With six popular cinemas to choose from, Edinburgh has a lot to offer newly arrived film fans. To help you find the right cinema for every occasion, The Student has outlined the highs and lows of each.

Also provided are the times it takes to walk from Potterrow, and the range of prices for 2D student tickets. If there’s more than one of a franchise in Edinburgh, then the closest to Potterrow has been reviewed.

Cineworld

Cineworld forms part of the Fountain Park leisure complex. Typically showing high-profile releases, there’s also a selection of smaller films, in particular a wide selection of Bollywood movies. Its best feature is its Unlimited Card, which lets you see all the films you want for a mere £15.00 a month, one of the best offers available.

27 mins

£4.90-£5.40

Vue

Being both accessible and friendly, Vue is deservingly the default cinema for central Edinburgh. It offers a number of great deals including considerably cheaper saver tickets at low demand times and the ability to convert Nectar points to tickets. Vue also broadcasts a number of special events such as concerts, sports and theatre live from across Britain and which can’t be seen elsewhere. If you’re organising a trip for a few people it’s probably the best cinema to go for; it has nearby, frequent screenings and is open late.

18 mins

£5.05-£7.10

Odeon

The Odeon is a superficially classier version of Vue or Cineworld with slightly higher prices and a slightly more polished interior but which doesn’t really offer anything more. Visitors are also often impressed by the somewhat cavernous building. It’s worth checking if the film you’re looking for isn’t on at Vue or Cineworld.

17 mins

5.80-£6.90

Dominion

Sold as more of an experience than a cinema, the Dominion places quality over affordability. It is unique as it is the only Edinburgh cinema to sell special tickets for reclining chairs or sofas, and gives out mini Pringle Tubs in luxury viewings. However, it’s expensive, far away, and the website isn’t very helpful. Much better for a special occasion than for when you just want to see a film.

36 mins

£6.00-£12.00

Cameo

Closest to being both arty and commercial, the Cameo focuses on smaller films but also shows many mainstream productions. It only offers few screenings for each, however. Despite that, it’s almost the go-to student cinema: it’s a beautiful building, is located very close to the University, shows cult films, and is very cheap. It also hosts E4’s Slackers' Club, giving free student access to preview screenings: its membership gives you lower ticket prices, free access to their Sunday double bill and three free tickets.

16 mins

£4.80-£5.80

Filmhouse

The peak of sleek sophisticated cinema, the Filmhouse houses as many retrospectives and classic screenings as current releases. The modern films are generally either world cinema or independent, and offer the widest range of art-house, showing films that won’t be screened anywhere else. It also hosts numerous film festivals, most notably the Edinburgh International Film Festival. It’s worth considering becoming a member at the start of the year, when it is reduced to £5. However, the atmosphere can be slightly intimidating- this is where the proper grown-ups go.

17 mins

£5.50