Leslie C. Halpern's Blog
Posted by Leslie C. Halpern
According to the Associated Press, on Christmas night 29-year-old James Joseph Cialella of Philadelphia, shot a man inside a Regal Cinemas auditorium because the man’s family was too noisy. Police said that Cialella told the family to be quiet, threw popcorn at the man’s son, then confronted them. When the father stood, Cialella reportedly shot him with a .380-caliber handgun. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, playing at the time, quickly turned into “The Curious Case of Movie Mayhem.”
Some moviegoers believe that their individual film-going experience takes precedence over everyone else’s enjoyment, while others merely use the darkness as an excuse for obnoxious behavior. Both men exhibited a selfishness that predominates today: Watching movies at the cinema is a community experience. That means, you have to endure some occasional talking, chair kicking, popcorn munching, and shushing. It also means that you should strive not to be the person (or family) contributing to the mayhem with your own talking, kicking, munching, or shushing.
To help keep movie theater violence restricted to on-screen depictions instead of off-screen re-enactments, I offer these suggestions for mutual tolerance:
- Remove noisy children from the auditorium immediately, and don’t talk during the movie except in soft whispers.
- Turn off cell phones and anything else that makes noise or lights up.
- Don’t wear hats to movies, lean to one side, or sit on the edge of your seat – all of which block the view of the person behind you. If you’re over six feet tall or 250 pounds, then sit near the back for the same reason.
- When you’re seated next to rude people, move to a different seat, if possible. If the auditorium is full and a polite “shush” doesn’t work, then complain to management immediately. Never take matters into your own hands by confronting other patrons.
And if you can’t behave, then stay home!
 |
Posted by Leslie C. Halpern
Combining the emotional effects of 9/11 portrayed in Mike Binder’s film Reign Over Me and the physical effects portrayed in Michael Moore’s Sicko and Heidi Dehncke-Fisher’s Dust to Dust: The Health Effects of 9/11, John Citara describes how his life changed forever on September 11, 2001. After witnessing the destruction of the World Trade Center on television, he left home in Pennsylvania to volunteer as a first responder at Ground Zero.
A former teacher of disabled children and construction worker, he helped amid the chaos including search and rescue. Like other volunteers, he wore a white cloth mask designed to protect him from household dust, but not against toxic chemicals burning in the ruins. Since then, he’s been coughing up blood, vomiting foreign particles, and living in constant pain. Unable to work or obtain adequate healthcare, this single father of a toddler struggles to get a diagnosis and treatment that will save his life.
For years, filmmaker Brian Johnson was interested in health effects on 9/11 first responders. Licensed mental health counselor Judith Rubinger recognized the importance of sharing Citara’s story with the public, and introduced the two men. Shooting in Florida, Johnson completed principal photography on the documentary in November, and plans to finish in spring 2009. Assisted by Full Sail University film students Art Brainard and Craig Bethel, Johnson and Citara hope to accomplish several goals through this currently untitled film:
- inform people that 9/11 first responders without healthcare benefits are sick and dying;
- prompt investigations into the lack of funding provided to suffering 9/11 first responders;
- raise money for Citara’s treatment;
- and fund research on health issues related to 9/11.
Let’s hope this compelling human drama has a happy ending.
 |
Posted by Leslie C. Halpern
It’s universally agreed that actor Will Smith (and his ears) should portray Barack Obama whenever the movie version of his historic candidacy and presidency comes to the big screen. However, the director of this film is not a foregone conclusion. Filmmakers probably began fundraising, lobbying, and campaigning for the position of presidential filmmaker before the election results were even official.
Let’s review some of these potential directorial candidates and theorize what their two-minute elevator pitches might sound like:
- Oliver Stone
- Set against a backdrop of bloated, drunken, incompetent, scheming, and corrupt Republicans, a squeaky clean Democrat rises to save the American people.
- Rating: R (for language and disturbing images)
- Forest Whitaker
- The story of the first African-American family to preside in The White House, with particular focus on the two first daughters.
- Rating: PG (for some language)
- Rob Minkoff
- This animated version of the Barack Obama story concerns a cute black rabbit that magically changes animals, people, and situations just by wiggling his very large ears.
- Rating: G
- Kevin Smith
- A comic reflection on Barack Obama’s early slacker days in high school before he aspired to greatness.
- Rating: R (for some drug use)
- Spike Lee
- From a crowd of angry young African-American men unable to keep their promises emerges promise-keeping Barack Obama, committed to doing the right thing.
- Rating: R (for strong graphic sexuality, nudity, language, and violence)
- Steven Spielberg
- A big-budget, star-studded blockbuster loaded with special effects and gentle humor that captures the excitement of two years on the campaign trail.
- Rated PG-13 (for some language and intense scenes)
- Nora Ephron
- A clever, tear-jerking love story between two young attorneys who endure failures and successes before falling in love and becoming the President and First Lady.
- Rated PG-13 (for some sexual references)
Get those elevator pitches ready!
Posted by Leslie C. Halpern
In June 2008, 302 IMAX theaters operated in 40 countries. Using the IMAX Digital projection system, these theaters exhibit digitally re-mastered Hollywood movies and original documentaries in IMAX and IMAX 3D. This process transforms conventional motion pictures into super-sized immersive images.
Upcoming Hollywood Movies to Be Released in IMAX Format:
- Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa (November 2008)
- The Day the Earth Stood Still (December 2008)
- Monsters vs. Aliens (March 2009)
- Watchmen (March 2009)
- Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian (May 2009)
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 2009)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 2009)
- Avatar (December 2009)
- Hubble (March 2010)
- Alice in Wonderland (March 2010)
- How to Train Your Dragon (March 2010)
- Shrek Goes Forth (May 2010).
Movies That Should Not Be Re-Mastered Into IMAX
As the Romantic Films/Comedies feature writer for Suite 101.com, I noticed that no romantic comedies made the list. That’s probably wise. Watching IMAX-sized animals, aliens, dragons, and wizards is one thing. Watching 53-feet high by 72 feet-wide romantic kisses and other intimacies is something else altogether.
Here are eight otherwise enjoyable recent romantic comedies that (because of drug use, graphic nudity, ill-fitting clothing, gross-out comedy, and/or other raunchy behavior that is already larger than life) should never be digitally re-mastered into the IMAX format. Please.
Good Luck Chuck (2007)
- Director: Mark Helfrich
- Stars: Dane Cook, Jessica Alba
Knocked Up (2007)
- Director: Judd Apatow
- Stars: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl
Mr. Woodcock (2007)
- Director: Craig Gillespie
- Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Susan Sarandon
Superbad (2007)
- Director: Greg Mottola
- Stars: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera
The Heartbreak Kid (2007)
- Directors: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
- Stars: Ben Stiller, Malin Akerman
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
- Director: Jake Kasdan
- Stars: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer
Wedding Crashers (2005)
- Director: David Dobkin
- Stars: Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn
You Don’t Mess With the Zohan (2008)
- Director: Dennis Dugan
- Stars: Adam Sandler, Emmanuelle Chriqui
 |
Posted by Leslie C. Halpern
Recently, a New York judge ruled that a man attempting to sue a movie theater because he needed dental repairs totaling $1,250 U.S. from eating unpopped popcorn kernels didn’t have a legitimate case. In this Associated Press story, the Manhattan Civil Court judge ruled that the man could not reasonably expect every kernel to be popped in the box that he purchased at the theater.
It’s a shame that he broke a tooth, but realistically, everyone should know that attempting to pry open the duds at the bottom of the popcorn box is asking for trouble. Popcorn is such a problematic food that most orthodontists prohibit their patients from eating it the entire time they’re wearing braces.
Thankfully this case was thrown out of court. If the man had won, we could expect a barrage of similar cases, with newspaper headlines like the following:
- Woman Sues for 50-Pound Weight Gain at Movie Theater: Hot Dogs, Nachos, and Buttered Popcorn to Blame.
- Man Sticks Theater With Teeth-Whitening Bill: Says Coffee and Sodas at the Movies Stained His Teeth.
- Class Action Group Threatens Theater Chain With Lawsuit: No One Warned Us Coffe Was Hot, They Say.
- Boy Sues to Reclaim Money for Filled Cavities: Chewy Candies Caused Me Pain and Suffering, He Says.
- Group of Girls Threatens Lawsuit Over Acne: Chocolate Theater Candy Ruined Our Skin!
- Man Sues Theater Over Discriminatory Concessions: Why Don’t They Serve Ethnic Food, He Accuses.
The facts about movie food are quite simple: These are treats, often unhealthy and always overpriced, designed to enhance the movie-going experience. Like everything else associated with entertainment, moviegoers need to eat, drink, and watch at their own risk.
