Postcards from London

[bugshaw]

Today I have improved a bit and can walk as far as the Odeon Tottenham Court Road before I need to have a bit of a rest. So this afternoon, I will walk there and have a rest while watching Mama. I'm not as keen as I used to be on del Toro-associated films, I would often rather have watched Pan's Labyrinth again. Ok, for the next two hours I will practice not winceing at London cinema prices. £24.79, you say? Ah, super.

Comments

[pickledginger.livejournal.com]

Meep! That's steep.

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

I exaggerate for effect. It's probably only 55% of that.

[pickledginger.livejournal.com]

Whatever it is, I am sure it's terrible. Cinema prices have risen so much faster than incomes.

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

I am very fond of the Tesco reward vouchers - £3-4 of voucher gives you an adult ticket at Cineworld. And Arts Picturehouse membership often lets me in for £6.50. Odeon TCR is £9.95 superoffpeak Weds 3pm, £12.95 other times, which is a lot for a film you might not be that keen on.

[frandowdsofa.livejournal.com]

We pay £16 each per month for Unlimited cards at Cineworld. That's about what 2 evening tickets each would cost. We get to see as many films as we want, including 3D, for free at a 20-screen multiplex that opens around 10 am. Imax and live events such as theatre and opera we pay for, but discounted.

The great thing about them is the added benefits - 10% off in the Starbucks in the lobby (you can take the drinks into the cinema), 25% off cinema food and drink, lots of the restaurants around the car park do deals - 2 for 1 burgers, pizzas etc. Even discount indoor crazy golf.

So a 3-movie day with two sets of giant coffees and a hot sit-down lunch would run at less than £20 cash between us. And if you go late morning in the week towards the end of a run, there are usually very few other people in the cinema.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

In B'ham, you also get three hours' free parking.

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

You're on the enhanced package that you get after you've been on it for a year. My own is still in its first year. I have to pay an extra £1.50 for 3D films and my snacks discount is 10% not 25%.

Interestingly, I've recently discovered that you can combine Orange Wednesdays with Cineworld Unlimited and get someone else in for free on a free ticket!

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

Like Fran and John, I have a Cineworld Unlimited card. Saves me an absolute fortune, although I've fallen behind a bit so far this year (just 19 movies).

[pickledginger.livejournal.com]

Sounds as if you have it under control!
I get discount tickets sometimes.from the auto club.

[techiebabe.livejournal.com]

Bloody hell, thats expensive!

Im glad youre feeling a bit better.

[thalinoviel.livejournal.com]

If you go much Oden West End gave us totally unadvertised 2 for 1 vouchers for return within a month, which makes it much more reasonable

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

I'll probably catch Mama on Sunday. Tomorrow, it's Song For Marion, Broken City, Stoker, Die Hard 5 and Django Unchained.

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

I wonder what you thought of Mama, incidentally? I found it a bit dull with some very fun bits. Mostly too much of it made no sense and irritated me.

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

I got too annoyed with the professional people who behave stupidly, but there were some lovely creepy bits. Then I read a bunch of glowing reviews where they had all paid attention to different things from me :-)

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

SPOILERS BELOW!

I felt the evil spirit didn't make much sense. Warped from hanging around in the water rotting, sure, but why did it move through the floor looking like a wig on a string? Why did it promise the girls it wouldn't hurt the parent figures? Why wasn't it placated by the baby bones?

And other stuff irritated like the secretary librarian woman doing an info dump about what a ghost is... The old bloke randomly going into the cottage to have a chat with the ghost, certain he knew what it wanted but not bringing it along.

I loved the creepy funny bit where Lily was playing tug of war with Mama, though. And the scary aspect of the kids when they'd gone feral. There were good bits and overall it entertained me but all the nitpicky bits were a bit overwhelming.

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

MORE SPOILERS

When you give the Ancient Evil the plot token, it's surely supposed to disappear in a puff of logic? And if it doesn't, and the film is breaking the genre convention rules, which other ones is it breaking?

Archivist was not even convincing about what a ghost is. But an archive is no place for human remains.

The kids were great, and well played. I didn't like the sacrifice at the end, it didn't cry out satisfactory plot resolution. I wanted rehabilitation. But maybe a message of the ending is that sometimes people just get too broken?

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

I'm still behind, which makes much more economical moviewatching. To catch films on the big screen, I catch them at the cheapo theater (AKA the last stop before the DVD release date). This week I finally saw Skyfall for $2.50 (would have cost $3 after 6 p.m.).

Having a rest during a film sounds like a fine idea.