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Getting to the theater a problem

(NEWSER) - There are 7 weeks left until the Oscars, and if you start now, and get to the theater every other day, you might just be able to see all the contenders. Hollywood has made being an Oscarphile tough work, writes David Carr of the New York Times. After months of empty fluff, discerning viewers must “drink from a fire hose of prestige movies” at year’s end, Carr complains. “Where were you back in August, pal?” More»

Katzenberg bemoans industry's slow move to digital screens

(NEWSER) - Movie theaters just aren’t adding digital and 3D screens fast enough, says DreamWorks animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg, a big believer in the technology. DreamWorks has pledged to make all future releases available in 3D, at a cost of $15 million per film. But theater chains haven’t matched his enthusiasm. “Things have dragged along, and it’s been pretty disappointing,” he said. More»

High prices and few choices don't help: Roger Ebert

(NEWSER) - News that movie theaters had lackluster revenue in 2011 didn’t surprise Roger Ebert. He ticks off a list of the reasons why at his blog , including the lack of an Avatar-like blockbuster and usual suspects like too-high prices for tickets and refreshments. But also:

• Distractions: Loud talkers and people using their cell phones (with their bright screens) to text are getting out of hand.

Summer movie revenue, on the other hand, is up

(NEWSER) - This summer saw the release of some beloved films, but that wasn’t enough to keep theaters packed. Even as studios and theater owners saw record revenues (thanks to an average ticket price of $7.88), attendance fell to its lowest level since 1997, Bloomberg reports. The number of tickets sold this summer is expected hit 552 million, a drop of 2.6% from 2009. Meanwhile, summer revenue will rise to $4.35 billion, an increase of 2.4%. More»

Movies disappoint, but rarely go the way of Ishtar

(NEWSER) - It's rare these days to see a big-studio movie truly bomb, and that's a shame, laments Tom Shone of Slate . Sure, we get our share of misfires like Jonah Hex or The A-Team , but few reach the depths of those glorious financial busts of yesteryear like Ishtar, Waterworld, and Cutthroat Island—"the swashbuckler that derailed the careers of Renny Harlin, Geena Davis, and Matthew Modine—and the last film to actually force a movie studio to close, Heaven's Gate-style." More»