Wednesday, December 28, 2011

2012 Most Anticipated Films

HOLLYWOOD'S MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS OF 2012
The Dark Knight Rises
We are closing 2011 with outstanding films such as Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol, Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" and "The Adventures of Tin Tin." The 2012 movie list seems quite huge also. Some of the most anticipated 2012 films are "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Avengers,"  "Men in Black III," the next James Bond thriller: "Skyfall," "The Amazing Spider- Man," "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2", and Peter Jackson's: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" coming to theaters next December.
Titanic in 3D
The list also includes the 3D re-issues of "Beauty and the Beast" coming to theaters on January 13, "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phanton Menace," "Titanic" on April 6, and "Finding Nemo" on September 14.

A great year at the movies is ahead of us, and remember this is NOT all. Lots of new choices for all ages at the Digiplex theaters. See The Met: Live in HD 2012 season, the Ballet in Cinema, classical concerts, pop concerts, documentaries, indie films, Kidtoons and so much more!

Check out our special alternative content events at www.digiplexdest.com


Monday, December 19, 2011

FREE KIDTOONS: Olivia's Wintertime Cheer on 12/24 - 12/25

This holiday weekend, your Digiplex Rialto and Digiplex Bloomfield 8 theaters are proud to bring you two Free shows of the Kidtoons December feature: Olivia's Wintertime Cheer on Saturday December 24 and Sunday December 25.
Showtimes:
Digiplex Rialto of Westfield NJ
Saturday, Dec. 24 and Sunday, Dec. 25 at 11:00am

 Digiplex Bloomfield 8 CT
Saturday Dec. 24 and Sunday, Dec. 25 at 12:30pm



Happy Holidays from your Digiplex Family!

For more information, visit www.digiplexdest.com

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The Nutcracker from the Royal Ballet Series Dec 16- 22

Thanks to the promise of Digital Cinema, your Digiplex Destinations theaters in Westfield NJ and Bloomfield CT are bringing 'The Nutcracker' from the Royal Ballet. The Nutcracker, a beloved holiday tradition for generations of families around the globe, will be shown in HD starting on Friday December 16 until Thursday December 22 at the Digiplex Rialto Theater of Westfield NJ and at the Digiplex Bloomfield 8 Theater in Connecticut.

Classical ballet at its most approachable and visually entrancing. A seasonal favorite with something for everyone to enjoy, Hoffman's story tells of one Christmas Eve, when young Clara creeps downstairs for one of her presents, but instead finds herself at the start of a night of magical adventures as the Christmas tree magically grows and the toy soldiers come to life to fight the Mouse King! The beautifully colored imaginings of the fantasy Sugar Garden and its celebratory dances make a fabulous contrast and Peter Wright's production tells the story clearly from its mysterious start to its happy conclusion. Through it all, Tchaikovsky's music is some of the most instantly memorable of all ballet, with a wealth of famous melodies.
For more information, visit www.digiplexdest.com 

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Special Opera Encores: The Magic Flute and Hansel and Gretel at the Digiplex Theaters NJ & CT

Holiday Opera Encores 
This holiday season, NCM Fathom and the Metropolitan Opera will present two special encores: Mozart’s 'The Magic Flute' and Humperdinck’s 'Hansel and Gretel' from the award-winning series The Met: Live in HD.
The operas encores are designed to bring appeal of the opera to families with children and will screen in the United States through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network on December 21 and December 22.

Tickets for these wonderful Holiday Encores in HD are available at www.digiplexdest.com or at the theaters' box offices listed below.
THE MAGIC FLUTE (Mozart)

Wednesday, December 21 - 6:30 p.m. ET
Conducted by James Levine
Production by Julie Taymor
Starring Ying Huang as Pamina, Erika Miklósa as the Queen of the Night, Matthew Polenzani as Tamino, Nathan Gunn as Papageno, and René Pape as Sarastro
In Julie Taymor’s fantastical production of Mozart’s classic opera, the hero Tamino teams up with the comical bird-catcher Papageno to win the hand of the beautiful princess Pamina. To find her, the two unlikely friends must navigate through a mysterious world of supernatural dangers and avoid the wrath of Pamina’s vengeful mother, the evil Queen of the Night.

Theaters: - Digiplex Cranford Theater
                   25 North Avenue
                   Cranford, NJ 07016
                   www.digiplexdest.com
             
                - Digiplex Bloomfield 8 Theater
                  863 Park Avenue
                  Bloomfield, CT 06002
                    www.digiplexdest.com

HANSEL AND GRETEL (Humperdinck)
Thursday, December 22 - 6:30 p.m. ET
Conducted by Vladimir Jurowski
Production by Richard Jones
Starring Christine Schäfer as Gretel, Alice Coote as Hansel, Rosalind Plowright as Gertrud, Philip Langridge as the Witch, Alan Held as Peter
In this English-language version of Humperdinck’s opera, the famous fairy tale siblings wander into the forest in search of strawberries and find themselves in the clutches of an evil witch, who is determined to turn them into gingerbread cookies. The score includes the familiar “Evening Prayer,” in which the children, alone in the forest, ask for 14 angels to guard them as they sleep.



Theater:
 - Digiplex Bloomfield 8 Theater
863 Park Avenue
       Bloomfield, CT 06002 
  www.digiplexdest.com

Pokémon: WHITE VICTINI AND ZEKROM at The Digiplex Bloomfield 8

MEET VOICE ACTRESS KAYZIE ROGERS AT PREMIERE OF
Pokémon: WHITE VICTINI AND ZEKROM”
Autograph Signing Starts 10:30 a.m. at Digiplex Bloomfield 8 Theater,
Saturday, December 3, 2011
http://pokemon.cinedigm.com/
             The Digiplex Bloomfield 8 theater in Bloomfield, Conn. will host a special kickoff event for the premiere of PokémonThe Movie: White Victini And Zekromon Saturday, Dec. 3. The event will feature a signing by veteran Pokémonvoice actress Kayzie Rogers.
Rogers, a resident of West Hartford, has voice acted over 50 different Pokémoncharacters in her 14 years of working on the shows and movies, including Axew, Max, Professor Ivy, Wobbufet and more. She will be available to sign any Pokémonrelated materials fans bring to the premiere from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Digiplex Bloomfield 8 theater, located at 863 Park Avenue (Wintonbury Mall). The film will start at 12:30 p.m.
The movie will also play without an autograph signing on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 12:30 p.m.
“Working on the Pokémonseries has been a dream come true.



Just imagine the joy of living inside a magical world for a couple of hours each week, and I even get paid to do it,” said Rogers. “It's always so wonderful to meet my fans, but this time at Digiplex Bloomfield 8 will be extra special since many of them will be my neighbors.”

See the trailer:

Monday, November 14, 2011

Upcoming Events This Holiday Season!

www.fathomevents.com
DEC 04, 2011 Digiplex Cranford and Bloomfield 8
One of the oldest holiday musical celebrations in the United States, the annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival marks its 100th presentation this year with a special LIVE broadcast to movie theaters nationwide including our Digiplex Bloomfield and Cranford Theaters.  Sunday, December 4, 2011, presented by NCM Fathom and BY Experience.
  The afternoon begins with a video retrospective of Christmas Festival, followed by a 2-hour live concert performed by more than 500 St. Olaf College student musicians, broadcast direct from the campus of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Rejoice, Give Thanks, and Sing - 100th St. Olaf Christmas Festival Live comes to movie theaters nationwide for a live simulcast, Sunday, December 4 at 3:30PM ET

DEC 13, 2011: Digiplex Cranford and Bloomfield 8
The Nutcracker, a beloved holiday tradition for generations of families around the globe, will be shown in HD, as performed by two of the best ballet companies in the world, at Digiplex Destinations theaters in Connecticut and New Jersey  The holiday celebration begins Dec. 13, when the New York City Ballet will be broadcast live and in HD from Lincoln Center direct to theaters in Cranford, N.J., and Bloomfield, Conn. Watch the preview:

FROM DEC 16- 22, 2011: Digiplex Rialto and Bloomfield 8
The Nutcracker from the Royal Ballet
www.emergingpictures.com
Tschaikovsky’s music is instantly evocative of the Christmas season, and now that music can be heard in glorious digital sound as performers from both the New York City Ballet and Royal Ballet tell the story of a struggle between a young girl, the Nutcracker and the Mouse King and his magical spell.
 The NYC Ballet, performing George Balanchine’s adaptation, will be live for one night only, at the Digiplex Cranford and the Digiplex Bloomfield 8 theaters, on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. Tickets go on sale Nov. 18 at www.digiplexdest.com or at the box office.
The Royal Ballet encore performance of a slightly different, Peter Wright production, will be shown at the Digiplex Rialto Theater in Westfield, N.J., and the Digiplex Bloomfield from Dec. 16 to 22. Tickets are on sale now at www.digiplexdest.com or at the box office.



Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Halloween Fun & Story Time With Spookley The Square Pumpkin

COLORING CONTEST- STORY TIME- COSTUME CONTEST- SPOOKLEY MOVIE &  LOTS OF PRIZES SATURDAY 10/29 At 10am
Spookley The Square Pumpkin
www.spookley.com
Digiplex Destinations and the Westfield Memorial Library Foundation are pleased to present children’s author Joe Troiano, creator of the Spookley books, in a special appearance and reading on Saturday, Oct. 29, 10:30 a.m. at the Digiplex Rialto Theater in Westfield, N.J.  located at 250 East Broad Street.
Joe Troiano
www.spookley.com
Troiano, author of The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin, will give a reading at 10:30 a.m. The movie, Spookley the Square Pumpkin, follows immediately thereafter at 11 a.m.
This animated film follows the adventures of a square pumpkin named Spookley, who lives in a world in which only round pumpkins are considered good. He is teased by the other pumpkins because of his odd shape. But Spookley makes friends with Edgar, Allan and Poe, three spiders who convince him that, square or not, he has a right to be the "Pick of the Patch" on Halloween. By twists and turns, Spookley comes to the realization that being different can also be a gift.
The fun begins with lobby activities, including a coloring contest, when the doors open at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 29, and continues with the reading at 10:30, the movie at 11, and a raffle after the movie for Halloween treat bags with a signed book, a plush Spookley, and a movie pass for a future showing. Children are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes. This feature is Rated G and admission is only $3.50 per person. An anti-bullying PSA will be included as part of the presentation.
For more information on Spookley the Square Pumpkin see, www.holidayhillfarm.com
For details on the Digiplex Rialto Theater, see www.digiplexdest.com.

Friday, September 30, 2011

American Express Brings the Tribeca Film Festival to the Digiplex Rialto of Westfield NJ

From October 21–23, enjoy a taste of the Tribeca Film Festival at the Rialto Theater in Westfield. Join us for six amazing indie films and an exclusive after party on opening night. Plus, don't miss the post-screening Q&A sessions with the filmmakers including actress Abigail Breslin (Janie Jones), actor Dennis Farina (The Last Rites of Joe May), and others. All sessions will include at least one filmmaker.*
Opening-night screening and after-party with cocktails: $12.00
Weekend shows: $ 8.00 per screening
Tickets proceeds will benefit the Tribeca Film Institute. Time limit: 8 per screening.
Tickets are not tax deductible. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges.
All screenings at the Digiplex Rialto Theater in Westfield, New Jersey. To learn more and buy your tickets today visit:

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Ballet Comes This Fall to Your Local Digiplex Theater

BALLET FINDS A NEW HOME AT YOUR LOCAL DIGIPLEX THEATER
Digiplex Theaters in Westfield and Cranford, N.J., and Bloomfield, Conn.
Feature Professional Ballet Performances For Holidays and Beyond

By: Jeff Blumenfeld

  Digiplex Destinations is expanding its schedule of encore ballet performances based upon the popularity of its initial professional dance presentations this summer.  The Moscow Bolshoi Ballet and the Royal Ballet from London’s Royal Opera House will appear over 11 days on its silver screens between now and the holidays.
 Esmeralda www.balletincinema.com
Offering professional ballet for a popcorn-eating audience is made possible by the conversion of theaters from 35 millimeter film projectors to digital technology that allow either live or encore performances to be beamed directly to local theaters.
The fall 2011 schedule for both the Digiplex Cranford (N.J.) Theater and Digiplex Bloomfield 8 (Conn.) is:
Esmeralda (Bolshoi Ballet), Oct. 16 at 12:30 p.m. and Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.
Sleeping Beauty (Bolshoi Ballet), Nov. 27, at 12:30 p.m., and Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.
The Royal Ballet performance of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker comes to the Digiplex Rialto Westfield theater and the Digiplex Bloomfield 8 theater on the following dates and times:
Dec. 16, 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 and 18 at 12:30 p.m.
Dec. 19, 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 21, 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 22, 7:30 p.m.
Sleeping Beauty www.balletincinema.com
Tickets for $15 are available at the box office or online at www.digiplexdest.com.
 Doors open 30 minutes in advance.
The schedule continues into 2012 with encore performances of Le Corsaire (Bolshoi Ballet), Romeo & Juliet (Royal Ballet), The Bright Stream (Bolshoi Ballet), La Fille Mal Gardee (Royal Ballet), Raymonda (Bolshoi Ballet), and Sleeping Beauty (Royal Ballet). Check www.digiplexdest.com for showtimes.
               
  According to A Dale  'Bud' Mayo, Digiplex Destinations chairman/CEO, “The response to encore ballet presentations has been particularly gratifying at all our theaters and encouraged us to find a home for ballet well into 2012,”
“Bringing professional performance dance to local communities, especially in time for the holidays, is exactly the kind of entertainment we had in mind when we invested in the digital technology that allows us to expand beyond the latest Hollywood blockbuster movie into a full range of alternative programming.” Said Mr. Mayo.

The Digiplex Cranford Theater is located at 25 North Avenue, Cranford; the Digiplex Rialto Westfield is at 250 East Broad Street. The Digiplex Bloomfield 8 Theater is located at 863 Park Avenue (Wintonbury Mall), Bloomfield, Conn.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Summer 2011 Box Office Breaks Record

Summer Box Office Breaks Record; Admissions Up 1.0%
Fifth summer in a row over $4 billion
By: Patrick Corcoran

The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) today announced summer 2011 box office reached a new record of $4.4 billion. Summer admissions were up an estimated 1.0% over summer 2010 to 546 million. 2011 also marked the fifth consecutive summer in which box office revenues exceeded $4 billion. (Summer is defined as running from the first full weekend in May through Labor Day of each year.)

NATO president and CEO John Fithian stated, “In the midst of 9% unemployment and a continuing weak economy, it is striking that the movie theater industry can continue to grow revenues and admissions. Along with our distribution partners, movie theaters offer compelling entertainment in state-of-the-art facilities at reasonable prices. In a weak economy or strong, the movie theater remains the first and most affordable choice in out-of-home entertainment.”
http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/Movie-Ticket-1.gif
Both box office and admissions have rebounded strongly since the difficult Q1 comparison with 2010. Second quarter box office outstripped the same quarter in 2010 by 4.4%. Admissions were ahead by 2%. The -21% first quarter gap has been nearly erased, with year-to-date box office behind 2010 by only 4.3% and a likely very strong fall and holiday period ahead.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

DIGIPLEX INDEPENDENT FILM SERIES COMES TO THE DIGIPLEX RIALTO THIS FALL 2011

DIGIPLEX INDEPENDENT FILM SERIES COMES TO WESTFIELD, N.J.
Features Live Q & A With Director Margaret Whitton of  “A Bird Of The Air” On Sept. 20 
 And Actor/Comedian Steve Guttenberg, Star of “A Novel Romance,” On Oct. 3

By: Jeff Blumenfeld 

www.abirdoftheair.com
 Everyone has heard of blockbuster Hollywood films supported by tens of millions of dollars.  But what about the dozens of independent films telling important stories without a gold-plated budget?  Digiplex Destinations, a new and fast growing chain of all-digital theaters, is celebrating independent films this fall with the Digiplex Independent Film Series (DIFS), highlighting a number of films in pre-release, well ahead of national distribution.
            All films will be shown at 7 p.m. at the Digiplex Rialto Theater in Westfield, N.J. (250 East Broad Street), and feature prominent area film critics and film experts, along with talent or production staff from each film.
www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/stephen_whitty/
            The film series will open Sept. 20 with a presentation of “A Bird of the Air,” featuring a live question and answer session afterwards with director Margaret Whitton. The film, about a sassy parrot and a free-spirited librarian who upend the well-ordered life of a solitary man, will be hosted by Stephen Whitty, past chairman of the New York Film Critics Circle. Whitty is also an award-winning Sunday columnist and film critic for the Newark Star-Ledger whose reviews run nationwide.
www.watchmoviesforfree.com
            DIFS will continue on Oct. 3 with “A Novel Romance,” featuring an introduction by director Allie Dvorin and a live Q & A with actor and comedian Steve Guttenberg at the Digiplex Rialto Theater in Westfield. Other films will be offered Oct. 11, Nov. 15, and Dec. 13.  Log onto www.digiplexdest.com for more details.
            “Hollywood blockbusters are like the Snooki of cinema – they're loud, they're colorful, and they tend to suck up all the oxygen in a room. They can be fun in small doses but you need to catch your breath once in awhile,” said Whitty.  
            “It’s important to have festivals and series that spotlight all the movie alternatives out there – American indies, foreign films, documentaries.
            “Their budgets are a lot smaller than the studio products, but their entertainment value is just as big. And what they also provide – provocative real-life stories, offbeat dramas, quirky comedies, wide-open windows to other cultures – is immense,” Whitty said.
www.celebrityphoto.com
            Adds A. Dale “Bud” Mayo, Digiplex Destinations chairman/CEO, The best way audiences can discover the next big break-out film is to see them on the big screen, where they really belong. This is our first effort to bring movies to people who enjoy learning how movies are made, and appreciate the thinking process that goes on behind the scenes.
            “DIFS offers a better understanding of the entire movie-making process,” Mayo said.
            Co-producer of DIFS is Mark Ehrenkranz, series producer of the New York Film Critics Series.
            Tickets for the Digiplex Independent Film Series are $10 per person and can be purchased at the box office or on-line at www.digiplexdest.com.


                                                                 






Friday, August 12, 2011

The Met: Live in HD Comes to Your Digiplex Local Theater

The Metropolitan Opera's Emmy and Peabody award-winning series of live, high-definition performance transmissions returns to movie theaters across the United States this fall. The sixth season of The Met: Live in HD begins with Donizetti’s Anna Bolena on Saturday, October 15, 2011 and will feature eleven live and nine encore presentations through May 2012.

 
 All LIVE events take place on Saturdays. In addition to the LIVE events, encore performances will be exhibited on select Wednesdays after the respective live event. The full schedule of events follows below.

 Don’t miss the chance to experience the excitement of the Metropolitan Opera, including interviews and behind-the-scenes features exclusive to the Live in HD series, all at Digiplex Local Theater.


Locations: Digiplex Cranford Theater (Cranford, NJ)
                  Digiplex Bloomfield 8 (Bloomfield, CT)

Tickets go on sale: MONDAY AUGUST 29, 2011






Tuesday, August 9, 2011

DOES THAT PLACE LOOK FAMILIAR?

If that restaurant, city park or house looks strangely familiar – like you've seen it somewhere before - you could be right. Hollywood has had a love affair with both New Jersey and Connecticut for years.
 
Source: comingsoon.net
Did you know that movies such as 'Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' and 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2' have scenes that were shot in Connecticut?

What about movies in New Jersey? Well, just to mention a few: 'Men in Black' and 'A Beautiful Mind'
Interesting, huh?

For a fun list of movies produced in both states, take a look at these links below:



Monday, August 1, 2011

Movie Theaters Screening Digital Alternatives


Digiplex Bloomfield 8 Theater

Connecticut’s movie theaters have found alternative ways to make money.
Concerts, ballet, opera, Broadway shows, sporting events, video games, one-time screenings of specialty titles — the state’s theaters experiment with just about anything that can fill their many seats, particularly during traditionally slow times.
Bud Mayo CEO
“We want to generate product that gets people out, particularly in the middle of the week,” said Bud Mayo,  CEO of Digiplex Destinations, which operates the Bloomfield 8 Theater. “One of the ways to get them busier is to know the audience and play things other than Hollywood movies.”
The hole in the movie theater business model has long been weekday nights. Cinemas fill up on the weekends for Hollywood blockbusters; but on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, screenings of the same movies bring far fewer people to the multi-plexes.
Instead of targeting the same crowd during the week and hoping a few stragglers buy enough tickets, popcorn and soda to generate a profit, Connecticut’s cinemas are enticing new groups of people by screening events they could only see otherwise by traveling to far-off places.
The Bolshoi Ballet Playing at the Bloomfield 8
Colorado-based National Cinemedia Fathom offers a variety of alternative programming to theaters around the nation, including the Buckland Hills 18 IMAX in Manchester, the Branford 12 Stadium, the Connecticut Post 14 Cinema De Lux in Milford, and the North Haven 12.
The NCM Fathom programming has included the ballet “Giselle” streamed in 3-D from Russia, four William Shakespeare plays streamed from London’s Globe Theatre, an opera series including “Madame Butterfly” from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, and live sporting events in 3-D such as soccer’s World Cup and the Wimbeldon tennis finals.
Metropolitan Opera Season 2011
“It was a challenge to generate awareness for this type of programming,” said Michelle Portillo, NCM Fathom spokeswoman. “People are catching on finally.”
NCM first started offering alternative programming in 2002. By 2005, it was streaming 15 events per year. By 2010, that grew to 74 events in 600 theaters across the nation.
The movement has gained more momentum in the last couple of years after more and more movie screens have been converted to digital. More than half of all movie screens nationwide are now digital, said Patrick Corcoran, director of media and research for the National Association of Theatre Owners.
With 3-D and live streaming, theaters can screen events in new ways, Corcoran said. The ticket prices for these events tend to be higher than most movies — the Shakespeare showings cost $15 in Connecticut — but people get to watch events they otherwise couldn’t have seen.
“People are surprised they can see something for $18 that would cost them $60-70 to see in New York,” plus the travel cost, Corcoran said.
Because of digital streaming, movie theaters can screen anything that can be digitized, including live broadcasts of sporting events such as college football bowl games and concerts such as Foo Fighters and Phish. Cinemas no longer rely on the much more expensive process of shipping in reels of film and setting them up in a projector.
Niche programming — such as the “Tekken Blood Vengeance 3D” video game event on July 26 at Buckland Hills IMAX — doesn’t need to attract a huge crowd to be profittable, said Jeremy Devine, vice president of marketing for Rave Motion Pictures, which operates the Buckland Hills theater.
“The economics of running alternative content has gotten to the point where the concept is going to get a lot bigger,” Devine said. “It is beyond its infancy, and it has a lot of room to grow.”
The economic model of alternative programming gives theaters a lot more options to experiment, and slowly build audiences.
Bow-Tie Cinemas in West Hartford started offering live screenings of Stephen Sondheim plays. The theater also offers live concerts and specialty cinema events such as “Life in a Day,” which is a feature length documentary compiled from 80,000 YouTube users who shot video of what they did on July 24, 2010.
Alternative programming “basically takes times and days that you normally wouldn’t be busy,” said Joe Masher, chief operating officer for Bow-Tie, which has 18 locations in five states. “It is still a very small part of the business, but it is growing steadily.”
To reward Bow-Tie patrons, the company lowered all its ticket and concession prices by 10 percent for the summer running June 17 to Sept. 8. The reduction was meant more as a reward to loyal customers but is expected to increase attendance.
The Bloomfield 8 Cinemas drastically increased its alternative programming after Digiplex Destinations purchased the theater in March. In addition to opera and ballet, Bloomfield 8 started branching out to find other crowds, such as trying to create a comedy club atmosphere and offering Kidtoons, which is Saturday and Sunday morning programming catering to children.
Singham playing at the Digiplex
Bloomfield 8 Theater
The aggressive move to alternative program was inspired, in part, by Bloomfield 8’s recent success showing Bollywood movies, which are produced in India. The Bloomfield vicinity sports a large Indian population, and Bollywood screenings were popular years before Digiplex bought the facility, Mayo said. The Indian movies even generated cross-over appeal for the American crowd.
Bloomfield 8 is particularly searching for the older audience underserved by Hollywood movies. The theater started dedicating one screen for independent film and is finding new programming for that crowd, Mayo said.
To cater to this alternative crowd, theaters offer concessions beyond the normal fare. The snack counter features items such as coffee, espresso and biscotti.
For screenings of sporting events, Rave Motion Pictures offers food stands at its locations, much like the food carts at sports stadiums. The idea is to give fans the same experience as a game. Mayo wants to get permits to allow fans to tailgate outsideBloomfield 8.
Adding beer, wine and alcohol to the concession stands is trickier in Connecticut. The state’s liquor laws make it hard to get a license when there is another license holder nearby. Rave Motion Pictures isn’t pursuing a license for its concessions stands in Connecticut, but Mayo said he is looking into it for Bloomfield 8.
Whether alternative programming means a revival for the theater industry remains to be seen, Corcoran said. Building new theaters or re-opening older ones — such as the several closed down Showcase Cinemas around Greater Hartford — often depends on how well the other theaters in the area serve their customers.
The number of movie screens throughout the nation has remained stable while the number of theaters has decreased, Corcoran said.
Digiplex Destinations was founded in 2010 as Mayo saw an opportunity in the theater industry as the digital transition made for cheaper and more varied programming. The purchase of the Bloomfield 8 in March gave the fledging company three theaters and 19 screens. By the end of the year, Digiplex hopes to have a total of 11 theaters.
Digiplex’s goals call for 1,000 screens at 100 locations in the next three years, Mayo said. Staying ahead of the alternative programming curve will help the company become a market leader as more and more theaters realize the benefits of finding other ways to fill seats during down times.
“We are doing it as a tiny company with big plans,” Mayo said. “The industry should be catching up in a few years.”
*Written by By Brad Kane


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Digiplex Cranford Theater to host Metropolitan Opera HD Encores

The Bolshoi Ballet 2011
The Westfield Memorial Library Foundation is teaming up with Digiplex Destinations to bring some of
the world’s highest quality cultural events to our area.
Starting in July, tickets for encore performances of the Moscow Bolshoi Ballet, the Metropolitan
Opera and other concerts in high definition will go on sale at Westfield Memorial Library.

These HD showings, which will take place at the Cranford Theater, rival having a center row
orchestra seat in a live theater. You could say they are ballet, opera and classical concerts for a
popcorn-eating audience made possible by the conversion of theaters from 35 millimeter film
projectors to digital technology.

Tickets for the Bolshoi Ballet performances cost $15. Tickets for the Metropolitan Opera summer
encore series and the Israel Philharmonic cost $20.

Tickets can be purchased at Westfield Memorial Library, 550 East Broad St. Part of the proceeds
from these sales will go to the Library Foundation.

Tickets also can be purchased online at digiplexdest.com, or at the box office of the Digiplex
Cranford Theater, which is located at 25 North Ave., Cranford. All performances are at the
Cranford Theater.

The next performances in the Bolshoi Ballet Series: “Don Quixote,” July 27; “Coppelia,” Aug. 7 and
10; “Children of Paradise,” Aug. 21 and 24; “Giselle,” Sept. 11 and 14; “Mediterranea,” Sept. 25
and 28; and “Caligula,” Oct. 9 and 12. Check digiplexdest.com for exact times.

Met HD encore presentations will include Don Carlo on July 27. On July 28, the theater will
present Renee Fleming: Live With the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert will be taped in
Jerusalem earlier that day. Actual live HD broadcasts, including Met opera performances, will be
carried in the fall.

Digiplex Destinations is based in Westfield. For more information, call 908-396-1367.

Published: Tuesday, July 19, 2011, 10:37 AM Updated: Tuesday, July 19, 2011, 12:18 PM

By Cranford Chronicle

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Health Benefits of Popcorn

Most people don't think of popcorn as being a healthy treat. A new study suggests otherwise.
Some people balk at the idea of popcorn being a healthy snack.  Popcorn prepared without a pool of butter and a heavy layer of salt may not be so unhealthy after all.
A study conducted in 2009 at the University of Scranton showed that popcorn has some surprising health benefits. Popcorn is high in antioxidants, most notably, polyphenols – a group of natural plant chemicals that have a variety of health benefits. Polyphenols are the same group of compounds that give red wine, tea, olive oil, and chocolate their beneficial properties. Not only do they scavenge free radicals and protect against cell damage, they’re being investigated for their anti-cancer properties and heart protective properties. In fact, the researchers found that the polyphenol content of good, old-fashioned popcorn rivals that of many fruits and vegetables.

Another health benefit of popcorn? It’s a whole grain in the same league as oatmeal, barley, brown rice, and millet – grains that are known for their health benefits. All of these grains retain the bran and germ of the plant which is the source of most of the vitamins and minerals - in contrast to refined grains where these vitamin-rich components have been stripped away. Three cups of popcorn is equivalent to a single serving of a whole grain food. Popcorn is also a good source of fiber which helps to increase satiety and give a sense of fullness and satisfaction that lasts for hours. This can be helpful for weight control since popcorn without butter is low in calories.

Who knew? Going to a Digiplex theater can be good for your health as well as a great way to spend an evening. 


Welcome!

We are so glad you are taking the time to check out our new official blog. We want to let you know that Digiplex has acquired several theaters across to United States and its main purpose is to convert them into real entertainment centers. Digiplex is now offering Ballet in Cinema, Live Metropolitan Opera, independent film series, Live streaming concerts, Live stand-up comedy shows, and of course your latest Hollywood films!
Please visit us at www.digiplexdest.com and Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/digiplexdestinations

LIVE Night concert event joining jazz great
Wynton Marsalis and guitar legend Eric Clapton