Global media and hospitality brand Time Out has named Tywyn’s Magic Lantern cinema the 73rd best in the world.

Time Out Global Film Editor Phil de Semlyen has compiled a definitive list of the world’s top 100 perfect picture houses, cosy indies and cult cinemas.

He has canvassed local experts from across the world – as well as top directors like Pedro Almodóvar, Paul Thomas Anderson, Sean Baker and Mia Hansen-Løve – to curate the ultimate guide to local cinemas that make the movie-going experience even more special.

“There’s never been a better – or more important – time to celebrate cinemas,” said Phil.

“They’re the places we go to dream, focal points of our communities and an all-round great escape – and they’re faced with unprecedented challenges. But there’s reasons for optimism: the Letterboxd generation is embracing the big-screen experience like never before, with Oscar-winning filmmakers like Ryan Coogler, Christopher Nolan and Chloé Zhao its tireless champions. In that spirit, we’ve pointed a spotlight at a hundred magnificent movie palaces from across the globe that all movie lovers should know about – and hopefully visit.”

The cinema topping the list is TCL Chinese Theatre.

Commenting on the Magic Lantern, the Time Out list states: “The seaside town of Tywyn, north Wales, is known for quirky attractions like the narrow-gauge Talyllyn Railway and the ancient Cadfan Stone. The Magic Lantern – winner of 2025’s inaugural BIFA Cinema of the Year Award – is no less charming. This historical assembly hall dates back to 1893, with movies showing here since 1900. Today, the building’s painted bright red, stocked with a 4K projector and 7.1 surround sound, and adorned with paintings of R2D2, Hitchcock and Wallace and Gromit on the walls of its 120-seater theatre.”

Time Out’s full ranked list of the 100 greatest cinemas in the world can be found at https://shorturl.at/u5roC.