Theaters offer posh and pricey features
Going to the movies isn’t what it used to be. Remember when you’d stand in line for a ticket, settle into a creaky, worn chair and munch on stale popcorn in a cardboard tub topped with “butter flavoring?”
Today, at nextgen movie palaces like Pruneyard Cinemas in Campbell and the new ShowPlace ICON in Mountain View, you can catch “First Man” or the latest “Halloween” reboot while putting your feet way up in a comfy leather recliner, savoring restaurant-quality snacks and sipping a cocktail at your seat — or having one brought to you.
It’s all part of a major effort by theaters to get customers out of their homes by, well, offering them all the comforts of home — assuming your home comes equipped with laser projection, a giant screen and a fancy sound system. The ShowPlace ICON, which opened this month, won’t allow kids into some movies after 7 p.m., making it a more inviting space for grown ups. (And don’t get me started on the seats that’ll warm your butt with the touch of a button.)
The luxury amenities go beyond the auditorium. At the ShowPlace ICON, part of the Village at San Antonio Centre, there’s a 21-and-over VIP level with a swanky Lobby Lounge bar and dining area, where moviegoers can hang out before or after the film. And the Cedar Room, the bar and restaurant attached to the Pruneyard Cinemas, draws a lively Campbell crowd each week with events like Queen Bingo — a wild, entertaining drag show on Wednesday nights — and live music.
The catch, of course, is that luxury doesn’t come cheap. On a weekend night, two tickets, a few small plates and a couple of adult beverages could run $100 or more. Thrown in a couple of kids and you might need to check your credit score.
Fortunately, some of the perks of today’s upscale theaters have also been adopted by movie houses that are a little easier on the family budget. The CineLux Almaden, for example, has reserved seating and an expanded menu that includes pizza, burgers and beer and wine service. And the top ticket price is $10, compared to $16 on
Friday and Saturday nights at the Pruneyard or $19 for the 21-and-over theater at ShowPlace ICON. But that extra $9 might be worth it to not have a 5-year-old sitting next to you.
And if it’s not, you can always go really old school. The Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto has a Gene Kelly double feature of “Brigadoon” and “Singin’ in the Rain” playing next weekend for $7 a ticket. For two movies. The popcorn’s fresh, but you’ll have to hold your feet up on your own.
TOWERING ACHIEVEMENT » San Jose State University President Mary Papazian presented the Tower Award, the university’s highest honor, to Tommie Smith and John Carlos on Thursday night’s Inspiration to Innovation Gala.
More than 320 people attended the dinner at the campus Event Center, wrapping up a week-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Smith and Carlos’ historic protest at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Both men were introduced by sports sociologist Harry Edwards and spoke about their memories of coming to “Speed City,” as San Jose State was known then for its track and field program, and all the other people around them, like Bob Poynter and Lee Evans, who were important parts of their stand for human rights.
“It’s an honor to come back home and receive this award,” said Carlos, a native New York who nonetheless referred to San Jose as “my hometown.”
THREE ARTISTS TO WATCH » My predecessor, Leigh Weimers, was always happy to shine a light on up-and-coming artists, so I’m thrilled to still be a part of an effort to do that in his memory. The recipients of this year’s Leigh Weimers Emerging Artists Awards are rapper and actor Davied Morales, singer/songwriter Kate Targan and Sieglinde Van Damme, a photographer who has recently expanded her art to include fashion design based on her photos.
The trio performed or presented their art for more than 200 people, including Leigh’s wife, Geri Weimers, Wednesday at the Rotary Club of San Jose’s sixth annual showcase for the awards. Morales has been appearing on stage — he was in “The Siegel” for City Lights last season — as well as releasing a song every week on SoundCloud this year; Targan has been working on her second album, a collection of original songs due out next year; and Van Damme recently launched studiosiegXclusive, her line of apparel and accessories.
As part of the award, each artist receives an unrestricted grant of $5,000. Applications for next year’s awards will start being accepted next spring, and you can get more information on the program at w w w.weimersawards. com. (For full disclosure, while I have a leadership role on the committee that runs the program, I’m not part of the selection process.)
FROM CENTRAL VALLEY TO SILICON VALLEY » Mission College kicks off STEM Week on Monday by welcoming Apple engineer Enrique Diaz to speak at the Santa Clara community college campus. He’ll have a pretty amazing success story to tell, too.
Diaz’s parents brought him to the United States illegally in 1972 and settled in Fresno, where he began working in the fields at age 7 all the way through high school. Diaz enrolled at Cal Poly and his family eventually were all granted U.S. citizenship. He ended up at Apple and now his son is studying at MIT. Diaz’s speech, which is free to attend, starts at 11:30 a.m. at the Gillmor Center.
SENIOR SUPERHERO » Woodside resident Robert Plant may be 75, but he sure isn’t slowing down. Last weekend, the veteran triathlete won the title in his age group at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. Plant, a dentist with a practice in Redwood City, completed the 140.6-mile endurance event in 13 hours, 6 minutes, 3 seconds.
Don’t ask me what his secret is; I got tired just writing that.