There is a plague so insidious that it has spread to our most hallowed of institutions. I’m not talking about any actual disease, but, rather, the plague of narcissism that is talking and texting in a movie theater. I’ve often hypothesized that my eventual demise won’t come through a car crash or disease, but that I’ll likely be pummeled to death by some selfish psychotic casually texting in a movie theater. That’s why the Alamo Drafthouse is so important to cinema, and I can’t wait for them to open their Los Angeles location — C’mon, guys, let’s get this place open! For their latest Don’t Talk PSA, the good folks over at the Drafthouse have recruited Kevin Bacon, complete in his police officer uniform from the upcoming film Cop Car, to police the auditorium.
Frankly, I want this enforcement at every movie theater, all the damn time. Press screening or screening on studio lots aren’t even safe from the plague of texting. You wouldn’t believe how regularly I encounter this. At a recent screening of Pixels, the security guard before the movie started asked that if anyone need to check their phone to only do briefly. Uh, how about you leave your damn phone off until the movie’s over?
Cop Car, which opens August 7th before hitting VOD on August 14th, will be of interest to all kinds of fanboys and fangirls as the director Jon Watts has just been tapped to helm the next Spider-Man movie. Remember, when seeing Cop Car or whatever movie, please, for the love of God, the Lumière brothers, and everyone around you, turn off your phone.
The official synopsis for Cop Car:
Kevin Bacon (The Following, HBO’s Taking Chance, Mystic River) stars in director Jon Watts’ delightful throwback thriller Cop Car. When two good-natured but rebellious young boys (James Freedson-Jackson and Hays Wellford) stumble across an abandoned cop car hidden in a secluded glade they decide to take it for a quick joyride. Their bad decision unleashes the ire of the county sheriff (Kevin Bacon) and leads to brutal consequences.
Call me weird but I dont mind people talking or texting. What I do mind is when the seats jostle when people get up or sit down. Thats irritating as hell.