The first of many Bank Holiday weekends has just passed us by but there is another one straight ahead.

Surely the powers that be could have had the coronation at the end of June or early July to spread the Bank Holiday’s around. We as a nation lack severely behind much of Europe and the USA for Bank Holidays. The Swedes have nearly double our quota (depending on your UK region) with 16 plus they are keen backers of the four day week. They certainly know the benefits of work and social division.

If you do have time to enjoy the Bank Holiday this week then we have the latest big hitting Marvel movie and fear not we are finally back in safe hands with the Guardians of the Galaxy plus another cinema memory interview.

l For booking details, visit wtwcinemas.co.uk

New Releases

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3

James Gunn is back to Marvel for his swansong afore jetting off to try and transform the DCEU.

Completing a trilogy of Guardians films and many would argue they will be the best trilogy from the franchise. Uniting a fun and unique set of characters, featuring an all-star cast and a cracking soundtrack to boot.

The dust of time leaping and Thanos snapping is still settling across the Galaxy and Starlord aka Quill is still pining after Gamora. But he can not stay being lovesick for long as a major threat in the form of Adam Warlock is hot on the Guardians tail. Created by the Golden Sovereign race to wreck vengeance for being duped by the Guardians.

We are assured this is the last outing as a solo movie for the group, they may yet feature in upcoming Avengers films. With this news we are expecting a bit of a roller coaster of emotions. With the revelation at the end of the holiday special.

SPOILER ALERT if you haven’t seen the TV Christmas Special, Peter and Mantis are siblings.

Quill has plenty of soul searching and he is not the only one as Rocket takes us back to his origins story. The elements are aligned for another great adventure with fun, action and plenty of great music to help get Marvel back on track after recent misfires but ultimately a fitting finale for our galactic heroes.

Silver Screen

The Whale

The Whale is this week’s Silver Screen on the 4th May.

It stars Brendan Fraser who won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in this film.

A reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.

Silver Screen is on Thursday mornings at 11.00am and includes a hot drink and a biscuit.

Event Cinema

Eric Clapton: Across 24 Nights

Select venues will be broadcasting Eric Clapton: Across 24 Nights on the 17th May.

In 1990 and 1991 Eric Clapton played 24 nights at the Royal Albert Hall performing with different line-ups and sets featuring Blues, Rock, and a full Orchestra. The performances have become legendary to Eric Clapton fans.

Over thirty years later this film, edited from the original footage and completely remastered in Dolby Surround Sound, captures for the first time the definitive performances across all the sets over both years.

The film features 17 hits from across his repertoires showing Clapton at his most exhilarating, collaborating with top musicians.

Eurovision Song Contest

The Plaza will also be screening the Eurovision Grand Final from Liverpool on May 13.

For the first time ever, the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final show will be broadcast live into cinemas across the UK, allowing fans to come together and be ‘united by music’ sharing in the incredible experience of celebrating the biggest, brightest, boldest music party of the year on the big screen!

It’s hosted this year in Liverpool by the BBC on behalf of Ukraine to a global audience of more than 160 million.

Eurovision fans will be able to take to their seats with friends in their local cinema to view a special preview of BBC Three’s new show ‘I Kissed a Boy’ presented by Dannii Minogue before the Grand Final takes place from 8.00pm.

Cinema Memories

Looking back over my last 20 plus years working in the cinema is taking me on a path of interviewing colleagues and customers past and present.

This week a long trip back to the late 90s and Darren Collins former barman at the Oscars bar in the Filmcentre joins us.

Will - Hello Darren, thank you for joining me for this interview.

Darren - Hi Will, it’s my pleasure to be talking about old times again.

Will - Yes we are taking a bit of a jaunt back today and we have known each other since college and doing drama, now you have continued your work in dramamtics, can you give me a quick run through some of your credits?

Darren - I have done a number of shows but some of my TV work includes The Bill, Holby and Rock and Chips.

Will - I remember seeing you in the Only Fools and Horses spin off Rock and Chips, I remember your character visiting the cinema so that was an easy task for you?

Darren - Yes I have worked at three different cinema chains across the country so it wasn’t too challenging.

Will - I also remember seeing you in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, what other movies have you featured in?

Darren - Captain America The First Avenger and Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part II as a Death Eater. Unfortunately I missed out on a part in the latest Bond film but there is still time.

Will - You will be cast before they even name the successor to Daniel Craig at this rate, anyway tell us when you first started and what was your first film?

Darren - I started a little after you (to Will) in late 1997 and it was coming up to Christmas and Full Monty was definitely playing.

Will - Yes my first film too and I remember The Full Monty broke the then record of Crocodile Dundee’s long cinema run, but it didn’t hold the record for long. Tell us about your most memorable film when working in the cinema.

Darren - Titanic without a doubt, such a big epic film and that was the longest running film to replace Full Monty I guess?

Will - Spot on and I don’t think that record will ever be beaten, Paddington came close though.

Darren - Any cinema usher that worked on Titanic will always remember it as the stand out film of that era and I remember dropping my ice cream tray rushing for the interval sales.

Will - Luckily I did not but I know you are not the only one. What is your most memorable cinema moment?

Darren - Apart from the big tray fall it would have to be given a cheese knife to cut lemons in the bar and despite my protestations I was told to get on with it. However I was correct as a sliced finger and bloody lemons proved.

Will - Bet that was a stinger. Now what have you noticed about big changes in cinema going in the last 25 years?

Darren - I also worked for a time in Odeon and the Vue but working with WTW was always the best and you can still see it is an independent family run organisation as the place has a lovely and welcoming atmosphere.

You don’t get that in the multiplexes, too many automated machines and too expensive. There are some other changes certainly about the cinema experience and merchandising to accompany films has pushed on recently.

Will - That’s good to hear we do like to be a welcoming venue, finally the question everyone is eager to know is what is your cinema snack of choice?

Darren - Toffee popcorn especially the Joe & Seph’s washed down with a Sprite.