Wednesday, 13 November 2013

0032 Daily Notes 2013 Afternoon and evening at Metrocentre to see Gravity in Imax 3D and for shopping


It could be three years since I last visited the Metro centre Odeon for free showings of the preliminary rounds of the World Club and I am not sure if I have had cause to go shopping in the Metro Centre itself or call in at Ikea for something, usually boxes.



After the good doctor Mark Kermode recommended seeing a film in 3D for the first time I booked a Premium seat at the Odeon’s IMAX theatre for Monday afternoon, November 11th 2013, at 2.40. Taking one of two aisle seats at the side. I decided to combine the visit with a look at Winter coats and hats at M S where I have received £22 pounds in vouchers with another £10 on its way and to also visit Ikea for some blue storage display boxes. I decided to have an early lunch, just a pair of fish cakes but it was close on 1 pm before I was ready to set off.

Give the gap in years since visiting I was not 100% convinced of the way but choose to continue through Gateshead and then over the motorway along the south bank of the river and as fortune would have it the first parking area was for the yellow mall at one end of which is the Odeon built out of the previous indoor amusement and ride centre. I went downstairs to park which proved to being used by car wash and valeting service and with no other spaces on the ground floor I had to go out and back in up to the first second floor whose exist brought close to the entrance of the Odeon cinema. This is also the area of restaurants which continue on the walk through to the red Mall which in turn leads to the Green at the end of which is Marks and Spencer’s..

On the way I took the opportunity to look in at the eat as much as you want Buffet restaurant which although more expensive than most was well patronised and continued being so as I left the cinema later and when most of the others had no customers or just a couple or two. There are few meal deal here except for children. Marks as also gone upmarket in terms of clothing and going for name brands. I was tempted to but a fake fur woolly hat and had then to get advice on the location of the Winter coat s where I liked one until finding the price was over 3150, with another of interest ell over £100. I wore the thermal socks for the first time and seriously consider some thermal underwear. As the time had quickly moved on to twenty past I decided it was best to make my way to the cinema.

This time I used the E ticket although assistant had to key in the numbers t let me through into the screen area. The IMAX system is used in special theatres, some as part of conventional cinema chain multiplexes which has a bigger screen with greater resolution clarity and where I discovered there are also huge Elton John type glasses which also appear to have batteries similar to those used for watching 3D on TV.

When the adverts commenced I decided to move in towards the centre from my two seats at the side but as people continued to come in throughout the adverts and trailers I decided to move back and as with the Opera on Saturday the advantage is that one has an uninterrupted view across the aisle space and is not disadvantaged being right at the side. Incidentally according to Wikipedia which I am now subscribing at £3 a month voluntary contribution there some 600 IMAX theatres in 54 countries

Birmingham – Cineworld Birmingham & IMAX [107]
Crawley – Cineworld & IMAX [108]
Gateshead – Odeon Metrocentre (Digital projectors, 3D)
Ipswich – Cineworld Ipswich & IMAX [109]
Liverpool – Odeon
London – Cineworld Enfield & Imax [110]
LondonBFI London IMAX Cinema, British Film Institute. Both 15/70 mm 3D and digital projectors.[111]
LondonScience Museum (15/70 mm, 3D)[112]
London – Odeon Greenwich
London – Odeon Wimbledon
London – Odeon Swiss Cottage
London – Odeon Kingston
London – Odeon Uxbridge
Manchester – Odeon, The Printworks (15/70 mm, 3D)
Norwich – Odeon
Nottingham – Cineworld & IMAX [113]
Southampton – Odeon

GlasgowCineworld/Glasgow Science Centre (15/70 mm, 3D)[114] (shared)





 

Having said this the most important aspect is that there is a difference between the expensively shot films using IMAX camera and the conventional 3D from shown on IMAX screens although some major feature films have had about 30 minutes of sequences using the IMAX cameras so not having seen the IMAX camera film

Given the build up for once I will not reveal the full story so important an experience I believe everyone should enjoy without knowing the outcome or that the film contains one of the great plot twists of all time.

The film is set in and around a USA space station and begins with a shuttle type craft attempting to repair a Satellite with has system designed by the character played by Sandra Bullock. The problem takes longer than expected so this provides the opportunity for the ten leader played by George Clooney to enjoy a space walk while another assistant tethered to the craft is also out and about. The crew are advised that the Russians have accidentally shot down one of their satellites with a rocket which has caused a certain amount of debris which has part become part of a chain reaction.

What then happens is devastating for everyone already in space at the various Space stations and leads to a desperate attempt by Bullock and Clooney to survive. The film is comparative short as this type of major enterprise goes some 91 minutes, but there is no sense of this being a short film terms of being engaged throughout.. The reviews of critics and public have been exceptionally high and suggests that in addition to nominations for best film, use of CGI, photography and musical score as well as original story with the script written by its Director Alfonso Curadon, he is likely to be nominated for best Director, with Sandra Bullock for best female actor and perhaps the film’s production team making at least eight nominations possibly more,

After the film I used 250 points on my Odeon card for a Ben Jerry Cherry Garcia Ice cream which I enjoyed sitting on a bench in the Red Mall where I had previous cheeked there was a Clark’s shoes but was disappointed with the selection available and decided not the enquire about a shiny Bravo in black. I made my way to the car and more by luck than knowledge worked out to quickly get tot eh Ikea store where I parked close to the entrance and went in search of Blue boxes. Making my way around I cam first two the restaurant where I though a notice suggested that it was possible to get sausage and mash for £2.50, but this was with a family card so I was required to pay the normal price of £4.50 which was still okay although the sausages were small, but tasty.

The second disappointment was potential more serious as there were no blue boxes of the kind I have been using on view. However I discovered I new line in a material box with cardboard reinforcement for the base but no top for £250 and which takes twice contents of the smaller boxes with lid at nearly half the price. I made my way home content with the day’s outing thinking why did I not do this more often, deciding that the following day I would combine a visit for a lecture by the official biographer of Margaret Thatcher with a haircut and a shop.

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