Wellington NZ Movie Theatre Guide
Your essential guide to Wellington's cinemas
This is your essential guide to Wellington NZ’s Movie Theatres. Important aspects covered: best popcorn, seats, pre-show as well as public transport directions. I’ll update this page as and when needed. Creation of this Guide follows thorough personal research/ weekly frequenting these establishments over recent years.
BEST OF:
POPCORN: Event Cinemas, Queensgate.
SEATING: Event Cinemas, Queensgate/The Roxy/
PRESHOW: The Roxy
OVERALL PERSONAL FAVE CINEMA: The Roxy.
The Roxy, Miramar
Getting there: Approximately 5.5km from the City Centre. Number 2 and number 4 bus will take you right outside the Theatre. Or a 12min drive (and $10-$15 Uber ride.) On a summer evening, it’s a perfect walk to/from the theatre along the waterfront by the airport through Mt Vic tunnel. Totally do-able in about 40 mins from the Basin Reserve.
Seating: 5/5. That’s Italian Red Leather there.
Popcorn: 1/5 - Unpopped:popped kernel ratio is atrocious.
Pre-show: 5/5 - no ads. Adore the themed pre-shows for special screenings. Although the pre-show guilt trip about large bags and snacks not purchased at the cinema triggers me as a serial snack smuggler.
Go for: Retro screenings, special events, Terrorfi film festival, horror films, and fantastic movie-nerd events
Ticket prices: $19+ $2 online booking fee, some special screenings $15
Vibes: Cinephiles rejoice. The Roxy is a theatre for film nerds. Take anyone you can drag to the movies. Check out the Lord of the Ring Statues and the small exhibits in the upstairs lobby. Grab a fan pass to the TerrorFi film festival.
Lighthouse Cuba
Getting there: Wigan Street, approximately 850m from city centre. Take the Waewae express from the CBD
Seating: 2/5 - small couches. Pointless cushions no one uses. Your butt will start to hurt if the movie is over 3 hours long.
Popcorn: 1/5 - too cool for the corned goods
Pre-show: 3/5 - Everyone loves a quiz.
Go for: Indie Cinema, A24, Oscar nominees, film festival, not blockbuster, $10 Mondays, good midweek location.
Ticket Prices: $20 + $1.50 online BF; $10 Mad Monday, $13 Treat Yourself Tuesday
Vibes: Cosy. Perfect for date night. Grab a pre-drink and then a post-drink at Havana Bar across the road.
Empire Cinema and Eatery, Island Bay
Getting there: Approximately 5.1km from the city centre. Number 1 bus will take you from town to right outside the Theatre. Or its a 10-12min drive (and $10-$15 Uber ride.)
Seating: 3/5- couches, but bigger than the Lighthouse. Could do with a spruce up.
Popcorn: 3/5 - small boxes only (enough for one)
Pre-show: DNR.
Go for: A change of scenery, great gelato
Ticket Prices: $18 adult plus $1.50 online booking fee
Vibes: Sunday afternoon favourite. Super relaxed with friendly staff, though the theatres themselves seem a bit of an afterthought.
The Embassy, Kent Terrace
Getting there: Approximately 210m from the City Centre. If you can, then walk.
Seating: 3/5 - good in the smaller cinemas. The Grand seats gets a 1/5 separately. That theatre is a mess.
Popcorn: 4/5 - best in the CBD
Pre-show: 2/5 - Long, with ads.
Go for: The Blockbusters
Ticket prices: On the pricey side: $23.50 + $1.65 BF $25.50 + BF (For ‘platinum’ seats – the Grand)
Vibes: Casual, impersonal. Needs some TLC.
Penthouse Cinema & Cafe, Brooklyn
Getting there: Approximately 2.6kmfrom the City Centre. Number 7 Bus, 8 min driver or Uber, or a 30 minute walk downhill.
Seating: 3/5 - individual seats
Popcorn: 1/5 - only have the packaged stuff which makes for a very noisy viewing.
Pre-show: DNR
Skip the: Cinema 2. There’s something wack going on with the sound/lighting in there. The lighting is really dark on the screen and the sound is too quiet for the room ambience.
Go for: Movies at the end of their releases (they play them for a decent length of time) and well-scheduled night viewings
Ticket prices: $18, or $12 treat yourself Tuesdays
Vibes: Independent. Good spot to take your parents. Grab pre-drinks or post-movie dinner at the Salty Pidgeon across the road.
Even though its not technically Wellington it has to be mentioned as it’s got a lot going for it.
Event Cinemas Queensgate, Lower Hutt
Getting there: Unfortunately, it’s either a 20-minute drive or Uber unless you fancy a 1-hour one way bus ride.
Seating: 5/5 - Best seats in town by a country mile. So comfy. The recliner is king
Popcorn: 5/5 - best in town (with a price to match)
Pre-show: 1/5 - Very long, with ads.
Go for: the Imax, the incredible recliner seats. The regular seats are also a huge step up from any of the other theatres on the comfort scale.
Ticket Prices: Varies: Imax full recliner $36 plus $1.65 BF, regular IMAX $32 plus $1.65 BF (it’s a treat)
Vibes: Big commercial cinema, truly great for the ‘big’ movies but not an intimate viewing. Incredible sound and screens. Dune Part II and Avatar 2 on the Imax were off the chain.
Very helpful guide, thank you Eyeball Flicks!
Wine selection at Lighthouse is great. So are the frozen pineapple lumps.