In a perfect world, movie concessions would be cheap, the chairs would feel like a favorite recliner and nobody would have to strain to see the screen. In a perfect world, going to see a movie would cost less than $5.
As Colonie Center Regal Cinemas gears up for today’s grand opening, the owners have tried to create that perfect world, if only for a limited time.
According to Chad Browning, marketing manager for Regal Cinemas, for three days, beginning Monday, May 12, the Colonie Center theater has been sponsoring preview events featuring $2 movies, $2 soft drinks and $2 popcorn in which, all of the proceeds will go to different charities.
Those charities include the Times Union Hope Fund, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the National Kidney Foundation.
Browning said the company is not allowed, by the motion picture companies, to show new movies for promotional events, but the films that will be showed during the three days will include `10,000 B.C.,` `27 Dresses,` `Atonement,` `August Rush,` `The Bucket List,` `Enchanted,` `Alvin and the Chipmunks,` `Veggie Tales: Pirates,` `I Am Legend` and more.
The 13-auditorium theater has joined the family of Regal Cinemas located within the Capital District, including those at the Latham Circle Mall and Crossgates Mall, but according to Browning, the Colonie Center Regal Cinemas is unique.
`This [cinema] is different because it’s all digital projection,` said Browning. According to him, the Regal Cinemas at Crossgates features some theaters with digital picture, but not all.
Linda Johnson, 39, of Niskayuna, a mother who brought her children to the cinema Monday, said she noticed the difference with the digital picturing.
`The digital movie was really great,` she said, `I haven’t been to the movies in ages, but I thought the quality of this was great. There was better picture and it seemed louder.`
Browning said the difference between digital pictures and traditional pictures is the use of film, which can crack and break. With digital picture, the movie is shown through an external hard drive, he said.
Other changes include seating, with chairs that are able to rock.
Lori Waite, 91, of the Village of Colonie, said being able to rock in the seat was enjoyable.
`The whole thing looks beautiful,` she said.
One thing that is not unique, however, will be the price of going to the cinema. Browning said after the three-day promotional event, normal ticket prices will be $10 per person, with discounts of $7 for matinee shows, senior citizens and children.
According to Browning, there is currently not a discount for students, `but that might be changed.`
Johnson said that if it weren’t for high prices of movie tickets, she would go to the movies more often, but that she got to bring the children to the movies was a `real treat.`
To bring her two children, and two children she was watching that day, Johnson said it cost just $30.
The first official new movie showing at the theater was `Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian` at 12:01 a.m. this morning.“