Singapore's largest cinema to date, GV VivoCity, with 15 screens, is set to open this Saturday, 7 Oct 06, with a free preview to the public from 1230pm onwards, to have a look at its facilities.
There're 3 Gold Class theatres with its own lounge area, complete with wine and rich food (the brownie's excellent I tell you). For those who can afford it, it's probably the best halls in the house. The seats are plush and comfy, and able to recline flat horizontally, or whatever angle that suits your fancy. You'll also be able to summon your food and drinks through the call-button, think of it like watching a movie on board a flight, only that the screen's much larger.
To rival Cathay's Picturehouse, Cinema Europa (Hall 12) distinguishes itself from the other halls with its green coloured seats, wider arm rests, and side table to put your drinks and food. Yes, food and drinks ARE allowed into the hall, unlike Picturehouse's unpopular house rules. Even though the seats are not made by world class designers, it's comfortable enough, unlike the weird ones at Picturehouse. I suspect that both won't be screening the same movie, so it doesn't matter whether one chain will steal business from the other. Anyway it's a pity that Cinema Europa's premiere movie is Scoop, which you can watch from any other ordinary theatre hall/chain.
As its largest hall in the house, GV Max is widely touted as having one of the widest screens in Asia. True to its word, every seat in the house is a good seat. I've tested the front row, and the corner seats right in front as well, and because they're stadium styled and curved, you don't have to crane your neck, or shift your body for that comfortable viewing angle.
It's designed such that there is really no need to shift your bum. When seated in front at the centre aisle front row seats, the screen envelopes your entire peripheral vision comfortably, though I still wouldn't recommend watching an action movie too up close. So even if there are tickets available at the front row only, you might still want to take them. But take note this design only applies to GV Max.
Look out Grand Cathay and Lido 1, your rival has arrived! And what's more, GV VivoCity has so much more room at its foyer and lobby, air-conditioned so that you need not suffer from standing out there in the open, under the haze, that it's almost perfect for those Gala Premieres. I think it's kinda cheeky too to adopt the "Staircase" which Cathay ditched for its Handy Road flagship, and incorporate it into its own design at VivoCity.
The other halls, though designed with stadium seating, still have that craning of the neck requirement if you sit too close to the front. But the major major plus point, is the legroom. For tall people like me, this is heaven. No more cramped up legs! You can even cross your legs and slouch, and there's still enough legroom left for those sitting beside you to pass by. And this doesn't give any excuses for the person at the back to repeatedly kick your seat, one of the pet peeves in cinema-going.
During the preview we had countless of ultra-friendly staff smiling and greeting you, and even opening up doors for you. Guess customer attentiveness is also one of the differentiators that GV VivoCity is trying to rival Cathay's.
You can click at the movieXclusive logo below to have a taste of the events lineup until the end of the year
To have a sneak peek into the cinema, watch this clip aye?
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