Cut! Glasgow Cinema Review..

Cannot believe that is it, I have reviewed four of Glasgow's cinema's, it's had its high points (popcorn and good movies) and its low points (ticket prices - I am a student after all).  However overall it's been really enjoyable and worthwhile...

I started off by reviewing Cineworld, the only cinema I had ever been to before in Glasgow thinking it was all you needed from a Cinema experience. But I have now realised that the cinema experience is far better going somewhere that has a little bit of character and personality, and Glasgow has a couple of places that offer this - for example the GFT is also close to the shops and it would probably work out to be cheaper.  However, the Cineworld in Glasgow is unlike any other with its glass lift it would definitely be the one I would recommend to tourists - two experiences for the price of one - and it is also probably still is the most convenient.

Before I started this blog I guess I was expecting to like the Grosvenor the best as it is in one of my favourite locations in Glasgow.  On the other hand I guess was expecting to like the GFT the least.  Since prior to my first year at university I hadn't heard of it before and if it weren't for this blog I probably would never even have checked it out.  While I was probably expecting Cineworld and Empire to come somewhere between the two.

Here is my order of preference from the places I went to see:

1. The Glasgow Film Theatre

• I know I totally wasn't expecting this either.  To be honest it has been a tossup between this and the Grosvenor, this one completely took me by surprise.  From location to staff to drinks to the atmosphere in the theatre was just amazing.  However, what won it for me had to be that Art Deco - It was just the most unexpected experience ever.

2. The Grosvenor

• Again fabulous character and experience - The location wasn't too bad either.  However, I guess the reason I preferred the GFT more was because I expected this one to be amazing

3. Cineworld

•  Purely because although the whole chain, "manufactured" experience annoys me.  This unlike every other Cineworld that I have been too, had that something special - how tall it is, the glass lift and its location

3. Empire Cinemas

• Although the staff was so helpful and I loved how it wasn't too big, it was still a warehouse near a shopping complex.  To be honest it is also quite out of the way and inconvenient.  However, I would go back here again as the staff were lovely and they do cheaper tickets on a Tuesday...Maybe it's because luck wasn't on my side that day and Gnomeo was a little bit of a letdown.

This has been such a great experience and I am sure now I know about them I will definitely visit all four again - although I have found myself recommending the GFT to all of my friends (may have formed a slight bias).  Again I really hope that maybe in a few years ticket prices will become more manageable again, although I doubt it.  Therefore I will continue to rely on my Orange Wednesdays, and perhaps I will see if other cinema's- like the Empire Cinemas- do cheaper tickets on a Tuesday - every little helps after all.

Again I have to finish this blog as I started, by reiterating the fact that although the Glasgow Film Festival may be over for 2011 it's definitely worth checking out next year - If not for the films then do it for the venues (cinema's).

I hope you continue to enjoy Films and every venue Glasgow has to offer, don't just stick with what you know, try something new - you won't regret it...

That's all from me, I going to leave you with a youtube clip about my favourite cinema from this experiance...

Hannah xx

GFT: A welcomed surprise...

I must say out of all four of the cinema's I have been too this is the one that I knew least what to expect...I had never really passed it or heard of it, and I have never really had any great urge to visit it.  But this was one great cinema 'Experience'.

I was in quite high spirits before the film I had just been out for a nice meal and it was a really nice night walking up Sauchiehall Street. The cinema wasn't hard to find and it is not far from the shops and restaurants. However, when you arrive the outside of the cinema is quite modest and understated and it doesn’t jump out at you. From the moment you step inside the contrasts between this cinema and other cinemas are obvious. Unlike most other chain cinema's which feel like a big warehouse with bright lights and the smell of popcorn.  This cinema felt quite closed in, much like a classic house decorated with Art deco. There was no smell of popcorn or children screaming but the murmur of friendly conversation from the people sat in the cafe. There were two people selling tickets that were polite and not in a rush, not like Cineworld where there are rows of workers trying to get your order out as quickly as possible. Here you buy your tickets and then you buy your drinks and snacks from a cafe. I was also expecting the tickets to be outrageously expensive as you were getting what felt like better quality service and the venue was superb but it was Orange Wednesdays and our tickets came to £2.75 each - not over the top at all!!

There was quite a big queue at the cafe which was quite small and unlike the usual popcorn, nachos, hot dogs and pick 'a' mix's being sold, here you could buy flap jacks, crisps or cakes. There was also a wide array of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. We bought an apple juice, a diet coke, and a dairy milk fruit and nut which was hugely cheaper than the average cinema coming in at under three pounds- for all that and the diet coke was from a can, not watered down. You were given your drink in a glass in which you were allowed to take into the cinema.

The audience at this cinema was a far more mature audience compared to the usual audience at the cinema's I usually visit. The cinema was more like a theatre than a regular cinema and there was plenty of choice of comfortable seats. There was only one thing that I found inconvenient was the fact that they didn’t have anything to put your drink in to hold it, so I spent half the film worrying about knocking my drink over. I absolutely loved the atmosphere you honestly could not hear anything - no ruffling of sweetie bags or people chatting to their friends. The atmosphere was amazing I have never experienced a feeling like that on a trip to the cinema before.

We had decided to go see 'Never Let Me Go' which stars both Kiera Knightley and Carey Mulligan and to be honest I haven't seen many movies with Carey Mulligan in them but she was incredible guardian.co.uk/film/2011/feb/10/never-let-me-go-review.  I would highly recommend this movie for people to go see as the actor’s performances are amazing.  The story is good and intriguing but certainly don't go along if you want to see a feel good film that will make you feel all warm inside when you leave - it had my friend that laughs at emotional movies in tears.

Overall I would highly recommend the Glasgow Film Theatre cinema experience as it creates an atmosphere you can't get anywhere else, I wouldn't advise you go there if you want to have a laugh with your mates through the film.  I will definitely be checking it out again....


Hannah xx

Glasgow Film Theatre

To be honest until a couple of months ago when I began researching the Glasgow Film Festival I had never even heard of the Glasgow Film Theatre before.  It had just completely passed me by; I had no idea what it was about.  For 36 years the GFT has been leading the way in specialised cinema and the Glasgow Film Theatre is, ‘a year-round screening programme of the classics of world cinema and contemporary art house films.' glasgowfilm.org/theatre/information/about_glasgow_film. The cinema is situated in the centre of Glasgow just off Sauchiehall Street on Rose Street, which makes me even more surprised that I hadn't heard of it until recently.  It is a perfect venue for people out shopping or out for a nice meal.

The GFT in the upcoming weeks is going to be showing films such as Benda Bilili! Les Diaboliques, Patagonia and  Submarine.  Apart from the fact I had previously never heard of the GFT before if I am going to be brutally honest I have kind of been holding off on going to visit this cinema.  Mainly because none of the films that are shown here are what I would normally go to see.  I mean I highly doubt you would be seeing Tangled, Gnomeo and Juliet or Chalet Girl here - you just wouldn't - and these are the types of films that I am generally into.  It is kind of making me jump to assumptions about the type of people who will go to watch films here and it is also giving me the impression that it is going to be really expensive.  However, I have finally found a film that might appeal to me, ‘Never let me go’ imdb.com/title/tt1334260/  so I think I am going to check that one out.

Here is some information on the Glasgow Film Theatre:

- The GFT is part of Scotland's culture, and it is the heart of the Glasgow Film Festival in the spring

- The inside hosts incredible Art Deco designs and features

- The building was previously used by the Cosmo which opened in 1939

- The Scottish Film council took over it and reopened it in 1974 as the Glasgow Film Theatre

- The GFT is an independent cinema house

I am really apprehensive about going to visit this one, I honestly have know idea what to expect, and I have a feeling it's not really going to be my scene.  I love quaint, different cinema's but I have a feeling that this may be a little bit fancy for me.  I am keeping an open mind though, and I am quite excited now for going to see a film I would perhaps not normally see…

Hannah xx

Empire Cinemas

I am absolutely desperate to go see Gnomeo and Juliet the trailer looks well good so i have decided that this is the next film I am going to go see- super excited!  I have high expectations though, after Tangled turned out to be really good!

Now as this is the Glasgow Cinema Review I just need to pick another cinema in and around Glasgow to review.  I am absolutely desperate to visit the Grosvener on Ashton Lane as I have walked past it a couple of times and it looks so quaint and old fashioned – I have never really been to a cinema like that before.  However, after looking on it’s website at the moment it only seems to be showing films that I have already been to see,  so I think I might wait a couple of weeks before I visit there.  Another cinema that I really want to visit is the GFT (Glasgow Film Theatre), although I might be going to visit that one next week.  So I have settled on going to visit the Empire Cinema in Clydebank. 

I personally have never been to an Empire Cinema empirecinemas.co.uk/?page=nowshowing&tbx_site_id=24 before so I genuinely have no idea what to expect.  I don’t know whether it will just be another Cineworld or Odeon or whether it will be something a little different.  The website seems easy to use and the cinema seems to be showing a good range of all the new releases.  We are going to go see 2D Gnomeo and Juliet, however, looking at the ticket prices on the website for the 3D showing it looks to be slightly cheaper than Cineworld by 25 pence – that 25 pence makes a difference when you are a student. 

Here are some general facts on the Empire cinema in Clydebank:

-     Empire cinema Clydebank was formally part of the UCI cinema group.

-    The cinema has 10 screens altogether.

-    Empire Cinema group was formed in 2005.

-    There are 17 Empire cinemas altogether, based in 17 cities

I am really intrigued about this cinema and am actually really looking forward to going to visit it, also partly because I am absolutely desperate to go see Gnomeo and Juliet imdb.com/title/tt0377981/.  James McAvoy imdb.com/name/nm0564215/who is from Glasgow is one of my all time favourite actors and I absolutely loved him in Atonement and Wanted.  In this film he is the voice of Gnomeo, and I feel a slight connection to him as I have met his father – who is the spitting image – even though James McAvoy has not been in touch with his dad since he was young.

I honestly cannot wait to see the film and review the cinema.  Will keep you updated....

Hannah xx