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Don’t get us wrong: we love streaming movies at home, but there’s something about catching a film at the theater that always feels extra special. The sound, the image quality, the overall atmosphere and overflowing buckets of popcorn just can't be beat, which is why we’ll always pay homage to the movie theaters that call NYC home.
Just in time for this Sunday’s Oscars, the Time Out team has updated its ranking of the most beautiful cinemas in the world, and three New York-based destinations have made the cut.
But let’s start with the overall number one pick: Le Grand Rex in Paris, one of the most cherished institutions in France.
"The giant ‘Rex’ sign on the roof, Paris’s only rotating sign, is a beacon for movie lovers across the city," writes Houssine Bouchama, the editor in chief of Time Out Paris, in the ranking. "Inside, there are seven screens, the largest of which holds a whopping 2,702 seats."
While other U.S. cities made the list—Los Angeles and Chicago, notably—New York claims the highest-rated North American cinema on the rundown: Village East Cinema at number three.
"With its unassuming façade and East Village dive bar neighbors, you wouldn’t expect anything too out of the ordinary at this five-screen cinema," writes content director Will Gleason. "If you catch a film in theaters 2-5, your mid-range expectations will be met. But those lucky enough to be assigned to Theater 1 will enter a stunning 440-seat Moorish Revival movie palace, built in the 1920s in what was once the heart of NYC’s Yiddish Theatre District." A truly magical place to watch a film, Village East Cinema has become a defining part of the neighborhood’s cultural fabric.
Also on the global list is the trendy, two-screen Metrograph at number 29. Though it only opened in 2016 on the Lower East Side, it has quickly established itself as a key player in the city’s movie scene, offering an old-school experience. Expect flip-back wooden seats, concrete walls and exciting programming. Don’t forget to check out the small shop by the box office, where you can pick up film books and journals from a carefully curated selection.
At number 42 is the visually striking Paris Theater, the massive 535-seat venue that is now officially the only single-screen cinema remaining in New York.
"The biggest draw here isn’t necessarily any specific architectural details or design features," Gleason reports. "It’s the feeling that going to see a film here is still an event—something that’s surprisingly rare in Manhattan these days."
After all, the theater is currently owned by Netflix—what else would you expect?
The 50 most beautiful movie theaters in the world
1. Le Grand Rex, Paris
2. Pathé Tuschinski, Amsterdam
3. Village East Cinema, New York
4. Cineteca Madrid, Madrid
5. The Electric, London
6. Cinema Dei Piccoli, Rome
7. The Astor, Melbourne
8. Puskin Art Cinema, Budapest
9. Cine Doré Filmoteca Española, Madrid
10. Le Champo, Paris
11. The Raj Mandir, Jaipur
12. The Labia Theatre, Cape Town
13. Rio Cinema, London
14. Stella Cinema, Dublin
15. TCL Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles
16. The Little Prince Micro-Cinema, Ontario
17. Cineteca Nacional de Mexico, Mexico City
18. New Beverly Cinema, Los Angeles
19. The Park Theatre, Manitoba
20. Stadtkino, Vienna
21. Sala Equis, Madrid
22. Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, Sydney
23. Orinda Theatre, California
24. Mareel, Shetland Islands
25. Studio 28, Paris
26. Music Box Theatre, Chicago
27. Cinema Le Cosmos, Strasbourg
28. Coolidge Corner Theatre, Massachusetts
29. Metrograph, New York City
30. Le Colisée, Carcassonne
31. Phenomena Experience, Barcelona
32. BFI Southbank, London
33. Plaza Theatre, Atlanta
34. Avalon Theater, California
35. Egyptian Theatre, Los Angeles
36. Golden Age Cinema and Bar, Sydney
37. Le Cinéma du Panthéon, Paris
38. Museum Lichtspiele, Munich
39. Genesis Cinema, London
40. Grand Teatret, Copenhagen
41. The Sun Theatre, Melbourne
42. Paris Theater, New York
43. Everyman, Bath
44. Curzon Bloomsbury, London
45. The Projector, Singapore
46. Cinémathèque de Tanger, Tangier
47. Busan Cinema Center, Busan
48. Cinema São Jorge, Lisbon
49. Broadway Cinematheque, Hong Kong
50. Grand Lake Theatre, Oakland