Couldn’t they sell cans of soda and candy in sealed wrappers? If bars and restaurants are allowed to sell pizzas and hot dogs … what’s the difference? I get the no popcorn and no fountain sodas, but there are workarounds, no?
We suppose the difference might be the actual consumption: tiny aerosols which are produced with talking, eating, singing - and just plain simple breathing. This stuff stays in the air in closed rooms long enough to make the distance a secondary hurdle; see for that cases of distanced choir rehearsals and restaurants/bars/clubs that are connected to recent cases.
Cinemas will of course argue with their air conditions but these things were never intended to battle virus infections on a grand scale. A film theatre is just not a surgery. And if the filters in these air conditions are not changed regularly you even risk these things just fanning the virus in a continuous cycle. I haven’t yet read how this is going to be tackled.
1 Like
Ah, thanks.
1 Like
In belgium the cinema’s open the 1th of July. You pre order your ticket, food and drinks online. You can’t mix and match. You can only choose certain combinations of food and drinks.
1 Like
One thing people seem to disregard: whenever politicians lift restrictions on social distancing and other measures to contain the virus it is their decision, not an advice by medical experts.
So often these days I encounter people who say: “It´s all good now, the restrictions are lifted!”
The sad fact is: the virus is still out there and continues to be.
Politicians are trying to manage the situation, and in the beginning some of them actually listened to the virologists, enforcing lockdowns and putting all the measures into effect which led to a drop in infection rates.
But people want to return to normal. And politicians want to be popular. So they lift restrictions and hope for the best. Which is insane, of course, and childish.
Here in Germany, elementary schools now are opened up again - with no restrictions in place. While at the same time restrictions still are kept up outside those schools, and sensibly so.
But the politicians maintain that small children do not pose as big a risk.
Which is so completely wrong. Children can infect others and die miserably from COVID-19, too.
But politicians know that summer vacation will start in two weeks. When children will infect themselves and parents and teachers and friends now, the incubation period will show the rise of infection AFTER school has ended for this term.
It´s all just one ruthless experiment.
Coming back to my initial point: remain careful, even if restrictions are lifted.
In other words: If you have a life threatening illness would you ask a politician to help you or would you ask a medical expert?
2 Likes
We’ve seen exactly the same thing the US. Dr. Fauci was basically silenced by the Trump administration because his message was always vastly different. Trump refuses to wear a mask, for reasons?, in public and many people now refuse to wear masks because they see the president not wearing one. Most people seem to have the idea that we can just ignore the problem and it will go away or people will just forget about it. However, the fact of the matter is that COVID-19 is as strong as it’s ever been and we’re likely to see a bigger resurgence in the fall and winter and also more than likely a mutation that will make all of the vaccine research done so far mostly moot. Moreover, we’ve got snake oil salesman in charge of major republics around the world peddling false cures and making it so people who need a specific drug for medical reasons, no longer able to easily get it. The world needs you more than ever Mr. Bond.
2 Likes
Agreed on all points but one: a mutation does not make the current vaccine development moot. A vaccine that works against the known strains can be altered to work on a mutated strain.
1 Like
I meant that it will take finding a proper vaccine longer. Also, as the world has so far never had a virus for any type of coronavirus vaccine, I still wouldn’t put my money on that being the thing that saves everyone.
Meanwhile, the Oscars…
1 Like
And even some medical experts are compromised. The one in my county says, “re-opening does not mean it’s safe. You are free to go to gyms, nail salons, churches. But you shouldn’t choose to do so, especially if in a high risk group.” He then went on to explain why he’s re-opening schools.
It´s a common problem. Medical experts have come under enormous political pressure, even getting death threats by idiots who think that this is the way to get rid of the virus: by scaring and blaming those who speak the truth.
Good rule of thumb, regarding the medical experts, is that if they’re appearing on television, they’re most likely compromised.
1 Like
Returning to the topic: with EON strategically moving the US release into a slightly earlier slot because it became vacant, the dates for the rest of the world seem to stand firm so far.
From the industry rumblings I hear distributors are really adopting a very hopeful view for the next months (“it will all stabilize, and while it won’t be like before we can assume people want to return to theaters, we just have to be content with what we get”).
Amazing how fast this has zig-zagged: from “the theatre experience is over, finally we can all go to VOD” it´s now rather “hey, we won’t change, we just push on through”.
So, right now, expect NTTD to be in theaters in November.
It seems that the acceptance of that will determine how fast this film (and the other blockbusters) will indeed move to the home video market.
Well, I’m okay with the 20th but, the 25th is my birthday. I was looking forward to having a poster with that date and the TV spots starting up as they were in March - “November 25th - Bond is BACK!”. Also, unless international travel restrictions ease up, the likelihood of myself (and Miss Brand) making any kind of premier in the U.K. is pretty much moot.
4 Likes
I think it’s looking likely. The coming months will be a big indicator, namely if Tenet gets released. For my own curiosity I will be interested in how strongly it is supported by audiences in financial terms. If films start being released in cinemas I think studios may seek to clear their plate, so to speak. Even if films don’t make the intended box office they could just wear that and move on.
Filming for new content seems to be starting shortly, at least for Jurassic World: Dominion, and perhaps also The Batman. The Matrix 4 has been delayed until 2022, which is a letdown from my point of view. But that seems to be a scheduling issue. Production could crank up again soon for that, too.
I’ve been away during Christmas for about a decade. I’m quite looking forward to staying home this time. But then again, a travel bubble may be established between Australia and New Zealand…
1 Like
Keeping my fingers crossed for you. 
1 Like
I feel ya, Bryce. My birthday is November 7th and it’s been so close so many times. QoS was supposed to release 11/7 but got pushed back out of fear for Harry Potter, which got postponed six months, but QoS didn’t retake the 11/7 slot. Then NTTD was originally Nov 8th, which means I could have seen it on my birthday on a preview, but of course, that was four release dates ago. SPECTRE was Nov 6th, though I saw it on the 5th. Skyfall was November 9th, except they released it on Thursday the 8th, and I saw the “midnight” show at 12:07 (0:0:7 military time) after midnight on a Wednesday night so it missed my birthday by 7 minutes.
What remains is Nov 8th, 2024 (preview on my birthday) or Nov 7th, 2025. Those are both possible, but at this point, even without a pandemic, seem overly optimistic for Bond 26.
2 Likes
During a virtual conference the European arm of AMC today announced: “there is no crisis!”.
So, that seems to be the new go-to answer. Expect the major studios to maintain the same.
I can’t imagine making a business decision that will knowingly put people in grave danger. Glad it’s not my conscience that will have to live with that.
It’s not an easy decision on both sides. Businesses must try to stay afloat - but will also have to cover themselves against legal action should customers sue. While the customers have to decide whether it’s safe (enough) to go to a cinema/shop/restaurant. I would have expected to hear more about liability, especially from the US. But that’s probably coming later…