The Cinematic Binge: An Introduction

With a week off work and no particular desire to take a trip anywhere there appeared on my horizon a golden opportunity. An opportunity to explore London cinemas, to see some of the latest releases and to catch up with a few gems that might have slipped my attentive gaze. Thus research was undertaken with the help of the Time Out website, timings were carefully plotted and epic plans laid.

There were plenty of potential places to visit, from the luxurious surroundings of faceless chains in the West End to independent palaces in gritty South London. The brand spanking new releases offered a couple of titles that aroused my interest and there were recommendations from buddies that needed following up on. I've found 2010 to be a generally mixed year for moviegoing. There have been too many personal disappointments like Polanksi's The Ghost and Cemetery Junction, which frankly offended my eyes. Kick Ass was exhilarating and Precious moving but with the midway point approaching I needed more inspiration and less aspiration. The dream was a mixture of feisty comedies, enthralling world cinema and dramatic thrillers. It was a dream constructed with elaborate care.

The set up wasn't all plain sailing. It was necessary to take my financial means into consideration, to be declared bankrupt because of trips to the movies would be somewhat embarrassing. Plus I was keen to check out a piece of theatre each evening, a smorgasboard of culture was the name of the game. The weather was also a potential problem, rain could lead to dampness and thus spoil my viewing pleasure while blazing sun might make me hanker for days outdoors in the greenery of Hyde Park with a good book for company. Of course it was unlikely that any screenings would sell out given the time of day but the slight awkwardness that can occur when entering a screening alone could become an issue.

And so the adventure begins. Monday 7^th June. The Vue West End. She's Out of My League? Let's find out.