The end of July saw two unlikely pop-culture heavyweights meet for a cinematic showdown, as Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie and Christopher Nolan’s atomic bomb epic Oppenheimer were released in cinemas on the same day (21 July).
Both films come highly anticipated, with Margot Robbie’s big-screen portrayal of the iconic doll clashing with Cillian Murphy’s take on J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist who helped develop the first nuclear weapons. Both films have been highly reviewed, and both have resulted in a boom for UK cinemas.
Social media dubbed last month’s frenzied scheduling of Friday 21 July 2023 as “Barbenheimer”, a once-in-a-generation cinematic phenomenon that has led to debate and discussion of the ‘best’ way to enjoy the new films.
Many Brummies will also be heading to the cinemas across the city in August to see the films for the first time, so with this in mind, we’ve decided to take a look into the top 10 best movie theatres across Brum, as rated by customers on Google reviews.
Here are the city’s favourites:
1. The Electric Cinema, station street, city centre
The Electric has a 4.7 rating from 1.3k reviews. One review read: “Easily the best cinema experience I’ve had! The staff were lovely and extremely helpful, the seats were more than comfy.” | Google
2. Odeon, Broadway Plaza
The cinema has a 4.6 rating from 5.1k Google reviews. One review, read: “Lovely cinema, full leather reclining seats, very comfortable. The screen size was massive with immersive Dolby audio.” | Google
3. Everyman Birmingham Mailbox, city centre
The cinema has a 4.6 rating from 1.2k reviews. One review said: “Enjoyed the movie lots of leg room and soft sofa seats would go again.” | What’s Love Got to do with team
4. Mockingbird Cinema, Custard Factory, Digbeth
The cinema has a 4.6 rating from 806 reviews. One review read: “Great little cinema, friendly personal staff and nice food in a great location.” | Laura McEwan