Through the eyes of Amy...
Toronto is a staple in the film industry, being used as the setting for numerous blockbuster movies. But not only is Toronto a film star, it's also a great city to go see movies in. Whether living in the East or the West, midtown or down near the water, Toronto cinema lovers with insatiable appetites for classic, foreign, and challenging cinema are never likely to go hungry. Here are five of the best places to watch movies:
1. TIFF Bell Light Box
Not only is this a world class movie theatre that plays host to the Toronto International Film Festival, but it also includes a cinema museum along with room for exhibitions, new art house releases, schlocky cult fare, children's programming, avant-garde screenings, a bookstore that sells the best film books in print, and space for a couple dozen film festivals.
2. The Bloor
The beloved single-screen Annex theatre entered a new phase of its life in 2011 when it was sold to the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. They renovated the theatre and reopened it under the name of Bloor Hot Docs Cinema in 2012. With a long history of showing cult, genre, and classic screenings, there is no doubt that the Bloor is set to become Toronto's chief venue for documentary work and will most definitely be the hub for North America's largest documentary film festival.
3. Toronto Underground
The Chinese cinema, formerly known as Golden Classics, opened its doors in the Spring of 2010 to cult and genre seekers. The Underground tends to stay true to its name by avoiding ostentatious signage and neglecting to update their screening schedule, relying more on word-of-mouth from their Facebook and twitter accounts to promote upcoming events.
4. The Revue Cinema
Located in the heart of Roncesvalles, Revue is a great venue for many of the better independent and foreign films. The self-proclaimed "only not-for-profit cinema" in Toronto, hosts some interesting series certainly worth watching.
5. The Royal Cinema
A staple on Toronto's independent cinema map since it opened as the Pylon in 1939, it remains a cherished Little Italy landmark, possessing one of the most beautiful art deco theatre interiors in Canada. This is one of Toronto's premiere venues for local and up-and-coming filmmakers to show their films, and also hosts a variety of popular film festivals.
