Movie Theaters Around New York City to Beat the Heat that Aren’t AMC or Regal
- Ana Marks
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
In Texas, the summers are suffocating.
The only way to escape the sweltering southern heat is to beat it by staying inside with solid air conditioning, and as a child my personal safe haven was my local movie theater.
There was nothing I enjoyed more than catching the latest summer blockbuster with my parents, and then sitting in the back seat of the broiling car telling my dad my favorite parts.
As a superhero-obsessed middle schooler, meeting my best friends on the curb with my mom waving goodbye, saying she’ll be back in a couple of hours to pick me up. Finally getting my driver's license and maximizing my free will to see movies that no one else was interested in alone.
When I moved to New York City for college, it took me exactly one month to bite the bullet and see a movie alone in a brand new place.
On a Wednesday before my 6 pm lecture, I took myself to Regal Union Square to see Venom 2. And just like all those years prior, everything that made me fall in love with going to the movies as a child was now an even bigger part of what would come of my new adult life in New York City.
Whether it's seeing a cinematic classic that's been on my watchlist for months or catching the latest indie feature debut from a young director, going to the movies is akin to going to church for me. Going at least once a week makes all feel right in the world.
Cinephiles living in NYC suffer no shortage of great movie theaters in every borough.
From historic one-screen auditoriums to newly-furbished warehouses, there’s no better independent scene than here in the city.
Here are some of the best New York City independent theaters to defend yourself from the stuffy streets.
Manhattan:
This theater is arguably the most important and deservedly popular independent cinema in New York City. From its opening in 1970, Film Forum has remained a cinematic staple, yielding praise from prolific filmmakers and actors alike, Agnes Varda to Ethan Hawke.
A large part of its praise is due to the programming; Film Forum screens American independent, documentary, and international feature films, as well as impressive and carefully curated repertory series. If the history and everything the Film Forum has to offer still isn’t convincing enough, they also have incredible popcorn. Don’t waste another movie night in the city anywhere else.
Similar to Film Forum, Angelika Film Center stands as a pillar of New York City, with two locations outside of its original Houston street location. What was originally a … has now become a staple in NYC moviegoing culture. Constantly screening a range of new independent releases and retrospectives, there’s something of interest for everyone.
This summer, Angelika worked alongside the Criterion Collection to run “Lynchian: A David Lynch Retrospective”. Seeing the works of the incomparable late filmmaker on the big screen is an essential for any film lover.
Compared to Film Forum or Angelika, Metrograph is a baby independent theater, with its doors having opened just ten years ago. However, within those ten years, Metrograph has solidified itself to be one of the most popular independent theaters in New York City and for good reason.
Their film-only programming is mainly a repertory one, with the occasional new release and Q&A between two screens. Settled inside a refurbished warehouse in the Lower East Side, Metrograph also has an upscale food selection and two bars, inspired by Hollywood's golden age.
If you have ever thought to yourself that a Netflix original film would be better to experience in a dark auditorium while sitting in a cushy red velvet chair with a crisp soft drink, then Paris Theater is the place for you.
This single-screen theater is the longest-running arthouse cinema in New York City, and after being bought by Netflix in 2019 screens limited engagements of films made for streaming, as well as running programs curated by filmmakers and other retrospectives. In mid-July, Paris Theater and the Film Noir Foundation are running “Noir City: New York” a traveling celebration of film noir, which includes 32 feature films on 35mm print.
In the heart of Greenwich Village, IFC Center has been highlighting independent films since 2005. Alongside their usual theatrical distribution of independent, foreign, and documentary features, they also present theatrical productions of National Theatre Live and host DOC NYC every November.
They also feature two series, Waverly Midnights and Short Attention Span Cinema. Waverly Midnights focuses on cult classics, screening at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, while Short Attention Span Cinema screens short films before features.
Brooklyn:
The Brooklyn Academy of Music hosts art across multiple mediums, spotlighting everything from film to theater to dance and live music.
Their film programming is nothing short of impressive, screening both new releases and carefully curated and niche series that center on various topics. In mid-July, BAM will be presenting "Electronica" a series that features films with electronic-heavy soundtracks, and then following that, they will be screening a series of contemporary Arab cinema.
If the classic popcorn saturated in butter and overpriced fountain drink don’t tickle your fancy, then Syndicated is the perfect cinematic outing for you.
Like chains such as Nitehawk and Alamo Drafthouse, Syndicated has a full drink and dinner menu, and it accompanies their one screening a day. To keep up with their screening schedule and programming, which floats between new releases and repertory, follow them on Instagram for updates!
Queens:
Surrounded by the magical works of Jim Henson and quirky rotating exhibits is a massive screening room that contains some of my personal favorite programming around the city.
With an exciting “De Palma: Summer of Suspense” and “Culture Wars” series running through late July, the Museum of the Moving Image is an absolute essential for any film lover in New York City. Start your day learning about the technical histories of cinema and make your way through the exciting exhibits, such as “Overexposed: Art, Technology, and the Body” and “Sense of Nowhere,” an interactive VR technology experience, then make your way to the auditorium to catch a film.
Small but mighty, Low Cinema is located in Ridgewood with only 42 seats and features a wide range of programming. Partners John Wilson, Davis Fowlkes, and Cosmo Bjorkenheim are driven by their love of cinema and their neighborhood, and in an effort to keep moviegoing alive and well, they opened Low Cinema in May of 2025.
Their programming contains anything and everything from obscure documentaries to hit romantic comedy blockbusters; this quaint cinema needs to be on everyone’s radar this summer.
Go to the movies and support arthouse cinemas! Happy watching.
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