What's Up At The Cinema? - by Seymour Flix

2015 Big Year For The Pirates

2015 has tallied-up to be the biggest year for the movie box-office, it was also the record breaker for pirated films.  Illegal downloads of 2015 movies numbered in the hundreds of millions, below is a breakdown of the Top 10 Most Pirated.

#10 - 'Kingman: The Secret Service' - 30.9 million illegal downloads
 #9 - 'Terminator: Genisys' - 31 million
 #8 - 'The Hobbit - Battle of the Five Armies' - 31.5 million
 #7 - 'Fifty Shades of Grey' - 32.1 million
 #6 - 'American Sniper' (2014 film, but not pirated in earnest until 2015) - 34 million
 #5 - 'Mad Max: Fury Road' - 36 million (can't imagine seeing this on a small screen)
 #4 - 'Jurassic World' - 36.9 million
 #3 - 'The Avengers: Age of Ultron' - 41.6 million
 #2 - 'Furious 7' - 44.8 million
 #1 - 'Interstellar' - 46.8 million (certainly not my first guess but the pirates really liked stealing this one, in fact, this film had 15 million more illegal downloads than the most pirated film of 2014 -'The Wolf of Wall Street'   

Own A Cinema - Just Enter A Contest

Original Temple Theatre 

Is this what its come to for the independent cinema owner - a cinema, given away for free.  I thought that owning a cinema was like starting a band or opening a pub.  Don't many people dream of owning there own cinema?  Well, if this is your dream than it may just come true.

The Temple Theatre in Houlton, Maine (pop. 6300) can be had for free, the only requirement is that you compose an essay in 250 words or less on "Why you would be the best person to be the new owner of the Temple".  The Temple is historic (over 98 years-old) and will be awarded to the winner of the essay contest next month, the contest runs until the end of January.  So, submit your entry (or entries) early and often.

The scheme is the brain-child of Mike Hurley, the current owner of the Temple, who purchased the twin, 400 seat cinema 12 years-ago.  It has been refurbished and includes offices and a live-in apartment.  Hurley tried, but couldn't sell the Temple for his asking price of $350,000, and then it hit him - sell contest entries for $100 each and set a minimum number of entries at 3500. Sounds good, but unfortunately for Mike only 200 essays have been received as of today.  Mike says he is confident he will reach his goal as it is still early and he is getting a lot of press.  According to Hurley, "He makes tons of money at the Temple, especially on concessions."  

The Temple has digital projection and new 6 channel sound systems, so if you have a spare $100, a semi-flair with the written word, and a hankering for a place in the world of entertainment, your dream of owning a cinema may come true.  Take a shot!  www.templemovies.com.