If anyone knows where to watch a great movie in Melbourne, it’s the people who spend their lives talking about them.
At the Melbourne International Film Festival, we asked festival attendees—from athletes and filmmakers to actors and dedicated movie lovers—to name their favourite cinema in the city. And while there was plenty of love for Melbourne’s grand old theatres, one independent favourite came up time and time again.
Cinema Nova was the clear winner, with several festival-goers naming the Carlton cinema as their go-to place for a movie.
Cinema Nova takes the crown
Sitting in the heart of Carlton on Lygon Street, Cinema Nova has long been a fixture of Melbourne’s independent cinema scene.
For Mitch Brown, the choice was an easy one. Living nearby means Cinema Nova is a regular part of their routine, with plenty of visits for an impromptu movie night.
Triple J presenter Dee Salmin also revealed that she has turned a trip to Nova into something of a fortnightly ritual—pairing a movie with pasta on Lygon Street beforehand (along with her beau, Darcy Moore).
Nova also has the advantage of being deeply embedded in Carlton’s food and nightlife scene, making it particularly easy to turn a trip to the movies into a full night out.
And its programming is a big part of the appeal. Alongside major releases, Nova regularly screens independent, Australian and arthouse films, as well as festival titles, retrospectives and special events.
The Astor & Rivoli are still hard to beat
While Nova represents Melbourne’s modern independent cinema culture, The Astor Theatre is the city’s cinematic time capsule.
Located on the corner of Chapel Street and Dandenong Road in St Kilda, the grand theatre first opened in 1936. Today, it’s one of Melbourne’s last remaining single-screen cinemas of its kind and is particularly beloved for its classic and repertory programming.
Music broadcaster Zan Rowe put The Astor firmly in the running when asked about Melbourne’s best cinemas. Her only criticism being that the seats could probably use an upgrade. Still, Zan’s verdict was essentially that the overall experience is “pretty hard to beat.”
Over in Camberwell, The Rivoli was another favourite among the festival crowd. One attendee simply described it as “old and cool”—which is perhaps the most succinct possible review of the iconic cinema.
The Rivoli first opened at its current Camberwell Road site in 1940, and its distinctive Art Deco architecture has helped make it one of Melbourne’s most recognisable cinema buildings.
A tiny Thornbury cinema gets a big shout-out
However, When it comes to great cinema, size isn’t everything. Thornbury Picture House was another popular name, particularly among those looking for something more intimate.
MIFF Artistic Director Al Cossar singled out the independent venue, praising the people behind it and its intimate atmosphere.
The cinema is considerably smaller than Nova or the Rivoli, with its Little Picture House offering a cosy, intimate setting alongside a program that mixes new releases with cult classics, special screenings, festivals and filmmaker Q&As.
Its program regularly jumps between cult favourites, restored classics, independent releases and special events, making it particularly appealing to people who like their cinema experience a little less predictable.
And Cossar knows a thing or two about what makes a great cinema. As MIFF’s Artistic Director, he spends his days championing films and the venues that bring them to Melbourne audiences.
Some love for the big chains
That said, the city’s bigger multiplexes still got some love. Actor Christopher Chung named HOYTS Melbourne Central as his favourite cinema, proving that sometimes convenience, comfort and a giant blockbuster screen are exactly what you want from a trip to the movies.
Located inside Melbourne Central, the cinema is about as central as a Melbourne movie night can get, making it an easy choice when you’re already in the CBD.
If the answers proved anything, it’s that Melbourne has no shortage of cinemas worth making a night of. For some, it’s the convenience of a major multiplex. For others, it’s a pasta dinner before a movie at Nova, the faded grandeur of the Astor, the Art Deco interiors of the Rivoli or the intimate atmosphere of Thornbury Picture House.
