Originally Posted by
throatybeard
You're not hearing me, Jason.
I have to leave town on the 20th, spend two weeks in places that are less likely to have the film than here, and then immediately go to a conference when I get back. So effectively, for three weeks I cannot see the film, until I get back here. And my experience of the two theaters here that are likely to have the film here is that, often, they will only show such a film for about two weeks.
Since Before Midnight is my go-to example this year, it opened at the Tivoli on June 14 and aired through the end of the month, so, sixteen days. It mysteriously re-appeared in August for another six. Fortunately, I was in town, and I managed to see it thrice, first with a female friend, then with my wife, then alone. I hope the popcorn guy didn't fashion a narrative out of that in his head.
My wife has granted me shore leave to go to the bowl game, so what I think I'm going to have to do is figure out where the Coen movie is airing in Atlanta and see it right before the football game.
Here's the problem with that, and why I prefer the Tivoli. Allow me to speak briefly about local geography.
Plaza Frontenac is a small mall that is anchored by the only Nieman Marcus and the only Saks in Missouri. It has some other upscale chain stores that are the only one of themselves in this metro area. It is located in Frontenac, which is adjacent to Ladue--these are the two wealthiest, whitest inner ring suburbs with a significant population. (There are some that are much smaller, like with a few hundred people in them--Saint Louis County is a hodgepodge of ninety-some odd municipalities--a bureaucratic grease fire). So there are some destination stores there, and a small movie theater.
Frontenac is best known locally for having an abysmal reputation for treatment of Black and Latin customers. Arrests with no PC, frisking people for no reason, following people around in stores, asking people what their business is in the mall. And not just young people. Once, a Full Professor in the African American studies department at WashU. Chingy and Nelly, African American gentleman of some means and repute, both reference Frontenac, ironically, in their songs. Nationally, you're amused at Chingy's clever rhyme of "Frontenac" and the woman's "front and back;" locally, it's an eye-wink to hundreds of thousands of residents who know they aren't welcome at that mall. (Chingy's not exactly Talib Kweli when it comes to socially conscious rap, but he's capable of some signifyin here and there),
I am not comfortable with--I cannot--spend money at Frontenac. I won't. I pay the earnings tax in the City, property tax in the City, the vehicles are titled in the City, and as much as I can, I spend my sales tax in the City, or in University City. If the choice is see it at Frontenac, or wait four months for a DVD, I choose patience.
So we have the Tivoli. Which is on Delmar just into U City. The Durham analogy would be Ninth Street, insofar as that section of Delmar is a collegey strip. In the Central Corridor, in what passes for integration in Saint Louis. Plus, I can walk there from my house if it's not hot outside.