Watching movies at cinema halls are usually a mixed bag experience - one gets the fun of watching it along with comments from other viewers, while the horrible state of cinema halls gives the overall experience a thumbs down. My experience last night at a cinema hall in Kochi was such. I had written a half-baked story comparing conventional cinema halls v/s multiplexes a while back (read it here). I am one who loves watching movies at cinema theaters, but not ready to compromise on comfort.
Last night, I (and my family) went to a pretty major cinema hall in Kochi (one of the three "S"s) to watch the latest Mammootty flick Best Actor. The movie in itself was watchable (not great by any extent of imagination, but a nice movie). The movie is directed by the debutant Martin Prakkat. The movie is all about the experiences a wannabe movie actor faces in his attempts to hit the screen. He finally succeeds, but after overcoming a lot of funny and intense situations. Mammookka has really indulged in his character, and has presented it with ease. He does look a bit out of situation in some places - especially the hair styling. He has presented Hindi dialogues with the typical Malayalee punch, and adds to the humour in the movie. The ending did confuse a couple of people, with many walking out even before the movie ended.
Leaving the movie aside, the experience of watching it was horrible. The theater had narrow seats, with almost non-moving backrests. Cushion was inexistent, and I got the feeling of sitting on a rock. The seats were too narrow, and the seating layout was even horrible. Its high time these theaters renovate their seating, and get better seats - people are ready to pay-up for good facilities these days, and its time theater operators utilise the opportunity. This particular movie hall (Saritha) is part of a "complex" of three movie halls. I had watched movies at the other two halls in the "complex" and felt their seats were better than this one.
A word of caution to those heading to this movie hall - please enter the hall as soon as it is opened - you might be lucky to get a good seat. But if you suffer from a back ache, please postpone your outing. This experience only deepens my pro-multiplex beliefs. Multiplexes are indeed paisa vasool while normal halls have this suspense angle.
Last night, I (and my family) went to a pretty major cinema hall in Kochi (one of the three "S"s) to watch the latest Mammootty flick Best Actor. The movie in itself was watchable (not great by any extent of imagination, but a nice movie). The movie is directed by the debutant Martin Prakkat. The movie is all about the experiences a wannabe movie actor faces in his attempts to hit the screen. He finally succeeds, but after overcoming a lot of funny and intense situations. Mammookka has really indulged in his character, and has presented it with ease. He does look a bit out of situation in some places - especially the hair styling. He has presented Hindi dialogues with the typical Malayalee punch, and adds to the humour in the movie. The ending did confuse a couple of people, with many walking out even before the movie ended.
Leaving the movie aside, the experience of watching it was horrible. The theater had narrow seats, with almost non-moving backrests. Cushion was inexistent, and I got the feeling of sitting on a rock. The seats were too narrow, and the seating layout was even horrible. Its high time these theaters renovate their seating, and get better seats - people are ready to pay-up for good facilities these days, and its time theater operators utilise the opportunity. This particular movie hall (Saritha) is part of a "complex" of three movie halls. I had watched movies at the other two halls in the "complex" and felt their seats were better than this one.
A word of caution to those heading to this movie hall - please enter the hall as soon as it is opened - you might be lucky to get a good seat. But if you suffer from a back ache, please postpone your outing. This experience only deepens my pro-multiplex beliefs. Multiplexes are indeed paisa vasool while normal halls have this suspense angle.
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