However if your in the UK you are going to have to put up with English Breakfasts and Rugby rather than late night beer and kebabs as with the matches being played on the other side of the world it means the timing is a bit out.  So most of the games will be shown over here with an around 8-10am kickoff time.

Now that we’re into the Semi Final’s,  here are some places to go to eat and drink and support the local teams!

New Zealand

Drink – Any good New Zealand wines from the Supermarket, or go to the “cousins” at the Walkabout
Food – The Providores, Marylbone

Australia

Drink – Fosters, or a Snakebite (which is normally a Snake and Black in the north of England – half cider, half beer, with a dash of blackcurrant)
Food – Kangaroo Burger at your local Walkabout’s, they will be showing all the games on the multi 3D TV screens that they have setup.  Wear some Green and Gold and have a Snakebite when your there!

Wales
Drink – Obviously go to Wales and have a pint! The atmosphere in Cardiff on the game day will be amazing i’m sure.  Otherwise in London try the The Cadogan Arms
Food – Hmm, try the pub for the food as well.  Wikipedia says this about Welsh Cusine.

France
Drink – The French House in the heart of Soho
Food – Try this French Restaurant in Clapham – Le Bouchon Bordelais, SW11 1HG

We’re supporting the All Blacks here!  Fingers crossed for the win!

If you want to place a bet on the game, join Betfair and get a free £25 starting bet (t+c’s of course)!

So we’re going to try and list all the ones that are available in London at the moment.

Nomad Cinema by the Lexi Cinema

The Lexi Cinema is a cool non-profit cinema in Kensal Green, for summertime they have a mobile cinema show that goes all over London (and outside it for a number of shows as well)

Cost: ~£13
Location(s): All over the UK
Type of Movies: Classic 80s
Movie highlight: Back to the Future, Greenwich Park
URL/Twitter: http://www.whereisthenomad.com/

Secret Cinema

These guys do experiences almost more than Cinema.  Often you won’t know what the movie is until you get there (unless you can work it out from the clues they drop before the event).  But they do a full experience to surround the movie, so showing the film in locations that match the film and then having actors and sets that match the film they are showing.  E.g. For Wings of Desire it was showen in empty theatre in Shepherds Bush, with circus acts and Berlin style sets, check out the video – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIhC29vjCZQ

Cost: ~£25
Location(s):  All over London
Type of Movies: Avant-Garnde to Classic
Movie highlight: Depends what you see when you get there!
URL/Twitter: http://www.secretcinema.org/

Film4 Somerset House Cinema

Film4 and Somerset House together have been putting on films in the Somerset House courtyard for a few years now.  The tickets are always very popular and they have a mix of old films and new ones.  Get a ticket and then bring blankets and cushions to sit on the ground and chill out with a movie.

Cost: ~£15
Location(s): Somerset House, London
Type of Movies: Classic to not even been released yet
Movie highlight: Troll Hunter!
URL/Twitter: http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/film

Rooftop Cinema – Queen of Hoxton

On top of a bar in Hoxton (near Liverpool Street) is a rooftop with a bar, bbq, semi small fake garden and a movie screen!  You get your own personal wireless headset (so you don’t annoy the neighbours) and blanket.  We went there for Back to the Future and it was such a lovely night, great food from the BBQ and after the sun had set, watched a great movie.  Afterwards if you want to, you can carry on and have a party in the bar down below.  Not that many tickets available for each screening though and they sell out in a matter of minutes when they get released.  Get on the newsletter to get the details

Cost: £9
Location(s): Queen of Hoxton, Hoxton, London
Type of Movies: Modern Day and Old Classics – Casablanca, Austin Powers, Devil Wears Prada
Movie highlight: Back to the Future
URL/Twitter: http://rooftopfilmclub.com/

Popup Screens

Popup Screens was just one weekend in May, that’s been and gone now, but keep an eye on the website as it might be back

Cost: £7
Location(s): Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith
Type of Movies: 3 Old School Classics
Movie highlight: Ghostbusters
URL/Twitter: http://www.popupscreens.co.uk/

Floating Cinema

Yes, how about a cinema that floats!  It’s a boat with a screen on it… showing a broad range of films, probably not ones you have seen in the multiplex though.

Cost: ??
Location(s): East End canals, London
Type of Movies: ??
Movie highlight: ??
URL/Twitter: http://floatingcinema.info/

Films on Fridges

A collection of fridges piled up by the river and sporting style films projected onto them.  Something a bit different from your normal multiplex setting!

Cost: £10
Location(s): East End Fish Island, London
Type of Movies: Sporting ones
Movie highlight: Rocky
URL/Twitter: http://www.filmsonfridges.com/

More London Film Festival

For the last half of September come along and see films for free in view of Tower Bridge!  Though go early as there is only limited space..

Cost: Free!
Location(s): Outside the Mayoral Hall by Tower Bridge
Type of Movies: Modern Classics
Movie highlight: The King’s Speech
URL/Twitter: http://www.morelondon.co.uk/scoop.html

Mainly it’s all through just reading the papers and local magazines (like the TNT) regularly and looking out for small (or big) sections talking about upcoming events.

Sometimes for ticketed events it’s more me knowing that they are coming up and then booking as soon as the tickets go on sale.  Often over here for concerts/festivals/big events the tickets will go on sale up to a year before the actual event.   When they do go on sale as well sometimes (like with the big festivals – V/Reading, etc.) the tickets then sell out within an hour or so.   Other events like Wimbledon or a Cricket match at Lords require you to apply in advance and then get put into a lottery draw to see if you get anything (though with Wimbledon there’s only a 10% chance of actually lucking out with a ticket option!)

Of course then there are the random things that you just happen to walk past and see.   Was walking through Trafalgar Square the other day when there was a big tv screen getting setup and a few cameras and random people around.   Picked up the following brochure

Went along later on to try and go in, but even though I turned up 15 minutes before the start time they had already clsoed off the square due to “health and safety issues”.  When there were more people outside the square than in it!  England is a funny place sometimes.

Still walking around London you can sometimes come across lots of cool events that are happening, you just have to keep your eyes open and your ears listening, who knows what you might find!

If you want to be prepared, I’ve listed a few upcoming London events on my Google Calendar, check it out!

There are regular Movie Premiere’s held in London, most of the time they are all held at Leicester Square at the Odeon Cinema.  Though it depends on the show sometimes they are also held at the Empire or the Vue, or not even in the square at all…   Though if it is a big blockbuster movie it will be held there.

Check out what’s coming up by looking at the Westminster Special Events website as they regularly list what Premieres are going to be shown or check the papers as some of them are advertised.   They also usefully list a number of other events within Westminster worth checking out for free.

If you are going to turn up for one, if you do want to be in the front row to actually meet people you will most likely have to turn up around 3/4pm to be able to get a good spot for a movie that won’t start until about 6.30/7/7.30pm.    So be prepared to wait, obviously it all depends on the movie though.. For the last Harry Potter movie there were some crazy Germany girl’s that actually slept the night in the Square so they could be first in line for the premiere!  (Though they don’t normally put up barriers/fencing until the early afternoon of the premiere)

In the few time’s that I’ve been along, I’ve been able to take a number of photos of stars and personally shaken hands with Tim Robbins, Daniel Day-Lewis, Pedro Almodovar and Vin Diesel.

All depends on the movie, but the bigger one’s normally have a lot more of a show as well as well as other non-movie celebrities.   If they movie’s not that much of a blockbuster you’re likely to have Jordan and Big Brother winners (or losers) coming along.  Yet if it’s something like a Star Wars/James Bond/Harry Potter, etc it’s going to get people like Madonna, some of the Royal Family, and other A-List “Hollywood” type stars come along.

If you keen to actually walk along the red (or blue/green/pink) carpet, very occasionally some of the movies do a Charity screening for the Premiere and if you contact the Movie Distributor or the Charity you might be able to get tickets so you can see the show.   Though this is quite rare, and the tickets will be expensive (think 60 pounds+) and hard to get.

You can find out some more information on this site as well

Good Luck and have fun!