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Robert Bush
Chad Deal
Joe Deegan
Barbarella Fokos
Leorah Gavidor
Dave Good
Marty Graham
Moss Gropen
Andrew Hamlin
Dorian Hargrove
Garrett Harris
Ken Harrison
Patrick Henderson
Tam Hoang
Eve Kelly
Dryw Keltz
Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
Matthew Lickona
Mike Madriaga
Bill Manson
Scott Marks
Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
Matt Potter
H.G. Reza
Dave Rice
Elizabeth Salaam
Jay Allen Sanford
Julie Stalmer
DJ Stevens
Matthew Suárez
Amanda Tascher
More writers
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Alpine
Baja
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Barrio Logan
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Leucadia
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Scott Marks
Scott Marks
is a
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for published articles.
Profile
Activity
Comments
Votes
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
Violent? More like cathartic. Hey! At least I didn't suggest bringing a flame-thrower to a kiddie matinee. I think Rosie and Babe are kindred souls. ;)
— November 22, 2016 10:06 a.m.
Moonlight
It's playing to an audience of converts. I'll take a shared experience over a guilt-wielding message picture any day. There's more truth (and entertainment value) to be found in "Almost Christmas."
— November 19, 2016 4:20 p.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
I've been batting this around over morning coffee. Wouldn't it cause as much a commotion when patrons discover their phones don't work? Infractor #1 elbows Infractor #2 and (hopefully) whispers, "Hey, Shemp. There's something wrong with my phone. Check yours."A search for the phone, more dialog, getting up in the middle of the picture... A loud, "Hey! Your phone is on!" generally quells texters. What do you say to the jammed? "SHUT UP! SIT DOWN!" It would make a top notch Candid Camera gag, but is it more trouble than it's worth?
— November 19, 2016 8:04 a.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
Thanks, gents, but I had to buy tube socks at Costco this week and $640 is out of my price range. Particularly when a baseball bat will do the trick at 1/10th of the price.
— November 19, 2016 6:34 a.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
You mean if I buy one and covertly smuggle it into a theatre, it will jam the phones of all around me? Where does one purchase a device such as this?
— November 18, 2016 10:09 a.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
One of my oldest and dearest friends hates going to the movies alone. I should probably make this a blog entry, but I love you so much, Mon, here's a little extra entertainment. We'll call my friend of 50 years, Jeffy. Jeffy's a big boy, a good-eater as we say in the Midwest, who was always conscience of his physical appearance. When we were kids, he would never get up in the middle of a movie to hit the concession stand. He was too embarrassed. About 20 minutes into the picture, I'd feel an elbow poking at my arm. "Hey," he'd whisper. "You want a Scooper Malt? Buy me one and I'll cover yours." He actually thought he was so obese, that people would take their eyes off a 70-foot screen and laugh at the guy waddling up the aisle. To this day I tease him about his "you fly, I'll buy" technique. BTW, I was 10-15 when this happened. Actions like this would never fly today. Only on rare occasions has Jeffy gone to a movie alone. I mean, it's not like children point and laugh when they see him coming down the street. In his mind, the second someone observes no one seated to his right or left is cause for mean-spirited laughter. For the record, the fathead steadfastly refuses to watch anything that’s subtitled or shot in black-and-white. Cue the mean-spirited laughter.
— November 18, 2016 9:05 a.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
How is flying solo at the movies a women's issue? I know a lot of guys who won't go to the movies alone. I've tried to explain that one doesn't need a companion to sit in silence for two hours, but they refuse to listen. The most shocking thing of all is that you actually found a parking space at Arclight. As for the movie, I find a cellphone in the dark infinitely more illuminating than "Moonlight."
— November 18, 2016 7:23 a.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
In the old days I would have to leave my seat in mid-show to complain about focus. Today we're essentially watching big TV, therefore the focus and framing issues have subsided. Now it's freaking cellphones. How many times have you told someone to turn off their phone and they look at you like your crazy? There is no way in hell I'm getting out of my seat to flag down an usher to tell someone to turn their phone off. Can you imagine what would happen if just one chain made a couple of their auditoriums Cellphone Free Zones? They'd become houses of worship. They have designated crybaby matinees for mothers, why not CFZs? Forget about recliners and stocked bars to lure patrons out of their homes. Promise me silence and no blue lights and I'll be your best customer.
— November 17, 2016 9:49 p.m.
Moonlight
Thank you so much for giving me the attention I so richly solicit. I didn't like a movie that most critics hailed and the public won't see. Occupational hazard. What else is new?
— November 10, 2016 5:01 p.m.
Grossmont Theatre to serve high-end food and drink
L'shana tova tikatevu to you as well, Mon. God bless!
— October 5, 2016 4:26 p.m.
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Moss Gropen
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Patrick Henderson
Tam Hoang
Eve Kelly
Dryw Keltz
Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
Matthew Lickona
Mike Madriaga
Bill Manson
Scott Marks
Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
Matt Potter
H.G. Reza
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Excerpts
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Feast!
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Fishing Report
— What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives
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Golden Dreams
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Letters
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Movies@Home
— Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews
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Musician Interviews
— Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers
— Hyperlocal news
News Ticker
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Obermeyer
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Outdoors
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Overheard in San Diego
— Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry
— The old and the new
Reader Travel
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Reading
— The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama
— SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer
— Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT
— Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats
— Places of worship
Special Issues
— The best of
Street Style
— San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego
— Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater
— On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork
— Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar
— Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable
— Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate
— San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week
— Daily event picks
Chris Ahrens
Ian Anderson
Thomas K. Arnold
Eric Bartl
Don Bauder
Ed Bedford
Siobhan Braun
Robert Bush
Chad Deal
Joe Deegan
Barbarella Fokos
Leorah Gavidor
Dave Good
Marty Graham
Moss Gropen
Andrew Hamlin
Dorian Hargrove
Garrett Harris
Ken Harrison
Patrick Henderson
Tam Hoang
Eve Kelly
Dryw Keltz
Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
Matthew Lickona
Mike Madriaga
Bill Manson
Scott Marks
Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
Matt Potter
H.G. Reza
Dave Rice
Elizabeth Salaam
Jay Allen Sanford
Julie Stalmer
DJ Stevens
Matthew Suárez
Amanda Tascher
More writers
Former writers
4S Ranch
Allied Gardens
Alpine
Baja
Balboa Park
Bankers Hill
Barrio Logan
Bay Ho
Bay Park
Black Mountain Ranch
Blossom Valley
Bonita
Bonsall
Borrego Springs
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Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
Violent? More like cathartic. Hey! At least I didn't suggest bringing a flame-thrower to a kiddie matinee. I think Rosie and Babe are kindred souls. ;)— November 22, 2016 10:06 a.m.
Moonlight
It's playing to an audience of converts. I'll take a shared experience over a guilt-wielding message picture any day. There's more truth (and entertainment value) to be found in "Almost Christmas."— November 19, 2016 4:20 p.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
I've been batting this around over morning coffee. Wouldn't it cause as much a commotion when patrons discover their phones don't work? Infractor #1 elbows Infractor #2 and (hopefully) whispers, "Hey, Shemp. There's something wrong with my phone. Check yours."A search for the phone, more dialog, getting up in the middle of the picture... A loud, "Hey! Your phone is on!" generally quells texters. What do you say to the jammed? "SHUT UP! SIT DOWN!" It would make a top notch Candid Camera gag, but is it more trouble than it's worth?— November 19, 2016 8:04 a.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
Thanks, gents, but I had to buy tube socks at Costco this week and $640 is out of my price range. Particularly when a baseball bat will do the trick at 1/10th of the price.— November 19, 2016 6:34 a.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
You mean if I buy one and covertly smuggle it into a theatre, it will jam the phones of all around me? Where does one purchase a device such as this?— November 18, 2016 10:09 a.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
One of my oldest and dearest friends hates going to the movies alone. I should probably make this a blog entry, but I love you so much, Mon, here's a little extra entertainment. We'll call my friend of 50 years, Jeffy. Jeffy's a big boy, a good-eater as we say in the Midwest, who was always conscience of his physical appearance. When we were kids, he would never get up in the middle of a movie to hit the concession stand. He was too embarrassed. About 20 minutes into the picture, I'd feel an elbow poking at my arm. "Hey," he'd whisper. "You want a Scooper Malt? Buy me one and I'll cover yours." He actually thought he was so obese, that people would take their eyes off a 70-foot screen and laugh at the guy waddling up the aisle. To this day I tease him about his "you fly, I'll buy" technique. BTW, I was 10-15 when this happened. Actions like this would never fly today. Only on rare occasions has Jeffy gone to a movie alone. I mean, it's not like children point and laugh when they see him coming down the street. In his mind, the second someone observes no one seated to his right or left is cause for mean-spirited laughter. For the record, the fathead steadfastly refuses to watch anything that’s subtitled or shot in black-and-white. Cue the mean-spirited laughter.— November 18, 2016 9:05 a.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
How is flying solo at the movies a women's issue? I know a lot of guys who won't go to the movies alone. I've tried to explain that one doesn't need a companion to sit in silence for two hours, but they refuse to listen. The most shocking thing of all is that you actually found a parking space at Arclight. As for the movie, I find a cellphone in the dark infinitely more illuminating than "Moonlight."— November 18, 2016 7:23 a.m.
Critic trades in cell phone for a padded cell
In the old days I would have to leave my seat in mid-show to complain about focus. Today we're essentially watching big TV, therefore the focus and framing issues have subsided. Now it's freaking cellphones. How many times have you told someone to turn off their phone and they look at you like your crazy? There is no way in hell I'm getting out of my seat to flag down an usher to tell someone to turn their phone off. Can you imagine what would happen if just one chain made a couple of their auditoriums Cellphone Free Zones? They'd become houses of worship. They have designated crybaby matinees for mothers, why not CFZs? Forget about recliners and stocked bars to lure patrons out of their homes. Promise me silence and no blue lights and I'll be your best customer.— November 17, 2016 9:49 p.m.
Moonlight
Thank you so much for giving me the attention I so richly solicit. I didn't like a movie that most critics hailed and the public won't see. Occupational hazard. What else is new?— November 10, 2016 5:01 p.m.
Grossmont Theatre to serve high-end food and drink
L'shana tova tikatevu to you as well, Mon. God bless!— October 5, 2016 4:26 p.m.