An inside Vue

There are some big Box Office movies hitting cinemas at the moment. Matthew Berry is the deputy manager at the Westwood Cross Vue cinema and he talks to us about business.

What's causing a stir in the world of cinema at the moment?

Matthew Berry: Definitely Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. There’s been a lot of hype about it. And because we’re showing it in 3D it’s even more popular. We have taken absolutely loads of pre-bookings for it. I’m sure Johnny Depp is drawing in the crowds as well.

What’s your take on the expense of going to the cinema?

MB: Well we try to stay ahead of competitors so our prices are pretty competitive. We get this a lot from customers and I think it is something that could change in the next few years. We don’t want an outing to the cinema to become a special occasion. We’d like it to be part of people’s everyday life. Reducing prices could be a way to do this.

Which film have your customers flocked to the most this year?

MB: Avatar by far. It seemed to be the first time a lot of people were trying 3D and it seemed everyone loved. Obviously it’s been one of the most successful film of all time, so yeah, our customers definitely lapped it up. People kept coming back again again to see it which doesn’t happen a lot.

Do you think the cinema is a thing of the past, taking pirate DVDs into account?

MB: I think pirates definitely play a part in cinema numbers. There was a really big slump in customers a few years ago when pirating just came out and it was the “in” thing. But now I think cinemas have recovered and numbers are back up, especially with special deals such as Orange Wednesday. People love getting a bit of money off.

Are there any upcoming releases that you think are going to be a big hit at the box office?

MB: I think The Lovely Bones is going to be big. It’s got some good stars in it and it also comes from a popular book. Films based on popular novels seemed to do very well. Another one is Green Zone with Matt Damon. It’s being liked to the Bourne films and people went crazy for them!