One Step Forward? Or Two Steps Back?

Loews tells the truth
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"Loews Cineplex Entertainment says it will begin publicizing true starting times of movies (when the movie really starts, not the time that the trailers and the commercials start) next month — sort of.

John McCauley, the company's senior vice president for marketing, said the times in the company's newspaper and Web listings would still be the times when the trailers and commercials start. But the ads will also carry a note advising that, as McCauley put, "the feature presentation starts 10 to 15 minutes after the posted show time."

Talk about your deceiving headlines. I was totally excited about this ...until I read the article (most of which is reproduced above). Bascially they're doing nothing. It actually feels rather insulting. They're telling people something that people not only already know, but have known since before preshow ads even became a problem. The movie doesn't start for an estimated 10 to 15 minutes after the posted start time. Wow. Thanks for being so forthcoming.

But the thing that really sucks about this is that this poor excuse for a response may be the ony response we et. Now that they've done something, they may not feel like they have to do anyting else, despite the fact that they've completely ignored the real problem. Pre show _commercials_ (light dimming, volume craning,live action commercials), STEAL your time. They're not like tralers that people actualy want to show up early to watch. When the ads start showing, not only do people detest them, but they can't do the things they normally do in the theater. Like reading the paper or talking to friends. These ads take away you ability to do anything else. And you can't show up late if you want a good seat. But how's this for irony:

"While some may welcome the change one company official says he thinks few will show up later. He says he believes "people enjoy coming early, getting their popcorn, finding their seats" and talking to one another."

Yes, we do. And that's what makes this so very, very weak