AMC Garden State 16
One Garden State Plaza,
Paramus,
NJ
07652
One Garden State Plaza,
Paramus,
NJ
07652
13 people
favorited this theater
Showing 226 - 250 of 272 comments
What Paramus (and the northern NJ area needs) is a multiplex situated with tons of parking and situated so that it is the only occupant. The problem with this particular theater (as I mentioned before) is that mall parking especially on Saturday nights (granted, Sundays are much better due to Bergen’s Blue Laws). If you see a late-ish movie that gets out after 10:00 PM, the only way out of the mall is through the exits onto Route 17 south and onto Route 4. The exits into neighboring Rochelle Park and closed off. It can take up to a half hour to get out.
just what Paramus needs…a fake IMAX screen when there’s a Domed IMAX screen to the south of town, an IMAX theater to the east of town, and one up north.
possible digital IMAX coming soon at this location within few months
At the mall near this theater, one of the actors from “Harry Potter 6” was at the Hot Topic store, a few days before the movie came out. Have things improved at this theater since it opened?
On the Baristanet website, there’s an article by a local moviegoer critic praising the theater as the one with the best sound and best picture in North Jersey. Just google “clifton commons” (one of the sister theaters) on the Google News website and there will be an article about this guy, who does 10-minute video reviews on Youtube.
How has attendance at this theater done since it opened two years ago? It’s too bad that the Tenplex is now plastered with graffiti and crawling with bugs and mice, and its sister theater, the Triplex, is now a parking lot (just like Shea Stadium). This theater could be the only cash cow that will help the mall, even on days when it doesn’t make money on Sundays and holidays.
This theater is the third mutliplex with DLP in Bergen County. The other two are in Edgewater and in Ridgewood. All are showing in Up in 3D. Was this place selling out of tickets when Up 3D opened? It will still play until Ice Age 3D comes out…
Is this theater the busiest of all the 16 screen AMC theaters in North Jersey? I think so, since Clifton’s not far behind and Rockaway is in third.
In terms of how this theater looks, it’s beautiful, big and nicely laid out. The problems stem from the fact that this place attracts a huge crowd on weekends. I think that if they kept the other ten plex open, both theaters could’ve survived and even thrived because, as far as movie theaters go, this area is under served (Remember: Paramus has two Toys r us', three Gaps, two Macy’s etc. So it stands to reason that another (albeit) smaller multiplex could do well.
In going to this theater, one has to know that weekends (esp. Saturday nights) are deadly. Give yourself an hour at least to get in. Between the horrible parking at the mall and the crowds, you have to give yourself some extra time. And of course, it depends on what you’re seeing. Going to an anticipated movie on its first weekend out? Give yourself TWO hours.
I think (overall) management does a decent job of handling things here. It could so easily get out of hand because you have a lot of different ethnic and socio-econmoic groups (welcome to the Garden State Plaza Mall) all mingling here. They’ve got their hands full.
One last gripe (and it’s not about the theater but about those going to the movies): IF you know you’re seeing an anticipated movie on its opening weekend, do you really think you’re going to get a good seat coming in 10 minutes before the posted start time??? My wife and I get chuckles watching these late comers as they round the corner and see how full the theater is. And then they start the “is that seat taken” routine. I have not experienced this any where else like I do here.
the new jonas brothers movie is playing on the two dlp screens, while coraline is in 2d. the next 3d movie will be monsters vs aliens, followed by ice age 3.
Ever since this theater opened near the mall, customer traffic near the shopping center has increased, even on sundays when the nearby mall is closed and there is ample parking day and night although getting there is tricky.
Check this link out….
http://tinyurl.com/57oq8n
BTW, has attendance at this theater dropped because of the slowing economy at the nearby mall?
My mistake. i was too tired when i posted the little tidbit on Beowulf 3D (I was watching the World Series after I got done work, at my theatre carding for Saw V).
Actually, MikeRa, if you’d taken the time to look it up on IMDB you’ll find that Beowulf 3D was released on November 17, 2007 – this theater opened in May 2007, if my memory serves me correctly I think I saw it on the Sunday night of its opening weekend. I understand AMC has its policies, perhaps more education is required upfront (maybe a sign informing ticket purchasers that R-rated films require an accompanying parent or adult guardian and that IDs may be checked at the door). As I had said I don’t object to the enforcement of policies for films such as the Saw series, its the tone of their enforcement as a customer, one that is way over 17, that I had objected to – as well as the efficiency in enforcing the policies. Any business should offer quality customer service and on this front they didn’t really deliver. I hope the other theaters mentioned above had better systems than Garden State. (I’ve also seen the check ID at the door system, create long lines at Clifton Commons)
As for the MPAA, I agree with movie534 – without writing an entire essay on the subject the MPAA’s R-rating has become too broad, encompassing films like Slumdog Millionaire (which I saw in Toronto and was shocked to learn it had received an R-rating, because, it may be one that teens may want to see and there is no reason they shouldn’t be able to alone, a PG-13 would have been fair) and Saw. The MPAA system is voluntary, aside from a few states and jurisdictions where it is law (it is a state law in NJ, but I know Cedar Grove’s town laws require its cinema to enforce the guidelines). Without saying too much I’ll point you to Kirby Dick’s This Film is Not Yet Rated – a great example of just how stupid the system is. We do need a system and guidelines, but to me there is a clear distinction between Billy Elliot (also rated R) and Saw V, while Crossroads (a film with a horrible moral for young women: you should loose your virginity to a dangerous looking older dude because he drives a cool car) is PG-13. The R and the PG-13 ratings have become awfully bloated, while the NC-17, a perfectly good rating, goes unused because god forbid someone make a film exclusively for adults – those wackos over at Cinemark won’t show it.
Not to nit pick MikeRa, but theatres are not forced to card. Many of them do only because they dont want to be the one who gets caught letting in underage kids. The MPAA doesn’t care if you card or not. They just rate the film. I have been saying for years, they should keep the “G” “PG” which could cover your pre-teens till like age 16 or 17, bring back the “M” which could cover the group who wants to see Saw etc, the “R” would cover extreme violence or sex, and “NC-17” for what it is intended. But I’m just one fish in the ocean.
Every AMC Theatres locations, as well as other theatres (Regal, National Amusements, Cinemark ect…), were carding this weekend for Saw V becaues it is required by the MPAA (which gave the film a “R” rating).
When Beowulf 3D was released, the AMC Garden State 16 was still being built, unless it was shown at the old AMC/RKO Stanley Warner’s Paramus Route 4 Theatre.
I was at AMC Garden State 16 for Saw V last night – strange showing and I have a few notes on it: first was the crowds and the ID checks, which created a long than need to be line, they weren’t terribly efficient at this, and for what – an MPAA system that really doesn’t work. Secondly, I don’t know if there was a group making trouble, I didn’t notice them, but at least 5 of their relatively useless security guards came in and kicked them out, gladly they weren’t with little resistance, because if they didn’t I would have complained about this: you can’t ruin a movie experience for 400 other people to kick out 6. I say the security guards there are useless and I’ll cite two incidents: at a certain point in the theater’s history it was the subject of folks in the mall randomly pulling alarms, causing the staff to evacuate the theater. I see 5 films a week, and in 10 years of this habit, I’ve only ever been evacuated from a theater three times: the first at the Sunshine in Manhattan was an actual emergency. The other two were at AMC Garden State. Adult security guards stood by while 16-year olds in red AMC polo shirts lead the evacuation.
The second incident occurred at a 3-D showing of Beowulf, when I got up to complain about a guy on his cell phone and when I turned the corner I found it was a security guard. I stared at him and he said “can I help you” and I said “sure, you mind taking that conversation outside” and he said “I’m on the phone with my boss” – I said “that’s nice, I paid $14 to see this movie, I don’t need to hear you, take the call in the hallway” – the then replied “do you know who your talking to, I’m the security guard”. Stupid wannabe cop. (Meanwhile he had patrons sitting on the stairs, which is a fire hazard)
I complained to the management who offered up a free pass, what I really wanted those was an apology from the guard and an acknowledgment as to why what he did was wrong, AMC’s management said they couldn’t since they outsource security to a private firm, they took my info and I have yet to get a call back from the guy’s boss. I’m still holding that free pass.
I’m not in this targeted group, I consider myself to be a sophisticated movie goer, and I like theaters with good customer service (Edgewater Multiplex still is the gold standard in Northern NJ) – while I understand the company has its policies, its security guards and staff need to start treating their filmgoers like paying customers and not criminals, regardless of their age. If 16 years get fed up and decided to stop showing up, AMC doesn’t have a future. Its more of the tone of their interactions I object to than then their enforcement of policies.
This past weekend, Star Wars returned to Paramus, but this time in a year-old theater. It’s being shown in plain old 35mm and Dolby EX on one screen, and this one will fare worse than all six star wars movies at the old tenplex, not to mention the special editions and re-releases that made the franchise what it is today. Two 3-D movies are playing at this theater, the hit “Journey” and the flop “Fly Me To The Moon”.
Went here today for the first time ever and saw “Iron Man” in No. 9 – I felt like I was walking into a cathedral rather than a movie theater. The lobby is huge and impressive, especially the mural which wraps around the three main walls and depicts various cinema stars, as are the black-and-white classic film portraits that are situated outside the individual theaters. A huge step up, at least aesthetically, from a lot of other AMC theaters I’ve been to.
Happy 1st birthday, GS 16!!! How is Indy doing at this theater? The last three movies did boffo box office at the old theater when it was seven (Raiders, Temple) to ten (Last Crusade) screens, as well as the triplex when it moved over there for other product. FYI, Indy 4 is being shown in good old 35mm and Dolby Digital 5.1. Last year, Pirates 3 moved over from the old theater into the new one, making “Bug” the first new movie to be played there on opening day, as “At World’s End” opened the night before the grand opening. Since then, many DLP showings, as well as the return of 3D to Paramus, brought moviegoers back to this theater but not those who prefer the original tenplex, which will become a Lowes store, as well as its sister theater, which is now a massive parking lot.
btw, the projection of 21 wasn’t digital. It was very blurry, simliar to Rockaway but on a bigger screen that filled half the screen and with more seats. The crowds are more louder than in Rockaway, and the staff is nicer. I’d say this is AMC’s best theater I’ve been to since the old Rockaway theater. There are more ticket atms around the theater than in Rockaway, although the exterior is not as exciting as Rockaway, with its giant movie posters on the left, front, and right side of the theater.
seating should be listed as 4900.
just came back from the movies seeing “21” in theater #2, which has around 500+ seats. #1 has “Horton” and seats around 540+. The presentation was 35mm film, and there were a few instances of splicing and discoloration after the film presentation was delayed for a few minutes…but the screen I saw it on was bigger than the widescreen in Rockaway, plus the sound was great and the seating nice. On the way to the auditorium, one of the workers gave me back my AMC gift card, and she was courteous!!! Parking here is a hassle, even on the day before Sundays!!! The popcorn was ok, very salty near the end. The crowd was well behaved too.
Found this excerpt from some website:
“2. Paramus, New Jersey: Squad car responded to disturbance at AMC multiplex of female minor standing up during showing of ATONEMENT, screaming an obscenity. Complainant was the female’s mother, who requested that officers “wash out the little brat’s mouth†because she had said “the bad C-word.†Officers removed the complainant and the female subject from the theater."
Here’s the link…
View link
someone should correct the spelling of auditorium in the summary…my mistake. What this theater lacks is an IMAX screen, which the Lincoln Square and Palisades Center right across the hudson have. On Sundays, is most of the traffic in Paramus due to the theater? I heard rumors that the blue laws might be lifted in Bergen County soon…