Marvelling at the silver screen

This week I had the pleasure of attending a cinema in Brussels for the first time. I had been warned that subtitles cover half the page, as films are in English but must be translated in French and Dutch. Personally, I don’t like subtitles. They always distract me to the point that I don’t even watch the film and I knew, before even entering the cinema, that I would use this as an opportunity to try and improve my French. But maybe that’s not a bad thing.

I was so happy that somebody suggested doing something that didn’t involve drinking. I feel as though I miss out on a lot of opportunities to bond with people because I turn down going out quite a bit. We have a group chat for Erasmus people in Brussels, somebody posted their interest in going to see the film and others joined in – myself and my friends included. Yes, that is how easy it is to meet people abroad.

I think it’s fair to say that Marvel is a bit of a cult. They have their own language, references to previous films, film-making techniques, the works. Of course I only know this now. When I mentioned in the office that I was going to watch ‘Blank Panther: Waganda Forever’ without seeing the first one or barely any other Marvel films, I was told there was no point in going.

Honestly, I just love the experience of going to the cinema. As someone who finds it hard to sit still, I will happily zone out and sit and relax if I find the film boring. It’s like I know if I move, I will disturb the people around me so I sit. I don’t even go on my phone because I know the light will annoy others.

Myself and my friend walked to the metro together. We met the others and took a mandatory trip to the Carrefour (supermarket) to stock up our bags and pockets. Not just a Cavan tradition but apparently a world-wide one. Amazingly, the cinema staff do not check your bags before you enter. With bursting pockets, we jogged through the rain and into the cinema.

As we made our way to the screen, I couldn’t help but think a map would come in handy – and that was before we had to find our seats. As we entered, I was struck by the beauty of the place. Odeon in Cavan wouldn’t have a look in. Forget the cinema, this place was like an art gallery. The screen was positioned on what looked like a stage surrounded by rich gold décor. The dim lighting showing us to our seats highlighted its beauty.

Suddenly, the €11 tickets that we previously complained about seemed cheap. I could sit here in awe all evening with no movie playing. The advertisements began with me pledging to go and see each movie they showed. Is anybody else guilty of this? I never actually go to see the films, but I always have great intentions. ‘Whitney Houston in Focus’ stood out to me in particular, watching the star in this setting would be amazing.

The film opened with a flashback from the first Black Panther. I smartly positioned myself between two Marvel fanatics so I had explainers throughout. It was nice to have somebody whispering the references I didn’t get. However one of the things I loved the most about the film was that you could keep up even without having seen the previous one. It was a situation where what you didn’t know didn’t hurt you.

The film was set in a fictional world known as Waganda, where a metal known as vibranium is abundant. I did have to look up what vibranium was, after this the plot made more sense. The kingdom is under threat by the outside world with greed for this precious metal as the driving force. The story is a beautiful mix of a world where both male and female bosses dominate, the kingdom’s people are prioritised, peace wins out over war and above all family is at the core.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed the film despite not being a major Marvel fan. As soon as the credits rolled up on the screen, I was gathering my stuff and heading on my way. It was here that you could really spot the hardcore fans from the rookies. So on all Marvel films, there is a final scene after the credits. I did not know this but I was grateful for my friends who quite literally pulled me back down into the seat when I made to get up.

The entire experience from start to finish was amazing. The only drawback was that on my way back from the bathroom at one stage, I could not for the life of me find my seat. I love having friends who will watch me walk around like a headless chicken for a while and laugh before raising their hands and waving. I would do the exact same thing myself. Sometimes it’s not the activity itself but the people you do it with that makes it enjoyable.

* Gemma Good is from Killeshandra and a third year journalism student in University of Limerick

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY:

One good turn deserves another