Going to the Cinema during Covid

McDermotX

Not sure SteM.....I'd imagine they probably are operating alternate rows, as its probably a requirement for all cinemas to operate if they want to open.
Just had some lad telling me this morning while he was getting his Tenet tickets.

Edit - actually, looking there myself there seems to be only 1 VIP row in operation so that is most likely the case, think there's normally 3 off the top of my head. Of course, they're pounding screenings out every 20mins to make up for it.

F1ngers

Anyone get past the phone no. on Vue booking. Won't accept +353 or 00353.

Banjaxed82

Where do you guys go to the cinema?! I'm a Cineworld card holder for a decade now and I could count on one hand how many experiences were ruined by other audience members.

I get the impression there are some people who love the cinema experience, but can't tolerate any human activity around them....like any activity....at all.

P.S. I've had more film experiences ruined during this lock down, than the last decade in Cineworld.

flasher0030

Banjaxed82 wrote: »

Where do you guys go to the cinema?! I'm a Cineworld card holder for a decade now and I could count on one hand how many experiences were ruined by other audience members.

I get the impression there are some people who love the cinema experience, but can't tolerate any human activity around them....like any activity....at all.

P.S. I've had more film experiences ruined during this lock down, than the last decade in Cineworld.

I can hack a bit of food munching for the first 20 mins. And little bit of chatter. But, depending on type of film you go to, if you get a group of young teens, many times they have no concept of other people's enjoyment in the film. It hasn't happened too much to me.
I've only had one horrible experience. Father and teenage son in front of me in VUE liffey valley. Father into the film, son had no interest. Every minute or so, son was texting on the phone. Doesn’t seem like much of an issue, but it just got on my nerves – the glow of the phone. And I just got worked up.
In hindsight, I wish I had said something, or I could have just moved. But I presumed it would stop. And after a while,I got consumed by the whole thing and couldn't enjoy the film.

SimonTemplar

However you feel about the MCU, there was always a fantastic atmosphere in a big sold out screen during their opening weekends.

AMKC

McDermotX wrote: »

Not sure SteM.....I'd imagine they probably are operating alternate rows, as its probably a requirement for all cinemas to operate if they want to open.
Just had some lad telling me this morning while he was getting his Tenet tickets.

Edit - actually, looking there myself there seems to be only 1 VIP row in operation so that is most likely the case, think there's normally 3 off the top of my head. Of course, they're pounding screenings out every 20mins to make up for it.

It depends on the size of the screen. If its screen 1 or 2 there's 3 or 4 rows of VIP Seating but the smaller screens might only have 1 or 2 rows.

gmisk

SteM wrote: »

Can't belive they'd do a 3 seat gap between booked seats but let someone sit directly behind booked seats.

I'd imagine they'll follow Dundrum's booking pattern of not allowing people to book directly in front or behind another booked seat or group of seats. So like in the attachment, someone has booked E3-E6 so rows D and F are effectively closed apart from seat 1 in each row. I think the lighthouse are only selling evey second row too?

Lighthouse online booking is defo only doing every other row. It also looks to be blocking out two seats on either side as well, so capacity must be pretty tiny?

Ohmeha

Cineworld reopening on August 26th

pixelburp

4 more IMC cinemas opened today, including my own local. Pinocchio, Unhinged and an Irish flick the only new releases. The rest various hits. Now to figure out whether I'm actually comfortable going to the place...

santana75

I go to Omniplex Rathmines and its a great cinema. Audience is very good in they put the phones away and nobody chatters through the film. I've had to tell the odd person to stop talking but thats rare. One lady was beside me one night and every couple of minutes would take out the phone and start texting, checking instagram etc. I let it slide for a while thinking she'd stop(this was not a teenage girl by the way, grown woman)but eventually I had to bark at her a bit and ask her could she please put the phone away. Which she did to be fair. It was crazy though, there was absolutely no reason to be checking your phone that often during a movie, surely you can turn it off at the beginning of the film and then when its over turn it back on. This seems like a no brainer and I'll never understand those who feel compelled to check the phone repeatedly during a film or show, its like an addiction, they're enslaved.

ronano

Banjaxed82 wrote: »

Where do you guys go to the cinema?! I'm a Cineworld card holder for a decade now and I could count on one hand how many experiences were ruined by other audience members.

I get the impression there are some people who love the cinema experience, but can't tolerate any human activity around them....like any activity....at all.

P.S. I've had more film experiences ruined during this lock down, than the last decade in Cineworld.

I've a cineworld card and because of the volume of films I'd see I take the irritations in my stride, I'd tell people to stfu etc if it got too much. With covid, I'll be seeing less and really it means my tolerance for tom foolery has decreased. I guess see how it is when it reopens.

I had the pleasure of going to the drogheda omniplex few times lately, mainly small cinema screens with 30 - 70 fantastic lazy boy leather seats. Perfect temperature in the screen and great sound/picture quality. It only opened few weeks ago, staff are lovely and cinemas are empty. Personally the empty cinema is a lovely thing for me with a max of five people have been in a screening and usually it's one or just myself. I don't see how cinemas can survive in the long term with these numbers. I've taken to buying concession food, previously I never bothered because I only cared for hotdogs. If anyone is in the area, I would recommend dropping by it.

johnny_ultimate

Numbers have been really good in the Light House since I’ve been back. There was one quiet morning screening with around half a dozen people, but other than that there’s usually been 20-40 people in screenings, bearing in mind 40 is reaching max capacity in the screens in question at the mo. A few screenings have been sold out. I’m sure margins are tight compared to the numbers they’d usually get, but good to see at least the evening shows typically ‘selling out’ - hopefully enough to sustain them until bigger crowds are allowed. Have also been going out of my way to buy a drink or a snack.

I do think the Light House has the advantage of being known for classic screenings, and actually have experienced programmers for the purpose. The selection of older films in the reopened multiplexes is ramshackle, random and frankly pretty boring in comparison, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re struggling to bring in socially distant small crowds. Tenet will of course be the big, big test... but indications are it’ll be hit. https://variety.com/2020/film/global/tenet-fever-christopher-nolan-vue-cinemas-ticket-sales-1234732897/

ixoy

Ohmeha wrote: »

Cineworld reopening on August 26th

With *27* showings a day of 'Tenet' and, so far it seems, nothing else!

bogmanfan

First time at the cinema in 5 months yesterday. Went to the Lighthouse. Have to say, their booking system is great, but they must be struggling to break even with so few seats available. There were only around 10 people at our screening yesterday evening, but great to be back in a cinema again. We enjoyed it so much we're going again tonight.

johnny_ultimate

Screen four per chance? That seems to have very limited capacity - was in a 'sold out' screening there and couldn't have been much more than 10-15 people. Whereas 'sold out' screenings in two and three have had much more substantial numbers there, which gave me more hope the numbers'll be more sustainable for a while at least.

bogmanfan

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Screen four per chance? That seems to have very limited capacity - was in a 'sold out' screening there and couldn't have been much more than 10-15 people. Whereas 'sold out' screenings in two and three have had much more substantial numbers there, which gave me more hope the numbers'll be more sustainable for a while at least.

It was screen 2 actually. But then again, a 6pm screening of Some Like it Hot would (sadly) probably have been quiet without Covid! Screen 4 is sold out tonight so will be interesting to see how many are in there

pixelburp

Will be interesting to see how long the screening of classics maintains any kind of rolling audience. The novelty factor of "OMG the cinemas are open" will soon taper off you'd imagine, coupled with the lack of new releases. Especially once the coming recession really kicks in.

Lefty2Guns

Went to IMC Dun Laoghaire yesterday, first time in the cinema since lockdown. Apart from staff and my partner, seen 4 other people there. Film time was 6.30pm which would generally be a busy enough time. Struggling to see how the cinema will remain operational with these figures.

IMC is the nearest cinema to me so would hate to see it close down. Hopefully some numbers start returning throughout Autumn.

bogmanfan

pixelburp wrote: »

Will be interesting to see how long the screening of classics maintains any kind of rolling audience. The novelty factor of "OMG the cinemas are open" will soon taper off you'd imagine, coupled with the lack of new releases. Especially once the coming recession really kicks in.

I think there's a market for second run cinemas here. Just look at Christmas time, when Die Hard, Home Alone, Gremlins, Love Actually etc are regularly reshown. There seems to be a big demand for those.

Personally I love the big screen experience, and love going to see classics. I've been to see loads of movies that I already own on DVD. The big screen, the sound - there's a different atmosphere to when you're just watching at home. Went to a Terminator/T2 double bill last year - it was brilliant. Saw the Back to the Future trilogy a couple of years ago, and it was so good watching them on the big screen again.

Would be great if they weren't the same price as a new release though!

pixelburp

Interestingly, while for a couple of days my local IMC in Santry had some classics on show, their schedule is now empty until Tenet comes out. Guess there wasn't enough foot traffic to be worth the hassle.

Lefty2Guns

pixelburp wrote: »

Interestingly, while for a couple of days my local IMC in Santry had some classics on show, their schedule is now empty until Tenet comes out. Guess there wasn't enough foot traffic to be worth the hassle.

Noticed the same for Dun Laoighaire branch too.

titan18

Banjaxed82 wrote: »

Where do you guys go to the cinema?! I'm a Cineworld card holder for a decade now and I could count on one hand how many experiences were ruined by other audience members.

I get the impression there are some people who love the cinema experience, but can't tolerate any human activity around them....like any activity....at all.

P.S. I've had more film experiences ruined during this lock down, than the last decade in Cineworld.

Omniplex in Cork. I've had many a film ruined. One fool last year started vaping during the film. Was fit to kill him

Parsnips

I would genuinely like to see Drive in Cinemas appear. Surely there is a huge gap for this to make a comeback.
€30 a car. Bring your own grub. sitting with your own family. BINGO

Have we seen the last of the great cinema days. I would never feel comfortable again sitting on dirty chairs with someone coughing their lungs up 2 seats away from me.

Shred

Yeah I would have no problem going to see certain types if films at a drive in if there's no regular cinema alternative, not big production films though with the sound restricted to plain old stereo. However, not having to contend with ignorant assholes putting their feet on your chair/mobile phone twats/loud talkers etc. would be a bonus I suppose.
I've gone to a few of those 'Retro Drive-ins' and they were enjoyable enough, although I really dislike the way they pack the cars in bumper to bumper - you're locked in there until the film's over which wouldn't be great if there's an emergency of some sort.

mikhail

I heard we're back to a limit of 6 people for indoor events, which must surely close the cinemas for the coming weeks.

johnny_ultimate

mikhail wrote: »

I heard we're back to a limit of 6 people for indoor events, which must surely close the cinemas for the coming weeks.

The messaging wasn’t great (to put it mildly) but suggestion seems to be that businesses can stay open if they have social distancing in place. That could be clarified at some stage, but initial suggestion is cinemas can carry on as per the previous guidelines.

https://twitter.com/merrionstreet/status/1295769918080790532?s=21

The White Wolf

I visited Odeon Coolock and had no complaints about the operation. I asked a few questions before going in just to make sure they had all bases covered and they did, fair play to them.

I was nervous so understand some reservations people would have, but I'd recommend giving local cinemas a chance if you fancy seeing something. Just pick a sensible time if you have the luxury of doing so and it should be fine.

pixelburp

Myself and the wife discussed it the last few days as I'd warmed to the risk of a trip; she however is just not comfortable enough to go. We're pregnant with our first so totally respect why she's still nervous about any nonessential trip. Local cafés and restaurants are as far as she's happy to push things. The world's floating in this weird, half assed state adjacent to a 2nd wave and yeah. Could see why a cinema feels too much a risk.

Tenet would currently be the only thing I'd estimate as worth the big screen experience but I'll live without it. Methinks it might yet appear as a home release quicker than normal conditions.

RGARDINR

The White Wolf wrote: »

I visited Odeon Coolock and had no complaints about the operation. I asked a few questions before going in just to make sure they had all bases covered and they did, fair play to them.

I was nervous so understand some reservations people would have, but I'd recommend giving local cinemas a chance if you fancy seeing something. Just pick a sensible time if you have the luxury of doing so and it should be fine.

Booked tenent for yesterday in Vue Ashbourne at 11 in the morning for two people, got email saying sorry but as water problems showing cancelled and to ring customer service to get money back and free visit on them. They give UK no so googled Irish 1890 service number says they don't take bookings over the phone and they are extremely busy. So on hold each time over ten minds and no answer. Who the hell is ringing if you cannot book and why would you have to ring to get your refund if they cancelled it as should be put back on and I say there is no one manning their 1890 service desk number. Emailed yesterday and says 24 waiting reply. Well I haven't heard from them as of yet

The White Wolf

You can go on your own sir. :pac: But I get your wife might not be comfortable with that either.