> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Movie Night Letter #1: 'Clerks II' - URL: https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/movie-night-letter-1/ - Published: 2026-08-18T04:14:02.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-24T12:51:02.000Z - Description: Links and other things of moviegoing interest, every week. - Author: Bill Arceneaux - Tags: Newsletters ## Dear Moviegoers, If there's one thing that I, your humble critic and fellow moviegoer, will never be found guilty of, it's self-publishing new articles with consistency. I believe that doing things until and past the last possible minute runs in my immediate family, and that it might be best to lean into it rather than forcing a fix. Of course, this blog still rests on its archive too often, making for a concerning effort from yours truly and a frustrating experience for you and yours. So, what can a blocked-up writer do? The one thing, the one tried and true method of influence, for me, has been to press play on a movie and let it run in the background as I make some writing right. Somewhere, I lost touch with doing that. So, allow me to get back to what worked. --- What's playing: *Clerks II* Where: Movie Sphere on Roku's Live Channel Twenty-five years since its initial theatrical release, and I'm still smitten with Kevin Smith's charming sequel to his classic cinematic achievement. I watched it thrice at the theatre, each time with the same kind of heart-skipping energy that only hits me when seated before a big screen. Was this movie Smith's finest filmmaking hour? Some will say *Dogma*, but I hold *Clerks II* in high regard. Back to the well (so to speak), he lets the sentimentality and reverence come naturally to our Jersey minimum wage crew, and shows off with some crafty editing skills that didn't go unnoticed (but were likely underappreciated at the time). No matter what raw feelings that any of us may have had with his third trip to convenience years later, we'll always have number two. --- Are these "movie night letters" going to become a recurring thing? That's the plan, once per week, with my latest reviews to follow in the days after. Will it stick? As long as I keep pressing play. --- LINKS There appears to be another single-screen cinema in Louisiana, though whether it can compete with The Prytania in New Orleans is a tale for another day. Still, I'm interested. [About Us — Spring Theatre - Springhill![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/icon/70cc1f310281c7755696e1424168e761-8eadbab4-e105-437d-9768-f10a7a093089.png)Springhill![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/thumbnail/dbd3376b1598b84558828354c69621b2-901ab191-352a-4f44-9be4-27b102d7d067.png)](https://www.springtheatre.com/about-us/?ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) Indeed, Hollywood South is just about beaten down, in terms of high-to-mid-profile productions. Such a shame, but does the dream of a self-sustaining film culture continue? I'll have more thoughts on this later. [https://veritenews.org/2026/08/11/louisiana-losing-most-film-industry-jobs](https://veritenews.org/2026/08/11/louisiana-losing-most-film-industry-jobs?ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) Justin Cox, *Star Wars* fanatic and writer among writers, uses AI as a tool for suggestive editing and workflows. Should we take his approach and find ways to be assisted by virtual assistants? [Stop Choosing Sides on AIThis Just In: Holding two conflicting ideas about AI isn’t weakness. It’s the only honest position.![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/icon/icon-4d895e27-d204-4644-b768-0cd183861ab9.png)Justin CoxJustin Cox![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1516544820488-4a99efa70a58-fbf38354-8e47-42ee-aae7-1bd0c4128aeb)](https://justincox.com/blog/2026/05/stop-choosing-sides-on-ai/?ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) Is THIS my career pivot? [Paid Media May Be the Missing Investment in Your Independent Cinema Marketing Strategy — FilmFrog — FilmFrogConsumer attention is fragmented across channels, devices, and platforms making it harder for independent, small and mid-sized exhibitors to stand out. The in-theater experience is still unmatched, but converting awareness into attendance often requires timely, targeted digital promotion. That’s whe![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/icon/favicon-a328e2bb-64d9-4ff3-8482-c883e81975a5.ico)FilmFrogBrandon Jones![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/thumbnail/FilmFrog_Production-6f410d71-8bdd-4705-aaf3-a2dbe62c93fc.png)](https://www.filmfrog.com/industry-insights/paid-media?ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) A piece of corporate COVID-19 pandemic response that I approved of. [Community Theater: Walmart’s Drive-In Movies Brought People Together – but Not Too CloseIt’s a night made for a drive-in movie. Temperatures in the low 70s, a cool easy breeze, a clear sky dramatic in the twilight. On this postcard-perfect night in Bryant, Arkansas, Walmart customers Terry Wilburn and his wife are attending their first drive-in movie in, um, “it’s been awhile.”…![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/icon/WMT-Spark-New-SparkYellow-RGB-a9a809e4-97c0-4180-8ed7-5124c6ce82a1.png)Walmart Corporate Homepage![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/thumbnail/WMT-Spark-New-SparkYellow-RGB-1be080ef-3e48-4988-a8d7-5feb9ea55900.png)](https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2020/10/28/community-theater-walmarts-drive-in-movies-brought-people-together-but-not-too-close?ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) The New Orleans Film Society has some words about the state of film festivals. [Hollywood Follows the Audience. Film Festivals Find the Artist. | New Orleans Film SocietyHome of Cinema in NOLA![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/icon/cropped-NOFF_keyimage_blackbackground-1-270x270-f55cca8d-bd56-4a10-a84d-e3147918b7fc.jpg)New Orleans Film SocietyTorie Nugent-Peterson![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/thumbnail/Picture1-74a34d50-b1ef-4318-8898-9aae43194325.jpg)](https://neworleansfilmsociety.org/2026/06/10/hollywood-follows-the-audience-film-festivals-find-the-artist/?utm%5Fsource=Master+MailChimp+Audience&utm%5Fcampaign=77312c6cf9-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2025%5F07%5F09%5F04%5F40%5FCOPY%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5F-e34cf7d65b-187935409) --- ICYMI [‘Method’ shoots and stabs its way to stardomMaking movies is murder. Watching them can be painful. This is somewhere in between.![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/icon/flpopsquare-removebg-preview-1c084878-ed2d-4a5b-a9ac-465c4f87caac.png)Moviegoing with BillBill Arceneaux![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/thumbnail/methodposter-1-e23eefcb-83e4-46a5-a1dc-fd8c93ceff73.jpeg)](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/method-review/) [Making THE Urban Thriller in ‘Meta Take One’Behind the scenes of an unrivaled filmmaking unravelling.![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/icon/flpopsquare-removebg-preview-3d200487-5e79-4e25-a845-5efa439fa3cd.png)Moviegoing with BillBill Arceneaux![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/thumbnail/metatakeoneposter-1-8b66add1-0c8e-46d5-b3ac-9c89813ddef2.jpeg)](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/meta-take-one-review/) [The dusty tragedy of noir that is ‘Anywhere’The independent noir that runs a tragic and intriguing distance.![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/icon/flpopsquare-removebg-preview-fb53ab4a-070e-4460-b04f-0f9eb39fa137.png)Moviegoing with BillBill Arceneaux![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/thumbnail/anywhereposter-1-1-cbd417c0-e69e-45ec-bf0e-c2a3c2488512.jpeg)](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/anywhere-review/) --- OTHER LOCAL CRITICS [Coyote vs. Acme (2026)I’ve been going through a Marx Bros phase for the past week or so, which again has me thinking about how many Old Hollywood icons & archetypes were introduced to me via Looney Tunes as a …![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/icon/cropped-cropped-swampflix2-f5731f01-ea8f-4408-a113-4bde3286a90d.jpg)Swampflixswampflix![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/thumbnail/scan0045-copy-80fee71e-561f-4c48-b313-95846eac994f.jpg)](https://swampflix.com/2026/08/14/coyote-vs-acme-2026/?ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) [https://www.myneworleans.com/movies-you-need-to-see-the-end-of-oak-street/](https://www.myneworleans.com/movies-you-need-to-see-the-end-of-oak-street/?ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) [Movie Review: Super Troopers 3![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/icon/whereyatcom_972230598-672406d5-98de-418b-8ba2-5041934e2a6b.png)Where Y'at New OrleansBy: David Vicari![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/thumbnail/courtesy_of_searchlight_pictures1_672416464-83ca3d0b-2e9c-4cea-b806-196d6e4bfb7c.jpg)](https://www.whereyat.com/movie-review-super-troopers-3?ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) --- COMING SOON (to this blog) *Nimrods* *Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma* *Donut Holes* *The Last Picture Shows* A report on Fantasia Fest 2026 And more words on the state of Hollywood South --- Thank you for signing up and being a member. If you wish to upgrade to paid support, do so at the button below. [Become a supporting moviegoer](#/portal/account/plans) Have any thoughts on this post? Any questions? Concerns? Leave a comment, hit reply, or email directly at [binxmoviegoer@duck.com](mailto: binxmoviegoer@duck.com) anytime. ## Sincerely Yours in Moviegoing, ## ⚜️🍿