. Tickets were pricier than I'm used to in the states, but the experience was worth every penny!!

You could easily walk straight past the Dendy Opera Quays. It's tucked back beyond the hustle and…read morebustle on the foreshore, but once you know its there, you may well have found your new favourite cinema. For starters its licensed. And what better way to spend a rainy afternoon or hide away from the hot summer sun than with a glass of wine and a wonderful two hours of cinema? Dendy has your arthouse films covered, but they're also good at showing the more mainstream releases as well as hosting an exciting range of film festivals. The cinemas are relatively small and the seats are snug, but the atmosphere is great. Oh and so are the choctops! Don't forget to try one (you can thank me later!).

Ok so big cinema complexes hold none of the charm of little independent spots like Roseville or the…read moreHayden Orpheum, but that's not always a bad thing. For one Event Cinemas have refurbed with big seats and now boast massive VMAX screens (which, ok, you'll pay a premium for). But the real appeal of the Hornsby branch is its ease of use. There's stacks of parking at Westfield, you can grab a pre or post-movie meal at a number of nearby restaurants or at the foodcourt. There's even a Coles on the ground floor if you want to buy your snacks there rather than paying the usurious cinema prices. Event Cinemas also do pretty good deals with their Cinebuzz club - you can earn points for free movies ('free' once you pay the mandated $1 online booking fee). Plus they'll email you about preview screenings and other specials. Worthwhile if you're a movie fan stuck on the upper north shore.

I rather enjoy watching movies at Event Cinemas in Hornsby. I'm not sure why, but I prefer it to…read moresome of the other event movie cinemas I have frequented over the years. The food court is nearby and is often open late into the evening, unlike other supercentres such as Chatswood. If you join up for their club card you can accumulate points. They also have Student Mondays for those of us who enjoy a decent discount! Cheap Tuesdays are also super popular and attract a steady crowd.

Event Cinema Macquarie has a lot to compete with for entertainment considering that the shopping…read morecentre has gotten bowling and laser just across from it and an ice rink down stairs but the cinema has a good offering as well for those shoppers tired after fighting for those last jeans in their size. The cinema has its own cafe located just before the screening hall. The cafe offers a range of beverages from tea and coffee to alcohol. So it makes it convenient to grab a quick bite before entering. The seating for the cafe has a great view onto the ice rink too so that's pretty cool. This cinema offers Gold Class too for those who want to splurge out and get those sexy reclining sofas that go all the way back. The cinema has about 8 screens so you have plenty of movies to choose from throughout the day. The cinema doesn't seem to have any V-max screens which is very surprising considering it's almost a must now to watch the latest blockbuster with surround sound and a huge screen. Overall though nice cinema and perfectly located surrounded by all the food choices that the shopping complex has.

Hot tip - don't run into Event in Macquarie Centre during the zombie apocalypse; it would be a…read moreterrible place to play hide and seek. It's just one big square loop of a corridor with cinemas coming off of it, so inevitably you'll end up with zombies running at you from both sides, or stuck cowering in a corner of a dark cinema as you await your fate. That aside, the Event at Macquarie is pretty ok if you just want to go watch a movie. There's a bar/cafe thing in addition to the usual candy bar, though you have an abundance of cafes and supermarkets to choose from if you want to sneak some cheaper and better coffee and snacks in. The screens are...big (as usual??) and the chairs usually clean enough, though try to avoid losing things down the gap between the seat and the arm rest. It's...just...don't.

Dirty toilets and the dryers have been broken for years! The management needs to take the poor…read moretoilet facilities seriously

My first and probably last time at Palace Cinema Leichardt. My main complaint about this place is…read morethat there's only one queue for both movie tickets and the bar. So if you've taken the trouble to buy your tickets online, and want to relax and have a drink before or during the movie, you still need to line up with everyone else who hasn't bothered to buy a ticket in advance. I would gladly have had a few drinks before the film but was dissuaded from doing so by the long and slow line. These guys need to do a better job at improving the venue experience. For example, install self service kiosks where people can purchase tickets and then free up staff to provide fast and friendly service at the bar. Speaking of the staff, they all seemed pretty demoralized last night when I was there! No smiles, just the perfunctory barking of crowd-control commands like 'cinema six is now open'! Lastly the bins and toilets were pretty disgusting last night by the end of the evening show, making it clear that they're emptied/cleaned at most 2 times a day. We live in an age when home movie streaming has made massive inroads into the revenue model of cinemas, so they need to make sure the venue experience is first class. Licensing cinemas was a good first step, but clearly Palace Cinemas need to do a little more.

Roseville Cinemas are a quaint, traditional movie centre, which caters to the target market of 50+…read moredemographics. Situated on the Pacific Highway in Roseville, the cinema centre advertises a range of quality films. Never see a bad film at this cinema! Despite marketing to an older demographic, there is almost always a film for the young adult genre. Enjoy the ambiance of a bygone era, with 1930's decor. Choc tops, sorbet and popcorn populate the menu. Don't sit in the aisle seat; it's a little chilly with the air conditioning. Wheel chair access is available, with an electronic seat to transport disabled or elderly patrons up the flight of stairs. If you fancy a bite to eat, there are plenty of restaurants located nearby. Some businesses even have discounts if you show your movie ticket. Enjoy a movie in this fabulous ye old setting!

Visiting Roseville Cinemas, you're definitely going to be mixing with the blue rinse set. But…read moreyou're also going to be able to see some precious arthouse films. For anyone on the upper north shore, this makes the cinema worth its weight in antique filigree gold. Without having to travel further down the line to the Hayden Orpheum or (shock horror) across the bridge to Palace Verona, Roseville Cinemas consistently offers up all the arthouse hits. There are only two screens, but they make them work. And they handmake the choctops! It really doesn't get better than that.

The cinemas are modern and there is plenty of parking in the shopping centre…read more I chose to book my tickets on line and by the time I paid the booking fees and ticket prices (which I thought were a bit pricey) taking my family to the movies was almost $100 and we haven't purchased any snacks for the movie. Would have been nice to also prebook my seat. The cinema needed a vacuum and a clean as it seems they just played back to back movies. The thing that saved the rating was it was almost empty so finding seats wasn't difficult. All in all a reasonable experience. Lost a star due to cleanliness on the night and not being able to prebook my seat after paying a premium.

Reading at Rhodes is excellent. Very comfortable seats and good size screens with amazing sounds…read more The staff are generally friendly.