The Walker Evans Effect

A ColumbusUnderground podcast featuting the music of local street performer, Steven Swafford aka Steven Streets.

The first Columbus Underground Podcast. ENJOY!

This is a post I made on the Columbus Underground defending video games today. Man, I’m such a dork.

The original poster is here in italics. My post is the long part below it.

pardon my ignorance, but why do people have to constantly upgrade video game systems?? I can’t see how to justify paying $600 for something as mind numbing as PS3, or Wii. We wonder why the US is getting fatter and fatter. Sitting mindless for hours on end playing unrealistic games. Though, i did see a commercial for Wii where you have these nunchuck like thing. Perhaps that would help with some cardio.

I don’t mean to dissrespect you Walker. Just curious as to why people are obsessed with something like this. Are these THAT much better than a PS2?

When you say people are “constantly’ upgrading I guess it depends on your definition of “constantly”. The PS2 came out over six years ago. Video game systems typically have a lifespan of around 5-7 years, which I think it probably less frequently than people’s desire to upgrade their PCs, laptops, and cell phones. Hell, some people feel the need to buy a new TV more frequently than every five years. Plenty of people buy a new car more often than every five years.

Basically, it’s technology. There will always be something better down the road no matter what type of techonology you’re talking about.

Are the new systems better than the old systems? Of course. To the casual observer they may not look that much different but if you take the time to look at side by side comparisons, such as this one you can see the difference. (Keep in mind, this is a pretty low-res video. If you could see it up close the differences would be more drastic.)

For anyone with a gaming hobby, the graphics, physics, and level of detail has greatly improved. If you’re not into gaming though, you probably don’t care, right? Personally, I’m not much of an auto-buff. Someone could tell me that the newest line of Brand-X cars has some new steering technology in the new 2007 model and I’d say “So what. My car works just fine.” It’s all a matter of personal preferences and perspective.

As for the mind-numbing comment, I’d going to let out an audible sigh and disagree. The vast majority of video games require thinking. Even games like Grand Theft Autio that most people want to pass off as “mindless violence” have a complex play mechanic at their core requiring players to solve puzzles, figure out mission objectives, learn the best way to complete those missions by trial-and-error, and contantly monitor multiple factors (health, ammo, enemies) involved with playing. Sure, it’s no substitute for doing homework, but Video Games are a thousand times more stimulating to the brain than just watching TV, which I’m sure is something that every critic of video games does.

As for the obesity epidemic in the US, I think video games may play a small role in that, but it’s pretty far fetched to try to blame it all on games. There are millions of Americans who are overweight who don’t play video games at all. I’d say the increase in stationary activities overall (computer use, tv viewing, white-collar jobs) is a factor but not the only one.

And yes, the Nintendo Wii looks to be a pretty decent workout. You don’t even need the nunchuck. The standard remote is motion sensitive. The sports game that comes bundled with the system (bowling, golf, baseball, boxing) looks like a great workout for all sorts of people.

Here’s a link to a ton of video of people just playing the system. It doesn’t even show the games, just the people playing and their reactions. Tell me this thing doesn’t look like worthwhile home entertainment for $250.

http://us.wii.com/experience_gallery.jsp

And as for the PS3, I agree that it’s too pricey at $600. I’ve played a demo unit. I’ve read reviews and watched clips from every game out for it at the moment, and I couldn’t justify that much money on it right now. It looks fun, but not $600 worth of fun. Hell, I’d have trouble spending $400 on an Xbox360, but now that it’s been out for a year and they have some decent games that appeal to me (Oblivion, Gears of War, Dead Rising, etc) I’m considering one if the price drops to $300 (which it’s been projected to do) in another 6 months.

So yeah, everyone has hobbies. Just because they dont’ appeal to you doesn’t make them evil.

In the past few years there’s been plenty of national news stories covering the recent decline in movie theater attendance and revenue. Most of the entertainment industry corporations have been trying to completely place this blame on internet movie piracy, due to the fact that the spread of high-speed broadband has made it easier for the average person to download full-length films at home illegally. Most people, however, will simply tell you that they just don’t feel like going out to the theaters anymore. Especially when they have to spend $9 per ticket plus additional money on price-gouged concessions, only to see a mediocre hollywood flick that previews have misled them into thinking would be the best movie of their generation.

If you find yourself in this group of dissatisfied local theater patrons, fret no longer! We’ve compiled our complete guide on how you can check out movies here in Columbus without breaking the bank in the process. Really, the key factors in seeing movies at a more affordable price can simply be broken down to three things: time, place, and luck. Read on to find out more:

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Time - No time like the present.

Many people are unaware of this simple fact: nearly all theaters in Columbus have a discount day. Theaters are always crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, but what about Monday or Tuesday? Theaters of all varieties will try to entice attendees on these slow days by dropping their prices a bit.

Another lull in attendance is during the early hours. Matinee prices have been around forever, but recently AMC has begun an early-bird weekend program which was test marketed in Columbus before being spread to other parts of the country. This allows anyone to grab a cheap movie on the weekend, as long as you’ve been informed about their special prices.

In order to make this section as simple and easy to use as possible, all of the following local theater discount times & days have been compiled into the following list broken down by day. Simply pick what day you want to go see a movie, and be sure to visit the appropriate theater indicated below:

Sunday
- $4 Tix (showtimes starting before noon) @ All AMC locations.

Monday
- $5 Tix (all day) @ The Drexel East & Drexel Grandview Theaters.

Tuesday
- $5 Tix (all day) @ The Arena Grand and Drexel Gateway Theaters.
- 50 cent Tix (all day) @ The Carriage Place Cinemark.

Wednesday
- $4 Tix (all day) @ Studio 35.

Thursday
- None.

Friday
- $4 Tix (showtimes starting before noon) @ All AMC locations.
- $5 Tix (Midnight Movies) @ The Drexel Gateway Theater.

Saturday
- $4 Tix (showtimes starting before noon) @ All AMC locations.
- $5 Tix (Midnight Movies) @ The Drexel Gateway Theater.

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Place - It’s all a matter of being in the right one at the right time.

So, now you may be wondering what the difference between seeing a movie at the AMC Lennox for $4 on a Sunday morning and seeing a movie at the Drexel Gateway for $5 on a Tuesday night is. Well, that one dollar by itself isn’t going to make much difference in your decision making process, but the theater quality definitely will. Price of popcorn, comfort of seats, and picture & sound quality can make or break the theater-going experience for anyone, no matter what the price of the tickets may be.

Here’s a breakdown of how the Columbus Underground ranks the local theaters listed in our guide:

AMC Easton 30
- Quality of Concessions: Average (Popcorn, Drinks, Candy, Junk Food)
- Price of Concessions: High (Small Soft Drink is around $3)
- Comfort of Seating: Good (Comfy seating. Newer theater.)
- Theater Cleanliness: Good (Easton maintains a very clean environment overall.)
- Picture/Sound Quality: Above Average.

Pros: 30 Screens. Biggest theater in town with a wide selection of films. Beer selection available.
Cons: Lots of teenagers since it’s located in a mall. Crowded on weekends.

AMC Lennox 24
- Quality of Concessions: Average (Popcorn, Drinks, Candy, Junk Food)
- Price of Concessions: High (Small Soft Drink is around $3)
- Comfort of Seating: Slightly above average (Slightly worn, but cushy seating)
- Theater Cleanliness: Average (Worse on busier nights)
- Picture/Sound Quality: Average (One end of the building is close to railroad tracks though, and you can hear trains outside during quiet moments in films on occasion.)

Pros: 24 Screens for wide variety of films. Ample parking.
Cons: Lots of college students with proximity to OSU. No booze.

Arena Grand
- Quality of Concessions: Awesome (Standard movie concessions plus gourmet pizzas, subs, quesadillas, sushi, desserts, coffee, and full service bar)
- Price of Concessions: Good (Weekly specials available)
- Comfort of Seating: Above average (New theater. Leather seats in balcony available for extra charge.)
- Theater Cleanliness: Very good
- Picture/Sound Quality: Very good (The Arena Grand is the only THX Certified Cinema in Central Ohio)

Pros: Only theater downtown. Less crowded than others. $1 parking validation. Wide selection of food. Locally owned & operated.
Cons: Fewer screens, smaller selection of films.

Carriage Place Cinemark
- Quality of Concessions: Average (Popcorn, Drinks, Candy, Junk Food)
- Price of Concessions: Slightly better than average. (Small Soft Drink is around $1.75)
- Comfort of Seating: Below Average (Worn seats, uncomfortable for longer films)
- Theater Cleanliness: Below Average (Older theater, not dirty, but not as clean as others.)
- Picture/Sound Quality: Below Average (Sound is pretty bad in some rooms)

Pros: Cheapest theater in town. $1.50 weeknights, $1.75 weekends, 50 cents on Tuesdays.
Cons: Crowded on Tuesdays & Weekends. A WalMart is currently being installed next door. Expect the parking lot to get 10 times more crowded as soon as that opens. Lots of kids at this suburban theater.

Drexel East
- Quality of Concessions: Awesome (Standard concessions plus Radio Cafe next door with sandwiches, specials, drinks, happy hour)
- Price of Concessions: Good (Specials available)
- Comfort of Seating: Slightly below average (Older theater, uncomfortable for longer films.)
- Theater Cleanliness: Slightly below average (Older theater)
- Picture/Sound Quality: Slightly below average

Pros: Historic Theater in Bexley. Many indie films featured. Locally owned & operated.
Cons: Three screens. Limited selection. Older theater.

Drexel Gateway
- Quality of Concessions: Awesome (Standard concessions plus Gateway Cafe featuring sandwiches, pizzas, subs, paninis, desserts, beer, drinks)
- Price of Concessions: Good (Specials available)
- Comfort of Seating: Above average (Newest theater in town)
- Theater Cleanliness: Above average (Again, newest theater in town)
- Picture/Sound Quality: Above average

Pros: Newest theater. Mix of indie and mainstream films. $1 Parking. Locally owned & operated.
Cons: Many college students in attendance with proximity to OSU.

Drexel Grandview
- Quality of Concessions: Average (Popcorn, soft drinks, candy)
- Price of Concessions: Slightly better than average (A little cheaper than usual)
- Comfort of Seating: Slightly below average (Older theater, uncomfortable for longer films.)
- Theater Cleanliness: Slightly below average (Older theater)
- Picture/Sound Quality: Slightly below average

Pros: Many indie films featured. Locally owned & operated.
Cons: One screen. Limited selection. No booze available.

Studio 35
- Quality of Concessions: Above average (Standard concessions plus pizzas, beer selection, etc. Special events include catered food.)
- Price of Concessions: Good (Pricing cheaper than average theaters.)
- Comfort of Seating: Slightly above average (Some brand new seating recently installed with other older seats waiting to be replaced.)
- Theater Cleanliness: Average (Older theater, but overall clean)
- Picture/Sound Quality: Average for films, with high-def projector for special events.

Pros: Historic Theater in Clintonville. Many special events featured. Locally owned & operated.
Cons: One screen. Limited selection. Older theater.

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Luck - One last thing to fall back on.

Every Thursday, new issues of The Other Paper and Columbus Alive hit the newsstands. Many times throughout the year these publications give out pre-screening tickets at various venues throughout town. If you’re fast enough and lucky enough to get your hands on these tickets you can check out new movies for free. Typically, they are shown a few days before they release to the public too, so you can claim bragging rights for seeing a new movie first. The only downside is that these special events give out more tickets than the theater has seats, so you’ll have to arrive early, stand in a long line, and pack yourself into a full-capacity theater to make sure you don’t get turned away at the door.

Be sure you leave your cell phone in the car if you go to one of these screenings. More and more often, the theaters will have extra security to keep patrons from bringing in any sort of recording devices, and even the lowest resolution digital cameras built into many cell phones are not allowed in. Save yourself the hassle and leave it at home.

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Overall, Columbus has one of the highest movie-screens-per-capita ratio of large cities in the US, so there’s no shortage of options here. Whether you’re in the mood for a hollywood blockbuster or a lesser-known indie film, chances are you can find it in Columbus. And if you follow our guide you can see your movie on the big screen without feeling ripped off in the process.