This summer, the Toronto Port Authority sponsored a five-day floating film festival to fete the authority's 100th anniversary. The screen was set up on a barge in the Inner Harbour just east of the Redpath Sugar building and viewers watched films from their boats or from land at Corus Quay. That event -- and the start of the Toronto International Film Festival tomorrow (Sept. 8-18) -- got me thinking about unique film experiences I've encountered or heard about on my travels.
Here are a few worth checking out:
-- Oscar films with bubbles in London: Movie buffs may want to check into The Arch hotel on their next visit to England. Guests at this chic 82-room hotel on a quiet street near Marble Arch, have complimentary access to every Oscar-winning film (Best Picture) since the 1930s. That's more than 60 films from which to choose including On the Waterfront, Lawrence of Arabia, Gandhi, Slumdog Millionaire and The Hurt Locker. Take DVDs to your room to watch on the flat screen TV from your comfy bed or, if staying in one of the 17 rooms with a bathtub, unwind with a bubble bath and watch the movie from a screen above the tub! (Grab a complimentary beverage from the mini bar first though). Rooms also feature complimentary Wi-Fi, flat-screen HD TVs, Nespresso coffee machines, and Internet radio with over 10,000 channels. The Arch, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is located near Hyde Park. See slh.com/thearchlondon.
-- Star in your own film: If you've ever pondered making a film, a Florida hotel wants to turn your dream into reality. The Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate has a Picture This package that allows guests to capture special holiday moments. If travelling as a family, each member could play a different role: Either as director, cast, crew or editor. You'll get a new, handheld video camera along with a luxury suite equipped with editing equipment, tickets to Disney Hollywood Studios, VIP seating at the resort's dive-in screenings, a full-day cabana rental, complimentary in-room popcorn and movie, a Take-Home DVD and more.
The luxury 6-hectare resort makes an ideal movie set where your camera can capture kids sliding down the 38-metre corkscrew waterslide or floating on the 258-metre Lazy River. Available through Sept. 30 from $485 US/night. Contact 1-800-The-Omni or omniorlandoresort.com.
-- Beyond Popcorn in Arizona: Seeing movies is an upscale experience at Scottsdale's new iPic theatres. Even before you enter the screening room, several visual clues hint this isn't a typical movie house. There are chandeliers in the lobby, a swanky lounge, a restaurant with a wine tower, and contemporary mixed-media paintings depicting various movie icons in the hallways.
Moviegoers can opt for Premium seating (large leather chairs with small tables for in-cinema dining) or Premium Plus (reclining chairs, pillows and blankets, popcorn and food and beverage service for the first 20 minutes). All seats have unobstructed views of the screen. Complimentary valet parking is also available.
Watch the movie while enjoying a beer or cocktail from the Salt Lounge, or glass of wine from iPic's wine towers. Hungry? The Tanzy Express stand has a selection of freshly prepared items such as beef filet sliders, and lemon grilled chicken skewers. (Sure beats hot dogs!)
As the theatre's name, iPic, suggests, moviegoers can select the type of experience they want -- just come for the film or combine it with a drink or meal before, during or after the show.
As you might expect from an upscale cinema, it's equipped with the latest technology: Online reserved seating, all digital projection, state-of-the-art sound, automated ticket pick up at site or print at home, studio-preferred 3D technology and the latest technology for both the hearing and visually impaired.
Admission (to the movie) starts at $15 US. You can also sign up for a free membership and get discounts and invites to special events. Check ipictheaters.com.
-- Movies on the Beach: From Beach Blanket Bingo to beach blanket movies, the Gimli International Film Festival has free nightly screenings on the beach every summer. What makes this event unique is the films are projected over Lake Winnipeg onto a 10-by-10-metre screen erected on a sandbar surrounded by water.
The family friendly screenings attract hundreds of moviegoers every night, who bring their own blankets, cushions, and folding chairs. Also worth noting at "Manitoba's largest film festival" is a chance to see the aurora borealis -- the northern lights -- which sometimes appear in the night sky over the lake, competing for spectators' attention with the entertainment onscreen.
Gimli has the largest Icelandic community outside Iceland, which is reflected in the offerings at the festival. The films emphasize new and recent work by Canadian and Icelandic filmmakers plus works from other Nordic circumpolar nations. About 80 films (full-length features, documentaries, short documentaries and narrative films) are shown during the festival, which also includes indoor screenings (ticketed) at three Gimli theatres. The annual event, which takes place in July, attracts more than 5,000 visitors. The complete festival lineup for next year will be announced in late June. Check gimlifilm.com.
writer@interlog.com
