Popcorn 'N Roses

PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 2007 - Kendall Square earns its rep as one of the top theaters in the area

Landmark Kendall Square Cinema
Cambridge MA
Thursday, August 30 2007

Year in and year out, Landmark's Kendall Square Cinema has won the annual award as Best Boston Theater in the Boston Phoenix newspaper. I've always suspected that the wins had more to do with the fact that the Kendall is an "art house" theater, catering to smaller independent films, and that the college crowd that is the Phoenix' primary audience did most of the voting. However, there's also something to the fact that it's a nice theater too. We'd been there a couple times prior to this past Thursday, when we stopped by to take in the independent Donkey Kong documentary, The King Of Kong (see earlier review).

Located at One Kendall Square in Cambridge, it's a bit of a hike from the nearest T Stop, MIT/Kendall, but on a nice day, it's not a bad walk at all, about 10-15 minutes.

The lobby of the Kendall is set up so you can buy tickets from the outside or the inside, but I'm not sure if they use the outside window or not - we've always gone inside. And what a pleasant surprise to discover that they do have ticket kiosks as well - and they're ALL working - a first on the entire Summer Tour. Pity they're halfway inside the lobby and kind of tucked behind some of the beautiful art deco design of the building, so you don't know you're there until it's too late if you're a first timer. A sign pointing them out would be helpful.

The concession stand and ticket booth were both manned by extremely friendly and helpful employees. The ticket attendant answered an extra question I had about an upcoming feature without missing a beat and with a smile on his face, and the concession stand attendant was pleasant and helpful, and made sure we got top service. I can also say that the Kendall has some of the best popcorn in Boston; it was fresh, hot, buttery, and delicious.

Built in 1997, before the stadium-style seating got really popular, the Kendall is the only newer theater in the area still sporting the slightly angled, 'hallway'-esque theaters. Kim has said that they remind her of aircraft hangars, because they're a bit wider that most of these types of theaters, but are about half the size lengthwise. Despite this, the Kendall is a great place to experience a film - the theater seats are comfortable, the angle to the screen is always neck-friendly, and the sound is always rich and full. And they keep them virtually spotless. It was a little chilly after a while, but overall, nothing major to quibble with.

The bathrooms were busy and still in decent shape - all the facilities were in perfect working order and clean as they could be. The sink area was a bit wet, but four people were in there ahead of me, so that most likely had just happened. The Kendall has an elevator to the upstairs bathrooms as well, and it was in excellent working order, taking just about 30 seconds to go between floors. Very nice indeed for someone with a bad back and bad knees like me.

One other thing I love about the Kendall is the sheer volumes of flyers, postcards, mini-posters, and other odd promo items they have laying around for the public to pick up. I was a bit disappointed that they were out of the most recent Landmark Magazine, but it came out in June, so it's definately understandable. And naturally, I forgot to ask if there was a manager around to ask if we could have left some of our cards, but I have a feeling they won't have a problem with it when I finally remember next time we go...

THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)

Lobby - 5
Snack Bar - 5
Theater Cleanliness - 5
Theater Temperature - 4
Comfy Factor - 5
Film Quality - 5
Sound Quality - 5
Bathrooms - 4
Employees - 5
Ticket Kiosks - 4
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TOTAL SCORE: 47 out of 50 - Excellent

And with that, the Kendall Square Cinema in Cambridge has become our highest-scoring theater on our tour so far. So obviously there IS something to the Phoenix voting after all. If you are into the independent scene, you'll be spending quite a bit of time here, and if your experience is anything like ours, you can bet you'll be pretty happy giving them your business as well.

On The Web: http://landmarktheaters.com/market/Boston/KendallSquareCinema.htm

We'll have a review of another MetroBoston Theater on our PNR Summer Tour 2007 coming soon!  And don't forget to check back frequently, and on our weekly podcast Subject:CINEMA, for more PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 07 coverage!

PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 2007 - Jordan's Comcast IMAX 3D Theater shines as a MetroBoston jewel

(l-r, Stacy Prezioso, Jenn Ruggeri, Kim Brown)

Comcast 3D IMAX Theater
Reading MA
Sunday, August 12 2007

We cheated in coming to Jordan Furniture's Comcast 3D IMAX Theater, as in we came by car...but it IS accessible by the MBTA bus system, which stops out front of the shopping center...

We were there to see the 3-D Imax version of "Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix" (see earlier review).

Located at 50 Walkers Brook Drive in Reading (there's another one in Natick, also), the complex is MUCH MORE than a theater, much more...and for an all-in-one afternoon of family-oriented entertainment, this place simply cannot be beat!

You enter the lobby through a set of humongous revolving doors, which you don't even have to touch - they're automatic. And you enter into a wonderous world of JellyBelly proportions. Jelly Belly is one of several merchants in the lobby area, and you actually have to walk a bit to get to the theater's actual lobby, which is to the left of the doors, past Fuddrucker's Restaurant, and down another small mirrored hallway.

We had pre-purchased our tickets and didn't need to visit the ticket booth, which from all accounts was very quick and well organized. I didn't see any ticket kiosks, however, and this place would seem to have been a natural for them.

The snack bar is well manned and well stocked, and handled by extremely friendly employees who  know their job. It can be a bit noisy, though - the theater's line starts right next to the snackbar area. But overall, a very pleasant experience. And the popcorn was delicious as well. They also provide a "do-it-yourself" soda and butter bar for you to fill your own soda and butter your own popcorn; it could have been a little bit neater - the butter was all over the machine and didn't really work very well, though we got a little bit, and drenched the bottom of the popcorn bag. Messy, but we were able to wipe it off to the poing where we didn't get any on our clothes.

The seats in the IMAX Auditorum are deluxe seats, with extra padding and long, comfortable arms. However, their appearance is decieving, as I found myself becoming increasingly uncomfortable due to the way the seat was manufactured, with a piping of material running just under my upper legs. By the end of the first hour, my legs were not happy with that. But I have a problem with upper leg circulation due to a back problem, and the others with me said they had no discomfort.

The bathrooms were busy and still in tiptop shape - all the facilities were in perfect working order and clean as they could be. The floor around the sinks was a bit wet, but not overly so to where it might cause an accident.

Overall, the quality of the movie was great - it usually is with an IMAX film -  and sound was pretty good, although less than i'm used to with IMAX - I had a hard time hearing the low parts of the movie, which I didn't have when we saw it in the regular multiplex. The theater was only about half full and no matter where you sit, IMAX gives you an excellent view of the screen. The 3D effects, located in the final 25 minutes of the movie, were INCREDIBLE. A small flashing icon on screen lets you know it's time for the glasses, and another icon lets you know when to take them off. Very simple, and very easy to follow.

The cinema itself was SPOTLESS! We were at the third show of the day, and there wasn't a single cup, bag, or anything to be found, nor was there even a single stray piece of popcorn on the floor. Kudos to the teams which help keep the theater amazingly clean!

THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)

Lobby - 5
Snack Bar - 4
Theater Cleanliness - 5
Theater Temperature - 5
Comfy Factor - 4
Film Quality - 5
Sound Quality - 4
Bathrooms - 5
Employees - 5
Ticket Kiosks - 0
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TOTAL SCORE: 42 out of 50 - Excellent

I cannot say enough about the fantastic complex that Jordans have put in to house the theater. In addition to the wonderful theater, they have, as I mentioned above, a Jelly Belly -sponsored area that includes a number of little specialty shops that sell tees and jelly beans, plus a number of other attractions, including a trapeze school (!), a Richardson's Ice Cream parlor, a fantastic and fun musical fountain display called Liquid Fireworks, and a full sized Fuddrucker's restaurant. And of course, several entrances into the main Jordan's Furniture building.

After the movie, we went to Fuddrucker's for lunch, then tackled the ice cream parlor and took our ice creams (which were larger than Ben And Jerry's large size for less than the price of a B&J Small, and that was a Richardson's MEDIUM!) to a table next to the fountains, which really cooled off the building...it would be a great place to sit in the heat of summer and cool off.

All in all, I think this one was the most fun we've had at ANY of our tour stops - hats off to Comcast and Jordan's Furniture for making one of PNR's Metro Boston Summer Tour stops one of the most pleasant days we've had out in a long time.

On The Web: http://www.jordansimax.live.terabyte.co.nz/

We'll have a review of another MetroBoston Theater on our PNR Summer Tour 2007 coming soon!  And don't forget to check back frequently, and on our weekly podcast Subject:CINEMA, for more PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 07 coverage!

PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 2007 - AMC Boston Common can't - and maybe doesn't even TRY - to live up to the old Loews standards

AMC Boston Common
Sunday July 29, 2007

When this huge multiplex was still operated by Loews (whose signage is still prominant on the building, see photo), it was very definately our favorite Boston theater complex. The place was well cared for, the employees friendly and funny, and we always looked forward to going there. Then AMC took over when Loews divested itself, and everything went downhill from there...

We decided to stop in again, over a year since our last visit, to see if things had straightened themselves out. We were hoping maybe AMC had gotten their act together. Guess what? They haven't...

Located on Tremont Street across the street from the Boylston Green Line Stop and Boston Common, the two level theater complex is HUGE and sprawling. Opened in 2000, it's one of the two newest theaters in the city (the other is Regal's (formerly AMC's) Fenway 13 cinema.

Upon entering the lobby of the cinema, we were smacked in the face with a rather pungent odor. Or rather, I was...I asked Kim and she said she couldn't smell it. But I did, and I don't know what it was. It smelled to me like rotten mop water, but no mop or bucket was in sight anywhere. It faded quickly as I got accustomed to the smell, as well. Obviously someone had been trying to clean; it's too bad they apparently never could get the sticky upstairs carpet clean...they had all new carpet in the hallway where last time the floor was so sticky my shoes actually stuck to the carpet and took considerable effort to get them unstuck.

The ticket kiosks were still in disrepair. Last time we were here (for Pirates Of The Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest last year), four of the kiosks weren't working. This time, only two weren't working. So that's an improvement. But there are a couple of things I don't like about AMC ticket kiosks. One, they don't allow you to add food and drinks to your order so that you can just present a paid voucher at the snack bar for your items (National Amusements has this wonderful feature in its Showcase Cinemas, and I love it). Two, as I said in my review of the AMC Harvard Square theater, if you forget to bring your AMC Moviewatcher card (and I did), there's no way to get the points without writing to their customer service department and causing a headache. The machine advises you to see a manager, but there's never one around when you need them...

Something else that bothers me about the way AMC does business is that they are one of those places that raise the prices too early in the afternoon. Most theaters run matinee prices for anything before six PM; at AMC cinemas, it's 4 PM, and then you pay full price. So I paid $5 more at AMC to see the 4 PM showing of Ratatouille than I would have at Regal or Showcase. And AMC adds an extra dollar to the price to "prime time" shows on the weekend to boot (another practice they seem to be alone among the chains in doing, at least in the Boston metro area), so we ended up paying $20 for a show for two people on the weekend that would have been $18 Monday through Thursday or that would have been $14.50 anytime of the week at Showcase.  Not exactly a good economic value. And they don't make either of the extra charges very well known to patrons - that is to say they don't post it on the kiosks, and they don't announce it in their ads or on the website; you only notice it when you actually go to the box office and see the "weekend prices" sign or find out the hard way at the kiosk or when ordering on-line at Fandango. Quite honestly, I consider both of these practices to be deceptive because they don't make these extra charges clear enough to prospective patrons.

The bathrooms were not bad, but they weren't great either. The mens room had water on the floor with no caution sign, and water all over the counter. And one of the hand driers didn't work, either.

The quality of the movie was great, and sound was perfect - Ratatouille is a DLP feature, so it's actually on a hard drive rather than film, and the difference is incredible. Colors are crisp and clear, sound quality is top notch, and it rarely has a problem. DLP is the wave of the future, and is no doubt going to eventually end up being the regular multiplex cinema version of IMAX when it comes to guaranteed quality.

The cinema itself was clean, considering that we were there in the middle of the day on a weekend afternoon. No trash anywhere, and nothing gumming up the floors around the seats, or the staircases either.

The snack bar, however, was another story entirely. Two lines, easily 6-8 people in each line, and only two people manning the registers, while two others assisted by getting items for each order. The counters were a MESS, the clerks were EXTREMELY RUDE - I asked if it would be possible to get a $5 and 5 $1 bills for my change, and was told "NO!" in a nasty, curt way as the clerk slammed her drawer shut.  The self-service condiment area was a mess also, with salt everywhere and garbage overflowing, And as I found out when I returned to my seat, the popcorn was positively INEDIBILE - whether it was the salt coating or the butter in the dispenser on the self service bar, I don't know, but it tasted rancid and spoiled.

As if that wasn't enough, our cinema was across from one of Boston Common's smaller supplemental snack bars, and when I started to approach it first, the woman working behind the counter practically screamed "WE'RE CLOSED! Use the MAIN SNACK BAR!" at me. And I mean screamed when I say that - she sounded as if she wanted me to know that was angry about having to come into work, as though she didn't want to be there in the first place...which was probably the truth...but you NEVER take out your anger on customers.

THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)

Lobby - 3.5
Snack Bar - 1
Theater Cleanliness - 4
Theater Temperature - 4
Comfy Factor - 5
Film Quality - 5
Sound Quality - 5
Bathrooms - 3.5
Employees - 1
Ticket Kiosks - 2
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TOTAL SCORE: 34 = Average
EXTRA DEDUCTION: 5 points for slightly deceptive pricing schemes on the weekends and matinees
_____________________
FINAL SCORE: 29 = Fair

There is no doubt in my mind that the largest and most centrally located cinema in Boston is also the worst managed, with the worst customer service, worst snack bar food, and the rudest counter help I have EVER encountered in all my years of movie attendance. If they want our money again, they're gonna need to make some MASSIVE changes. Otherwise, it would just be better if AMC sold it to someone who KNOWS how to make sure the customer is taken care of - Fresh Pond's owners, Entertainment Cinemas, come to mind...

On The Web: http://www.amctheaters.com

We'll have a review of another MetroBoston Theater on our PNR Summer Tour 2007 coming soon!  And don't forget to check back frequently, and on our weekly podcast Subject:CINEMA, for more PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 07 coverage!

PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 2007: Coolidge Corner sparkles

COOLIDGE CORNER THEATER
Monday, June 23, 2007

In our continuing tour of the MetroBoston area, Monday, June 23, we hit one of our favorite theaters, Coolidge Corner theater in Brookline.

We were not alone for this trip either...our friends Stacy and Jenn were along to view the Science On Screen presentation of the classic film "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan".

Coolidge Corner is a grand old theater, and in recent years, they've done extensive renovating. Several years back, they added a second cinema by closing off the old balcony, and more recently they've added a screening room, and an even smaller theater for a total of four screens, and all of them are excellent. As always, despite the busy crowd, the lobby was sparkling and spotless, and the crew on duty was handling the near sellout crowd well, and the crew manning the concessions were fast and efficient as always.

The main theater. where the screening was being held, was as always near-perfect when it comes to cleanliness. The Coolidge has the 80s style seating, but it's spaced better than in most theaters, and even if someone sits directly in front of you, you still won't end up with an obstructed view of the screen. The seats can also be a bit tight, particularly upstairs in the balcony theater. But on the main floor, they're tolerable if sometimes a bit snug (i've found that the seat size varies slightly depending where in the main auditorum you sit, although that might be me...), and don't make it hard to move around, and you can easily get up and make a trip to the snack bar or the bathroom.

And while the print was fine - a couple of small glitches here and there, which is to be expected for a movie that's 20+ years old - the sound was all from the front. No Dolby AT ALL. I've been to the Coolidge a few times before, and every other feature I've seen in the big theater has always featured superior Dolby sound, or at least I thought it had. Could it have been the print or the choice of movie? Possibly. But at times, I could have really used one of the listening devices they offer when viewing this movie - with the seemingly non-Dolby sound, and the rowdier than usual crowd, it was VERY hard to hear most of the time.

The Coolidge is one of the few older theaters in the area with restrooms on every floor - there are a couple of unisex ones on the main floor, the main bathrooms down the staircase from the main lobby, and a couple more on the upstairs level. And it has always amazed me how they ALL manage to stay so clean. I've used the men's room on every floor, and Kim the ladies, and although they can be a big snug if the place is jumping (like it was this night), they are ALWAYS clean. And tonight was no exception.

Also like many older theaters, the Coolidge's ticket booth is on the outside, although you can usually also walk in to get tickets. Although I love ticket kiosks, the Coolidge's outdoor booth isn't as bad as the others, because they always give you the info you're looking for without asking - the time the movie starts, the time they will begin seating, whether you can wait inside or have to wait outside, etc. And they're usually very pleasant about it, too.

THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)

Lobby - 5
Snack Bar - 4.5
Theater Cleanliness - 5
Theater Temperature - 5
Comfy Factor - 4
Film Quality - 4
Sound Quality - 3
Bathrooms - 4.5
Employees - 5
Ticket Kiosks - n/a
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TOTAL SCORE: 40 = VERY GOOD

The Coolidge Corner Theater is one of those little movie houses you'll go out of your way to if they're showing something you want to see. Plus the little special shows they offer are irresistable to some (we've been to several) and help make up a core group of regular, loyal members. They definately deserve at least one visit, and chances are good that once you've been there once...you'll be going back again and again.

On The Web: http://www.coolidge.org

We'll have a review of another MetroBoston Theater on our PNR Summer Tour 2007 coming soon! And don't forget to check back frequently, and on our weekly podcast Subject:CINEMA, for more PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 07 coverage!

Subject:CINEMA #58 - Hollywood Biographies - Fact, Fiction, or Both?

This week, Kim and TC tackle the Hollywood biography - how much fact really gets into big screen bios, and how much is embellishment. Plus, we review three current movies.

THE SHOW

Segment 1 - how accurate are Hollywood biographies?; What makes it ok to embellish biographical films with fictional elements?; Lincoln, Washington, Howard Stern, Adolf Hitler, and their portrayals

Segment 2 - more on past bios and how people were portrayed; Ed Wood; Mommie Dearest

Segment 3 -planned and upcoming bios; people we'd like to see get the bio treatment

Segment 4 - Reviews of Surf's Up, Once, and Fantastic Four:Rise Of The Silver Surfer

THIS WEEK'S NOTES:

Full notes coming soon!

PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 2007: Harvard Square needs bathroom help

AMC HARVARD SQUARE
Sunday, June 10, 2007

In our continuing tour of the MetroBoston area, last weekend, we did a double-header on Sunday, hitting one theater we'd never been to, and one we hadn't been to in over 10 years.

We reviewed Fresh Pond Cinema last time, now let's get to the one we've been to before.

It has been well over 10 years since we had attended a show at the Harvard Square theater. I believe it was owned by Loews last time we were there, now it's a part of the AMC chain of theaters.Located less than a block from the Harvard T station, the AMC Harvard Square is small as modern theaters go, but it's still not a half bad place.

I have to say, however, that three of my pet peeves about older theaters all come into play with this location. First, the ticket booth is in the window, so you have to be outside when purchasing your tickets. Second, when you go into the theater, the ticket taker is RIGHT THERE - you can't even walk into the lobby until you've turned in your ticket, which is REALLY MEGA ANNOYING, especially if they don't happen to be paying attention (which has happened before); and finally, since you can't get into the lobby, obviously, no ticket kiosks...

We were here for the early afternoon showing of ONCE (review to follow on PNR), and the theater was modestly filled more than expected for a nice Sunday afternoon.

The theater was exceptionally clean, and the one person on duty at the counter was very efficient, once he got the register tape cover back on the charge receipt printer, which was giving him a problem. I hate those things, I know how frustrated he was getting...heh heh heh... And I gave him a break, ordering only drinks - soda, which was fresh and ice cold, and bottled water, which was about half cold, but wasn't as cold as it could have been.

The theater was in great shape, and wasn't too bad, comfy wise...I prefer the stadium seating, as i've made clear in other posts, but the line of sight was very good, and I can't complain. ONCE is a musical (of sorts), so sound was extremely important, and the Harvard Square didn't let us down. The sound system was grade A and every little sound could be heard without difficulty. The picture was crystal clear and completely devoid of any pops or other defects.

Another big problem I have with the Harvard Square are the bathrooms. First of all, they're upstairs, and there is no elevator, making it difficult for someone with a bad back or leg, like myself, to climb the long staircase to. And once I got there, they were a MESS - there was water all over the floor, water all over the sink area, so much so that I actually got the front of my shirt soaked when I wasn't watching what I was doing, and one of the stalls was marked with a handwritten sign that said "Broken". This was by far the WORST bathroom i'd yet encountered on our summer tour visits. When it comes to keeping them up, out of sight, out of mind, I guess...

AMC also has a "Moviewatchers" club, and I hate to admit it, but I totally forgot to use my card. I had to write to their website to get credited for my tickets and snacks. I had to complain about not getting credit to begin with, because they say that you have to talk to the manager to have them added, but there was no manager visible that afternoon, and I didn't wish to disturb them anyway for such a trivial matter, because I was under the mistaken impression that it could be rectified on the Movie Watcher website. But they were quite nice and told me when I wrote that I could send them an e-mail with the numbers from the tickets stubs to add them to my credits. This was after the first letter of complaint, so i'm pretty impressed by that, even if they do make it damn difficult to find the correct way to communicate with the company via the website.

THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)

Lobby - 4.5
Snack Bar - 4.5
Theater Cleanliness - 5
Theater Temperature - 5
Comfy Factor - 4.5
Film Quality - 5
Sound Quality - 5
Bathrooms - 2
Employees - 4
Ticket Kiosks - n/a
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TOTAL SCORE: 39.5 = GOOD

Although it's a nice cinema overall, and the main theater is large, fairly comfy, and clean, the ticket situation, and the awful bathrooms, made it a less than enjoyable experience outside of the movie.

On The Web: http://www.amctheaters.com

We'll have a review of another MetroBoston Theater on our PNR Summer Tour 2007 coming later this week! And don't forget to check back frequently, and on our weekly podcast Subject:CINEMA, for more PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 07 coverage!

PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 2007: Fresh Pond's customer service will BLOW YOU AWAY!!

FRESH POND ENTERTAINMENT CINEMAS
Cambridge MA
Sunday, June 10, 2007

In our continuing tour of the MetroBoston area, this weekend, we did a double-header on Sunday, hitting one theater we'd never been to, and one we hadn't been to in over 10 years. So we'll start with the one that was brand new to us.

Fresh Pond 10, the only member of the Entertainment Cinemas chain in Metro Boston, is also the northernmost of the theaters on our tour accessible by T Train - other ones north of town will have to be by bus...

Located at the rear of the Fresh Pond "Mall" (a glorified strip mall), the cinema is a short 10 minute walk from the Alewife T Station on the Red Line.  Kim and I had never been to the area so we were a bit disoriented coming out of the station, and came out the wrong end. But NORMALLY, it should be a ten minute walk, heh heh heh...

We were here for the early show on a Sunday, the 11:50 AM screening of SURF'S UP (review to follow on PNR), and upon entering the location, you can almost sense something is different about this place. The lobby is smallish, with a six station snack bar, two ticket booths (no kiosks, sigh), and two staircases leading to the three cinemas on the top floor.

I have to say this up front - Fresh Pond Cinema has absolutely hands down the BEST Customer Service I have EVER received in a theater, EVER EVER EVER!!! We were totally knocked out when the girl at the snack counter rang up our order, then brought each item one at a time while saying what it was and the price (!) after EACH ITEM, then once we had everything, repeated the entire order back to us again and gave us our total...and then told us exactly how much change we were getting back. WOW! The young man at the ticket booth was smiling and polite and asked which movie we had come to see and said as he dispensed the tickets that he thought it was better than most of the reviews he'd read so far (he was RIGHT, too...).

And if that wasn't enough, almost immediately after the features end credits began to roll, a young lady with a theater uniform entered the theater and began asking people "Did you enjoy the movie today?" "Was the movie to your liking?" and "Did you have a good time today?" as they left, and people were responding to her. She had a bright sound to her voice and a beautiful smile lighting up her face, doing her best to show that she CARED about the experience that her theater's patrons were having as they exited the theater! NEVER in all my years of attending a theater has this ever happened at a multiplex of any kind - DOUBLE WOW!

And as if that wasn't enough, four others came in to do a cleaning of the theater as the movie's credits rolled, and they were so efficient they were in and out before the credits finished rolling, and the place was absolutely sparkling when they were done. And they ALL seemed to be enjoying their work there.  These kids all deserve a great big check, because they showed me that they enjoyed working there, and that, more importantly, they enjoyed making sure I, as a patron, was satisfied. You don't even find that at most restaurants these days, let alone a multiplex theater!  I can't say how overwhelmingly impressed we were with the staff!

Now that all that praise is out of the way....it's time for the other shoe to drop...

The bathrooms were less than satisfactory. We were at one of the first shows of the day, and still there was water all over the sink counter and all over the floor. One of the urinals in the men's room was out of order and covered over roughly with a trash bag. And they only have two stalls, which is almost unheard of in a multiplex men's room these days. Kim reported that the ladies is also not perfect and was messy for that time of morning.

The quality of the film was great, and sound was perfect for one of those "hallway" theaters that were popular in the 80s and 90s. You know, the kind where the seats are on same level on the floor, with a slight grade rise as you move from front to back. I don't care for these types of theaters anymore - i've gotten too used to stadium-style seating and I don't like looking up at the screen. But I have to admit, after a moment or two, I forgot all about the seating and was able to just enjoy the movie.

Just a quick aside about a couple of things i'd like to note that don't play into the score. First off, it was nice to see the cinema have an ATM in the lobby - some theaters do these days and some don't, and it's a nice, added convienence to have...but also clearly shows they could install some ticket kiosks.

Second, I have to say that for everything right about the cinema itself, the company's website can't have the same thing said about it. I tried to contact Entertainment Cinemas two weeks ago to let them know about the link to their site that appears on our Boston Popcorn website. I wrote to four different E-mail addresses listed on their site, in succession, as the e-mails came back rejected, with "no such address" on ALL FOUR attempts. The fourth one was the last address on the site, so I couldn't go any further with it. This time, when I write to them about the review, i'll use their comment form and see if that works. But overall, their website has a great many errors, and needs a complete overhaul to make it truly functional.

THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)

Lobby - 5
Snack Bar - 5
Theater Cleanliness - 5
Theater Temperature - 5
Comfy Factor - 5
Film Quality - 5
Sound Quality - 5
Bathrooms - 3.5
Employees - 5
Ticket Kiosks - n/a
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TOTAL SCORE: 43.5 = VERY GOOD

Fresh Pond Entertainment Cinemas definately wins my award for "Best Customer Service" at a MetroBoston Theater. The fact that the company obviously trains their employees to show genuine care and concern about their patrons puts them far and above all the other theater chains in the area, and probably around the country as well. Now, if we could get them to add stadium seating, i'd go out of my way to come here a lot more than I have in the past.

On The Web: http://entertainmentcinemas.com

We'll have a review of another MetroBoston Theater on our PNR Summer Tour 2007, the AMC Harvard Square, coming later this week! And don't forget to check back frequently, and on our weekly podcast Subject:CINEMA, for more PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 07 coverage!

PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 2007: Cambridge's Brattle Theater is still the best, uncomfortable seats and all...

BRATTLE THEATER
Cambridge Ma
Thursday, June 7, 2007

I have said it before, and i'll say it again...the Brattle Theater in Cambridge is our favorite MetroBoston movie house. We've been here a lot, but since we haven't officially scored it on our summer tour score card, we'll do so now.

We went out to the Brattle to catch HERO, the final film in the Zhang Yimou repertory series that ran most of last week. HERO is one of my all time favorite films, and I couldn't wait to see it again on the big screen.

The Brattle's lobby is tiny, and can hold maybe 5 people comfortably. It's also incredibly homey, kept well cleaned,  and the people that work there are usually volunteers. As always, the people at the ticket booth (the Brattle doesn't have a ticket kiosk because, quite honestly, it doesn't need one) were friendly, and the people at the snack bar were ready with soda, bottled water, and fresh popcorn absolutely DRENCHED in fresh real butter...and I mean drenched...there was a CLUMP of greasy, soggy popcorn in the bottom of the cup by the time we got finished with it...

The temperature in the Brattle fluctuates wildly, because the people downstairs in the lobby have no way to know how warm or cold it is in the auditorium. This evening, it turned out to be perfect after a few moments, and that was us - a little heated from our walk from the train station.

And while I love the Brattle, and will continue to go there as often as I can, I must say that I do have one BIG Problem with the place - the seats. We always sit in the balcony, but we've sat all over the balcony - center front, center rear, corner front left, corner front right -  and I have to say we've tested the seats downstairs as well, and, well, they're SMALL. Damned small. I freely admit both Kim and I are large, but we don't have problems with seats at other theaters the way I have trouble with the seats at the Brattle. In order for me to fit in them, I have to completely empty my front pockets and hope my legs don't go numb. And even then, I'm never entirely comfortable in them. And it makes it very difficult to get up and down for visits downstairs for snacks or visits to the bathroom.

Speaking of which, the bathrooms are very very small, but they do a great job keeping them cleaned up. They can be very very busy when the house is packed for a particular film, but even then, they stay fairly clean, due to the usually respectful clientele that the Brattle brings in.

The same can be said of the theater. Most people who come to this wonderful arthouse theater are respectful of the people who run it, and do their best to use the trash recepticles. Rarely is there ever any errant popcorn or candy wrappers lying around on the floor. The people who are the theaters' primary audience know what it takes to keep this little treasure open, and are mindful of making sure their trash is where it belongs.

The Brattle invested in a new sound system a year or so back, so the sound is now crisp and clear, and you can hear it no matter where you are in the theater, a far cry better than it used to be, when you sometimes had to strain to hear everything.

The film prints, which are especially important at this theater, are usually fine, and HERO was no exception. One quick glitch, which was only a couple seconds in length, certainly didn't take away from the quality of the rest of the print, which was, as always, excellent.

THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)

Lobby - 5
Snack Bar - 4.5
Theater Cleanliness - 5
Theater Temperature - 4
Comfy Factor - 2.5
Film Quality - 5
Sound Quality - 5
Bathrooms - 4
Employees - 4
Ticket Kiosks - n/a
---------------------
TOTAL SCORE: 39 - Good

The Brattle is still the BEST place in the MetroBoston area to see a great film. I can deal with the seat factor because i'm willing to put up with being slightly uncomfortable to see a film here. It's worth it every time!

On The Web: http://brattlefilm.org

Keep watching this week for two more reviews of local area theaters as Popcorn N Roses continues its MetroBoston Summer Tour 2007!!!

PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 2007 - "Showcase" Gets Showcased

May 25, 2007
Showcase Cinemas
Revere MA

Even though we've been there lots of times, we've elected to include all those theaters that we know on our summer tour, especially as we'll be going to several and haven't reviewed them yet. One of those theaters is the one we call our "home theater".

Showcase Cinemas in Revere is walking distance from our house, but we rarely walk, since three different buses stop right in front of it. This spacious 20-screen multiplex opened in 1999 and has been a fixture in our lives ever since.

Set just off Route 1 at the intersection of Route 60, it's entrance is the scene of many a traffic accident, which is why they are now finally installing a traffic signal there. With more than ample parking in both front and back of the building, they halved the front parking lot a few years ago, and that section is now the home of a weekend swap meet.

The lobby is presently renovating to allow the construction of a new full service restaurant and wine bar(!) inside, which is guess is the new thing that National Amusements, aka ViaBorg, Showcase's parent company, is into these days.  Personally, I think it might bomb bigtime in Revere, which is more working class than upscale (and we like it that way, too!). But we'll see.

And in the meantime, it has allowed for the recent opening of a brand new concession area, one serving the usual movie theater goodies, and one that has been consolidated from the previous food court, so that all six places - Nathans, Sbarro, Ben & Jerry's, Pretzel Time, and two others -  that used to be in the old dual stands are in one large stand. And they've also vastly improved the line area, so that it moves quickly and speedily, and they're also now manning all stations, whereas before you ordered everything from one side at just one of the three stations. So that has vastly improved. The clerk that waited on us was friendly and personable, and of course did the obligatory candy push with a smile as we completed our transaction.

What IS a problem now is seating. Whereas before they had a 40 table food court area, they're down to about 6 tables because of the renovations. And they were all extremely messy by the time we got there for the 7:30 showing of Pirates Of The Caribbean: At Worlds End (review to follow).

Considering the mass of people in the lobby, except for the tables in the food court area, it was pretty clean - the odd piece of trash on the floor here and there  isn't too bad. And they were wiping up the concession stand counters after every customer - I guess they want to keep the place nice and neat since it's all brand new.

The theater was also surprisingly clean considering the business they had done during the day, which means the staff was in and out and very effecient in doing the cleaning. The one big problem - and it was a BIG problem - was that four different times during the movie, the house lights came up - and I mean FULLY UP. And each time, a nice young audience member went running to the back of the auditorium entrance and the lights went completely down again. I think he was just hitting a light switch...but it worked, and he earned the applause he got.

The bathrooms are usually messy but still clean at Showcase on busy nights, and tonight was no exception. When you have that many people coming and going, it's hard to keep things spotless, and it was clear that they were trying. But they still could have mopped up a bit better between rushes.

Since we purchased tickets a week in advance, we didn't have to stand in line, and they took the  ticket kiosks out when they started remodeling. Here's hoping they bring them back ASAP after they've finished the restaurant. As i've said before, I generally prefer to use the kiosks these days - it makes it easier to keep track of exactly how much you spend at the theater.

Our friend Jenn visited the customer service center to get headsets and had no problems at all, as usual. They know her there and usually know exactly what she's there for. And the tickettaker was dapper and smiling, and wishing us to enjoy the show, which is a change from the "mumble mumble, theater over there, thanks" that we used to get here most of the time.

Because of the light problem, the screen washed out several times, but once the lights were restored, it was fine. I was a bit startled that the theater had a print where the Walt Disney logo had a line and noise running throughout it's 20 or so seconds of screen time. But other than that, the film was a decent print, and the sound was great. And for the first time in what seems like ages, there were NO COMMERCIALS - probably because of the movies' nearly 3 hour running time. Save the usual National Amusements Gift Certificate ad at the beginning, we went straight into the trailers, which was really nice.

THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)

Lobby - 4.5
Snack Bar - 4.0
Theater Cleanliness - 4.5
Theater Temperature - 4.5
Comfy Factor - 4.5
Film Quality - 4.5
Sound Quality - 5
Bathrooms - 3.5
Employees - 4.5
Ticket Kiosks - n/a
---------------------
TOTAL SCORE: 39.5 (out of 50)
EXTRA DEDUCTION: -3.0 for the lighting problem
---------------------
TOTAL AMENDED SCORE: 36.5 (out of 50) - Pretty good, all things considered...

Not bad by the business they were doing...but that light problem was very annoying. And I probably wouldn't have deducted points if it had been just once...but it KEPT happening, and no one knew for sure what to do...

The continuing lack of ticket kiosks, the theater light problem, and bathrooms that needed a little more work brings their overall score down, but in all fairness, I love this theater, it's our home away from home, and is usually pretty good. The employees try their hardest and always try to make things a pleasant experience.

Another theater in Metro Boston will soon be under our watchful eye as part of the PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 2007! We hope you're along for the ride!

On The Web: http://showcasecinemas.com

PNR Metro Boston Summer Tour 2007: So Real You Can (ALMOST) Touch It!

SIMONS IMAX THEATER
at the New England Aquarium

Saturday, May 19 2007

Don'tcha love Kim's best "Carol Merrill" impression in the photo? Hee hee hee...

Well, it's sort of cheating...we've been here before...but never for an actual IMAX presentation. And besides, our goal is to review and grade ALL the local theaters, including those we've been to before as well as those we haven't been to before, so we're including it in our tour.

We've seen a couple of Hollywood IMAX films here before (we both saw Prisoner OF Azkaban here, and Kim saw Attack Of The Clones here), but this was the first time we'd experienced the IMAX 3-D process. In fact, it's the first time EITHER of us had ever experienced the whole "3-D" business in a theater - although Kim saw Captain EO at Epcot years ago, it was a special set up, and doesn't count...

For those of you who may have never been to an IMAX theater, its quite an impressive site. I've been to several across the country, including Riverfront Park in Spokane Washington (one of the first IMAX theaters in the US) and Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio, but those don't compare in many ways to the spacious Simons, opened around 5 years ago (Cedar Point's IMAX, which has BENCHES instead of seats, or did when I was there last about 15 years ago, was NOT a pleasant experience). With a screen that is 8 stories tall and 6 stories wide, its an incredible experience.

We're gonna try to make it to a couple other IMAX theaters during the summer - Jordan's Furniture sponsors two in the area that specialize in Hollywood films, and there's the Mugar OmniMax theater at the Museum Of Science (it's a dome, as opposed to a regular screen). So this probably isn't the last time you'll hear IMAX or OmniMAX in our tour visits...

We opted to see the 4:10 showing of "Sharks 3-D" as our fare, and arrived at the theater from the adjacent New England Aquarium, where we'd spent the morning, about 30 minutes before showtime. As always, the lobby was almost immaculate, and was almost empty when we arrived because there was another showing going on already. I picked up drinks from the snack bar, and we sat down to wait to be allowed in.

Surprisingly considering the time of day we were there, the theater was very clean when we entered, and climbed to the top row, carrying our plastic 3-D goggles, and got situated. As we waited, we were informed via the onscreen trivia facts that this particular IMAX is the largest in New England, and that you can see the bulb of an IMAX projecter burning from the surface of the moon, without a telescope, among other factoids. And of course, they pushed an Aquarium membership as well...

The employee who made the announcements was a bit rushed, and in fact spoke so quickly we could barely understand what he was saying. He also didn't mention something which had previously been a standard part of announcements at all IMAX theaters i've ever been to - for the audience to stay seated until the lights come up after the movie. That was particularly annoying since many people rose to leave before the movie had completed at the end, and was very distracting. But they may not make that announcement here, for although the angle of the seats is steep, it isn't as steep as the OmniMAX, so they may think it's ok for people to leave while still in the dark (which isn't really dark, the screen provides a lot of light), but it's still damn annoying...

The employees overall seemed a bit surly - the line attendants barely cracked a smile, and the girl running the snack bar was positively dour, but they did their jobs well. And considering the amount of rowdy youngsters that were in attendance, I must say they all held up pretty well. As we had purchased our tickets at the Aquarium booth, we didn't visit the ticket counter, and the Simons doesn't have ticket kiosks (another little annoyance, as I prefer to use those now whenever possible, at whatever theater we go to, IMAX included).

As usual, the picture was amazing, and the 3-D experience was excellent - although I didn't like the feeling that a jellyfish wanted to fly right up my nose...heh heh heh...but the rest was great - it was an amazing experience, and made you feel like you were right in the water with all the animals around you. These grey-scale 3-D lenses were nice in the fact that they also worked fine for Kim, who's glasses tend to get in the way of the old fashioned paper red and blue 3-D glasses. But they do tend to tire out your eyes...both of us got a bit drowsy as the movie went on, but then again, we'd been watching the penguins most of the day also...

I am curious about one thing, though...do they sanitize the 3D goggles between shows? I find it somewhat disconcerting that it didn't appear that they did, and although it would be costly, I don't like the idea of having goggles on that someone else wore without them having been at least wiped off before being handed out again. But the manpower cost for that is probably too high, and it MAY have been done, I couldn't tell. But I doubt it.

Again surprisingly, the bathrooms were very clean if overall a bit wet, which is easily forgivable from the amount of traffic they have going in and out of there before and after each show.

On the whole, a very enjoyable experience, and we're planning to return in the near future to check out the "Deep Sea 3-D" show. 

THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)

Lobby - 5
Snack Bar - 4.5
Theater Cleanliness - 5
Theater Temperature - 4.5
Comfy Factor - 4.5
Film Quality - 5
Sound Quality - 5
Bathrooms - 4.5
Employees - 3.5
Ticket Kiosks - n/a
---------------------
TOTAL SCORE: 41.5 (out of 50) - Very Good

If but for the lack of ticket kiosks and the fact that the announcements were absolutely incomprehensible, they would have probably gotten an even higher score. But we can wholeheartedly recommend the Simons IMAX Theater for a highly enjoyable experience, especially if it's in 3-D!

On The Web: http://neaq.org/visit/imax/index.php
IMAX Home page: http://www.imax.com

Subject:Cinema #53 - Sit! Stay! ACT! - Animal Stars In The Movies!

This week, Kim and TC tackle the animal world...as in discussing the animal superstars of the film world!

THE SHOW (Times may be off due to Podshow inserts):

Segment 1 (1:30) - Early animal stars of the cinema; the lack of cats on the big screen; Morris the Cat; Penguins are the new black (and white)

Segment 2 (19:33) - The BIG 3 canine stars - Rin Tin Tin, Lassie, and Benji

Segment 3 (40:20) - Greyfriars Bobby; Old Yeller; Animaniacs - "Bumbie's Mom"; Cheetah; Popcorn Deelites, Seabiscuit; Keiko, Free Willy; New England Aquarium info; The Black Stallion; Francis The Talking Mule; Mister Ed

Segment 4 (1:00:25) - The CALLBACK - Announcements about the Trivia Contest and Marquee Mix; E-Mail; Bonehead Of The Week; And a voicemail between segments

Segment 5 (1:22:36) - Reviews of Spider-Man 3 and Hot Fuzz; The PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour stop one - Regal Fenway 13

THIS WEEK'S NOTES

We got a bit long-winded (when don't we?) and so this show is waaaaaay longer than we intended, coming in at just 10 minutes shy of two hours...but we think you'll like it anyway...you usually do...

The voicemail from Johnny Swanson (and big sis Monica) between segments 4 and 5 is a bit scratchy and overmodulated, but it couldn't be helped. We've now discovered that when you send a voicemail, it might be a good idea to either turn down your mike a bit, or stand further away - MyChingo's system might be able to handle it better. As this is the first one we've received, now we know...and thanks Johnny (and Monica) for the voicemail!

As of now, our weekly schedule on PNR Looks like this:

Saturdays - new episode of Subject:CINEMA uploaded
Sundays - Various items possible
Mondays - Various items possible
Tuesdays - Trailer Of the Week
Wednesday - Various items Possible
Thursdays - PNR Online Film Festival entries
Fridays - Various items possible

I am trying to formulate a regular schedule to bring back Popcorn's Pix, Disaster Blaster, and current reviews as well. Keep checking throughout the week for new news, reviews, and observations!

NEXT WEEK: She Can Be One MEAN Mother!  Nature Attacks The Movies!

PNR Metro Boston Summer Tour 2007: A Regal Visit

REGAL CINEMA FENWAY 13

Sunday, May 5, 2007

We have officially launched our Summer Tour! For those of you following us, we're determined to visit all the cinemas in the Metro Boston area that we've never visited before and that are accessable from the Boston MBTA public transportation system.

This was our first visit to Regal's only Boston theater. Most of their local cinemas are south of town, and most of their theaters overall are out of state. Regal Cinemas took over the Fenway 13 when AMC was forced to divest it in their merger with Loews because Boston didn't want just one company owning both of the theaters located in Boston proper (AMC retained ownership of the Boston Common 19, and since they took over ownership from Loews, the place has gone to hell, but that's another story for another day...).

Even though its been almost a year since Regal came in, the giant AMC signage is still on the marquee, as you can see in the photo (that's Kim in the foreground, and i'm sorry for the poor quality and for making her look like a ghost...I couldn't see the screen on my cellphone's camera, and that's the result...). However, if you look closer, the Regal Cinemas stickers are on the door and all over the inside. Maybe one day soon, they'll change the signage out front.

The Fenway 13 is located in Gateway Center, a newish shopping complex opened in a repurposed former Sears warehouse just steps away from the Fenway stop on Boston's D Green Line (that's Riverside, to those from up here). The area is very near to Fenway Park, and so this place does quite a bit of business.  There's a ton of other businesses along the theater side, including a couple of different restaurants, a Cold Stone Creamery (and you BETCHA we went for ice cream after the movie...heh heh heh), and the place is anchored by a particularly tiny Best Buy, the best Staples in Boston, and large REI and Bed Bath And Beyond stores.

We came to the Regal to catch Hot Fuzz, a new action comedy spoof from the producers of the cult classic Shaun Of The Dead, and featuring much the same cast (check out the forthcoming review post). Arriving for the 12:10 show at about 11:40, we easily purchased tickets from the Regal ticket kiosk, and got the credits using our Regal Crown card. I had to trudge up the staircase with my bad knees because the up escalator wasn't working, but it wasn't all that bad, and it opened up into the biggest and best snack bar/waiting area i've ever seen. As it was the first show of the day, it was extremely clean, the popcorn was fresh, and Regal has "butter your own popcorn" machines which we both love. The girl behind the counter seemed new, and was a bit confused when I presented our Regal Crown card for the credit for the snacks, but the other girl with her smiled and showed her how to scan the card. Both were very pleasant to deal with, a nice change of pace from some of the other area theaters.

The layout of the Regal Fenway 13 is a bit weird, but once you find your bearings, the theaters are easy to find. Our flick was in theater one, and as such was all the way down the hallway and to the left. A smallish but still spacious theater, the sound quality was excellent, the cinema clean and comfortable, although it was a bit chilly throughout our visit, even though they came to adjust the air conditioner about a third of the way through the film.

Regal has one of those "in-between" shows, called Regal FirstLook,  where they show a mix of trailers, behind-the-scenes stuff, TV show promos, and trailers, and compared to the AMC one, it was positively fantastic - lots of funny behind-the-scenes bits, and overall entertaining enough.

I have to admit that I wasn't enamored with any of the trailers they showed with our flick, so I doubt I'll be going to see any of them, but once again, the quality was good, no fuzz or anything.

The theater itself has large, brand-new seats, and although comfortable, I didn't find them to be quite as comfortable as those at our home theater, Revere's Showcase Cinemas. I also didn't like the fact that they didn't have a drink holder on the left side of the aisle seat (which I imagine was the same on the right side of the auditorium only in reverse).

The bathrooms were a bit unique in the fact that they were right there when you entered. Most of the time in the newer multiplexes you have to enter a small foyer or a hallway to get to the actual bathroom. Not here - you walk through the archway and turn left (or right in the ladies on the opposite side of the mens) and you're right at the bank of sinks. It's a bit smaller compared to some other bathrooms but it was in very good condition, and even while availing myself of the facilities midway through the movie, they had someone wiping and cleaning up, and that's a big job considering that the loo is right next to the cinema showing Spider-Man 3.

One thing I did find a bit odd about the cinema was that it had a "one stop" machine on the wall, which sold aspirin, temporary armband tattoos (!), and several other items - i've NEVER seen that in a cinema restroom before, it was quite unique.

All in all, our visit to the Regal Fenway 13 was a pleasant, enjoyable experience, and if a film we want to see shows there and we're in the area, we wouldn't hesitate to go again!

THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)

Lobby - 4.5
Snack Bar - 5
Theater Cleanliness - 5
Theater Temperature - 3.5
Comfy Factor - 4.5
Film Quality - 5
Sound Quality - 5
Bathrooms - 4.5
Employees - 4.5
Ticket Kiosks - 5
---------------------
TOTAL SCORE: 46.5 (out of 50) - EXCELLENT!

Keep watching, we'll have another Summer Tour review soon!

Subject:CINEMA #49 - Art House Confidential

On this month's Wednesday edition, TC and Kim take a look at art films, and whether or not the terms "art film" and "indie film" are interchangable. Also, complete audio reviews of "Air Guitar Nation" and "Wristcutters: A Love Story"!

THE SHOW (times may be off due to Podshow insertions):

Segment 1 (1:52) - What makes an art film; are "art film" and "indie film" interchangable?

Segment 2 (16:20) - Continuing the debate; what directors usually make art films?

Segment 3 (30:55) - Review - Air Guitar Nation

Segment 4 (46:11) - Review - Wristcutters: A Love Story

THIS WEEK'S NOTES:

Kim and I neither one considered ourselves "art house" fans until a couple years ago, and many of the movies that you can consider "art" films never make it to your local cinema. We were extremely lucky to get a chance to see the elusive "Wristcutters" and it's the perfect example of that type of film.

SATURDAY: SUPER SUMMER SNEAK PEEK!