Movie theaters officially dead

[rage-a-holic 4544]

On 6/9/2024 at 12:28 PM, mdleast said:

I am/was also an "only at the Alamo" customer since they opened here 13 years ago.  Beyond the no talking or get kicked out being a real thing, the biggest draw for me was always that they fostered an environment that going to see the movie you were at was a big thing (in addition to screening more indie-type movies you are probably not gonna find at most multiplexes).  Always made a point to get to the movie early to watch their curated preshow of clips related to the movie/cast.  Their food/drink menu definitely declined over the years imo but that was never the hook that got me loyal to them.

Did you ever see any of the Foleyvision shows? I saw their productions of Turkish Star Wars and Turkish Wizard of Oz, they were fucking great.

https://www.austinchronicle.com/screens/2004-02-20/197912/

[Jerry Callo 8827]

Back at the original Alamo Drafthouse we saw:

 

Random seats throughout the theater had buzzers attached that went off when scary things happened on screen.

[mchookem 16512]

there are a couple of Alamos here in Denver but they're pretty far from us, and compared to the super swanky theaters near us they don't measure up.

we've probably seen more movies living here the past two years than we had the five years prior to moving. one is an AMC with a full bar, some not bad food and great popcorn which is my mate's jam. the seats are all recline, heated (who knew that would be nice here 😄) and very comfortable.

the other is a Harkins theater which is badass - they have a CineXL theater that is basically a more comfortable IMAX, it's huge but the seats are super spaced out (kinda like what Kevin Smith describes above), the sound system is just stupid crisp (we had no problem with Oppenheimer like so many people reported). it's one of those with a big curtain that opens, makes it really feel like an event. also full bar, comfy recline seats and good popcorn. we love catching big movies in this theater...and a matinee ticket is only about $11!

it's moderately busy at times, but certainly not anywhere near full (well Barbie, Oppenheimer, and Dune2 were pretty full)...i just really, really hope it sticks around, as we love movies in theater and really enjoy these!

[RPM 26426]

I've never been to Alamo or a dine-in theater. There's a Cinemark near work that I usually go to that has XL or whatever and it's damn good. Think there's a Harkins over in Alliance.

[CooterBrown 18089]

16 hours ago, mchookem said:

the other is a Harkins theater which is badass - they have a CineXL theater that is basically a more comfortable IMAX, it's huge but the seats are super spaced out (kinda like what Kevin Smith describes above), the sound system is just stupid crisp (we had no problem with Oppenheimer like so many people reported). it's one of those with a big curtain that opens, makes it really feel like an event. also full bar, comfy recline seats and good popcorn. we love catching big movies in this theater...and a matinee ticket is only about $11!

I've been to that theater and it is great. 

I was in Fort Collins last week and saw Furiosa, for a second time, at The Lyric. Now that is cool venue. It's like Meow Wolf, Alamo, Mohawk, a food truck, and a dive bar had an orgy baby.  It was probably the worst and one of the best theaters I've ever seen a movie in.  On the floor were old couches and coffee tables and above were traditional seats.  Grabbed a nice IPA before the show.  When we got out of the movie, they were hosting Bike Prom which appeared to be an excuse to ride your bike there, smoke as much weed in public as you can and get drunk AF.  It was quite a fun scene.  They also had an outdoor screen and showed The Big Lebowski a few days later.  All three movie screens had stages in front of them since they're a live music venue also.

 

[mdleast 8388]

Did you ever see any of the Foleyvision shows? I saw their productions of Turkish Star Wars and Turkish Wizard of Oz, they were fucking great.
https://www.austinchronicle.com/screens/2004-02-20/197912/

I remember seeing the promos for those but it never synced up when we were down in Austin. I remember some of the more experimental programming like that from back in the 4th and Colorado days like Owen screening sex ed films, the series where they had the audience bring in their own short films, the very limited series where they showed bad movies and actually encouraged the audience to heckle and in addition to the original iterations of Weird Wednesday and Terror Thursday

[MAUFRAIS 6675]

QT Fest was great back in the day.

[mdmost 43286]

 

The DFW Alamos will return!

 

 

[mdmost 43286]

And now confirmation from Alamo Drafthouse.

 

[Red Five 41062]

On 6/14/2024 at 7:57 AM, RPM said:

I've never been to Alamo or a dine-in theater. 

I don't like eating during movies, and I definitely don't like watching/listening to other people eat during movies. I wasn't the "never again!" guy back on shaggy but I shared the sentiment. The few times I've been over the last 20 years, I've found everything about it distracting. 

However, my last few trips to the regular theaters have been equally awful. Talking, chewing, getting coughed on.... it's entirely possible I have gone to my last movie in the theater, which is bizarre to say. I just do not enjoy the experience any more, and I think the entire time "I should have just waited to watch this at home". 

[mdmost 43286]

Alamos in DFW are all returning in August. Sucks that it's after Deadpool and Wolverine but great to have official dates.

https://drafthouse.com/dfw/content/closure

ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE DFW OPENING DATES

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is thrilled to announce all of its Dallas-Fort Worth and Twin Cities theaters will be reopened by the end of August. The acclaimed cinema company plans to reopen all of the theaters it recently acquired after their closure as part of the franchisee's Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing (including DFW’s Cedars, Denton, Lake Highlands, Las Colinas, and Richardson locations and the Woodbury location in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota) in stages throughout the month. Tickets for upcoming shows will go on sale on a theater-by-theater basis shortly before each reopening date.

The opening date for each theater is as follows:
Alamo Drafthouse Richardson – August 9
Alamo Drafthouse Lake Highlands – August 13
Alamo Drafthouse Cedars – August 16
Alamo Drafthouse Denton – August 20
Alamo Drafthouse Las Colinas – August 23
Alamo Drafthouse Woodbury – August 27

Beyond simply reopening the theaters, Alamo Drafthouse plans to implement a number of improvements and upgrades to several of the venues. Current plans include state-of-the-art 4K laser projectors and Dolby Atmos sound in a new The Big Show auditorium – Alamo Drafthouse’s premium large format experience – at the Richardson location by Labor Day. At Las Colinas, we will be adding premium recliner seats and 4K laser projectors in time for the Spring 2025 movies.

Before the theaters reopen, Alamo Drafthouse will host a hiring fair for past employees on July 23rd, at the Lake Highlands and Woodbury locations, both to make them whole for lost wages that they were owed before the closure and to give them first access to interviews for open positions. Those who are rehired will receive a more robust benefits plan with immediate eligibility, including access to daily pay, substantial 401k match, paid medical leave, accrued PTO, free mental health services.

“Our number one goal throughout this difficult period has been to do right by the former teammates and get back to providing the exceptional cinema experience our guests deserve,” said Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kustermann. “We’re thrilled to say that that goal is in sight and that we’ll have teammates and guests back in those theaters very soon.”

Each location will host a soft opening celebration for the first two weeks after opening. Guests will enjoy $5 tickets for all shows and 25% off select food and beverage items. Programming for the soft opening includes some of the most anticipated films of the summer, including DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, IT ENDS WITH US, ALIEN: ROMULUS and BLINK TWICE.

Guests who purchased tickets before the shutdown will receive free ticket rainchecks via email once tickets go on sale. Additionally, previously purchased merchandise for INSIDE OUT 2 and DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE will be distributed to guests during the soft opening period. Season Pass members affected by the closure will also be given the opportunity to reactivate their account and receive two months free for doing so once tickets for their preferred theater go on sale.

This news comes amidst a surging box this summer, with titles like BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE, THE BIKERIDERS, LONGLEGS, and INSIDE OUT 2 all major successes for Alamo Drafthouse. With highly anticipated titles like ALIEN: ROMULUS, IT ENDS WITH US, and BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE all releasing during or immediately after the reopening period, movie fans in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Twin Cities areas have a lot to look forward to at Alamo Drafthouse.

Edited July 19 by mdmost

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2741]

I've been to that theater and it is great. 
I was in Fort Collins last week and saw Furiosa, for a second time, at The Lyric. Now that is cool venue. It's like Meow Wolf, Alamo, Mohawk, a food truck, and a dive bar had an orgy baby.  It was probably the worst and one of the best theaters I've ever seen a movie in.  On the floor were old couches and coffee tables and above were traditional seats.  Grabbed a nice IPA before the show.  When we got out of the movie, they were hosting Bike Prom which appeared to be an excuse to ride your bike there, smoke as much weed in public as you can and get drunk AF.  It was quite a fun scene.  They also had an outdoor screen and showed The Big Lebowski a few days later.  All three movie screens had stages in front of them since they're a live music venue also.
 

Missed opportunity if they weren’t playing Rad on the screens.

[UpperWestside 6215]

On 6/27/2024 at 7:54 PM, Red Five said:

I don't like eating during movies, and I definitely don't like watching/listening to other people eat during movies. I wasn't the "never again!" guy back on shaggy but I shared the sentiment. The few times I've been over the last 20 years, I've found everything about it distracting. 

However, my last few trips to the regular theaters have been equally awful. Talking, chewing, getting coughed on.... it's entirely possible I have gone to my last movie in the theater, which is bizarre to say. I just do not enjoy the experience any more, and I think the entire time "I should have just waited to watch this at home". 

Sitting in a theatre is definitely not for everyone. There are things that bug me like people who won’t stop talking. Unless it’s a big movie that I know will be packed I usually avoid going to those showings and opt for ones later at night at an AMC away from the tourist area. That usually works well.

[Helobious 9503]

I’ll never turn down a chance to shit on Alamo. Most normal theaters have reclining seats, improved food options, and alcohol now. What they don’t have is the distraction of incompetent servers walking in front of you, or an 18% service fee automatically added on to your bill (yes that’s a real thing Alamo does).

[mdleast 8388]

Great….

[mdmost 43286]

 

[utee94 15878]

2 hours ago, mdmost said:

 

Yup. Movie theaters are completely dead.

[Deej 77157]

On 7/19/2024 at 8:59 PM, Helobious said:

I’ll never turn down a chance to shit on Alamo. Most normal theaters have reclining seats, improved food options, and alcohol now. What they don’t have is the distraction of incompetent servers walking in front of you, or an 18% service fee automatically added on to your bill (yes that’s a real thing Alamo does).

Good to know I can safely watch a movie at an Alamo theater without running into you. 

[YChang 3472]

Watched Wicket this weekend in Houston while visiting family. Made me wish there was an Alamo Drafthouse in the city. I get what Helo is saying in terms of other theaters catching up in terms of food and comfort. But there’s a cultural difference in the clientele… you just really don’t have annoying talking @#$@ at the Drafthouse. 

[bschoolprof 6280]

2 hours ago, utee94 said:

Yup. Movie theaters are completely dead.

just mostly dead.  

[Eskimohorn 5654]

just mostly dead.  

Mostly.

[mdleast 8388]

[mdmost 43286]

4 hours ago, YChang said:

Watched Wicket this weekend in Houston while visiting family

[Gene Parmesan 4022]

No one goes to the movies anymore they are too crowded 

[Firemans4Horn 18300]

IMAX, COSM, Sphere are the future. People will pay a premium for immersive experiences.