Name: James (Valley Boy)
Location: Los Angeles
Occupation: Musician
Links: Music, Instagram
Pre-save Valley Boy’s new single “Thank God For Alicia!”, out this Friday.
1. What’s your favorite day & time to go to the movies?
Sunday night, but really any night is fair game.
2. What’s your favorite movie theater?
My favorite movie theater is a little independent theater called Le Grand Action in Paris. It’s possibly the darkest theater I’ve ever been in. Delacey and I saw The Phoenician Scheme there and when we were trying to find out seats it was so dark that it felt like the screen was the only thing that existed for a while. Also, it’s just a block away from one of the best baguettes in the city and if you’re smart, you get a baguette sandwich before and then bring it in to the theater.
My go-to movie theater now is one in Glendale called Look Cinemas. It’s quite strange and feels nearly empty all the time, but it has recliner seats and staff bring food and drinks directly to you and it’s a block away from my favorite Shabu-Shabu place in LA called Joon Shabu Shabu, which I generally like to visit before seeing a movie when possible.
3. What’s your go-to movie theater snack & drink combo?
Other than the aforementioned dream-baguette sandwich, popcorn and beer do it for me. Unfortunately the combo is always a regrettable one and I feel like someone put an inflated balloon in my stomach for a few hours afterwards, but sometimes it’s too good to resist.
4. What’s your dream movie theater snack & drink combo (if noise and sound weren’t an issue)?
Carrot sticks and green juice. Honestly, my imagination struggles to picture anything other than popcorn, but in a dream world movie theaters would offer snacks and drinks that weren’t slowly killing me.
5. First movie you remember seeing in a theater?
I can’t remember the first movie I saw, but I can remember seeing one of the Pokémon movies and it was a religious experience for me as a kid.
6. Last movie you saw in a theater?
The F1 movie because there’s a song Delacey wrote called “Messy” that was played during the too-short sex scene (my comment on the scene’s length is only there because I wish they played more of the song).
7. Is there a movie you wish you could have seen in a theater?
I’m ready to lock in for a three-day event and watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy (extended edition) in a theater. While we’re at it, I also want the theater decorated like Middle Earth, thanks.
8. Please describe your ideal movie theater seat.
I’m slightly psychotic about this and prefer a seat I can sit perfectly upright in. Ideally my spine is aligned and my posture is perfect and so far no movie theater is willing to give me this kind of seat, but I’ll go to yours if you do.
9. One thing you would change to make movie theaters better?
I would bring back some whimsy decor. Right now, most theaters feel a little sterile and cold and there’s not a lot of imagination at work. It would feel nice if the spaces reflected the nature of what movies are, and held a little more magic in the aesthetic.
10. Tell me about an especially memorable moviegoing experience that stands out in your mind.
First kiss at the AMC Burbank 16, watching School of Rock.
11. Is there a trailer you’ve seen before a movie recently that stuck with you?
Generally I like a trailer that reveals almost nothing other than the cast and genre, and it’s hard to find those so I mostly avoid trailers, look up the poster, and that does it for me.
12. What’s a movie you’re looking forward to seeing?
I’ve been a little out of the loop lately so let me know what I should look out for.
13. What’s your dream combination of director and lead(s)?
I love Paul Thomas Anderson, and my dream is that he discovers Valley Boy’s upcoming record, Children of Divorce, and makes a movie based on it or some of the characters within it. I’d leave casting decisions to him.
14. If you could live in a movie, which one would it be?
Strange, because I enjoy escapism in films (lots of high fantasy, etc), but as messed up as the real world is, the thought of living in any world but here doesn’t sound that attractive at the moment.
15. Why do you think people should continue seeing movies at the movie theater?
So people can continue having dark, secluded places to safely have a first kiss. If for no other reason, let’s keep that entire industry afloat.
Haven’t been to look since they had like infestation allegations 😭 do they have new management cause I want to go back so baddd
Yesss