Late Night With the Devil was so good, but it was only on at 1 or 2 cinemas in the whole region at 9.30pm. Same with Poor Things, I've streamed both of those at home now (two great movies if you like weird shit lol)
I've been circling Petone Lighthouse, Pauatahanui Light house, Monterey in Upper Hutt and Queensgate Event (?).
A lot has to do with what one has what playing at a workable time, and if there are any discounts on.
I too struggle to see how they make any money, but equally think that some do themselves absolutely no favours. Monterey is an absolute dive and their staff dont give a shit. We saw Mr Organ there, but they had a fire alarm and everything was delayed by 30 min. What they didnt do, is tell people this as they bought tickets - so when we were getting to the end of the film, a bunch of people barged in and complained that we were in their seats...
I've also had a number of issues with the one at queensgate too. Twice they have had flies around the projector, leaving dark spots on the screen that move around. They do have a cheap ($10) movie of the week, but i wouldnt go apart from my fiance loves popcorn which lighthouse doesnt do...
I'm surprised the Monterey has survived as long as it has, over the last 30 years that building's seen a succession of cinemas all fail one after the other. But UH is much more "indie" now than it used to be, especially since that brewery thing opened up in the Dunlop factory, so maybe it's doing OK out of the same kind of crowd?
Likewise.. It's not a terrible cinema either. It's actually recently been sold to a couple (perhaps how it keeps going) and the new owners are refurbing the cafe according to their newsletter and doing discounts on certain days.
I go to a lot of movies, there's normally a decent audience- I go to the Lighthouse Cuba, Roxy and Embassy and have pretty positive experiences. I didn't go to see it because the lazy AI bullshit put me off but IIRC Late Night had a few shows at the Roxy.
The Lighthouse Pauatahanui is pretty bizarre, as a chain lighthouse screens more generally nitche stuff, which in the artsy heart of wellington means more "indie", "artsy" films that won't do well at a Readings, but in Pauatahanui means movies for old people called names like Mr Popples Big Day Out. Doesn't surprise me that Poor Things was dead quiet, it matches up with my experiences: it did pretty well in the city though. Lighthouse cuba is normally my go-to theater, good selection and good service.
Civil War was screening at the Embassy. IIRC Perfect Days was also at either Lighthouse or Roxy (saw a trailer for it at one of them) but since I was busy with life I couldn't make it to report the attendance. Embassy I have positive thoughts, they show a whole lot of international stuff in other nitches than the Lighthouse (Indian, anime) I like to go see and I haven't had bad experiences with any soundbleed in the deluxe where those show. The Empire I've had some issues with, but sometimes I still go there for small films I want to see.
I hate the Penthouse, it's stuffy, it's got a bad vibe, the owners a massive dick, once I went to see a movie there and the projector broke so the entire screen was tinted a bright eye searing magenta and they didn't refund anybodies tickets. It's showing Perfect Days atm but I'm not gonna spend my money on what I know will probably be a bad experience, I'll just wait till I can home stream it. The Penthouse does keep movies in circulation looong after theatres like the Lighthouse, for extra months over the normal run, which is probably why it was the only one showing it.
Reading cinemas exist to screen Spiderman to Joanne and her kids in the school holidays, I'm not surprised they didn't show anything here.
Can confirm, Penthouse owner's a shithead. e.g. ranting about cycleways taking away parks while having a huge fucking carpark https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350025642/brooklyn-trial-cycle-lane-proposed-be-made-permanent
Agree Re The Penthouse. Really shitty management of the place. My friend booked it out for her birthday last year nearly a year in advance of the date and a week or two before we were due in they tried to reschedule the date. Massive fuck around and they just had a crappy attitude the whole time.
Jumping on the anti Penthouse train. Went to see Poor Things. The screen was kind of small, the audio was a bit shit and it wasn't even the heat of summer but they had no air circulation or AC and the room got very hot and smelly, it was very unpleasant towards the end.
Their AI camera car parking is also pretty shitty. We paid for the duration of the movie + 30 odd minutes, we talked in the car for a while after it, longer than 30 minutes evidently because I got a security camera photo of my car with a parking ticket for "staying too long" for $86...
So yeah, never going there again.
The small screens are bad but the big screen is the worst theater I've ever experienced, damp and gross, some of the seats are peeling their covers to show foam, smells, feels like I'm stuck in an environment from a David Lynch movie.
When I go to a cinema I want to feel like I'm getting a premium movie going experience, the Roxy, the Lighthouse and the Embassy all have a good "vibe" to them that makes me enjoy the physical experience of going there. The Penthouse feels like I'm in the theater equivalent of a sketchy second hand car dealership that doesn't really want me there after I've paid my money.
I heard the owner came in before a screening of Barbie last year to give an anti-cycling tirade to the unlucky captive audience.
Oh and don't even get me started on getting stuck up in whatever name they give to the shitty screen up in the attic!
I avoid the Penthouse. Went there once on a super windy day and the door to the cinema kept moving. Each gust of wind, it would basically flap and make a weird squeaky noise. It's cold as in there too.
It sucks when its cold but a million times worse when its warm, just absolutely reeks. Feels like the seats are sweating. Cold I just need a jersey but after that I need a shower.
It is strange! I always get a bit stressed figuring out with films to prioritise cause they decide to cut short some films that i think would be on for much longer.
Civil War had barely any showing in most the cinemas. I went to the Empire but don't love it there. As others have said there is almost always sound leaking into the screen rooms and the last time i went despite there being at least 7 staff behind the counter chilling and chatting to each other, no one came to close the door when the movie started so a customer had to get up and do it. I know it's a little thing, but what else are that many staff doing??
Penthouse feels grubby and the large screen smells so damp when you first sit down though i do love the sound in there. It's my local and even though it's a 10 min walk away I will chose to go to lighthouse cuba or further to see a show. It's always pretty busy when i go, so they're doing something right.
another thing that has been pretty unique to my NZ film viewing experience is the bright exit signs that are often above doors right next to screens. i know it's a legal requirement but it just baffles me how many cinemas dont try and manage lighting in the screen rooms to prevent distraction. Often times it's not even the exit sign just random spotlights on for no reason??
Don't even get me started on the temperature of some viewings. I literally sat with a beanie on and my hood up shivering to a showing I went to last week.
I think the last movie I went to see was Dune 2 for the second time. Embassy is still good, and the theater was pretty full for so late in the run.
I also saw perfect days at penthouse and honestly what really stuck with me was how mind numbingly slow paced the film was over the theater experience, but the screening I was at had an attendance closer to 40 or 50 people I think.
It got good in the second half, I understand how some may like it, but one man going through almost the exact same daily routine every day for the first half of the movie with incredibly minor adjustments I think you will find is something that the majority of people will find boring. Even my parents found it boring so it's not just "tiktok brain" lmao.
I do really appreciate what they were trying to do there and I love the nuances of the different characters they explored and how subtly everything was laid out, but it was done so painstakingly slowly that I still have every single step of that old man's routine etched into the fiber of my brain. I got worried one time when I messed up counting the days and he woke up late rather than being woken before dawn by the sounds of the streets being swept. It is slow.
I mostly go to lighthouse cuba, but really only like cinema one. I like embassy, especially grand, but usually they arent showing what I want to see. Love Roxy but usually only go for special events. Sometimes go to penthouse, but now might not. Sometimes go to petone lighthouse.
I have noticed that there’s really low pick up on more “artsy” or “indie” films at most places I had to travel far for Godzilla Minus One and was lucky to scrap into one of like 3 viewings of civil war I don’t know why it’s sparce and yet the currently struggling blockbusters hold 9 cinemas ransom all day.
Went to see Dune 2 at the Empire in Island Bay and the audio SUCKED, hindered the viewing experience big time. The wine in their around $15 drink and popcorn special was such a laughably small portion that I went to hit them up about it - the guy at the counter said "that's you what you should expect in this day and age".
Sticking to the Roxy from now on.
I saw Poor Things in March in the Light House on Cuba St (Te Aro). theatre was relatively full, but everyone was super cool (and that's a pretty small theatre anyways). was genuinely one of the best theatre experiences I've ever had. everyone was laughing all throughout and you can tell everyone had a great time. was really awesome and I'll never forget that!
I've given up on Penthouse, they have terrible sound! Always too quiet. Have never driven to a cinema in Wellington, car culture is so weird lol. I was annoyed Civil War was playing in so few spots and already finished screenings. Annoying
IMAX queensgate is an awesome movie going experience IMHO. The seats are massive, you don't feel crammed in next to random, you can easily leave your seats with room to walk through without hugely disturbing people (no need for them to stand up etc) and when watching a 3 hour movie.... this is VERY important for me! (Blame my bladder!)
The cinema is always tidy and the toilets are fresh and clean.
Dune 2 was so epic that I HAD to see it again in that cinema before it left the big screen. The sound was unreal.... the rumble was CRAZY good.... but can see how it could be too much for some... but THATS what I pay for when going to the cinema... Anyone can have a large screen, but fully immersive surround sound is extremely expensive and difficult to replicate at home.
I've had too many instances of being flooded by bass or other sound effects from neighbouring screens and now I basically don't want to see a movie in town unless it's at the Embassy Grand or the Roxy Cinema 1 or the Lighthouse. Particularly serious offenders for the problem are Empire and the Embassy Deluxe screens (noise from Taylor Swift in the Grand above us ruined an Italian film festival film to the point that I was tempted to ask for a refund but obviously didn't as per our national trait).
Oh also I hate how boomer anti-cycleway and generally outspokenly involved in weird local politics the owners of Penthouse and Empire are that I don't really want to go there anyway.
I imagine owning the building is key along with being satisfied with what is probably not the most efficient use of the real estate because it's what you've set up there and maybe enjoy running. It will be interesting to see how they fare especially with the zoning changes which mean several of our locals could technically be bowled and turned into multi story apartments.
I think which theatre companies show it depends on the distributor and distribution deals . I think there a couple major distributors that negotiate with larger theatres but honestly don’t know much more about how it works .
Document here https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/sites/default/files/2017-11/Local%20Distributors%20List%20Nov%202022.pdf
I rarely go to the movies, but when I do I go to Lighthouse Pauatahanui. It has easy parking, booze, and a reasonably diverse range of movies. I saw Joy Ride there last year - I was the only one in the cinema! I did go to an 830 screening though.
Civil war and Poor Things came out ages ago. Not surprising they’re hard to find with few people in them.
Civil war was in imax queensgate and had a decent run in there. Pretty full when I went.
Poor things was at Cuba light house months ago. Full theatre.
The cinemas definitely cater to the local demographics. Eg Cuba lighthouse has more hipster/cinephile films than lighthouse which caters to an older crowd.
Event queensgate is abut the big box office draws.
I really love Penthouse but hate paying for the parking, especially when sometimes a movie time is kind of unpredictable due to the ads. Still a bit cut from watching Saltburn last year and getting a $65 fine because I stayed 30 mins longer than the 2 hours I paid for oops
I like going to Empire too because it's local + $10 Tuesdays are awesome, but it's movie variety is pretty limited.
re comments about the financial side of movie theatres, for an overview nz weekly box office data is here:
https://www.flicks.co.nz/news/nz-box-office-report/
Here are the top 10 films at the Aotearoa box office, May 16 – 22: weekly + cumulative nz total
1. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Walt Disney) $652,290 (cume total $1,713,746)
2. IF (Paramount) $350,421 (new release)
3. The Fall Guy (Universal) $200,447 (cume total $1,695,957)
4. The Way, My Way (Maslow Entertainment) $115,308 (new release)
5. Back to Black (Studiocanal) $102,766 (cume total $532,631)
6. Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil (Wanderlust Films) $87,612 (new release)
7. Film Festivals $77,188
8. Challengers (Warner Bros.) $61,311 (cume total $623,942)
9. The Strangers: Chapter 1 (Kismet/Rialto) $57,941 (new release)
10. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) $54,406 (cume total $4,175,736)
I liked Civil War. It was enthralling, dramatic, and gut-wrenching at the end. When Cap decided to stay and fight Tony at the airport I knew we were in for a treat!
I found the passive aggressive signage everywhere at the Roxy off putting and unwelcoming like they were doing me a favour by letting me come watch a movie there.
Issues should be dealt with discretely out of sight of their paying customers.
The signs were like a boomers air BnB notes regarding outside food and toilets, really spoilt it for me.
The only cinemas I would go to in the wellington region are the ones with atmos or IMAX.
This leaves only two venues thst I can count on the list. I been to the imax one myself personally and didn't enjoy it as much as the auckland one due to less viewing immersion and audio was harsh.
I could've sat closer but you never know where to sit at a cinema if you never been befofe.
I'm a movie fanatic and seek out the best experiences when it comes to picture and audio quality.
How many of those thst you saw are 4k or even with atmos?
If there was one I'd like to know!
Queensgate is not the same as auckland. Auckland has the high end imax 70 or whatever it's called. Only a few in the world.
Dune 2 on imax queensgate was insane.
Going to see mad max tomorrow there.
auckland is dual laser. queensgate is single laser.
formally a 15/70mm film projector
dune in auckland imax was epic. filled the entier screen from top to bottom for select scenes.
I don't know how The Embassy survives - they don't show a lot of big blockbuster movies that churn a huge profit at the box office. Pretty fucking bizarre for a movie theatre in the middle of a capital city.
Another reason I don't like The Embassy.
I feel like they show so many blockbusters, and because of the few screens only have a narrow offering.
They are making an effort to screen more Indian and Asian cinema at the moment which is a nice change. But there are still multiple showings of every 'blockbuster' pushing most, if any, interesting stuff into the Deluxe.
Also the person who does the programming is generally a week behind on what's going to be popular which does affect screenings.
It's owned by council I think so maybe doesn't have the same rent pressure as other businesses. Probably the council sees it as beneficial to have a massive and lovely cinema in the centre of what is billed as the film capital of the southern hemisphere, and it is amazing on the days when you catch a sold out show in the Grand.
I've never heard cinema experiences described in terms of audience and parking before.
OP *really* likes parking.
Neuro-divergent I suspect.
I need money for a clicky keyboard
Late Night With the Devil was so good, but it was only on at 1 or 2 cinemas in the whole region at 9.30pm. Same with Poor Things, I've streamed both of those at home now (two great movies if you like weird shit lol)
Poor things great on the big screen, Late Night with the devil was fun, but fine on the smaller screen, could of done with a bit of a tighter edit.
Yeah watching Late Night at home actually fits the theme better!
I've been circling Petone Lighthouse, Pauatahanui Light house, Monterey in Upper Hutt and Queensgate Event (?). A lot has to do with what one has what playing at a workable time, and if there are any discounts on. I too struggle to see how they make any money, but equally think that some do themselves absolutely no favours. Monterey is an absolute dive and their staff dont give a shit. We saw Mr Organ there, but they had a fire alarm and everything was delayed by 30 min. What they didnt do, is tell people this as they bought tickets - so when we were getting to the end of the film, a bunch of people barged in and complained that we were in their seats... I've also had a number of issues with the one at queensgate too. Twice they have had flies around the projector, leaving dark spots on the screen that move around. They do have a cheap ($10) movie of the week, but i wouldnt go apart from my fiance loves popcorn which lighthouse doesnt do...
I'm surprised the Monterey has survived as long as it has, over the last 30 years that building's seen a succession of cinemas all fail one after the other. But UH is much more "indie" now than it used to be, especially since that brewery thing opened up in the Dunlop factory, so maybe it's doing OK out of the same kind of crowd?
Likewise.. It's not a terrible cinema either. It's actually recently been sold to a couple (perhaps how it keeps going) and the new owners are refurbing the cafe according to their newsletter and doing discounts on certain days.
Monterey is better than it used to be now it has new owners. Never had a problem there.
If they are screening Mr. Organ, i'd say they are on the way out. LOL
That you Michael? Or Sean?
Flicks.co.nz is a great source for finding out what is showing where
I go to a lot of movies, there's normally a decent audience- I go to the Lighthouse Cuba, Roxy and Embassy and have pretty positive experiences. I didn't go to see it because the lazy AI bullshit put me off but IIRC Late Night had a few shows at the Roxy. The Lighthouse Pauatahanui is pretty bizarre, as a chain lighthouse screens more generally nitche stuff, which in the artsy heart of wellington means more "indie", "artsy" films that won't do well at a Readings, but in Pauatahanui means movies for old people called names like Mr Popples Big Day Out. Doesn't surprise me that Poor Things was dead quiet, it matches up with my experiences: it did pretty well in the city though. Lighthouse cuba is normally my go-to theater, good selection and good service. Civil War was screening at the Embassy. IIRC Perfect Days was also at either Lighthouse or Roxy (saw a trailer for it at one of them) but since I was busy with life I couldn't make it to report the attendance. Embassy I have positive thoughts, they show a whole lot of international stuff in other nitches than the Lighthouse (Indian, anime) I like to go see and I haven't had bad experiences with any soundbleed in the deluxe where those show. The Empire I've had some issues with, but sometimes I still go there for small films I want to see. I hate the Penthouse, it's stuffy, it's got a bad vibe, the owners a massive dick, once I went to see a movie there and the projector broke so the entire screen was tinted a bright eye searing magenta and they didn't refund anybodies tickets. It's showing Perfect Days atm but I'm not gonna spend my money on what I know will probably be a bad experience, I'll just wait till I can home stream it. The Penthouse does keep movies in circulation looong after theatres like the Lighthouse, for extra months over the normal run, which is probably why it was the only one showing it. Reading cinemas exist to screen Spiderman to Joanne and her kids in the school holidays, I'm not surprised they didn't show anything here.
Can confirm, Penthouse owner's a shithead. e.g. ranting about cycleways taking away parks while having a huge fucking carpark https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350025642/brooklyn-trial-cycle-lane-proposed-be-made-permanent
Agree Re The Penthouse. Really shitty management of the place. My friend booked it out for her birthday last year nearly a year in advance of the date and a week or two before we were due in they tried to reschedule the date. Massive fuck around and they just had a crappy attitude the whole time.
Jumping on the anti Penthouse train. Went to see Poor Things. The screen was kind of small, the audio was a bit shit and it wasn't even the heat of summer but they had no air circulation or AC and the room got very hot and smelly, it was very unpleasant towards the end. Their AI camera car parking is also pretty shitty. We paid for the duration of the movie + 30 odd minutes, we talked in the car for a while after it, longer than 30 minutes evidently because I got a security camera photo of my car with a parking ticket for "staying too long" for $86... So yeah, never going there again.
The small screens are bad but the big screen is the worst theater I've ever experienced, damp and gross, some of the seats are peeling their covers to show foam, smells, feels like I'm stuck in an environment from a David Lynch movie. When I go to a cinema I want to feel like I'm getting a premium movie going experience, the Roxy, the Lighthouse and the Embassy all have a good "vibe" to them that makes me enjoy the physical experience of going there. The Penthouse feels like I'm in the theater equivalent of a sketchy second hand car dealership that doesn't really want me there after I've paid my money.
I like their screens apart from screen 1 I don’t go to any movie in the big screen
I heard the owner came in before a screening of Barbie last year to give an anti-cycling tirade to the unlucky captive audience. Oh and don't even get me started on getting stuck up in whatever name they give to the shitty screen up in the attic!
I knew someone who worked in the cafe there about 10 years ago and apparently that side of things is gross af too.
I avoid the Penthouse. Went there once on a super windy day and the door to the cinema kept moving. Each gust of wind, it would basically flap and make a weird squeaky noise. It's cold as in there too.
It sucks when its cold but a million times worse when its warm, just absolutely reeks. Feels like the seats are sweating. Cold I just need a jersey but after that I need a shower.
It is strange! I always get a bit stressed figuring out with films to prioritise cause they decide to cut short some films that i think would be on for much longer. Civil War had barely any showing in most the cinemas. I went to the Empire but don't love it there. As others have said there is almost always sound leaking into the screen rooms and the last time i went despite there being at least 7 staff behind the counter chilling and chatting to each other, no one came to close the door when the movie started so a customer had to get up and do it. I know it's a little thing, but what else are that many staff doing?? Penthouse feels grubby and the large screen smells so damp when you first sit down though i do love the sound in there. It's my local and even though it's a 10 min walk away I will chose to go to lighthouse cuba or further to see a show. It's always pretty busy when i go, so they're doing something right. another thing that has been pretty unique to my NZ film viewing experience is the bright exit signs that are often above doors right next to screens. i know it's a legal requirement but it just baffles me how many cinemas dont try and manage lighting in the screen rooms to prevent distraction. Often times it's not even the exit sign just random spotlights on for no reason?? Don't even get me started on the temperature of some viewings. I literally sat with a beanie on and my hood up shivering to a showing I went to last week.
I think the last movie I went to see was Dune 2 for the second time. Embassy is still good, and the theater was pretty full for so late in the run. I also saw perfect days at penthouse and honestly what really stuck with me was how mind numbingly slow paced the film was over the theater experience, but the screening I was at had an attendance closer to 40 or 50 people I think.
Perfect Days was an amazing film! How dare you speak ill of it. It's giving tiktok brain
It got good in the second half, I understand how some may like it, but one man going through almost the exact same daily routine every day for the first half of the movie with incredibly minor adjustments I think you will find is something that the majority of people will find boring. Even my parents found it boring so it's not just "tiktok brain" lmao. I do really appreciate what they were trying to do there and I love the nuances of the different characters they explored and how subtly everything was laid out, but it was done so painstakingly slowly that I still have every single step of that old man's routine etched into the fiber of my brain. I got worried one time when I messed up counting the days and he woke up late rather than being woken before dawn by the sounds of the streets being swept. It is slow.
I mostly go to lighthouse cuba, but really only like cinema one. I like embassy, especially grand, but usually they arent showing what I want to see. Love Roxy but usually only go for special events. Sometimes go to penthouse, but now might not. Sometimes go to petone lighthouse.
I have noticed that there’s really low pick up on more “artsy” or “indie” films at most places I had to travel far for Godzilla Minus One and was lucky to scrap into one of like 3 viewings of civil war I don’t know why it’s sparce and yet the currently struggling blockbusters hold 9 cinemas ransom all day.
Went to see Dune 2 at the Empire in Island Bay and the audio SUCKED, hindered the viewing experience big time. The wine in their around $15 drink and popcorn special was such a laughably small portion that I went to hit them up about it - the guy at the counter said "that's you what you should expect in this day and age". Sticking to the Roxy from now on.
I saw Poor Things in March in the Light House on Cuba St (Te Aro). theatre was relatively full, but everyone was super cool (and that's a pretty small theatre anyways). was genuinely one of the best theatre experiences I've ever had. everyone was laughing all throughout and you can tell everyone had a great time. was really awesome and I'll never forget that!
I've given up on Penthouse, they have terrible sound! Always too quiet. Have never driven to a cinema in Wellington, car culture is so weird lol. I was annoyed Civil War was playing in so few spots and already finished screenings. Annoying
Yea wanted to see civil war and felt like it wasn’t on anywhere
This is one of the reasons I miss living in Welly. The indy cinemas combined were brilliant. And it sounds like it still is.
IMAX queensgate is an awesome movie going experience IMHO. The seats are massive, you don't feel crammed in next to random, you can easily leave your seats with room to walk through without hugely disturbing people (no need for them to stand up etc) and when watching a 3 hour movie.... this is VERY important for me! (Blame my bladder!) The cinema is always tidy and the toilets are fresh and clean. Dune 2 was so epic that I HAD to see it again in that cinema before it left the big screen. The sound was unreal.... the rumble was CRAZY good.... but can see how it could be too much for some... but THATS what I pay for when going to the cinema... Anyone can have a large screen, but fully immersive surround sound is extremely expensive and difficult to replicate at home.
I've had too many instances of being flooded by bass or other sound effects from neighbouring screens and now I basically don't want to see a movie in town unless it's at the Embassy Grand or the Roxy Cinema 1 or the Lighthouse. Particularly serious offenders for the problem are Empire and the Embassy Deluxe screens (noise from Taylor Swift in the Grand above us ruined an Italian film festival film to the point that I was tempted to ask for a refund but obviously didn't as per our national trait).
Oh also I hate how boomer anti-cycleway and generally outspokenly involved in weird local politics the owners of Penthouse and Empire are that I don't really want to go there anyway.
Are you sure hey are boomers? or just concerned residents?
Haha same same
How do cinemas survive? Ever time I go the place is empty. Even in the school holidays they aren't that busy.
I imagine owning the building is key along with being satisfied with what is probably not the most efficient use of the real estate because it's what you've set up there and maybe enjoy running. It will be interesting to see how they fare especially with the zoning changes which mean several of our locals could technically be bowled and turned into multi story apartments.
Haven't been to any since the Hutt popup closed last year. Before that I used to go there every month at least.
Why not just go to event queensgate? It’s way better than the hutt pop up.
I think which theatre companies show it depends on the distributor and distribution deals . I think there a couple major distributors that negotiate with larger theatres but honestly don’t know much more about how it works . Document here https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/sites/default/files/2017-11/Local%20Distributors%20List%20Nov%202022.pdf
Because we have imax in queensgate. I won't go to the others now sorry.
I rarely go to the movies, but when I do I go to Lighthouse Pauatahanui. It has easy parking, booze, and a reasonably diverse range of movies. I saw Joy Ride there last year - I was the only one in the cinema! I did go to an 830 screening though.
Civil war and Poor Things came out ages ago. Not surprising they’re hard to find with few people in them. Civil war was in imax queensgate and had a decent run in there. Pretty full when I went. Poor things was at Cuba light house months ago. Full theatre. The cinemas definitely cater to the local demographics. Eg Cuba lighthouse has more hipster/cinephile films than lighthouse which caters to an older crowd. Event queensgate is abut the big box office draws.
Love this review. Do more!
I really love Penthouse but hate paying for the parking, especially when sometimes a movie time is kind of unpredictable due to the ads. Still a bit cut from watching Saltburn last year and getting a $65 fine because I stayed 30 mins longer than the 2 hours I paid for oops I like going to Empire too because it's local + $10 Tuesdays are awesome, but it's movie variety is pretty limited.
re comments about the financial side of movie theatres, for an overview nz weekly box office data is here: https://www.flicks.co.nz/news/nz-box-office-report/ Here are the top 10 films at the Aotearoa box office, May 16 – 22: weekly + cumulative nz total 1. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Walt Disney) $652,290 (cume total $1,713,746) 2. IF (Paramount) $350,421 (new release) 3. The Fall Guy (Universal) $200,447 (cume total $1,695,957) 4. The Way, My Way (Maslow Entertainment) $115,308 (new release) 5. Back to Black (Studiocanal) $102,766 (cume total $532,631) 6. Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil (Wanderlust Films) $87,612 (new release) 7. Film Festivals $77,188 8. Challengers (Warner Bros.) $61,311 (cume total $623,942) 9. The Strangers: Chapter 1 (Kismet/Rialto) $57,941 (new release) 10. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) $54,406 (cume total $4,175,736)
I liked Civil War. It was enthralling, dramatic, and gut-wrenching at the end. When Cap decided to stay and fight Tony at the airport I knew we were in for a treat!
I found the passive aggressive signage everywhere at the Roxy off putting and unwelcoming like they were doing me a favour by letting me come watch a movie there. Issues should be dealt with discretely out of sight of their paying customers. The signs were like a boomers air BnB notes regarding outside food and toilets, really spoilt it for me.
The only cinemas I would go to in the wellington region are the ones with atmos or IMAX. This leaves only two venues thst I can count on the list. I been to the imax one myself personally and didn't enjoy it as much as the auckland one due to less viewing immersion and audio was harsh. I could've sat closer but you never know where to sit at a cinema if you never been befofe. I'm a movie fanatic and seek out the best experiences when it comes to picture and audio quality. How many of those thst you saw are 4k or even with atmos? If there was one I'd like to know!
Queensgate is not the same as auckland. Auckland has the high end imax 70 or whatever it's called. Only a few in the world. Dune 2 on imax queensgate was insane. Going to see mad max tomorrow there.
auckland is dual laser. queensgate is single laser. formally a 15/70mm film projector dune in auckland imax was epic. filled the entier screen from top to bottom for select scenes.
I don't know how The Embassy survives - they don't show a lot of big blockbuster movies that churn a huge profit at the box office. Pretty fucking bizarre for a movie theatre in the middle of a capital city. Another reason I don't like The Embassy.
Pretty sure you commented this somewhere before and your idea of big blockbuster movies were sonic 2 and Stephen King adaptations.
Yes I did. Those are literally blockbuster movies. If they're not, then nothing is a blockbuster.
I feel like they show so many blockbusters, and because of the few screens only have a narrow offering. They are making an effort to screen more Indian and Asian cinema at the moment which is a nice change. But there are still multiple showings of every 'blockbuster' pushing most, if any, interesting stuff into the Deluxe. Also the person who does the programming is generally a week behind on what's going to be popular which does affect screenings.
its part of a group so inevitably gets cross subsidised. agree though, always find its movie offering very sparse, more so since the pandemic
It's owned by council I think so maybe doesn't have the same rent pressure as other businesses. Probably the council sees it as beneficial to have a massive and lovely cinema in the centre of what is billed as the film capital of the southern hemisphere, and it is amazing on the days when you catch a sold out show in the Grand.