Vue North Finchley

The Vue has everything a north Londoner needs. If I were to make a list of pros and cons, this would be the pros.
— the prices here are not too bad compared to Central
— chairs are very comfy
— the screens are good
— film choice is always current
— they have popcorn and Ben and Jerry’s!
— there are never lines for the bathroom
— and the staff here is quite nice.
There are restaurants nearby if you are hungry and sometimes you get given a vouches for money off on your next visit. For cons, there isn’t anything really bad, it isn’t a particularly fancy cinema that impresses, but it is a good all rounder.

Good size cinemas with a lot of theaters and late night movies on the weekend. Lot of food/​candy options too, and if you pay a little bit extra, you get these big comfy seats. Or if you go on a quiet night, just sit down in them if they’re free.
My two main gripes:
— The chairs don’t lean back. Maybe that’s normal in England, I can’t remember from the previous times I lived here, but it sucks. Why can’t we have normal, reclining seats like in every cinema in America? Ten times more comfortable; my back starts hurting from sitting up straight or slouching in these English chairs.
— 35 minute previews. Seriously? We came in 15 minutes late and STILL sat through another 20 minutes. The movie that was supposed to start 9.30pm started at 10.05pm. wtf.

I will say, they do have comfy chairs.
The queues are pretty long, but you CAN go upstairs to buy a ticket at the snack counter if the wait is really long downstairs. Can’t guarantee the wait is shorter, but you never know.
Tickets can be expensive. Even on Orange Wednesday a 3D film was 16.60, but what are you going to do when it’s the only cinema around?

Yuck.
Everything I hate about cinemas all rolled into one…
— Ticket booth closed and rubbish signage so you have no idea where to purchase tickets.
— Lack of helpful staff. In fact, lack of staff altogether to help you find where to purchase tickets.
— Unenthusiastic, downright rude girl on the till for tickets and popcorn.
Her: «Where would you like to sit?»
Me: «Erm, can I see where’s available?»
Her: «No, I’ve stuck you in the middle.»
— Ridiculously priced tickets. Over £19 for two adult tickets — and they weren’t even the «luxury seats»! Really? The Everyman cinemas are about the same and they have nice staff, waiter service to your seat and A BAR!
— Dirty toilets that leave you feeling grimy.
— Stale popcorn and sticky floors.
Other than that, it was great! I won’t be returning if I can help it.

The Vue cinema in North Finchley is a large cinema that shows all of the latest films. The seating is pretty comfortable and they have stadium style seating so you don’t have to sit right in front of the screen. Overall watching films at this cinema is very comfortable.
They have a snack counter as well as a sweet shop so there’s plenty of food to buy and enjoy with your film.
I’ve always found the staff at this cinema to friendly and knowledgable about the films that are showing.
When you buy a ticket they usually give you a voucher for money off your next visit to the cinema which I think is a nice touch.

One of the attractions in moving to my current location was having a Vue cinema within a mile or so of where I live. I have always been a fan of Vue Cinema because having been to four or five of them in London they seem consistant in their facilities and décor.
There is nothing worse to me than getting really excited to see a movie that has been newly released for which you have waited to see for several months, only to find you get stuck behind some six foot giant. Now that is why I like Vue in North Finchley. You see one thing I always check before visiting a cinema is are the seats stadium style? I mean when the seats are all on one level you sit there hoping and praying you do not get an adult sitting in front of you Ahhh! Leaning to one side for two hours is no fun. However, all of the theatres in Vue North Finchley are stadium style so the seat in front of you is lower than yours giving you a perfect view regardless.
The prices are less than in the city centre and cheaper before 5pm Mon-​Fri. It does get busy during the evening so bring your debit card and pay at the machines.