Terry Moore's Second Quarter 2004 Drive-In Theater Reports

Visit the Quarterly Reports Index to see past reports.

3 April 2004 - Mom At The Mission!

Returning to San Antonio after two weeks in Enid, Oklahoma, I was happy to learn that the repairs to my car had been completed. My mother offered to drive up to San Antonio and then take me over to pick up my car. I gratefully accepted her offer.

She arrived in San Antonio around 1:00PM. As usual, she moved over to the passenger seat. Driving in San Antonio is not a task she enjoys. Seizing the opportunity, I decided it was time for mother to visit the Mission!

She expressed no particular resistance to the idea of a brief "drive-by", and so we set out on our journey across town. I won't go into detail about the drive except to say that we turned onto VFW Boulevard from South Presa. As we reached the entrance to the Mission, I pointed out the sign near the entrance that remains completely blank, devoid of lettering or symbols.

We rounded the screen tower and came to a halt near the ticket booths. I pointed out the key features of the property. Her comments? She had just one. She remembered the entrance to the Mission being on Roosevelt, not White. Regular readers of this report will recall that VFW Boulevard was originally named White. Could mother be correct? It's possible!

Leaving the Mission behind, we drove over and picked up my car. Mother followed me home and then departed. I considered going to the Mission myself but rejected the idea. Having no streak to extend, I decided that it would not be prudent to drive my Escort across town, alone at night, after a major engine repair.

Last week, I had been locked out of the Mission by the early closure of the ticket booths. This week, for the first time since the Mission reopened, I decided not to go. Will this happen again? Only time will tell!

8 April 2004 - Gleeful Savagery!

Having driven my car on short trips for several days, I had finally gained enough confidence in it to take a longer trip. Where to? The Mission of course!

A study of the weekly Mission advertisement revealed that two new films were playing at the Mission this week. These films being "Hell Boy" and "Walking Tall". This was the first week of release for both films.

With the addition of these two new films, I had seen 2 of the 8 films being exhibited this week.

I left my apartment at 7:56PM. I stopped along the way for cash at a convenient ATM machine. I arrived at the Mission at 8:21PM. The previews were already in progress!

It was nearly a perfect night to visit the drive-in. The air was cool and the sky was clear.

As I neared the Mission, I noted that the white sign near the entrance remains completely blank without lettering or symbols! Will someone paint something on this sign please!

Rounding the screen tower, I discovered that only a single ticket booth, and a single entrance lane, were open. No cars were waiting in line for service.

Reaching the ticket booth, I purchased a ticket for "Walking Tall" and proceeded to the Screen 1 lot without incident.

Driving across the Screen 1 lot, I parked in my traditional spot near the exit.

Leaving my car behind, I headed directly to the concession stand. As I moved towards it, I performed a complete count of the Screen 1 lot.

Entering the concession stand, I walked up to the counter and placed an order for a large Diet Coke and a large popcorn.

Exiting into the Screen 2 lot, I performed a complete car count before continuing my patrol. Crossing the foot bridge, I made a quick swing through the Screen 3 and Screen 4 lots before returning to the Screen 1 lot.

Reaching my vehicle, I got out my chair and connected my external speaker unit. I then settled down to enjoy the feature presentation which was already in progress.

Here are the car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Walking Tall" / "Hell Boy" - 40
Screen 2 - "Scooby Doo 2" / "Starsky and Hutch" - 22
Screen 3 - "Dawn of the Dead" / "Taking Lives" - 8
Screen 4 - "Secret Window" / "Never Die Alone" - 6

Given that this was a Thursday night, these car counts are very impressive!

How was "Walking Tall"?

When I travel, I like to read the local newspapers so that I can get a "feel" for the local community. Having seen the trailer for "Walking Tall", I found myself reading the review of the film by the local Enid movie critic. The review was highly critical. Was it bad acting or a lame plot that inspired the wrath of the critic? No! The critic was turned against the film by what he described as scenes of "gleeful savagery". Maybe I'm different but the phrase "gleeful savagery" inspired a desire in me to see this film!

This turned into yet another case supporting that old cliche - "Don't believe everything you read". While "Walking Tall" contained scenes of graphic violence, I failed to notice even a hint of "gleeful savagery". Even so, I found the film to be an entertaining way to pass some time at the drive-in.

As the credits began to roll, I made a quick patrol of the property before returning to my car for the night's second feature.

Here are the updated car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Walking Tall" / "Hell Boy" - 55
Screen 2 - "Scooby Doo 2" / "Starsky and Hutch" - 29
Screen 3 - "Dawn of the Dead" / "Taking Lives" - 17
Screen 4 - "Secret Window" / "Never Die Alone" - 7

Once again, I was surprised to find such a high car count on a Thursday evening.

How was "Hell Boy"?

"Hell Boy" is yet another example of a two hour movie that had just enough story to last ninety minutes. I actually got up at one point and walked to the concession stand for a pizza. On my return, I found that I hadn't missed anything! That's a bad sign to be sure!

As soon as the credits began to roll, I packed up my car and proceeded home without incident.

After this trip to the Mission, I've now seen 7 movies at the Mission this year plus one movie at the Brazos. How high will this count go? Only time will tell!

Here is the weekly comparison between the weekend Mission exhibition schedule and the top ten grossing films. Five of the top ten films were showing at the Mission this week. Note that the top two films were showing as a double feature this week!

10 April 2004 - Lights Out!

It was a rainy Saturday night in San Antonio. What to do? Go to the Mission, of course!

A study of the weekly Mission advertisement revealed that three new films were playing at the Mission this week. These films being "Alamo", "The Whole Ten Yards" and "Hidalgo". This was the first week of release for "Alamo" and "The Whole Ten Yards". "Hidalgo" had previously opened in San Antonio. In fact, "Hidalgo" had been previously exhibited at the Mission just weeks ago!

With the addition of these three new films, I had seen 4 of the 8 films being exhibited this week.

I left my apartment at 7:53PM. I stopped along the way for cash at a convenient ATM machine. I arrived at the Mission at 8:23PM.

The weather was far from perfect for a night at the drive-in! It had rained earlier in the day and the sky remained overcast. The air was moist and cool. In the distance, lightning rippled across the sky. It was not a question of "if it would rain", but of "when it would rain".

As I neared the Mission, I noted that the white sign near the entrance remains completely blank without lettering or symbols! I am beginning to give up hope that this sign will ever be completed.

Rounding the screen tower, I discovered that only a single ticket booth, and a single entrance lane, were open. No cars were waiting in line for service. Members of the staff milled about in the shelter of the marquee.

Reaching the ticket booth, I purchased a ticket for "The Whole Ten Yards". As I waited for my change, I was given a warning by the assistant manager. The power had failed earlier in the evening and another storm front was advancing on the city. As a result, the theater would be closing following the end of the second feature. Before I could reply, a runner shoved a ticket and change into my hand. Closing my fist, I proceeded to the Screen 3 lot without incident.

Driving across the Screen 3 lot, I decided not to park in my traditional location near the rear of the lot. Given the obvious lack of attendance for the evening's performance, I decided to park up front near the screen.

Leaving my car behind, I headed directly to the concession stand. As I moved towards it, I performed a complete count of the Screen 2 lot.

Entering the concession stand, I walked up to the counter and placed an order for a large Diet Coke and a large popcorn.

Exiting into the Screen 1 lot, I performed a complete car count before continuing my patrol. Unlike the last time it rained at the Mission, there were cars in the Screen 4 lot. Not many, but enough to count! Moving on, I returned to my car in the Screen 3 lot.

Reaching my vehicle, I got out my chair and connected my external speaker unit. I then settled down to enjoy the feature presentation which was already in progress.

Here are the car counts for those that like them:

Screen 1 - "Alamo" / "Hidalgo" - 10
Screen 2 - "Walking Tall" / "Hell Boy" - 12
Screen 3 - "The Whole Ten Yards" / "Scooby Doo 2" - 4
Screen 4 - "Dawn of the Dead" / "Taking Lives" - 6

How was "The Whole Ten Yards"?

"The Whole Ten Yards" is a sequel to "The Whole Nine Yards". I saw "The Whole Nine Yards" inside a hardtop theater when it was first released. I found it to be an amusing bit of fluff. I can't say the same for "The Whole Ten Yards". It just wasn't funny. Okay, perhaps I was turned off by the senseless killing of a chicken during the first ten minutes of the movie!

As the credits began to roll, I made a quick patrol of the property before returning to my car for the night's second feature.

Here are the updated car counts for those that like them:

Screen 1 - "Alamo" / "Hidalgo" - 16
Screen 2 - "Walking Tall" / "Hell Boy" - 18
Screen 3 - "The Whole Ten Yards" / "Scooby Doo 2" - 8
Screen 4 - "Dawn of the Dead" / "Taking Lives" - 9

I stopped along the way to pick up a pizza at the concession stand. Sadly, the pizza didn't survive through the classic intermission countdown film. Oh, well, you can't have everything!

If you recall my report on "Hidalgo", you remember that the film melted on the screen before my eyes. This week, there was also a disruption during the presentation of "Scooby Doo 2". The film didn't melt but the power did fail! Fifteen minutes into the film, the entire theater went dark. Most patrons sat patiently in their cars waiting for the power to be restored. A few failed to follow the drive-in code and began to honk their car horns. You just have to wonder what goal they hoped to achieve. Did they believe this incident to be a practical joke on the part of the staff? Or could they have been honking to drive away the evil spirits that bedevil drive-ins everywhere? You'll never know because I'm simply too anti-social to ask these questions in person.

Fortunately, power was soon restored and the movie played on without interruption for the rest of the evening.

As the movie continued on towards the climatic battle scene, the storm front pushed into the area. Flashes of lightning filled the lot with a bright white light. Those unfamiliar with the drive-in experience might believe this to have been a distraction from the film. And it might have been, had the lightning not coincided with the "Attack of the 10,000 Volt Monster"! Yes, that's right. Once again, the natural environment of the drive-in contributed to the realism of the film and enhanced the movie experience for those patrons smart enough to have made the choice to visit the Mission!

How was "Scooby Doo 2"?

I found it to be nearly as enjoyable as the first film. Given how little depth there is to the source material, "nearly as enjoyable" is high praise indeed. Linda Cardellini dressed in red vinyl is not a sight to be missed!

As soon as the credits began to roll, I packed up my car and proceeded home without incident.

After this trip to the Mission, I've now seen 9 movies at the Mission this year plus one movie at the Brazos. How high will this count go? Only time will tell!

Here is the weekly comparison between the weekend Mission exhibition schedule and the top ten grossing films. Five of the top ten films were showing at the Mission this week.

15 April 2004 - A Perfect Example!

It was a boring Thursday night in San Antonio. What to do? Go to the Mission, of course! But this wouldn't be an ordinary trip to the Mission!

If you recall from previous reports, last week my car was returned to me from the repair shop following repairs related to a major mechanical failure. Sadly, those repairs were of poor quality and I was forced to return my car to the shop for warranty work. Rather than rent a car, my mother loaned me one of her cars. I can now say that my mother's car has been to the Mission!

Having previously reviewed the weekly Mission advertisement, I knew that my film choices for the evening were limited. In fact, I had already seen 6 of the 8 films being exhibited this week. Of the two remaining films, only "The Alamo" was a first feature. Since it was a work night, that was all the reason I needed to select "The Alamo" as my evening's entertainment.

I left my apartment at 7:20PM. I stopped along the way for cash at a convenient ATM machine. I arrived at the Mission at 7:58PM.

As I neared the Mission, I noted that the white sign near the entrance remains completely blank without lettering or symbols! I am beginning to give up hope that this sign will ever be completed.

Rounding the screen tower, I discovered that only a single ticket booth, and a single entrance lane, were open. No cars were waiting in line for service.

Reaching the ticket booth, I purchased a ticket for "The Alamo". I then proceeded without incident into the Screen 1 lot. I parked in my traditional location near the exit lane since I knew I wouldn't be staying to see "Hidalgo" again!

Leaving the car behind, I headed directly to the concession stand. As I moved towards it, I performed a complete count of the Screen 1 lot.

Entering the concession stand, I walked up to the counter and placed an order for a large Diet Coke and a large popcorn.

Exiting into the Screen 2 lot, I performed a complete car count before continuing my patrol. Without exerting myself, I proceeded on through the Screen 3 and Screen 4 lots before returning to the Screen 1 lot.

Returning to my mother's car, I was fortunate to discover that she too carries a pair of camp chairs in her trunk. I turned her car around, pulled one out and then settled down to enjoy the feature presentation which was already in progress.

Here are the car counts for those that like them:

Screen 1 - "Alamo" / "Hidalgo" - 27
Screen 2 - "Walking Tall" / "Hell Boy" - 16
Screen 3 - "The Whole Ten Yards" / "Scooby Doo 2" - 5
Screen 4 - "Dawn of the Dead" / "Taking Lives" - 12

How was "The Alamo"?

"The Alamo" is a perfect example of why you should never let historical accuracy get in the way of telling a good story. John Wayne's "Alamo" was far less historically accurate but far more entertaining. That's especially true of the director's cut of the film, which was only exhibited once, at the movie's premier, in San Antonio. Thanks to the mass DVD market, you can now see this film the way John Wayne meant it to be seen. I recommend it. On the other hand, I recommend seeing "Bad Santa" if you want to see Billy Bob Thorton at his best! Just make sure your mother is out of the room when you watch it!

As soon as the credits began to roll, I packed up the car and proceeded home without incident.

After this trip to the Mission, I've now seen 10 movies at the Mission this year plus one movie at the Brazos. How high will this count go? Only time will tell!

24 April 2004 - Jinxed!

Some people feel that Rick Stivers and I have an unhealthy fascination with zombies. I'm sure Rick would agree with me when I say, "Know your enemy"!

How do I recommend learning about zombies? Let's just say that "on the job training" is the worst way to go! There are no second chances during a zombie attack. One mistake and you'll find yourself on the lunch menu!

Reading scholarly works on the subject, such as "The Zombie Survival Guide", and watching popular films dealing with fictional attacks, provide a safer and more structured learning experience for those lacking prior experience battling the undead.

Unfortunately, many mass market films, such as "28 Days Later", provide an unrealistic portrayal of both the zombie threat and the proper response to it. Far too often, the writers of these films resort to using "human stupidity" as a plot device to move the story along.

Are there any films which deal with the zombie threat in a realistic manner? Yes, the remake of "The Dawn of the Dead" is one of the best films made to date on this subject. If you recall my previous reports, you know that I've already seen this film and gave it high marks.

Rick Stivers was intrigued by my review of the film. He certainly wanted to see it but he didn't want to see it alone. Was he afraid? No! He wanted to have an intelligent conversation about the film once the credits began to roll. That's where I come in. Rick vowed not to see the movie until we could see it together at the Mission.

When I learned of this vow, I shuddered! While Rick is a dear friend and a good companion, he's also a bit of a jinx. When he goes to the drive-in, if something can go wrong, it will go wrong. I accept this as a natural law of the universe and cope with it as best I can. Rick however struggles with this unfair burden levied on him by an uncaring Fate. The result is usually a series of complaints.

Although the complaints usually take the form of "management should fix that", I believe the real issue is more psychological. Rick is a "hands-on, problem-solving" type of guy. When he sees a problem that he knows he could correct but isn't allowed to work on, he gets frustrated. I think everyone suffers from this same frailty to some degree. The difference here being that Rick has a wider variety of skills than most people. Picture a human version of the Swiss Army knife and you'll come pretty close to seeing Rick. Except that Rick has a beard and graying hair. I keep telling him that he's too young to look so old and that he needs to "wash that gray right out of his hair". But I digress....

Working in Fort Worth, Rick's visits to San Antonio are few and far between. One evening, he called me to let me know that he'd be in town for the weekend. Hearing that "The Dawn of the Dead" had been moved to the second feature slot, Rick became eager to see the film before it disappeared from the Mission's schedule. A time and a place were agreed upon. In just days, Rick would have yet another drive-in adventure.

A study of the weekly Mission advertisement revealed that three new films were playing at the Mission this week. These films being "Kill Bill Vol 1", "Kill Bill Vol 2" and "13 Going on 30". This was the first week of release for "13 Going On 30". "Kill Bill Vol 1" and "Kill Bill Vol 2" had previously opened in San Antonio. In fact, "Kill Bill Vol 1" had been previously exhibited at the Mission last year! No explanation was ever provided for the delayed opening of "Kill Bill Vol 2", which was one week late coming to the Mission. I do give management credit for scheduling the two films together to create a "Kill Bill" double-feature.

With the addition of these three new films, I had seen 5 of the 8 films being exhibited this week.

Rick arrived at my apartment at 7:00 PM. We quickly loaded my camp chair and drive-in deployment kit into the back of his truck. Climbing into the cab, I greeted Stephanie, Rick's youngest daughter. Stephanie continues to enjoy the drive-in experience despite have seen a cat being run over outside the exit to the Screen 4 lot. Following my driving instructions to the letter, we arrived at the Mission at 7:25 PM.

The weather was far from perfect for a night at the drive-in! It had rained earlier in the day and the sky remained overcast. The air was moist and cool. In the distance, heavy clouds seemed to drip moisture as they moved across the sky.

As we neared the Mission, I noted that the white sign near the entrance remains completely blank without lettering or symbols! Before I could make any comment about the sign, Rick swerved into the entrance and applied his brakes with gusto as we rounded the screen tower to discover 16 cars waiting in line for tickets.

Reaching the ticket booth, we purchased tickets for "The Punisher" and then proceeded without incident to the Screen 2 lot.

Driving across the Screen 2 lot, Rick decided to park in my traditional location in the second row on the left side of the screen.

After a short, yet violent struggle with mosquitoes, we left Rick's truck behind and began an inspection of the property. After making positive comments about the recent mowing of the Screen 2 lot, we moved on to the foot bridge. Reaching the center of the bridge, I heard a loud thud and turned around. To my shock and surprise, Rick was jumping up and down on the bridge. The look on my face was clearly a silent demand for an explanation. Rick stopped bouncing with apparent regret and explained to me that he was just "checking the structural integrity of the bridge". Remember that part earlier about "whatever can go wrong, will go wrong"? It should come as no surprise to you then that the image of the bridge collapsing during this "inspection" came immediately to mind! Would we have to pay for the bridge? If Rick were injured, how would I explain it to his wife? More important, was I fast enough to leap to safety or just fast enough to think about it? Having no good answers to these questions, I moved quickly off the bridge and into the Screen 3 lot. Rick followed me at his normal pace.

After a short look at both the Screen 3 and Screen 4 lots, we crossed over to the Screen 1 lot. This was Rick's first close-up view of the new, higher fence around the Screen 1 lot. His opinion? He liked the fence but thought it needed more screws and less nails. He did allow that these nails could be of the special variety that have a twisted shaft which allows them to combine the best features of screws and nails. My opinion? I was just happy that he didn't try to "check the structural integrity of the fence" by pushing on it! I could imagine the entire fence coming down like some life-size version of row of dominoes!

Crossing through the Screen 1 lot, I pointed out to Rick how much cleaner the lot looked compared to previous years. He leaned over, rubbed the ground and then stood up with a satisfied grin on his face. He had clearly reached a conclusion that had escaped me. While the lot may actually be cleaner, the improved appearance has nothing to do with less dirt and debris. No, it looks better because the grass in the lot has died. I don't mean the grass in the infield area near the screen or the grass in the outfield area near the fence. I mean the grass in the lot itself.

Years before, the Mission, like all older drive-in theaters, used speakers on poles to provide sound to each patron's vehicle. Later, after upgrading to broadcast sound, the poles were removed. As you would expect, this left holes in the pavement. That would have been a small problem had it stopped there. But it didn't.

The wiring was also ripped up from underneath the ground. This created not just holes in the pavement but actual trenches cutting across the length and breadth of the lot. Whoever owned the Mission at the time decided, like so many other theater owners, not to bother fixing the damage to the pavement. Why bother when greater profits could be made by avoiding the repairs and continuing to exploit the dedicated drive-in customer base?

These holes and trenches provided the perfect breeding ground for grass and weeds. Since it had to be mowed, it created a maintenance burden on the staff and even when fresh cut looked unsightly. But now the grass was dead. How had it happened?

Rick was certain that a herbicide had been "spot" applied around the lot. He even postulated that the chemical agent had been applied several times, in small quantities, to limit any potential environmental impact. As it turns out, I later found out that Rick was correct. Even though the Mission isn't located near the Edwards Recharge Zone, great care was taken to apply the minimum effective amount of the agent. In fact, so minimal was the initial application that a second treatment had been required.

Not only does the lot look better, the removal of the grass should also aid in preventing fire ants and other crawling insects from making their home in the lot.

The death of the grass made Rick happy. He was whistling as we entered the concession stand. I purchased a large Diet Coke, a large popcorn and two hot dogs. Rick also purchased snacks for himself. Nothing was purchased for Stephanie, who had remained behind with the truck so that she could talk on her cell phone.

Exiting into the Screen 2 lot, I performed a complete car count as Rick and I walked across the lot.

Reaching Rick's truck, I was forced to struggle to climb up into the bed. Once there, I set up my chair and settled down with my snacks. As I munched my popcorn, Rick connected his external speaker units. Stephanie, realizing that we had returned without any snacks for her, convinced Rick to give her money for treats. As she headed off, Rick turned on his stereo and joined me in the bed of the truck. After taking a long drink of Diet Coke, Rick turned to me and said, "Now we're going to find out how well this new stereo works".

Oh no! A new stereo? Yet another new and untested piece of equipment brought to the drive-in for its first operational field test? Yes, it was true. Rick had a new stereo in his truck. Well, a different stereo actually, not a new one. This stereo had been removed from Kattie's van at some point in the recent past. For those that don't know it, Kattie is Rick's oldest daughter who now lives in Oklahoma City. Sadly, even though she lives near the Winchester Drive-In, she has never attended a movie there. Why not? Who knows? No credible explanation has ever been provided for this clearly rebellious behavior. But I digress....

Stephanie returned before I could express my doubts about the new stereo. As she sat down on the truck's tailgate, Rick asked for his change. With practiced ease, she replied, "What change"? Not deterred, Rick replied, "The change from the $20 I gave you". Stephanie failed to answer. Instead, she began to shake her head back and forth. I could only imagine that she was attempting to impersonate Ray Charles. Yes, I know that makes no sense since Ray is blind and not deaf. Rick eventually gave up asking about his change and settled down to watch the movie.

Here are the car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Kill Bill Vol 2" / "Kill Bill Vol 1" - 13
Screen 2 - "The Punisher" / "The Dawn of the Dead" - 18
Screen 3 - "Hellboy" / "Walking Tall" - 13
Screen 4 - "13 Going On 30" / "Scooby Doo 2" - 17

How was "The Punisher"?

The movie was far better than I expected. Make no mistake. This is a violent movie. How violent? Here is one example. This movie is based on a comic book character of the same name. In the comic book origin, Frank Castle is motivated to become "The Punisher" after his wife and son are killed by criminals. The producers of the movie clearly felt the murders of two people, no matter how important, wouldn't provide a believable justification for a man to become a vigilante and go on vengeance filled killing spree. Instead, they decided to "up the ante". In the movie origin, Frank Castle's entire family is killed by criminals. And when I say "entire family", I mean his entire family. How did the criminals do it? They waited for the Castle family reunion, held for some odd reason in Puerto Rico, to launch their assault. Although he tries valiantly, Frank is unable to stop the attack. Frank's entire family dies before his eyes. Frank would have died too but he got lucky and survived the attack. Left for dead, he is rescued by a friendly native who nurses him back to health. That sounds a lot like the origin of "The Lone Ranger" to me! Thankfully, we are spared a racial stereo type when Frank refuses the native's offer of assistance in his search for vengeance.

The movie had several good "one-liners" and gets extra credit for working the title into the film. I did notice that the movie's tagline, "It's not about revenge. It's about punishment.", doesn't actually appear in the movie.

How as the movie experience?

Not so good, I'm afraid. Part of the way into the film, a buzzing sound started on the left channel of Rick's new stereo. We might not even have heard it if Rick hadn't "pumped up" the volume. Eventually, I was able to convince him to adjust the speaker balance all the way to the right. This eliminated the buzzing sound with only a minor impact to the movie experience. By that, I mean my movie experience. I'm pretty sure Rick was annoyed throughout the rest of the movie.

Was it the new stereo or was it the drive-in sound system?

That's a question that I can't answer. Part way through the film, I walked over to the concession stand for a "nature break" and a Diet Coke refill. Although I zigzagged through the lot, I never heard the buzzing sound. Then again, no one else had their volume "pumped up" as high as Rick. At the concession stand, the external speakers for the Screen 2 side were inoperative, which was unfortunate as they always have the volume "pumped up" to a very high level as a courtesy to patrons visiting the concession stand.

Other than the sound issue, how did Rick like the film?

He seemed to really enjoy it. He laughed himself silly during the big fight scene set to an opera soundtrack. And why wouldn't he? Years of conditioning from Warner Brothers' cartoons have left us craving this type of entertainment.

How did Stephanie like the movie?

As soon as the trailers ended, she climbed back into the truck cab and spent the entire time on her cell phone. Oh well, she hadn't come for "The Punisher", perhaps she'd come for "The Dawn of the Dead".

As the credits began to roll, Rick and I made a quick patrol of the property before returning to his truck for the night's second feature. I stopped along the way to pick up a pizza at the concession stand.

When we reached the truck, Stephanie was off the phone. She seemed surprised that I had a pizza. I decided to have a bit of fun with her and so I explained that "zombie movies always make me hungry". She seemed slightly disturbed by this "confession".

Here are the updated car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Kill Bill Vol 2" / "Kill Bil Vol 1" - 22
Screen 2 - "The Punisher" / "The Dawn of the Dead" - 63
Screen 3 - "Hellboy" / "Walking Tall" - 45
Screen 4 - "13 Going On 30" / "Scooby Doo 2" - 65

How was "The Dawn of the Dead"?

I found my second viewing of the film to be nearly as entertaining as the first.

What did Stephanie think of the film?

She was clearly repelled by it. She once again retreated to the inside of the truck cab. She tried to watch it through the back glass but this effort was in vain. With each fresh zombie attack, she looked away. We kept hearing her voice, almost pleading, asking "Is it over yet"? No, it wasn't over. Not for a long time, anyway.

How did Rick like the movie?

I was shocked that he never actually rendered a final opinion on the film. If you knew Rick, you'd know how odd this is. I think he was simply "shell-shocked" by emotional intensity of the film. Months later, I'm sure he has some comments that he'll share if asked.

How was the movie experience?

There were several episodes of very light drizzle during the presentation. At no time did I consider taking shelter.

As soon as the credits began to roll, we packed up and proceeded back to my apartment without incident. My companions were strangely quiet the entire ride back.

After this trip to the Mission, I've now seen 10 different movies at the Mission this year plus one movie at the Brazos. How high will this count go? Only time will tell!

Here is the weekly comparison between the weekend Mission exhibition schedule and the top ten grossing films. Six of the top ten films were showing at the Mission this week.

30 April 2004 - Perplexed and Vexed!

Last week, the Mission exhibited a "Kill Bill" double feature. Based on my observations, that combination wasn't a successful draw. In fact, "Kill Bill Vol 2" seemed to generate little interest among the drive-in public. Since I usually "swim against the current", I decided that I'd be seeing "Kill Bill Vol 2" this weekend.

A study of the weekly Mission advertisement revealed that only one new film was playing at the Mission this week. This film being "Godsend". This was the first week of release for this film.

With the addition of this new film, I had seen 5 of the 8 films being exhibited this week.

I left my apartment at 6:35PM. I stopped along the way for cash at a convenient ATM machine. I arrived at the Mission at 7:05PM.

It was nearly a perfect night to visit the drive-in. The air was cool and the sky was clear.

As I neared the Mission, I noted that the white sign near the entrance remains completely blank without lettering or symbols! Use it or lose it, I say!

Rounding the screen tower, I discovered that the box office was still closed. Seven cars were waiting in line for service.

After a forty minute wait, the box office finally opened at 7:45PM.

Reaching the ticket booth, I purchased a ticket for "Godsend" and proceeded to the Screen 1 lot without incident.

Driving across the Screen 1 lot, I parked in my traditional spot near the exit. Rather than rush immediately to the concession stand, I took my time and set up my equipment behind my vehicle. I even took the time to finish reading the newspaper! As I flipped the pages, I wondered why I had arrived so early!

Exhausting the entertainment value of the newspaper, I stood up and shoved it into my trunk for future disposal. Leaving my car behind, I headed directly to the concession stand. As I moved towards it, I performed a complete count of the Screen 1 lot.

I also noted something new in the Screen 1 lot. A tent had been set up next to the concession stand. Next to the tent was a van belonging to a local radio station - Z106.9 FM. Apparently, some attempt at promoting the Mission was in progress. Since I don't listen to this station, I can say no more on this subject!

Entering the concession stand, I walked up to the counter and placed an order for a large Diet Coke and a large popcorn.

Exiting into the Screen 2 lot, I performed a complete car count before continuing my patrol. Crossing the foot bridge, I made a quick swing through the Screen 3 and Screen 4 lots before returning to the Screen 1 lot.

Reaching my vehicle, I settled down to enjoy the previews which were already in progress.

Here are the car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Godsend" / "Kill Bill 2" - 38
Screen 2 - "The Punisher" / "The Dawn of the Dead" - 21
Screen 3 - "Hellboy" / "Walking Tall" - 31
Screen 4 - "13 Going On 30" / "Scooby Doo 2" - 19

These counts were made starting at 8:28PM. Many more cars entered the lots as showtime neared. I would later be surprised at just how many people had arrived after the start of the previews.

How was "Godsend"?

It was over at 10:08PM. That's the best thing I can say about the movie.

As the credits began to roll, I made a quick patrol of the property before returning to my car for the night's second feature.

Here are the updated car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Godsend" / "Kill Bill 2" - 114
Screen 2 - "The Punisher" / "The Dawn of the Dead" - 64
Screen 3 - "Hellboy" / "Walking Tall" - 58
Screen 4 - "13 Going On 30" / "Scooby Doo 2" - 54

How was "Kill Bill Vol 2"?

"Kill Bill Vol 2" wasn't as violent as "Kill Bill Vol 1". Instead of a steadily rising body count, the film delivers a strange mix of "back story", character development and pop philosophy. The orgy of carnage in the first film left me almost physically drained. The second film left me perplexed and even a tad vexed. I had sat through "Godsend" to see this!

As soon as the credits began to roll, I packed up my car and proceeded home without incident.

After this trip to the Mission, I've now seen 12 movies at the Mission this year plus one movie at the Brazos. How high will this count go? Only time will tell!

Here is the weekly comparison between the weekend Mission exhibition schedule and the top ten grossing films. Five of the top ten films were showing at the Mission this week.

Ranking	Title	Millions of Dollars	At The Mission
1	Mean Girls	$24.4
2	Man on Fire	$15.0
3	13 Going on 30	$9.9	YES!
4	Godsend	$6.8	YES!
5	Laws of Attraction	$6.7
6	Envy	$5.9
7	Kill Bill Vol 2	$5.9	YES!
8	The Punisher	$3.5	YES!
9	Home on the Range	$2.3
10	Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed	$2.3	YES!

6 June 2004 - Back To The Mission!

It was a May without the Mission.

Have I lost interest in the Mission? No! Recurring car problems, business travel, leisure trips and a growing addiction to the on-line computer game, "City of Heroes", kept me from being able to support my local drive-in theater.

But a May without the Mission doesn't mean a May without the drive-in experience!

I saw "Shrek 2" at the Sky-Line Drive-In in Barstow, California. I even convinced Doug Eash to join me on that outing! Two weeks later, I saw "Troy" and "Van Helsing" at the Las Vegas Drive-In.

Trapped for a weekend in Mojave, California, I rented a car and drove for nearly a thousand miles. What was I looking for? Drive-ins, of course! I visited the Sunset Drive-In in San Luis Obispo and the Hi-Way Drive-In in Santa Maria. Had both of these theaters not be screening "Shrek 2", I would have stayed the night and seen a movie under the stars!

What can I say about these theaters? If you are thinking "lots", you are right!

When we passed the Sky-Line Drive-in, Doug Eash thought it was closed. Since even closed drive-ins are of interest to me, I compelled him to circle back. I can't blame Doug for thinking the worst. The marquee was in a sad state of repair. Although not completely devoid of lettering or symbols like the sign at the Mission, it listed not a single film. But was it closed? One peak through the fence told me otherwise. Sitting near the concession stand was a garbage dumpster. You don't find those at closed businesses!

I entered the property and documented it on film. This theater once had a single screen. Oddly, when the second screen was added, it was constructed at a right angle to the line of sight of the first screen. If that's confusing, think of a box. On the south side is the original screen. On the west side is the new screen. Is this a problem? Yes! When we came back a week later to see "Shrek 2", the changes in light levels on Screen 2 were very noticeable to the trained observer.

I don't want to get into too much detail here, so I'll wrap this up by saying that the projection was well focused, the picture was very bright and there were no noticeable sound problems. The concession stand was perhaps the busiest I've ever seen up to that point. I was forced to wait in line outside for nearly 5 minutes. Once inside, I discovered the most attractive drive-in staff I've ever seen! I'm sure Rick Stivers will be pleased to learn that Red Vines were for sale at a reasonable price. In fact, everything was surprisingly affordable. The prices were lower than those at the Mission despite California's reputation for being a high cost state.

Did Doug enjoy his trip to the drive-in? This was his second trip to a drive-in this year. He was surprised at the high turn out. I'm not sure why. We saw the same thing at the Brazos Drive-In earlier in the year. Although Doug did have a good time, I know he would have preferred to have seen the film in an in-door theater.

The following weekend, I took the "big drive" around California.

The Sunset Drive-In is the first drive-in I've seen next to a cemetery. I'm sure that cuts down on the light pollution! If I'd had more time, I would have ventured into that cemetery to learn the secret of the giant pyramid clearly visible from the back row of the drive-in.

The Hi-Way Drive-in is the best maintained drive-in that I've ever visited. I think even Rick Stivers would have left with a positive impression of the efforts these people have put into the property. The Hi-Way has clearly been around a long time. The sides of the property are lined with trees nearly as tall as the screen itself! If only they hadn't been showing "Shrek 2"!

One week later, I found myself at the Las Vegas Drive-In. Once again, this little theater continues to do big business. Picture quality on several of the front screens has improved thanks to construction in front of the property. An entire row of large warehouses now block the light from the road in front of the property, and some of the light from the casinos in the distance. Once again, I found the concession stand to be extremely busy and the prices to be below those at the Mission. Sadly, I have to report that the company that owns the Las Vegas Drive-In has no interest in maintaining the property. That's sad because I saw way more business at this little drive-in than at the 14 screen in-door theater, owned by the same company, that was located next to my hotel.

I enjoy visiting other drive-ins around the country. Even so, I couldn't wait to get back to my usual Mission routine.

A study of the weekly Mission advertisement revealed the films playing at the Mission this week. These films being "Harry Potter 3", "The Prince and Me", "The Day After Tomorrow", "Man on Fire", "Shrek 2", "Ella Enchanted", "Van Helsing" and "Troy".

Including the movies that I had seen in California and Nevada, I had seen 3 of the 8 films being exhibited this week.

I left my apartment at 7:30PM. No stops were made along the way. I arrived at the Mission at 8:04PM. The weather was nearly perfect for a night at the drive-in. The sky was clear with no threat of rain. The air was warm with only a trace of humidity. The winds were breezy. Given the threat of mosquitoes, that was a definite plus!

As I neared the Mission entrance, I once again noted that the white sign near the entrance remains completely blank without lettering or symbols! Use it or lose it, I say!

Rounding the screen tower, I discovered that only a single ticket booth, and a single entrance lane, were open. No cars were waiting in line for service.

Reaching the ticket booth, I purchased a ticket for "The Day After Tomorrow" and proceeded to the Screen 2 lot without incident.

Driving across the Screen 2 lot, I parked in my traditional location on the left side of the screen, in the second row from the screen.

Getting out of my car, I paused for a few moments in silent thanks that I had returned from my travels safely. People don't do enough of that, in my opinion.

Leaving my car behind, I headed directly towards foot bridge. As I moved towards it, I performed a complete count of the Screen 2 lot.

The portable toilets have returned to the Mission. Six units have been placed in the Screen 2 lot. The same number can be found across the fence in the Screen 1 lot. Once again, I was reminded at how much higher the new fence is than the old one. The tops of the portable toilets in the Screen 1 lot can just be seen over the new fence.

Crossing the foot bridge, I discovered that the little tree near the foot of the bridge had experienced a growth spurt. The limbs from the tree now extend over the bridge. Heavy with leaves, the limbs hang down to the extent that even I am forced to duck down to get under them. Taller patrons, such as John Miller, may not be able to get down low enough to avoid contact with these errant limbs!

I made a mental note to report the problem to management before performing a complete count of the Screen 3 lot. I then moved on to the Screen 4 lot before crossing back over to the Screen 1 lot.

Once again, I was impressed at how clean the Screen 1 lot looks without all that grass growing up through the pavement!

As I neared the concession stand, I noticed that the "now hiring" banner has returned to the Mission. I think temporary employees and portable toilets say a lot about the state of the American economy.

Entering the concession stand, I walked up to the counter and placed an order for a large Diet Coke, a large popcorn, and a pizza. Yes, a pizza. My return to the Mission was an event worth celebrating!

As I was waiting for my order, one of the assistant managers walked over to greet me. I took the opportunity to mention the need to treim the tree in the Screen 3 lot. He promised to trim the tree in the near future. We spoke on until my order arrived. He returned to his duties. I returned to the drive-in experience!

Exiting into the Screen 2 lot, I couldn't help but notice that the external speakers on this side of the concession stand were once again operational. As I learned later, a radio station promotion had been scheduled for that very evening. In a gesture of goodwill, the manager had tuned all the receivers to the station's frequency. Sadly, like many goodwill gestures, it went un-rewarded. The radio station staff never arrived.

Returning to my vehicle, I sat down my snacks on the roof of the passenger compartment. With my hands free, I took a few moments to update my notes. You really didn't think I write these reports from memory, did you?

My notes complete, I opened my trunk and got out my chair. Next I reached into the trunk and positioned the external speaker unit on top of my drive-in deployment kit. I plugged in the speaker jacks with little difficulty. Reaching inside the cabin, I activated the car radio and tuned it to the frequency for Screen 2. Returning to my chair, I settled down to wait for the start of the evening's entertainment.

Here are the car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Harry Potter 3" / "The Prince and Me" - 11
Screen 2 - "The Day After Tomorrow" / "Man On Fire" - 21
Screen 3 - "Shrek 2" / "Ella Enchanted" - 7
Screen 4 - "Van Helsing" / "Troy" - 4

How was "The Day After Tomorrow"? I have to say that this is the worst movie that I've ever seen. My previous worst film? "Dick Tracy". Before that? "Paris, Texas". Even "Godsend" was more entertaining!

Why didn't I like this movie? I have to admit that I went into it with a bad attitude. Given that Irwin Allen, the creator of the disaster film genre, is dead, how could any new disaster film be worth watching?

I liked the environmental disaster concept. This film simply failed to execute it properly. What would I have done differently? Every human being on this planet is responsible for the damage being done to it. That's right, we're all guilty. You could put the majority of the blame on Dick Cheney, but truthfully, he's only fractionally to blame. I'd seize on this collective responsibility and make it the foundation for my version of the film.

In my film, none of the characters would have names. Some would have job titles but that would be it. I'd try never to show their faces clearly if it all possible. Since this is an issue of collective responsibility, I wouldn't want any of my characters to rise to the level of individuals. Next, I'd have the minimum number of "human interaction" scenes necessary to set the stage for the story. The majority of the film would be scene after scene of devastation. Nameless, faceless humans would be wiped out by forces they have no hope of defeating. Every recognizable man-made landmark on Earth would be destroyed. The destruction would go on and on until it simply stopped.

A quick series of scenes would take the viewer around the planet. The world would be shown to be peaceful and quiet. Places formerly packed with humans would be empty and quiet. But the film wouldn't be over! No, this type of film needs closure.

The final scene open with a long shot of a snow covered plain. The wind would be blowing but nothing would be moving. Suddenly, without warning, there would be motion in the distance. The camera would zoom in on it. We'd see the snow moving and then a hand reaching out of the snow. Then another hand would emerge to push away more snow. In a matter of moments, two humans would dig themselves out of a snow covered shelter. Given the size difference between the two, the audience would suspect this pair to be a man and a woman -- a new Adam and Eve preparing to start over on a planet nearly completely cleansed of the human infection.

But since this is my movie, you know that won't happen! In search of food, the man chops a hole in the ice. Pulling out a fishing line, he baits the hook with what may be the last of their food. He throws the line in and waits. Suddenly, without warning, Shamu breaks through the hole and eats him! The woman screams and tries to run. She slips, falls and is herself eaten by Shamu! The screen would fade to black. The credits would start to roll. There would be no need to end the film with "The End". What would be the point?

I'm sure my apocalyptic vision of an environmental disaster would win awards around the globe.

This is the kind of film that I could at least finish watching. After slightly more than an hour, I couldn't stand it anymore. I packed up the car, made a quick patrol of the property and then proceeded home without incident.

Here are the updated car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Harry Potter 3" / "The Prince and Me" - 51
Screen 2 - "The Day After Tomorrow" / "Man On Fire" - 106
Screen 3 - "Shrek 2" / "Ella Enchanted" - 63
Screen 4 - "Van Helsing" / "Troy" - 38

After this trip to the Mission, I've now seen 17 movies at 4 different drive-ins this year. How high will this count go? Only time will tell!

Here is the weekly comparison between the weekend Mission exhibition schedule and the top ten grossing films. Six of the top ten films were showing at the Mission this week.

Ranking	Title	Millions of Dollars	At The Mission
1	Harry Potter 3	$93.7	YES!
2	Shrek 2	$37.9	YES!
3	The Day After Tomorrow	$27.9	YES!
4	Raising Helen	$6.6
5	Troy	$6.0	YES!
6	Mean Girls	$3.0
7	Soul Plane	$2.8
8	Van Helsing	$2.4	YES!
9	Man On Fire	$1.0	YES!
10	Super Size Me	$.8

17 June 2004 - Old Business!

Before I get started on this week's report, I want to clear away a bit of old business.

Last week, I received an e-mail from Stephanie Stivers objecting to my portrayal of her conduct during her last trip to the Mission. She wants you, the readers, to know that she was, in fact, not cowering in fear inside the cab of Rick's truck. No, she wasn't afraid. She was asleep. She found 'The Dawn of the Dead' to be tedious and boring. I stand by my previous statements. I leave it to you, the readers, to decide the truth.

A study of the weekly Mission advertisement revealed that two new films were playing at the Mission this week. These films being "The Chronicles of Riddick" and "Garfield". This was the first week of release for both films.

With the addition of these two new films, I had seen 4 of the 8 films being exhibited this week.

I left my apartment at 8:00PM. No stops were made along the way. I arrived at the Mission at 8:23PM.

The weather was far from perfect for a night at the drive-in! It had rained earlier in the day and the sky remained overcast. The air was moist and cool. More rain was forecast by morning.

As I neared the Mission, I noted that the white sign near the entrance remains completely blank without lettering or symbols! Will someone paint something on this sign please!

Rounding the screen tower, I discovered a single ticket booth and two entrance lanes were open. No cars were waiting in line for service.

Reaching the ticket booth, I purchased a ticket for "Garfield" and proceeded to the Screen 1 lot without incident.

Driving across the Screen 1 lot, I decided to park in my traditional location on the right side of the lot near the exit.

Leaving my car behind, I headed directly to the concession stand. As I moved towards it, I performed a complete count of the Screen 1 lot.

Entering the concession stand, I walked up to the counter and placed an order for a large Diet Coke and a large popcorn.

Exiting into the Screen 2 lot, I performed a complete car count before continuing my patrol. Crossing the foot bridge, I received an unpleasant surprise. As I mentioned in my last report, the little tree near the end of the bridge has grown so much that patrons must now work themselves around the tree's low hanging limbs to use the bridge. If I mentioned it last week, why was I surprised by it this week? Based on the past performance of the Mission's management, I had expected my "complaint" about the tree to have already resulted in action. This tree needs to be trimmed immediately before someone gets hurt!

Bending low, I managed to get past the little tree and into the Screen 3 lot. I paused for just a moment to count the cars before moving on to the Screen 4 lot.

Reaching the Screen 4 lot, I didn't pause for even a moment. It just doesn't take long to count a single car! Turning immediately, I headed back to the Screen 1 lot.

Reaching my vehicle, I got out my chair and connected my external speaker unit. I then settled down to enjoy the evening's entertainment.

Here are the car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Garfield" / "Shrek 2" - 17
Screen 2 - "Riddick" / "Van Helsing" - 11
Screen 3 - "The Day After Tomorrow" / "Man on Fire" - 10
Screen 4 - "Harry Potter 3" / "Troy" - 1

How was "Garfield"?

Surprisingly, "Garfield" was able to hold my attention from start to finish. It was far more entertaining than I expected it would be. The actors did an amazing job of suppressing any actual talent they may have possessed. That's actually important in this film. Garfield is the only character in the film that comes across as being "three dimensional". The human characters, in contrast, come across as being "two dimensional". Garfield, an animated character, simply has more life in him than his living co-stars. But that's okay. Garfield is the foreground. All the other characters, even Odie, are simply part of the background. You either understand that or you don't. That's just the way it is.

As entertaining as "Garfield" was, it wasn't the high point of the evening. Remember the prehistoric squirrel from "Ice Age"? The squirrel's name was Scrat and his antics were perhaps the best part of the film. Scrat is back in an animated short film which proves that a squirrel can actually have too many nuts! This short film ran before "Garfield". I don't know if this was part of the standard distribution package for "Garfield" or if it is still showing with "Garfield" in theaters today. I do know that I laughed myself silly as Scrat was subjected to a level of violence and brutality that was so common in the classic cartoons of the 1930s and 1940s. This short film alone is worth the price of admission to a theater!

As soon as the credits began to roll, I packed up my car, made a quick patrol of the property and proceeded home without incident.

Here are the updated car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Garfield" / "Shrek 2" - 47
Screen 2 - "Riddick" / "Van Helsing" - 32
Screen 3 - "The Day After Tomorrow" / "Man on Fire" - 22
Screen 4 - "Harry Potter 3" / "Troy" - 9

Here is the weekly comparison between the weekend Mission exhibition schedule and the top ten grossing films. Six of the top ten films were showing at the Mission this week.

Ranking	Title	Millions of Dollars	At The Mission
1	Harry Potter 3	$34.9	YES!
2	Chronicles of Riddick	$24.3	YES!
3	Shrek 2	$23.3	YES!
4	Garfield	$21.7	YES!
5	The Stepford Wives	$21.7
6	The Day After Tomorrow	$14.5	YES!
7	Raising Helen	$3.7
8	Troy	$3.4	YES!
9	Saved!	$2.5
10	Mean Girls	$1.5

24 June 2004 - June's End!

The summer movie season began with great success. Although a lackluster film, saved only by "Puss, In Boots", "Shrek 2" pulled crowds into theaters all across this great land. In city after city, drive-in patrons were turned away as cash registers sang the sell-out song!

Ka-ching! Ka-ching!

But the early promise of the Memorial Day weekend soon faded away as a series of lesser films were released. It almost seemed as if the summer hadn't truly began as the whole world held its collective breathe waiting for the release of "Spider-Man 2". Some might say that the last week in June was the absolute low point of the summer. Others say the worst is yet to come. And me? I'm simply waiting to see "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow". Could it be this decade's "Mystery Men"? Only time will tell!

But until that movie is released, I'll have to "make do" with what I've got. And just what have I got this week? For that answer, read on!

A study of the weekly Mission advertisement revealed that only one new film was playing at the Mission this week. This film being "Dodgeball". This was the first week of release for this film.

With the addition of this new film, I had seen 4 of the 8 films being exhibited this week.

I left my apartment at 8:26PM. I stopped for gas and cash along the way. I arrived at the Mission at 8:55PM.

The weather was far from perfect for a night at the drive-in! It had rained earlier in the day and the sky remained overcast. From time to time during the drive, drizzle fell onto my windshield. More rain was forecast by morning.

As I neared the Mission, I noted that the white sign near the entrance remains completely blank without lettering or symbols! Will someone paint something on this sign please!

Rounding the screen tower, I discovered a single ticket booth and two entrance lanes were open. Surprisingly, six cars were waiting in line for service.

Looking up at the marquee, I was surprised again. The employees had already started updating the movie roster to reflect the new movies coming out the next day. How can I be sure of that? The marquee listed "White Chicks" as being exhibited on Screen 1. But that movie wouldn't open in theaters until the following day. Why update the sign early? Perhaps the employees wanted to sleep in the next morning!

Reaching the ticket booth, I purchased a ticket for "Dodgeball" and proceeded to the Screen 2 lot without incident.

Driving across the Screen 2 lot, I decided to park in my traditional location on the left side of the lot near the exit.

Leaving my car behind, I headed directly to the concession stand. As I moved towards it, I performed a complete count of the Screen 2 lot.

Entering the concession stand, I walked up to the counter and placed an order for a large Diet Coke and a large popcorn.

Exiting into the Screen 1 lot, I performed a complete car count before continuing my patrol.

Reaching the Screen 4 lot, I paused just long enough count the few cars in the lot! Drizzle had begun to fall and my popcorn was beginning to get wet. There aren't many things that can spoil the drive-in experience but wet popcorn is certainly one of them!

Moving at high speed with my head bent over to shield my popcorn, I reached the Screen 3 lot in record time. My count was fast and furious as I moved on towards the foot bridge.

Reaching it, I was once again annoyed to find that the little tree had still not been trimmed. Now even larger than last week, I had to duck down and turn sideways to get past it and onto the bridge. Will I be forced to stop using the bridge? Only time will tell!

After twisting past the tree, I hurried across the bridge. It was now raining. There was simply no other choice. I began to run across the lot. I simply had to save the crunchy goodness of my popcorn from a damp fate!

Reaching my vehicle, I climbed inside. With the single twist of the key, the engine roared to life! One tight turn later and I was facing the screen. Shifting the transmission into park, I turned off the motor and settled down to watch the evening's feature presentation.

Here are the car counts for those that like them.

Screen 1 - "Day After Tomorrow" / "Man On Fire" - 17
Screen 2 - "Dodgeball" / "Harry Potter" - 13
Screen 3 - "Garfield" / "Shrek 2" - 5
Screen 4 - "Chronicles of Riddick" / "Van Helsing" - 6

How was "Dodgeball"?

The first part of the movie is what I call "must skip" viewing. It's boring and generally pointless. Sure, the director wants to introduce you to the characters and the basics of the situation in which they find themselves. That's a major part of the problem. These characters just aren't weird enough, bizarre enough or freakish enough for the audience to become interested in them.

What about the second half of the movie?

The second half of the film shifts to Las Vegas. This simple change in locale was enough to keep me from repeating my previous behavior while watching "The Day After Tomorrow". For those that don't recall what happened, I simply couldn't stand it anymore and drove out forty five minutes into the movie. For those that aren't Las Vegas fans, this part of the film shifts from being a boring series of character sketches to a series of action vignettes. The dodgeball matches are well presented and actually interested. It's here that we begin to encounter some truly weird characters. Be sure to pay attention to the banter between the two announcers. This is the best dialog in the movie!

But what really saves this film is the surprise guest appearance by Lance Armstrong. I'm paraphrasing here, but his line, "So, what are you dying of that you can't make it to the game?", contains a lesson for all of us. The next time you decide not to go to a drive-in, I want you to think of Lance Armstrong and answer this question, "What are you dying of that you can't make it to the drive-in?".

As soon as the credits began to roll, I started my car and proceeded home without incident.

Here is the weekly comparison between the weekend Mission exhibition schedule and the top ten grossing films. Six of the top ten films were showing at the Mission this week.

Ranking	Title	Millions of Dollars	At The Mission
1	Dodgeball	$30.1	YES!
2	The Terminal	$19.1
3	Harry Potter 3	$18.0	YES!
4	Shrek 2	$13.9	YES!
5	Garfield	$11.3	YES!
6	Chronicles of Riddick	$9.4	YES!
7	Stepford Wives	$8.8
8	The Day After Tomorrow	$8.1	YES!
9	Around The World in 80 Days	$7.6
10	Troy	$1.8

Visit the Quarterly Reports Index to see past reports.