Vue Bruuns is open again with a whole new cinema experience

I've always loved going to the movies. And I've always seen it as a holistic experience. It doesn't start when the lights go down and the movie starts. It starts when you walk in the door. The sounds and smell of popcorn already in the air. You stand at the kiosk and consider what you really want the most, even though you know what you'll end up with. The big popcorn and the cold soda. Maybe a little bit of candy, because that's part of it.

And then, when you finally settle into your seat, lean back and feel the anticipation because you will soon be watching this movie with all the others who have chosen exactly the same thing as you.

That's why I was curious when Vue Bruuns reopened after five months of renovation. And I have to be honest. It doesn't feel like the same cinema you walk into anymore. It feels like an upgrade to the whole experience.

A cinema where you feel welcome

The first thing you notice is how open everything has become. You no longer have to zigzag between people to find your way around. The kiosk area, which used to feel a bit cramped, has been given a little more space, and the foyers actually invite you to linger a little longer before the film starts.

This is no coincidence. That's what cinema manager Emma Hammerholt told me when I spoke to her the day after the press event. "A lot of what we've been focusing on is the whole flow. Previously, you had to walk a little against the direction when you went over and mixed your soda. It was hard to figure out where you were going to get out. So we've been thinking about how we can make the flow better for the guests," she says.

And you can feel it. It all fits together better now. You move naturally from the kiosk to the ticket counter and into the hall, without having to think about it. It may sound simple, but it makes a difference when the experience is to feel easy.

When the cinema seat feels like your own living room

Inside the hall it's a different story. Or maybe not a story, but a feeling.

The first thing I noticed was the smell of leather. That feeling of something new, something that has just been unpacked and put to use. And then the seats. They are no longer the classic cinema seats where you just adjust yourself a little and hope for the best.

Here you sit in an armchair. A real one. You press a button, lean back, raise the footrest and find your position. The small table in front makes it easy to keep snacks, and suddenly you're sitting there as if you're at home in your own living room. Just with a screen in front of you and a room full of people who have been looking forward to the same thing as you.

But what I really noticed was what I no longer experienced. Before, you were really close together. People in the seats next to you would almost rub elbows with you, and if someone behind you moved, you would get a knee or a shoe on the back of your neck. It was pretty annoying, and honestly, one of the things that sometimes kept me from going to the movies. Now it feels different. You have your own seat and your own little zone.

"After corona, we could feel a difference. People had watched a lot of movies at home, and then there was an expectation of how you sit inside the theater. You expect something a little extra for your cinema experience," explains Emma.

The small details that make the big difference

When I asked Emma what she was most proud of, I almost expected her to mention the seats or the technology. But she pointed to something completely different.

“Before, it was a small lamp that shone out the side. Now there is step lighting in Vue orange on each step. For me personally, I think it's a nice little detail that I don't think many people think about. But it gives a more luxurious look to the cinema.”

And that's exactly what it does. The lighting is subdued, warm and calm, and it gives the room an atmosphere that feels well thought out. It's not something you necessarily notice right away, but it's something you feel.

A closer look at the film

When the movie started, it wasn’t just the comfort that made a difference. The picture was sharper than I’ve ever experienced before. I watched the Norwegian film “Affektionsværdi” and, although it’s not usually the type of movie I automatically choose, I was captivated in a way that I almost forgot where I was sitting.

“That's exactly what the laser projector can do. It won't be a flat experience, it'll be a more vivid experience. It makes the image clearer, so you can also see better what's going on in the dark scenes. And the colors are worked on, so it becomes more vivid,” explains Emma.

Vue has installed laser projection in 10 out of 11 theaters, while the IMAX theater still stands as the flagship with its own system.

Photo: Peter Jakobsen

ULTRA LUX, when you just want to give the experience a little extra

In all halls you will also find ULTRA LUX seats. Here the comfort has been turned up a little extra with adjustable head and footrests, extra space and small details such as cooling for your drink. It costs a little more, but it also provides an experience that feels a little more like pampering than just a trip to the cinema.

And if you're the type who obsesses over the perfect space, Emma has a tip:

“I sit in the middle of the hall, or actually a few rows further down than the middle. That's where you get the best sound.”

More than just a movie

At the opening event, it became clear that Vue doesn't just see itself as a cinema. It's a place where the experience begins before the film and continues afterwards. There were tapas, bubbles, little competitions and laughter in the foyers. It felt more like a place you were together than a place you just passed through.

“We have two large foyers and lots of natural light. Our cinemas have a lot to offer beyond a regular movie. This is definitely a direction we are moving in,” says Emma.

They have also introduced Sparkle Preview, where you can watch selected films before the official premiere with a little extra included.

What I took home

When I left, it wasn't just the film I thought about. It was the feeling of having been somewhere else for a few hours. Of having given myself a break without it feeling like a break.

Emma said it very precisely:

“When I go to the cinema, I feel like I'm doing something good for myself. Films are made to be shown in cinemas. It's something very special.”

And perhaps that's what Vue Bruuns has hit on. That small shift from everyday life to experience.

My next trip is already planned. “Devil Wears Prada 2”. Same place and maybe the same seat.