Home and host to screenings of the films that have and continue to define cinema, here’s my definitive ranking of the best places to watch movies in Edinburgh, determined by an assessment of their programming, comfort, price point, and overall experience.
The Edinburgh Filmhouse originally opened in 1979, and is still alive today with what film student Jay Martin calls “the best curation of film in Edinburgh.” It also shines with what many consider to be the best analogue curation in Scotland. Most days out of the week they have a film on 35mm or 70mm — which is a rare gem for a Scottish cinema — and this often includes recently released films. This includes showing Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026) on 35mm Tuesday 29th September and Thursday 1st October. The Filmhouse also acts as a community space, with Bend it Like Beckham collage making and numerous collaborations with university societies. My only gripe, it only serves bagged popcorn. While a student ticket is technically £11.50, if you’re under-26 and get a (free) young membership you can get tickets for £7.
The Everyman Edinburgh is a controversial third place, with many cinephiles sure to scoff at my condoning of the cinema that has staff bring food in even as the movie begins. But the Everyman is a special occasion; it makes the cinema an event and is definitely the best choice for a romantic occasion. They show new mainstream releases alongside a range of ‘throwback’ films ranging from Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service (1991) to Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko (2001). The sound system is also a notably strong feature — a benefit of being a newer-built cinema. However, the main drawback is that it is by far the most expensive option — with a student ticket costing £12.80 in the day, £16.30 in the evenings.
The Cameo Picturehouse, Edinburgh’s oldest cinema, was originally called The Kings Cinema when it first opened in January 1914 but was renamed in 1949. Since 2003, it has been under the ownership of the Picturehouse chain, but remains true to its independent roots — showing an array of arthouse cinema and foreign-language films. The Cameo is praised for its curatorial selection — with some recent highlights including Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cure (1997), Spike Jonze’s Her (2013), and Jonathan Glazer’s Birth (2004). However, Screen 1 pulls most of the weight at The Cameo, with the experience in Screens 2 and 3 being slightly disappointing in comparison. Controversially, The Cameo also does bring your dog screenings — despite blankets being placed on the fabric seats, this can be discouraging for some cinema-goers. Maybe this explains the odd, musty aroma Screen 1 has suspiciously often, but that may just be down to the age and character of the venue. The price point for The Cameo can vary — with student tickets tending to cost between £4.85 and £12.84 depending on the film and time of showing. With the proximity to campus and budget morning ticket prices, if it’s suited to you, the Cameo could be the perfect pick for catching a morning movie before class.
With many chain cinemas, it can be a roll of the dice whether the screen will be absolutely massive, making them feel empty or rather cramped — with the Cineworld Fountain Park, I have found it to be always just right, with even their standard screenings held in a big, dark (but not too big or dark) room perfect to get immersed in. And another reason to go: student tickets cost £6.49. Both of the Vues are a good, safe bet. It’s got comfortable seats, and while it doesn’t have a particular unique selling point, it is devoid of negatives. A standard recliner seat is £7.99, scalable based on the view. As for the Odeons in Edinburgh, they are redundant disappointments, with dated and inconvenient features. To choose the Odeon is an even worse mistake when Edinburgh has so many equivalent or cheaper options. Odeon Lothian Rd is on the same road as the Edinburgh Filmhouse, and the Cameo is just around the corner — make the trip, you deserve it.
The Dominion has all the cons of an independent cinema: the less advanced screenings, and screens not much bigger than many modern TVs. It’s no cheaper than another cinema, it’s showing nothing you can’t see elsewhere, and the viewing experience is no more special. With a regular student ticket costing £12.95, no one will blame you for not going.
Photo by Jake Hills on Unsplash.
