mergemovies.com—mission statement

mergemovies.com is a project based in Michigan and born out of a love for the moviegoing experience.  Whether it is watching the latest blockbuster with throngs of people on an IMAX screen or thoughtfully pondering a foreign film at a more eclectic cinema venue, watching a film is more than simply staring at a screen.  The experience of watching a movie is influenced by many factors—the individual, the people around you, the food and most of all, the place.

From theaters in booming metropolises to small town cinemas, the Midwest has a film culture all its own—a unique mix of do-it-yourself screenings, festivals, art house theaters and local and national chains.  The main focus of this site then is to examine these places not only to better understand the connection between film and place, but to look at the past, present and future of Midwestern cinema.

the different sections of mergemovies.com

Posts will generally fall into one of three categories:

cinema visit

This is the “bread and butter” of the website.  Here I will recount my experiences visiting movie theaters, venues and events throughout Michigan and the rest of the Midwest.  Expect a melange of topics including (but not limited to): theater history, atmosphere, screen size, projectors, concessions, cleanliness, seating style, type of film used and even carpet pattern—you name it and I will probably talk about it at some point.  When possible,  I will also scatter interviews or glances “behind-the-scenes” at the different cinema venues in order to get a glimpse at what people actually go through to bring us great film experiences.

field trip

Although mergemovies.com is based in Michigan and is primarily concerned with Midwestern film venues, occasionally I will venture outside of the heartland and will post reviews or information about movie venues around the United States.  Field trip posts will follow the same format as the cinema visit section.

cinema commentary

I love going to the movies.  However, I will be the first to admit that I lack the knowledge that comes with watching and re-watching of a lot of the “classic” films.  In an attempt to remedy this, I present to you The Ultimate List.  A collection of films chosen from a plethora of “best of” lists, this list is probably the best you can do short of watching every movie on the Internet Movie Database.  In accordance with the main purpose of mergemovies.com, I will try to view as many of these films as possible in a theater–as opposed to catching them on DVD or Netflix–in order to capture, if even a small part, the atmosphere and excitement of watching a film on the big screen.

This cinema commentary section is also a place of learning.  The history of “moving pictures” is a fascinating one, filled with artists, technology pioneers and academics alike.  This section will serve as a sandbox of sorts where I explore the people, films, techniques and theories that were the prelude to this “modern” age of cinema in which we live.

contact information

email: mergemovies@gmail.com