I’ll be spending most of my Cinemacon time at Ceasar’s Palace**, the headquarters and the nerve center, so naturally I’ll be doing 80% or 90% of my filing from here. Does Cinemacon provide complimentary wifi? No. Is wifi available within Ceasar’s for a fee? Yes — nearly $25 effing dollars per day. The greediest, most money-grubbing wifi provider at an airport will charge $12.95 a day or thereabouts. Charging nearly double that is unconscionable.

Cinemacon is an exhibitor thing, but it’s really not about movies — it’s about product. Almost all the movies being pushed here are theme-park rides. Hot whizbang bullshit empty flashy crappola. It’s like the AFM here. And all the people walking around look like they’re cut from the same cloth as John Cassevetes‘ Guy from Rosemary’s Baby. I’m not exaggerating. This place feels vaguely…make that faintly demonic. If Satan were to materialize as a human he would fit right in and go “whoo-hoo!” and order a drink and watch ESPIN. The wrong people are here. People who believe that movies are about fireworks and noise and cliches and cheap distraction.

Contents of goody bag provided by Cinemacon.

** Yes, I’m aware that management spells it Caesars Palace without the apostrophe, but of course thast’s nonsensical. I refuse to play along.