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How indie theaters are evolving in a new era: “Everybody wants movies in their lives”

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How indie theaters are evolving in a new era: “Everybody wants movies in their lives”


Audiences have been enjoying films at movie theaters for decades, but streaming and expensive ticket prices have impacted moviegoing habits. For the owners and operators of independent theaters, survival means getting creative. 

Kevin Smith, the man behind cult classics like “Clerks” and “Mallrats,” bought a theater in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, in 2022. It was the cinema he’d gone to growing up. He renamed it Smodcastle Cinemas, and hoped that even as it reeled from COVID-19 shutdowns, he could rekindle the magic he’d loved as a child. 

“I learned more about myself sitting in this (theater) than I ever did sitting in a classroom or sitting in church or something like that, and it led me to the rest of my life,” Smith said. 

But the reality of operating the movie theater was difficult, even for a celebrity like Smith. They operate as a non-profit, Smith said, because if they functioned as a for-profit business, they “would die.” Smith can bring in celebrity guests for Q&A sessions and other events. The theater also hosts an annual film festival. 

Smodcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands, NJ.

CBS Saturday Morning


“Saving my childhood theater with my friends? Dream come true, worst financial investment I ever made in my life,” Smith said. 

On the opposite coast, film store Vidiots has been bringing new movies to audiences for 40 years. When it opened in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, in 1985, it operated as a traditional video store with an extensive and rare collection of films. In 2023, Vidiots moved to Eagle Rock and expanded into an exhibition space, reviving the historic Eagle Theater. 

“We opened to uncertainty,” said executive director Maggie MacKay. “We had no idea if people would come, and they did. And they’ve been coming ever since.” 

MacKay said Vidiots has become a touchstone for local kids. 

“One of the biggest surprises and the happiest surprises for us and the thing that I think I most wanted to happen here is that young people come here,” she said. “Teens, tweens are getting dropped off by their parents. And because this place is affordable and welcoming and nonjudgmental and safe, they are coming here all the time. We’ve got kids growing up here who call the video store their video store. We have a kid who calls it ‘my video store.’ That kid has no idea that that is a very unique thing to say in the 2020s.”

HBO's Task LA Screening and Panel in partnership with KCRW and The Ringer

A line waits to enter a screening of HBO’s “Task” at Vidiots in Los Angeles, California.

Jesse Grant/Getty Images for HBO


Like Smodcastle, Vidiots operates as a non-profit. That isn’t the only path to success for these kinds of theaters, though, as New York City’s Metrograph proves. The two-screen theater in Manhattan’s Lower East Side shows international and arthouse fare and operates as a for-profit. Business is booming, CEO Christian Grass said, with the theater recently enjoying its best summer on record.

“People love going to the movies and people love the experience,” Grass said. The theater also has a bookstore, a magazine, a streaming service, an extravagant concession stand and a swanky bar and restaurant. The establishment has focused on building a sense of community, said Metrograph director of programming Inge de Leeuw, which ensures people keep coming back. MacKay said she’s also found people are looking for connection, community and a place they can go. 

“Everybody wants movies in their lives, whether they know it or realize it or not,” MacKay said. “To save this thing, you have to make available every point of access for it. You have to make a return to a social experience.” 

While independent theaters are taking different paths to success, they have one thing in common: They want to keep introducing new and classic films to audiences. 

“You want to learn something about somebody, sit in the darkness and watch movies with them,” Smith said. “You will learn a lot about a person. You’ll find out if they’re empathetic. You’ll find out what makes them laugh. You’ll find out if there’s a real human being there, if there’s a heart underneath that all, man.” 



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Anna Cathcart teases big changes in ‘XO, Kitty’ season 3

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Anna Cathcart teases big changes in ‘XO, Kitty’ season 3


Anna Cathcart teases big changes in ‘XO, Kitty’ season 3

Kitty Song Covey is entering her senior year – and apparently, she still hasn’t discovered the concept of “chill.”

Anna Cathcart is back as everyone’s favourite chaos queen in season 3 of XO, Kitty, premiering on Netflix this spring. And according to the 22-year-old star, Kitty may want to consider a yoga class. Or three.

“She just needs to calm down a little bit,” Anna told People magazine. “I feel like Kitty has the most chaos [sic] of anyone I know, and that’s what we love about her.”

“But also, girl, you need to sit down sometimes,” she continued. “Take a deep breath, it’s okay. She kind of always has been [that way], but in a controlled way, I guess. She handles it well.”

Season 3 picks up after that cliffhanger (you know the one), and for the first time, fans will see a summer episode – yes, summer at KISS is officially unlocked.

“I’m finally allowed to talk about that because it’s been a secret forever,” Anna shared. “So very excited and I think they’re going to be surprised, but also super happy. So I can’t wait.”

And it’s not just poolside vibes. “[Kitty’s] making some big decisions in her life and it’s senior year, all of that, so I’m very excited for them to see,” she added.

Translation? Expect romance, identity spirals, possibly tears – and definitely Kitty-level impulsive decision-making.





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Holly Willoughby could be next big digital star after Gordon Ramsay

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Holly Willoughby could be next big digital star after Gordon Ramsay


Ms Willoughby has largely been off our screens since she left ‘This Morning’ in October 2023

Holly Willoughby is preparing to make her TV comeback with her won Youtube channel, following reports of her solo project.

Since leaving This Morning, she briefly hosted ITV’s You Bet! and Netflix’s reality show Celebrity Bear Hunt.

It has now been reported that the 44-year-old is following other stars who have their own channels, including Ant and Dec, chef Gordon Ramsay and rapper KSI.

By comparison, Gordon Ramsay leads with 21.9 million Youtube subscribers, followed by KSI at 17.3 million.

A source close to Ms Willoughby previously told Daily Mail:

‘She is working with her husband Dan Baldwin’s production company Hungry Bear to develop a ‘multi-strand programme for digital platforms’ in a move she is said to be ‘thrilled and excited’ about.

She also has a production company on hand, Hungry Bear, which creates Gladiators and Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and is run by her husband Dan Baldwin.

A TV insider said: ‘This is a massive game-changer for Holly and the wider industry because this show and her channel will be a threat to the main broadcasters, particularly This Morning and ITV.

‘Advertisers are increasingly turning away from traditional terrestrial telly and looking for new opportunities and new ways to promote themselves online — and with a magazine show like this it’s the perfect vehicle. 

‘And if any of the big-name retailers could cherry-pick a presenter who’s an ideal figure to front it, then it is surely Holly.’

Ms Willoughby has largely been off our screens since she left This Morning in October 2023, after she was told a former security guard had planned to kidnap, rape and murder her.





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Ramadan, Eid remittances to keep rupee stable

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Ramadan, Eid remittances to keep rupee stable


An employee counts Pakistani rupee notes at a bank in Peshawar, August 22, 2023. — Reuters
  • Interbank rate stays range-bound through the week.
  • IMF review talks begin under EFF and RSF.
  • Remittances rise year-on-year, dip month-on-month.

KARACHI: The Pakistani rupee is expected to stay stable and may strengthen slightly in the near term, supported by seasonal remittance inflows during Ramadan and ahead of Eid, The News reported, citing a report released on Saturday.

The currency traded in a tight band in the interbank market this week, closing at 279.55 to the dollar on Monday and at 279.47 on Friday.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) team began talks with Pakistani authorities on Wednesday for the third review under the $7 billion Extended Financing Facility (EFF) and the second review of the $1.1 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). 

Upon successful completion, Pakistan would become eligible by the end of April for about $1 billion under the EFF and an additional $200 million under the RSF.

The geopolitical situation has worsened as the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, plunging the region into a new conflict.

The rupee has appreciated by approximately 60 paisa since the beginning of the year, said Tresmark, a platform that provides live financial rates, in a client note. While this increase is modest on its own, it is more significant when considering the broader context, it said. 

The rupee has strengthened despite several challenges, including rising geopolitical risks and US posturing in the region, escalating tensions along the western border, isolated internal security incidents, Brent crude prices trading above $72 a barrel, a steady decline in exports, a widening trade deficit, tariff pressures and a persistent inflation differential with the US.

“Seasonal remittance inflows around Ramadan and Eid are likely to keep the rupee well bid in the near term,” the Tresmark’s report said.

“That said, most economists argue that further appreciation offers limited structural benefit, which makes the recent firmness somewhat counterintuitive,” it added.

Pakistan’s remittances rose 15.4% year-on-year (YoY) in January to $3.5 billion. However, these flows dropped 4% on a month-on-month (MoM) basis. Remittances increased 11.3% to $23.2 billion in the first seven months of the fiscal year 2026.

“Premiums have marginally improved. If costing is tight, exporters should opt for forwards, as rupee outlook continues to look stable to slightly stronger,” it said.

According to the report, the rupee’s stability is not isolated. Several high-carry or reform-backed EM currencies have also held firm despite geopolitical noise, including the Egyptian pound, Thai baht, South African rand, Brazilian real, Mexican peso, and Indonesian rupiah.





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