Enchanted with the New Arclight

When Megan was younger, I dragged her to every G and PG movie that came out, usually on opening day. And then, I would write a review, which I posted on my old Family-Content website (where I offered free articles for webmasters and a syndication service for a fee).

The movie reviews came to an end when my daughter began competitive gymnastics. Between school, 16 hours per week of training and six hours per week of Hebrew school, I try to allocate any free time she has left to more childlike pursuits -- like play time with her friends. So I've resigned myself to the fact that our days of mother-daughter filmgoing are almost over. Even when there ARE films we both want to see, we end up waiting until its Pay Per View or HBO run.  And in a couple more years, she won't want to be seen with me at the theater.

So when she said she wanted to see "Enchanted" -- and we had a window of opportunity this afternoon -- I jumped on it. I'd seen in my weekly email from Arclight Cinemas that it was playing at their newly opened Sherman Oaks theater... so in the click of a mouse, I was on their website and printing out my assigned seats.

That's right. None of this "you still have to stand in line at the box office to show your credit card and pick up your ticket" nonesense for the Arclight -- they actually make use of web-based technology to allow you to pick out your seats (as you would on an airline site) and print out a bar-coded confirmation that serves as your ticket. You go right in to the theater lobby, and show the sheet to the ticket taker, who in turn, sends you on to your theater. You then get shown to your seat by an actual usher, who will run and get you a child seat, if you need one. (I don't, but I saw them do so for several families who were at the movie today).

Those ushers are just one of the reasons I love the Arclight. Besides helping you to your assigned seats (I keep mentioning that, don't I? That's because it's like the difference between flying Southwest and going first class), they make a little announcement before the start of the show, telling you a little about the movie you are about to see. They also remain in the theater for the first 15 minutes, monitoring the sound and projection quality.

Pacific Theatres has done a great job of renovating their old Sherman Oaks Galleria cineplex. The lobby now looks like a junior version of the one in Hollywood, complete with a coffee bar, cafe and cocktail lounge. The Sherman Oaks Arclight will likely offer 21+ screenings just like its big brother over the hill, where you can get your cocktails at the bar and bring 'em on in to the movie. I plan on organizing a combination Mom's Movie Night/Happy Hour gathering as soon as they have an appropriate title (i.e., chick flick fantasy) to see.

I'm also hoping that we get a piece of the AFI film festivals and special screenings (with Q&A sessions with the filmmakers) that are scheduled regularly at the Hollywood complex.

For today, I settled for being able to bring a latte in with me. Megan had her usual movie theater fare -- a hot dog and popcorn -- except that the dog was Kosher (they taste better), the popcorn was drenched with REAL butter... and she opted for a bottle of Pellegrino instead of a soft drink. Arclight's snack bars offer other more sophisticated choices, such as sausage and baguette sandwiches, really good caramel corn and Scharffenberger chocolate bars.

If you sign up as an Arclight member, you get points for all your ticket and food purchases, which you can then redeem for free snack bar items (or even free admissions). This does help offset the extra cost of seeing a movie there. I actually don't mind the fact that admissions and snack items are slightly higher, because the level of service is so much better. Also, movies at the Arclight don't start with 20 minutes of annoying commercials! I'm willing to pay a couple of extra dollars so I never have to see those stupid Mountain Dew ads ever again.

My only gripe with the new Sherman Oaks Arclight is that the gift shop is tiny. There is a nice selection of movie-themed books, but nowhere near the variety featured at the Hollywood Arclight, and almost none of the unique novelty items that make it so much fun to shop at. I wondered if the management was planning to expand the shop when the rest of the cineplex reopens (only five of the 16 theaters are operating now, with the rest coming online when they have their official grand opening on December 14).

"The management seens to think that the Valley isn't sophisticated enough for it," was what the gift shop clerk told me.

If that's true, then I think there's something seriously off about their research. I'm sick and tired of the way people (you know, those who live on the Westside) write off the Valley. We are NOT all a bunch of hicks, especially those who live in the vicinity of the new theater. Believe me, no one -- if given a viable option close to home -- would CHOOSE to face the traffic and congestion over the hill just to shop for a cool gift or see a hot new movie. If you build it here, we will come.

That goes double for all those restauranteurs who think that we who live in Northridge PREFER chain eateries. We are starving for a couple of GOOD restaurants. It pisses me off that if we want to go out for a special occasion, we have to go all the way down to Ventura Boulevard. Or Santa Clarita. When did the powers that be decide that the folks in Santa Clarita are more sophisticated than the ones in Northridge?)

But I digress. The point of this post was to announce that the new Arclight is open, it's beautiful, and that Valley cinephiles now have a place to call our own.

And let me know if you want to come to our Mom's Movie and Cocktail Night (when it happens). We may even enjoy the film!

Comments

[Florinda]

Thanks for the scoop on the new Arclight. I haven't gotten around to seeing a movie at the original one yet, and this one's closer, so maybe it will eventually happen. (It does have stadium seating, right? As a short person, that's one thing that really improves my movie-going experience.)

[Michele]

Donna!! You know how much I love the Hollywood Arclight... I swear I drone on about it like it's my church or something. So I was thrilled to hear about the Sherman Oaks Arclight.

I went to see "Enchanted" there with my daughter also - not last weekend, but the weekend before. Did you like the movie? I loved it! And, yes, the Sherman Oaks Arclight has the reserved seating (I have a hard time going to other theaters now because I love this so much). I am one of those movie fiends that will get to a theater early so I can get my middle section, middle seats. Of course, with the Arclight I don't have to go early. It's a lot more relaxing experience to know where you're sitting already. Oh, and don't forget the carmel corn. Oooh... when it's warm it's amazing. Plus, I usually use my member points to get it and then it's practically free.

But I think you're right about the Valley stigma. I wasn't happy with the shop either. It looked so rummage sale, so undignified as if we didn't deserve better.

In Hollywood, whenever I'm early I could stand there for twenty mins. reading the books. Hopefully, Valley Arclight will get this together.

One more thing - you are so right, what's up with Northridge having all those chain restaurants? Weird. At least you have Brent's deli not too far away, right? Do you know Los Angeles Magazine voted it the best deli in all of Los Angeles?

I have to agree. Their pastrami is amazing.