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NFT: Movie Theaters

CooperDash : 7/16/2022 11:54 pm
I’m amazed that movie theaters are still a viable business these days.

Went to the movies today (me, the wife and kid) for a 2pm showing, two of their smallest drinks, and two of the smallest popcorns. Over $100.

I always liked going to the movies but we don’t go very often anymore and this will likely be the last time. It’s just so much money and, frankly, it’s a better experience from my own living room. I thought that the Dolby experience would be better, but it wasn’t. The picture was blurry and a mess at times. Ironically, the 5 minute commercial promoting Dolby during the trailers was good, but not the actual movie. Basically, aside from being able to see the movie a little earlier, I gained nothing from going to the theater. And the 5 year old kid a couple of seats down from me never stopped talking and was running all over the row.

What say you? Any theater-lovers still out there?
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The closest theater to me is a Cineopolis Luxury Cinema.  
Klaatu : 7/17/2022 12:29 pm : link
It's definitely not your father's movie theater, lol.

13 separate screens, but for each one there are only 42 seats. However, the seats are big, soft, pleather recliners, and each one has its own little swivel table and drink holder, because you can order food and beverages before you sit down, and the wait staff will bring it to your seat. It's not just popcorn and soda, either. I'll put a link below so you can see what I'm talking about. My first experience was a mind-blower. It isn't cheap, but it's nice to splurge every once in a while.

Cineopolis.com - ( New Window )
RE: ...  
Route 9 : 7/17/2022 12:32 pm : link
In comment 15755750 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:
Quote:
Last time I went to the movies was pre COVID when I saw 'The Joker'.


Peaks and valleys for me. I think at the start of this year, I went to about 5 movies and then haven't been back since.

I always go to get out of the house and away from my lady ;-)
RE: RE: ...  
Klaatu : 7/17/2022 12:35 pm : link
In comment 15755850 Route 9 said:
Quote:
In comment 15755750 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:


Quote:


Last time I went to the movies was pre COVID when I saw 'The Joker'.



Peaks and valleys for me. I think at the start of this year, I went to about 5 movies and then haven't been back since.

I always go to get out of the house and away from my lady ;-)


Naah. Too easy.
......  
Route 9 : 7/17/2022 12:43 pm : link
I saw Jackass, Scream, Kurt Warner movie, Ghostbusters and something else that I cannot remember at the moment.

I go to the one in Toms River.
AMC Tuesdays  
Matt M. : 7/17/2022 12:57 pm : link
All day Tuesday, $5
AMC Discounts - ( New Window )
COVID changed the theater game for me  
skifaster : 7/17/2022 4:57 pm : link
During COVID our local theater started doing private rentals for $100/hr. Big Marvel movie fan so we have been renting it on the Sunday morning of release weekend ever since. Split it with a fellow nerd and our daughter invites a couple friends.

Will never go back to public showings of movies.

There is also a drive in that we try to go to a couple times a summer.
When Hollywood gets it right they get it right.  
Ron from Ninerland : 7/17/2022 6:14 pm : link
Its true, must of the post-COVID movies have been crap. The only blockbuster I've seen this year worthy of an IMAX ticket is Top Gun Maverick. In the past though I remember some great experiences at movie theatres that can't be reproduced as home. Going to a big movie is like going to a big ballgame. Some experiences I remember is waiting in line for 2 hours in the rain at what is now the AMC Levittown 10 to see "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980 and then decades later seeing it again with my nephew in the same theatre. I remember seeing Rocky II in, of all places Columbia South Carolina. During the fight, everybody in the theatre was standing up in their seats. More recently we've had Endgame, Black Panther, the Frozen movies and although many here criticize it , the Star Wars movies.

The proliferation of quality streaming series combined with the improvement of in home systems will hit the theatre experience, but hopefully we will see great theatrical blockbusters for years to come.

RE: COVID changed the theater game for me  
Matt M. : 7/17/2022 7:33 pm : link
In comment 15756000 skifaster said:
Quote:
During COVID our local theater started doing private rentals for $100/hr. Big Marvel movie fan so we have been renting it on the Sunday morning of release weekend ever since. Split it with a fellow nerd and our daughter invites a couple friends.

Will never go back to public showings of movies.

There is also a drive in that we try to go to a couple times a summer.
That's not a bad price. If you can get a few families and/or friends involved, it's not a bad deal.
Actually went with the wife twice recently for Elvis and Top Gun  
Stu11 : 7/17/2022 7:55 pm : link
Hadn't been in ages. In Rockland County we have two big Multiplexes Regal and the Palisades Mall
Both are real expensive the Palisades they have seats as nice as your easy chair, recline and everything however they're sold out alot and it's reserved seating so the pickings can be slim. Don't usually go to either. My town New City has a smaller one. That's where we saw both. Smaller screens but $9 a ticket on a Saturday night. Can't beat it.
Going to the movies can be fun  
ThreePoints : 7/17/2022 8:00 pm : link
It's like going to the mall. Maybe you go to buy one thing, but you go to the mall to walk around, to browse, to people watch. The movies and the mall are best enjoyed when you're in high school and you're with your friends on a Friday night. It's a taste of freedom.

Now? It's a night out. Sometimes it's nice to just get out and do something. Yeah, it costs money, but it can be a fun experience, especially if you go with other couples. But it's something to do.

......  
Route 9 : 7/17/2022 11:39 pm : link
People are still going on with the COVID, huh?

Haven't bothered to think of that shit in a long time. I did do my part to protect the Brotherhood of steel, though.

Stories of resilience!
We see about one a week  
JOrthman : 7/18/2022 12:24 am : link
It's either the area we live in or due to post pandemic, but the theatres are just starting to pick back up. We've only been to two movies in the last six months where there was a decent amount of people in it, Top Gun and Spiderman No Way Home.
RE: Where are you where a matinee  
Essex : 7/18/2022 9:25 am : link
In comment 15755708 UConn4523 said:
Quote:
for 3 people and some soda and popcorn is $100? I live in a fairly expensive area and that would be half that cost. Sounds like your theater sucks, I’ve never experienced a blurry screen.


I don't think this is far from the truth in NYC. Usually, a movie ticket is about $17-$20 depending on the theater. Even one big popcorn to share (although my kids always fight when they share so I am forced to buy separate ones) and three drinks is going to be about 25 bucks-that is ~ $85.
I love going to the movies and often do, but there is going to be some tension in the future between delivering these movies to your home for $19.99 and going to the movies for $100 bucks.
RE: RE: Where are you where a matinee  
UConn4523 : 7/18/2022 10:10 am : link
In comment 15756369 Essex said:
Quote:
In comment 15755708 UConn4523 said:


Quote:


for 3 people and some soda and popcorn is $100? I live in a fairly expensive area and that would be half that cost. Sounds like your theater sucks, I’ve never experienced a blurry screen.



I don't think this is far from the truth in NYC. Usually, a movie ticket is about $17-$20 depending on the theater. Even one big popcorn to share (although my kids always fight when they share so I am forced to buy separate ones) and three drinks is going to be about 25 bucks-that is ~ $85.
I love going to the movies and often do, but there is going to be some tension in the future between delivering these movies to your home for $19.99 and going to the movies for $100 bucks.


Yeah, NYC, Long Island (in his case) and all the more expensive cities this makes sense. Easiest solution is to just not buy food or have kids split popcorn.

I'm not sure first release in home will be a thing. They tried during COVID as a last resort to recoup their investments but it pales in comparison to what they make at the box office. People that watch movies at home typically don't care about seeing movies opening week, so paying that $20 will be something that most will skip. Plus this would have to be arranged between the studios / theaters since revenue sharing becomes jeopardized (see the Black Widow lawsuit with Scarlett Johansson). Its certainly possible we eventually get there, but I don't see it any time soon, too much money to be lost going this route.
Maverick  
Csonka : 7/18/2022 10:15 am : link
I'm glad I saw Maverick on the big screen. It was worth it.

If you want your small local theater to survive you'll pay for the overpriced popcorn and soda. Theaters make very little off the ticket, especially the 1st week a movie is released.
RE: Maverick  
Essex : 7/18/2022 10:41 am : link
In comment 15756421 Csonka said:
Quote:
I'm glad I saw Maverick on the big screen. It was worth it.

If you want your small local theater to survive you'll pay for the overpriced popcorn and soda. Theaters make very little off the ticket, especially the 1st week a movie is released.


One of the things that I liked about Maverick was the little video clip of Tom Cruise thanking the audience for coming to see it in the theater--I even think he said something like "where it was meant to be seen"

I thought that was really cool of him.
......  
Route 9 : 7/18/2022 10:49 am : link
Oh yeah. Black Widow. I saw half of that movie and walked out into another one I already watched. I think they were playing Dark Knight.
Maverick was fantastic  
UConn4523 : 7/18/2022 11:01 am : link
easily a top 5 movie theater experience for me all time.

IMax movies for me the rest of the year are "Nope", potentially the re-release of Jaws if I can get to it on/around Labor Day, the re-release of Avatar, and then Avatar 2. They are also doing E.T. but it was never my thing so i'll be skipping that.
......  
Route 9 : 7/19/2022 5:01 am : link
I might see Maverick this afternoon. Was gonna wait until it was a free movie ticket coupon code or a free stream but I've been convinced.
RE: When Hollywood gets it right they get it right.  
JayBinQueens : 7/19/2022 8:23 am : link
In comment 15756049 Ron from Ninerland said:
Quote:
Its true, must of the post-COVID movies have been crap.




I would imagine it was like that back in the day as well. Most of the movies coming out were 'meh', with a few blockbusters thrown in
the only theater we've been to in a while is the drive-in  
Greg from LI : 7/19/2022 8:43 am : link
Yes, we have a drive-in and, yes, it's pretty damned cool
RE: RE: When Hollywood gets it right they get it right.  
UConn4523 : 7/19/2022 8:47 am : link
In comment 15757103 JayBinQueens said:
Quote:
In comment 15756049 Ron from Ninerland said:


Quote:


Its true, must of the post-COVID movies have been crap.






I would imagine it was like that back in the day as well. Most of the movies coming out were 'meh', with a few blockbusters thrown in


100%, lots of bad movies in every era we just didn't have the internet back then (or social media) to critique everything to death.

COVID definitely messed with the industry as a whole though, but its slowly starting to creep out of that financial hole. Peak boxoffice was 2018 where 35 movies made over $100m - so far in 2022 there have been 12 and I think we will see that rise to 20-25 by years end with a bunch of big releases set between now and the holidays. Latest projections seem to be upwards of $8b as a whole which is about 25/30% of peak (2018) - that's a good sign heading into 2023.
The movie industry was in serious decline  
Jimmy Googs : 7/19/2022 9:25 am : link
well before COVID hit. That's like blaming the Giants problems this past decade on Kenny Golladay...
...  
UConn4523 : 7/19/2022 9:26 am : link
...
Seen any good movies lately?  
Jimmy Googs : 7/19/2022 9:34 am : link

......  
Route 9 : 7/19/2022 9:59 am : link
I don't get super excited when a movie comes out like I used to. When I heard they were making a "Joker" movie, I just said "cool, I guess I'll see it" and it came out. I saw it to get out of the house and that was that.

I think the last time I was actually excited about a movie coming out (based off of the trailer) was maybe ... The Hangover? That was 2009 or so.
I think the reason why we are seeing so many Superhero/Marvel  
Essex : 7/19/2022 10:25 am : link
comics movies is because the TV medium with more hours just makes drama movies much harder to compete with the depth that tv know offers creative writers and directors.
I have always loved going to the movies  
Aaroninma : 7/19/2022 10:56 am : link
Back when I was single, i used to LOVE going to the movies by myself.

But my wife and I will go maybe once every few months, I like it more than her probably, but shes always in for the snacks!

RE: I think the reason why we are seeing so many Superhero/Marvel  
UConn4523 : 7/19/2022 11:21 am : link
In comment 15757226 Essex said:
Quote:
comics movies is because the TV medium with more hours just makes drama movies much harder to compete with the depth that tv know offers creative writers and directors.


It starts and ends with the cash they make. Producing a movie is high risk so new IP is hard to come by. As a result you get comic book movies because that demo will pay to see them repeatedly. And I don't even understand the issue people have with them - I no longer watch them but they are infinitely better than the crap that was made 20 years ago. We just grew up and don't care anymore.

We can all argue how much better or worse movies are now , but there were over 800 movies made in 2018 and 99% of them weren't comic book movies. There's been a boom in indie movies that dominate the drama genre and they simply don't get the theater time because wide release is super expensive.
There is a shortage of quality movies today, and its been trending  
Jimmy Googs : 7/19/2022 12:53 pm : link
that way for a number of years now. Make the Marvel or not...I don't care. But also make movies with original ideas, good scripts and decent acting as this is what has dried up significantly.

If it has become too risky to do so and comic book heros are an easy payday so that's where the industry wants to put its efforts, then so be it.

Same conclusion - the industry has been in a big decline...
 
UConn4523 : 7/19/2022 1:42 pm : link
I have not read this whole thread  
bigblue5611 : 7/19/2022 5:07 pm : link
but we recently saw the new Top Gun at the "Movie Tavern" near us. Leather, power reclining seats with awesome sound and larger than normal screen, not quite IMAX level though. I believe it was around $33 for tickets for the two of us. No food ordered, but you can go to an app, order food and drink (including alcohol) and they will bring it to your seat, quite nice. This is in Syracuse, NY by the way...
Industry needs to put out more movies like Green Book  
Jimmy Googs : 7/19/2022 5:11 pm : link
versus crap like The Green Knight.

I guess the latter fell a little short of an expected Best Picture nomination by the Academy :-)



......  
Route 9 : 7/19/2022 8:44 pm : link
Went to the 1 p.m. show for Top Gun today and it was great. One of the better movies I've watched in years. I guess next is Elvis.
Movie Theaters were never the same for me  
steve in ky : 7/19/2022 9:08 pm : link
when they created the Cineplex. I miss the larger screens from the old single screen theater although financially I can understand the reasoning into chopping them up into multi screens.

Not to hijack the thread but talking about a large screen anyone else old enough to remember going to the movies at Radio City? Especially around the holidays, you would get the entire Christmas show with the Rockettes plus a movie.
Nope reviews so far are great  
UConn4523 : 7/20/2022 7:40 am : link
IMax for sure!
RE: Movie Theaters were never the same for me  
shyster : 7/20/2022 7:56 am : link
In comment 15757852 steve in ky said:
Quote:

Not to hijack the thread but talking about a large screen anyone else old enough to remember going to the movies at Radio City? Especially around the holidays, you would get the entire Christmas show with the Rockettes plus a movie.


Sure, Mary Poppins and Sound of Music, to name two, when I was very young and we still lived in the city.

Some years later, Fiddler on the Roof, on a school field trip from upstate.

The RCMH theater had 6,000 seats!
The exit signs  
JB_in_DC : 7/20/2022 7:57 am : link
at my local theater are so bright it drives me insane. I need to find a new spot that takes safety much less seriously.
RE: RE: Movie Theaters were never the same for me  
steve in ky : 7/20/2022 11:50 am : link
In comment 15757952 shyster said:
Quote:
In comment 15757852 steve in ky said:


Quote:



Not to hijack the thread but talking about a large screen anyone else old enough to remember going to the movies at Radio City? Especially around the holidays, you would get the entire Christmas show with the Rockettes plus a movie.



Sure, Mary Poppins and Sound of Music, to name two, when I was very young and we still lived in the city.

Some years later, Fiddler on the Roof, on a school field trip from upstate.

The RCMH theater had 6,000 seats!


Where upstate did you move to?
the biggest screen that I remember  
UConn4523 : 7/20/2022 12:13 pm : link
was the one in new roc

that pic actually might be the maritime imax  
UConn4523 : 7/20/2022 12:15 pm : link
since it has the wrap around seating but the screen size is similar.
......  
Route 9 : 7/20/2022 12:18 pm : link
That BJ Novak (Ryan Howard) movie looks like it might not suck
......  
Route 9 : 7/20/2022 12:20 pm : link
That looks like the same room you'd sit in for 5 minutes on a school trip that'd take you on a virtual roller coaster ride or what it would look like to take a sit on the back of a humpback whale.
RE: the biggest screen that I remember  
pjcas18 : 7/20/2022 12:22 pm : link
In comment 15758182 UConn4523 said:
Quote:
was the one in new roc



look at all the old people, what movie was that, Cocoon?
Lol  
UConn4523 : 7/20/2022 12:27 pm : link
No idea, looks like something the maritime aquarium would show. My mom is probably in there somewhere.
RE: RE: RE: Movie Theaters were never the same for me  
shyster : 7/20/2022 12:29 pm : link
In comment 15758165 steve in ky said:
Quote:



Where upstate did you move to?


Southern Dutchess, Hopewell Jct.
RE: ......  
UConn4523 : 7/20/2022 12:29 pm : link
In comment 15758194 Route 9 said:
Quote:
That looks like the same room you'd sit in for 5 minutes on a school trip that'd take you on a virtual roller coaster ride or what it would look like to take a sit on the back of a humpback whale.


We used to in elementary school, great field trips. They just tore it down though, part of a big railroad and bridge project along the water.
......  
Route 9 : 7/20/2022 12:45 pm : link
That wasn't a normal trip either. That was the "mega" one at the end of the sixth grade school year when we went to Baltimore.
next time I visit my sister in VA  
UConn4523 : 7/20/2022 1:27 pm : link
I'm going to go to the huge one in Chantilly at the Air and Space museum. They saw Top Gun 2 on it, very jealous.
damn....$100???  
AnnapolisMike : 7/20/2022 1:35 pm : link
Where the heck are you going?

In any event we usually bring in our own candy and water. Theaters have priced themselves out of providing snacks.
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