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Sal[Au]pian 
"Four ever European"
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 Posted - 11/29/2006 : 13:05:20
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O.K., London types, I would like to see twenty more films this year. That will probably be too many for mainstream releases; I probably need to find five to ten more. Where are the good places to see alternative/arthouse/European or previously released (even earlier in the year) films? (I know about Curzon Cinema.) Thanks!  |
Edited by - Sal[Au]pian on 11/29/2006 13:06:00 |
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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 13:29:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
O.K., London types, I would like to see twenty more films this year. That will probably be too many for mainstream releases; I probably need to find five to ten more. Where are the good places to see alternative/arthouse/European or previously released (even earlier in the year) films? (I know about Curzon Cinema.) Thanks!
Two things spring to mind straight-away, Sal.
1. There's a scheme called See Films First. I believe there's a website. You register and then get invited to pre-release screenings locally to you.
2. At least Odeon, and perhaps other chains, have introduced themed special screenings. Some are for kids wherein parents go free, others for Seniors with free tea and bikkies, also a Newbie thing where parents can bring their new-borns and watch with others, and ... a special Director's Evening which screens recent indies and sub-titled releases.
Also - the Ritzy Brixton often has one screen devoted to non-mainstream releases.
Hoping this is helpful,
Cheers!
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Edited by - BaftaBaby on 11/29/2006 13:30:23 |
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benj clews 
"...."
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 13:39:07
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Odeon Covent Garden and Odeon Panton Street (both a short walk from Leicester Square) tend to show slightly less mainstream films including foreign films and the like.
Best not forget the NFT (http://www.bfi.org.uk/incinemas/nft/all)
For slightly older mainstream films, there's always the brilliantly cheap Prince Charles Cinema (just off LS also). |
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benj clews
"...."
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 13:40:37
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Also a Newbie thing where parents can bring their new-borns and watch with others
I could think of nothing worse...  |
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Sal[Au]pian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 13:41:28
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Thanks. I'll check those out. I have seen the parent-and-baby screenings listed - they are everywhere now. They even have them for Casino Royale, which struck me as rather bizarre.
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Two things spring to mind straight-away, Sal.
1. There's a scheme called See Films First. I believe there's a website. You register and then get invited to pre-release screenings locally to you.
2. At least Odeon, and perhaps other chains, have introduced themed special screenings. Some are for kids wherein parents go free, others for Seniors with free tea and bikkies, also a Newbie thing where parents can bring their new-borns and watch with others, and ... a special Director's Evening which screens recent indies and sub-titled releases.
Also - the Ritzy Brixton often has one screen devoted to non-mainstream releases.
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Sal[Au]pian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 13:47:05
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Thanks. That should get me to the target, assuming that it does not add up too much. (I see most things at Cineworld for �14 a month - they are not always the best cinema, so the cheapness does mean missing some films and dealing with annoying staff. I went to see Sixty Six last night at Odeon Mezzanine, which they didn't show in Central London - �9.50 but worth it.)
I would have easily made the hundred, but for the first couple of months I only saw Brokeback Mountain and there were a couple of later months when I barely saw anything.
quote:
Originally posted by benj clews
Odeon Covent Garden and Odeon Panton Street (both a short walk from Leicester Square) tend to show slightly less mainstream films including foreign films and the like.
Best not forget the NFT (http://www.bfi.org.uk/incinemas/nft/all)
For slightly older mainstream films, there's always the brilliantly cheap Prince Charles Cinema (just off LS also).
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tortoise
"Still reviewing, but slowly."
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 14:04:47
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| When I lived in the area, the Phoenix was always a good choice for some of the more offbeat films. Don't know if that's the right part of London for you (it's very close to East Finchley tube on the Misery Line), or even whether they've become a bit more commercialised since then. |
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Sal[Au]pian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 14:06:49
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quote:
Originally posted by tortoise
When I lived in the area, the Phoenix was always a good choice for some of the more offbeat films. Don't know if that's the right part of London for you (it's very close to East Finchley tube on the Misery Line), or even whether they've become a bit more commercialised since then.
I don't like to make a habit of going north of Oxford Street, but I'll check it out if things get close to the line. Thanks. |
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 14:31:52
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quote:
Originally posted by benj clews
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Also a Newbie thing where parents can bring their new-borns and watch with others
I could think of nothing worse...
Nor me! But I suppose if I were a new mum or dad and were desperate to see a film and couldn't find a sitter ... also, better those babies are all grouped together so they're not tempted to crawl into an adult screening and start mis-behaving, the tiny tear-aways  
PLUS ... Just think, Benj ... those Newbie screenings are preparing SO MANY future FWFRers 
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benj clews
"...."
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 14:44:38
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Nor me! But I suppose if I were a new mum or dad and were desperate to see a film and couldn't find a sitter ... also, better those babies are all grouped together so they're not tempted to crawl into an adult screening and start mis-behaving, the tiny tear-aways
PLUS ... Just think, Benj ... those Newbie screenings are preparing SO MANY future FWFRers
Good point!
And yeah... never mind the first words from your baby's mouth... I'd be demanding FOUR dictionary-valid words
BTW, am I the only one here going "Sod the pensioners... where's MY free tea and biscuits?". |
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lemmycaution
"Long mired in film"
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 14:49:05
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quote:
Originally posted by benj clews
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Nor me! But I suppose if I were a new mum or dad and were desperate to see a film and couldn't find a sitter ... also, better those babies are all grouped together so they're not tempted to crawl into an adult screening and start mis-behaving, the tiny tear-aways
PLUS ... Just think, Benj ... those Newbie screenings are preparing SO MANY future FWFRers
Good point!
And yeah... never mind the first words from your baby's mouth... I'd be demanding FOUR dictionary-valid words
BTW, am I the only one here going "Sod the pensioners... where's MY free tea and biscuits?".
Careful, you're on thin ice buster!  |
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benj clews
"...."
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 16:56:31
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| That's "SOD" as in "Standing Ovation Deserved for", natch |
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Whippersnapper. 
"A fourword thinking guy."
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 19:01:07
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
quote:
Originally posted by benj clews
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Also a Newbie thing where parents can bring their new-borns and watch with others
I could think of nothing worse...
Nor me! But I suppose if I were a new mum or dad and were desperate to see a film and couldn't find a sitter ... also, better those babies are all grouped together so they're not tempted to crawl into an adult screening and start mis-behaving, the tiny tear-aways
I think given Sal's sexual orientation he is unlikely to benefit from this service any time soon Baffs. 
Sal, theres the ICA in Pall Mall, although one of their screens is ridiculously small and only holds about 20 people.
Don't forget the BFI which shows mainly "classic" films but also some new stuff.
The Swiss Centre Cinema in Leicester Sq has new arthousey films, especially European. One of their screens is pretty small - just about bearable - the other 3 are OK.
The film range at Cineworld does vary a lot according to the area of the cinema. The nearest to where I live is very downmarket but another reachable one, in West India Quay, has much more chance of showing something interesting, as its in a more affluent catchment area. I caught "Pan's Labyrinth" there last week and previously saw "Volver" there.
Make sure "Bobby" is on your film list.
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Sal[Au]pian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 19:15:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Whippersnapper
The film range at Cineworld does vary a lot according to the area of the cinema. The nearest to where I live is very downmarket but another reachable one, in West India Quay, has much more chance of showing something interesting, as its in a more affluent catchment area. I caught "Pan's Labyrinth" there last week and previously saw "Volver" there.
I have thought about going to the West India Quay one, but at the moment the only thing it's showing that I haven't seen is The Santa Clause 3. I usually go to one of the ones near Piccadilly Circus or one of the ones in Chelsea, and occasionally Hammersmith. They do have most things, but miss things oddly, like Sixty Six. And they only had Special and All the Kings Men at one of them for one week each. Plus I even would have gone to see things like Waiting and Accepted, but they didn't have them. I like the ones on Fulham Road and Haymarket - I saw Pan's Labyrinth at the latter in its huge and overpoweringly burgundy screen - I think that's my favourite screen in London. |
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benj clews
"...."
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 21:22:09
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| Gotta' say I think my current favourite screen is Leicester Square's Empire 1. Not only do they seem to amp the sound up there, but sit bang in the middle on the front row and you still have about 20 foot between you and the massive screen... which is as near as dammit floor to ceiling. Cinematic bliss! |
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Rovark
"Luck-pushing, rule-bending, chance-taking reviewer"
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Posted - 11/29/2006 : 22:57:29
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quote:
Originally posted by benj clews
Gotta' say I think my current favourite screen is Leicester Square's Empire 1. Not only do they seem to amp the sound up there, but sit bang in the middle on the front row and you still have about 20 foot between you and the massive screen... which is as near as dammit floor to ceiling. Cinematic bliss!
This venue and the Prince Charles just around the corner are my favs too. I hate the mezzanine in Leicester Square which has "screens" like a large flat screen TV from some pub.
The Lumiere on St Martins Lane was a sad loss when it closed as I saw most of my foreign language films there, like Cyrano De Bergerac - Wow! where a big enough screen allowed you to somehow read the subtitles without missing the on-screen action.  |
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Films in London
