AMC Rockaway 16

just checked out the advance tickets for the rockaway and for the first time this theater will host an NCM event. Glenn Beck, a conservative TV host best known for his short lived tv show on Headline News, will host Beck ‘08 (no relation to the singer) on the same day as the Dark Knight movie. It will be projected using the same format as the digital preshow. As for that other movie, it won’t be shown in IMAX as originally planned; looks like I have to head to Palisades Center or Lincoln Square to watch the Dark Knight the way it’s supposed to be seen.

Went with my aunt to see what will probably be Adam Sandler’s lowpoint of his career…that Zohan movie. It was playing in theater 12, still with the right front channel out but all four channels plus the subwoofer were working good. The projection was a bit blurry at the beginning with “The Rocker” trailer, but by the next trailer, it was a bit sharper. Not only that, but some of the titles on screen emited some glows around the letters. Also, the picture was somewhat cut off by misplaced framing, mostly to the left of the screen as AMC prefers showing it movies in a ratio simliar to HD (1.78 as opposed to 1.85) for matte films.

The policy of bringing in outside food changed at the same time AMC bought General Cinema from US Bankruptcy Court.

some people think the movie will have less talk than other pixar movies, with the only speech being the robot’s bloops and bleeps. But I think it will do good business as other pixar movies have done in the past. This is the second Pixar movie to be played at the Rockaway theater but not the first time in town. Cars played at this theater during a free preview, and Monsters Inc was the last pixar movie at the old theater before it closed shop. Pixar movies are supposed to be seen in DLP, since its computer animated. I’m not sure if Rockaway will show Wall*E in DLP or just plain 35mm.

Advance ticketing is now avaible for “Wanted” and “Hancock”, both regular 35mm presentations. No advance ticketing for Wall E yet until tomorrow night, as that movie might be Pixar’s first bomb. Still dissapointed that IMAX in Rockaway will have to wait until after Xmas.

The timing of the IMAX system two years after the theater opened is a good thing. Usually it takes two years for a new theater to get good box office, and that encourages companies to install digital systems in the theaters. Clearview was lucky to install digital projection in nearly all of its newer theaters first with the Real D deal that began back in March of last year with “Meet the Robinsons” and quickly expanded earlier this year as the box office was up during the 1Q of this year. Now that attendance is finally up from last year (due to a lot of good summer movies and the record heat that is now gone), IMAX is slowly rolling out its projection system in a few cities and will complete it by 2009, which is when Avatar comes out.

From the IMAX website, Rockaway is not listed as getting an IMAX until at least after November. Rockaway is not even on the schedule yet. Apparently, the installations are taking longer to roll out than they had thought.

and so little time.

One other note, they replaced the Journey 3D poster and put in the regular version, and near the snack stand a big H featuring Will Smith (for Hancock) is there. Don’t forget that Sex and the City opens this coming weekend in Rockaway!!! As for the framing of Indy 4, they did a good job, with slight darkness near the bottom and sides of the screen. There were some splices near the end of the movie and on the Hellboy II trailer, as well as some splotches of black. So far, most of the theaters around my area are not showing Indy 4 in digital, just good old film. And that’s the way Spielberg intended to be, alongside his friend Lucas. Too bad this theater is not THX certified like Clifton Commons, Bridgewater, or Essex Green, which I haven’t been to. I think THX wouldn’t like the way the theater was built, as sound bleeds into the wall of each theater.

Since they will install a new Imax system just in time for the new batman movie, a new position would be needed for someone to run the digital system. What’s the status on the IMAX? I read that it’s not listed in the July openings.

movie534, I’m not sure where you’re getting your information about AMC from but AMC has not cut any booth managers. They have not and will not (at least in the near future) cut or reassigned any manager, let alone a booth manager. If there has been a particular manager or set of managers that have been reassigned or cut, it’s probably because they weren’t doing their jobs effectively.

Just to let you in on some inside scoop Justin, AMC recently slashed theatre budgets across the country. All the theatres lost their projection booth managers. They have all been either let go, or reassigned as regular house managers. Presentations should take a nose dive now. But don’t worry, if you’re not happy, they will give you a pass to come back. You will have already spent $10 to $12 at the concession stand. And THAT is all that matters to any of these big chains, AMC, clearview, regal, etc.

I checked out the upcoming movie schedule for this theater, and Narnia will play on 4 screens this weekend; next weekend, Indy will be on 4 or more screens and will be shown in 35mm. Spielberg shot this movie on plain old film rather than digital as opposed to the producer of the movie, George Lucas, who is a supporter of digital cinema ever since Episode I came out in Paramus and Secaucus.