Movies & Cinema during the Pandemic? Catch-all Discussion (1 Viewer)

[Colin Jacobson]

Last night I was the only person in a screening of Jurassic Park. Looked and sounded great, I still wore my mask while not eating.

Why?

 

[Wayne_j]

Because I'm used to wearing my mask and it still is the rules.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Last night I was the only person in a screening of Jurassic Park. Looked and sounded great, I still wore my mask while not eating.

JURASSIC PARK seems to be one film that keeps bringing people in around me. It started back up again, which is the third time it's played since all of this started.

We're about to go see the original MY BLOODY VALENTINE on the big screen so I'm still enjoying the opportunity to catch these type of movies.

 

[TravisR]

We're about to go see the original MY BLOODY VALENTINE on the big screen so I'm still enjoying the opportunity to catch these type of movies.

That's not playing at a chain theater, is it?

 

[Michael Elliott]

Sorry for the late reply but I just saw your reply.

Cinemark is showing it all this week. Most theaters around here (4 in all) were only playing it once a day around 9:30 each night.

They showed the theatrical cut but it was still cool to see it on the big screen. It was always a ** 1/2 star film for me but I bumped it up a notch because the final in the mine is SOOOOO much more effective on a big screen.

My wife and I took two of the kids and there were four others in there.

 

[Garysb]

Perhaps when more people are willing to go to the movies and seating restrictions are lifted some movie chain or individual theater will schedule a film festival of all the films that had limited distribution in theaters to give people a chance to see them on the big screen. Though I suspect if something like this was done, it would be at a theater with a lower seating capacity and smaller screen as demand might not be there.

 

[Garysb]

It is still unknown if people who are vaccinated can still spread the virus. You might be safe but you still might be able to make others sick . Therefore even those who have been vaccinated still need to wear masks. You can presumably have get togethers with other vaccinated people.

 

[Malcolm R]

Regional chain Cinemagic announces theaters will not reopen. These were also the only theaters in the region that offered some IMAX screens. The only IMAX screening I've ever seen was at the Hooksett, NH, location (Pacific Rim).

https://www.wcax.com/2021/02/23/cinemagic-closing-movie-theater-locations-across-3-states/

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - All locations of a New Hampshire-based movie theater company will permanently close locations in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire after over 20 years of service.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced Cinemagic to close locations including in Saco, Maine; Westbrook, Maine; South Portland, Maine; Salisbury, Massachusetts; Sturbridge, Massachusetts; Hooksett, New Hampshire; Merrimack, New Hampshire; and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

WCSH-TV reports that Cinemagic’s parent company, Zyacorp Entertainment, said in a statement Sunday that the theaters will not reopen.

 

[Mysto]

Regional chain Cinemagic announces theaters will not reopen. These were also the only theaters in the region that offered some IMAX screens. The only IMAX screening I've ever seen was at the Hooksett, NH, location (Pacific Rim).

https://www.wcax.com/2021/02/23/cinemagic-closing-movie-theater-locations-across-3-states/

I'm very worried about a lot of businesses. They were all thinking "If I could just get to 2021" and now they're told 2022. It is going to get worse before it gets better - and better may not look the same.

 

[Malcolm R]

Looking for a small silver lining, I believe these are the newest theaters in the region and are state-of-the-art stadium theaters (and as noted, have the only IMAX screens in the region). Once we get back to some semblance of normal-ish, and movies begin to be released again, they should be attractive to any buyer looking to enter the market or expand. Regal is currently in the area, but their theaters are older. It would be a good opportunity for AMC to expand in New England, if they're still in business.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

It would be a good opportunity for AMC to expand in New England, if they're still in business.

Didn't that stock market craziness of a few weeks ago give AMC a massive lifeline?

I didn't follow the news that closely, but I had the impression that event gave AMC a major financial shot in the arm...

 

[Jeffrey D]

I'm very worried about a lot of businesses. They were all thinking "If I could just get to 2021" and now they're told 2022. It is going to get worse before it gets better - and better may not look the same.

I agree that better may not look the same. Films at the cinema is one of the many things that have been irreparably damaged. Streaming will keep growing and expanding, and revenues at the box office will likely not reach the figures of before everything was shut down.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I agree that better may not look the same. Films at the cinema is one of the many things that have been irreparably damaged. Streaming will keep growing and expanding, and revenues at the box office will likely not reach the figures of before everything was shut down.

Many (most) cinemas will close. How many will be viable with just a handful of big budget (Star Wars, Marvel, Bond etc) to show each year. Many customers will be happy to wait to stream a film or buy a disc, particularly if the exhibition and streaming occur almost simultaneously.

 

[Mysto]

I just want to suggest a counter idea. I know I am tired of staying in place. When this is over and I can return to "normal" I want to get out and about. A lot. Perhaps pent up demand will save the movie houses that are left.
I don't have a crystal ball but I can tell you there are lot of places I want to go just as soon as I feel it's safe.

 

[Jeffrey D]

I just want to suggest a counter idea. I know I am tired of staying in place. When this is over and I can return to "normal" I want to get out and about. A lot. Perhaps pent up demand will save the movie houses that are left.
I don't have a crystal ball but I can tell you there are lot of places I want to go just as soon as I feel it's safe.

Some will feel the same way you do, but there will still be restrictions in place that will discourage I (me?) and others from attending the theater and other public places.

 

[TravisR]

I just want to suggest a counter idea. I know I am tired of staying in place. When this is over and I can return to "normal" I want to get out and about. A lot. Perhaps pent up demand will save the movie houses that are left.
I don't have a crystal ball but I can tell you there are lot of places I want to go just as soon as I feel it's safe.

Yeah, I mean streaming was and is going to keep chipping away at theaters but once things get back to normal and big movies start coming out, theaters will get back to a level of normalcy too. Once again, theaters will keep going down as time goes on and streaming & shorter windows hurt them but in the immediate aftermath, I think audiences will be very happy to get back to a theater.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yeah, I mean streaming was and is going to keep chipping away at theaters but once things get back to normal and big movies start coming out, theaters will get back to a level of normalcy too. Once again, theaters will keep going down as time goes on and streaming & shorter windows hurt them but in the immediate aftermath, I think audiences will be very happy to get back to a theater.

I don't know about that as the newest and best theater in my city has closed down. Perhaps, it will reopen, but the theater is less than ten years old with Atmos audio. I have no desire to watch a movie in the other theater complex in my city which was built about 40 years ago.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I don't know about that as the newest and best theater in my city has closed down. Perhaps, it will reopen, but the theater is less than ten years old with Atmos audio. I have no desire to watch a movie in the other theater complex in my city which was built about 40 years ago.

No doubt that's gonna be true for at least some of us, but in those cases, we were probably already rarely going anyway. Certainly, that's been me. I'd think most people who (aren't HT enthusiasts and) were still going often just before the pandemic will still want to go back... though possibly a tad less so. They're still gonna wanna see blockbuster action/popcorn/Pixar-ish flix on big screens w/ Atmos they won't have (remotely close) at home -- a 50-60" TV w/ a soundbar (or not even) from 10-to-15 feet away isn't remotely close, especially for those kinds of movies. And the vast majority of movie-goers weren't really going much anymore to small budget rom-coms, indies and such anyway -- many might still go for one or two star-studded rom-coms a year perhaps, but not really otherwise...

_Man_

 

[Robert Crawford]

No doubt that's gonna be true for at least some of us, but in those cases, we were probably already rarely going anyway. Certainly, that's been me. I'd think most people who (aren't HT enthusiasts and) were still going often just before the pandemic will still want to go back... though possibly a tad less so. They're still gonna wanna see blockbuster action/popcorn/Pixar-ish flix on big screens w/ Atmos they won't have (remotely close) at home -- a 50-60" TV w/ a soundbar (or not even) from 10-to-15 feet away isn't remotely close, especially for those kinds of movies. And the vast majority of movie-goers weren't really going much anymore to small budget rom-coms, indies and such anyway -- many might still go for one or two star-studded rom-coms a year perhaps, but not really otherwise...

_Man_

What are you talking about??? My point is that some really nice movie theater complexes are closed for good. Even though, I'm a HT enthusiast, I was going to the movies on a regular basis, but now, doesn't have a state of the art movie theater close to my residence. If I want that, I have to hit the interstate and travel some distance for such a theater.

Also, many retirees like myself that used to go to the movies on a regular basis (2-4 times) a month will have fewer chances to do so because of many theater closures. Perhaps, some of those theaters will re-open, but there are no guarantee that's going to happen after this pandemic is over with.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Disney CEO Bob Chapek has confirmed at the Disney shareholders meeting that Black Widow will be a theatrical release on May 7.

‘Black Widow’: Disney Boss Bob Chapek, Once Again, Confirms That Pic’s Current Summer Release Date Remains Unchanged

Today at Disney‘s annual shareholder meeting, CEO Bob Chapek continued to underscore that the release date for Marvel‘s long-awaited feature Black Widow is May 7, and that the Cate Shortland-directed title will be seen in theaters. Chapek made the same confirmation back on Feb. 11 during the...

deadline.com

Of course, I should note that Disney also insisted that Soul was going to be a theatrical release last Thanksgiving right up until they moved it to Disney+. The decision to put Soul on Disney+ was announced on October 8, 2020. As late as September 28, I was posting stuff in that thread from Disney social media indicating that Soul would remain as a Thanksgiving theatrical release. So these things can change very quickly.

If Black Widow stays as a theatrical exclusive release on May 7, it will be the first MCU movie I have skipped in a decade. It would also almost surely become the lowest-grossing MCU film domestically ever, a position which is currently held by The Incredible Hulk from 2008. I would do a blind buy of the Blu-ray whenever that eventually comes out if they stick with a theatrical exclusive rollout.

If Disney were to do a theatrical and Disney+ rollout as they have done with Raya and the Last Dragon, I would almost certainly pay the $30 to access Black Widow in home early.

We'll see what happens.