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That's no moon. It's a space station.
The closing of the Stockton Royal marks the end of choice in San Joaquin County.

by Chris Ching

Spiderman 2: Will this little independent art film be seen?

A death on a par with Obi-Wan Kenobi's tragic demise has occurred in Stockton.

The old, wisened Stockton Royal Theatre has closed its doors due to the revenue crushing hands of Darth Vader AKA the new City Centre Cinemas 16. Now before you get all hot and buttered popcorn, let me just say I love Darth Vader and I love the 16. It's got great facilities, considerate staff, and non-barf inducing food. But only a blind man (or Jar Jar Binks) would be unable to see the new downtown theatre as the high tech machine driven monster that stamped out the last locally owned Stockton theatre, a symbol of a more civilized age. And with its closing, goes the independent and foreign films it showed.

Stocktonians are now left with just two theatres to choose from (owned by the same company no less!) and a future of multiple upon multiple screenings of The Fast and the Furious Part Five. Again, I have nothing against multiplexes and popcorn flicks, but variety is the spice of life right? The UOP Pacific Theatre does screen independent film, but always months after a film's initial release, sometimes even months after its DVD release. I would hardly call it a viable option. Those of us who seek non-blockbuster fare have to travel to either Modesto or Sacramento's Tower and Crest Theatres.

The new Valley Cinema in Manteca has promised to show more diverse films, but that still remains to be seen. It would appear the best place for Stocktonians to watch movies like Touching The Void and Coffee and Cigarettes will have to be one's own home entertainment center.

If Stockton is truly going to rise above the ashes and be considered a hot spot we're going to need a little diversity and not just in our movie theaters. Where's a true comedy club? Where's the music venues? Where's the mud wrestling? Earth calling someone, come in someone.

Anyone?

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