Netflix will never beat the Multiplex.
Despite streaming services having everything I could ever ask for from the comfort of my own home – the experience feels hollow – much like a void that can only be filled by watching a film on the big screen. The communal experience of viewing a great film in a cinema is something that is so beautifully unique to cinemas themselves, a shared celebration of how films can move us. As someone who has lived in Glasgow all his life, I’ve been to every great (and unfortunately bad) cinema the city has to offer.
Beginning with Glasgow’s oldest and closest cinema to the university: The Grosvenor Picture Theatre. A beautiful and warm cinema tucked away amongst the cobblestones of Ashton Lane. The cinema possesses a rustic charm that compliments the modern and intimate furnishing of its two screens. But its true strength lies in programming. The Grosvenor isn’t content to merely show the latest and greatest hits, instead opting to screen weekly seasons dedicated to a theme or a filmmaker. I opted for their Cult Classics screenings. Rumble Fish (1983), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Lady Bird (2017), and more. For students, The Grosvenor works alongside our very own GU International Film Society, facilitating the screening of a wide array of unknown and legendary foreign films. Standard tickets are £12 each, whilst student tickets are £10. Additionally, you can check out their instagram page (@gu_ifs) to sign up for a membership and receive tickets for just £4 each. What makes The Grosvenor “Romantic” however, is the 20% off your meal you get from the neighbouring Gardener restaurant if you have purchased cinema tickets. The perfect date night.
To discuss Glasgow’s cinema’s and not talk about the enduring cultural institution of the Glasgow Film Theatre would be blasphemous. Located in the heart of the city centre, just off Sauchiehall Street, the GFT is a stalwart of the creative arts scene in Glasgow. Hosting the Glasgow Film Festival every March, it is an institution that prides itself on showcasing the diverse world of cinema. I often find the most attentive audiences are found here as the GFT stands as a true bastion of cinematic creativity. For students, standard tickets are £9, though this may increase for event screenings. The GFT also offers their own membership services, from as low as £50 annually which includes multiple perks. The best for students, however, is their 15-25 card, which offers discounted tickets for standard screenings, amongst other benefits.
The GFT is not the only cinema nestled away amongst the streets of Glasgow city centre. Found on the bottom floor of Princes Square on Argyle Street, the Everyman is definitely the least affordable cinema on this list, but not one to shy away from. Perhaps not the best for avid cinema-goers as tickets are priced at £17.95, but an experience best suited for celebrations. Have a birthday coming up for a loved one obsessed with films? Then the Everyman’s fully stocked bar alongside restaurant quality food is sure to fill your appetite. All of which can be delivered to your seat. The Everyman does stand out amongst its competition, catering to an upmarket niche. A cinema striving for luxury.
Maybe the pomp of the Everyman just isn’t for you and you wish to see a film at a more affordable price. Located just down the road, Vue in the St Enoch Centre also features a fully stocked bar and recliner seating. The true strength of this is not just its cheap tickets – the lowest in Glasgow at £8.99 – but its locale. Vue is arguably the most accessible cinema in the city centre. It’s within easy walking distance from St Enochs subway station, Union Street (which is serviced by most bus routes) and Glasgow Central train station. So, for those students who don’t live near the university, the likelihood is that Vue is your most accessible cinema.
Additionally, the ODEON Luxe at Springfield Quay offers a similar experience and pricing model to Vue. Prices start at £11.35 per ticket, or you can purchase an ODEON Limitless membership for £16.99 a month to go as often as you like. The cinema is located just a 10 minute walk from Shields Road Subway station, so if the constant barrage of buskers and slow walkers of the city centre aren’t your speed, then the more secluded and quieter ODEON may be what you’re looking for.
Admittedly, the next cinema is somewhat of a distance from the university. Nonetheless, I felt it necessary to include Cineworld’s Silverburn location for one immutable reason: IMAX. Generally, I believe that much of the cinematic gimmicks,namely 3D, are precisely that; gimmicks, with very little in the way of immersion. And the same cannot be said for IMAX. Perhaps one of my all-time favourite cinema experiences was seeing Dune: Part Two in this exact IMAX. Truly no other format could have captured the sheer immensity of the intergalactic spice empire quite like IMAX. Cineworld have also begun investing heavily into their now flagship Glasgow site following the closure of their Renfrew Street cinema, installing new recliners and a 4DX screen. Sadly, due to Cineworld’s adherence to dynamic pricing, ticket prices for students may vary from £5 up to roughly £13 for premium formats. Or, just as with the GFT, Cineworld has its own membership. The unlimited card will get you unlimited access to films and discounted food for £16.99 a month.
For those who feel the journey to Cineworld is perhaps a stretch but still crave the enhanced audio and visuals afforded by IMAX; Glasgow’s Science Centre independently runs their own IMAX screen. The Science Centre utilises its IMAX well, rather unsurprisingly programming educational screenings, capturing the scale of dinosaurs and the cosmos that could only convincingly be captured in IMAX. Do not fret however, as the Science Centre also put its solitary screen to good use in other ways such as with screenings of the latest blockbusters. Thankfully, for students, the Science Centre also offers concession tickets at £10.75.
Frankly, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which cinema you choose. Or even what film you go to see. No matter how often the streaming goliaths may try to place the final nail in the coffin of the multiplex. It will never work. So, for the love of God – go to the cinema!
Image Credit: The Gardener Glasgow