While other members of the Wellingtonista debate trivial issues such as roading, the non car-owning amongst us think it’s time to address the more important things in life, such as the Paramount renovations. This isn’t a post to talk about the two new theatres (one with couches), or the glorious big balconey, oh no. It’s not about the wider selection of movies that they can now offer either. It’s about popcorn – or rather, the lack of it.

The Paramount always used to sell popcorn, in very classy brown paper bags at a cost of $2 for a small and $4 for a large. They’d been doing it like that for as long as I can remember (read: since 1996), and it was fantastic. In a world where multiplexes make most of their profit at the Candy Bar, and price their popcorn accordingly, the Paramount was an oasis of bohemian sophistication.

But not now. On Tuesday night, the night where all the other movie theatres in town offer reduced ticket prices, having indulged in a glass or two of bubbly along with the Melbourne Cup, we went to the Paramount to see Mysterious Skin, and thought that some tasty salted snacks would go down a treat with the onscreen paedophilia and ex child- stars. We were informed by the counter staff that they weren’t serving popcorn anymore. Huh? How can it be going to the movies if there is no popcorn? How will people at the 24 Hour Movie Marathon survive?

If anyone with any explanation for this travesty, please let the Wellingtonista know. We’re hoping it was just a one day thing and that we were just too drunk to understand that. But in the meantime, we’re still going to be recommending that others go to The Empire in Island Bay and get their fabulous gelato instead .