Cinema chain horrifies by building playgrounds in theaters

By jnelsoninjax
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Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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A major theater chain is coming very close to perfecting the worst possible way to watch a movie.

Cinépolis USA revealed plans to put a children's playground in movie theaters. The first-of-its kind design (photo above) plops a 55-foot long and 25-foot high play structure inside the auditorium itself.

The first two Cinépolis Junior theaters will open this month in Southern California.

The move comes at a time when most cinema chains - led by pioneer Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - are becoming increasingly strict about limiting disruptions in theaters by banning talking, phone calls, and texting. But the Cinépolis Junior concept goes 180-degrees in the other direction, creating a moviegoing experience that shrugs off the notion anybody should have to pay focused attention to a story for two hours straight.

The company further describes the new theaters as a space where parents feel at ease and kids feel right in their element as they watch their new favorite film. The theaters will also feature elevated snack favorites such as enhanced popcorn flavors like Cheetos, Chili, Caramel, and Zebra, along with other kid-friendly menu items as well as seating alternatives such as colorful bean bag-like seating and lounge chairs, and vibrant décor.

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Grand Master

techbeck

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Stupid idea.   I hate going to the movies as it is.  Over priced and never can tell when you will run in to a rude person.  This is just insane.  Bet the theater is counting on the distractions so people will go see the movie again and spend more money.

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dipsylalapo Supervisor

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Why is this such a bad idea if the target audience is only parents and children. I don't expect this to show the latest blockbusters, just kids movies. 

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dragontology

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I'm 100% okay with this, just as long as it's only one or two auditoriums where only children's movies are played. I think it's fine, especially as so many children are being diagnosed with AD(H)D and have trouble focusing. They can have the movie on while the parents and children do other things. But this wouldn't be a place someone with no children would expect to watch the film distraction free.

 

You know, we could take this idea and apply it other ways as well. Put a bar in, throw on a comedy, and have party games. Like a safe place to party without driving drunk. Have a taxi service buy into this. A certain fee gets you a whole day at the place. You get so many drinks (what you can handle, not so much you get sick, or annoying), you get fed, you have fun, there are movies on, and you get a ride home. All inclusive. Like $100 or something. For food, beer, a ride, a few movies, and games, that's cheap. Get a bunch of local businesses in on it to get the costs down. You got a pizzeria or a burger place to do the food, a local craft brewery to provide the beer, you can get all kinds of games at thrift stores, or make them. Get a set or two of Cards Against Humanity, a D&D starter set, things like that, I dunno, could work. And yeah there's the movies, but it's not the focus.

 

I'm sure other scenarios could be worked out, too. Just depends who you are and what you want to do.

 

For the record, I don't go to the cinemas to watch movies. I passed on the last Star Wars and Star Trek. Wife and I paid $35 to see the new Terminator (in 3D, though) and it was crowded, no respect for personal space, the theater was dirty, the 3D glasses were crap, it was just a poor experience overall. And this was at the "nice" theater in town. My wife won't let a single bad experience sour going to the movies for her, and she'll go with her sister, but I'll just as soon stay home and watch them on our screen. We have a 55" 1080p set, no fancy sound but it's alright. I used to like the big screen and the THX (which they don't even do anymore, the 90s were great) but now it's just a pain in the neck. You got to be fully dressed, they won't pause it if you got to run to the bathroom (and movies get longer and longer), I think theater seating is uncomfortable... just a ton of negatives with very little positive. The experience in my late 30s isn't what it was when I was a teenager.

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Daedroth

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12 minutes ago, Nefarious Trigger said:

Absolutely no issue with this.  Those complaining are not the target audience for these auditoriums.

Those wanting to actually hear the film are also not the target audience.

Grand Master

Nick H. Supervisor

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On 3/8/2017 at 2:31 PM, jnelsoninjax said:

The theaters will also feature elevated snack favorites such as enhanced popcorn flavors like Cheetos, Chili, Caramel, and Zebra...

:blink:

That's the strangest part about the piece, not the playground for families going to the cinema to watch Finding Nemo or Monsters Inc.

Grand Master

+Nik Louch Subscriber²

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18 minutes ago, Daedroth said:

Those wanting to actually hear the film are also not the target audience.

The target audience here is parents with young kids who want to keep their kids entertained/distracted for a while.  Bearing in mind that more and more cinemas are showing shorts for kids - between 30 and 60 mins long, this works perfectly.

 

Me niece watches Frozen - she watches the same 3 scenes all the time - she runs around and dances when the songs come on.  This is nothing more than an extension of that.

 

Idiots quick to criticise something that wont affect them.  Boo hoo!

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Grand Master

Premgenius

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When I initially looked at the picture thought that was a silly idea after the reading the article and the thought process behind it think is not too bad and again it would be aimed at someone with kids.

 

Out of three screen one of these would be designed in this manner. If you are not someone with kids then I'm sure you can choose not to attend that screen and you'll have that choice when you book online or when you buy the ticket and you'll be informed about it at the counter.

Grand Master

+Nik Louch Subscriber²

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7 minutes ago, Premgenius said:

When I initially looked at the picture thought that was a silly idea after the reading the article and the thought process behind it think is not too bad and again it would be aimed at someone with kids.

 

Out of three screen one of these would be designed in this manner. If you are not someone with kids then I'm sure you can choose not to attend that screen and you'll have that choice when you book online or when you buy the ticket and you'll be informed about it at the counter.

Just the same as when you book a deluxe screen, directors hall, screen with sign language, audio descriptions and so on.

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Daedroth

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1 hour ago, Nefarious Trigger said:

The target audience here is parents with young kids who want to keep their kids entertained/distracted for a while.  Bearing in mind that more and more cinemas are showing shorts for kids - between 30 and 60 mins long, this works perfectly.

 

Me niece watches Frozen - she watches the same 3 scenes all the time - she runs around and dances when the songs come on.  This is nothing more than an extension of that.

 

Idiots quick to criticise something that wont affect them.  Boo hoo!

Sure, I can understand the concept, but what's the point when the film isn't audible? I run a film club in a school the students will talk and talk louder to hear each other over the audio. Turn the audio up and they talk louder. It'll get to a point where it drowns out the audio of the film, which is why we keep the students in silence, or least a very minimal noise level.

Grand Master

+Nik Louch Subscriber²

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Just now, Daedroth said:

Sure, I can understand the concept, but what's the point when the film isn't audible? I run a film club in a school the students will talk and talk louder to hear each other over the audio. Turn the audio up and they talk louder. It'll get to a point where it drowns out the audio of the film, which is why we keep the students in silence, or least a very minimal noise level.

Again, you are putting yourself front and centre in reference to the experience.  This is for kids.  It's audible enough.  It's not for sitting and watching the film.  

 

I run a film club

 

And yet you have no comprehension of audience and purpose?

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Daedroth

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Just now, Nefarious Trigger said:

Again, you are putting yourself front and centre in reference to the experience.  This is for kids.  It's audible enough.  It's not for sitting and watching the film.  

 

I run a film club

 

And yet you have no comprehension of audience and purpose?

Yes I do, because I'm the one that has to deal with the complains from other students that they cannot hear the film.

Grand Master

dipsylalapo Supervisor

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6 minutes ago, Daedroth said:

Yes I do, because I'm the one that has to deal with the complains from other students that they cannot hear the film.

But this cinema experience has been designed for exactly that. You can't go to this cinema screen and then complain that it's too noisy to watch the film, if the whole purpose of going is to have the film on in the background but at the same time let the children enjoy playing when their attention wanes.

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Daedroth

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3 minutes ago, dipsylalapo said:

But this cinema experience has been designed for exactly that. You can't go to this cinema screen and then complain that it's too noisy to watch the film, if the whole purpose of going is to have the film on in the background but at the same time let the children enjoy playing when their attention wanes.

I understand that, however I'm just struggling with the idea that the film may not be audible. Wouldn't kids be bothered about that? As I mentioned, my experience is that they like to hear it too.

Grand Master

dipsylalapo Supervisor

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Just now, Daedroth said:

I understand that, however I'm just struggling with the idea that the film may not be audible. Wouldn't kids be bothered about that? As I mentioned, my experience is that they like to hear it too.

I guess the success of this concept will be the judge of that. I've only ever watched a few films at home with children and they pay attention for parts of it but not throughout the whole thing. If the child wants to see the film properly, there's nothing to stop them going to a regular showing.

Grand Master

+Nik Louch Subscriber²

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Sweet jesus, you run a film club and still can't understand that different audiences have different needs, desires, heck even different purposes for visiting a cinema!?

 

Stop putting YOUR situation onto that of others!

25 minutes ago, Daedroth said:

Yes I do, because I'm the one that has to deal with the complains from other students that they cannot hear the film.

STUDENTS!  Not toddlers and preschoolers!

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Daedroth

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15 minutes ago, Nefarious Trigger said:

Sweet jesus, you run a film club and still can't understand that different audiences have different needs, desires, heck even different purposes for visiting a cinema!?

 

Stop putting YOUR situation onto that of others!

STUDENTS!  Not toddlers and preschoolers!

Calm your breasts. I fully understand that different audiences have different needs and if you assume that I don't, then you have misinterpreted my posts. I am pointing out observations from my experiences showing films to children aged 10-12, where the majority of the audience have learning disabilities or a display physical or emotional characteristics of children much younger than themselves. Why don't we just drop this now and continue without escalating the issue?

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dipsylalapo Supervisor

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I also think they should create a cinema experience the exact opposite of this.

  • Give up your phones at the door
  • No talking at all
  • No noisy snacks -  looking at you popcorn ;)
  • Big comfortable chairs
  • Beer

I would pay a premium for this.

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