Back in the cinema saddle

So I finally returned to the cinema this afternoon – my first visit since March 10th. It seems like a lifetime ago and, to be honest, the thought of sitting in the dark with a bunch of strangers wasn’t filling me with joy.

But go I did, and actually, it wasn’t that bad at all. As soon as I walked into the Everyman Cinema in Canary Wharf, I was greeting by a friendly, mask-wearing member of staff who explained the ‘new rules’, specifically about access to hand sanitiser and use of masks.

I was in the biggest of the three screens, to see Tenet, and it was practically empty. There were maybe four couples and me. Nobody sitting near me, nobody moving about once the film started.

After the film started, I got totally absorbed and completely forgot about the weirdness of being there and totally forgot about COVID-19. Which is the whole point of cinema!

The film itself was disappointing, though. It was overly long and far too smart for its own good. But I would have sat through Mama Mia again just to visit the cinema, so I’m not going to complain about stilted dialogue or slightly wooden acting.

Will I be heading back again soon? Well, yes – as soon as there are some more films to see. It was slightly weird to see trailers for films that were due out in May of this year. I’ve no worries about my safety, but won’t think twice about calling out anyone who acts the maggot when we’re in the screen.

The cinema is a ten minute stroll from my front door and, particularly in the winter months, is a refuge from miserable, cold weather. I’m hoping we’ll see some new releases in the coming weeks.

(Photo by Karen Zhao on Unsplash)