Had read some of the reviews here about Sterling. and so it was with a little trepidation that I bought a coupla tickets to Micheal Clayton last night.(She was unaware of the "rat" review). So in we stepped into the Brand New Sterling. First thing to hit me was that the foyer has been converted into a eating out place. Formerly the scowling ticket-checker would be standing at the main door. Now he’s a uniformed security type and stands at the stairs. You can grab an expensive bite or just chill out. I wasn’t comfy walking past the glass dors and not show my ticket. So that took some getting used to. My Pavlovian genes were whimpering.
We entered the hall.MAN was it small. Anti-climax. It’s like a private screening room. Seats racked up one against another. Walls pressing in. I’ve seen countless movies here and the experience was always great. Now it was just too cold. Sure, not many takers for a 8;30 George Clooney show but man THIS!?
Anyway, guess what was more interesting than the movie? The hair in the samosa! Treating the bag like the Plague we kept it away so that the radioactivity would not affect us and tried to get on with the movie. Clooney is Clooney. And we were soon engrossed in the movie.
I kept one keen eye open for rats and the other eye on the screen(Don’t ask how I managed that! I musta looked funny). Thankfully intermission time arrived and we both ran out to get something to cleanse our throats. The rest of the movie passed off uneventful and we lived to see the credits. So overall, the experience was forgettable. Prices are high for what is being offered. Facilities are basic. Hall is really not happening. Acoustics bad. The one redeeming factor, you might ask? Good looking crowd. But that just begs the question, how come they put up with this c rap? I think Sterling won’t last long. Not if they continue this way. Other movie halls in the area are offering a better experience and more. Inox is admittedly expensive but atleast the screen ain’t sooooo small. Sterling gave up the one thing that it had going in its favour: it’s old world charm. It’s been replaced with this glitzy, shiny. thing.and she don’t deliver.