Movies On The Radar For 2026

We find ourselves in the beginning of the second quarter of 2026 and the world has changed.

That said, don’t fret, this little blog is about movies and the state of the movie industry, so politics & religion need not apply. No, I am more concerned with popcorn at the moment. And moments have an explicit expiration date so let’s talk about what is coming out this year to theaters & streaming services.

In days of yore when this blog was but a gleam in my eye movies and films were a big part of it. I’d write about what I was excited to see coming to the theaters or the quality of movies presented in the format of Blu-ray in an ongoing article here on these electronic pages, The Blu-ray Dosier. I did that until the rise of streaming, which put Blu-rays on the endangered list of formats along with laserdiscs, Betamax, VHS tapes, & DVDs – not extinct yet, but the herd has been dramatically thinned. The times have changed.

We live in the era of streaming and the age old battle between movie studios and theaters, while still raging, is looking like the studios will have their products beamed directly to their customers immediately, rather than having to rent their wares at movie houses & theaters from sea to shining sea for the lovers of cinema to discover and spend their money on tickets. Ma & Pa theaters are more endangered than Blu-rays. Theaters be they Ma & Pa or big chain operations such as Regal or AMC, have always been strong armed by the studios. If theaters do not play ball, they do not get to be able to show the summer blockbuster(s) that will let them pay their bills & their employees. There is no “flat fee” and the studios take all the profits, leaving little for the theaters to survive on. It been this way since a (as Google told me) supreme court case in 1948, “United States v. Paramount,” to prevent the monopolization of the film industry. Movie studios have leaned on theaters like loan-sharks collecting gambling debts; again, from Google, “Theaters pay studios a percentage of the box office receipts. This typically ranges from 50% to 70%, depending on the movie and how long it has been in theaters.” This is why a bucket of popcorn and a soda are about $40.00 when you go to a theater. They want to keep the lights on, the toilets flushing, the roof of the movie house on, and the staff paid. Prior to ANY of that happening, the studios take their cut…

...Said this Reddit user 15 years ago.

Time marches on. Theaters will continue to decline due to the film industry increasing its profits by eliminating the middleman. I believe that there will always be a place for a communal theatrical experience, but the delivery method of film has shifted and it is not going back.

All that said, what will get me away from this keyboard and into a reclining theater seat from now until the end of 2026? Well, these offerings will! …Also, it should be known, some of the films I am about to list are going directly to stream. Netflix was poised exactly where they needed to be when the zeitgeist changed and out of all the corporate studios, they are in the best position, at present, to offer a glimpse at where the industry is heading in the future. …But that is a story for another time.

Here is what I’m excited about now…

“Remarkably Bright Creatures,” coming to Netflix on May 8^th. I loved the book; I think I’ll love the movie. The cast is spot on with Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Colm Meaney, with Alfred Molina as the voice of Marcellus. This will have a lot of heart.

“Ladies First,” coming to Netflix on May 22. It is with Rosamund Pike & Sacha Baron Cohen in the leads. The manosphere gets the multiverse treatment in this one. Again, excellent casting.

“The Mandalorian & Grogu,” in theaters May 22. I will love this movie. I’m a fan of the TV series. Although, the marketing for this movie has been a bit lack-luster. Perhaps Disney is depending on fans like me to show up and not worrying about a TV show making the leap to the big screen? I don’t know. I do know that a Star Wars movie should have the words, “Star Wars” in the title. This would give a nice line of demarcation between streaming on Disney + and going to the theater. But who am I? Just a fan who is looking forward to what Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have in store for Din Djarin and his adopted son.

“Disclosure Day,” in theaters June 12. Steven Spielberg is back and I’m here for it! Spielberg and aliens have a long and glorious history, and I am jazzed to see what is up his sleeve for this one.

“Toy Story 5,” in theaters June 19^th. McKenna Harris & Andrew Stanton direct this latest offering from Pixar/Disney. When I first heard that a fifth movie was in the works, I asked myself the question, “Why?” I mean, after all, the fourth one spilt up the gang, and I thought that they had painted themselves into a corner with the story. It appears that I was wrong. Woody & Buzz are reuniting to fight their biggest villain yet – electronic devices that are replacing toys. One can never count Pixar out. They will, routinely, punch you in the heart. This will be no exception.

“Supergirl,” in theaters June 26. Milly Alcock is Kara Zor-El, Kal’s cousin. This tale may very well have shades of John Wick to it. Think post-traumatic stress meets the straw that breaks the camel’s back, or rather, you never should have hurt Krypto. Lobo, played by the BEST choice for the role ever, Jason Momoa is coming to James Gunn’s DC universe, too! Yes. I will buy a ticket for this.

“The Odyssey,” in theaters July 17^th. Christopher Noland does Homer. Matt Damon is Odysseus. Noland knows how to tell a story and this epic is in very good hands.

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” is coming to theaters on July 31^st. Say what you will about MARVEL & superhero movies – this one I care about. A street-level Spider-Man with street-level peers (I’m looking at you Frank Castle/Punisher and, I’m calling it right now, DAREDEVIL). And villains, including the Hand and, I’m calling it right now, JEAN GREY. Yes my fellow true believers, the X-Men are coming to the MARVEL movie universe. Oh, yes. I will see this one before some shlub on social media ruins all the twists & comic history is spoiled. Another friendly neighborhood Spider-Man movie? Oh, yes. I’m in.

“The End of Oak Street,” in theaters August 14^th. Dollars to donuts, and I could be wrong here, but I’m thinking this is another back-door movie into the Cloverfield universe originated by J.J. Abrams. Anne Hathaway & Ewan McGregor are parents of a family that is experiencing what happens when one universe invades another. Are Kaiju far behind? I’m looking forward to finding out.

“The Dog Stars,” coming to theaters August 28^th. Ridley Scott is at the helm of this one inspired by Peter Heller’s book of the same name. A post-apocalyptic pilot and his dog go searching for what’s left of humanity and hope, along the way. I am a sucker for a good speculative tale, and this one has some wonderful possibilities. I have not yet read the book but is now on my radar.

“Avengers: Doomsday,” in theaters sometime in November or December. The Russo Brothers, Anthony & Joe are back with all their friends from MARVEL’s ever-expanding stable of characters. Again, say what you will of tales of gods and men, history & legend are loaded with ‘em. These superhero tales are our modern takes on a classic genre. It is all cyclical. Stories are told and then they are told again, over and over, since the dawn of man, which pretty much started with telling stories. …Anyway, as for this film in particular, has Doctor Doom been pulling the strings in the universe the whole time (the beginning of the MARVEL U in “Iron Man”)? Who are the Fantastic Four? And why are all these mutants suddenly popping up all over the place? How does the old guard usher in the new? Find out in theaters this December. I’m here for it all. …Also, Kevin Feige, the president of MARVEL Studios, knows & loves what he is doing. Doomsday will set the stage for Secret Wars and, I believe, the movies in-between them will bring the X-Men to prominence. As I have mentioned, I’m here for it all.

“DUNE: Part Three,” in theaters December 18^th. Denis Villeneuve’s third and final installment of his DUNE trilogy. Villeneuve has done a masterful job of bringing Frank Herbert’s six book epic to the screen. The first two films have been a wonder to behold on the big screen – especially if you have read the books. DUNE asks questions far more reaching than a movie with spaceships & explosions usually asks. Politics, religion, environmentalism are all themes deeply rooted in the world of Arrakis. I’m very curious as to how he joins the next few books in the series, “DUNE Messiah” and “Children of DUNE.” I’ll be there opening night to find out.

“Werwulf,” in theaters December 25^th. Robert Eggers gives the world a pagan, folklore laden, werewolf story just in time for Christmas! Eggers knows what he is doing. He pulls on stories and tales that reach down to that part in all of us that is still afraid of the dark. He is the man who brought us, “The VVITCH,” “The Lighthouse,” and “Nosferatu,” so his storytelling is not to be missed. So, once you’ve opened your packages and if you’ve had a bit too much tinsel, turkey, & fruitcake, perhaps a trip to the movies for something disturbingly horrific is just what you’ll need.

These are what I’m looking forward to seeing. I’m sure that there are some great stories that I have missed. If so, let me know for I am a humble word-slinger bobbing as a cork in the internet seas.

Start saving your nickels (since they don’t make pennies anymore), you’re gonna want some popcorn. Buttered.

See you at the movies.

The 10 Films That Influenced You Challenge

True confessions.  These past 10 days have been agonizing.

“Why?”

Because there has been a challenge on social media, primarily Facebook, concerning one of my favorite things—film.  Oh, it starts simple enough, "The rules are, once a day, for ten days, post an iconic image from a film that influenced you... with no explanation necessary... feel free to join in if you would like..."  That's how it all starts.

The challenge is to post, “an iconic image from a film that [has] influenced you…with no explanation necessary”.  This challenge still lingers, which is why I had to post it right here on Chicken Scratch.  This has been agonizing for three solid reasons: 1., gathering ONLY 10 films that have an influence, 2., narrowing one’s scope to one image that fits the film, and 3., not explaining why.  I’ve been meticulous in this process.  I even set up a specific file for images, pondered films, and asked myself why these films—in particular, had such an impact on yours truly.  Meticulous, I say!  I, could not—in good conscience, let it rest…   

NOTE: if you don’t care about movies—or, more specifically, my choices of iconic films—move along.  No harm—no foul.  I’ll see you next post or so.  Thanks for stopping by.

Now then, fellow film geeks, here’s the explanation & the honorable mentions…

Day 1: “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”, 1954.  This movie blew my young mind.  It was released 14 years before I was born but it runs deep.  The Nautilus was my introduction to steampunk and the mysterious Captain Nemo—his motivations & character (which are fully realized in the book by Jules Verne) captured my imagination & attention.  Brilliant stuff.

Day 2: “Airplane!”, 1980.  I’m not saying it’s the most quotable movie of all time, but I’m not saying it’s not either.  This makes me laugh.  Laugh hard.  Still.

Day 3: “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, 1981.  Pound for pound, a perfect film.  Adventure, excitement—all the things that Jedi do not crave are in abundance surrounding the exploits of Indiana Jones.  I like the sequels—in fact number 5 is slated to be in the theaters in 2020, but there will NEVER be another Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Day 4: “Blade Runner”, 1982.  There are so many layers to this film.  At first glance it’s a futuristic noir detective story—however, the more one looks at this one the more one will see.  This film is an exploration into what life is, it’s precious nature, and who gets to say what is deemed to have a soul or not.  This one runs deep.  Mary Shelley, the mother of Frankenstein, would approve.

Day 5: “JAWS”, 1975.  JAWS horrified a generation of filmgoers, me included.  I was scared to get into the bathtub after seeing JAWS.  The scene on the Orca (Quint’s boat) when Robert Shaw/Quint is talking about the Indianapolis—one of the finest character driven scenes ever put to film.  ‘Bruce the Shark’, kept breaking down so Spielberg was able to keep the genie in the bottle until seeing the shark was the most impactful.  It’s a heck of a film that can make yellow barrels being drug along the water’s surface so terrifyingly menacing.  Brilliant stuff.

Day 6: “The Road Warrior” or “Mad Max 2” if you were not seeing it in the United States back in 1981.  This film strummed all the right chords for me.  It’s a western set in a post-apocalyptic future where the cowboys ride V-8 Interceptors & motorcycles instead of horses.  Max, a lone figure from the wastelands, comes to save the day.  Shane would be proud.

Day 7: “Superman – The Movie”, 1978.  “You will believe a man can fly”, was the tagline.  Even after all these years, Christopher Reeve’s performance as the Man of Steel still has me believing.  When Clark first introduces Superman to the world, ripping open his shirt—revealing the “S” on his chest, saving Lois, and the crowd below from the falling helicopter—chills.  Even now.  Seminal stuff.

Day 8: “Escape from New York”, 1981.  I love John Carpenter. He had a distinct style and it was a style that I lapped up. The pairing of Kurt Russell and Carpenter produced some of my all-time favorite movies.  This one introduced, for my money, one of the absolute best anti-heroes of cinema—Snake Plissken.  It took me a long time to find the right image for this one.  I settled for Snake in Hauk’s office holding up his bound hands, with the American flag in the background.  It is just before he delivers the line, “Call me, Snake”, for the first time and just before he tells Hauk, “I don’t give a fuck about your war—or your president.”  Hell yeah.  Every now and again there are rumbles about a remake.  I hope it doesn’t happen—not while Russell & Carpenter still have time to make Old Man Snake.  …To the gods of film, make this happen.

Day 9: “Planet of the Apes”, 1968.  This one scared me.  I came to it after it’s release since I was born the same year it was released.  I remember getting caught sneaking into our living room to get a glimpse of the sanitized, edited for TV version, when it came to the small screen.  I was not allowed to see it.  This was probably a good call since that what I saw disturbed me—especially since I can remember at that time hearing about guerrilla wars on the evening news.  My young mind couldn’t recognize the difference between guerrilla and gorilla, so my, ‘Planet of the Apes’, horror was compounded by my own ignorance.  The stark beauty of POA is that, hidden under a thin veil of ‘science fiction’, the story pokes holes into so many tropes of our institutions—religion, government, authority, control, freedom, anti-intellectualism.  It’s from the sixties but the messages are eternal.  It still holds up. It still has things to tell us. …And then, there’s THAT ending.

Day 10: “Star Wars – A New Hope”, 1977.  This hit my generation right between the eyes.  The image I chose for this one is Luke, gazing at the setting twin-suns of Tatooine, wondering about what the future may hold for him.  He has no idea at this point—no idea, whatsoever, that he will spark a revolution that rocks the seat of power in the galaxy. No, not yet—he’s just another soul looking at the suns set, wondering about tomorrow.  Luke, at that moment, represented each audience member sitting in that theater in ’77, at one point or another in our lives—staring into that uncertain future.  Would our futures involve going to Alderaan, learning the ways of the Force, and becoming a Jedi like our father—perhaps, even, helping to overthrow an evil galactic Empire?  One never knows.  As influences go, this one was—and is, seismographic in scope.  This one changed me.  No exaggeration.  Star Wars inspired wonder and made me want to tell stories—to write—to dream.  I’m not alone in this sentiment.  Countless other storytellers were touched by this space-opera homage to Saturday afternoon serials, Samurai movies, and westerns.  They still are.  The Force is still working.    

And then there’s the honorable mentions… 

“Treasure Island” with Wallace Beery as Long John Silver in 1934

 “King Kong” 1933 

“Frankenstein” 1931

“Conan – The Barbarian” 1982—which could have easily made the top 10

“Star Trek II – The Wrath of Kahn” 1982—which is STILL the greatest Star Trek movie to date 

“Goldfinger” 1965

“Moby Dick” 1956 – with a screenplay written by Ray Bradbury 

“A Fist Full of Dollars” 1964 

“Caddyshack” 1980 

“Big Trouble in Little China” 1986– another one from Carpenter & Russell that is STILL ahead of it’s time…

I could go on, but I should probably end this here…

The agony is too great to go on.

  

Hello Oscar, My Old Friend

Gentle Reader, if you kindly would indulge me, please start humming Simon & Garfunkel’s, “The Sound of Silence”…  YES--that's good--just like that!  Now then...

Hello Oscar, my old friend

I’ve come to talk with you again

Though your movies I have been missing

I still have hopes that story is a thing

And the vision that was planted in my brain

Still remains

Within my picks, for Oscars

I can’t afford the ticket price

Nor the popcorn, would be nice

But I still do love the medium

Though, self-importance still at premium

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash on a silver-screen

Know what I mean?

And thus, my picks for Oscars

The Academy bowed and prayed

To the golden god they made

And the net started a-Blog-ah-ging

And the words that they were form-ah-ing

And those words said, “The work of the artists is what this event should be about.

Haters, don’t pout”

And whispered my picks, for Oscar

<<<>>>

<<<>>> 

Now that this is off my chest, here are my picks for this year’s Academy Awards…

Best Actor: Rami Malek, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

Best Actor, Supporting: Mahershala Ali, ‘Green Book’

Best Actress: Lady Gaga, ‘A Star is Born’

Best Actress, Supporting: Amy Adams, ‘Vice’

Best Animated Feature: ‘Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse’

Cinematography: ‘Roma’

Costume Design: ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’

Director: Spike Lee, ‘BlacKkKLansman

Editing: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

Makeup: ‘Vice’

Music: ‘Mary Poppins Returns’

Original Song, “When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings’ from ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’

Best Picture: ‘BlacKkKlansman’

Production Design: ‘Black Panther’

Sound Editing: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

Sound Mixing: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

Visual Effects: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

Writing – Adapted Screenplay: ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’

Writing – Original Screenplay: ‘Roma’

What are your picks my fellow film-loving, Gentle Readers?

Requiem for the Blu-ray Dossier

It’s time to face facts.  Blu-ray discs are great but they have no future.  Yeah, that’s right, I said it – NO FUTURE.  I love to bask in the glow of 1080p as much as the next movie geek but the fact of the matter is the format’s days are numbered.  I use to write a column here on Chicken Scratch about with a two tiered rating system the first score was for the story and the second was for the quality of the Blu-ray itself.  As always, the story is what truly matters; the jaw dropping pop of crystal clear 1080p was simply icing on the cake.  Video may have killed the radio star but it was streaming content that has dealt the fatal blow to Blu-ray.  Just as Blockbuster killed the Ma & Pa video rental stores, video streaming gutted Blockbuster and there are options for streaming, Netflix, Hulu, cable, Amazon, heck – even Redbox, one of the only places left that you can rent a Blu-ray BTW, all have huge stakes in the streaming game.  Then there are all of the plug-ins for you HDTV to stream.  Companies like Apple, Google, Roku, Netgear, and even Tivo are all manufacturing High Def streaming hardware to make your Blu-ray collection obsolete.  

Hey, it happens.  It is part of the circle of life.  The writing is on the wall and not just for all those, “early innovators” out there; obsolescence approaches.  It’s event horizon dawns and change happens – both big and small; everything changes.  Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “For everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…”  He was right.  Granted he wasn’t specifically talking about Blu-ray discs but, on the other hand, “everything” does cover, well, everything.  You get the idea – there is an expiration date on all things.  Take for example any old thing.  Now this any old thing works just fine right up to the point that doesn’t anymore and it is replaced by something that does the same job, “better” and/or faster.  The, “new thing”. 

History is chocked full of examples of this axiom.  New cells are generated and old cells fade away.  The MP3 replaced the CD which replaced the cassette tape which replaced the 8-Track which replaced the record which replaced wax cylinders.  People got tired of walking so they started riding horses.  Seeing that this horse-riding thing was a pretty good idea people hooked them up to chariots and then to horse drawn buggies.  The advent of the automobile put the horses out to pasture then came the trains and the planes which will someday be replaced by matter transporters – it’s true!  I’ve seen it on Star Trek.  

 Hey, that’s progress. 

I’ll still do the occasional review but I simply don’t watch that many Blu-rays anymore to keep the column viable so, therefore, it is time to bid it farewell.  On the right side of this particular version of Chicken Scratch I use to have, “The Blu-ray Dossier – At a Glance”.  It’s still up there but it too will be going away.  I’ll repost it here for posterity…

Blu-Ray Dossier at a Glance. Ratings? Story first Blu-Ray quality second.

"Blade Runner - The Final Cut" 5/4

"Blazing Saddles" 4/2

"Bounty Hunter" 1.5 / 2

"Bridesmaids" 4 / 3

"Captain America - The First Avenger" 4/3

"Clash of the Titans (2010)" 2 / 3

"Cowboys and Aliens" 3.5 / 4

"Despicable Me" 3 / 4

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" 3.5 / 2

"Evil Dead 2: 25th Anniversary Edition" 4 / 3.5

"Grown Ups" 3 / 3

"Hangover" 3.5 / 4

"John Carter" 4/3

"Kick Ass" 3 / 3

"Knight & Day" 2.5 / 3

"Resident Evil: Afterlife" 2.5 / 3

"Serenity" 4 / 4

"Sherlock Holmes - Game of Shadows" 3/3

"Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back" 5/4

"Star Wars" 4.5/4

"The A-Team" 3 / 3

"The Frighteners" 4 / 4

"The Good, the Bad and the Weird" 4 / 4

"The Walking Dead: Season One" 5 / 4

"THOR" 3.8 / 4

Robin Hood (2010) 4 / 4

Superman / Batman – Apocalypse 3.5 / 3

The Untouchables – Special Collector’s Edition 3.8 / 4

“9”: 3.5 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Alice in Wonderland”: 4 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Batman/Superman, Public Enemies” Rating: 4 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Beetlejuice” 4 Stars / 3.5 Stars.

“Casino Royale” Rating: 5 Stars / 5 Stars.

“Diary of the Dead” 4 Stars / 3.5 Stars.

“District 9” 4.5 Stars / 4.5 Stars.

“Drag Me to Hell” Rating: 4 Stars / 3.5 Stars.

“G.I. Joe” 2.5 Stars / 3 Stars.

“Grindhouse – Death Proof”: 4 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Hellboy II – The Golden Army” 4 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” Rating: 4 Stars / 4.5 Stars.

“Inglorious Basterds”: 5 Stars / 4.5 Stars.

“Kill Bill Volume II”: 4.5 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Kill Bill Volume I”: 4.5 Stars / 4 Stars.

“King Kong the Extended Edition” 4.5 Stars / 5 Stars.

“Labyrinth”: 3.5 Stars / 3 Stars.

“Land of the Lost” Rating: 3 Stars / 3.5 Stars.

“Monsters Vs. Aliens” 3 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Nightmare Before Christmas” Rating 4.5 Stars / 5 Stars.

“Poltergeist” 4.5 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Ponyo”: 4 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Pride and Prejudice (A&E): 5 Stars / 3.5 Stars.

“Quantum of Solace” Rating: 4 Stars / 4.5 Stars.

“Reign of Fire”: 1 Star / 2 Stars.

“Sherlock Holmes”: 3.5 Stars / 3.5 Stars.

“Sleepy Hollow” 4 Stars / 3 Stars.

“Star Trek” 4.5 Stars / 4.5 Stars

“Star Wars the Clone Wars”: 3.5 Stars / 4 Stars.

“The Dark Knight” Rating: 5 Stars / 4.5 Stars.

“The Godfather Parts I & II” 5 Stars / 3.5 Stars.

“The Hangover”: 4 Stars / 4 Stars.

“The Hurt Locker”: 5 Stars / 4.5 Stars.

“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”: 4 Stars / 4 Stars.

“The Prestige” Rating: 4.5 Stars / 4 Stars.

“The Road Warrior”: 4.5 Stars / 3.5 Stars.

“The Road”: 4 Stars /3.5 Stars.

“The Shining”: 5 Stars / 4.5 Stars.

“The Wizard of Oz”: 5 Stars / 4 Stars.

“The Wolfman”: 1 Star / 2 Stars.

“Transformers – Rise of the Fallen” Rating: 2 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Twilight New Moon”: 2 Stars / 3 Stars.

“Up” 5 Stars / 5 Stars.

“Where the Wild Things Are”: 3 Stars / 3.5 Stars.

“Yojimbo”: 4.5 Stars / 4 Stars.

“Zombieland”: 4.5 Stars / 4 Stars.

Looking back at some of these ratings I am wondering where my head was (I’m looking at YOU, 3 stars for story, “Land of the Lost”) and then there were others I probably should have rated higher such as, “Labyrinth” (I dissed the power of the babe and only gave it a 3.5).  Other than those there are only a few more shaky ones and, for the most part, I stand by my ratings.

I may be pulling the plug on the Blu-ray Dossier but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to keep reviewing film – hey, I’m a movie geek with a fully functioning internet connection; therefore, I am duty bound to throw in my two cents when it comes to the goings on at the local multiplex.

In memory of my friend and longtime column, the Blu-ray Dossier – thank you for the memories.  “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss

Now then, what’s on Netflix?

 

Texting and Movies Don't Mix

Apparently industry insiders from Sony, Regal, & IMAX were debating the merit of allowing texting inside movie theaters at a theater conference (CinemaCon) recently.

“…Wait, WHAT?” 

Yep, these insiders are under the belief that if you make the experience of going to a theater WORSE for the average paying customer that it will increase ticket sales.  This is one of the most profoundly dumb ideas that I have ever heard.  If this is the industry’s think-tank inteligencia and “go-to” people then theater owners should start looking for other work as soon as possible. 

This morning I read this article by Jen Yamato from Movieline: http://movieline.com/2012/04/25/are-we-actually-going-to-let-industry-heads-advocate-texting-in-theaters/?_r=true. 

I threw it out to Facebook before I left for work and I started to watch the responses roll in.  The overwhelming 900-pound question on the wall post is, “Why?”  The only answer is that they hope to attract a younger audience.  My fear is that they will only attract self-absorbed, ignoramuses who are only & absolutely concerned with themselves and have no care for anyone else in the movie house.  It’s a greenlight for idiots.       

Here is an article from Ain’t It Cool News’s, Billy Donnelly (aka – Billy the Kid) entitled, “A Movie Theater is No Place for Texting!!” which you can read for yourself here: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/55279.

One of the only dissenting voices came from the Alamo Drafthouse, a legendary small theater chain that understands the concept of story delivery and has a STRICK no texting policy.

God Bless the Alamo Drafthouse.

I’m a movie geek.  I love the concept of going to the theater for the communal joy of a shared spectacle but if this were to come to pass any and all of my reasons for going to the theater would be gone.  To the point, there would be absolutely NO REASON for any of the paying public to ever go to the movies again.  No reason, whatsoever.  It smells of desperation.  The theaters must hold onto the very few remaining reasons why the public would want to patronize their facilities.  If they do not or cannot then they have outlived their purpose.

How’s that for your bottom line?

One more point about those devices that the industry insiders want people to start using in theaters for texting – each of those devices that you are encouraging people to use have digital video recorders. 

Yeah, these people are true masterminds.