Curzon Aldgate

You're walking down Canter Way in Aldgate, past the old warehouse conversions and independent shops, when you spot the understated entrance. Inside, it's all dark wood, vintage cinema posters, and the kind of carefully considered vibe that makes you feel like you've stumbled onto something proper rather than a corporate multiplex. Curzon programmes the sort of films that actually make you think—European arthouse, documentaries, the occasional cult classic—plus they host talks and Q&As that get packed with people who actually give a toss about cinema.