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.

Unequivocally my FAVOURITE venue in Auckland! There is something quite magical about this place…read more From the beautifully themed entrance lobby to the star covered ceiling in the theatre itself the Civic never fails to impress. Their line up of musicals, orchestral performances, theatre and Opera are the best of the best too! Close to public transport and parking close by it is an easy place to get to as well which is a convenient bonus

I have a special bond with the Civic, when I was a kid my grandmother worked there and I would…read moreoften get to go into the Civic and the Wintergarden theatres and run through the back halls and rooms, this was during the days of the St James theatre when no-one had even heard of a multiplex. I've been up to the top and seen the stars, I've played with the glowing eyed lions. In part I think the bond I have with the Civic is a little more intense but no less symbolic then the one the rest of Auckland has with it. The Civic is possibly more iconic than the Auckland Town Hall and it seems to sit astride the heart of the Auckland CBD. Inside the Civic, the entrance hall remains mostly unchanged with the exception of the candy bar that used to sell Tangy Fruits, with a glass of wine or beer being the order of the day. Yes folks the Civic ascended from its cinema roots and matured to be an actual Theatre. In all its changes, its not lost its Grandiose 1940's charm and while the seats are still packed in there, you can sit in the Civic and know you're part of Auckland's long history with the Arts. Wellington is still considered the cultural capital of New Zealand, but its got competition here.

One of the best and favourites event cinema in town..but what a shame Miriam one of their staff as…read morea supervisor have no attitude and no customer service skills at all.. I was using my event cooperate card and she said to me the rest tickets would be get charge w/ full price and i asked her "how is it possible the rest of tickets would be charge full price?" As i knew what supposed be the right price for my tickets, Instead she supposed be explain to me "why" and do you know what she said to me "I am the supervisor here". Something that you dont want to hear instead of the explanation.

This Event Cinema is my favourite because it is so quiet. I often wonder if they make any money out…read moreof this cinema at all, but I'm not complaining. Often the candy bar is a one man operation and they even rip your tickets because 80% of the time there is no dedicated staff member to do this. It is obvious that the skeletal staffing is due to the lack of movie goers at this cinema but we can rip our own tickets and use the lights on our phones to find our own seats. This cinema is huge, there is a lot of seating, big couches around and a time out games arcade. I have only seen this area packed a few times and there is also a bar here. These cinemas also do not have stadium seating so you often feel like you are sitting on the floor which I don't mind, to make up for it there is quite possibly 1.5m of leg room in front of you. One other good thing is you can get your parking validated so it only costs $6 for a maximum of 4 hours, not even The Hobbit was that long so you would be safe. The parking is just of Davis Crescent.

A beautiful cinema with super comfy seats and licensed so you can enjoy a wine or beer…read more Excellent service at the counter. Enjoy hand scooped icecream and a few other snacks. Enjoy a movie and surrounding restaurants. The Lido is an icon and a sophisticated way to watch a movie or film. I always look forward to going out to the Lido and its a must do at least once in your life, maybe more if you can. :)

Thanks to my fellow yelpers in guiding me to this theatre. I had thought to go to Queen St cinema,…read morebut after reading the reviews, and seeing what people had to say about Lido, it was no contest. I'm so glad to make the trip here. The seats are for adults. Wine can be purchased from their bar and brought into the theatre. Parking is available for free across the street. Admission prices are fair. A most positive experience, as no one's cell phone went off during the film, and no one was looking at the phone (at least none that I could see)!!

Hoyts is a great cinema experience, especially the xtreme screen. The seats are really well spaced…read morewith loads of sitting space and leg room. We usually book online. This is because the shop is sooo slow. It always seems to take forever to get served. Unfortunately if you book online there is a charge per ticket so you have to decide which is worse-queuing forever or paying a ridiculous fee The screens are clean and if you go on Tues it is half price!

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!

Hands down, my favorite spot in Auckland. Great films, good selection of snacks (and wine), and…read morecheap tickets on Wednesdays!

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.

It's a behemoth of a structure conjoined at the hip to the Civic Auditorium. There's a food court…read moreon the ground level with an average selection of ethnic cuisines which, in my opinion, are above average prices. However in the deep corner of the food court you will find NZ's first ever poke restaurant - Poke Time! Now that's worth a trip! There's an Event cinema that goes sky high. You can take the bullet-shaped glass elevator, steep escalator or if you're daring enough.. take the spiral staircase. There's also an array of coffee shops, restaurants and even a bowling alley if you fancy knocking down some pins. Be warned that you might find yourself walking around in maze if you take the escalators up to the top then the spiral staircase back down.. I've done it twice and have gotten lost both times haha

When I think of an IMAX theatre, I think of happy American teenagers making out in the back row of…read morea movie theatre. This is probably completely irrelevant but to me IMAX is a very American sort of Thing. Loud and Brash and in your face. If your deaf like me and find yourself constantly asking your companions what is going on (yes I know how annoying this is) then this is the perfect theatre. The screen is so large that you as a spectator are almost part of the action playing out on the screen. It's pretty cool. I went to see Bruce Willis's last flick here and I must say it was an experience! I was still hearing machine gun rattle weeks afterwards.

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!

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?

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.

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.

Albert Park is an enchanting space. Around the perimeter are pathways surrounded by huge, stately…read moretrees. As you move into the center of the park, there's lush grass and a ton of the most beautifully landscaped flowerbeds I've ever seen. There are a ton of park benches throughout the park, but there were a ton of folks sitting on the grass with chairs and blankets. It was such a nice space, if I lived in Auckland I'd use that park all the time. Highly recommend.

Minutes from Auckland's central business district, we can all find respite in the green space known…read moreas Albert Park. From the old trees to the stately bandstand, from it's statue of Queen Victoria to those of famed New Zealanders, this park oozes history! It is beautiful, close to downtown/university and right next to the Auckland Art Museum. On a sunny day, you'll find everyone on the benches or sprawled on the lawn. It's the favorite space of office workers, college students and visitors too!