Isn’t it Kino?

by jeannie burch, fall 2001

Keno is a game of chance voyagers to Vegas may know well. Here in Slovenia, a night of kino (also pronounced "keno," but spelled with a Slovenian twist) is less of a gamble. For a reasonable price, you pay your money, collect your ticket, and receive instant gratification. No lady luck required. You get exactly what you expect—a good ole time at the movies. Kino in Slovenian means "movie" and you can bet that Ljubljana has an ample array of movie houses to accommodate even the most addicted moviegoers.

Unlike many other foreign venues, movie houses in Slovenia present the films in their original version, with the employment of discrete Slovenian subtitles. None of that annoying sound dubbing here. Bravo! The use of subtitles for English version movies is beneficial to both Slovenian speakers and English-speakers alike. They provide an enjoyable, yet educational opportunity for Slovenes to brush up on their English verbiage. Albeit not exactly the Queen’s English, this rudimentary form of English can prove useful nonetheless. And for all those English-speaker’s struggling desperately to grasp the complexities of the Slovenian language, the easy- to-read subtitles, can help broaden their range of Slovenian vocabulary. I particularly find a good action flick beneficial, especially when I find myself speechless on the Ring road, or when someone sneaks in and swipes that long awaited parking space downtown, leaving me once again to amble through the endless maze of streets in search for the quested place to park my ride. Decorum prevents me from quoting such handy Slovenian phrases at this time; but if you have the same quandary, might I suggest viewing a movie featuring the quirky wit of Quentin Tarantino or the more verbally hostile remarks from the The Mexican, coming soon to theaters in Ljubljana near you. Please refrain from vigorous quotes of Hannibal, as you might face instant deportation.

The movie theaters in Ljubljana house all the necessities required for a good time out. Upon entering, the wafting smell of fresh popcorn will guide you to the snack counters, where you will find a delicious assortment of snacks. Inside, the large screens, comfortable chairs, smoke free environment, and the overall cleanliness of the theaters are a certain perk. ‘Tis a far cry from my dingy little neighborhood movie house back in the ole US of A with stale popcorn, its just-so-slightly-bigger-than-a-large-screen-tv movie screen, and its lumpy bumpy chairs with the broken cup holder. Of course less we forget the sticky floor complete with the odd piece of chewing gum that never fails to get lodged or your new shoes.

A fellow expat informed me that she too favors the theaters here to many in the US. She informed me, "I prefer the large screens which can still be found in the theaters in Ljubljana, but can seldom be found in the theaters where I live in the US." Despite our enthusiasm, one local teen commented although the kinos are "pretty good compared to other ones I have been to in Europe," she reports, "nothing compares to the multiplexes in the States (USA)." Well good news for her and fellow movie enthusiasts alike, Ljubljana will be debuting its very first multiplex this spring.

Seems like the only criticism left to be made upon the cinemas in the capital city will be the odd complaint about assigned seats. . . . A word to the wise, and the unwise like yours truly, yes the seats are actually assigned. No we did not know this the first time we embarked for a day at the movies in Ljubljana. The look on the dazed and confused youths as we were mistakenly sitting in their chairs were priceless. They kept scathing their heads, looking at their tickets, searching around, until finally a light bulb went off (literally) above my head. As the theater lights illuminated, so did my face when I noticed the seat number atop of my little ticket stub. We quickly and discreetly moved to our correct chairs; leaving the poor darlings to ponder why we, their elders, had no idea were we were to sit.

Local kinos include Beû igrad, Domûale, Dvor, Kompas, Komuna, Mojca, Šiška, Triglav, Vi¹ , and the new multiplex at the BTC—opening in May. Sadly, one of the older, more historic movie houses, the Union, was recently torn down to accommodate the new Union Hotel Ballroom. Cinemagoers will soon be drying their eyes over the demise of this relic when they step into the all-new multiplex, sure to be an instant hit and city landmark. Another popular kino among moviegoers is the Komuna because of its central downtown location. In the words of another practical mom, "It is easily accessible and has restaurants, for before or after the movie, close by."

According to avid moviegoers, if you decide to patron the kino on a weekend, your best bet is 17.00 (5pm) show. Typically the other showings are crowded and, if it is a newer movie, may sell out quickly.

Movie times and listings are posted outside all kinos, as well as provided in numerous websites and local newspapers (with movie tiles in both Slovenian and English).

For up-to date-listings for all local kinos, try the following websites:

Filmplanet located at http://www.filmplanet.net

Ljubljanski Kinematografi located at http://www.lj-kino.si/

Megaklik located at http://www.megaklik.si

MiNet - Kino sporedi located at http://www.minet.si

Si21 – FILM located at http://www.kabi.si/si21/kkk/kino/kinolj.html

Parental Guidance not always suggested? No need to panic. For all those concerned guardians out there uncertain of the movie’s appropriateness for youngsters, you can find a complete rating guide at this site: http://www.filmratings.com/

Want to know the scoop? Check out these on-line movie review sites:

CNN.com – Entertainment located at http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/

Hollywood.com located at http://www.hollywood.com/

Reel.com located at http://www.reel.com/

Roger Ebert Reviews presented by the Chicago Sun-Times located at http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/index.html

Yahoo! Movies located at http://movies.yahoo.com/movies/

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