A Night at the Movies

If you haven’t seen the new Star Trek movie, what are you waiting for? We caught it on Saturday here in Maastricht at one of the two cinemas in the city and for me, the reboot of the series was just right. You’ll want to bring sunglasses though; the lens flares in the first 10 minutes of the movie were over the top.

Going to the movies in the Netherlands is a bit different than in the States, but easy for US expats and visitors. Here’s a few tips to get you up to speed.
1) Since the Netherlands is such a small country, American live-action movies are mostly in English with Dutch subtitles. Animations and kids’ films are typically translated.
2) In addition to the usual concession items, you can also get beer and coffees. Concession prices are similar to those in the States, although the beer was cheaper than I expected.
3) Halfway through the movie, there will be a 10 minute intermission for snacks and bathroom breaks. The intermission is even for short movies. It ends abruptly, so watch the clock.

That’s about it. Enjoy your film!

2 Responses to “A Night at the Movies”

1. Rachel van Dijk-Beirne says:

   May 19, 2009 at 3:50 pm

   No breaks? Then it has to be an old style cinema because I live in Tilburg and there are no breaks in the 2 big cinema’s. No mater how long or short the film is.

   In the UK I have no idea how they do things anymore, I have lived over here (Netherlands) for almost 15 years now.
   Greetings Rachel.

   Reply
2. locusta says:

   May 21, 2009 at 10:32 am

   Thanks for letting me know Rachel. Admittedly I’ve only been to one movie here so far. I don’t know how old the cinema is, but its certainly not brand new.

   Reply