Cinema Reviews

Ambassadors

Peacocks Centre, Woking, Surrey

Screens: 6
Typical student admission: £3.50 or so.

Technical standard: ***
Other facilities: **
Comfort: ***
Screen visibility: **
Staff: **

Part of a larger Arts Centre, this council-run cinema should be a model for other local authorities. Extremely quiet during the day, to the extent that few if any staff are on duty.

Ambassadors Cinema

BFI London IMAX

South Bank, London

Screens: 1, but it is seven storeys high.
Typical student admission: £6.50. Special rates for two or more films.

Technical standard: *****
Other facilities: ***
Comfort: ****
Screen visibility: ***
Staff: **

The screen is some 20 metres in height, which is extremely disturbing when a human being appears on the screen. Some shows are in 3D. Most IMAX films are shorter than normal features but there are special rates for two or more films. Just to emphasise the size, they show some normal 35mm adverts before the start of the show - projecting onto a tiny fraction of the screen area. A bad design of handrail restricts the view of the screen from aisle seats.

BFI IMAX

Empire

Leicester Square, London. A UCI Cinema

Screens: 3, the largest holding about 1,500 people.
Typical student admission: depends on the screen; up to about £9.00.

Technical standard: *****
Other facilities: ***
Comfort: *****
Screen visibility: ***
Staff: **

The top London cinema, and a place where dozens of premieres are held. Incredibly comfortable, the sheer scale of the place takes your breath away.

UCI Cinemas

Showcase

Bluewater, Kent

Screens: 13
Typical student admission: £4.00 - £4.50.

Technical standard: *****
Other facilities: *****
Comfort: *****
Screen visibility: *****
Staff: ****

If there is a nicer cinema in the country, I have yet to visit it. Incredibly spacious seats, a huge range of facilities, helpful and friendly staff, and in Screen 10 a breathtaking laser display. Excellent value for money. Also available in six of the screens: premium seating, consisting of your own sofa, table with complimentary snacks, and private bar - for a cool £12.50 a ticket! An intimate yet very spacious Arts screen called "The Studio" shows great but Multiplex-unfriendly films.

Hoyts Australia Hoyts Bluewater

National Film Theatre

South Bank, London

Screens: 3
Typical student admission: depends on membership status

Technical standard: ****
Other facilities: ****
Comfort: ****
Screen visibility: ***
Staff: ***

Surprisingly intimate, the NFT complex houses three cinemas (one of which is part of the Museum Of The Moving Image), a bookshop and a cafe. The programming is specialist fare that you are unlikely to find elsewhere, except at very advanced film society.

NFT

Odeon

Guildford, Surrey

Screens: 9
Typical student admission: £3.50 - £5.00.

Technical standaed: ****
Other facilities: **
Comfort: **
Screen visibility: **
Staff: **

A cinema that can best be described as "adequate". The four smaller screens feel too cramped. In general, very uncomfortable for a long film. Minimal raking on the seats.

Odeon

Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Screens: 9
Typical student admission: £3.50 - £5.00.

Technical standard: ****
Other facilities: ****
Comfort: ***
Screen visibility: *****
Staff: ****

Marginally more comfortable than its older Guildford companion, Odeon TW features a bar and properly-raked seating.

Odeon

Oscar Film Unit

University of Surrey

Screens: erm, 1. Two nights a week. Holding a maximum of 200 people.
Typical student admission: less than 50p, if you buy a season ticket.

Technical standard: **
Other facilities: **
Comfort: ***
Screen visibility: *****
Staff: *****

What can we say? Friendly and efficient staff, and value for money entertainment unrivalled within the Union, University, or town. We know that we can't beat a Multiplex in terms of technical quality, but we will do our best to make sure that you enjoy your visit at least as much. Now with food and drinks on sale before every Sunday showing and complimentary coffees before Wednesday night Arts films.

Reviewed 1999

All contents on this site, except where explicitly stated, are the original work of David Abbott (aka The Real Goatee). All rights reserved. In particular, the author asserts the moral and legal right to be identified as the author of all of this original work, in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.