The advent of digital television, social networking and an incredible amount of different entertainment sources was supposed to signal the end of the cinema years ago. But the magic of going to cinema to watch the latest movie releases still endures: nowhere more so than in London. 

The magic of going to the cinema in London is something that many Londoners take for granted, but ask any visitor to the city and they will often admit that they remember the movies they watched in London over others they watched elsewhere. Why? 

Perhaps because London is a film set in itself and features in more movies that all the other locations in the UK combined.

All you have to do is watch Gary Oldman’s latest movie, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy to see that. The movie is set in the Cold War hysteria of 1960’s London and takes in a number of London cityscapes, including Chelsea. It is very good shot of post-war London nostalgia. But think about films as different at Austin Powers or Sliding Doors and you can see that London features far more in movies than say Southampton or Cardiff. 

But there is also something unique about London cinemas. Whether you are looking at London Cinema Listings for an IMAX cinema or elsewhere, going to the cinema in the capital is a unique way to escape the hustle and bustle of the capital, without actually leaving it. It’s also quite romantic to imagine how many past generations have gone to the cinema to watch classic films. 

The cinema is also synonymous, of course, with going on a date. Going on a date often involves going to the cinema. Why? If you are shy going to the cinema can be a good icebreak, as not only does it give you a chance to not have to talk too much while watching the movie, but the movie itself can be an interesting talking point afterwards. Of course, if you are on a date and it is not going too well – the cinema can be a welcome distraction to having to engage in dead end and boring conversation just to be polite. 

Of course, if you have children, going to the cinema in London as part of a wider day out can be a memorable experience for families. A day trip to the city, taking in sights such as Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Trafalgar Square, topped off with a visit to the cinema to watch a family movie, or the latest animated children’s movie from Disney or Pixar can live with a child right into adulthood. The same cinema trip carried out in a dreary out-of-town entertainment complex is likely to be forgotten far sooner. Big or small then, the magic of London cinema remains.