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Changing of the Cinematic Guard

It's called the Cherry Blossom 14, bright and shining and new, snug atop a hill in the greater metropolitan western Traverse City area. Heck, it even has the first IMAX screen north of the tree line, so that the biggest of the gleaming Hollywood baubles (like Star Wars: The Blitz of the Marketing Mouse) can dazzle and delight like they do in th' big city. And while I'm happy as hell to not drive three hours for a major IMAX flick anymore, let's take a moment to pay respects to what we've lost in the process, for as one theater opens, two theaters roll the credits for the final time.

Granted, not many tears will be shed for the loss of the Carmike Horizon 10 and the Carmike Grand Traverse 9 -- they were shabby and staid, behind the times on concessions and seating -- but anytime you move from 19 screens to 14 screens (actually, 13 screens and one IMAX), you're going to lose some programming diversity, especially given the current theater programmer's proclivity for Jesus-y films. Hopefully, the State Theatre downtown can broaden out their offerings to compensate, especially if they offer two different movies per day, but I doubt it will happen in such a conservative climate.

Then again, based on my experiences, perhaps TC can only support one major cinema. After all, I can remember quite a few movies that I attended as the only patron in attendance. (A double feature of The Story of the Weeping Camel and Metallica: Some Kind of Monster over a decade ago sticks out in my memory, but there were many more examples of the solitary movie-going experience.) But I can also remember some moments of wonder along the way, like having U23D as a personal concert from one of my favorite bands, or having the "wow" moment of seeing my first digital HD film (Children of Men) on the big screen.

Thankfully, there will be more great times to come at the movies in Traverse City, but before I see Star Wars: The Force Awakens in IMAX tomorrow (as well as Where To Invade Next, the new Michael Moore movie that's only playing in New York, Los Angeles, and at the State Theatre in TC), I'll take a moment to pass by the old places and drop some popcorn for all the good times gone by, faded forever to black.


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