Comments from Danny Baldwin

Showing 126 - 150 of 301 comments

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about Cinerama Hollywood on Sep 12, 2011 at 5:28 pm

It’s not a matter of hating digital; it’s just that many of us on here find 35mm superior when that’s the native shooting format of the movie — it’s warmer, has more authentic texture, it’s more traditional, etc. Also, I like knowing how long I’ve got left when the movie is bad, and counting the reel changes allows me to do that.

My main point is that this is one more thing to put the mighty ArcLight back in line with your everyday megaplex, which has likely been all-digital for awhile now. This was, of course, an inevitable transition, but I personally had hoped they would hold out as long as possible (at least two more years).

Now, what does make me angry is that I hear they are screening some of their “ArcLight Presents” repertory programming from digital sources without indicating it on the website (“Bonnie & Clyde” being the latest example). That’s highway robbery.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about Cinerama Hollywood on Sep 11, 2011 at 10:11 pm

ArcLight Hollywood now 100% digital, with only four auditoriums equipped for 35mm. Another reason to not pay the premium.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about AMC Palm Promenade 24 on Sep 1, 2011 at 12:23 am

AMC has been running this as a 14 plex (walling off one wing) for the better part of the past year. They are looking for someone to take over the space occupied by those 10 auditoriums.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about iPic Westwood on Aug 28, 2011 at 12:21 am

It would be damn near impossible to continue to operate the place at that lease-price. If they average 4,000 patrons a week (an educated guess, which is high if anything), they likely don’t even take in $1.2m in revenue between concessions and their share of the ticket sales.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about TCL Chinese Theatre on Aug 27, 2011 at 1:34 pm

That’s just more of a hassle if their product remains lackluster because nothing ever sells out.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about UltraStar Cinemas executive sets stage before movie starts on Aug 24, 2011 at 6:20 pm

This is all extremely funny to me. “[Rubio] said he looks at everything to improve the experience, from bringing a traditionally outdoors box-office inside to adding flavors to popcorn, a concession staple.” Maybe they should try getting the aspect ratio correct and fixing the broken speakers before they tackle that stuff…

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about Hillcrest Cinemas on Aug 22, 2011 at 6:51 pm

Good photos, including interiors, here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.210304029027250.52460.146796025378051

MagicLantern, I’m a little late, but I can get seat counts from them because I go to press screenings there regularly. It’s around 300 #1, 200 for #2-4, and 100 for #5.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about Ken Cinema on Aug 19, 2011 at 8:52 pm

Lots of photos, including a few interiors, here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.119571068065336.12520.117370998285343&type=1

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about Flower Hill Cinema on Aug 17, 2011 at 9:36 pm

Yep, completely leveled for the new Whole Foods. I took some photos on the final night last month. I’ll try to upload them here soon, but here they are on CinemaTour: http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/1964.html

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about TCL Chinese Theatre on Aug 16, 2011 at 12:15 pm

Also, the Chinese is not a single-screen. It has moveover capacity. If what I am saying is wrong in the current exhibition climate, explain the Crest. In fact, I believe the LA Times wrote about the leverage issue in an article about the Crest deal. I enjoyed Mr. Dakota’s anecdotes above, but he clearly has no regard for those who are interested in the current state of the market.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about TCL Chinese Theatre on Aug 14, 2011 at 3:48 pm

William, that’s not exactly true. If it always went to the highest bidder, the (extremely wealthy) independent owners could place the high bid on whatever they wanted. The reason big chains often get desirable product is because they have leverage (refusing to book the studios' more undesirable product on their large # of screens if they don’t get the desirable product). This is why Carmike is all of a sudden able to get good bookings at the Crest while Robert Bucksbaum wasn’t.

Many people do care about the ArcLight/Chinese booking situation and, if you don’t, the comments are easily ignorable. It’s relevant, on-topic, and nowhere on Cinema Treasures do I see a mission statement supporting your limited view of what this site should be.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about Cinépolis Del Mar on Aug 13, 2011 at 3:17 am

Should be listed as open, but Cinépolis' take on the theater is a failure: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/big-screen/2011/aug/12/danny-baldwin-rates-the-cinepolis-experience/

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about Cinepolis travels North on Aug 13, 2011 at 3:16 am

The North American concept has nothing to do with Spanish-language films, denny906. It’s a luxury concept ala iPic/Gold Class…

Only problem is the execution is terrible. I reviewed the place for the San Diego Reader, and it’s a customer-service and presentation failure: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/big-screen/2011/aug/12/danny-baldwin-rates-the-cinepolis-experience/

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about Galaxy Glendale Marketplace on Aug 13, 2011 at 2:37 am

Why are you posting this incorrect information about both Glendale theaters, ajtarantex? This and the 10 are both still open, with new movies.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale on Aug 13, 2011 at 2:35 am

Not true… They have times up for today with new movies… http://www.movietickets.com/house_detail.asp?house_id=1404

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about SIFF Cinema Uptown on Aug 7, 2011 at 12:14 am

SIFF has acquired the lease for the next five years and will re-open the place as an arthouse on Oct 21: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/movies/2015841004_siff07.html?prmid=head_more

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about Cinépolis Del Mar on Jul 19, 2011 at 11:51 pm

Supposedly opens Friday, but the PR moron Cinépolis hired is making it seem REALLY bleak already… First, their job posting on Craigslist looking for employees was littered with misspellings and poor punctuation; I’m sure serious candidates gave a second thought to applying. Second, they got the opening day wrong (said Wednesday instead of Friday) on Facebook/Twitter and still haven’t put up a website, general information (including prices), showtimes… And to top it all off, what is the woman posting on the Facebook? “‎"LIKE” this if you have seen Burlesque?“ with a YouTube link to the trailer… SERIOUSLY?

For a supposed luxury concept that used online reserved ticketing as a selling-point in previous press releases, this ain’t lookin' great, but I’m holding out hope. I know this is their first U.S. location so some initial problems are to be expected, but if you’re looking to bill yourself as luxury, you have to act that way. Kinda hoping this is all intentional to draw light opening crowds so they can have some time to practice the food service… there was supposedly a trial run on Sunday, but no word on how it went…

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale on Jul 6, 2011 at 8:30 pm

Yeah, the Village in Coronado has been open for several weeks now. Their website isn’t reliable.

Now officially listed as “The Exchange 8” on MovieTickets.com: http://www.movietickets.com/house_detail.asp?house_id=1404

R.I.P. to The Twin. Glad to have caught a final show in there last Thursday. Snuck a few quick pictures, which I’ll load up shortly.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale on Jul 6, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Vintage.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale on Jul 6, 2011 at 2:48 am

A couple more notes: 1) As of now (and continuing through this coming week) they are only using eight auditoriums, presumably meaning they are not using the twin… I wonder if that’s permanent… downsizing would be logical, but it’s also a little weird because 9 & 10 are much newer houses; 2) It is clear now that they will be allowed (at least for certain movies) to double-book with the other two Glendales, as always (all three get “Zookeeper” this Friday).

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale on Jul 3, 2011 at 6:25 pm

Showtimes for the 10 now available on the phone line. It lives on.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale on Jul 3, 2011 at 12:52 am

According to a Twitter friend who did a cruise-by, the 10 is open for business with new movies, even though they have NO Internet presence and the phone recording is still the old Mann one. Weird.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale on Jun 30, 2011 at 7:49 pm

And Mark, I would think they’d have no choice but to continue to book mainstream fare with the high screen-count and Vintage’s general booking style, but you would think Mann would have continued to get new movies through this week in that case, as they did with every Regency-takeover venue.

Now here’s an idea nobody talks about: what if they kept the Twin side only and ran indies? That’d be interesting.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale on Jun 30, 2011 at 7:42 pm

I put an e-mail in to Lance Alspaugh, as there is no information online about the takeover. Could it just be month-to-month until a nightclub deal is approved by the city? Hope not.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin commented about MoviePass Offers Unlimited Movies for $50 (Updated) on Jun 30, 2011 at 7:39 pm

AMC has now said they never authorized participation.