Is anyone playing the “what will you do first when you get out of quarantine?” game? We’ve just started in my house, which happened in response to us all hitting our walls with cabin fever. My kids’ activities mostly involve their friends, of course. My husband and I are looking forward to dining in restaurants. And we all very much want to go back to the movies. We’re doing our best of making movie nights with snacks or themed meals but it’s just not the same. Especially because we have a pretty small TV and if it’s a warm and our windows are open, we have to turn the volume down so we don’t bother any neighbors – it’s just not the same. But, I may get my wish sooner than I thought! Things >are looking pretty grim for movie theaters which is truly unfortunately but unavoidable… or is it? AMC is renting out its theaters to groups of up to 20 starting as low as $99! This is something I can actually plan to do.
The USA’s largest cinema chain AMC is making its screens available for private hire, allowing groups of up to 20 people to watch a film on the big screen without having to share an auditorium with strangers. The move joins cinema chains Cinemark and Alamo Drafthouse, which SlashFilm reports started offering similar screenings earlier this summer. AMC is offering a selection of new and old films to watch, with auditorium rental prices starting at $99 plus tax.
Cinemagoers may be more comfortable attending when they personally know everyone in the room, and the lack of new releases is also less of a problem when it can re-show older movies on request, including horror films like The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2 for the Halloween season, or family films like Monsters, Inc. and How to Train Your Dragon. AMC is also showing a selection of this year’s movies, including Tenet and The New Mutants.
Prices to rent out a screen vary depending on how recent the film is, the theater’s location, and extra add-ons, CNN reports. While older films start at $99 plus tax, newer films like Tenet cost between $149 and $349 plus tax to rent out a screen, according to AMC’s site.
AMC is also selling a host of extras. Bringing in outside food costs $250, while getting access to the auditorium beyond fifteen minutes prior to a film’s start costs $250 for each half hour. A microphone to welcome guests costs another $100.
I live in LA County so truthfully, if we attend an evening film and get snacks, as a family, we’re already close to $100 in a regular situation. The $250 for outside food is kind of steep but I’d be fine foregoing popcorn just to do something like this. Speaking for myself, it would have to be a really close group of friends because I’d still insist on masks. And I’d still want at least two seats and a row between families, so we’d have to be okay with everyone shouting across the theater to each other. But it would be fun to put on some cheesy rom-com and just let people yell at the characters and each other. Of course, Mystery Science Theater 3000 might not be everybody’s cup of tea, I understand. I checked the movie selection, it’s not magnificent but I’d be able to find something. Maybe they change every few weeks as well. I won’t lie, I’ve been making a list of people in my head since I started writing this. The first rent out would be for my kids. The parents of their friends that I’m considering would join me in yanking them out if the kids so much as think about bending any of the rules, so I really think it might work.
You know, even if I can’t pull this off, just trying to think of a way to make it happen gives me something to focus on that’s not the endless weeks more lockdown and truthfully, that’s hope so I’ll take it.
Photo credit: Getty Images
I actually think this is a really good idea. and Jurassic Park! I wish in general theaters could and would rotate older movies through more often – my boys love Jurassic Park and I think seeing it on the big screen would really be fun for them. I don’t know how large a group I would be comfortable doing this with, maybe just my family and part of our “quaranteem” friends, but it still seems fun and a good way to slowly ease back into things like movie theaters (especially if your area is holding steady with lower numbers, like mine is.)
cinemas in my city (in Poland) are doing this: they are having very old-school repertoire (because there’s nothing new), even some Polish kids movies from the 80′. It’s genius and so comforting to see something known and liked on the big screen…
I went twice in the summer (once I was the only person in the room, weird but what an experience ;)) unfortunately the covid numbers are again not good so now so I rather not… 🙁
I love this idea! I would totally do that if it was possible where I lived – it’d be so much fun! Just watch a movie with your bubble peeps and eat popcorn and make snarky comments though the film and whatever… FUN!
I did this for my friends and family for Jurassic Park and it was wonderful.
Oh good grief I would love this! I need to see if anyone in the UK is planning to do it. If I could take my boyfriend to see Jurassic Park on the big screen that would be the best night out! I wouldn’t invite anyone else.
I’m off to dream of giant dinosaurs now.
If they had any Star Wars movie or some older horror in the selection I’d totally do this. Because of the air conditioning/recirculation issue though, how safe is this? Your auditorium will just be your bubble, but what about the adjoining auditoriums? Is that a concern?
Wow, a sign of the times…
I live in Michigan, I looked at the website and it seems kind of complicated. If it was just, pick a time slot and a movie and give us your credit card number, I’d be in.
What about going outside? To beach? To hiking? Cycling? In CA can’t you do almost everything outside? Or go camping? The possibilities seem endless. And no extra charge for bringing a friend or three. This is the time to exercise things better— including our imaginations.
Hey, I bike and hike, but I’d also love to be able to go the movies too.
If it’s safe, why not have both? And in a small way, help some people keep their jobs, which actually is no small thing
I just looked into this the other day. They are all closed in L.A county still, but you can do it in orange county. The Fullerton and Anaheim AMC’s aren’t too far from me.
I looked to see, thinking of my kids birthday coming up and they said they were booked til Nov 5th and to check back.
But I didn’t call so maybe you can book that way
I will totally be doing this
And my youngest has anxiety about being in a dark movie theater with strangers and will never go to the movies. But with this problem solved!! 😀