🎭 Art & culture

The cinema

A big screen, the lights down, a good film – the cinema is a surprisingly good place to go alone. And better still is meeting for a drink afterwards to talk it over.

What a big screen does

A good film in a darkened room on a big screen has an effect no television at home can match. The sound that fills the space, the concentration without distraction, laughing or holding your breath along with strangers – the cinema is a social experience even when nobody says a word. It is also a surprisingly good place to go alone: in the dark nobody notices, and you enjoy the film undisturbed.

More than the blockbuster

Alongside the big multiplexes, independent and arthouse cinemas are worth seeking out. They show independent films, classics, documentaries and original-language versions that never reach the mainstream screens. The audience is often more talkative and more curious – ideal for falling into conversation over a drink afterwards. Some venues run themed evenings or film seasons that draw the same crowd back regularly.

Meeting before or after

The lovely thing about the cinema is that it combines easily with company without requiring you to talk the whole time. You meet beforehand for a bite, or go for a drink afterwards to talk the film over. On a first meeting in particular that takes the pressure off – the film hands you a subject for free.

Tips for getting started

Seek out independent cinemas – they show films the multiplex never gets, and the audience is more talkative.
Original versions with subtitles are worth it; many films lose something when dubbed.
Do go on your own sometimes – in a dark room nobody notices.
Plan a drink afterwards to talk the film over – that turns an evening out into a proper meeting.

Frequently asked questions

Is it odd to go to the cinema alone?

Not at all. In a darkened room everyone is concentrating on the film, and you enjoy it entirely undisturbed. Plenty of people go alone by choice.

What is the difference between a multiplex and an independent cinema?

Multiplexes show mainly current blockbusters; independent cinemas show independent films, classics and original-language versions – often with a more talkative audience.

The cinema near you

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