As a big fan of movie theaters, the Globe simultaneously embodies and undermines the things I love about the industry.
On one hand, it's nice to see a throwback to the older days of cinema where everything feels very antique and rustic... but surely, there's a way to do that without having it feel unmaintained. I didn't get the time warp effect of feeling like I'd stepped into a theater IN the 70s or 80s, more the feeling of stepping into something somebody just hasn't felt the need to do anything with in those 30-40 years. While the notion of a cash-only concession that deals in old fashioned sizes and containers that the big companies shirked a long time ago, big red curtains around the screen, and old fashioned neon-style lights in the lobby may add to the period atmosphere, the comparatively small screen, worn out decor and seats that have seen better days made me eager to return to somewhere a bit more modern.
The staff also left quite a bit to be desired. Not only did they all exhibit the same "borderline between punk rock and hipster" style that tells me one guy got in here and hired all his friends (which is fine, this is also the vibe at one of my favorite bars in the city) but unfortunately, this time around, that seemed to come with the stereotypical attitude people expect to come with that style - in that most of them were standing around, doing little to nothing, and seemed to feel inconvenienced when asked for something. On a REALLY busy night there was one guy printing tickets while 4 (sometimes 5) people stood around behind the concession counter, having their own conversations, either oblivious, unconcerned, or possibly both. Even when I stepped right up to that counter, wallet in hand, clearly waiting to order something, not one of them even made eye contact with me, let alone asked if I needed anything, until I moved to one end of the counter and interrupted their conversation. Completely unprofessional.
But the biggest problem I had BY FAR was the lack of air conditioning. I went to see the opening showing of Snowpiercer, which was PACKED (no doubt due in large part to the great reviews the movie has recieved). I'd been wanting to see this movie for months, and I can scarcely remember what happened through the latter hour because I spent the entire time shifting around in my seat trying to get comfortable or whiping sweat off my forehead. One of the things I love about movie theaters is that they, typically, give you a nice cool, dark reprive during hot days in the summer. This place, however, you'd need a powerful vehicle and several lengths of rope to DRAG me back in there on a hot day. Movie theaters should never induce sweating and leave you feeling desperate for a shower when you finally walk out.
The Globe is a great idea poorly executed - which is a shame because the building itself has a lot of charm and promise, if only it were maintained a bit better and had a couple small modernizations (especially the air conditioning and screen size), and had a staff that cared about their jobs. read more
