I’m glad I’m not staying too long in Paris (I return on 6.20) as the movie-release situation is only slightly more aligned with U.S. release dates than in 2003, which is when I last stayed here for any length of time. It’s mostly a problem and a pain for anyone looking to keep abreast. Simultaneous day-and-date openings are only a little more common, but the smaller films (Ariel Vroman‘s The Iceman, Sally Potter‘s Ginger and Rosa) seem to open much later here as a rule. Broken City is playing on U.S. flights but opening here on 6.26; ditto Identity Thief

Even a couple of biggies (like Star Trek Into Darkness) are opening well past the U.S. debut date.

M. Night Shyamalan‘s After Earth (which I’ll probably hate) opens in the U.S. on 5.31 but not until 6.4 in Paris. Sofia Coppola‘s The Bling Ring opens only two days later in Paris than it does in the States. The Internship opens in the States on 6.7 but not in Paris until 6.26. White House Down opens the same day (6.28) in the U.S. as it does here. Man of Steel opens on 6.14 in the States; 6.19 in Paris. And so on. There’s just no home-court advantage to living in Paris and trying to keep up…none.

I’m in touch with all the local publicists, of course, and trying to see what I can see but it’s a lot of work and a drag on a certain level. I’ve been writing this and that U.S. publicist to see about them sending me DVD screeners, but I’ll be happy to return (two weeks in Manhattan before flying back to LA on 7.7) in more ways than one.