15 Questions With Andrew of Super Yaki
"As a kid from the suburbs, I love a big multiplex with the movie star murals lining the walls."
Name: Andrew Ortiz
Location: Los Angeles
Occupation: Guy Who Started Super Yaki
Links: Super Yaki shop, IG
1. What’s your favorite day & time to go to the movies?
I think about this a lot! There was a time in my life when I would’ve said Tuesday late morning/early afternoon (easy parking, empty theater, out in time to catch lunch specials) without hesitation but increasingly I’ve found that my heart wants to be at the movies on a Friday night. Yeah, it’s crowded and there’s a higher risk of sitting next to someone terrible but on the flip side… It's fun! People are excited! The popcorn is fresh! There’s an enthusiasm in the air and I love being a part of it.
I’m a firm believer that movies are meant to be a communal experience. Matinees, while wonderful and enriching, can sometimes leave me feeling a little isolated. Give me a packed house. Give me an audience that’s dying to see a new release as much as I have. But there’s a fine line between enthusiasm and belligerence and we shouldn’t condone the latter!
2. What’s your favorite movie theater?
I have had many loves in my life and for that I’m grateful. Windchimes Dollar Cinema in my hometown of Alief, Texas will forever be my first love. I love The Frida Cinema and everyone there with every fiber of my being. The first theater my girlfriend and I ever went to here in LA was the Los Feliz 3 and I remember thinking at the time, “Oh my God this is real, we live here now” so I get very sentimental every time we go.
As a kid from the suburbs I love, love, love a BIG multiplex with the movie star murals lining the walls so yeah, I love the AMC 16 in Burbank and I’m incredibly loyal to it. There’s an Island’s next door. You can sneak in boba if you really want to. It’s incredible.
3. What’s your go-to movie theater snack & drink combo?
M&M’s, a large popcorn, and a coke with LOTS of ice. You gotta play the hits.
4. What’s your dream movie theater snack & drink combo (if noise and sound weren’t an issue)?
M&M’s, a large popcorn, and a coke with LOTS of ice. I don’t think we should be eating anything more complicated than a hot dog inside of an auditorium. But I wish you guys would embrace pickles at the movies like they do in Texas.
5. First movie you remember seeing in a theater?
My mom says that she took me to see Bugsy as a baby but that shouldn’t count since babies are not very bright. The first movie I have any memory of watching in theaters is Batman & Robin (great movie) and I remember soaking in all these little details from the trip. The way the theater smelled, the fact that my dad had to sit separately because we couldn’t find 5 seats together, how the light from the projector looked when I glanced back, Nicole Kidman as Dr. Chase Meridian… A foundational memory that’s probably somewhat responsible for the man I am today if I’m being totally honest.
6. Last movie you saw in a theater?
We saw Thunderbolts last night. I had M&M’s and a large popcorn, my girlfriend had a Cherry Icee. It was the perfect evening.
7. Is there a movie you wish you could have seen in a theater?
The high of watching Fury Road in theaters for the first time is one I’ve chased with every subsequent trip to the movies since. For me, it was the pinnacle of moviegoing. The reason why we all do this. So yeah, if I could do that for the first time again that would be pretty neat.
8. Please describe your ideal movie theater seat!
Hmmm… there are SO many factors at play here to comfortably give a definitive answer but let’s pretend we’re talking about a Dolby screening on a Friday night. I would say row J (3/4s to the top of the auditorium) and a little to the left of center. I’m reclining at about 2/3s of the max allowable space. I’m not putting my feet up all the way in case someone needs to get up and walk past me. I am very considerate in this way.
9. One thing you would change to make movie theaters better?
Aside from the very obvious (arresting cell phone users) I kinda wish we could get rid of reserved seating. I don’t really like it. Showing up early to a theater to get the best seat is a lost art! We’ve strayed too far from the light and allowed ourselves to comfortably waltz in 10 minutes into a movie, using our bright ass phones to find our seats. Let’s hire bouncers to decline anyone coming into the movie once the lights dim.
10. Where do you stand on intermissions?
I don’t think they’re super necessary unless there’s an intended purpose that benefits the movie! I think any problems that an intermission might solve (bathroom break, getting snacks, etc.) could be taken care of if we just show up a little early. It could also be that to my parents, being punctual meant being 30 mins early so this could just all be a residual effect of their timekeeping.
11. Is there a trailer you’ve seen before a movie recently that stuck with you?
Every time I see the trailer for Mission:Impossible - The Final Reckoning I feel like I’m floating.
12. What’s a movie you’re looking forward to seeing?
See above. I’d also round that out with Honey Don’t and After the Hunt as my most anticipated for the year.
13. What’s your dream combination of director and lead(s)?
Let’s get Hong Chau and Steven Spielberg on the phone. What would happen if we put Dave Bautista and Sofia Coppola in the same room together? Let’s get Luca Guadagnino and Regina Hall seated next to each other on a long flight and see what happens.
14. If you could live in a movie, which one would it be?
Either Who Framed Roger Rabbit or Muppets From Space.
15. Why do you think people should continue seeing movies at the movie theater?
Because empathy is a vital resource! Movies rock and they’re entertaining as hell but you can gain so much by expanding your worldview. Growing up, my parents took us to the movies all the time ‘cause it was a relatively cheap and easy way to keep four noisy kids still for 90 mins. They were both immigrants so in a lot of ways I shared the process of understanding our culture at the same time they were. I think we all gained a better understanding of the world around us as a result. I’m in my 30s now and my appreciation for the experience has only sharpened. I get so much from the simple act of sitting in a quiet room with a crowd of strangers and watching a story with dedicated focus. It’s kind of incredible.
It was the honor of a lifetime to confess my love for a movie pickle. Thank you Ezgi!!!
I agree re pickles and raise you fried pickles