The best NYC movie theaters

Stepping into Film Forum feels like stepping back in time to a different version of New York. That’s appropriate since it’s been in operation since 1970. The vibe is cozy—not in the real estate sense that actually means "claustrophobic," but in the sense that you’ll feel right at home and want to stay for a while. In many ways, Film Forum is the anti-mega-cineplex: a unique NY institution that’s earned a spot on this list.

Going to BAM always feels like a special event, and with good reason. It’s a local institution and features some of the best film programming in the city. If you’re looking to get your face blown off by a cutting-edge sound system, look elsewhere. But if you want to see the latest festival darling or experience an old-school classic on the big screen for the first time, look no further.

This West Village standout boasts impressive series year-round for even the most eclectic tastes. Whatever your mood, there’s probably something playing today at IFC to match it. Its selection of eclectic midnight features can’t be beaten. Is it the most modern spot on this list? Definitely not, but the vibes are good. And don’t forget to check out their charming selection of merch for the cinephile in your life.

While promoting the reopening of Astoria’s ginormous homage to the silver screen in 2011, film curator David Schwartz described heading into the 267-seat theater as “entering a spaceship and going on a voyage.” We’re hard-pressed to characterize the trippy, almost podlike space any better. Moving Image manages to land some big gets for Q&As and programs an intriguing mix of cutting-edge world and experimental cinema, classics (sometimes in that rarely screened, beautiful 70-millimeter format) and New York premieres.

With a full restaurant, craft cocktails, comfy reclining seats and even more bells and whistles, this new movie theater in Hell's Kitchen elevates the movie-going experience. You can even order food directly to your seat in the theater. LOOK Dine-in Cinemas is located in VIA 57 West, the pyramid-shaped building located at West 57th Street and 11th Avenue. 

This venerable midtown art institution houses three theaters, which hold 50 to 400 film buffs each. It’s a prime spot for classic, arty, under-the-radar and cult fare from across the globe. It’s not the right spot for popcorn-spilling, shouting-at-the-screen chaos, but if you want a retrospective on French new wave or a sneak peek at the indie movie everyone will be talking about in six months, there’s a good chance you can catch it here.

Alamo was one of the first pioneers of the whole “get dinner and a beer at the movies” vibe in the modern movie era, and they’ve got it down to an art. The seats are comfy, the popcorn has free refills, and they program fan favorites year-round in addition to new hits. This list isn’t about pitting major chains against each other, but Alamo has carved out a niche and they’re darn good at what they do.

While the Paris has undergone some changes in the last few years (it was bought by Netflix in 2019), it’s still an institution. Since 1948, the Paris has been Manhattan’s largest single-screen movie theater with a staggering 571 seats. Fortunately, Netflix hasn’t slouched on programming the classic cinematheque or given it over entirely to screening their own productions.

Want to catch a movie in what feels like a futuristic spaceport? Your options are limited but the Quad has you covered. The stunning results of its 2017 renovation are worth a look for the aesthetics alone, but the programming is impressively varied as well. The overall impression is that your experience here has been carefully curated, and that’s a very good thing.

There has to be somewhere in the city to see the latest bone-vibrating blockbuster, right? Your options for chain multiplexes are plentiful, but the AMC on 68th is huge, bright and clean. Plus it has the largest IMAX screen in the country (it’s 75.6 feet tall and 101 feet wide) and projects in gloriously massive 70mm.

The Angelika is a classic, OK? It’s true that taking the escalator down from the lobby feels a little like descending to the center of the earth but some of us enjoy that, and while the theater might occasionally rumble with the audible vibrations of a nearby passing subway, this adds character to the experience. Long live the Angelika and long live the movies!

This popular hybrid serves themed top-shelf cocktails and eats during first-run showings. Nitehawk also programs fun old faves, brunch and midnight screenings, bands playing over experimental shorts by locals, and viewings that include a beer-pairing dinner.

This red-brick building feels a bit like a fortress—and in a sense, it is one, protecting the legacy of NYC’s fiercest experimenters. Anthology is committed to screening the world’s most adventurous fare, from 16mm found-footage works to digital video dreams. It also houses a gallery and film museum.

In 2011, Lincoln Center unveiled this ahead-of-the-curve project. The center is split into two super-stylish theaters, plus an 87-seat amphitheater that boasts the largest plasma screen in the world. Heavyweight directors such as Pedro Almodóvar and Oliver Stone have stopped by to talk shop; microbudget indies, cool retrospectives, and critically acclaimed international films and docs round out the programming.