The Ritzy

I’m updating my review, because last night, and for the second time, I’ve popped out of the cinema screen to find the downstairs bar at the Ritzy shut. I then had to go upstairs to order drinks and, the same as last time, there was a queue so by the time I got served, slowly, I’d missed 5 mins of the film. Last night they also gave me glasses which, as I walked back into the screen, a cinema employee tutted and said «uh, glass…» The seats in screen 4 are also hardly tiered at all so not only did I struggle to see all of the screen behind the guy in front of me but my 6 foot boyfriend struggled too. The screen also has no air con so was pretty warm.
Generally this is a great cinema but they need to remember they’re a cinema first and foremost, not a bar, and keep the main bar near the screens open till all the films are over instead of making people traipse upstairs.

Nice cinema but sadly cannot ever take a Brompton — different from other cinemas In London both mainstream and independent who are more accommodating about Bromptons

Great local cinema. Brilliant screens. Friendly staff bar and food reasonable prices and large selection .Discounts for members very nice outside terrace allround great place for a film. Meal. Drink. Or to meet your friends.

Super nice cinema. There’s a bar next to the screen room. Staff were really cool. All kinds of drinks and snacks, popcorn and all that. The only negative is that it was very cold in the screen room, I had to use my coat as a blanket haha. But all good apart from that.

ATMOSPHERE, STYLE, SCREENS is what I’m talking about
Atmosphere: If you’re looking for quirky, arthouse, retro, chilled out indy feel with a nice café and small selection of snacks — then this is for you — if your looking for big action multiplex — just no.
Screens: 1(as in 1 of them — i can’t remember the screen number) is really really pretty, think converted theatre, and the rest are like the old screens I used to go to before the multiplex was built. These days I feel like those screens are essentially like going over to your mates whose put a projector up — at that point you’re actually just paying to see it early and the cinematic experience is lost — dependant on what you enjoy as a cinematic experience.
Now… I’m short — so I stress this very much. i refuse to go to this cinema when its peak hours — or its just released the film — The only circumstance I personally go are — the pretty screen, daytime, been out a few weeks — and then I can guarantee a good seat without someone sitting in front of me, otherwise, i could have paid to go to a multiplex with better tiered sitting and see the whole film.
So the pay off for the poor screens and tiering is the atmosphere. and The cost of tickets — is hoping you sit on that end of the spectrum that likes the arty, coffee house, retro feel.
Oh and its right by Brixton station (5minute rushed walk — if you’re late)
Outdoor seating is pleasant — but it is those horrible lightweight metal seats, and on the main road — but the tree makes it nicer.
The main selling factor — Bar — you can take alcohol into the cinema! I mean! If only it could guarantee me to be able to see!

Beautiful art deco theatre with a great programme.
I watched Richard Ayoade present a Truffaut movie here once, and also saw an artist showcase in the bar upstairs. Both were great. Seats are comfy, the bar is also great. Best time is in the summer when you can porch out front facing the Windrush Square.

Too expensive! £11 for a student ticket??! Come on! The popcorn and films are very good though.

I rarely rate cinemas, but this one is definitely worth visiting.
Just a stone’s throw away from Brixton underground station, the Ritzy Picturehouse is a stylish theatre that allows you to drink in the cinema! They’re quite relaxed about food/​drink, and many people even brought in snacks from the nearby Sainsbury’s. The seats are very comfortable and the screen was huge.
My only complaint was that our film was delayed by 20 minutes. (A film? Delayed? Yes… odd.) I believe one staff member informed the crowd of the delay before we were allowed in the theatre, but they did not address the inconvenience afterward. I think a small compensation for the movie-​goers would’ve been nice; however, I don’t believe this Indie theatre has that level of customer-​service capacity. Even with the film starting 20 minutes late, this will definitely be my go-​to theatre from now on.

Amazing little cinema. Cheap, cosy and you can take booze in! The cinema combined with the café is great. Subtle, stylish décor with great food and cheap prices. One of my favourite cinemas in London.

A bit heavy on my pockets but never the less definitely worth the money. At Ritzy you can see a lot of old movie and also ones that aren’t shown at the bigger more commercialised cinemas.

The last film I saw at the Ritzy Cinema of Brixton was Evil Dead a remake from the 1980s horror classic. They also showcased the Q&A session, right after the actual film itself together with the Uruguayan film director, Fede Alvarez and the Suburgatory actress from California, Jane Levy. The UK Film Première & Gala Screening with Q&A session of Evil Dead took place in Brixton, south London on Tuesday, 16-​April-​2013 and I must say it really went down well.

The Ritzy is by far my favourite cinema in London which not only provides a bar, other entertainment upstairs such as board games and music but also their marvelous food. It is a world away from the booming commercial soulless cinemas that lurk on the high-​streets of England, that tout brands and advertising at every step.
The Cinema is in an old school screen room/​theater which has several auditoriums, 2 bars, a separate box office and a counter where you can purchase cinema snacks and soft drinks.
The food is a mixture of Gastro pub delights and pizzas which never fail to please, with very affordable prices.
Sadly the bar/​food area is fairly limited due to the actual size of the building and the cinemas popularity with the locals as a place to chill out. This means you have to jostle for a table in the evenings but you can usually sit down within about 15 minutes (most people are having a drink waiting for a film to start).
But in the summer, this area triples in size with the outdoor seating available which often spills over into Windrush square, allowing people to drink and bask in the intermittent sunshine.
The Ritzy provides a sanctuary at all times of day, whether you just want a coffee and a chat with friends in the afternoon, or a drink before a film or a meal in the evening. The atmosphere is most definitely casual as with most places in Brixton, it can get quite noisy but I think that is part of the charm.

My favourite picture house in London (so far). It’s set back from the corner so you can’t miss its massive old-​school marquee listing its name and show times. A little plaza area out front gives it the space away from the bustling streets it deserves — this is a diva, a queen of picture houses and you better make a wide berth and recognise, my friends.
A café set apart from the ticket/​popcorn buying makes it feel more legit as a drinking/​eating venue destination. A met a friend here who I hadn’t seen in a long time, and the set up meant we could meet on site, get a cup of coffee or a glass of wine without leaving the building, catch up for an hour or so, then stroll into our theatre for show time. Big windows and patio tables also make this feel more like a café — instead of being in a darkened club-​like atmosphere of Clapham Picture House or Prince Charles Cinema.
We lucked out with getting screen 1 and I was floored when we walked in, gorgeous setting, absolutely prefect. Sound quality was good.
OK, one pretty big gripe that has more to do with management than the venue itself. I believe this is owned by the same company as Clapham PH, and I have to stress my absolute LOATHING of both of them doing 20 – 30 minutes of commercials AFTER show start time. WTF? Fine, we’ve all gotten used to the 15 minutes of film trailers after show time. But straight up adverts? If you want to plug Orange or Nissan or Barclays or whatever, fine, do it as people gather in their seats in the 15 minutes leading up to the show start time — you still get a fairly captive audience. But do not subject people who have PAID money for their ticket to half an hour of adverts. I did not pay money to watch commercials, end of story.
Maybe this is a trade-​off and how they make up the difference for showing older/​indie/​obscure films, docs. In which case, damn it, I have no response to that except the masses need to place more value on these kinds of films over the no-​brainer action/​rom-​com drivel.
Whew, I feel much better.
Walk-​able from Brixton Tube or take the bus from Clapham Junction (15 minutes). £10.50 for a single on a Saturday night

One of the best cinemas in town.
The main screen is as good as any multiplex and the other screens from medium to tiny are great too, especially when you’re watching independent films they can be really intimate. Add to that the fact that you can buy alcoholic drinks to take in to the film and it’s a win/​win.
The main bar downstairs is really nice, with great outdoor seating which is probably the best for people watching in Brixton. Up-​Stairs at the ritzy is a much more intimate space for a drink or coffee and has some great music and performance nights, often linked to film, well worth checking out.
The Ritzy also puts on some great film festivals and similar events, has special screenings for parents with young children, the visually-​impaired, etc. and really tries to be part of the local community.
Finally, if you find yourself here and at any of the other PictureHouse cinemas in London with any degree of regularity then a membership card is WELL worth the 30 odd quid it costs (it’s even better value if you are a concession or get a joint membership). It gets you three free tickets (which pretty much pays for the membership alone) plus £2 off every other ticket you buy during the year, the quarterly guide posted to you and 10% off drinks and food at the bar and counter.
Add to all that the fact that Brixton is one of the most vibrant parts of London and you have to say that it’s pretty hard to beat the Ritzy for an afternoon or evening out.

Another great Picture house! These are what cinemas used to be before they went all commercial!
Small screens, old velvet seats, a bar and café (you can take your drink into the movie!) and there are usually jazz bands playing in the café bit.
Great views of Brixton, perfect for sipping coffee/​wine and people/​Brixton watching!
Recommend!

A tester de toute urgence si vous êtes de passage dans la capitale anglaise ! Situé à Brixton, réputé pour être LE quartier qui craint de Londres (sur la Victoria Line), ce cinéma est une grande surprise. Il mériterait d’être cité dans tous les guides.
Déjà, avant de voir un film le soir, vous pouvez vous détendre au bar où un concert de jazz avait lieu lorsque je suis venu (et apparemment il y a souvent des artistes qui se produisent). Ensuite la salle est grande, les sièges sont confortables et cherry on the cake: vous pouvez boire une chope de vin (oui oui, une chope de vin — vive les anglais) en regardant le film. Plutôt insolite donc (bon, dans une chope en plastique vous aurez deviné que c’est de la piquette hein, mais ça reste agréable).
Unbelievable.

Great place to watch the latest 3D Pixar wallet-​buster or even sedate enough to go outside and have a cool drink with hot friends.
A lot of money’s been spent clearing up the area — ie pushing the pushers to the side streets — resulting in a clean and consistent cinematic experience.
As a result, it’s a great place to see the latest films and a haven for indie premieres, when they’re most likely to have director speaking about his/​her work, live and direct.
My advice for snacks is this. The popcorn’s pricey, so walk down to the indoor market popcorn stall next to H&M and buy a whole bag of the sweet stuff for a £1. It tastes better, is fresher and you get the same amount as the large box in the cinema. There are also an abundance of supermarkets too, so you’ll know where to pick up your drinks.
Some might consider me a cheeky cheapo — i wouldn’t necessarily disagree! — but hey, i’m a working dude! Anyway, in these regressive economic times, every penny counts, especially when you have popcorn-​hungry kids in tow!

Picturehouse cinemas just do it for me. They tick my boxes. And I’m a picky bugger.
I like the cutesy intimate screens, I’m a fan of their indie films and documentaries listings, I’ve attended Q&A sessions with directors and I’ve found time for drinks and snacks in their delightful café.
I’m a member too — reduced prices, no booking fee and a shed load of discounts and inside scoops.
The council has recently completely done over the area outside the cinema so it’s even more an appealing place to go hangout.
The Ritzy; It’s not just for films, it’s for life.

Oh, the Ritzy is my kind of cinema. With not many screens, they manage to show everything and then some, keeping funky shows running for ages.
Yes, it’s a chain, but it’s a tiny wee chain. And you can get a drink. And they have family/​baby hour.
They even (and this is what for me gave the coveted 5^th star), have an autistic screening, where the volume is down and the lights are only dimmed. How community can you get?
OK, you might get a white guy with dreadlocks selling your ticket or making your popcorn, but hey, the popcorn’s good, the tickets are cheap, and the films are top-​notch. Not just arthouse, but blockbuster, too.
And eight minutes’ walk from my front door. Lurvely.

Comfy seats and many indie movies and not too far from where I live = win.
I was taken to the Ritzy before I moved to London while on a date. A stellar choice, really. It’s lovely. And a beautiful cinema makes beautiful movies all the more enjoyable to see. Yeah, Brixton may not be my favorite place to hang out at night, but this place is great. Good snacks and drinks and a relaxed feel about the place.
I haven’t been recently, but I really need to get back to a screening there. It’s delightful.

I went on a date at The Ritzy once, the man in question turned up late and really, really stoned but the cinema was lovely and has since become one of my favourite places to watch films. It’s a picture house cinema which means that along side blockbusters they show independent and art house films and are often host to international film festivals.
Providing your date isn’t of complete waste man caliber, it’s also very romantic. The main screen is an old theatre with lots of red, plush seats, high ceiling with fancy ornamental gold bits all over it. They also have a fully stocked bar and sell all the best kinds of ice cream and home made cakes which is useful if your date has the munchies.