Film to me... (2 of 4)

I love the cinema. Aside from Scotland, and my bed on a lazy day, the cinema is my favourite place to be. I go there to escape after a long day, or to be honest it doesn't have to be a bad day. I go to the cinema to be somewhere else, to experience something else, and to take a couple of hours away from normal life, planting myself in another pair of shoes and watching a story from another set of eyes.

I'm a basic girl when it comes to the cinema, but maybe some of these answers will surprise people!

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Section 2: Cinema Habits

1 - Are you a cinema-first purist or a cosy-at-home watcher?

I am 1000000000% a cinema-first purist, if I can help it. I've become very bad at booking myself out for too many evenings last year, and have missed one too many cinema releases because of it, so this year I'm trying to be better at allowing myself cinema time.

I missed Running Man in the cinema last year, as well as a few others, so watching them at home won't be the same as the big screen experience, but that's life, I suppose.

I also see films more than once. My record is The Batman, which I saw 6 times. Standard, then 3D, then 2 IMAX showings, a 4DX experience which was interesting and we got rained on a lot, finished by a ScreenX viewing, which is where you have the 270 degrees of screens, putting yourself in the middle of all the action. That car chase scene was INSANE.

2 - What is your ultimate cinema pet hate?

I have two. Talking and people being on their phones.

Films are a couple of hours, three hours absolute maximum (and those run times are usually reserved for James Cameron movies or Lord of the Rings) so surely people can be off their phones for that long? There is nothing more annoying than trying to watch a film and then you have someone's phone at full brightness in your eyeline, or worse, next to you.

And talking? Hello! You're in a dark cinema with a loud film going on - you can talk after. For me, if I really do NEED to say something, then I lean close to my cinema buddy's ear and whisper it quietly, not shout it really loud.

There have been a few of the newer films recently where there's been no one on their phones and no talking and its been so nice. Everyone just enjoying the film, enjoying the moment and leaving reality for a couple of hours.

3 - What's your cinema snack order? And will you share it?

I'm not usually one who gets any cinema snacks - I'm one of those people who gets a cheaper snack from Tesco and sneaks it in. However, for special occasions, I get sweets, and maybe a sweet and salted mixed popcorn if I'm feeling adventurous.

If I get sweets, I get LOADS of sweets, which usually lasts me for another good few months. I never get a drink though, because if I drink anything, I'll need to pee immediately. I would only get a drink if I've seen the film before!

4 - Do you stay for the credits?

If Marvel has taught me anything, it's that you stay for the credits. Marvel films will almost always have a scene at the end, but even if films don't, you get to experience nearly 15 minutes of beautiful, key parts of the film's score, which is worth it for someone like me, a soundtrack nerd.

The best end credit scene fillers I've seen are the bloopers of Toy Story 2. I've seen them so many times, but they still make me laugh each and every time.

5 - What makes a cinema experience unforgettable?

I've got 5 reasons why cinema experiences are unforgettable, especially on films' opening nights.

First, it's the collective silence.

Those nights often start with something simple: a packed room that is completely silent and still, just letting the film unfold around you. The collective gasps, the squeals, the reactions. Knowing the whole room is completely locked in, same as you, the film becomes communal somehow. That's when you know you're not just watching, you're experiencing. There are so many films I've wished I could see and experience again for the first time, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that thought.

Second, it's a score hitting that perfect moment.

That swell of beautiful music that makes your chest tighten in the way that feels like you're floating, making that scene land harder because the soundtrack just carries it. Anything from the bagpipes James Horner uses in Titanic, to the powerful vocals of Lisa Gerrard in Gladiator, and definitely the quiet trumpet theme as Luke looks out over the Tatooine binary sunset. The scenes are elevated by the music, and experiencing a score and soundtrack for the first time is nothing short of magical.

Third, it's the atmosphere over comfort.

Sure, the seats may creak, or you've got a light that doesn't fully dim right above your head, but that doesn't matter. You have a big screen, a proper sound mix, and you have complete darkness. You can't get those 3 things together at home. Cinema forces focus. There's no asking if the guys in the box can pause it while you go to the loo, and there's certainly no scrolling through your phone or distractions. The commitment to what you're experiencing in front of you is what makes those moments both land harder and stick with you for longer.

Fourth, you have those scenes you'll never forget.

Interstellar's docking sequence. Maximus vs Commodus or Luke vs Vader. Peter saving MJ. Heathcliff sobbing over Cathy. Harry Potter and Voldemort. Mr Darcy's hand flex. Maverick's shot down saving Rooster. Oh god, there are so many moments in films I can't forget. It's those unforgettable experiences, that one scene or even a film trailer that make you sit forward in your seat without realising, or put your hand over your mouth to stop yourself from screaming (or crying) too loud.

And last, but certainly not least, it's the aftermath.

The best cinema experiences don't end once the credits roll up. You leave thinking about it, your whole journey home is consumed by what you've seen or heard, and you get back feeling different because of it. You're quieter, or you're thinking, or you're still buzzing with adrenaline. The film has affected you, and that emotional residue that's left... that's the magic of cinema, and how much it means.

There's simply nothing better than the right film on the big screen!

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Stay tuned for part 3... Soundtrack and Craft, and watch me try and rein myself in, instead of launching into an hour-long ode to my love of all things film music!