Today my wife and I went down to the Grand Cinema to see a movie. We ended up going to see "Young Victoria", since that fit best into our timetable. The movie was amazing, but I will wax more on that in a moment. First I wanted to mention about the recent completion of the Grand's renovations.
Recently the Grand decided to add a fourth screen (see my previous post for a link to their website), as well as reupholster all of the other theatre seats. It just so happened that the movie my wife and I were see seeing was in this new screen. When we first arrived, we noticed that what used to be the main doors are now exit only, and the entrance is the door that used to lead to the art exhibit that was next door. They now have a sloped walkway that provides plenty of indoor space while waiting to buy tickets, as well as not being in the way of people leaving from earlier showings. I very much approve of the new layout.
After getting our tickets we wandered over to the snack bar, since our membership provides us with a free bag of popcorn with our tickets. Sadly their popcorn machine was out of commission due to the renovation. They have pre-bagged popcorn that is being provided by an outside vendor, but it just doesn't have the same deliciousness factor that true Grand popcorn does. I will be very glad to see the old machine back up and running.
The new theatre that they added is almost stadium seating (there is a tiny dip with each row). I think the seats are closer together (meaning less leg room) than in the old theatres, but that might just be my imagination. They have also added the lighted striping on the floor between either side of seats, which is a very nice touch. Other than that I cannot think of too much that was different. The screen seemed to be about the same size at the other three.
As for the movie itself, "Young Victoria" must be decently popular, since we went to a matinee showing and by the time it started there was not an empty seat left in the room. It certainly warranted such popularity, as the story was beautifully told, the actors were all believable and drew you in to the narrative, and the music...oh, the music was enchanting. Anyone who is a classical music lover will certainly appreciate the perfect placement of Schubert, Dvorak, and Sibelius. If you are not familiar with the historical facts surrounding the life of Queen Victoria, do yourself a favor and refrain from reading about her prior to seeing the film. The story and romance of her life are far more enjoyable if you are ignorant to how it will end. The film sets two love interest in perfect juxtaposition to each other as the film progresses, and it was with sheer madness and delight that I awaited so see which one she would choose. The film also features a deep level of court intrigue that is still easy enough for the viewer to follow and comprehend, but still feels like a complex web that Victoria must maneuver. I simply can not say enough good things about this movie.
Well, I have plugged my favorite theatre enough for one night. I think it is time that I do a little reading before bed.
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