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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Author
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Topic: movie theatre snacks delivered to your home
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Frank Cox
Film God
Posts: 2234
From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 07-05-2018 07:15 PM
Will home delivery popcorn save the movie industry?
quote:
The sound of a popcorn machine is synonymous with the experience of going to a movie. But as more of us opt to watch at home, the industry is looking for new ways to make money.
The latest idea, a partnership between Cineplex Inc. and Uber Eats, will offer delivery of concession stand snacks—popcorn, hot dogs, candy, nachos and soft drinks—to customers in 60 communities throughout Ontario, Alberta, B.C. and Quebec.
While the numbers ebb and flow depending on movie releases, Cineplex attendance decreased nearly six per cent overall in 2017 from the previous year. Cineplex is hoping this new partnership will help offset the losses, but Saskatoon film critic Craig Silliphant isn't convinced.
"It's another gimmick in a long line of gimmicks that they're trying to work to stay afloat and possibly relevant," said Silliphant. "Ultimately, I think it's just one further thing that trains people out of going to the theatre."
'Tentpole movies' prop up the industry
One of the gimmicks to get people in the theatre is a more immersive experience.
In November 2016, Cineplex opened its first 4DX cinema at its Yonge-Dundas location in Toronto. It marked the 300th 4DX screen worldwide, but the first in Canada. Today, it remains the only one in Canada.
There have been many other ideas like reclining seats, VIP seating and even alcohol service.
According to Silliphant, only the "tentpole movies" will draw people in—the big-budget action films that prop up the whole industry.
"Now to go to the theatre, it has to be this crazy tentpole-effect movie, with superheroes and exploding cities and stuff. Otherwise, it's just not worth it to go see—it's too expensive," said Silliphant. "The middle class of movies has dropped out and largely can be found on television."
This trend is noticeable, with more spin-offs or sequels released each year. Most recently, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom earned a global box office total of $932 million in under two weeks.
'Superhero fatigue' inevitable for audiences
Silliphant doesn't think that model is sustainable and wonders how many of these big budget sequels and spinoffs movie studios can make before audiences check out.
"That superhero fatigue, while it doesn't really show signs of setting in right now, it'll set in eventually," said Silliphant. "You can only see a movie like [Avengers: Infinity War] a handful of times before you go: 'Well what's the point of coming to the theatre for that?'"
He says the fact that Disney put the brakes on any new Star Wars spin-off movies like Solo: A Star Wars Story, which came out in May to a lukewarm reception, proves his point.
Instead, Silliphant says we need movies that are big on original stories and make audiences want to see the movie and be part of of the conversation—ideally, inside movie theatres with popcorn in hand.
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Mike Blakesley
Film God
Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 07-05-2018 09:51 PM
I hate stupid headlines like that..."save the movie industry."
Save it from what? Having a great summer?
I agree there are too many superhero movies right now but the market will adjust, it always does. There were too many Star Wars movies too, and the market just made a large adjustment on that.
I mean, we did great business with "I Can Only Imagine" a few weeks ago, and it was a non-sequel, non-action, non-superhero, non-raunchy PG rated movie. The biz is fine, we just need movies people want to go out to see. The hard part of course is figuring out what that is, without retreading old ground but still making a profit.
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Marcel Birgelen
Film God
Posts: 3357
From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 07-06-2018 03:54 PM
Well, I guess many multiplexes are organized in such a way that you need a valid ticket to even get to the concession stand.
Then again, I regularly bought a bunch of fresh popcorn from the local cinema, only to consume it later at home. Nothing beats fresh popped popcorn done properly.
Still, I doubt the margin on home delivered cinema concessions will really work out. I remember Starbucks experimenting with coffee-delivery, but even at the horrendous margins Starbucks is making on their coffee, it seems hard to do it without hefty delivery fees.
quote: Harold Hallikainen
If you bring in a bag of Regal microwave popcorn, does that count as outside food?
No, but your microwave is considered a concealed weapon. Now, enjoy your raw kernels. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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Frank Angel
Film God
Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 08-10-2018 08:30 PM
The Whirly-Pop device is kinda cool -- it looks like it was designed to look like the hopper in the professional machines -- but I have been making "theatre" popcorn on the stove at home for decades in a plane old kitchen pot. The Whirly-Pop's spinner handle and stirring mechanism are OK, I guess, but it really isn't at all necessary to make excellent popcorn. Shaking the pot over the stove (gas flame) is all that is needed for even heat to pop the kernels efficiently.
The trick for getting "theatre" tasting (and smelling) popcorn, course, is as Mike said: the coconut oil, real Flavacol Gold Metal and At-The-Movies "buttery" topping, same as we us in the theatre. I put the topping in a spray bottle that once had I-Can't-Believe-It's-Not-Butter spray in it; spraying the topping is better than dribbling the topping oil all over the popped buds -- the spray allows a much more even coating and I think overall, you use less of it as well.
Originally I just brought home a big can of the same kernels we used in the theatre, but when we closed down the cinema operation, I had no source and wasn't going to order the minimum 50lb sacks of corn. I found that you can use almost any brand of kernels from the supermarket, but after a bit of experimenting, I found that Orville Redenbacher's premium corn kernels pop up just fine with the biggest popped buds of any that I tried, even bigger and fluffier than what we used at the theatre, plus with the least amount of unpopped kernels. It's a bit pricey, but if you get it in the largest jug (10 lbs, I think), it is worth it. And cooking on the stove simply fills the house with that awesome theatre popcorn aroma. I've experimented with sprinkling the popped corn with onion powder as I spray it with the topping. I have some big fans of that, also have tried garlic powder...not as popular, but it does have at least two fans.
Microwave popcorn? -- a sludge of toxic chemicals that will probably damage your DNA more than it will ever taste like anything close to real food and certainly no way anything like theatre popcorn no matter how many times they stamp the words "THEATRE TASTE" all over the bag. You opting to hand out those Microwave popcorn bags at your family movie night? Go ahead, but be sure to hand out additional barb bags along with them.
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