I’m going to take this moment to add my $0.02 to the collection of Arclight rants. I was there a good five minutes before Jay to see Children of Men. Especially when considering the price of admission and the claim of cinematic superiority our usher made, the jitter in the film print was outrageous. I don’t know if it was built-in to the print–a problem with the film lab (doubt it)–or if it was an abused print the Arclight should’ve replaced weeks ago.

Since there was so much handheld camerawork in the movie I wasn’t sure just how much weave was really there until the end credits rolled. First credit: a static title CHILDREN OF MEN. If I could’ve crawled up there to measure it, I think that thing would have been bouncing around a good 3-4 feet or more. Ridiculous! This is the “best in sight and sound technology, allowing films to be presented as the filmmakers intend” ? ‘Don’t think so!

Additionally, I had lunch at the Arclight months ago for the first time. Swore I’d never go back as our simple order took over half-an-hour to arrive at the table. Yet, after reading in Los Angeles magazine that one can tell the host what time you need to be at your movie–and that they’d put that time on a card on your table to alert the wait-staff–I tried them again today. Lied that we were hitting a 2:15 showing of Pan’s Labyrinth. Ordered at 1:50. Food came at 2:20. Brilliant work. Just fantastic. Really on the ball there.

It didn’t help that our waiter was chatting it up with Bob Odenkirk–pitching him some idea of sorts. Good thing we were finally leaving (at 2:45) when Catherine Keener was sitting down behind us. We would’ve been on hold another fifteen minutes just to get the bill.

Arclight abandonment and aggravation issues aside, I have to nominate the title “Starter For 10″ for the 2007 The Fuck Does That Mean!? award. What the bloody hell? I know I’m an ignorant self-centered American but could that film’s name get more obscurely and unappealingly colloquial? It makes me think of an appetizer plate for a large dinner party. Gah! And now I’m hungry.

seriously, why don’t we change the name of this site to blogging.arclight?

Johannes, Spencer, Delmy and I were there to see Children of Men at 7:50 as well. Didn’t notice the problems mentioned above.

“seriously, why don’t we change the name of this site to blogging.arclight?”

Um, because that’s not a proper URL. Duh.

Wow! An empty street in Los Angeles County, what a beautiful sight this is for everyone that commutes.

Was at the 7:50 Children of Men also – it was jittery throughout the movie and I don’t think it was because of camerawork. On top of that – the theater wasn’t that full, but they somehow put me and my wife in the same seat as someone else. C’mon… the Popcorn was good though. And I saw NAS as I walked out. didn’t really know what to say to him – some 30 year old white guy saying, “Yo Illimatic was DOPE!” wouldn’t make his day.

Not to judge (yeah, right) but I can’t imagine what’s going on inside the mind of a person who was unaware of the severe jitter/gate-weave going on with that print.

Scott, I think I may have an answer to your seating situation. A couple who arrived early complained that their assigned seat included one that was filthy. The usher moved them a couple of seats down. Clearly this could have created a conflict with others who actually paid for those seats that they were now filling.

Also, I will add that I too noticed that the jitter was not due to the camerawork. The key was that enormous title that popped up immediately after the final boat scene cut to black. It read in huge letters: CHILDREN OF MEN. That was a static and (supposed to be) non-moving/non-animated title. Yet that fucker was bouncing around like crazy. This is a reasonable litmus test for those who notice the obvious and those who do not.

While I cannot comment on the arclight situation. I will say thats a sweet photograph.

Thanks for the high-res version :)
http://static.flickr.com/41/89929078_b25d15f484_o.jpg