Ban kids and maybe we can watch a film in peace (Cineworld Cinemas)

Member Name: stuff10

Product:	Cineworld Cinemas
Date:	29/07/09 (106 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: To be fair, the cinema is the best way to watch a film

Disadvantages: Annoying kids, absolute rip-off prices, queues, 3D nothing more than a gimmick

Last night we went to see Ice Age 3 at the Sheffield Cineworld at the Centertainment complex.

I used to be a pretty regular cinema-goer a couple of years ago, the other half and I having the Cineworld Unlimited cards allowing us to go and see as many films as we wanted for £10.99 a month (at the time). However, we stopped our cards as a) we've got Sky Movies, b) we ended up watching some dreadful films (I give you Sleeping Dogs Lie), c) they kept putting the prices up.

Having not been in a few months, we decided to watch Ice Age in this new 3D thingy that's out. Getting to the front of the ticket queue, I was appalled to see the prices: £6.90 for an adult (it was £6 last time I went) and an extra £2.20 to watch it in 3D - making a grand total of £9.10... I could probably buy the DVD cheaper than that in a couple of months!!

Begrudgingly I paid the money and the wife and I headed to Bella Italia (also reviewed today) for a meal before the film.

We returned to the cinema at 6pm, the advertised time for the film and were made to queue outside while the people from the previous film left and the cinema was cleaned. I hate queuing! Why did Cineworld put the start time at 6 o'clock when they knew the film before wouldn't have finished? Grrr.

We eventually got into the cinema and rushed to find some seats together. The cinema was packed with kids and adults even though the film had already been out for a fair few weeks - we'd left it late on purpose to avoid the crowds. Almost all of the other people had snacks that they'd bought from the (rip-off) shop beforehand... popcorn, drinks, nachos etc. My wife and I were sensible and brought some Minstrels and a bottle of Coke from home - I never buy anything from the cinema.

As this was a 3D showing, we were each given a set of 3D glasses which we put on when instructed. The glasses are just like cheap sunglasses with a black plastic frame and clear(ish) lenses - not the cardboard glasses with one red lense and one blue lense that I remember from being a youngster. This being my first ever 3D film, I was keen for it to get started and boy was I... disappointed.

Maybe Ice Age isn't the best film to watch in 3D (you tell me), but I thought the supposed 3D effects were pretty crappy. Sure, it looks good, but it gets annoying wearing the uncomfortable glasses and I didn't think that the 3D aspect added anything to the film at all - especially not for an extra £2.20. I saw 3D short films in Disney about 15 years ago and the technology just doesn't seem to have come on at all - it's like stepping back in time to the early 90s... I just don't get it.

But the thing that really winds me up about going to the cinema is the kids. Yes, I know it's a kids film but dear god can they be annoying - talking, texting, laughing at the wrong bits and just generally being annoying. I wish they'd ban them from certain performances as they really do spoil the enjoyment for everyone else.

Summary: Needless to say, I won't be going back any time soon