Navigation

The Eight Best Movie Theaters in Fort Lauderdale and Nearby

Broward County's theater scene is incredibly eclectic.
Photo by Marc Ferman
Share this:
Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Just north of the county line, the cinematic bounties are perhaps even richer than they are in Miami. From tiny neighborhood theaters showing indie and foreign flicks to massive Egyptian-style multiplexes, renovated mid-century modern movie houses, and cinemas with more arcade machines than movies, you'll find theaters of all shapes and sizes across Broward County. There's even an enormous auditorium built for true IMAX.

Trust us — your couch does not measure up to these cinemas. Here are the best movie theaters in and around Fort Lauderdale.

AMC Pembroke Lakes 9

12085 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines
754-210-2148
amctheatres.com

This AMC location at the Pembroke Lakes Mall is a pretty ordinary place to see a movie, all things considered, but it's a cut above the rest in terms of the standard multiplex experience. It's been updated with modern movie theater amenities such as recliner-style seats, Coke Freestyle machines, and a bar, and its placement inside a mall means there are plenty of shops and restaurants nearby, too. This theater shows specialty formats such as IMAX and Dolby Cinema, so if you want to catch a flick with familiar comforts, this is a great option.

AutoNation IMAX 3D Theater

401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale
954-713-0930
mods.org

Even when it comes to IMAX, the largest format for theatrical film exhibition, not all screens are created equal. Most are converted multiplex auditoriums; only 31 theaters worldwide possess the capability to screen true IMAX 70mm films, the way the medium was meant to be seen. One of them is right here in South Florida, at Fort Lauderdale's Museum of Discovery and Science. The AutoNation IMAX 3D theater should be your go-to for event movies like Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, James Cameron's Avatar saga, or Denis Villeneuve's Dune series. As a museum theater, it also hosts plenty of educational films like Terrence Malick's Voyage of Time and many 3D screenings.
click to enlarge
AutoNation IMAX 3D Theater/Museum of Discovery and Science photo

Cinema Paradiso Hollywood

2008 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
954-342-9137
fliff.com
The diminutive screening room at this neighborhood movie house in downtown Hollywood only holds about 70 seats, but its intimacy is part of the appeal. While it may seem like a vestige of a bygone era, Cinema Paradiso only opened in 2013. After the success of the original Cinema Paradiso, now Savor Cinema, the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival folks converted what was once an empty storefront a few blocks from Young Circle into a theater. It serves as a venue for FLIFF, and the year-round curation focuses on indie and foreign films. Stop by when you're in the area to see something you might not find at the multiplex.

Cinemark Paradise 24 and XD

15601 Sheridan St., Davie
954-680-3495
cinemark.com

Just off the highway at the confluence of four suburban Broward municipalities (Davie, Weston, Southwest Ranches, and Pembroke Pines) rises this temple to the gods of cinema. Okay, that's a slight exaggeration, but the Ancient Egyptian styling of the architecture and decor at this Cinemark location makes it one of the most unique places to see a movie in the region. Originally opened by the locally-owned, now-defunct Muvico chain, it's a callback to the mega-multiplex era of the '90s when theater chains had cash to blow on huge movie complexes with wild theming; other themed theaters owned by Muvico included the shuttered Parisian 20 in West Palm Beach and the still-extant Palace 20 in Boca Raton, which Cinemark also took over. Thanks to its glut of individual screening rooms, the Paradise 24 also tends to draw a lot of indie and international films in addition to Hollywood fare, with South Asian cinema a particular focus, and concessions tend to be a bit more fairly priced.
click to enlarge
Paradigm Cinemas Gateway Fort Lauderdale
Photo by Marc Ferman

Flippers Cinema and Arcade

7001 Taft St., Hollywood
954-981-7721
flipperscinema.com

Lots of movie theaters still have arcade games in a tiny corner of the lobby, a throwback to an older era when multiplexes acted as amusement centers rather than places to just watch a movie. Flippers Cinema on Taft St. in Hollywood takes that dynamic to a whole other level. You can come here to see a movie — and ticket prices are drastically cheaper than most multiplexes, by the way â€” or you can forget the film and spend your time playing skee-ball, air hockey, Ms. Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and other nostalgic games. There's even a prize counter where you can exchange your tickets â€” it's like a Dave & Buster's where you can also see Mission: Impossible.

Paradigm Cinemas Gateway Fort Lauderdale

1820 E Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
954-678-4858
paradigmcinemas.com
The Gateway is a true blast from the past. Originally opened in 1951, it was purchased by the Paradigm Cinemas chain in 2022 and reopened the next year after a tasteful renovation. The result is a gorgeously vintage mid-century modern picture house with all the comforts a contemporary theatergoer can expect. The curation is also pretty decent, showing a mix of current major studio and indie releases, with occasional repertory fare. Ticket and concession prices are pretty cheap as well, and with semi-regular screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, they're one of the few places in South Florida where you can do the Time Warp year-round.
click to enlarge
Regal Dania Pointe
Lalani Media photo

Regal Dania Pointe

128 Sunset Dr., Dania Beach
844-462-7342
regmovies.com

The newest theater on this list is also one of the most spectacular and exciting places to see a movie in South Florida. Part of the somewhat staid Dania Pointe development that replaced the beloved Boomers amusement center with chain shops and mid-rise apartments, this Regal location boasts a gleaming, futuristic interior, cavernous theaters with massive screens and stadium seating, and special formats such as 4DX. In addition to new releases, the theater also frequently hosts special engagements such as concert films, repertory screenings of classic movies, and theatrical anime.

Savor Cinema Fort Lauderdale

503 SE Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale
954-525-3456
fliff.com

Associated with the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, Savor Cinema occupies the former First Methodist Church of Fort Lauderdale, with the building dating back to the early 20th century. It went through many different lives — a stage theater, a family counseling center, and even narcotics storage for the county courthouse — until it was turned into an arthouse movie theater in the early 2000s. Previously known as Cinema Paradiso, Savor Cinema shows recent indie and arthouse films, documentaries, and hosts festivals such as Popcorn Frights and FLIFF. It's one of the most atmospheric places to watch a movie in South Florida, which is no surprise given its long and varied history.