Luna cinema, 18th September

The number of outdoor cinema screenings are legion these days. There’s the grand Somerset House affair (cold and uncomfortable unless you bring blankets or even sleeping bags [yes, some people did this]), there’s the Rooftop Cinema Club with deckchairs and blankets provided. There’s Backyard Cinema, which gives you a choice of deckchair or beanbag, and this summer Everyman even got in on the act with Street Feast, projecting films by Battersea Power Station. You can also watch movies al fresco with Scoop, and the Nomad cinema. And, finally (almost) there’s Luna Cinema. 

They have a few places where they set up shop, places that are a little more unusual. Such as Brockwell Lido, which is where I watched The Goonies the other week. A normal ticket gets you a stake on the poolside, and it’s up to you to bring something comfortable to sit on. But if you stump up for the premium ticket, you get to watch the move ON... THE... WATER! Yes! Very exciting. You get your own little two-person inflatable dinghy to get comfy in. It’s actually a wonderfully cosy way to watch a movie, bobbing about on the water and drifting a little when other people move around in their dinghies and make waves. Don’t worry – you don’t drift very far. Each dinghy is still moored to the side and you aren’t allowed to row out to the very middle of the pool (unfortunately).

More unfortunately for us, we (and by ‘we’, I mean my friend) got there after the movie started so we were left to our own devices to actually get into our vessel. This I did not do with much aplomb and we came perilously close to capsizing. Instead it just meant that a bunch of water got in and soaked my dress completely down one side, which I didn’t realize until the end of the movie. Travelling all the way back to East London with wet clothes wasn’t that fun.

The venue of Brockwell Lido meant that the café was on hand to provide food – the usual stuff: pulled pork and what have you, and there was wine, beer and cider on sale as well, though I’d had quite a big night before so had a mere bottle of water.

It gets chilly on the water so I was pleased I’d packed a blanket; even though it was a very warm night, by 9pm I was huddled into it. 

For novelty value this one was hard to beat, and they clearly have excellent taste in films. Recommended. 

Backyard Cinema, 24th July

I first heard about Backyard Cinema when they got in touch with me via twitter to tell me of their existence. They were barely a twinkle in their organiser's eye but I put it on my List as I liked the idea of a cinema with a casual, let's-get-all-our-friends-together vibe. And back then their events were pretty low key. Now they've got bean bags, deckchairs and street food partnerships - the whole shebang! For their latest instalment they've encamped at Camden Lock market where Honest burgers are serving from a stall outside their actual venue, and they have Brewdog on the bar (and slushie cocktails) so you don't have to settle for just popcorn. Though they have that too at only £1 a bag. (Contrast with the Everyman Power of Summer where they’re selling it for £3!)

The movie we went to see was The Lego Movie. We got down there pretty early and I did get an Honest Burger but not from the dedicated Backyard Cinema stall. It was my first - Stephen has been a fan for a while but whenever we popped by one, it was always too busy. You may realise I don't eat actual burgers - I had the chicken version. And it came as standard with their famous rosemary fries. I imagine substantial chips wouldn't get overwhelmed by the salt and rosemary but my portion was full of the scraps at the end of a batch so I found them a little too seasoned. 

We then hung around waiting for the cinema to be built. That's right. When we got there, there wasn't anything - just a hole in a black curtain where the screen would go and some supine deck chairs. It was quite fun to watch it take shape around us - the bean bags were dragged out and the deck chairs were erected. It did mean that we were so early, we completely missed the box office where you had to get your ticket scanned in exchange for a movie pass. It was only when we were about to go in, that they said we needed to get it exchanged, but thankfully they said I wouldn’t have to queue from the back once I did. Must admit, that seemed a bit pointless - not sure why the usherettes couldn't just scan your printout. 

Anyway, we had grabbed a drink from the bar (an absolutely amazing Paloma slushie in honour of National Tequila Day) and waited while the queue to get in to the seats formed. Finally we were allowed in! We had already made the big decision: bean bag or deck chair? Knowing from experience with the Rooftop Film Cinema that deck chairs are way cool and comfortable, we did that and made a beeline for the area we had already picked out as well. They have blankets to hire for when the temperature cools (it will, even if it's warm in the day) and they have ushers/usherettes that will bring you drinks and food pretty much throughout the film which is a nice touch.

Before the main feature, they play some shorts, all of which were pretty cool, but especially the one called Pockets. Check it out.

And then we just settled in and enjoyed the movie. Which was fab. On the whole I would say this was a pretty good movie experience, definitely more enjoyable (though far less grand) than Somerset House, and on a par with Rooftop Film Club (though missing the views). They also have a good mix of 'cult' films that everyone loves (but has probably seen a dozen times) and newer releases like the Lego Movie, or Silver Linings Playbook, for people who want to see something they haven't seen before.

Secret Cinema 21, 20th April

When I was invited to Secret Cinema with fellow Nuffnang bloggers The Prosecco Diaries and Hectophilia, I was told I could write about anything I wanted, as long as I didn't reveal the location, film, or even what time the film starts. Should be a cinch!

I'd actually been to Secret Cinema once before so I kind of knew what to expect, but they still managed to surprise me. Prices have steadily gone up through the years, but you can see where it goes. They're getting close to rivalling Punch Drunk in terms of creating a whole new world, with amazing attention to detail. And there was a lot more interaction this time, making you feel part of the wider story, with characters you could follow, as well as a few set pieces to give you a clue to the movie you were living within (once again it was a movie I'd seen but I still didn't guess it!).

But first, to gain entry to this illicit world, we had a certain person with whom to rendez-vous. In this era when you have to have your wits about you, I thought I'd best go under an assumed name. I was Maria Smith (try and trace that!) and I was about to enter a world where you didn't know quite who to trust but one thing was clear - money talked and law and order wasn't much more than a notion.

We wandered all over the joint, stopping for a drink or two before mingling with what I would say were some of the more unsavoury characters in town. They tried to get us to to help out with one of their schemes, and being of a curious nature, I went along with it, but before long we were being whisked into the kind of company I'm more accustomed to. Or, well, I thought I was speaking with a fine, upstanding politican. Sure, he was sweet-talking us because he wanted our vote but all politicians do that. Then things got kinda nasty - he started roughing up his secretary and I began to have my suspicions he was no better than a crook! As luck would have it, it was election night and I was able to immediately take a stand against him by voting for the other guy. At least, I hope I did... the polling station was right by the bank and just as I was enquiring as to what sort of loan would be available to me (I'm starting to expand my extremely well regarded beauty shop chain), we were rudely interrupted by some hoodlums! They took everything so who knows what they did to the votes. I was left with barely enough to ensure entry (if you know what I mean - like I say, money talks) for me and my gals, to the swankiest bar in town. 

There may have been a little gambling going on the side, I'm sure I don't know. What I can tell you is that this place was jumping and the cats in the band were swinging. 

Time in this shady world flew by, before we knew it the movie was about to start. And all I will say is... keep your eyes open even then.

Back in the cold light of day, Ieaving my alter-ego behind, I have to say I was hugely impressed with this 'edition' of Secret Cinema and it has stoked in me a desire to go to more, whereas with the first one I wasn't convinced it was worth the now almost-60 quid asking price. 

So leave yourself behind and become a part of this fictional world. You'll have an amazing experience. But Tell No One.

Secret Cinema, 5th January

I feel like I shouldn't be telling you this. After all, it's supposed to be a secret. However, judging by how the viewings sell out within minutes, it's clearly not the underground film experience it once might have been. But I still don't want to give the game entirely away. 

I've known about Secret Cinema for so long that I can't remember how I heard about it. But the price has always put me off. However, I had a bit of a windfall from my redundancy so I decided to treat us to the experience. Tickets are now £35 a pop and that doesn't include a booking fee.

Once you book you get emails from a mysterious person advising you of where to turn up, and what fashions you should sport, but until you get to the venue and actually sit down to watch the movie, you don't know what you're seeing. Mine and Stephen's opinion before we went was that we hoped it was something we hadn't seen, because we didn't want to pay all that money to see a movie we already knew and potentially didn't like. In retrospect, I'm not sure that's the attitude to take.

We met at the prescribed meeting point, wearing attire which proved we were part of the adventure and were guided to the secret venue, which just happened to be up the road from where I used to work. It seemed to be a massive, out of use building, with several floors, each floor kitted out to match, what we thought, was the general era of the film we were about to see. You are invited to exchange your money in order to purchase food or drink. I was kind of hoping that you might get some refreshments for free considering the steep price of the ticket but unfortunately not. There was popcorn, sweets, several bars and a few different types of food, from hot dogs, to cafe-type stews to a full sit down meal. I wasn't sure there would be food and so had eaten something before I got there, but that didn't stop me from having a bag of popcorn, freshly made for £3. The drinks prices were typical of London and there was mulled wine and spiced cider on offer as well as the usual beverages. By the time we'd had two drinks each and some snacks, we had paid another £25. This is not a cheap night by any means.

But I think it is just about worth it. It is definitely fun, and they put a lot into it. You are free, and indeed encouraged, to fully explore the arena you are in, and to interact with the characters you may find there. Stephen and I found ourselves rushing to pray with a nun when the children's hospital we had wandered through moments before turned out to be infected. They also re-imagine scenes from the movie, and re-enact the key scenes. All of these are, of course, clues as to what movie you are about to see. Right down to the names of the bars and food stalls. 

As we sat down to watch the movie (which opened with a very amusing short film - Future Shorts are Secret Cinema's sister) we started to realise that contrary to our early thoughts, it might have been better to have seen the movie beforehand. It turned out that it was a movie that I hadn't seen all the way through (though had, oddly, seen the end and its memorable scene). As you watch you realise that everything you have witnessed in the hours before the movie has some connection to it and I think I would have enjoyed it, or appreciated it more, if I had recognised what they were recreating. Having said that, it was fun to watch the movie and think 'ohhh, that's why they did that' as it unfolds. Every key scene and set has been alluded to before you sit down. 

The movie was shown in a separate building to the rest of the goings-on, which was clever because as we wandered around we came across two 'red herring' cinema set ups which threw us again as to where we'd be watching the film. And this was probably the biggest let down of the night. As much as I enjoyed the movie, being in a massive, deserted and draughty warehouse meant freezing temperatures made it really hard to concentrate. Also (and I hope this isn't always the case) the audience seemed to be one of the worst I've ever been a part of. People kept getting up and down, and going in and out of the warehouse we were in, causing more draughts each time the door was opened and disturbing you again, just as you had warmed up enough to enjoy the viewing. I don't know whether they were getting more drinks, or going to the loo after having imbibed too much in the preceding hours. Whatever the reason, it was very distracting. The movie itself was very good, I can't fault the choice.

This is definitely not something you can choose to do on the spur of the moment, like an ordinary trip to the cinema. Much as I would like to do it again, the price means it is always going to have to be something I do as a special treat. And of course, the very nature of Secret Cinema means that you never know what you're going to see, which is always a gamble. Fingers crossed that next time it's something I've seen and like!

Open House weekend, Saturday 17th September

The morning was a write-off as usual. Are we the only couple who find it impossible to get out of bed before 10 am? I hope not. There were several things as options to do today and we tried to formulate a plan once we were in a state to actually get out of the flat. It was about 1:30 by this point and I realised that if we left immediately, we could be at Tower Bridge by 2 pm, just in time to see the participants of The Great River Race go by beneath us. Knowing the tube lines are often disrupted, I quickly checked and yep, the District line was off. So much for being able to get to Tower Hill; we changed tack. Instead, we decided to try to get to an Open House weekend building. The Bank of England was already on my list, and close by, so we headed there. We figured there'd be a queue and were prepared to wait for an hour. We got there and the queue was ridiculous. As we debated about whether to join it, and Stephen went to investigate just how long it really was, some attendant announced that the queue was closed. It was about 1:45 and last entrance was 4, meaning the queue was over two hours long. We would have said 'Sod that' anyway, even if we had been given the option! Next year I must be more organised and actually book somewhere we want to go. That, or do the impossible - get up early on a weekend.


So far, our plans weren't going very well - thwarted in the Race, and now our attempts to join in on Open House had met a similar fate. But wait! We weren't that far from Monument, and hence London Bridge. We didn't have time to get to Tower Bridge, but we could get to London Bridge to watch the boats. For those that don't know what the Great River Race is (another one from 1000 Things to do in London) it's a race up the Thames (21 miles) from the Docklands to Ham House in Richmond. A few hundred boats take part and apparently they range from those who are having a bit of a laugh, to serious competitors. There's meant to be fancy dress, silly stunts and the like. But I doubt that anyone really knows about it. The famous Oxford and Cambridge boat race only has two crews and yet it dwarfs this one in its popularity. According to the website it has become the biggest and most prestigious event of its kind in Europe, having started in 1988 at less than a quarter of the size it is now. I thought it sounded like fun.


We got to London Bridge and it was pretty empty. You could just about spot some of the boats coming up to Tower Bridge. There were people looking out over the Thames but it was hard to tell if they were there to watch the race, or just your average tourist looking at the view. Even as the row boats came up to London Bridge, it was still hard to tell who was there on purpose and who had merely stumbled across the event. We watched several boats go by, the first one stomping ahead of the nearest competitors, and with only two rowers! There was someone else on board as well, looking a bit like a mascot at the front. Probably a small child but it could equally have been a monkey from what I could tell from my vantage point. We watched a few more boats go under and then we were tempted away by Borough market being so close. It was windy and the Thames seemed choppy and we had much admiration for the boats competitors. The problem was, that because there were so few spectators, there wasn't much atmosphere. Unlike the actual marathon, where you can go and cheer whether you know anyone or not, this one didn't have quite the same festive feel to it. We had also timed it badly I think. While there may have been rowers in fancy dress, or boats of unusual size or shape, they were probably participants who weren't taking it too seriously and would no doubt have been somewhere at the back of the race. We'd got there too early to see them, and didn't really want to hang around and wait. I felt a little guilty about that - I do like to do things on my list properly after all - but after we'd ended up under a bridge, eating a snack at Borough Market, and the heavens opened, I knew we'd made the right choice. Yes, I'm a fair weather fan.


What with this annoying but totally expected change in weather, we thought something indoors would be in order. One of the other potential things for us to do was go see what was going on at the V & A for London Design Festival so we headed there. We wandered around in the Sculpture and Asia departments where there were several installations in honour of the festival that blended in with the pieces around them. What I liked most was the reproduction of the bust of Lady Belhaven with a new fancy hat, and the new woven entrance.

The highlight of the visit was going to the Power of Making exhibition. There was a queue (isn't there always) but somehow we didn't have to wait too long to get in there. There were some weird and wonderful things to see - a sculpture made out of sugar, and some gloves with the owner's fingerprints on the outside stand out, as well as the giant King Kong situated outside. It is fascinating what people can make and fashion out of all sorts of things nowadays. I would highly recommend this exhibition.

We finished off our day out in London by seeing a film. Odeon have an offer on at the moment giving 40% off tickets, meaning you can get tickets for a decent prices for once, and I was also able to get a free large popcorn by being an O2 customer. I've never had such a cheap cinema visit. We saw The Skin I Live in, which was a horrendous movie. An excellent, intriguing movie to watch, but what happens in it is horrendous. I don't think I've stopped thinking about it since I saw it. I read a review (in the Independent I believe) which says it gets under your skin, and it does. I keep thinking about all the implications of what happen. All the adverts say there is a twist. I wouldn't describe it as such, as it is revealed pretty early in the movie and I had guessed at it even earlier than that. It's not a single twist to be untwisted in one moment just before the end, more the gradual untying of a plait - it is easy to guess it and as things move on you become more and more convinced until it is confirmed. But the twist isn't the point of the movie, its about digesting what happens, the motivations behind it and the effects. As most movies are I suppose. Still, I don't think I'd better reveal it.


The Great River Race: http://www.greatriverrace.co.uk/
Open House weekend: http://www.londonopenhouse.org/
Power of Making: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/p/power-of-making/
London Design Festival: http://www.londondesignfestival.com/project/ldf-va