Boy, does Star Theater in Fitchburg (next to Madison) really suck now.

What the heck happened?  I had only been to the theater once before since I heard the theater changed ownership.

I took my boyfriend to see a matinee of the X-Files: I Want to Believe (that was disappointing) and was treated, assaulted is a better word, to the following:

-         a fly-infested, dirty bathroom

-         long and obnoxious previews (even longer than the 12 minutes they warn you about on their website)

-         sticky floors and unclean seats (and this was at the first show of the day so you can imagine how dirty things can get by the evening shows)

-         raised prices for lesser service (I paid $12.50 for two matinee seats)

I used to go to Star Cinema (apparently now Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatre from the website) all the time, and it stood out in its lack of the above defects. Not now.

Oh, and its advertising copy in the newspaper is unclear and inaccurate. And that’s not just because I’m a copy editor.

When I went to see “The Happening” a couple weeks back, I watched a grandmother and her grandchildren who had driven in from Janesville for a special afternoon be disappointed because the show they wanted to see was not playing at the time advertised in the newspaper ad.

The previous manager of the theater seemed officious and stand-offish to me, but he ran a good theater that was attractive and worth the price of admission.

Star theater is now going downhill fast and no one in management even seems to notice.

Who is running this movie theater? President Bush?