Do you remember when this floated around the Internet from the Alamo Drafthouse?
I do, and I love it. Hell, even my mother asked a couple months ago if I had seen this video. Duh, Mom, of course I have. Well, I'm glad, she said, that this theatre is doing that because people using phones are so inconsiderate when you're trying to watch a movie. Now my mother really isn't a movie connoisseur; in fact, I think they last movie my parents went to was THE HELP, and before that was probably THE HANGOVER 2, so take that how you will. Point being is if my mother can find logic in the Drafthouse's message to put the damn phone away, then really, anyone should be able to.
That's right. A theatre in Washington is being built, which will open in 2014, with a "smart phone laissez-faire" policy. You want to tweet/facebook/text/get to the next level of Angry Birds during a movie? Go right ahead. In fact, the theatre is even building an antenna within its walls to improve cell service. Wow. I can't even get good cell service in the break room at my work, yet moviegoers will have full bars while they watch their rom-coms. I understand times are changing, and this new millennium generation has their smart phone attached to their hands at all times. However, if something is so important that you absolutely cannot be away from your phone for two hours, then you probably don't need to be seeing a movie.
Plus, what are we teaching them now? How to multi-task and stay connected? There's already been complaints how manners and face-to-face interaction is becoming a thing of the past, but this new theatre seems to be adding fuel to this faux pa fire. Obviously, if this experiment is successful ("god" help us all), then this might become a new fad. Now, I'm hoping that many of the bigger theatres won't cave in to such a idiotic idea. One problem still relevant today is the illegal recording of movies, and allowing phones to be on and active doesn't help that cause either.
I do propose a suggestion though. There are a few theatres around Dallas that have "cry-baby" matinees for parents with babies/small children. The draw is parents can come see a movie with their kids, pay a cheaper price, but with the full knowledge that there can/will be crys and screams from the little people. If theatres ever cross the awful bridge of allowing phones disturbing a movie, why not have certain times where phones are allowed. Say, maybe, one or two showings a night? People going to these screenings know what they're getting into, and therefore, in theory, everyone is accommodated.
However, hopefully it will never come to this. It's difficult now for people to stay quiet during a movie without the added fuel of a mobile device. If the Washington theatre wants to experiment with phone usage during movies, go for it; just don't bring that madness down here. And if theatres really want to get more people in the seats, in all reality, just lower ticket prices. I promise more people will flock to the theatres.
UPDATE:Thanks to TFW2005.com for aggregating the news, but there's some very interesting pieces of information regarding the TRANSFORMERS 4 rumors. First, there's the fact that Tyrese "Left Cheek" Gibson tweeted this earlier today around 8 hours ago from this posting: "Transformers 4 ......................................................... In MOTION!!!!!!!" Then, there's the quote taken from a random commenter at the Michael Bay forums that seems to be full of interesting tidbits. Check out the TFW2005 link above for the quote and join the discussion. Does this mean all the rumors are true and we'll be for certain getting another Michael Bay Transformers movie?
Original Story: If there's one thing I've learned in my short time about writing about movies is two things: comedians might be the most money-whoring beings on the planet (see: GROWN UPS 2) and Michael Bay will always do TRANSFORMERS movie whether anyone that's not a studio suit wants him to or not. According to Vulture, it seems that Bay is close to signing a deal with Paramount to come back to the adventures of our favorite Cybertronians after filming his "small film," PAIN & GAIN about a group of dim-witted bodybuilders that kidnap a business man. Hit the jump for more details.
Javi here. As I have posted before, I am looking forward to the upcoming David Fincher remake of the original Danish movie based on the book, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. I haven't gotten around to reading the books, and I honestly thought the original movie was all build-up with a horribly paced pay-off. The only highlight was Noomi Rapace as new icon, Lisbeth Salander, and even then she just reminded me of a smarter version of an ex-girlfriend from back in college.
Regardless, we have this new version coming. David Fincher has surprised me as a director as of late, plus I'm very fascinated by the transformation of Rooney Mara, who will now be playing the Lisbeth character. And because it's David Fincher, it is now necessary for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to be the ones that created the score for this movie. Now, we have full details of the release and even a link for an awesome 6-track sampler. Check them out after the jump.
The adaptation of Orson Scott Card's sci-fy classic ENDER'S GAME has been a tumolutous one. The book is about a futuristic Earth that has been attacked by aliens, The Buggers, and the military recruits young kids to be groomed into leaders to fight The Buggers. Card had developed a script as far back as 2003 working with Warner Bros. and Wolfgang Peterson. The project fell through for many years, but now Summit Entertainment has picked up distribution rights. With the almost perfect timing with the new craze of young adult book-to-movie adaptations nowadays, production is finally starting to kick into gear with a finished script by director Gavin Hood with the producing duo of Kurtzman and Orci.
The 2010 indie darling that put Jennifer Lawrence on the map. She stars as a young girl trying to keep her family together while going on a trail to find out what happened to her druggie father. The movie is bleak yet so smart, and proves how great Lawrence is on screen.
One of the many documentaries I was lucky to see this year at the Dallas International Film Festival. An unprecedented look behind the scenes at the New York Times during the whole "newspaper is dying" epidemic. You can check out my review here!
I haven't seen this in years. I am somewhat of a history nerd (it's so dramatic!), so this fits right up my alley. Cate Blanchett is flawless as Elizabeth, and I forgot how gorgeous the movie was. Plus, a young-before-Bond Daniel Craig!
