I got to meet Peter Reigert and see his movie "King of the Corner". He's promoting it himself, going around the country, theater by theater.

It's a nice quiet movie with a killer cast. I highly recommend it. Has anyone else seen it?

Nothing like being forced to watch commercials without the recourse of changing the channel or hitting mute.

Really, those commercials are so, so galling. Especially if you go to the movies with someone and you used to be able to chat with them before the show, but now you have to watch this loud blaring crap while you sit in silence.

I used to see about two movies a month. Now, do to lack of funds (I know that prices haven't risen that much in the last few years, but since salaries haven't either, $10 is a pretty hefty amount. Especially when there's netflix and I can rent 10 movies for $1.80 each per month), lack of movies which appeal to me, and those goddamn commercials I go about once every three months.

I do still love going to the movies, though, because it's so much more fun for me to see a film with an audience. This may sound weird, but even the small annoyances like cell phones ringing or people talking, I find kind of charming. I like having this shared experience in the dark with a bunch of strangers (hopefully that doesn't sound too dirty).

I like having this shared experience in the dark with a bunch of strangers (hopefully that doesn't sound too dirty).

I getcha.

If anyone cares what I thought about "The Wild Bunch", there's an entry here: [link] ET correct minor link dyslexia.

Funny you should post that! I just skipped to the end of this thread (some 800+ posts) to announce that I'm just back from seeing The Wild Bunch on the big screen for the first time (it's maybe the 8th or 9th time I've seen the movie), and it's really The Best Movie Ever. And then some. Maybe that's a gender thing, but I'm not convinced.

Really, those commercials are so, so galling. Especially if you go to the movies with someone and you used to be able to chat with them before the show, but now you have to watch this loud blaring crap while you sit in silence.

Best thing about drive ins? You can mute the ads!

Second best thing about drive ins? Occasional sightings of actual bats during Batman Begins. (Bats with really, really perfect timing. One almost wonders if the bat in question was a stunt bat.) It flew across the screen just as Bruce was explaining Why Bats.

Also, re: Batman Begins. Yep, that's my Bruce. And my Jim. And my Lucius. It wasn't my Alfred, as my Alfred is a bit more Sir Ian, but I think I like this one better.

Oh, God, how fabulous if it had been Sir Ian. But I really liked MC in this. And Morgan Freeman was fab.

I was terribly chuffed by how many Brits were in the movie, actually. And not just as villains! Such a delicious novelty. Go Team!

Am very envious of your Drive In experience. Have never been to a Drive In. Always wanted to. We don't have them. I've been to open-air showings of films as part of the Stella Artois/Film 4 Free Summer Movie Festival type thing, in Hyde Park, but never to a drive in.

Are Bale and Neeson technically Brits?

I suppose that depends on how you consider 'technically'. I don't think Bale lives in Britain, and his career is abroad, same as Oldman's is. Likewise Neeson, Caine et al. But then - likewise me. And I consider myself British, damn it. (cue stirring music, flagwaving, cups of tea and random bowler hats)

Bale was born in Wales and raised in England, Portugal and California. AFAIC, he's one of ours.

Neeson's Northern Irish.

Michael Caine's a Londoner.

Gary Oldman's a Londoner.

Cillian Murphy's Irish (which you'd be very justified in saying I shouldn't be cheering for as British, and certainly he isn't British, but I do get just as chuffed for Irish nationals making it big in US movies as I do for Brits, 'cause they're only a stone's throw away, damn it, and it's a wee country, and yay them, and it's all the British Isles after all).

Tom Wilkinson's a Yorkshireman.

Linus Roache (BatDaddy) is from Manchester

Larry Holden (Finch) is from Northern Ireland.

Gerard Murphy (Judge Faden) is from Northern Ireland

...in fact, what the hell happened, you guys? All your Batman are belong to us!

Am also very envious of your drive-in experience, and your seeing Baleman Begins.

Nothing like being forced to watch commercials without the recourse of changing the channel or hitting mute.

Really, those commercials are so, so galling.

Reposting my continual rant that never closes. We have commercials on TV because they subsidize the shows. TV is free. Money has to come from somewhere; comes from selling time to advertisers. Cable, which is not free, has no commercials.

But now, people are so innured to commercials that not only do cable TV channels have them (although thankfully not as bad as broadcast) but MOVIES, where you are paying to see the movie, have them. It's offensive. I'm not paying to watch an ad. If, like magazines, the product would otherwise be so expensive no one would buy it, I could understand. But the theaters used to be able to rent the movie to show and make up the rental cost via ticket sales. Seems to me the ads are pure profit for the theater consortiums....and when I'm paying a day's wage for popcorn, I'm not thinking they need any more largesse.