Not too Shabby

Most people review movies, I apparently review movie THEATERS. Didn't set out to, but being in Tinseltown, where they do movies right, I can't help but comment because the theaters have been no joke so far.

On Saturday, Bubba and I were fixin' to go to the movies. The pickin's themselves were fairly slim (I can't justify plopping down $30 on "Road Hogs" or whatever it's called), but we were able to come up with "Pan's Labyrinth" since we'd heard great things about it (the great things were wrong, by the way). It was playing at the Arclight at 8 o'clock, which to me simply meant, "it's playing at 8 at some movie theater about 10 minutes from here on Sunset, that happens to be called Arclight." Our biggest concern was, "I hope the 'pops' are better than that last place we went to."

Well, we roll up on the Arclight Theater, and even as we're parking the car, I still don't know what we're getting into. I see a multi-level parking lot, much like you'd see at any mall. We park the car, and go into the middle of this complex. Wow. Just gargantuan. This mall size area, was like, 90% movie theater, with a smattering of other shops. It being Saturday night and all, it was an absolute madhouse. I see in the distance these automated ticket kiosks, and the lines are like 8 deep on the 6 machines. (You know you live in California when the theater can so confidently put the kiosks outside, completely uncovered, with complete confidence). We wait on line, and it's finally our turn. I go through the rigamarole, and then, out of nowhere, a seating chart comes on the screen, and I've got to now CHOOSE our seats. What the?!? On the one hand, pretty neat. On the other hand, we were 35 minutes early, but because everyone knows they can do their seats early, all of the good seats are taken, even though most of the crowd isn't strolling in until 7:59. Fortunately for us, we (read: Bubba) love to sit real close, so we snag a close pair of seats on the aisle. It should be noted however, that these seats also cost $14 per. So I'm already in for $30, plus parking, and I haven't even had a kernel of popcorn yet. My boy Z told me it's cheaper during the week though.

Tickets secured, we make our way into the theater lobby. It looks like a reception at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For real. Huge open space, fresh art works on the walls, an upscale little boutique gift shop, selling all kinds of things (body creme for instance) that have nothing to do with movies. Furthermore, it sounds like a cocktail party, with all of the chit chat. Very social scene. I actually saw human ticket sellers inside, though they probably call them something more exotic, like "brokers," or something. There is also a cafe/bar, where people convene, probably often independent of even seeing movies. Check out this menu. http://www.arclightcinemas.com/(dzca3e45s0l0gnractstgwfr)/arclight/cafe_bar_menu.html
I don't recall anything like this back at Essex Green Tri-Plex in West Orange, NJ.

So, we make our way to the concession stand upstairs. This too, was like 8 deep. In addition to the usual movie fare, I see a few bizarre, exotic options on the "menu." My memory is annoyingly failing me right now, but it was something akin to like, "a lobster salad panini." Something really involved. Not my speed, but what IS my speed is, the popcorn offered the option of REAL butter. Simply put, best popcorn I've had at the movies, maybe ever.

We find "our" seats, pops in hand, and again, all of the people with the dope seats came RIGHT before the movie started, because they could. So basically, if you were observing from above, you'd have seen this ring of people slowly enveloping the prime middle seats, like a virus. The previews are about to start, and this usher comes out like he's one part steward, one part curator, to tell us what we're about to "experience." He offers that he and his "colleagues" will be popping in and out, making sure everything is hunky dory. A far cry from my days as a ticket monkey, where we ushers shared a disdain with the patrons that they felt right back at us. We offered to ignore the patrons if they'd ignore us.

Much like the Chinese theater, this one was equipped with great seats, completely unobstructed views, a booming sound system, and a huge screen. Apparently, they have an additional theater, known simply as, "The Dome" that defies cinematic description. Like, this is where you go to be blown away by a great sci-film or something. http://www.arclightcinemas.com/Arclight/dome.html?path=about

I have to say, it's pretty neat living in the movie capital of the world. Rare was the opportunity back east to see a movie as it was intended to be seen. More often than not, it was like watching our big screen t.v. at home, except with strangers. Here, great theaters are the norm. Now, the studios need to pay as much attention to the filmmaking as the theaters seem to be paying to the film halls. The prices were not so hot, but at least I can see what the money is going towards. Overall though, the Arclight represents a pretty unique movie-going experience.