TalkCinema experiences?

August 8, 2005 9:01 AM

If you have subscribed to or otherwise attended Talk Cinema showings (preferably in the Twin Cities) would you recommend it to others?

There are two aspects to this question: First, generally speaking, have people had good experiences with TalkCinema? And, second, is there anything about the regional showings (remember, I'd be attending in Edina, MN, rather than NYC or LA) that is notable? The website makes the series sound pretty cool, but $14 is pretty steep for the upper midwest.

posted by subgenius to media & arts (2 comments total)

I know people who have done it an enjoyed it, but the ticket price is steep considering that you cannot choose the films you watch, and therefore may get a few duds, so to speak. If you're the type who can watch any movie in the theater and will enjoy discussing it among film snobs (they really do make up most of the patrons), you'll love it.

But if you're not really interested in the atmosphere, picking and choosing your movies might be a better option, except that w/ Talk Cinema you'll be watching the film early, so you can impress your friends with how ahead of the game you are. However, there are plenty of ways to watch movies ahead of time for no cost at all, if you check your major local weekly (like Mpls City Pages).

A couple notes: I know that Kevin Murphy will be hosting a handful of the sessions in Edina. Also, if you happen to be a student, you can show up day of and enter for $5; $15 if you're not.
posted by apple scruff at 11:18 AM on August 8, 2005

I subscribed last year (in Philadelphia), and had a great time. Most of the films chosen were excellent, and many of them were things I wouldn't otherwise have thought to see but was glad I did.

My real problem was committing to being in town for all 7 scheduled Saturday-morning screenings. Turns out, though, at least in Philadelphia, you don't have to subscribe to the whole series--you can pay your $17 for individual showings instead (which is exactly what it breaks down to per show if you subscribe to the whole series). I suppose if you were really determined not to see something you were convinced you'd detest, you could simply show up at each screening and find out what was on that day before committing to a ticket.

At 26, I was the youngest person in the room every week by a good 2 decades, it's probably worth noting. It was a fairly middle-aged crowd of NPR fans, by and large. And I'm not sure how much this had to do with the fact that Harlan himself was usually hosting, but we very often had great guest speakers leading discussions. If you've got the cash, I'd do it.
posted by catesbie at 2:03 PM on August 8, 2005