'It feels amazing': New Yorkers cheer reopening of movie theaters

[rooster59]

'It feels amazing': New Yorkers cheer reopening of movie theaters

 

Opening signage is seen outside IFC Center movie theatre amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., March 5, 2021. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City's cinemas re-opened on Friday after nearly a year of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, an encouraging sign for the city's residents that life in the Big Apple may start to normalize again.

 

Movie houses opened to 25% capacity, with no more than 50 people per screen, following New York state guidelines released in February by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

 

"It feels amazing. It feels really good," said one New York City resident, Alex, who declined to give his last name. "As soon as I read the movie theaters were open, I got a ticket literally 10 minutes later."

 

Moviegoers must wear masks and obey social distancing rules, and are encouraged to use disinfectant wipes and sanitizers, which are placed throughout theaters.

 

The nearly year-long lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has hurt theater operators nationwide and many chains are struggling to stay afloat.

 

Studios Walt Disney Co and Warner Bros have moved to release movies directly on online streaming platforms.

 

"Well, it feels great, especially after so much time, said Damian Begley, a New York City resident. "I don't subscribe to any streaming services, so... it feels so good to be back."

 

AMC Entertainment Holdings said it reopened all its 13 theaters in New York City on March 5. Rival Cinemark did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

"We're seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. This road to recovery is happening," said Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

 

And although streaming will continue to play an important role, Dergarabedian said he believed cinemas would recover over time. "I'm very optimistic about the future of the movie theater industry," he said.

 

(Reporting by Aleksandra Michalska; writing by Diane Craft; editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-03-06

 

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[Surelynot]

I can see them now......talking loudly, on their phones and eating rubbish out of crinkly packets.....nightmare.

[sirineou]

Movie theaters had been on the decline before the pandemic, social distancing and limited attendance is not going to help the recovery of the industry  IMO. But it is good to see steps towards normalcy taking place.  

I can not  remember the last time I went to a movie, my 60" screen TV is fine by me,  my popcorn only cost pennies. and my refrigerator is only steps away. 

[Airalee]

2 hours ago, sirineou said:

Movie theaters had been on the decline before the pandemic, social distancing and limited attendance is not going to help the recovery of the industry  IMO. But it is good to see steps towards normalcy taking place.  

I can not  remember the last time I went to a movie, my 60" screen TV is fine by me,  my popcorn only cost pennies. and my refrigerator is only steps away. 

They were definitely in decline.  In fact, going to movies in Los Angeles, Chiang Mai and Bangkok over the last decade, I can’t remember there ever being over 50 people (the new limit) in the theater.  A couple times, in Chiang Mai,  I was the only patron and one theater here in Bangkok (about 5 years ago) refused to sell me a ticket because they hadn’t reached the minimum 4 (four) customers in order to go ahead with the screening.

[impulse]

4 hours ago, sirineou said:

I can not  remember the last time I went to a movie, my 60" screen TV is fine by me,  my popcorn only cost pennies. and my refrigerator is only steps away. 

 

And I haven't lost an entire evening if I decide to quit watching a suckbutt movie after 10 minutes.  I just pop in a different one.

 

[Susco]

4 hours ago, sirineou said:

Movie theaters had been on the decline before the pandemic, social distancing and limited attendance is not going to help the recovery of the industry  IMO. But it is good to see steps towards normalcy taking place.  

I can not  remember the last time I went to a movie, my 60" screen TV is fine by me,  my popcorn only cost pennies. and my refrigerator is only steps away. 

 

And the new movie is 3 months away, if it is a A-grade movie, before a HD copy is available for download

[sirineou]

26 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

And the new movie is 3 months away, if it is a A-grade movie, before a HD copy is available for download

I can wait.

and apparently so do most people, which is why movie theaters are on the decline. 

I am not saying that there are no movies worth going to the movie theater for, I would go to the movies to see the New Avatar , but not enough to keep the industry viable.  

[sirineou]

34 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

And I haven't lost an entire evening if I decide to quit watching a suckbutt movie after 10 minutes.  I just pop in a different one.

 

it's funny you would say that. I was just talking about that with my daughter , concerning Netflix. 

I would watch a movie, and it would suck so much I would turn it off after 10 minutes, next day, " because you watched X movie,here are more like it"  LOL

Let's face it , at 63 years old  , they don't make movies for me  anymore.  Every other movie is about witches, vampires, and superheroes. 

 

[Susco]

3 minutes ago, sirineou said:

I would go to the movies to see the New Avatar

 

That is such another thing. Regardless of how big your tv screen and how good your sound system, most movies you will never get the same experience as in a theatre.

 

5 minutes ago, sirineou said:

I can wait.

and apparently so do most people, which is why movie theaters are on the decline. 

 

I think the real reason is that cinemas have become unaffordable.

 

Going to the movies with the family these days cost you a day wage, if you really want to enjoy yourself, while streaming is free

[impulse]

9 minutes ago, Susco said:

I think the real reason is that cinemas have become unaffordable.

 

Going to the movies with the family these days cost you a day wage, if you really want to enjoy yourself, while streaming is free

 

I remember as a kid, Mom and Dad popping all 5 of us kids in the station wagon and going to the drive-in, where we were charged by the carload.  Or the neighborhood Moms used to drop us off at the matinee with $2 or $3 for the movie, popcorn, a drink and free baby-sitting while they went out shopping.

 

Of course, I also remember when the bleacher seats at the Cubs games were about $2.

 

Edit:  It worked.  It got us addicted to movies.  For years, the big discussion with all my friends at school was "what movie are we going to see Friday night?"  We probably saw 20 or 30 movies a year.  But that was severely curtailed when we got old enough to drink...

 

Edited March 6, 2021 by impulse

[sirineou]

8 minutes ago, Susco said:

I think the real reason is that cinemas have become unaffordable.

 

Going to the movies with the family these days cost you a day wage, if you really want to enjoy yourself, while streaming is free

A chicken or the egg  question.

I am certainly not an expert on the subject, but Personally I think it has become uncomfortable because  not enough people go to share the operating costs and  provide  a profit, 

IMO , with so much competition from other entertainment delivery systems, , it is simply an outdated delivery system of entertainment. 

[RichardColeman]

Wont post the link but enthusiasm for the cinema in India for 'Avengers endgame main on end ASSEMBLE ,CHENNAI, South India ROHINI Theatre reaction' would have me going nuts watching in a cinema

[Meat Pie 47]

16 minutes ago, sirineou said:

it's funny you would say that. I was just talking about that with my daughter , concerning Netflix. 

I would watch a movie, and it would suck so much I would turn it off after 10 minutes, next day, " because you watched X movie,here are more like it"  LOL

Let's face it , at 63 years old  , they don't make movies for me  anymore.  Every other movie is about witches, vampires, and superheroes. 

 

I agree but I still enjoyed Twilight and the follow ups