Comments from John Fink

Showing 126 - 150 of 745 comments

John Fink
John Fink commented about Teaneck Cinemas on Dec 10, 2012 at 12:34 am

Interesting the Teaneck Film Fest is interested: they used this theatre and a few other venues around town (we saw a screening at the fest a few years ago that played in a conference room at a law office – yet the audience was very engaged and the Q & A following the movie was great).

If they had deeper pockets (and/or found money for this kind of project) a real art house eliminating that “4th theatre' (and converting it into a gallery or reception space) might be something the community could support with filmmaker events and family programing. Despite parking being a little bit of a pain, the location is viable, it just requires an extensive remodeling job. Or, perhaps its on Alamo Drafthouse' radar – they have 3 projects under construction in the area now (Yonkers, NYC and Brooklyn) and they like to redo historic theatres.

John Fink
John Fink commented about Cinemark signs deal to buy Rave Cinemas on Nov 20, 2012 at 7:41 pm

Cinemark is generally okay – apart from their new builds which don’t contain proper masking for scope features, at least I was told this by a manager at their Stroud Mall location (I hope he was wrong, his logic is “because most movies aren’t made for scope these days – this new location doesn’t contain masking for scope movies”). Um-kay: there’s someone who has no idea what he’s talking about, it’s not like the academy ratio.

John Fink
John Fink commented about Cinemark signs deal to buy Rave Cinemas on Nov 19, 2012 at 10:43 am

They aren’t buying the whole company, there will still be at about 10 Rave Cinemas sites that Cinemark isn’t picking up (not sure which).

John Fink
John Fink commented about Digital Cinema Destinatio​ns may be eyeing acquisitio​n of Clearview on Nov 14, 2012 at 12:42 am

Mayo is an pioneer in the arena of digital exhibition and I like Digiplex’s commitment to alternative content and independent film. More screens more ways to leverage this material could make it work in a low risk way. Clearview (mostly do to a lack of digital screens) really didn’t leverage the IFC connection enough. I don’t think you can show an indie film 6 times a day for a week – but a new indie, foreign film or doc at 8PM every wednesday – that could work if you cultivate an audience for it.

Digiplex has the chance to do that (they run the DigiNext project) and perhaps expand that mission out by market and even multiplex. From what I’ve read is they seem to get it and expanding screen count (although I hope they make some major changes at Clearview – apart from the popcorn, Clearivew has good popcorn) – a real commitment to interesting alternative programing could be great and Mayo and team get this concept for sure. Worth noting is Clearview serves some diverse markets – and it would be great to see more diversity reflected in the form of weekly screenings of non-Hollywood content tailored to a specific audience at a specific plex, the possibilities are endless especially for smaller high quality indies with very limited distribution.

John Fink
John Fink commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on Nov 4, 2012 at 11:58 am

I don’t know if DigPlex improves theaters apart from digital projection – Clearview is such a mixed bag of good and awful locations. Maybe they could partner up with Bow Tie, who I also think has a likely candidate to take over Clearview and split up the chain accordingly. Alternative content probably would be a benefit for the Ziegfeld which is a premiere house managed by one the worst theatre chains. I do like Bud Mayo’s ideas including his proactive approach to indie films (I’m not sure what the audiences are like for them, but they’re doing it in a low risk way).

John Fink
John Fink commented about Regal Opry Mills 20 & IMAX on Nov 3, 2012 at 9:11 pm

Regal has been downgrading to D-IMAX circuit-wide. It sucks on huge screens where all the pixels are showing.

John Fink
John Fink commented about AMC Penn Square 10 on Oct 26, 2012 at 10:57 am

AMC is taking it over with power recliners and stadium seating.

John Fink
John Fink commented about West Nursery Cinemas on Oct 22, 2012 at 10:13 pm

This one and Simsbury Commons (Simsbury CT) still operate as “Hoyts” – I know “Northeast Cinemas LLC” ran all of the non-Regal purchased sites until they were taken over by others. Bow Tie and National Amusements took over sites that fit their business model that Regal didn’t – leaving ultimately a few. Whomever is running these though is converting them to digital – it’s not entirely unlikely its Hoyts Australia – – after all AMC is stuck with one location in Canada and one in the UK.

John Fink
John Fink commented about Bloomington 13 at Mall of America on Oct 21, 2012 at 12:44 am

Phase 2 is set to include “state of the art theaters” – – no word which exhibitor they are courting (or if the mall’s developers Triple Five will operate any new cinemas – – Tripple Five is also involved in the new (well very very behind schedule) American Dream complex.)

Cineplex runs a Scotibank location at Triple Fives' other mega mall West Edmonton – but Ellis Jacobs has stated Cineplex has no desire to return to the US even though they are interested in expanding to other english-speaking territories).

John Fink
John Fink commented about Tejon Theatre on Oct 17, 2012 at 1:49 pm

Here’s another article with details about the Tejon as the Leauges expand their awesome Alamo concept: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/224235

It is great to have a theatre run by people who care so much about the experience on every level – right down to in-theater pyrotechnics and themed food specials.

John Fink
John Fink commented about “Halloween” returns to the big screen at Classic Cinemas! on Oct 17, 2012 at 1:19 pm

Other theatre chains are showing it. Screenvision is presenting it.

John Fink
John Fink commented about Cinemark buys sixteen theaters from Rave on Oct 16, 2012 at 11:32 am

I was wondering if they’d go for the mess that is Clearview Cinemas. They currently don’t operate cinemas in NJ and only have one way out in South/West NY. That would be bad in that Carmike doesn’t really have a serious commitment to art films (Clearview does, all be it with awful presentation) – and I believe they may have a policy against showing unrated and NC-17 films.

Otherwise it should be noted the theaters Carmike is buying from Rave were owned by “Rave Reviews” – the former parent company and owner of the “Rave Motion Pictures” brand. When “Rave Cinemas” was formed through refinancing (which led to the expansion via acquiring half of National Amusements) – they bought a few sites and left these 16 with their parent company. Rave Cinemas was managing these sites.

It should be interesting in certain markets: Leigh Valley has a Rave (in an upscale shopping district) and a Carmike (by the airport) – – the Carmike isn’t well regarded (it’s a bit dated) – – should be interesting to see what happens there.

And here’s where I must disclose I own a small amount of stock in Carmike. The analysis in the theatre sectors points to further consolidation of regional operators, and its unclear if Carmike will be consolidated into one of the larger players or become one. The stock is considered undervalued by some analysts – along with the believe that Regal is as well (they also thing that spike two weeks ago in Regal Stock was related to some speculation that RGC might be acquired by private equity now that they are finally profitable).

Longterm I’m wondering if the US evolve into what Canada has – two major chains (Cinplex and Empire), a smaller one with a focus on discount operations (Rainbow/Magic Lantern), a strong regional exhibitor in QB (Guzzo), and very few independent chains/operators. (and one AMC just left there – – actually in the US that exists now, Hoyts has two sites still operating)

John Fink
John Fink commented about Channelside Cinema 10 closes in Tampa on Oct 9, 2012 at 8:01 pm

We had gotten lost trying to find it many years ago upon visiting Tampa for the day – I believe it had opened as an art house in addition to its IMAX theatre.

John Fink
John Fink commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on Oct 8, 2012 at 9:20 pm

Markp – they did call to apologize today after I submitted a feedback form that appeared in my email this morning. A GM or DM offered free passes (something the manager did not do for those 6 folks that hung around to complain about the light on last night).

I refused to take them up on the offer, telling him that Clearview should be ashamed at their presentation standards circuit-wide – – especially at Kin-Mall and Montclair. I really do hope they are sold to a good exhibitor (in a perfect world they’d be split amongst several good exhibitors whose business models fit each property). Digital in some respects may fix these issues, if they mount a projector and go “boothless” in a few auditoriums that have issues, they can fix the awful keystoning.

John Fink
John Fink commented about Update on The Ziegfeld: 'The Master' doesn't help on Oct 8, 2012 at 12:18 am

Awful experience at The Ziegfeld tonight – perhaps the reason its loosing money is Clearview is an awful operator. I want to like the chain – they and AMC own virtually every theater in NJ, but they make it so impossible with their awful attention to presentation. Tonight a blue anti-piracy light was shinning on the audience every two-minutes we were blinded for half a second, which management claimed to be a malfunctioning device that sat above stage right.

Can other folks involved in exhibition chime in – is this a normal thing, every 2 minutes? (Often Clearview has no idea what they are talking about, if a film is out of frame the staff will insult me by saying “the film was sent to us that way” or “we can’t change that, sorry”).

Uhhhhh – – I wish a really good exhibitor will take them over (National Amusements, Dipson, Kerasotes, Alamo Drafthouse —– please each take whichever site is suited to your business model away from this miserable chain!)

John Fink
John Fink commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on Oct 8, 2012 at 12:10 am

I saw The Master tonight in 70MM and wish I could say it was an excellent screening – – leave it to Clearview to screw up the premiere movie house in NYC.

They have an anti-piracy system that had malfunctioned, it essentially is a blue searchlight that sits atop the screen, stage right that scans theatre for anyone cam-cordering the film EVERY 2 MINUTES. So every two minutes I was taken out of the immersive experience of 70MM with a blue light in my face for a few seconds. According the manager it was a malfunctioning system, but still – WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS. How often does it shine a blue light in the audience (and it projected it up to the top levels of back of the theatre, like a search light) when it functions correctly. Once is even too often.

Way to prevent piracy – by making the full price experience unwatchable. I will be writing a letter to Clearview’s corporate office and sending a copy to the MPAA.

John Fink
John Fink commented about New quad theater set to open in downtown Hartford, CT; first in decades on Oct 2, 2012 at 1:45 pm

This venue sounds great, much like the Violet Crown in Austin which works really well within the Second Ave district, not sure if it’ll work as brilliantly in Hartford but it does make sense. There is no movie-going options in the city (apart from the occasional screenings at Wadsworth). I do very much like the way Violet Crown is programed, often with hip upscale movies (like Celeste & Jesse Forever) and I think thats a nitche that can give it an advantage over Art @ Cinema City and what was in the planning stages intended as an art house in Blue Back Square.

Programing for the community is key – I imagine if they replicate with great programing both on screen and live entertainment in the lounge they can build an audience of young professionals and folks on date night and it’ll be a cool place. Hartford could use that kind of venue. If they program it with multiplex crap you can see at Buckland Hills it will suck.

John Fink
John Fink commented about Cinepolis Succasunna on Oct 1, 2012 at 3:58 pm

@ Hammer – the upstairs theaters were gutted back in 2005 (the whole building was closed for a few months while they built two new screens). I don’t see any evidence, with the refacing it looks like a normal modern multiplex. (inside it still has issues including sound bleeding from auditorium to auditorium, unless its been corrected in the last 5 years).

John Fink
John Fink commented about City of Aurora Survey results in: most want the Century 16 reopened on Oct 1, 2012 at 3:54 pm

These news stories are all like a month behind….

John Fink
John Fink commented about AMC Center Valley 16 on Oct 1, 2012 at 2:17 pm

One of 16 theaters Rave Cinemas operated on behalf of its former parent company Rave Reviews Cinemas, and was included in the sale to Carmike.

John Fink
John Fink commented about Cinemark Buckland Hills 18 + IMAX on Sep 27, 2012 at 2:32 am

It’s actually 18 screens now – – two were added before Rave took it over (right around the time East Hartford and East Windsor shut down).

John Fink
John Fink commented about Update on The Ziegfeld: 'The Master' doesn't help on Sep 26, 2012 at 4:02 pm

I still have no clue who’d want to buy Clearview Cinemas which is a mixed bag with several decent multiplexes and many more that were cheaply constructed, lack stadium seating – oh, and will have to be upgraded to digital – – like really soon. Interestingly when I was home last in NJ, two theaters I visited The Clairidge (Montclair) and Sunshine (NYC, run by Landmark Theaters) both showed first run films in 35MM. In Buffalo, NY – – a city otherwise a good 20-30 years behind the times culturally, our two main art houses (Amherst and Eastern Hills, run by Dipson) just went 100% digital.

John Fink
John Fink commented about Tilton Square Theatre on Sep 25, 2012 at 10:47 pm

Currently closed – – however they’ll be getting an IMAX screen (not sure if its a retrofit with stadium seating or a new addition…)

John Fink
John Fink commented about Movieland 8 Theatres on Sep 25, 2012 at 9:53 am

There’s a reason not to eat the popcorn. It is a small business running on very tight margins and I’m not sure if they’ll convert to digital (they were asking folks on their Facebook page to vote for Movieland for a $250,000 small business grant). It looks Movieland, Market Arcade and North Park will be the last to go digital, if at all.

John Fink
John Fink commented about AMC Block E 15 on Sep 24, 2012 at 1:19 pm

Officially closed. So it looks like the strategy Crown Theatres once had for building these sites failed – – http://www.specialtyretail.net/issues/nov98/CROWN.adding%20gems%20to%20the%20crown.htm (consider the level of underperformers they’ve had including three failed multiplexes – Neonopolis, Block E and Abacore) – – I believe this one closed because they had a deal that essentially allowed them to not pay rent as long as they made under a certain number, no wonder AMC wanted to stick around.