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Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

3.4K followers 1.1K following 2.5K posts

CODA. Bi/Polyam. #HorrorSky. 🍅-Approved Writer for @cinapse.bsky.social / @atxfilmcritics.bsky.social / GALECA. NOROI comm @ Arrow. Film creative. ❤️ Equitable 🎬🎞️ Access. Doing well so far. Opinions my own. Professional inquiries: juliansingletonfilm@gmail

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Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

AHHHHHHH

This is so cool. Can’t wait to dive in. There’s even a section at the end that’s sealed for you to read only once you’ve finished the book.

Can’t wait to dive into this, @yenpress.com!

January 17, 2026 at 12:28 AM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

What’s a horror film that more people should be aware of?

I’ll say it again, now that Noroi has a US release, The Inerasable is the next unsung Japanese horror film that desperately needs greater attention. All about the power of ghost stories changing shape and intent over time.

January 16, 2026 at 9:44 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

AMZIAH KING AUGUST 14 FINALLY

🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

deadline.com/2026/01/tune...

Black Bear’s The Rivals of Amziah King from director Andrew Patterson and starring Matthew McConaughey as a bluegrass band musician and beekeeper will go limited on Aug. 14 and expand on Aug. 21. The pic which also stars Angelina LookingGlass, Cole Sprouse, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, and Kurt Russell is a suspense title: When Amziah King’s (McConaughey) foster daughter (LookingGlass) comes back into his life and their honey business booms, they become the envy of the competition. The movie world premiered at SXSW last year to a standing ovation and 97% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

January 15, 2026 at 11:48 AM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

A bit of an unusual oddity–it looks like since Undertone's Fantasia premiere and A24 acquisition, the audio-only male lead role has been re-cast and re-recorded from Kris Holden-Ried (The Expanse) to Adam DiMarco (The White Lotus).

January 12, 2026 at 3:52 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

Seconded, along with

Russell Harvard
Millicent Simmons
CJ Jones
Lauren Ridloff
Marlee Matlin
Daniel Durant
Nyle DiMarco

And so many talented Deaf/HOH creatives who deserve a spotlight both in front of and behind the camera. ❤️🤟🎥

January 11, 2026 at 9:06 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

They honestly want you to use your phone to report the phones. From the FAQ: drafthouse.com/news/our-shi...

Will I be able to get in touch with an Alamo team member if I have a question or need assistance?

Absolutely. We'll have Greeters present when you arrive who can answer questions and make menu recommendations. Additionally, after you've scanned the QR code and entered the menu screen, there'll be an option to Request Service.
Press that and a member of our team will come to your table to quickly answer any questions you may have during the show.

January 11, 2026 at 8:55 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

I hope that the Alamo Drafthouse will continue to hold true to its no-phones policy to preserve the overall guest experience, while testing any new improvements that ensure equity of accessibility for their guests and continued employment of their workers. 2/2

#RemembertheAlamo

4. Redefining Distractions =/= Reducing Distractions

This assumes that wait staff are the main distractions during films. They aren’t–phone use is. As phrased, “putting order control directly in our guests’ hands” just trades off one distraction for another.

Crucially, the FAQ never acknowledges that:

* ordering is not a momentary action but a multi-step interaction (menu browsing, customization, confirmation, service requests),
* even “dark screens” introduce movement, glow, and behavioral permission where none existed before.

The promise of “less distraction” rests on a naive and selective definition that ignores why Alamo’s policies were strict in the first place.

---

5. No Zero-Tolerance Policies leads to Subjective + Selective Enforcement
Alamo’s no-phones policy was effective because it was simple and absolute.
Phone-only systems introduce:

* Subjective Enforcement: servers and audience members must now gauge “how” people are using their phones.
* Shifted Burdens: audience members must now take on a greater share of inconvenience previously addressed by simple staff interaction, while staff must redouble efforts to police audience behavior.
* Outright Hypocrisy: Using phones to report phone use.

Once phones are conditionally allowed, enforcement shifts from policy to interpretation—and that’s slower, messier, and more contentious for both staff and guests.

6. Murphy’s Law, Bro

The FAQ projects confidence, but the best businesses are defined by how they plan for failure.

What happens when:
* Wi-Fi drops during a sold-out show?
* the backend crashes mid-film?
* app-only communication fails at scale?
* These phones are allowed at press screenings or festivals, compromising overall security?

No app is a guaranteed substitute for low-key, individualized human interaction—especially in a dark theater, mid-experience.

---

7. Remember the Alamo

The FAQ treats phones as a technical detail to be managed.

But for Alamo audiences, call buttons and pen+paper were accessible and prioritized the guest experience, while forbidding phones was a clear, enforced social contract that made everything else possible.

Once that line moves:
* enforcement weakens
* accessibility becomes conditional
* security is compromised
* and every promise becomes harder to keep

The FAQ answers the wrong question. It asks: “How do we make phone ordering work?”

When the real question is: “What happens to the Alamo experience once phones are allowed at all?”

January 11, 2026 at 8:32 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

This is in response to an FAQ in progress for Alamo's criticized pivot to a phones-only ordering system, including during the film itself.

This is wholly antithetical to the Drafthouse experience, and raises serious questions about labor/staffing and equity/accessibility issues. 1/

My main beef with this FAQ is how it completely misdiagnoses the problem its current system already solves, and how it consistently assumes that phone-based ordering is the inevitable and desirable solution, and frames all questions as solution-first implementation challenges rather than reconsiderations of the premise itself.

This suggests either:
* a sunk-cost fallacy, especially after a long Fall/Winter of beta-testing and development, or
* a corporate assumption that technological convenience inherently equals experiential improvement.

It’s putting a technological cart before the horse in such a bad-faith way that fundamentally contradicts decades of a defined audience social contract that we all *loved* Alamo for in the first place.

---

1. Flaws In Testing
The FAQ cites testing success without meaningfully addressing where or how that testing occurred.
Notably:
* Much of this testing appears to have happened outside the one context that matters most: during the movie itself.
* The app may have a dark screen, but lock screens aren’t dark—and scanning a QR code in a dark theater requires light.
* Many test environments explicitly reinforced, as Aziz Ansari has shouted all Fall/Winter: “PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY,” which doesn’t test any practical, real-world impact of this mid-movie process.
* It ignores the friction required just to reach a baseline experience: device compatibility, app reliability, OS quirks, battery life, accessibility settings, etc.

This creates a critical blind spot:

A system can test well in lobbies, preshows, or non-strict theaters and still fail catastrophically in an environment defined by phone prohibition as culture. The FAQ never seriously engages with this possibility.

2. Technology Just Adds Extra Steps and Complicates the Experience

Throughout the FAQ, the answer to any problem is: a server or greeter will help you.

But this assumes several things:
* Staffing won’t be affected.
* QR adoption doesn’t lead to labor reduction—despite this being a well-documented trend since the pandemic. It’s naive to say eliminated redundancies ≠ eliminated labor. In fact, it conditions customers to accept the inevitability of the opposite.
* Peak crowds already overwhelm already tight management systems or guest-services areas (looking at you, Alamo South Lamar). Now add multiple theaters’ worth of people who are facing issues, especially during Avengers: Doomsday on opening weekend.
* The guest experience won’t be impacted by additional steps.

Compare this to the existing system:
* One call button
* One piece of paper
* Silent, direct, non-disruptive resolution by Alamo Staff–you see someone take your order/issue and you know they’ll do something about it.

Under the new system:
* You (and others) now have to take out your phone during the movie,
* Navigate an interface correctly.
* Trust that your request was received.
* Potentially enter payment info for things that previously required none (water, napkins, assistance).

All of this unnecessarily complicates the guest experience while simultaneously claiming efficiency. It also pressures guests to transact when they might just want help. Sometimes I eat elsewhere and just want to watch the movie. Now, even reporting a problem feels tied to buying something.

3. The Guest Bears More Burden—Assuming All Guests Are the Same

The current Alamo experience is remarkably flexible:
* Print tickets at home or show them on your phone (if you have one).
* Skip lines at guest services.
* Solve issues quietly with a button or note at any point during the experience.

Can Alamo also specifically address how has this system been tested with neurodivergent or differently-abled guests in equitable, ADA-compliant ways that don’t single them out before and during the film?

I’m not going to sugarcoat it: The new system works best for people who already experience the least friction in daily life.

Consider guests who arrive past a pre-show who:
* don’t have a compatible phone,
* don’t use cards,
* are differently abled, elderly, or neurodivergent

Key regressions:
* Removing call buttons forces guests to physically flag staff during films, leave the theater and miss their movie, or do nothing and suffer in silence.
* You also still have to use the app to request to pay cash,
* and also add an additional step to your visit by coming early enough to place an order, or stay longer to pay cash.
* Goodbye spontaneous popcorn cravings or reporting loud guests without staff already around.
* Pen-and-paper removal eliminates low-tech, accessible communication.
* Leaving the film to sort out accessibility issues or issues with your order.
* Using apps that aren’t Alamo’s “certified dark screen” app to communicate.
* Assumption that you are in a position to self-advocate and disrupt your experience without these systems
* App limitations already acknowledged in the FAQ make customization, discounts, and allergy handling harder compared to direct server interaction—not easier.

Despite the FAQ’s claims, this system is not equitable. It requires guests to disrupt their own experience in unnecessarily more visible, self-reliant, and stressful ways—especially those already marginalized.

Saying “we’ll help you” isn’t enough when the system itself adds barriers to asking for that help. Equity and accessibility means the business is taking proactive steps to accommodate their guests, not the other way around.

January 11, 2026 at 8:32 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

Getting attention of any remaining staff on a night or weekend when all shows are packed will make most of this impossible, let alone asking those same threadbare staff to *also* ensure they’re on their phones for the right reasons.

Know what solves all of this? The current non-phone system.

Yes, it means you'll need to use your smartphone and a custom-built "dark screen" to order food or drink during the movie. This doesn't mean we're changing our rules on talking or texting during the movie.

You've got questions, and we hope that the FAQ below will answer them.

Why are you changing the service model?
This will reduce distractions (goodbye check drop during the climax) and, in the long term, make the experience even better. Putting ordering control directly in our guests' hands allows us to move faster and more efficiently, creating a smoother, more responsive experience without added distraction.

What if my phone isn't compatible with the
QR system or I don't have a smart phone?
Let one of our teammates know in the auditorium or at Guest Services, and they'll take your order.
We'll need to do a check drop for payment during the movie, but that should be all there is to it.

What if my phone dies in the middle of the movie?
Greeters and Managers will be available to help any guest place or close out an order.

What if I don't have cell service? We have WiFi available in all of our theaters. Greeters and Managers will also be available to help any guest with placing an order.

With the implementation of this new system, what's allowed during the movie?
• Mobile ordering on a dark screen? Yes.
• Scrolling on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, or any other social media platform? No.
• Recording the screen on your phone? No.
• Taking a phone call? No.
• Talking loudly? No.
• Talking quietly? No.
• Arriving late? No.
• Being generally disruptive or rude to your neighbors? No.
How will you prevent disruptive phone use?
Our team is trained to distinguish between a dark ordering screen and disruptive phone use - texting and social media will still result in getting ejected from the theater.

January 11, 2026 at 7:15 AM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

Full CEO letter from Mike Kustermann

Here's an email sent out to employees

Distributed to Support Center, Managers, Venue Teammates Hi team,

For nearly 30 years, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has stood for one thing above all else: protecting the joy of going to the movies. That commitment to our guests, to each other, and to the experience we create together, hasn’t changed.

As the entertainment landscape shifts around us, we’re making thoughtful and necessary updates to our service model to ensure Alamo remains strong, sustainable, and true to who we are.

We’re proud to share that our newly launched, custom-built dark-screen QR mobile ordering system is already delivering strong results with positive guest and teammate feedback, and we will be expanding upon it. As you know, the system allows guests to browse the menu, order and pay directly from their phones, all while reducing distractions in the auditorium.

Beginning in February, we will expand the mobile ordering system system to replace the traditional pen-and-paper ordering, call button, and check drop while fully preserving our no talking, no texting policy during the movie. Food and drinks will be ordered exclusively via QR, rather than Guest Attendants, both prior to and during the film, and will continue to be delivered directly to guests’ seats. These updates will help us operate more efficiently while protecting what makes Alamo special: a truly immersive moviegoing experience with as few distractions as possible.

In a majority of locations, tips will move to a shared tip pool for the entire venue, broadening participation and enabling Back of House teammates to receive gratuities for the first time where permitted by law

We are excited about the evolution of our roles in the venues and firmly believe these changes will provide a better teammate experience and amplify our already best-in-class guest experience.

We will continue to invest in training, support, and tools to help everyone succeed in a more streamlined, technology-supported environment. Each role remains essential, impactful, and deeply connected to the guest experience.

Being able to adapt, be flexible, and evolve in a shifting environment is, and must continue to be, core to who Alamo is, and we seek the same qualities in our teammates. The need for great people to make Alamo the best damn cinema that ever was or will be, remains unchanged and central to our mission.

Thank you for everything you do to make Alamo Drafthouse Cinema what it is. More details and FAQs will be shared soon.

Sincerely,

Michael Kustermann & the Alamo Leadership Team

January 10, 2026 at 2:07 AM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

I've reached out to @alamodrafthouse.bsky.social with the following. I would encourage you to do the same and make your concerns heard.

I’m writing to request clarification regarding the planned changes to Alamo’s ordering system, as reported by Variety today. As described, the move toward a solely-phone-based ordering experience, especially during the films themselves, raises several concerns that I believe directly impact accessibility, equity, and the core Alamo experience.

Key concerns include:

Access and equity: Many low-income and elderly patrons do not own smartphones or prefer to pay with cash. How will these guests place orders if ordering becomes phone-only?

Accessibility: Patrons with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities may be unable to use a phone during a film, especially as outlined. For example, my Deaf/HOH family occasionally relies on this pen/paper system to communicate with servers, especially when a film is in progress. This process would require them to take out their phone to communicate via text. Blind and visually impaired patrons may also be hindered by a phone-exclusive system. How will Alamo ensure ADA-compliant access for all guests?

Enforcement of no-talking policies: The article notes that texting and talking will remain prohibited, yet phone use would be required for ordering. How will patrons discreetly flag disruptions without paper order cards? There is also concern that disruptive guests could claim they are “ordering food,” overall undermining a foundational Alamo policy.

Dietary needs and customization: Many orders currently require direct server communication for allergies, substitutions, or special instructions. How will a non-editable digital system accommodate these needs without introducing new accessibility barriers?

Season Pass functionality: Currently, Season Pass discounts often require manual server input. Will the new system resolve this long-standing issue?

Technical reliability: What contingency plans are in place if Wi-Fi fails or the ordering platform experiences outages?

Impact on staff and experience: Servers are central to the Alamo experience. How will this shift prevent affecting their roles, staffing levels, and guest interaction without overall staffing eliminations?

CEO Michael Kustermann has said that Alamo will continue to evolve “without ever losing sight of who we are.” Based on the reporting, this system appears to risk doing exactly that—by weakening long-standing policies that differentiate Alamo while raising serious accessibility and equity concerns.

I would greatly appreciate a detailed response addressing the above. I’ve valued Alamo’s transparency in the past—particularly during periods of major change, such as 2017 during a conduct/harassment crisis—and hope that same care can be applied here.

However, if this system is implemented as described without meaningful alternatives, I would seriously reconsider my continued participation as both a Season Pass holder and customer.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Julian Singleton

January 10, 2026 at 12:31 AM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

Not starting in February.

So the Texas-based cinema company is introducing a new mobile ordering service that will replace the traditional mode of pen-and-paper at the hands of servers. Starting in February, Alamo Drafthouse locations will utilize a digital system that will let the guests browse the menu, order prior to and during the film, and pay directly from their phones.

January 9, 2026 at 7:47 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

Read the article.

January 9, 2026 at 7:46 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

Read the article.

January 9, 2026 at 7:45 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

Because I'm still stuck with 2025-brain, refreshing to say that this was a great way to kick off *2026*. Undertone rules, can't wait for y'all to see it on March 13th!

January 8, 2026 at 4:15 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

Megalon will return in Avengers: Doomsday.

January 7, 2026 at 5:43 AM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

I got to ask Tarr a question about the immersive, participatory feeling of his films during a rare visit to the US for the NYFF Premiere of The Turin Horse. It's an incredible reflection on the relationship between artists and their audience, one Tarr took so damn seriously throughout his career.

January 6, 2026 at 3:19 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

No one understood how much time mattered than Bela Tarr. He knew for as long as a moment felt, time was precious. There was none to waste while he had your attention. He didn't want to cheat you out of an experience. His films made you feel like every moment was full of apocalyptic possibility. That we were capable of creating better worlds as much as destroying the only one we had. That when the world was going to hell, we could dance and drink alongside the lesser devils and better angels of our nature. He cared so much about his craft, and of the international creative communities he considered his unending partner. He fought for justice and creative expression as a director, as a teacher, and as a good human being. It's a treasure we got to spend what time we had with his work.

Julian Singleton with Bela Tarr at the Film Society of Lincoln Center in October 2011.

January 6, 2026 at 3:05 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

The perfect beef stew for winter!

January 5, 2026 at 12:02 AM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

Gonna be a crazy few months starting tomorrow. Enjoying some rest outside while it’s still way too warm for January.

January 4, 2026 at 7:42 PM

Julian Singleton 🎃

@juliansingleton.bsky.social

According to the Director the AI isn't there anymore...but regardless, there's still moments in the film where I'm not so sure. It says more that it was even used in the first place, even if to meet fest deadlines.

Need art? Hire an artist. Facing deadlines? Hire an artist who can work with that.