Tag Archives: United Kingdom

Liverpool, United Kingdom: ‘Valentine’s Day’ Great as Outdoor Movie and Features its Own Similar Scene

by Open Air Cinema on 16. Feb, 2010 in Outdoor Movie Events

Glad you are here! If this is your first visit, you might want to subscribe to the Outdoor Movie Feed or email updates to make sure you don't miss a thing on the Open Air Cinema blog!

SINGLETONS of the world unite.

Let us denounce Valentine’s Day as a conspiracy by florists and greetings card companies to prey upon our loneliness.

Why should we all feel compelled to bear our souls on February 14, when any other day would do just as well?

“It’s Valentine’s Day. You don’t think, you just do,” says one of the characters in this sugar-coated tale of romance and heartbreak.

Two hours isn’t long enough to fully develop more than 20 major characters and their storylines, and Garry Marshall’s film runs the risk of being simple cinematic candy floss.

However, amidst the gooey sentiments and shameless wish fulfilment there are some big laughs and eye-catching performances from a stellar cast – including Julia Roberts, Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Garner, Jamie Foxx and Shirley MacLaine.

Valentine’s Day is a morass of cloying fairytale romances across the generations that predominantly end with a happy ever after or, at least, a comeuppance and emotional closure.

Some of the plot strands are hopelessly contrived and characters could have been cut entirely.

However, there are some charming distractions such as the interplay between MacLaine and Hector Elizondo, which comes to a head at an open-air film screening of the 1958 film Hot Spell, starring a young, fresh-faced…MacLaine.

You’ll need a very sweet tooth to stomach all of the saccharine outpourings, culminating in some amusing out-takes over the end credits.

Catherine Jones

source-http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-entertainment/echo-reviews/film-and-cinema/2010/02/12/film-review-valentine-s-day-100252-25818006/


Read full story • Comments Off

Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom: Glamorgan Cricket Club Wants Open-Air Entertainment to Raise Funds

by Open Air Cinema on 04. Feb, 2010 in Outdoor Movie Events

OUTDOOR opera and cinema screenings could be held at the Swalec Stadium under plans being examined by bosses at Glamorgan Cricket Club.

The club’s chief executive, Alan Hamer, revealed the county was looking at innovative ways of bringing new income into the club’s coffers.

With a large debt hanging over Glamorgan thanks to the redevelopment of its stadium at Sophia Gardens into an international-standard cricket arena, the club is searching for ways of increasing its revenue.

Mr Hamer said Glamorgan had already seen its turnover increase from non-cricket sources in the last year, while the Ashes Test match last summer had contributed to the club recording record turnover of £11.5m in 2009.

He stressed any large-scale events at the ground would only be held with full consideration of local residents in mind.

However, that might not appease the ground’s neighbours, many of whom were against the redevelopment of the Swalec Stadium into a 16,000-seater Test match ground.

Mr Hamer said: “We have started discussions with the council about using the stadium for opera and outdoor cinema. Of course, were we to do that we would need to ensure it was sensitive to the residents. It would also have to be something that fits in with the parkland setting here.”

Using car parking space when the ground is not in use for a cricket fixture is another possible means for increasing income, said Mr Hamer.

“The counties that lose money are the ones that are very dependent on cricket,” said Mr Hamer.

“The counties that make money are the ones that not only stage international matches but also have strong conferencing operations.”

Mr Hamer, who was appointed to his role in September last year, said the club was keen to increase attendances for home matches, with a new fixture timetable drawn up by cricket governing body, the England and Wales Cricket Board, likely to help that push.

“We are trying to reach an audience for Glamorgan matches we haven’t had for a number of years.

“We are really excited about the coming season, with a lot of the young players coming through along with some shrewd signings.

“We have got to ensure that we get the message out to people and try and attract new supporters here to the cricket.”

One major factor Mr Hamer is hoping for is an improvement in the weather on the last three summers, something out of the county’s control but something which can have as big an impact on attendances as anything else.

He added: “We are hoping, with the new fixture calendar and a good summer, that we will see more families through the gates coming to watch Glamorgan games as well.”

Aled Blake

source-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2010/01/27/glamorgan-cricket-club-wants-open-air-entertainment-to-raise-funds-91466-25692035/

Read full story • Comments Off

Colchester, United Kingdom: Open air Cinema Part of Venue Rejuvenation

by Open Air Cinema on 07. Jan, 2010 in Outdoor Movie Events

Art on show at Slack Space’s first site

VOLUNTEERS from a thriving art and music project, which aims to fill empty shop space in Colchester, are in advanced negotiations to open a new venue.

Slack Space Colchester hopes to move into the old Shoe World store, in Queen Street, by next month.

If plans are agreed, the group, run by volunteers, will hold a year-long series of mini-festivals, talks, DJ nights and performances in the premises, which are part of the town’s proposed Cultural Quarter.

Dorian Kelly, Slack Space collaborator, said: “It is a huge space and on two floors, so we can do stuff in there we couldn’t do in other places.

“Slack Space is expanding and it is very exciting to think of what we can achieve in that new space.”

The group already has a main venue in Long Wyre Street and three window spaces in the town to exhibit the work of artists, musicians and performers from the area.

The new venue will be used, in collaboration withColchester Council, to show the public, through a range of activities, the kind of things that will be happening in the Cultural Quarter when it is opened within the next few years.

The council has declined to comment on how much the scheme will cost.

The Slack Space team has also secured a grant of £1,940 from Essex County Council’s Arts in Essex Small Grants Scheme.

The money will be used to display original artwork in 18 empty and working shopfronts across Colchester.

The project will showcase works from established and developing artists, and any businesses interested in displaying work, or artists wanting to be involved in the project, can contact Slack Space at colchesterslackers@gmail.com

Meanwhile, Colchester’s Cultural Quarter is likely to be created over a series of phases.

The first would see a hotel, creative hub and affordable homes, with some work starting this year.

Original plans for the old bus station site and nearby land included an open-air cinema and a glass-roofed market.

Once the first phase is complete, Colchester Council, developer Garbe and architect Ash Sakula will look at how to develop adjoining land off Queen Street and Priory Street.

Regeneration in the south of the town centre will also include the Visual Arts Facility gallery complex, which is due to open later this year, and the Vineyard Gate shopping centre, work on which is currently suspended.

Frances Leate

source-http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/4836652.Colchester_s_artists_set_to_get_new_venue/

Read full story • Comments Off

South Hampton, United Kingdom: Upcoming Naming Ceremony for “Azura”, Supership Featuring Impressive Outdoor Cinema

by Open Air Cinema on 26. Nov, 2009 in Outdoor Movie Events

The open-air cinema

It promises to be a suitably glittering ceremony to launch South-ampton’s latest supership.

Ballet superstar Darcey Bussell will name P&O’s Azura in a bottle-smashing ceremony in the city docks next year.

Ms Bussell, 40, has been appointed ‘godmother’ of the new £350m vessel and will star in the naming on April 10.

She is poised to become a familiar figure on TV by becoming a judge on Strictly Come Dancing from next month.

More than 1,200 guests have been invited to the ceremony on the top deck of the 115,000 tonne ship just before its maiden voyage around the Mediterranean on April 12.

P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow said today: “Darcey Bussell epitomises glamour, sophistication and elegance, all qualities we have strived to achieve in Azura.

“Azura will offer the service, quality and entertainment associated with cruising at its very best and as dance will play a key part in this, it is fitting for Darcey to give Azura the best possible start in life.”

Ms Bussell will fly back from her home in Sydney, Australia, for the event.

She said: “I am so excited, honoured and, at the same time, somewhat filled with trepidation to be Godmother to Azura, as I know how significant the ceremony is viewed by the ship’s captain and the crew.”

The liner will carry up to 3,100 passengers and 1,226 crew. It boasts a dance floor, ten restaurants, a 750-seat theatre, nightclubs and open air cinema.

Andrew Napier

source-http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/leisure/news/4753421.Darcey_Bussell_to_name_Azura/

Read full story • Comments Off
Older Entries »