This from a Mercury news editorial today:

Tonight, for the first time in decades, a heavily promoted first-run film -- ``Paparazzi'' -- will open simultaneously at the Camera Cinemas downtown and Century 21 in the Winchester theater complex. That's great news for movie fans throughout the city.

Excuse me while I laugh hysterically.

Paparazzi? It sounds like they're calling it the savior of Camera Cinemas. Ha. It's probably the most unintentionally funny movie to come out until Cellular comes out next week.

What prompted this editorial is the fact that Century Theatres required exclusivity of running movies near Valley Fair, the big domes plus the new CineArts at Santana Row. Century now has relaxed the restrictions allowing "big-time" movies to come downtown to the new Camera Cinemas. The lack of first-run attractions doomed United Artists in their foray downtown.

And the first to come down the pipeline? Paparazzi. I'm sorry to tell you this, but don't pin your hopes on this film. There's probably a reason why Century let them show it.

Have you seen the ridiculous storyline? The paparazzi following a particular celebrity causes an accident that hurts his family. So what does the celebrity do? He does what anyone would do. He goes around killing them.

Even for this person who tries to watch most of the big films, even though you can't characterize Paparazzi as big, I'll still pass on this one. Not even worth a download. The studio would seem to think so too. Critics were not given a preview so that they could review it today.