As an increasing number of people begin to pivot away from stagnating cinemas, opting to view at home on their often higher quality televisions, and through streaming services. The movie-going experience is having to pivot into an event like it used to be when first introduced, something more than simply going to watch a film and paying over the odds for popcorn and a soft drink.
Here are some examples of cinemas around the UK, each with their own unique, attractive features and designs that help to separate them from the average screening.
The BFI London IMAX
Owned by the British Film Institute, the London IMAX Is the biggest cinema screen in the country, and certainly one to keep in mind for booking the biggest blockbusters of the year. Situated in the heart of the capital city, it’s an extremely popular destination for watching films in the highest possible quality, and features the proprietary film projection that you just can’t experience at home. Many cinemas throughout the country have adopted the IMAX moniker with a lower quality, digital version, and so if wanting the most authentic version it’s important to do your research on the cinema you’re going to.
F.A.C.T Liverpool
Liverpool’s F.A.C.T Picture House cinema is a great one to go to if wanting something a little different from your traditional cinema experience. Embedded within a modern art gallery and museum, there’s always a unique exhibition on worth visiting in addition to the film, and they also run Q&A sessions and more with directors and cast members. Most recently, Yesterday director Danny Boyle visited the cinema to introduce his Beatles-centric summer hit.
Liverpool’s cinema scene is extremely popular, and its multiple theatres seem to encompass every different type of movie going experience. The city has the Woolton Picture House, opened in 1927 and one of the oldest in the country, the Everyman cinema in the Metquarter, offering a traditional yet modern vibe with luxury screens and a cocktail bar, and even the Odeon IMAX in Liverpool ONE, offering the standard experience with a massive HD screen for your superhero flick.
Additionally, in popular student cities across the UK such as Liverpool, cinema areas and rooms are a growing communal trend in apartment buildings and student accommodation. Property investment companies such as RWinvest offer cinema-quality screening rooms as part of the features in their purpose-built student builds, and they are extremely popular among students.
Cinemas around the country also usually give students exclusive offers and membership perks. The E4 Slackers club is a great scheme to get involved in if you’re a student, as it allows you to see films for free, and often even before they have been released to the general public.
The Electric Birmingham
Hailed as the ‘oldest working cinema’ in the UK, the Electric in Birmingham has been heavily renovated since its original opening in 1909, but still offers a unique and quirky experience for filmgoers. With leather sofas available at the back of the venue, you can even get a waiter service to deliver food and drinks as the movie plays. That does sound a little distracting, however.
