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ShoWest 2010 Showcases 3D, Upcoming Movies and Star PowerThe annual ShoWest convention put on by NATO (National Association of Theatre Owners) convened at Bally's and Paris from March 15 through March 18, 2010. As the largest movie industry trade show in the world, this is where movie executives, distributors, theatre owner/managers, manufacturers of products and services, gather together to share the latest most exciting technologies, discuss ways to preserve their big screen product, enhance the movie going experience, and to honor the films, stars and filmmakers that brought in the big box office bucks. As customary, there was also a trade show floor filled with concession vendors and a daily schedule that included seminars, sponsored breakfasts, luncheons and dinners, and special trailors and preview screenings of some of the most anticipated films of the year, many of which are expected to be blockbusters.
Mentioned from day one was the fact that although we are going though a recession and hard times, it did not keep people away from movie theatres. Over and over again studio executives emphatically stated that people see going to the movies as a reasonably priced form of escapism that cannot be replicated anywhere else. To prove that point, 2009 had a record setting box-office take of $10.9 billion in North American ticket sales.
Going out to the movies is more fun than ever, especially since the latest advances in technology offers audiences such premium choices as digital cinema, 3D, and IMAX, which immerses the movie goer into the ultimate, entertaining experience. Twenty films were released in 3D in 2009 and with it being the growing trend, more and more 3D movies will hit theatres as audiences in the coming year and thereafter will be delighted to discover.
One issue addressed was an encouraging effort to bring healthy, more nutritional food to the concession stand. Due to the epidemic of childhood obesity, and the fact that one out of three children are obese, it is important to meet the urgent health needs of the country. Polls suggest that people want healthier options such as fresh fruit, yogurt, granola bars, and unbuttered popcorn and parents are likely to buy one or more of those options for their kids if they are available. Audiences would love both – a great theatrical experience and healthy snacks.
Tuesday morning, DLP Cinema presented a Salute to the $100 Million Films of 2009. Avatar, which, as of this writing, has made $2.6 billion at the box office worldwide and is the highest grossing film of all time, topped the eclectic list of 31 movies that included Paranormal Activity, Sherlock Holmes, District 9, Angels and Demons, Inglorious Basterds, Watchmen, 2010, Taken, The Blind Side, The Hangover, Twilight, Up, Monsters and Aliens,The Princess and the Frog, Its Complicated, Terminator: Salvation and other box office hits.
Universal Studios offered attendees a first look at three of their upcoming Summer films. Enticing trailers were shown from Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett which is scheduled to open May 14, 2010. Get Em To the Greek, an R rated comedy starring Seth Rosen and Russell Brand will be released on June 4 and the animated 3D film Despicable Me starring the voice of Steve Carrell will be in theatres, July 9.
Tuesday night the Cinemark Theatres at the Orleans hosted a "A Night Of Independent Films” with a lineup that consisted of Apparition's "The Square" from Australia, SONY Pictures Classics' Get Low starring Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek, Focus Features' "The Kids Are All Right" starring Julianna Moore, Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo, Hannover House's Twelve starring Chace Crawford, Emma Roberts and Rory Culkin, Zipline Entertainment's "Racing Dreams" about NASCAR racing, and Roadside Attraction's "The Joneses" starring Demi Moore and David Duchovny. Each film was shown at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. so that attendees had the opportunity to see two of the six films. In between screenings, at 8 p.m. a special reception was held in the theatre lobby where attendees could enjoy a buffet style dinner and mingle with some of the featured films' stars and filmmakers in attendance.
During this year's ShoWest convention, there were also special ticketed screenings of upcoming major studios films such as Disney's/Pixar's Toy Story 3 in 2D (though not yet ready, it will be released in 3D) with returning voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, Letters to Juliet starring ShoWest Breakthrough Actress of the Year Amanda Seyfried, SONY's remake of the Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, Lionsgate's teen superhero comedy, Kick Ass, CBS Film's The Back up Plan starring Jennifer Lopez, and Disney's Prince of Persia starring Jake Gyllenhaal.