Cinematical

One of the first things I do upon entering a movie theater and settling down into a seat somewhere towards the middle (because my friends are maniacs and insist on locating the exact center of a theater since that's where the best sound and visual experience can be found) is to pull out my cellphone and switch it off. I do this because a) I'm a courteous human being and b) movie theaters constantly remind us (through ads) that if we do not shut of our phones immediately, everyone in the theater will hate us forever.

Seeing as theaters are always looking for new, creative ways to tell us to shut the hell up, it doesn't surprise me they're seeking out some familiar faces to help the cause. Starting this weekend, folks visiting Regal Cinemas and AMC Loews theaters will get a chance to view a new cellphone ad directed by and starring, of all people, Sydney Pollack. In the first commercial of his 40-year career as an actor/producer/director, Pollack plays himself (a director) who interrupts a very personal call in someone's house. While everyone I know is thoroughly upset with the amount of advertisements that play before a film these days, I'm of the opinion that if they're entertaining in some way, shape or form, then why complain? After all, the whole purpose of going to the movies is to be entertained, right?