programme now showing coming soon about the cinema
PARADISO : cinema cafe bar
     

This small classic movie theatre located in Wanaka is a real find. Comfy old sofas, an old Morris Minor, a cafe & bar serving delicious meals before, during or after the movie. Homemade icecream, world-famous hot cookies fresh every intermission & a warm welcome from the friendly staff & Patron. Loads of guides list the cinema as a "must do" & it is truly a memorable movie experience!

"Desrevedly one of Wanaka's biggest attractions & just maybe a NZ National Treasure!" NZ Lonely PLanet

"Halfway through, the film stopped & we had a short interval. Everyone went outside to the adjoining cafe & got freshly baked cookies (still warm), homemade ice cream or a beer & then settled back into their chairs. This is how all cinemas should be. It was more like being round someone's house." UK Guardian

Read some of our reviews

Opening Hours...

The Cinema and Cafe are open 1/2 an hour before the start of the first movie, 24 / 7. Generally the opening times are;

Mon - Fri : 3.30pm
Sat - Sun : 1.30pm

Reservations by phone only...
03 443 1505
  Censor's Classifications
  G Approved for general exhibitions
  G* Approved for general exhibition - followed by any recommendation that the Chief Censor may specify.
  PG Parental guidance recommended for younger viewers.
  M Suitable for mature audiences 16 years and over.
  R (Followed by such age as the Chief Censor may specify) Approved for exhibition only to persons ... years of age and over.
  R* Followed by a statement of the class or description of persons to whole the film may be exhibited and the places, dates and times, where or when the film may be exhibited.
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Thursday 17 May
2:00 pm The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
(M Offensive language & sexual references) [2h30]
"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is as comfy & cosily British as a nice cup of tea & a biscuit. Bolstered by the great & the good of UK acting royalty...The acting from the veterans is ultimately so enjoyable & the colourful bustling streets of Jaipur painted so vividly by director John Madden & cinematographer Ben Davis, that it's hard not to warm to proceedings." Eye for Film UK 4.5/5
4:30 pm The Avengers
(M - Violence) [2h45]
Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki & his various membered army. ""Spectacular & bristling with superhero stunts from New York to outer space, The Avengers is a movie comic made for fans of the superhero fantasies that entertain the teenager in us all. My favourite bits are the humour, the design & Mark Ruffalo as Dr Banner/The Hulk...On its own terms, The Avengers is sure to thrill & satisfy its core audience, delivering a whole load of visual effects eye candy and a whole lot more." urbancinefile
7:15 pm Spud
(M Sexual references) [2h00]
"I adored this movie...Spud made me cry & laugh my head off at the antics of some of these horrible young boys & what they get up to at boarding school. Bullies & best mates somehow they survive it all. Fitting in, fighting off the ladies, & becoming a man - Spud takes you on a trip through the mind of a pubescent boy where nothing is too embarrassing to mention! Probably best not to go with your 13 year old son though!" View Auckland 4/5
9:15 pm Shihad - Beautiful Machine
(M Violence,offensive language, sex, drug refrences) [2h00]
For over 20 years, Shihad has defined New Zealand rock music. From their roots in Wellington's furious 90s punk metal scene, to the wild Berlin days, the tragic overdose of their manager, the international explosion of 'The General Electric', and the infamous American name-change, 'Shihad: Beautiful Machine' asks- what went wrong?
Friday 18 May
2:00 pm The Five Year Engagement
(M Sex scenes & offensive language) [2h30]
"The incongruous, the ridiculous & the romantic combine to deliver a charming comedy of errors in which love takes first prize...an instantly likeable & funny rom-com with a sense of the absurd...cleverly written & edited with a rhythm that keeps us engaged (as it were). Seriously funny & humorously serious, laughs & the odd squirm provide plenty of entertainment." urbancinefile
4:30 pm The Hunger Games
(M - Violence) [2h45]
Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match. "A faithful adap, a grown-up teen movie and flaming good entertainment. The big test for the franchise lies ahead with the uneven second and third books. But on this showing, the odds are in its favour." TotalFilm UK 4/5
7:15 pm Margin Call
(M Contains offensive language.) [2h00]
"Margin Call is a contender for best Wall Street film yet because it neither attacks nor drools over the employees at its Lehman-style firm facing the earliest ripples of the 2008 crash...A cracking ensemble cast. Kevin Spacey excels; Paul Bettany matches him, and Quinto, Tucci, Demi Moore & Jeremy Irons are all ace. Chandor’s subtlety is masterful...Sophisticated cinema that respects the audience’s ability to follow complex subject matter." Total Film 4/5
9:15 pm The Avengers
(M - Violence) [2h45]
Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki & his various membered army. ""Spectacular & bristling with superhero stunts from New York to outer space, The Avengers is a movie comic made for fans of the superhero fantasies that entertain the teenager in us all. My favourite bits are the humour, the design & Mark Ruffalo as Dr Banner/The Hulk...On its own terms, The Avengers is sure to thrill & satisfy its core audience, delivering a whole load of visual effects eye candy and a whole lot more." urbancinefile
Saturday 19 May
2:00 pm The Avengers
(M - Violence) [2h45]
Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki & his various membered army. ""Spectacular & bristling with superhero stunts from New York to outer space, The Avengers is a movie comic made for fans of the superhero fantasies that entertain the teenager in us all. My favourite bits are the humour, the design & Mark Ruffalo as Dr Banner/The Hulk...On its own terms, The Avengers is sure to thrill & satisfy its core audience, delivering a whole load of visual effects eye candy and a whole lot more." urbancinefile
4:45 pm The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
(M Offensive language & sexual references) [2h30]
"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is as comfy & cosily British as a nice cup of tea & a biscuit. Bolstered by the great & the good of UK acting royalty...The acting from the veterans is ultimately so enjoyable & the colourful bustling streets of Jaipur painted so vividly by director John Madden & cinematographer Ben Davis, that it's hard not to warm to proceedings." Eye for Film UK 4.5/5
7:15 pm The Women on the 6th Floor
(PG-Nudity & Coarse Language.) [2h00]
"The distance between the bourgeoisie & the working class has never been so delightfully measured as in this delicious upstairs downstairs comedy...Le Guay contrasts only too well the chilly mood that exists in the fine apartment of the stockbroker & his icy wife with the warmth & joie de vivre that exudes from the Spanish contingent of domestics who live on the 6th floor. Vive la difference!" urbancinefile "An inverted upstairs-downstairs comedy with a southern European twist, Philippe Le Guay's "The Women on the Sixth Floor" is light on bite but heavy on laughs." Variety
9:15 pm The Five Year Engagement
(M Sex scenes & offensive language) [2h30]
"The incongruous, the ridiculous & the romantic combine to deliver a charming comedy of errors in which love takes first prize...an instantly likeable & funny rom-com with a sense of the absurd...cleverly written & edited with a rhythm that keeps us engaged (as it were). Seriously funny & humorously serious, laughs & the odd squirm provide plenty of entertainment." urbancinefile
Sunday 20 May
2:00 pm The Pirates - Band of Misfits
(G) [1h45]
"A very smart/silly adaptation of a very smart/silly book...Everything fits together with a peculiar sort of logic in its own curious world, it just doesn’t make much sense in the traditional use of the word. It’s like Monty Python making a film for children. While a bit drunk. & over-tired...Another Aardman triumph. The animation house’s most technically ambitious project so far &, if not quite at the genius level of Wallace & Gromit, still a comedy treasure & far too good just for kids." Empire 4/5 "Aardman have once again put British animation on the map thanks to an hilarious script & painstaking eye for detail!" CineVue UK 4/5
3:45 pm The Avengers
(M - Violence) [2h45]
Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki & his various membered army. ""Spectacular & bristling with superhero stunts from New York to outer space, The Avengers is a movie comic made for fans of the superhero fantasies that entertain the teenager in us all. My favourite bits are the humour, the design & Mark Ruffalo as Dr Banner/The Hulk...On its own terms, The Avengers is sure to thrill & satisfy its core audience, delivering a whole load of visual effects eye candy and a whole lot more." urbancinefile
6:30 pm A Separation - Oscar Winner - Best Foreign Language Film 2012
(PG Contains low level offensive language) [2h30]
Winner - Best Foreign Language Film 2012 American Film Critics, British Independant Films, Golden Globes & Academy Awards "The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film belongs right here. With rare subtlety & transforming art, the remarkable writer-director Asghar Farhadi takes us into the emotional heart of modern Iran...The actors do wonders, uncovering rich depths in their characters. A Separation is a landmark film. No way will you be able to get it out of your head." Rolling Stone 4.5/5
9:00 pm The Five Year Engagement
(M Sex scenes & offensive language) [2h30]
"The incongruous, the ridiculous & the romantic combine to deliver a charming comedy of errors in which love takes first prize...an instantly likeable & funny rom-com with a sense of the absurd...cleverly written & edited with a rhythm that keeps us engaged (as it were). Seriously funny & humorously serious, laughs & the odd squirm provide plenty of entertainment." urbancinefile
Monday 21 May
4:00 pm The Avengers
(M - Violence) [2h45]
Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki & his various membered army. ""Spectacular & bristling with superhero stunts from New York to outer space, The Avengers is a movie comic made for fans of the superhero fantasies that entertain the teenager in us all. My favourite bits are the humour, the design & Mark Ruffalo as Dr Banner/The Hulk...On its own terms, The Avengers is sure to thrill & satisfy its core audience, delivering a whole load of visual effects eye candy and a whole lot more." urbancinefile
6:45 pm The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
(M Offensive language & sexual references) [2h30]
"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is as comfy & cosily British as a nice cup of tea & a biscuit. Bolstered by the great & the good of UK acting royalty...The acting from the veterans is ultimately so enjoyable & the colourful bustling streets of Jaipur painted so vividly by director John Madden & cinematographer Ben Davis, that it's hard not to warm to proceedings." Eye for Film UK 4.5/5
9:15 pm Margin Call
(M Contains offensive language.) [2h00]
"Margin Call is a contender for best Wall Street film yet because it neither attacks nor drools over the employees at its Lehman-style firm facing the earliest ripples of the 2008 crash...A cracking ensemble cast. Kevin Spacey excels; Paul Bettany matches him, and Quinto, Tucci, Demi Moore & Jeremy Irons are all ace. Chandor’s subtlety is masterful...Sophisticated cinema that respects the audience’s ability to follow complex subject matter." Total Film 4/5
Tuesday 22 May
4:00 pm A Separation - Oscar Winner - Best Foreign Language Film 2012
(PG Contains low level offensive language) [2h30]
Winner - Best Foreign Language Film 2012 American Film Critics, British Independant Films, Golden Globes & Academy Awards "The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film belongs right here. With rare subtlety & transforming art, the remarkable writer-director Asghar Farhadi takes us into the emotional heart of modern Iran...The actors do wonders, uncovering rich depths in their characters. A Separation is a landmark film. No way will you be able to get it out of your head." Rolling Stone 4.5/5
6:30 pm The Five Year Engagement
(M Sex scenes & offensive language) [2h30]
"The incongruous, the ridiculous & the romantic combine to deliver a charming comedy of errors in which love takes first prize...an instantly likeable & funny rom-com with a sense of the absurd...cleverly written & edited with a rhythm that keeps us engaged (as it were). Seriously funny & humorously serious, laughs & the odd squirm provide plenty of entertainment." urbancinefile
9:00 pm The Avengers
(M - Violence) [2h45]
Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki & his various membered army. ""Spectacular & bristling with superhero stunts from New York to outer space, The Avengers is a movie comic made for fans of the superhero fantasies that entertain the teenager in us all. My favourite bits are the humour, the design & Mark Ruffalo as Dr Banner/The Hulk...On its own terms, The Avengers is sure to thrill & satisfy its core audience, delivering a whole load of visual effects eye candy and a whole lot more." urbancinefile
Wednesday 23 May
4:00 pm The Avengers
(M - Violence) [2h45]
Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki & his various membered army. ""Spectacular & bristling with superhero stunts from New York to outer space, The Avengers is a movie comic made for fans of the superhero fantasies that entertain the teenager in us all. My favourite bits are the humour, the design & Mark Ruffalo as Dr Banner/The Hulk...On its own terms, The Avengers is sure to thrill & satisfy its core audience, delivering a whole load of visual effects eye candy and a whole lot more." urbancinefile
6:45 pm The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
(M Offensive language & sexual references) [2h30]
"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is as comfy & cosily British as a nice cup of tea & a biscuit. Bolstered by the great & the good of UK acting royalty...The acting from the veterans is ultimately so enjoyable & the colourful bustling streets of Jaipur painted so vividly by director John Madden & cinematographer Ben Davis, that it's hard not to warm to proceedings." Eye for Film UK 4.5/5
9:15 pm Shihad - Beautiful Machine
(M Violence,offensive language, sex, drug refrences) [2h00]
For over 20 years, Shihad has defined New Zealand rock music. From their roots in Wellington's furious 90s punk metal scene, to the wild Berlin days, the tragic overdose of their manager, the international explosion of 'The General Electric', and the infamous American name-change, 'Shihad: Beautiful Machine' asks- what went wrong?
 
 
       
Cinema Paradiso :: Ardmore Street, Wanaka :: info@paradiso.net.nz :: Reservations Phone +64 3 443 1505
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