Oxford is lucky enough to have a rich bounty of content for cinephiles. From some fabulous independent and boutique cinemas to open air cinema and festivals, there's something to meet every one's needs. Here are a few of Daily Info's favourite venues and events to help you all appreciate some more fabulous cinema.
Independent and boutique cinemas
As well as a trio of multiplexes (two Odeons and a Vue) Oxford is lucky to have three cinemas that, as well as showing all the latest mainstream releases, specialise in independent and world cinema. Just down the road from Daily Info is the magnificent Ultimate Picture Palace, a locally owned, single screen venue. Their schedule includes special events and Q&A, genre flicks that would otherwise miss Oxford and classics getting a much needed showing. Over in Jericho is our city's oldest continuous use cinema, the Phoenix Picturehouse. Daily Info particularly loves the themed screenings run by the Phoenix, including a Saturday morning Kid's club, as well as screenings for parents and babies, and preschool children. From Oxford's oldest to its newest, the Curzon Westgate is a swanky five screen state-of-the-art venue with terrific exclusives, scrumptious food and comfy sofas. Cinematic heaven.
Clubs and societies
For those who want to take their appreciation of cinema further, there are a number of opportunities to do this. The Oxford Brookes Documentary Club meets every Thursday during term time and is Oxford's premier group to appreciate non-fiction cinema. Film Oxford offers terrific training as well as support for local creatives, with their regular Open Screen the perfect networking opportunity. And finally Cinema Under the Stairs goes from strength to strength and its monthly screenings of cracking genre films (past films include The Thing, Pulp Fiction and A Fistful of Dollars) are a must attend. No one loves cinema quite as much as these guys.
Festival and open air cinemas
Every May the Oxford International Film Festival lands in Oxford, bringing with it a host of festival exclusives, as well as short films that rarely receive a cinematic screening. Summer Screens is Oxford's premier open air cinema, with an annual roster of family favourites, cult classics and recent hits. This year it will be returning to the front of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
For even more cinema love check out our guide to Cinema in Oxford.