Film: Rocketman

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We took the short drive over to Rushden Lakes today – this time, not for shopping! (some mistake surely) – but in consolation, we did sneak in a cheeky dessert courtesy of Heavenly Desserts!

Instead of shopping, it was our first visit to their shiny new, two-week-old, Cineworld cinema (their 100th opening in fact!). We saw Rocketman, the biographical film based on the life of musical legend Elton John.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher and written by Lee Hall, it stars Taron Egerton as the titular singer, with Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, and Bryce Dallas Howard in strong supporting roles.

Having also seen Bohemian Rhapsody back in November, comparisons were going to inevitable, but we went with open minds (and ears!)

Mostly chronological, it charted Elton’s life from a young boy, and didn’t hold back on those three rock-star essentials – sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. With that in mind, it’s probably not a film for Grandma, and best to leave the sprogs on the cinema’s climbing wall in Reception!

Taron Egerton more than held his own singing the Elton John staples, and if he ever gets bored of acting, a singing career awaits! Unlike Bohemian Rhapsody, the songs had, in most cases, been re-orchestrated to complement and follow the storyline – it worked really well with an uncanny match of the lyrics to the scene’s mood. Overall, the movie followed a deeper and darker theme throughout compared with Queen’s equivalent – and in places, was even sadder (Who’d be a pop-megastar ehh???) 🤔

Having said all that, I was hooked throughout! What a movie! For me, easily the best I’ve seen in a long, long while – and I’m not a particular fan of Elton’s music, nor actors trying their hand at singing!

And therefore, I suppose, the inevitable question has to be answered: “Was it better than Bohemian Rhapsody?” With its more graphic storyline, for me, most definitely, “yes”.

A must-see movie! 👍

And the Cinema itself..?

I can’t recall the last time we went to a Cineworld cinema – we tend to plump for Odeon, only because there seems to be more of them around. Actually, a quick search of my Blog revealed we’d been to MK’s Cineworld back in January 2018 to see Darkest Hour (free tickets courtesy of Sky) – my memory is definitely getting worse! 😵‍💫

First impressions of The Lake were very positive ones! First of all, it’s massive inside! So large in fact, it has its own climbing wall for the kiddies (and why not!?). The whole place was scrupulously clean and with major areas bathed in red neon, it looked very inviting. The cleanliness extended to the loos too! Inside Screen 1, the seats were super-comfortable and the sort that recline. The picture quality on-screen was eye-popping – the best I’ve ever seen in any cinema anywhere – pin-sharp and with audio to match. Our expectations were well-and-truly exceeded (and that doesn’t happen too often these days!).

In fact, it made our local Odeon look very shabby by comparison! We were so impressed, we’re going back again on Saturday – this time to see Marvel Studios’ latest: Spiderman: Far from Home (and I have a feeling, we’ll be making quite a few more visits in the future).

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