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.

While on vacation decided to see a couple of movies with my daughter on the rainy days. The…read morecinemas here are different than back home in the USA. There are multiple floors and on each is a different set of theaters. The rooms are not very big, and beware the previews are about 30min long! Also, the bathroom is not nearby, so make sure to use it before entering the movie. There are multiple fast food restaurants on the first floor. Overall a good place to come on a rainy day.

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.

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.

Even on bargain Tuesday's (really, who actually goes to the cinema any other night of the week?)…read morewhen there's a newly released blockbuster on, this place is quiet. It makes taking my "can't we just wait 'til the DVD" whining partner out to watch a film a much more enjoyable experience. The Broadway bar is an absolute winner as well. AND you can take alcoholic beverages and cups of coffee into the movie with you! It's fantastic. The staff are always friendly and happy to help and the place is vast but easy to navigate. I really wouldn't go to the cinema anywhere else; comfortable seats, big screens and good choice of popcorn and snacks at the counter. Tip: If you go after 6pm, you can park for free a few minutes walk away at the bottom of Parnell Road.

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)!!

The Lido is an independently owned cinema located in Epsom. The cinema only has two theatres so…read moreunlike Event or Hoyts cinemas, there are only a few films that run each day. Also unlike larger cinema complexes, The Lido plays more offbeat films as well as those popular blockbusters and Oscar nominated works. On top of the interesting and creative films The Lido plays, the cinemas themselves are also more comfortable and luxurious, with each theatre being decked out with nice high backed, wide seats and aisles. Glasses of wine, beer, coffees, popcorn, confectionary and Rush Munro's ice-creams are available when purchasing tickets, and the staff are all incredibly friendly, smiley girls that really contribute to the comfortable atmosphere of The Lido. This cinema is the perfect mixture of homeliness and class, and is the ideal place to meet relatives or the girls for a good movie, or alternatively romance your partner on a date.

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!

Hoyts Sylvia Park has been my regular movie theatre for over five years now. By far the most…read moresuperior theatre in the South/East Auckland areas, its smack bang in the middle of Auckland AND the largest shopping centre in the country, making it easy to get to whereever you are in the city. While people may see this as an negative, I love that this cinema gets busy. I'm the sort of person that would rather see a movie in a full theatre that with a few people, so Sylvia always does the trick. The seats in the theatres are comfortable, there's enough leg room for a basketball player and the arm rests are movable if you're into that sort of thing. I find its always worth it to pay a little extra for the Xtreme Screen because those regular sized screen just don't cut it anymore (maybe Chris Rock was right about women not being able to back in lifestyle...). The La Premiere seats at Sylvia are great too and while its on the pricey side its a great and very comfy way to make that date or girls night out a little more special (...okay, he was right). Sylvia Park also hosts a lot of the midnight screenings for some films and those usually go off without a hitch. Do yourself a favour and book your tickets online or purchase them early from the cinema to avoid the inevitable long queue that will await you!

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.

Seems hard to deny that the Academy is central Auckland's nicest cinema. Not that it has a lot of…read morecompetition. They went through a little stretch where their quality was certainly tailing off, but now (I believe this is due to a change of ownership) they're starting to perform at a high standard again and the whole experience is that much better for it. I particularly like watching films in their teeny weeny secondary theatre. It's gorgeous. So small and good. I'm a big fan. Plus they have this massive stairwell you have to traverse to get down to the place which is a definite plus. Who doesn't like stairs?!

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

A big, ugly/interesting (depending on my mood) American-style entertainment complex smack bang in…read morethe heart of the midtown area by Aotea Square. It has everything for a reliably predictable time, including chain eateries at the entrance, a large food court offering every heart attack concoction under the sun, a bowling alley, a gaming arcade, and a large Event Cinemas and IMAX complex in the upper levels. Notable I suppose for having the only IMAX screen in NZ. Changes have made me sad - there used to be big rocket-esque pillars at the bottom - no longer. Also, the massive Borders bookstore has now made way for a Carls Jr - to some maybe a neat little indictment on where our priorities lie these days!

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?

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!

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.

I'm strong believer that whoever redeveloped the Capitol Cinema was a bit of a romantic. From the…read moremoment you enter the cinema and dodge the entrance to where people are trying to scale ridiculous height, you begin to climb the stairs up to a different time. They have captured the essence so well of what it was like to go to the cinema, not from my childhood days but possibly my parents as well. The kiosk where you can pick up your treats (which I relatively well priced compared to the big mulitplex cinemas) has welcoming staff and you feel like they're genuinely interested in the movies being played. The seating is comfortable, not a great amount of leg room for someone over six foot, but enough to get through a movie without having to fall into some crazy yoga position. The quality of the screens and audio are as good as you would find in any "new" cinema. Overall, if you want to take a loved one for a romantic night out to the cinema, this is the place. Oh and either before or after you enjoy your time at The Capitol, I recommend you fill up on dumplings across the road at New Flavour.

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!