“Letters to Juliet” Ladies’ Night Out Recap

By Jennifer Garone
Marketing & Events Specialist

Star 105.7 knows how to throw a party! On Friday night, close to 200 ladies gathered at Celebration! Cinema North for mingling, munchies and a movie.

The party started at 6:30 p.m. in The Wave Room with guest getting VIP treatment from each vendor: chocolate covered strawberries from The Melting Pot, complimentary wine samples from Cascade Winery, and chair massages from Great Lakes Chiropractic. Other vendors, such as Elite Body Shapers, Facial Expressions and Mary K Cosmetics by Brooke Bennett showcased their fabulous products. Also among the vendors ensuring the party goers were having a great time were GR Computer Solutions, The Gold and Silver Exchange, Youngevity Botanical Spa Collections and Uptown Bags for Downtown Girls.

To get into the mood of Letters to Juliet, which is set in Verona, the crowd socialized while enjoying the Italian-themed hors d’oeuvres including pear & brie, mini pizzas, spanakopita, green apple salad and pasta wheels in a sweet and sour salad. The cash bar drink special was pineapple granitas garnished with fresh mint and lemon zest. (Available in both alcoholic & non, to cater to everyone at this all ages party!)

At 8 p.m., party goers headed to a theatre auditorium where Star 105.7’s Kelly Iris gave away over $2,000 in sponsors’ prizes! A beautiful necklace from Roger’s Jewelers, microderm abrasion and a facial from Indigo Medspa, and a package including a 3 month membership, tanning and a ½ hour massage from Westside Fitness were among the coveted items awarded. The night was then capped off with the private screening of Letters to Juliet starring Amanda Seyfried & Vanessa Redgrave.

Tickets for this event were only $20. Star 105.7 has more Ladies’ Nights Out in the works, so be sure to stay tuned to their station, and to Celebration Cinema’s Facebook page for upcoming party announcements. This party sold out in advance, so you’ll want to be the first to know so you don’t miss out!

Old White Guy Meets 50 Cent

By Ron VanTimmeren
Vice President, Programming

I have teenage children but that’s about as close as I’ve ever gotten to 50 Cent… until Tuesday night (5/11/2010).  That’s when I came face to face with the man, the myth, the legend who, in his movie roles, is credited as Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.  What a cool guy.

50 was at Celebration! Cinema North to support his movie Caught in the Crossfire along with Producer Randall Emmett and Writer/Director Brian Miller.  Curtis, Randall and Brian all spoke before and after the movie and they were sincerely thankful for the audience support, the City of Grand Rapids support and the support of the West Michigan Film Office and the Michigan Film Commission. As a result of the generosity of the filmmakers, the star and the guests, we were able to raise $7,690.00 for the West Michigan Film Office!  Rick Hert and his “crew” there are doing a wonderful job facilitating the development of show biz and show biz jobs here in West Michigan.  We all want to keep the Michigan Tax Incentive for movie-making going!

Curtis looked great.  He has been on some kind of movie-star-loosing-weight-for-a-role diet, so he seems trim compared to older pictures I have seen of him.  He’s an attractive guy who knows how to put together the jeans and tan shirt & boots look.  He has a killer smile and charm… “I want to get my Obama on”, he says about meeting and greeting guests and the media.  He likes filming in Grand Rapids because “It’s quiet for me.  And it was easy for me to concentrate”.  Jackson and Director Brian Miller (who is from Grand Rapids) joked about 50 staying at Miller’s parent’s house, about 50 being shot in real life, about police officers and real life criminals – all in good fun.

Caught in the Crossfire – as the title implies – is a “crackerjack” action/suspense/cops and robbers thriller and will be distributed by Lionsgate Home Video (direct to DVD).  Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has a several movies in various stages of production and post-production… 17 total movies he has been part of according to imdb.com.  We hope he’ll come back again sometime.

When I asked him what he would like from the concession stand, he replied, “Sprite”.  Yes, Sierra Mist was OK.

View a photo gallery from the Caught in the Crossfire premiere at Celebration! Cinema.

“Babies” Premier Party at Celebration! Cinema

By Jennifer Garone
Marketing & Events Specialist

The Wave Room at Celebration! Cinema North this past Friday (5/7) was buzzing with the type of energy that can only be produced from a room full of babies and those who love them!

To celebrate the opening of the documentary Babies, local vendors came to together to create an event to celebrate little ones and their parents. Nearly 180 individuals ranging in age from merely a few weeks old to their proud grandparents shopped the vendor tables, watched and participated in the child & maternity fashion show, learned about new products and opportunities for their bambinos and bonded with other parents as they enjoyed complimentary refreshments.

Baby Beloved, Emdins/USA Baby, Momsbloom, Hopscotch, GymCo, From the Heart Yoga Center, Stroller Strides, Flourish Photography, Captured in Clay and Celebration! Banquets & Catering all showcased their services and raffled off valuable prizes for those in attendance. You can view a slideshow of pictures from the event in the viewer below:

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After the party concluded, the guests made their way to a theatre auditorium to enjoy a baby-friendly private screening of the new movie Babies. (I think it’s safe to say we’ve never before had so many strollers in an auditorium at one time!) The sound was turned down a bit to protect sensitive ears, and the lights were up to make entering & exiting the theatre easier.

The party in the Wave Room was free, and tickets to the private showing of this movie were at a special discounted rate of just $5/person (free for those under age 2).

If you missed this special event but are interested in attending baby-friendly movie screenings, be sure to check out our Monday Movies for Moms at Celebration! Cinema South & Celebration! Cinema Lansing.

Babies is now playing at Celebration! Cinema Grand Rapids North. View showtimes for Babies at Celebration! Cinema.

Jennifer Garone is the Marketing & Events Specialist at Celebration! Cinema.

Summer Movies at Celebration! Cinema

By Ron Van Timmeren
Vice President, Programming

I love summer in Michigan.  Fishing, golfing, the beach, working in the yard… but this summer I’m hoping it rains a lot.  It’ll be a lot easier to keep up with the massive amount of great looking movies coming out his summer if it rains (sorry Kevin Sims at the Getty Drive In).

May
Summer starts with what will be one of the top 5 movies of the summer and one I can’t wait to see – Iron Man 2 (5/7) on IMAX.  Expectations are high because Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau delivered such a fantastic hit movie in Iron Man.   Ridley Scott and Russel Crowe delivered one my top 10 all-time favorites in Gladiator… I hope they can come close to matching that with Robin Hood (5/14).  Shrek (5/21) has run out of gas, I’m afraid, but it will still deliver the goods. Sex and the City 2 and Prince of Persia both look good for Memorial weekend.

June
The first weekend in June . . . can Get Him to the Greek (6/4) fill the slot and duplicate the success of The Hangover last summer?  No.  But I love the trailer for Killers (6/4) (big Katherine Heigl fan).  The A-Team (6/11) will look and act a lot like G.I. Joe did last summer and The Karate Kid (6/11) is better than it should be because of lead actors Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith.  Toy Story 3 (6/18) is my favorite movie of the year so far – absolutely fabulous and funny with all the original cast and then some plus the Pixar Midas touch.  We saw an unfinished 2D print at ShoWest and it still blew me away – can’t wait to see it in 3D.  On June 25 two huge pictures go head to head with Knight and Day (Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise) looking like a winner vs. Grown Ups (Adam Sandler and Kevin James).

July
The week loosely defined as “4^th of July” usually brings the biggest movies of the summer… like The Last Airbender (3D 7/2)??  I really hope M Night Shyamalan has some good movies left in him.  No doubt The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (6/30) will be one of the top 3 movies of the summer.  Despicable Me 3D (7/9) looks like big fun.  Steve Carell voices the lead character and has the lead in Dinner for Shmucks (7/23).  He will be part of three $100 million movies this year (but I still can’t watch “The Office”).  Inception (7/16, IMAX) gets the “most intriguing” award for the summer.  Love Christopher Nolan movies and DeCaprio always picks interesting roles.  Don’t count out Salt (7/23) starring Angelina Jolie as one of the summer’s top 10.

August
The first weekend in August is really the last release weekend for a movie looking to become a blockbuster.  The Other Guys (8/6) fits the bill this year with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.  But on August 13 there’s Eat Pray Love starring Julia Roberts.  Maybe she can break the curse.  If not her, perhaps it will be Piranha 3D (8/27).

It’s fun to speculate what will be this summer’s sleeper(s) like – will The Kids are All Right (7/7) be this year’s Juno? . . will Babies (5/7) be this year’s March of the Penguins? will Splice connect with the horror/thriller crowd or will Step Up 3D connect with teens/young adults?  I’m also intrigued by MacGruber (5/21), Cyrus (John C. Reilly, 7/9), The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Nic Cage, 7/16) and Going the Distance (Drew Barrymore, 8/27).

LET IT RAIN!

(PS: Later today – Tuesday, 4/27 – we’re showing the Summer Movie Preview Experience: A free event featuring 80 minutes of previews highlighting this summer’s movies! Register here!)

Ron Van Timmeren is the Vice President of Programming at Celebration! Cinema.

Earth Month at Celebration! Cinema

By Emily Loeks
Director of Education & Community Partnerships

It’s April, and for reasons to numerous to count, the whole region is thinking ‘green’! Trees are budding, rain is falling, and (in Michigan anyway) our consumption of energy for heat and electric use drops significantly.

Granted, a theatre business consumes a fairly high level of power.  It’s part of the nature of our business, with all the giant screens and projection bulbs, etc. However, last year, Celebration! Cinema established the goal of decreasing our electric consumption by 10%. With the help of energy audits, change of electric bulbs, etc., we are very close to achieving that!

A Storytelling Business
As a ‘storytelling’ business, we’ve also been active this month.  Our dominant IMAX school group film for the season has been Mysteries of the Great Lakes a beautiful film that both outlines some of the threats to our Great Lakes and showcases some of the successes that have resulted from legislation and community activism. Today, Earth Day, we’ll be opening the film Oceans, presented by Disney Nature, which will showcase a more global perspective on our water system and planet.

The Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative
Beyond the confines of the big screen, Celebration! Cinema will be highlighting the work of a terrific new organization, the ‘Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative’ (GLSI).  GLSI has already established eight regional ‘hubs’ of activity around the state, with the purpose of engaging K-12 students in hands-on service learning projects that help to protect their own local environment and water systems (lakes, rivers & streams). GLSI hubs provide teacher training, connections to a network of many community organizations able to provide expertise needed, and funding for approved classroom projects.  Public, private and charter schools are all eligible to participate in these programs.

We, at Celebration!, are really excited about these initiatives.  We hope that you’ll come visit us soon, take the opportunity to see Oceans or bring a group to Mysteries of the Great Lakes. During the weeks of April 22 – May 6, you can donate a dollar and receive a limited-edition green wrist band to lend support & raise continuation funds for the ‘Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative’!

Our Great Lakes are one of this region’s greatest assets. Their health will play a significant role in the economic, environmental and social health of our state in the future.  Please join us in sharing these stories, and in inspiring the next generation of earth caretakers and stewards!

Digital IMAX Projection at Celebration! Cinema Lansing

By Steve Van Wagoner
Vice President of Marketing

More than a billion people around the world have been spellbound by the force and beauty of The IMAX Experience. At Celebration! Cinema in Lansing, Michigan, movie goers have loved seeing classic IMAX movies as well as blockbuster movies on one of the biggest screens in the world. Now, Lansing’s famous IMAX theatre will be even better – beginning Friday, May 7th the Lansing IMAX theatre will be digital!

What does a digital IMAX theatre mean for Lansing’s movie goers at Celebration! Cinema? “The IMAX movie experience is unparalleled in our industry,” said J.D. Loeks, president and chief operating office for Celebration! Cinema. “The new digital projection system will allow us to make certain that the top IMAX movies are available to our guests so they can have that experience. And when they watch those movies, they will be getting the very best image and sound quality available.

Photo from IMAX.com

When ‘Avatar’ opened last December and we could not get a print for the IMAX theatre, we knew something had to change. The new digital projection system means movie distributors can provide us with a digital hard drive at a tiny fraction of the cost of film print. That means we will be able to get the hottest IMAX titles available.

The IMAX Theatre DLP® digital projection system will join the rest of the Celebration! Cinema theatres in the complex that moved to DLP® digital cinema projection in 2007. The IMAX Theatre digital projection installation project will begin Monday, April 26th and be finished by May 7th.

A recent article in Film Journal International explains some of the technical specifications of this projection system:

IMAX Digital is built on all the previously developed IMAX technologies—3D, large-format feature-length content, and lower-cost theatre designs—with the intention of bringing the same immersive IMAX experience within the reach of mainstream exhibitors. By replacing the previous 15/70 film format with an all-new digital path including a custom-designed digital projection system based on the latest generation of Texas Instruments’ DLP Cinema technology, IMAX Digital provides the most cost-effective implementation yet.

IMAX Digital currently uses two Christie-manufactured DLP Cinema projectors, although the company plans to remain technology- and vendor-agnostic to allow progressive improvements as new technologies and products become available. The two projectors are used in a unique configuration: The two images are pre-processed and projected superimposed on each other in a way that increases the image’s fidelity and quality. The light levels are set to 22FL, considerably brighter than the 14FL used in conventional auditoriums.

The projectors are fitted with special IMAX-developed lenses. IMAX has developed a proprietary closed-loop alignment system using a camera that will automatically keep the projectors precisely aligned and balanced. IMAX Digital in 3D uses both projectors to continuously overlay the left and right eye images without the time-sequential triple-flashing required in single-projector solutions. IMAX digital 3D uses circular polarized passive glasses with a proprietary silver screen.

IMAX Digital, much like the 15/70 film version, is a complete end-to-end system, where each element, process and piece of equipment has been designed and optimized to deliver the large-screen IMAX experience.

The IMAX digital projection installation project will begin Monday, April 26th and be finished by May 7th, in time for first summer blockbuster “Iron Man 2” to fill the giant screen.  All theatres equipped with IMAX digital projection systems are capable of both IMAX and IMAX 3D presentations. Technically advanced and visually stunning, the IMAX Digital Experience is the world’s most powerful and immersive movie experience!

Celebrating the Getty Drive-In

By Kevin Sims

Manager, Getty Drive-In

The Getty-4 Drive-In has a long and storied history. The Getty-4 was originally a one screen theatre built in 1948 called the NK Drive-In. In 1966, Jack Loeks Theatres purchased the Drive-In and changed the name to the Getty Drive-In. In 1978, Loeks added three additional screens making the Getty-4 Drive-In one of the largest outdoor theatres in the United States.

In 1993, the Getty-4 introduced radio sound to all of its patrons. This innovation allows theatregoers to enjoy their outdoor movie by listening to nostalgic Drive-In speakers, or by tuning in a specific FM frequency on their car radio for a superior stereo sound experience. The Getty-4 has been a popular entertainment destination for people of all ages in the west Michigan area and beyond.

2010 Season

The Getty-4 will open the 2010 season on Friday, April 16. Do not miss out on first-run double features on all four huge outdoor screens 7 nights a week. Call 231-798-2608 for showtimes and information, or visit the Getty Drive In Page on the Celebration! Cinema website to see the current lineup!

The Future of 3D

By Ron VanTimmeren
Vice President, Programming

It came out in the summer of 2005.  It starred Zach Braff and Don Knotts and Joan Cusack and Patrick Warburton . . .

And it was like nothing I had ever seen (unless it was on the IMAX screen).

Chicken Little, in Disney Digital 3D at Celebration! Cinema South, was my first digital 3D experience and I was hooked.  It was a first for West Michigan, too, and we really didn’t know if people would pay an extra couple bucks for digital 3D.  But, of course, it was extremely successful and started an industry revolution that is breaking through big time right now.

3D Isn’t Easy…
If we had four 3D capable screens in each of our theatres right now, we could be playing Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, How to Train Your Dragon, and Clash of the Titans – all in 3D. If only having more 3D screens was that simple.  Currently there are at least four competing 3D technologies fighting for market share:  RealD, Master Image, Dolby and Xpand.  They all have pros and cons when it comes to price, glasses, silver or white screens — and, oh yeah, how it looks.

The price for installing a 3D system ranges from $30,000 to $60,000, plus on-going fees in some cases.  If the system needs a silver screen, it costs more (Dolby and Xpand do not require a silver screen).  Disposable glasses or re-usable glasses?  It will require thousands and thousands of man-hours and dollars to wash re-usable glasses, but do we want to keep throwing away disposable glasses?  To quote Meryl Streep, “it’s complicated.”

Plenty to choose from
One thing we can say for sure is our customers prefer 3D to 2D… four to one when given the choice. And, Hollywood has the pipeline full of 3D movies headed to our theatres.  At this time there six 3D titles this summer (Shrek Forever After, Toy Story 3, Despicable Me, Cats & Dogs, Step Up 3D, Pirahna) and five slated for November / December of 2010  (Megamind, Harry Potter, Tangled, Yogi Bear, and Tron). And don’t forget Jackass 3 and Saw VII in October.

So, we’re working hard to figure out the best next step and install more 3D screens in all our theatres ASAP.  3D is here to stay!

Ron VanTimmeren is the Vice President of Programming at Celebration! Cinema.

Editor’s Note: What movies are YOU looking forward to seeing in 3D? Leave a comment with your email address to let us know – we’ll give a few gift cards to our favorite answers!

We’re Not (Just) a Movie Theatre!

By Jeremy Kress
Director of Marketing & Promotions

Ever since we transitioned to digital cinema nearly three years ago, we have redefined Celebration! Cinema as more than just a movie theatre – we are an entertainment destination. Consider this last weekend, for example: Besides taking a wild trip back to 1986 in the Hot Tub Time Machine and learning How to Train Your Dragon in amazing 3D, we also were proud to showcase the Metropolitan Opera’s live performance of Hamlet, and the live broadcast of UFC 111: St-Pierre vs. Hardy.

Concerts
Tonight (March 30th at 10:30pm) we will present our first ever live concert broadcast with the Black Eyed Peas: E-N-D World Tour live on the big screen. We’ve featured several concerts before (Iron Maiden, Beyonce, John Mayer, Eric Clapton, Hannah Montana, and many more), but this is the first one done live! Then, starting April 21st, we will also bringing Kenny Chesney to the big screen in 3D! Tickets to these events are a fraction of the cost of a concert ticket and presented in stunning DLP Digital Cinema.

Sports
We have also been able to increase the range of sporting events on the big screen. Last year we showed our guests the BCS National Championship Football Game and NBA All Star Saturday Night events both in live 3D. They keep coming – this upcoming weekend we have three more sporting events:

• On Saturday, April 3rd we will show the MSU Spartans vs.the Butler Bulldogs in the NCAA Final Four in live 3D (6:00pm)
• That same night we have the Hopkins vs. Jones boxing match presented live (9:00pm) from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
• Just 2 days later (Monday, April 5th – 9:00pm), we will bring the NCAA Championship Game to the big screen – live and in 3D! Come join us at Celebration! Grand Rapids North to see how March Madness will come to an end!

Looking further ahead, we will also show the Mayweather vs. Mosley boxing match on Saturday, May 1st at six of our theatres.

Something for Everyone
The versatility offered by our digital projection systems means we can showcase a wide range of features for our Big Screen Events:

• We have had great success with the Metropolitan Opera, and will close the MET season with “Armida” on Saturday, May 1st.
• We’ve also shown great events like “Spirit of the Marathon,” “Prairie Home Companion,” and Drum Corps International. We will bring back DCI with the DCI Classic Countdown on Thursday, May 13 in select theatres.
• Other guest favorites like Glenn Beck and “This American Life” have sold out auditoriums and we expect them to return with other events later this year.

We also have some great new events hitting the big screen in the coming weeks that we are excited about:

• Cheech and Chong reunite after 25 years for Watch This on Friday, April 16th, Saturday, April 17th & Tuesday, April 20th, that will highlight their successful reunion tour – Cheech & Chong: Light Up America.
• On Tuesday, May 18th we will bring Sons of the Fallen: A Live Tribute to our Military Heroes to the big screen just prior to Memorial Day. This event is hosted by country music star Clint Black, and tells the story of 25 boys who gather to honor their fathers that paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.
• The final event that we currently have scheduled (Thursday, May 20th – 8:00pm) is Times Talks Live: LOST. This is a live presentation from New York Times Entertainment Editor Lorne Manely as he talks to the creators of LOST for an in-depth discussion about the show’s creation, its six years on air, and the highly anticipated series finale on May 23rd.

In addition to all these great events, we will continue with our ever popular Celebrating The Classics Series, and just launched a new Classic Movie Program called “I Love That Movie!” at Celebration! Woodland. These, combined with our great movie releases, special IMAX and 3D programming, and special watch parties of televisions shows and sports presentations, mean there’s always something exciting going on at Celebration! Cinema.

To stay up to date on all of the great Big Screen Events, visit the Big Screen Events page at Celebration! Cinema.

Jeremy Kress is the Director of Marketing at Celebration! Cinema.

Social Networking and Twilight

Eclipsing the rest of this post?
Since The Twilight Saga: Eclipse poster has been released, it should be shared here:

Social Networking’s Role
But I don’t want to discuss Twilight itself – there are many fine places around the Internet to do that – just its role in our social networking efforts and their benefit to our fans. Now, whether you’re commenting on this blog, being our fan on Facebook, or following us on Twitter, there are many ways to join the conversation with Celebration! Cinema online. We focused on Facebook back in November for a promotion involving The Twilight Saga: New Moon. We could tell by the advance ticket sales that there were going to be crowds lined up at midnight to see this film. Sure enough, the crowds were huge, and people from all over came to check out the latest installment of the Twilight series:

We used this opportunity to offer prizes to our fans and encourage them to join our Page on Facebook. We handed out cards with our Facebook page’s address printed on them and encouraged people to join the Page the next morning to see their pictures.

From a professional standpoint, here from my role in the marketing department, it was a great way to speak with 15,000 people directly about our Fan Page and all the offers we have. We offered incentives to join in the form of a photo tagging contest. Membership to the page grew pretty rapidly over the next few days. Hundreds, if not thousands, of new fans found our online presences on Facebook and Twitter.

From a fan’s standpoint, they got to see their group’s pictures shared with an audience of thousands, and became members of a page that gives away free movies and has all sorts of other contests and info. Several of them even won prizes just for appearing in a photo. In other words, both we and our fans greatly enjoyed the results of this promotion.

Naturally, we’d love to do this all over again! “Eclipse” comes out in June. What sort of contests, giveaways, or promotions would you like to see happen around its premiere? Another double (or triple) feature? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Jeremy Bronson is the E-Marketing Coordinator at Celebration! Cinema.