IMAX Dismisses Gripes About Screen Size

Alexander Huls: Sick of talkers, texters? Try the midnight experience

(NEWSER) - Movie theater etiquette is dying , but there is still one tradition that makes for “a near-ideal cinematic experience,” writes Alexander Huls in the New York Times : “the midnight show.” It’s the first opportunity for passionate fans to see a new film, which means the experience is filled with long lines, people in costumes, and—once the show finally begins—raucous and elated reactions to pretty much everything that happens onscreen. It may sounds like a “nightmare” to those who see the movie theater as “cathedral,” but it’s actually not, Huls writes. More»

(NEWSER) - Hollywood is in the middle of an illuminating summer. The season started strong, with Star Trek, The Hangover, and Up, before things seriously cooled off, reports the Los Angeles Times. Some big releases await, but here are some of the lessons learned so far:

• Playability has eclipsed marketability: Films with good word of mouth, like The Hangover, have done well, while Terminator and Wolverine fell flat in their second weekends.

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.

From Kevin Spacey to Kevin Smith, something for everyone

(NEWSER) - The Sundance Film Festival opens Thursday: What films should you anticipate the most? The Daily Beast highlights 14 that are getting the most buzz:

• Margin Call: Set at the beginning of 2008’s financial meltdown, an entry-level analyst discovers a glitch in the system of the investment firm he works at. Kevin Spacey leads a cast that also includes Jeremy Irons and Demi Moore.
• Page One: This documentary goes behind the scenes at the New York Times, including a look at the problems facing the paper with the rise of Internet news.

And, yes, Jackass 3D makes the list

(NEWSER) - Cult filmmaker John Waters offers up his 10 favorite movies of 2010, and the list is as interesting as you'd expect:

• Domain: He describes his favorite movie of the year thusly: "A 40-year-old alcoholic aunt (played by Béatrice Dalle—'Betty Blue' herself!) and her gayish teenage nephew form a perversely close relationship by taking walks together. Lots of walks!"
• Enter the Void: "The best film ever about taking hallucinogenic drugs."
• Ricky: "If David Lynch and David Cronenberg had sex and one of them magically got pregnant, this film could be their offspring."