Tipped

Just like your lounge, only bigger

February 25, 2008

I've loved going to The Electric Cinema for years. What the others say is 100% true, it really is the most luxurious cinematic experience in London. But after my last visit I decided there are some downsides, hence my 4* rating.
(i) nowadays they mostly show Hollywood blockbusters.. I miss the days of the more arty flicks
(ii) drinking wine with the film is great but as a result of most people consuming alcohol during the film, midway through you get half the cinema traipsing in and out of the loos
(iii) lack of popcorn (as previously stated) and finally
(iv) everytime I have been there the film starts late. This is really only an issue when you have dinner reservations after the film and forgot that they always run late.

However the fantastic leather arm chairs and foot stools; combined with a few glasses of chardonnay make this the best place to see a film in London!

Chillaxin at the movies

January 16, 2008

The Electric Cinema is the best invention since sliced bread. A cinema that has large comfortable leather chairs with foot rests plus serves alcohol? Heaven for me. The prices are a little steeper than your average cinema (12.50£), but it is definitely worth it. They also recently launched an online ticket booking service which is great considering that for good movies they are usually sold out a few weeks in advance. Don't ever even consider popping down there on a weekend and think you will get in without a reservation...

A tip: If you are going on a nice date and want to get a little cozy, you can even opt for a large leather sofa in the back of the theatre.

My only complaint is that they don't serve popcorn. Damn it, how can you go to the movies with no popcorn? It just doesn't seem right. Usually I drown my sorrows in an entire bottle of wine to make up for this let down.

Classy Place for a Film

November 05, 2007

The Electric is an amazing little theater on Portobello Road. Although it is tied in with a member's club, it is also open to the public and is surprisingly competitive with the Odeons and other mainstream cinemas of London in terms of cost despite offering considerably posher viewing conditions.
The theater has somewhere around 100 seats, ranging from ordinary cinema style seats up front, to more casual loungers with footrests in the back rows and even a pair of somewhat scandalous seeming 'couches' (they look more like beds to my eyes) tucked away in the back for couples to cuddle on in the dark room. The screen and sound quality are top notch, and there is also a full bar with a range of fancy snacks to nibble on during the film.
The range of films tend to be somewhat eclectic, and online reservation for tickets is almost essential, as the seating is limited and usually all reserved well in advance of the screening. Still, considering how outrageously priced the regular cinema is, from tickets to concessions, I don't see any reason to ignore a more comfortable and swanky option like the Electric.

Tags: classy, eclectic films, on-line reservations