Megan Furborough, Screen Editor
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debates the pros and and cons of a variety of cinemas on offer in Exeter.
For a small city, there are a lot of ways that you can see the latest films. Aside from Campus Cinema, which is the cheapest cinema in Exeter, we have an Odeon, Vue and Picturehouse, as well as the Phoenix. But whilst there are a number of places to grab your popcorn, each cinema has its own respective quirks.
Image credit: Geograph
The Odeon and Vue in town are your typical multiplexes – air-conditioning blasting all year round, the familiar stick of well-trodden popcorn under your feet and gigantic screens are pretty standard fare. The number of screens at each venue means that they can show all the latest films, and for your big blockbusters you may even be able to catch a midnight screening.
But as you may expect, they’re pretty soulless and you pay a premium for slowly turning into an icicle over the course of 120 minutes. And the prices vary between the two. At the Odeon, an off-peak student ticket is £4.65, rising to £5.50 at peak times. In contrast, an off-peak student ticket at Vue is £6.95, rising to a peak time price of £8.15. All in all, if you want to go to a multiplex, go to the Odeon – it’s cheaper, closer to the high street and seeing as neither cinema is particularly special, at least here you’ll have some money left over for snacks.
However, if you want to catch a film that’s a little different, or just want to see the latest film in a nicer setting, independent is definitely the way to go.
The Exeter Picturehouse is located at the bottom of town, but is well worth the walk. Equipped with a lovely restaurant and bar, there are two screens which show a mixture of Hollywood, art-house, world and independent cinema. It’s spacious, clean and the staff are really friendly. On a Monday you can get a half price student ticket for just £3 and the E4 Slackers Club, which offers free screenings of films every month, is partnered with Picturehouses. What’s more, the seats recline, meaning that sitting in the front row doesn’t require extensive back and neck surgery.
Image credit: Geograph
The Phoenix isn’t a cinema, but is a hidden gem when it comes to seeing something alternative and special. Most of the films are projected on 35mm film, a rarity when most cinemas have gone digital in the past few years, and there are often special screenings such as live orchestras and Q&As. There are also regular film nights including Kino Queerling, which showcases queer and cult cinema and each year the Phoenix presents the Two Short Nights film festival. Even more enticingly, their normal screening tickets are just £5.50. The Phoenix isn’t a standard cinema, which makes the experience of seeing films here even better.
So really, it all comes down to you. What do you like watching? What’s your price limit? Do you want a box of popcorn the size of a child? There’s no right answer. But with our handy guide to the cinemas in Exeter, Screen hope that you all get out to the cinema as much as humanly possible – wherever you choose!
Megan Furborough, Screen Editor
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