Getting to the art of it

Art-house cinema finds a home in Kahala

The demise of art house havens like the Varsity Theatre left Honolulu residents with little or no opportunity to see independent or foreign films outside Netflix. But Ellen Cotter, chief operating officer of Reading International, which purchased Consolidated Theatres earlier this year, intends to change that.

She's begun implementing her ideas for the Kahala 8 Theatres, offering specialized films alongside studio blockbusters like "Indiana Jones" and "Iron Man," providing a selection of intellectual fare for movie buffs on at least three screens.

"We figured that Kahala is sort of centrally located," Cotter said in a telephone interview from Los Angeles. "It seemed like the most likely candidate. I know there is an audience for independent film there."

A current example is "The Year My Parents Went on Vacation," which opened Friday. Set in 1970s Brazil amid political unrest and World Cup fervor (remember Pele?), the movie follows a boy named Mauro, whose activist parents leave him with his grandfather while they flee political persecution. Unbeknownst to the parents, however, the grandfather dies the day Mauro arrives, leaving the boy to navigate a strained relationship with a Jewish neighbor and find his place in the diverse and rather entertaining community where his grandfather lived.

Also playing is "The Visitor," about a disillusioned college professor whose unlikely encounter with a couple in New York City alters his life.

"Any time you broaden the outlook of what you're presenting to your customers, it's important," said George Mansour, a film consultant for Reading's Angelika Theatres. "If all you're doing is playing what the large studios provide you, I don't think that's serving your public. ... Specialized movies often present you with an idea that you didn't think of; it's a fresher outlook on things because the film is coming from a different culture or someone who is making it out of a pure love for film. And that's exciting."

When Reading purchased Consolidated's theaters in Hawaii and California, Reading grew from nine cinemas to 24 nationwide, something Cotter called "a bit of a challenge." But the notion of art house theaters is nothing new to the company.

In 1996, Reading took over Manhattan's Angelika Film Center, which has become the top-grossing art house cinema in North America. Three others are in Dallas, Houston and Plano, Texas.

"Honolulu is a great movie-going town," said Cotter, who has visited Oahu during holiday seasons for most of her life. "We thought, 'Where can we put some of these films?'"

Changes will be subtle as Reading strives for a balance that appeals to Kahala customers. "Just because it's from Hollywood and has a big advertising budget doesn't mean it's bad; conversely, just because it has writing on the bottom of the screen doesn't mean it's good," said Mansour, who has booked independent films in theaters for 42 years yet also enjoys big-studio action flicks such as "Iron Man." "After all, I like fried clams and I like steak. But that doesn't mean I want to eat both on the same night."