Cine-files: City Screen, York

Every week we invite our readers to tell us about where they go to watch films. This week it's the turn of designer and writer Daniel Gray. Visit his website at danielgray.com . Location Looking out over the Ouse, slap bang in the centre of York. A pre-film riverside frittata and pint of York Chocolate Stout rewards you with one of the best views in town … as long as you can hack your way through the be-Lynxed crowds seeping from the neighbouring Megavodkaplex. The building The three-screen cinema/bar/gig venue was constructed out of the leftover bits of the old Yorkshire Evening Press building, throwing in elements of brutalist concrete-slabbery, red brick and zinc. Somehow this works. In a city of fascinating relics, this is one of the few modern buildings worth a look. Plus it always seems slightly sunnier in there than anywhere else (this can best be experienced in the "skylounge", aka a couple of sofas upstairs next to a window). The clientele Everyone. Since opening in 2000, it's justifiably earned masses of local pride and loyalty. With a broad array of films and events, including a kid's club, autism-friendly screenings and a programme that accommodates work by local film-makers, it's the cultural heart of the community (yes, even more so than the Jorvik Viking Centre). Basically, if you live in York and you don't frequent City Screen, you're a big silly. The programme An eclectic mix of blockbuster, documentary and art-house films, plus frequent one-off screenings of (endearingly scratchy) old prints. As well as films, there's also a decent programme of live events both in the building and beamed from venues across the globe – everything from Frankenstein in London to Engelbert Humperdinck in Azerbaijan . (Ranty tangent: hopefully the film industry will cotton on to the fact that events screened in cinemas are rather popular and one day you'll be able to watch the Oscars whilst chomping down on a bucket of popcorn. Doesn't that seem absurdly obvious?) Further comments For years, an enormous Gladiator banner has dominated the foyer. Perhaps this looming effigy of esteemed poet and squinter Russell Crowe remains there as celebration of York's rich Roman heritage, or in memory of that one time he came to York and ate a pasty (it made the news and everything), but it's more likely that nobody has actually figured out how to get it down. The precarious multiple-ladder-stacking technique used to get it up there in the first place was a stunt worthy of Mission: Impossible. We're still waiting for Mr Cruise to offer to lend a hand. The Twitter view @sambatt Brilliant little cinema, great food and bar, brill screens for blockbusters and independent. Couldn't praise it enough. ‏@robbiereviews Love it. Friendly, knowledgable staff, decent projection, great café too. @fozzy_bear It's great, multiscreen but still shows more limited release films and it couldn't be in a better location. Great staff as well. ‏@mattmitch1 I used to live in York and I really miss the excellent city screen – a great cinema – million times better than multiplex. @mrmansam21 Great cinema, with good music/comedy venue downstairs. Sadly lot of the art-house films don't stick around for long enough. @ractonuk Nice views over river & good mix of studio & indie fair. Taking my mum to a Takeshi Kitano double bill was a mistake though. Is there a cinema you love (or hate) that you think our readers should know about? If you're interested in reviewing a cinema, email [email protected] with the subject line "Cine-files".