Monday night is film night in De Nieuwe Anita, a cozy little bar that used to be run by squatters. The movies are presented by an American dude named Jeffrey Babcock, who’s been a part of the sub-cultural scene of Amsterdam for quite some time.

Not only does he select those hidden, twisted gems that you would not find yourself, he also drags you into the world of the filmmaker. By mixing factual information with juicy details about the often quite eccentric lives of the directors, he creates the right context for the viewer to experience the film in, in all its richness.

The main feature is usually preceded by an equally interesting short film, after which you have some time to drink a beer and reset your mind. The intimate interior has the look and feel of a living room; it has the right atmosphere to contemplate on the movie you have seen, and to let your mind slowly wander back to reality.

If you need explaining, or want to know more about the filmmaker, you can strike up a conversation with the host, who’s probably hanging around having a beer as well.

The films at De Nieuwe Anita (aka DNA) are not for the faint-of-hearted, rather for those who like to be stunned, baffled or shocked. If you are open to it they can offer a momentary escape to a realm that can be perverted but beautiful, or terrifyingly philosophical.

Cinemanita takes place every Monday night at 20.30. Be there at least half an hour in advance, as the seats are usually quickly taken.

Details about this spot
Cinemanita | Cinemas | Ticket € 2.00
Frederik Hendrikstraat 111 | Oud-West (area map) | +31641503512
Mon 20:30

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This cinema/bar is run by a staff of about forty-five volunteers that are all students. Since I am one of them, my perception of the place might be quite different from that of a customer. I have however experienced Kriterion literally at every hour of the day and at every hour of the night, and I might be able to give you a good insight into what it has to offer.

Kriterion has been through a lot of reconstruction work in the summer, which resulted in a new smoke-free space in the bar, and a third room for our cinema. We took the opportunity to cover the once white but since long nicotine-yellow walls with a new layer of paint. The color scheme gives a fresher look and blends in with the original features of the building. Although it looks a bit more modern, the atmosphere of a “bruin café” (that’s the Dutch word for all smoky, dark colored bars, with dimmed lights and wooden floors) is maintained.

Located in front of one of the bigger branches of the UvA (University of Amsterdam) our café is swarmed by students during the day. Their continuing presence shows that the hours in between classes are longer than the classes themselves. The UvA students spend their free time drinking lattes or cappuccino’s (this to my annoyance; I want to hug everyone that orders an espresso), reading a newspaper, or, I see this quite often, studying.

What looks like a café during the day, feels more like a pub at night. With the candles lit, the music turned up a bit, and a friendly beer drinking crowd, I dare to say that Kriterion is the only cinema in Amsterdam that has a real pub in it. You can go there just to drink a beer, or just to see a movie, but for anybody that wants to combine these two experiences, Kriterion is the perfect place. It is one of the main things that attracted me, since I like to think of going to the movies as going out. Besides, the conversations about the movie seem so much more insightful when you’re gulping down a cold beer.

If you’re from abroad you will not feel a stranger, since a large part of Kriterion’s clientele consists of foreign students or member of our international community. You can easily blend in with a very diverse crowd of moviegoers, students from all over, and the quite eccentric individuals living in the neighborhood.

Details about this spot
Kriterion | Bars, Cinemas | Movie € 7.00
Roetersstraat 170 | Plantage/Oost (area map) | +31206231708
Mon - Fri 10:30 - 01:00, Fri 10:30 - 03:00, Sat 13:00 - 03:00, Sun 11:00 - 01:00

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Kriterion’s Sneak Preview is supposed to be the oldest in The Netherlands. Whether this has got anything to do with it or not I don’t know, but the Sneak experience in Kriterion is unlike any other film experience I know.

Every Tuesday night around nine in the evening the bar quickly fills up with a crowd of real movie fanatics. Even if you only go twice you will already start recognizing the faces. Yes, this crowd is quite consistent, and as they have seen a lot of “Sneaks” before, they either are, or consider themselves to be, film buffs.

This has a few consequences for the way you yourself will sit through the movie… You should, surely, expect that: 1. Many people will leave the film room at the beginning, in the middle, or even right before the end. 2. Your neighbors will feel at liberty to state their opinion out LOUD. 3. You will see a lot of (heated) discussions about the movie afterwards.

You might either be pleasantly surprised by the movie itself or very disappointed. I can assure you the latter will not spoil your night; just join in on the booing and feel free to laugh at moments when you are not supposed to.

The movie that you will see in the Sneak Preview has not premiered yet, but will do so in the next weeks or months. The title is of course a closely guarded secret, but when you tell somebody of the staff which languages you speak, he or she will give you a go or a no go.

Since I’ve been going to the Sneak, I’ve seen many films that I wanted to see before they were showing anywhere else, an equal amount of very good films that I would probably not go to on my own initiative, and some movies that I thought were lacking even the slightest bit of quality. However, be it in very different ways, I have enjoyed all of them almost equally.

Make a reservation or be there early if you want to be sure to get tickets.

Details about this spot
Sneak Preview | Cinemas | Movie € 4.50
Roetersstraat 170 | Plantage/Oost (area map) | +31206231708
Tue 22:15 to around 00:00

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Tucked away quite far in the eastern part of the city you find a cinema/theatre/club/pub/restaurant rolled into one. Studio K is located prominently on the Timorplein, in a building that used to be a school for craftsmanship. The building has been beautifully renovated and it looks airy and fresh. The large building houses a budget hotel, and a number of offices for small companies.

Studio K is an ambitious project, meant to create a cultural and creative center in a neighborhood that has otherwise very little to offer. It is located in a part of the Zeeburg quarter that was already quite decent, but in my opinion this little oasis is working its magic on the rest of the district.

Young, creative entrepreneurs were drawn to the dynamic environment of Studio K, and the offices were quickly rented out. Inhabitants of Zeeburg now have a place to go to in their own neighborhood for a coffee or a beer.

I would not know another place in Zeeburg that is as suitable as Studio K to have a drink or enjoy a movie, but, from another perspective I would actually take the effort to make the trip to this part of the town to enjoy a beer or a proper meal in a beautiful bar, served by a friendly staff, and to watch a movie if I feel like it.

Their selection of films is usually good, although it usually includes some reruns of films that have been already been in other cinemas for a few months. I do not always feel like being in the midst of the rumor of the city and Studio K has all the atmosphere that you need in a quieter part of the city.

Details about this spot
Studio K | Theaters, Bars, Cinemas, Restaurants (International) | Coffee € 1.50
Timorplein 62 | Plantage/Oost (area map) | +31206920422
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At the end of the very lively Haarlemmerdijk you will find the oldest cinema in the Netherlands. The building of The Movies does not look very impressive from the outside, but when you enter it you find yourself in a different era.

The whole interior is in the original, well-preserved Art Deco style. In the café or in the film rooms you feel as if you stepped back into a time when cinema was young and exciting.

The bar inside the cinema is rather large, with a drinking and an eating area. The place feels more like a café than the bars in bigger cinemas, and you don’t feel pressured to go to your seat in the film room. The beer that they serve, from the south of the Netherlands, is one of my favorites.

A delicious, cold beer makes for a very pleasant cinematic experience, and The Movies is certainly a good place to watch a film. Their program usually consists of a mix of art films and more mainstream cinema, so you are likely to find something that suits you. If you are in the neighborhood but you don’t feel like settling in a dark room, you might just want to take a peek at the interior, or have a drink or a meal.

Details about this spot
The Movies | Bars, Cinemas | Movie € 8.50
Haarlemmerdijk 161 | Canals (area map) | +31206386016
check on the website

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