Well, here’s one thing the movies can’t fight. We can take on movie critics, we can ride the wave of a bad movie, we can fight with movie companies over bad prints. But the one thing that will do us in every time and over which we have no control is – tada! – the weather! Now, grumpy as this may make us sound, we always sort of hope for rain when we’re opening a big movie. Rain brings people to our most humble abode. But a weekend like this past one? Well, really, the only people who want to be inside are the folks being paid to be there. ( And I doubt that they “want” to be there.)

So, although we have the top two films in the country right now, attendance was light this weekend. But, even I couldn’t blame anyone for that. The weather was the most beautiful we’ve had all summer, and, if I do say so, a long time coming! And Spiderman and Fahrenheit will be with us for a bit longer, so there is plenty of time to see both of them pretty much at you leisure.

I saw Fahrenheit this past weekend and I loved it – but then I am a big fan of Michael Moore’s filmmaking. Not of Michael Moore. And the reason for that is that I don’t know Michael Moore. I only know the public persona that he puts out there. I don’t believe in getting personal attachments to actors or directors etc. because we really don’t know a thing about them. What we need to judge them on, really, is their work. I like his work – it is wildly slanted, but you know that coming in. To change him would be to say that you think Rush Limbaugh should be more middle-of-the-road. People tune in to hear him be anything but! This movie will not be everyone’s cup of tea. However, it’s worth seeing – no matter what side of the aisle you’re on. If for no other reason than it’s very hard to argue the merits of something (or lack thereof) if you haven’t seen it!

Now on to Spiderman. Our Erica is a tough critic. She’s fussy about her movies and has excellent taste, but she doesn’t let filmmakers get away with anything. Trust me on that. But she told me that she loved Spiderman. Here’s almost exactly what she said – “It has terrific acting, Toby Maguire being the perfect Spiderman nerd, a wonderful story, excellent special effects. It’s a movie,” she went on, “for everyone, really.” And that’s from the toughest critic at the Dietrich (besides me, of course). So, come on down and see it, folks. I’m going to catch it at matinee on Wednesday. I can’t wait!

Someone asked if we would be getting in Two Brothers. Yes. Just not new. In September we will play catch-up with all these lovely films we couldn’t bring in because we only have two screens. And we’ll bring in Day After Tomorrow, too. I promise.

Yesterday afternoon my husband and I watched, for the kabillionth time, Secondhand Lions. If any of you haven’t seen it yet, run, don’t walk to your nearest video store and rent it. You know, it’s one of those movies that makes you feel good no matter how many times you watch it! And my husband and I have totally different taste in movies and still, we both love it! That’s really saying something, believe me.

So, that’s all I have to say this week. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday. And now that you’ve had your reunions and picnics and swimming and all the other things that one does outside, do come back to the movies. We miss you when you’re gone.

See you at the Dietrich!