Movies

If you're looking for a travel diary about visits to ancient temples, you're reading the wrong blog. Today I went to the movies! Saw Ghost Rider (and what an utter piece of fecal delight that was, kiddies) at the Wald 9 cinema. Like most things here, it was almost the same experience, but just a little different.

When you buy a ticket, you must choose your seat. This is dumb. The cinema was only one third full but there's no way to tell in advance if you're going to sit next to someone. Four empty seats between me and a couple. A woman came in and sat next to the couple. In the US you'd just move a seat and give everyone some personal space. Nope. It's the seat she chose, it's the seat she'll sit in.

Interestingly, if you split the auditorium down the center so there is a left and right, 90% of Japanese moviegoers sat on the right side. Remember the Japanese read right to left. In the US, we read left to right and I was told in LA that this is also how Hollywood films are filmed. Check it out next time you go to the cinema - you'll see more people sitting on the left side of the cinema.

All ads were in Japanese, including the five minute "short" film about what you can't do in the cinema: no smoking, no cell phone, no talking, no kicking of chair, no tapping of foot, no pushing back on chair. But you can drink beer and eat popcorn. When I ventured out with my empty soda cup and popcorn container, they were snatched from me. All food remnants were discarded. Soda cup top and straw removed and put in the appropriate holder, popcorn container stacked with others for recycling (god, I hope they're recycled). Check out the "healthy" snacks advertised at the concession stand.