This is the best place to see hot documentaries. It's a much loved venue and seethes it like some living being. It's not unusual to see a lineup go out the door, down Bloor St. and around the corner half way down the block when a smash hit is being shown. There's a slick facade above the door and a lobby meant for events with space to welcome you. Right at front is the snack bar that sells... more

I love the idea of a documentary theater, but this is the most unprofessional theater I've ever been to- I was watching a film and I could hear the projectionist's Sykpe notifications going off throughout the whole movie, like someone was just chatting on the computer they were projecting the film from, and no one was paying attention that worked there! So distracting and whack! Don't even... more

The Hot Docs festival tops my list of favourite things in the city, so it follows that this cinema is on my list of favourite places. (I won't focus on the incredible curation of the festival, which has its own Yelp listing and which I'd prefer to TIFF any day of my life.)

This theatre has its [very limited] faults (e.g. the first floor is so flat that virtually any seat seems too close/low to... more

My favourite cinema in Toronto! I bought a membership here as I know I will be making great use of it. Their programming is excellent if you like high quality documentaries. They have great staff too, very passionate and knowledgable. Oh, and amazing film festivals are held here. Can't rate it high enough.

I went to Hot Docs Cinema's showing of the Prince movie, Purple Rain, with a big group of friends. The movie was hilariously bad, but the experience was great. Everyone was having a few drinks and a few laughs - very relaxed and fun atmosphere. Also $15 dollars for a ticket, popcorn, and a beer was a great deal.

Quick tips:
- First floor seating, middle to back rows, you'll get the best view. When you're upstairs, people ahead will block the bottom of the screen (blocking subtitles). THIS IS BAD!! I missed all the subtitles for Last Day In Vietnam. First floor seating, you're LOOKING UP to the screen. You won't block anyone, and no one will block you.
- Q&A is a lot of fun!!! This is when the film... more

I (heart) Bloor Hot Docs. We're new members -- and have been impressed with the range of top films, festivals and other events! Staff and Volunteers are both friendly and knowledgeable. LOVE the enthusiasm -- and WOW! the interior is beautiful! Would love to see more for families -- but other than that -- this theatre and programming is pretty close to perfect!

This place is great for cinephiles like myself. The renovations they did a few years ago has paid off well. Gone is the outdated decor of the past and replaced with a more casual dark look but keeping it modern and old school at the same time. Sound system is much louder and clearer than before, New lighting and seats and it's the only place in town to watch documentaries all year round not to... more

I absolutely love this cinema! I went for the first time to watch Citizen Koch and had a great experience. The cinema is very large with a balcony, and the screen is massive. Staff is very friendly and the volunteers are sweet. I can't wait to go back!

This is a wonderful, wonderful cinema. An absolute pleasure. Gone are the nostalgic days of basement Cinema Du Parc in Montreal ( I love you. tear...) and here are the days of upstairs prime viewing (rows 1-3 on the balcony level are my favourite) at Bloor Hot Docs Cinema. Although I have been going here for the Hot Docs fest for years, since I moved back to Toronto in the later part of the... more

I probably can't add anything here that somebody else hasn't already written. This is a great place to see a documentary film or a classic during "Back to the Bloor" screenings.

How lucky are we Doc lovers of Toronto? Between Doc Soup, Hot Docs and now an entire cinema, this city is really a doc lover's paradise.

Much has been made of the reno and I feel like it was done well. There was a lot... more

A highlight of our trip

We were in Toronto for a convention and only went the cinema once during the week- we wanted it to count! We saw a collection of short films, and it was GREAT. The cinema is comfortable, and we were not disappointed.

Great films in a comfortable theatre

The Bloor Cinema specializes in documentaries and has at least a half a dozen on offer at any given time. For Torontonians it is worth buying a membership -- reduced price of admissions, free popcorn, and reduced DVD prices. The theatre is comfortable and even has a balcony.

They did such a lovely job with their renos but kept the old building charm which I like. Plus you can drink booze at your seat. And the popcorn is cheap. So is their membership. And the docs are FANTASTIC. Service is even better! Seats are comfy but are small and squishy so if you're tall or "big boned" you may struggle a bit.
Other than that, the place rocks. :)

I love the Bloor Cinema. They offer an excellent lineup of interesting, educational and funny documentary films as one of the only documentary-focused cinemas in the world. Every time I go I see a preview for another movie I want to come back for.

Seats are plush and comfortable, although the seats on the main floor seem a bit close to the large screen. There's also an upper level, although I... more

Was there earlier this week for the Ryerson's Documentary Media Festival.

First and foremost, I was a fan of the old Bloor Cinema, if only because I like to support my local cinema. It was great due to its history, inexpensive and generally off the wall movie selections, like documentaries, classics and foreign films. Just like the Carlton, except with just one screen and bigger... okay so not... more

Check out the Bloor Cinema

Bloor Cinema shows documentaries you are not going to find elsewhere. It has also been beautifully renovated to preserve its heritage.

Best Place in Toronto to see a film

Top-notch picture and sound. cosy environment, the anti-thesis of loud and crazy multiplexes. Great documentary-focussed programming.

Hot docs galore

This cinema at Bathurst on Bloor is a testament to the city's love of film - with great documentaries which feature films from all over the world. It is also the first to offer wine and beer with the show.
Directors are often in attendance and offer answers to audience questions. Seating is new and comfy, and focus is on... more

Great place to catch a documentary :) sometimes hard to find seats depending how popular the film is. They have an awesome student deals with a couple of free tickets and popcorn

The newly renovated Bloor is over the top wonderful! Plus, it's dedicated to all documentaries, all the time. The only cinema of its kind in the world. Amazing!

From the moment you walk in you, you'll be impressed by how gorgeous the space is. Hard to believe the venue is almost 100 years old. Seats still have that wonky recline, but they've all been re-upholstered and comfy. Balcony seats are... more

I hadn't been here since the renovation--wow! What a change! I absolutely love the glass wall--it lets people who arrive late or sneak out for snacks still watch the movie, so they don't miss anything while they're waiting.

Seats are cushy, snacks are reasonably priced, and the lineup of movies is awesome--lots of documentaries and older cult films. I'm glad there's a place like this in Toronto.

My favourite cinema in Toronto!

The space was recently renovated and looks fantastic. I love the fact that they kept the 2nd floor balcony seating. There is always a great selection of films to choose from and the prices are very reasonable.

I always try to see at least one documentary during the "Hot Docs" film festival.
Sometimes they even screen classic flicks like Casablanca or Rocky... more

The hubs and I made a special trip up to Toronto from B'lo to see Shut Up and Play The Hits (the LCD Soundsystem story.) This place was awesome! (It also helps that I'm literally obsessed with Toronto and that I had been waiting three months to see the movie that was being played--one night only--so pretty much it could have been projected out back on the side of the building above the dumpster... more

VERY cool theatre - a bit off the beaten path, but sometimes the best gems are!

Smashing reno

The renovation is really beautiful, keeping the age looking warm and inviting, but with all the modern necessities. You can see from wherever you are in the theatre, and generally the films are great. Go if you like docs and to see a really fine renovation.

Recently re-opened after almost a year of renovation etc. no longer a rep cinema, they now show a mix of docs on all topics, reverting to a rep program on Sundays. Vastly improved seating, sound, screen and concessions. I'm so glad this place is still around.

Much better before

I realize that the theatre was dated, with dated interiors, but it had character. I really liked the mix of kitchy movies, indie movies and blockbuster movies.
Now that the theatre was changed to hot docs, it's lost a lot of its charm.

WOW RENOVATIONS!

Bloor Cinema has had some major renovations, and it looks SO good!

While the upstairs balcony seems pretty much the same, the downstairs has new seats, and a beautiful new concession stand - but still has it's classic theatre style which really adds a lot of charm.

The best party of the cinema - THE GLASS WALL! This means that if you're about to watch a movie, but grabbing... more

I'm actually impressed, very impressed.

It's like my grandpa resurrected from the grave and then had botox.

This newly renovated venue sure looks more pleasing to documentary lovers, even to those who pretend that they are there for content and not for the venue. You know who you are! Yes, it's you!

There is an optional membership fee of $35, just ask the ultra sad curly-haired ticket staff... more

Always keep an eye on what's happening here. Can't get enough of the Repo the Genetic Opera shadow cast, or Rocky Horror. Always have the best cult flicks playing. Great atmosphere.

I don't frequent the Bloor Cinema outside festivals such as hot docs or Toronto After Dark too much, but each time I come here I'm always treated to a great atmosphere. Anyone that's been to a Midnight Madness screening at tiff would love it here (although it makes sense to say anyone that's been here would have fun at a tiff MM screening).
You know that you're going to watch a movie amongst... more

I love the nostalgic feeling I get when I watch a movie at Bloor cinema. I feel like I am in another time, a time warp in fact. The décor of the theatre is a throwback and homage to classic theatres with an abundance of red velvet fabric and a retro concession stand. Movies prices are reasonable and the visual quality and sound of the films are usually pretty decent. The most interesting event... more

Does anyone here remember when the Bloor Cinema ran the Dark Side of Oz and you used to be able to smoke pot INSIDE the theater? Man...those were the days.

I also have fond memories of the Rocky Horror Picture Show back from my High School days. I remember the first time I attended, I was called up onto the stage as part of an initiation for "virgins" and had to act out a scene with another... more

We came here at the recommendation of our landlord one Sunday only to discover they were playing Alien 1 and 2 back to back. Having never seen either (I know, I know) we decided to buy a membership and go for it.

It was a great experience (and can I just say, the popcorn is enough to make you weep -- it's so tasty) and the cinema is cool and draughty, a nice option on hot, sticky summer... more

The Bloor Cinema in Toronto falls into the categori of many of my favorite movie theaters; it's an older movie theater with a lot of charm to it even if it isn't the most up-to-date mega multiplex. It hosts a lot of great repertory screenings and makes an amazing venue to view classics like Mario Bava's Black Sunday with Barbara Steele, and it is also a great place to see retrospectives with... more

I will occasionally drop into the Bloor to catch second-run big releases, but most of what I like to see there are special screenings, docos, small festivals and one-off events. Even though they do have a portion of their schedule for the second-run stuff, there's always a reasonable variety of retro screenings, themed programs and other stuff to keep the mix entertaining and to keep me going... more

It's a bit crusty, run down and the chairs ain't that comfy, but for all these reasons and more I really enjoy my trips to the Bloor Cinema. When the lights go down and the screen begins to flicker, I feel like I'm in one of those old war-time cinemas that only reel (like the pun?!) film fans know about. Their programming is a bit hit and miss but there's generally something I want to see each... more

For anything rare, cultish, campy, dark, funny, weird, or festival-related, the Bloor is your place. It's totally old school and awesome in the fact that you're not going to find the latest s@!%!y rom-com or teen movie here. So yay for that. The seats could use a renovation, but that's a minor quibble compared with the ferocious programming this theater offers. I was here most recently for The... more

From cult to camp, doc to drama, the Bloor Cinema is a movie lover's dream. Its roster can include psychedelic Japanese horror like House, a selection from the After Dark Film Festival, cult favourites like The Big Lebowski or Annie Hall, or even straight-up Rocky Horror Picture Show action on any given night. Buy a membership to help keep the theatre alive - it's included in the cost of your... more

If you're sick of going to the same movie theatre and want to switch it up, this is definitely the place to go! Feels like a time warp, over 100 yrs old! A must for movie lovers!

The Bloor Cinema is simply an institution of my Toronto experience. I love seeing its marquee as I walk along Bloor and I've had many lovely cinematic experiences here. I love everything about it.

I'm not an out and out cinephile but the Bloor always has a great repertoire for the casual cinema goer and the more serious crowd. Their website is comprehensible and their tastes eclectic, plus... more

As I ride my bike in to work throughout the summer, my favourite part is looking up at Bloor Cinema's old marquee that's changed every night, so that even at 5:30am I know what I could expect from a day at the movies. I know it's old fashioned but the building is over 100 years old! The seats aren't the comfiest, but you're not being charged the hefty prices of a multiplex. When you come to a... more

"Vintage" is a nice way of describing this place. If by "vintage" you mean old, musty-smelling, and downright grimy, then yes. It is really, really vintage.

Movies at the B.C. always keep my on the edge of my seat, primarily because the seat is so uncomfortable that I suspect it was recycled from the tilt-a-whirl that was part of the rickety, held-together-with-spit-and-chewing-gum county fair... more

Not the best/most-up-to-date place in Toronto. Actually has a very vintage feeling to it which is nice. Comes with a stage and balcony. The screen isn't wide screen like those of the ones found in most cinemas nowadays. But always a great experience.

Maybe it's the events I go there for but I have never had a bad experience at Bloor Cinemas. My biggest complain would be that when the place is... more

Minus one star for the seats in need of rehab to keep the spring out of my a@s. Otherwise the Bloor supports film festivals, seats more than 1200 people and has a panoply of food and drinks to select from. Support the local cinema!

I love the Bloor and wish I could make it to more showings, more often, but their wonky movie times make it difficult! On the plus side, when I actually manage to find a movie I want to see there at a time that I'm not at work, it makes for a whole event, usually with a group of people.

The admission charges are incredibly reasonable and the popcorn is 20 times better than the stuff you'll... more

Previously under the banner of the "Festival" chain of cinemas which were about six or seven movie houses preserved in the original art deco design, the Bloor still represents the original movie going experience. The theatre shows its age and the cracks in the wall are hard to hide, but it makes the environment all the more visceral and real.
Since my early teen years I frequented all of the... more

Great rep cinema that has a steady rotation of hard-to-find movies, especially foreign ones. While you wait for your date you can go browse the racks at Sonic Boom next door (they're open late).

Unfortunately the most recent movie I saw at Bloor Cinema was the worst I've ever seen (called "4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days") that was inexplicably UNANIMOUSLY recommended by critics and regular folk. I... more

Bloor Cinema is awesome because:

a) It looks & feels like those old movie theatres that I never had the pleasure of seeing. They have balcony seating and old squeaky seats and a stage, which makes for a great movie-watching experience.

b) They play all sorts of independent, new and old movies that you won't find being screened anywhere else. They were the only theatre in the city that played... more

This place is a solid fixture in the moviegoer scene, arguably the most popular in the rep cinema circuit. Because of its location, it sometimes attracts way too many students for my liking, but I still love it and respect it as one of Toronto's cultural institutions.

I haven't seen any regular screenings here -- that's not the point of this place, anyway. I've primarily attended the Bloor to... more

bloor cinema seems to be one of the last few testaments to the huge movie theatres a whole whack of folks my age and my parents age and probably their parents grew up with and enjoyed. there might be another couple of theatres in all of toronto that have a balcony.

the building its in has been around for about 100 years and at one time inside it must have been quite elegant. youd think that... more

Indeed, Toronto affords you different movie-going experiences. Going to the larger first-run theatres, you are afforded the opportunity to queue up at a kiosk to order your tickets, conveniently (read: "do your own up-sale") pre-order your snack options, sit in a close-to-empty theatre and hope that this Ben Stiller movie doesn't suck as much as the last Ben Stiller movie but realize that... more

My favourite second run in Toronto, the Bloor has somehow survived where many other of its kind have fallen apart. A Bloor St fixture for many, many years, this movie theatre constantly keeps its lineup fresh, often mixing recent releases with classics. I've been lucky enough to catch a few of the original Indiana Jones films, as well as some Star Trek classics - basically the stuff you don't... more

I'm a firm believer that you can gauge the worth of a city based on its number of independent cinemas there are. With that number shrinking in Toronto all the time, it's good to see the Bloor Cinema alive and thriving in the Annex. The Bloor has a rich history in the city, having celebrated its Centennial in 2005.

The staff at the Bloor are people who love film with a passion, and it shows.... more

The Bloor Cinema shows all sorts of movies and has hosted a Palestinian Film Festival, as well as the Toronto After Dark Festival (horror movies, lots of them). Old classic movies are shown along with newer releases such as WALL-E.

Good old-fashioned one-screen theater.

The only problem I've run into is one or two seats were broken. This is really only a problem when the place is packed,... more

The Bloor Cinema is probably the only independent theatre left in the city. That's not a fact, just an observation. They feature tons of foreign and independent films and they're one of the only theatres in the city that still sells memberships and offers a cheaper adult ticket. They have horror movie marathons and quirky festivals going through all the time. It's worth looking into if you're a... more