A Whole New World

Plush seats. Dark room. Cup holders. A large screen. 

This is your typical American movie experience. You can add some buttered popcorn, candy, and maybe a soda from the concession stand. Personally, I like getting to the theater early so I have my pick of seats. The movie starts, you watch it, wait for the credits to end, and then leave. I always thought this was a great experience and often find myself venturing out to go see the newest movies in my hometown.

Little did I know that this experience could get even better.

On an exciting Friday night, our class headed out to Roxy Bar & Screen. Yes, another movie, but they have a great insight to the inner-workings of the city.

The restaurant consists of seating in the front, a bar in the middle, and couches in the back. Yes. This place has 2 rows of couches for comfort. There are some other tables as well in case all of the couches are taken. In front of the couches, is a large screen for a movie.

This is the most unique movie theater when compared to American movie theaters. Even though all movies theaters sell alcohol, this is still a novelty to an experienced American. Roxy Bar & Screen also has a very homey feel to it as well. The couches provided more comfort than a seat in a theater. If you go with friends, it makes a more intimate setting than along a row with several other people. This place is very small too. Maybe about 20 other people were there to watch the movie with us.

Which brings me to my next observation. The movie being played was not a new movie. We saw Pulp Fiction, a Quentin Tarantino classic. According to our brilliant professor, Bill Nericcio, this place was made because the owner hated movie theaters. This is clearly reflected in the laid back atmosphere and phenomenal movies being played there. For instance, within the next few weeks, 12 Years a Slave, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Saving Mr. Banks and many others will be played.

The theater also doubles as a restaurant. I ordered some sliders from the menu and received them during the movie. This helped to save me from missing any of the classic moments in the movie since I did not have to get up.

When all of these aspects are mixed together, you get one ultimate experience. This was more than just going to see a movie; it was a cinematic adventure. It felt just the same as inviting friends over to your own house and enjoying a movie. This is a completely different atmosphere of any other movie theater I had been in. Instead of dinner then a movie, it's dinner and a movie! No more awkward moments of a question being asked as you are taking a bite of your meal. You can digest a meal and the movie simultaneously!

This theater shows the British people aren't as stuck up as stereotypes lead people to believe. They like to enjoy movies and food just as much as the next person. Roxy Bar & Screen provides the best place to be with friends, try a first date, or even go to by yourself. This was an experience I had never had, but I'm now addicted. This shows that there is still much to learn about the British way of life and I can't wait to see all that this new world has to offer.