So potong steam

I got this in my inbox a couple of days ago, from Cathay Cineplexes (sent the cleaned-up version of this to them last week which is not any less venomous)....

Greetings from Cathay Cineplexes!

Thank you for your feedback and we apologize for the inconveniences caused during your recent visits to Cathay Cineplex Damansara. During cerain periods there are long queues at the counter but please be rest assured that all our staff are trained to serve patrons as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, we have forwarded your feedback to the Operations Manager of the cineplex group so that he may look into the efficiencies of the box office wherever necessary.

We appreciate your feedback and will do our best to improve our services to provide a better movie-going experience to all our patrons.

Thank you for your patronage and we look forward to your continuoued support.

Cheers,
Carol Lam
Senior Marketing Executive
Email: carol_lam@cathayholdings.com.my

Add: CATHAY CINEPLEXES SDN BHD
Cineleisure Damansara
Level 2 & 2M, No.2A, Jalan PJU 7/3,
Mutiara Damansara, 47800 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor D.E.

Tel: +603- 7727 0724
Fax: +603-7727 7397

First Movie of '08 - Alvin and the Chipmunks.

All the bile aside in the previous post, my first movie of '08 was Alvin and the Chipmunks. Kick off the movie-going year of the rat with a movie featuring singing and talking rodentia. Heh.

Because there was nothing else to watch and friend wanted to squeeze in another movie before going back to the land of sheep, this light hearted movie should do it, despite how I feel when the first teaser poster came out.

When I got there some minutes before 8 p.m., only ONE (normal) counter (besides the express counter) was open and the line was so freaking long because half the Valley also want to watch kiddy chipmunk movie. I was in line for god-knows-how-long before they got the cow sense to open another. Dignity out the window, I ran towards the counter, only to be beaten to the head of the new line by a couple (damnit). I presumed they had also wanted to watch the same movie when they came away empty handed.

I got up to the counter and I asked if there were any seats left, because I wasn't about to watch National Treasure second week in a row and there really was nothing else I wanted to watch that's scheduled within the next hour. When told they only had front row seats left, I made a quick phone call and the guy told me to "step aside" so he could attend to the other people behind me just as I was almost done with the consult call. HELLO - everyone else got to hold up the line, why shouldn't I be able to out of necessity? It's not my fault the others can't make up their minds. So I got the tickets and hoped for the best.

Movie started at about 9.45 p.m. and much as I tried, I couldn't leave my logic at the door. Not when I was still pissed from what happened earlier. Not with a kids' movie. Because I found myself asking...

If they had been in a forest all their lives, how would they know what "buildings" are and how Daniel Powter's hit song Bad Day goes?

There were others, but I don't remember them now.

They also got like two (of the three) geekiest guys in Hollywood to voice the computer-animated chipmunks: Justin Long as Alvin and Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon. (Jesse McCartney was Theodore). The image of Dr Spencer Reid (Gubler) as a singing and talking chipmunk would be really hard to repress the next time I watch Criminal Minds. I want to know if all three really sang for the movie or not.

Jason Lee as Dave Seville... well, it's like how I feel about Nicolas Cage playing Ghost Rider: is there really NO ELSE to play him? It feels like watching an episode of Earl minus the 'tache.

Angry Letter to Cineleisure Damansara [Disclaimer - Profanity abound; you've been warned]

To the management of Cineleisure Damansara in Mutiara Damansara,

First of all, I would commend you on the decor - seats and the upstairs lobby; really lovely. Unfortunately the compliments end here, because this is where I'd like to get the venom out of my system.

First of all, what's the FUCKING point of having that many ticket counters that you have if only one or two of those counters are going to be manned at any time of the day? For show is it?

For example, the weekend that Transformers opened last year (end of June 2007). I was there only to watch Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. I had expected to be able to run up to the counter, buy my ticket and be off and away to watch my movie. So I was there 45 minutes before it started. Reasonable amount of time, right? WRONG!!!

UNFORTU-FUCKING-NATELY there was only two or three counters open at nearly 10.45 a.m. and I'm pretty sure that everyone was there to watch Transformers. Couldn't you people at least open ANOTHER counter for people who are not there to watch TRANSFORMERS?! BUT NOOOOO.... I ended up in line for 45 minutes; by the time it got to my turn and having the guy selling me the ticket at 11.20 a.m. tell me blank-faced that "the movie's already started" is the straw that broke the camel's back. What's left of my decency held me back from screaming at the guy from annoyance and rage. I already didn't give a shit about Transformers then, and I'm not likely to do so now.

Last Wednesday night (26 December 2007), I was there to watch National Treasure: The Book of Secrets and found myself in need of some popcorn. So I went to the concession stand upstairs and service was SLOW. Can't the guys manning the concession stand upstairs work just a little faster? It was bad enough standing behind the interracial couple who can't seem to make up their minds on what they wanted to drink, I can't even jump to the next line cos that one's just as slow too. Blardy hell. What's the point of having half a dozen concessions stands in the place when only a third of them are open?! MCH - and you wonder why people bring in their own snacks and drinks.

TONIGHT (2 January 2008), I wanted to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks, ONLY because you had the timing that I wanted. I get why there's only one screening room for that point in time. The fact is that I was buying tickets for two people and I was looking at the absolutely LAST two available seats in the house (or so I've been told). And I got your guy telling ME to step aside so that he could attend to the people behind me. FUCK YOU - I needed to make that consult okay? I was already done with the call by the time he made that request. It's not my fault the counter service sucks and the people can't seem to make up their minds.

And when I wanted to fill out the feedback form, the pen had no more ink. WHAT THE FUCK MAN - HOW CAN A PERSON EXPECT TO WRITE AN ANGRY FEEDBACK FORM WHEN THERE'S NO FUCKING INK IN THE PEN? Did you think that anyone's gonna steal the damn thing? Sheesh.

Now I remember why I don't go to Cineleisure more often - you people piss me off.

To conclude this angry letter, I'LL NEVER GO BACK THERE ON MY OWN FREE WILL EVER AGAIN. FUCK YOU!!!