VIP Class Notes (Vicki)

Homework

watch “inside out” “coco”

Reading

Are you aĀ movieĀ­goer? If, like me, youā€™re a fan of film, then thereā€™s no better place to watch something than onĀ theĀ big screenĀ at theĀ cinema. You enter the darkĀ auditoriumĀ and take your seat, ready to be entertained. But while youĀ engrossĀ yourself in some movie magic, many others are now getting theirĀ film fixĀ at home.

Over the last few years, cinemas have seen a resurgence. Customers have been enticed by comfortable seats,Ā and lots of choice of things to watch.Ā MultiplexesĀ in particular canĀ screenĀ up to twenty films at the same time, catering for all different tastes. In addition, 3D and even 4D movies can give theĀ audienceĀ an extraĀ immersiveĀ experience. So, whatā€™s not to like about a trip to the cinema?

One answer to that question is convenience. Rather than going out, itā€™s so much easier to stay in and watch aĀ romcomĀ orĀ action movieĀ on aĀ high-definitionĀ TV screen via aĀ streaming serviceĀ such as Netflix or Amazon Prime. Thereā€™s plenty of choice, and itā€™s relatively cheap as well. But, personally, I find there are too many distractions, and watching at home is not such an event. I miss theĀ trailersĀ too!

But the coronavirus pandemic has put the future of cinemas under the spotlight. Some have had to close because of reduced ticket sales.Ā  And in the UK, itā€™s brought about a surge in TV watching andĀ online streaming, according to media watchdog, Ofcom. It also found that half of UK adults will keep and continue using their new streamingĀ subscriptions.

This isnā€™t great news for cinemas. They rely on theĀ releaseĀ of a bigĀ blockbusterĀ to bring the crowds back, but the launch of new films, such as James Bond: No Time To Die, are being delayed. And Disney has released its $200m blockbuster, Mulan, online instead of inĀ movie theatres. But John Fithian, from the National Association of Theatre Owners, told Variety magazine: ā€œThis idea of waiting out the pandemic to make your movies more profitable doesnā€™t make sense to me. There wonā€™t be as much of an industry left to play your movies in if you do that.ā€

Vocabulary

subscription – VIP
i.e. I have a subscription to Tencent videos.

blockbuster – a movie with big budgets and lots of famous actors
i.e. James Bond is a blockbuster movie.

distraction – gan rao
i.e. I can’t have any distractions when I’m watching a movie.

trailer – preview
i.e. I watched the trailer for that movie and it seems interesting.

romcom – romantic comedy
i.e. I don’t like romcoms.

chick flick – movies that make girls happy

catastrophe (n.) – zai nan
i.e. I don’t like to watch catastrophe movies.

immersive (adj.) – make people feel like they are within
i.e. 3D movies are very immersive, I feel that I am in the picture.

cater (v.) – to provide food / to meet someone’s needs
i.e. McDonald is catering our party tonight.
i.e. To cater to every employee, we have many options of colors.

multiplex – a move theatre that has at least 10 screening rooms

entice (v.) – gou ying / to attract
i.e. That woman is trying to entice me.

moviegoer – someone who likes to go to the moves

auditorium – a big room with surrounding sounds and chairs that line up by steps

entertain (v.) – ye le
i.e. KTV entertains me. > KTV is an entertainment that I like.

engross (v.)- to focus
i.e. Before the exam, I engross myself in the books.

resurgence (n.) – repeat increase
i.e. There has been a resurgence of coronavirus cases in China.

surge (v.)(n.) – a rapid increase
i.e. The stock surged last night.
i.e. There was a surge in the stock market.