So you must have seen the blog post I made about the @ApolloCinemas Winter Weekend that I posted up recently, well it was a great day, but the surprise came when I was asked if I wouldn’t mind being interviewed about my film reviews and my blog!

Surprised! You’re Not Kidding!

Suffice to say I was really surprised that anyone would find my blogging exploits of any interest, but Craig from Apollo Cinemas got me upstairs and sat down to be interviewed on @PointFMRhyl. My nerves were all over the place as I sat down with a microphone in my hand waiting to go LIVE on local radio!

But I do have to say that I was put at ease and besides my voice blasting out through the Apollo Cinema foyer and outside above the sound of the fun fair and across the car park, it was fun.

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A straightforward list of favourite Christmas movies would be rather redundant. Excepting some difference either side of the Atlantic, the traditional Christmas movies are a predictable lot: ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ or ‘The Wizard of Oz’ in the main, a sprinkling of ‘Home Alone’, ‘Die Hard’ or ‘Muppet’s Christmas Carol’ as a side dish and ‘The Great Escape’ if you’re British.

But if you’re looking for something a little different this year, try one of the films from this list:

Tokyo Godfathers

Considering that barely 2 percent of Japan’s population are Christians, it’s surprising that the holiday is celebrated at all. That there is a Japanese film, set in Japan that heavily features Christmas is probably even more suprising. Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers actually seems to have been inspired by a minor John Ford western, 3 Godfathers, wherein three cowhands return an orphaned baby to civilization.

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Those of you that have read my blog often will have seen the collection of movie reviews that I have recently been posting, with the most recent movies all been viewed at my local Apollo cinema in Rhyl.

The Future Is Here!

The future of Rhyl’s entertainment is certainly getting a good kick-start with the Apollo cinema giving the town a much-needed breath of life. With the use of modern technology going in leaps and bounds, bringing 3D, live shows, sports events and much more.

But it doesn’t stop there the Apollo cinema is growing with a reputation for bringing top quality entertainment to the public and with more plans in the pipeline to expand on the entertainment for people living in the surrounding area to enjoy.  Bring it on I say

So recently I had the privilege of having a talk with Craig Miller and Alison Hogarth about the cinema and it’s future. The future is really looking good for the Apollo Cinema and Craig mentioned to me many plans in the pipeline which do sound extremely interesting, with the cinema expanding further and hopefully utilizing the Children’s Village which sits next to it. I’m really looking forward to seeing how all this pans out.

Suffice to say there are some great plans coming in the near future and the Apollo cinema is certainly something that Rhyl has needed for a while, a good kick up the backside.

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Bigger, Bolder & Better Apollo Cinema Rhyl

So a couple of weeks a go, I received a special invite from Alison Hogarth to attend a special evening at The Apollo Cinema Rhyl, how could I say no!

Last night was the night and arriving at the cinema at just gone 6PM and checking my name was down on the exclusive guest list, I was given a goody bag and went straight to the bar

Greeted With A Tasty Beverage

Entering the bar everyone was drinking champagne, so grabbed my flute and sat down to ponder what was happening for the evening, I must say I did feel a little under dressed for the occasion, but hey, I’m an almost famous blogger not a big shot business person
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It seems that we are going to be getting some great movies coming to our local cinemas soon and being a big fan of seeing films on a big screen in 7.1 surround sound and of the latest innovation in 3D, I thought I would bring you 5 upcoming movies that I can’t wait to see.

So lets get on with the list in no particular order:
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Superhero movies have exploded into the mainstream in the last decade with countless releases and sequels for all the best known superheroes. Unfortunately some of the bigger releases such as Spiderman and Hulk never quite hit the mark. This top 5 list puts the spotlight on the finest superhero movies in the last 15 years and I hope you enjoy it.

Watchmen
Watchmen is a graphic novel collated of 12 comics created by Alan Moore in the 80s. The story revolves around a twist on history, and how the group of masked heroes helped America win the Vietnam War. A plan to release the book as a movie had been in the pipeline for many years, but it was eventually released under Zack Snyder’s direction in 2009. The film was well scripted, and the visuals were spectacular, as you would expect from Snyder.  Enjoyment was further enhanced through a quirky and satirical soundtrack.

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Humans use all our senses to perceive the world around us.

As newborns, it is touch, smell, and sound that provide the signals we need. Parents themselves are hard-wired to react to the cries of their child; a baby in distress is a powerful sound that makes adults run – in one direction or the other. Our ancestors relied on sound for important signals that were crucial to survival, and our emotional response to different types of sound explains the roots of language development.

So it should come as no surprise that sound plays a huge role in the emotional effectiveness of visual entertainment, even though most people don’t realise how they are being influenced. Next time you watch a movie or TV show, try to keep your ears open as well as your eyes. It isn’t always as obvious as the dramatic, emotional soundtracks to important scenes. Pick out the little motifs used to define the characters and places. Listen out for sound bridges between scenes that help you understand what you are meant to be feeling.