News

Engineers are working on a broken ‘up’ escalator at the Scotiabank Theatre Toronto that has inconvenienced industry attendees at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The escalator is the easiest and fastest way to get from the theatre’s lobby area to the theatre level, where P&I festival screenings got underway on Thursday.

Without it, the alternatives at the venue on Richmond Street West, situated in the entertainment district of downtown Toronto, are a tall flight of stairs and a single elevator located in a corner of the lobby.

At time of writing there was no estimate of when the conveyor would be up and running again.

Pat Marshall of site owner Cineplex said: “Thyssen Elevator is on site currently working on the escalator and we are awaiting their guidance on when they can complete the repair. We also have an elevator for those who require it.”...

"America! F**k ... no?"

After the Alamo Drafthouse movie theatre in Dallas, Texas promised showings of "Team America: World Police" in response to Sony Pictures' cancelling of "The Interview" release on December 25, Paramount Pictures has now made things even more volatile.

The studio has cancelled any and all showings of "Team America: World Police" in any theatre in response to "The Interview" situation.

Due to to circumstances beyond our control, the Team America 12/27 screening has been cancelled. We apologize & will provide refunds today.

- Alamo Drafthouse Dfw (@AlamoDFW) December 18, 2014

The Capitol Theatre and Cleveland, Ohio, and Plaza Atlanta Theater had also planned screenings, which are now cancelled. No Canadian theatres had planned a "Team America: World Police" screening, but Cineplex yesterday issued the following statement:

"Cineplex takes seriously its commitment to the freedom of artistic expression, but we want to reassure our guests and staff that their safety and security is our number one priority.

Update: Sony has pulled "The Interview" from its Christmas release date, The Wrap reported.

Screenings of "The Interview" in Cineplex theatres have been postponed after hackers threatened to unleash 9/11-style attacks on cinemas that show the film.

"Cineplex takes seriously its commitment to the freedom of artistic expression, but we want to reassure our guests and staff that their safety and security is our number one priority," said a statement attributed to Pat Marshall, vice-president of communications and investor relations for Cineplex Entertainment on Wednesday.

Here's the official statement from Cineplex regarding #TheInterviewMovie pic.twitter.com/E7ICMnZcrp

- Julia Alexander (@loudmouthjulia) December 17, 2014

Sony Pictures Entertainment, the studio that produced "The Interview," has been targeted by a series of hacks as the Seth Rogen/James Franco comedy about assassinating North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has approached its Christmas release date.

Hackers, who call themselves the Guardians of Peace, have released...

O Canada, you guys are in for it now. All across your beautiful nation Cineplex Entertainment and Raven Banner are preparing to launch a monthly horror series. Say hello to Sinister Cinema ya hosers. (Sorry, had to do it).

Films currently scheduled to be screened through Sinister Cinema are John Dies at the End, The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh, American Mary and No One Lives. Read on for the details and participating theaters.

From the Press Release

Cineplex Entertainment's Front Row Centre Events and Raven Banner announce the launch of Sinister Cinema, a cutting-edge series of art house quality genre cinema. Sinister Cinema will bring a series of independent horror films to twenty-five Cineplex theatres across Canada. The films will include unique content, and in some cases, special appearances, including live question and answer sessions with directors, pre-recorded interviews and more.

"It’s a real honor for us to work with Cineplex,...

Fears of bed bug epidemic put to rest after authorities declare Scotiabank theatre pest-free

Cinemagoers attending the forthcoming Toronto international film festival can do so safe in the knowledge that the bed bugs won't be biting after authorities called in specialists to investigate a health scare.

Fears of an epidemic of the minute insects spread after a patron complained of being bitten after watching a film on Monday at the Scotiabank theatre, the event's main venue for press and industry screenings. Exterminators and trained sniffing dogs were brought in overnight and concluded the site was pest-free.

"The safety and security of our guests and staff are our number one concern, which is why we took this claim very seriously and acted immediately," said Pat Marshall of Cineplex, which operates the Scotiabank theatre.

She suggested similar scares in Manhattan, combined with a heatwave in Toronto, may have caused festivalgoers to panic.

Standing-room-only movie viewing at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival won't be necessary after a key theater was declared free of bedbugs Tuesday.The news followed a health scare Monday at the Scotiabank Theater, the main venue for press and industry screenings during the upcoming September 9-19 festival, after a patron complained of being bitten by the beasties while watching a movie.Cineplex Entertainment, which runs the theater, said Tuesday that exterminators and trained sniffing dogs investigated the venue overnight and concluded it was pest-free."At Cineplex, the safety and security of our guests and staff are our number one concern, which is why we took this claim very seriously and acted immediately," Pat Marshall, vp of communications at Cineplex, said.Toronto has experienced a bed bug infestation during the recent heat wave, but Cineplex also ventured Scotiabank guests may have jumped to conclusions after high-profile movie theaters...

Toronto -- Standing room only movie viewing at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival won't be necessary after a key Toronto theater was declared free of bedbugs Tuesday.

The news followed a health scare Monday at the Scotiabank Theater, the main Tiff venue for press and industry screenings during the upcoming September 9-19 festival, after a patron complained of being bitten by the beasties while watching a movie.

Cineplex Entertainment, which runs the Scotiabank Theater, on Tuesday said exterminators and trained sniffing dogs investigated the theater overnight, before concluding the Tiff venue was free of the pests.

"At Cineplex, the safety and security of our guests and staff are our number one concern, which is why we took this claim very seriously and acted immediately," Pat Marshall, vp of communications at Cineplex, said.

Toronto has experienced a bedbug infestation during the recent heat wave, but Cineplex also ventured Scotiabank guests...

I'm happy to point out some good news for Canadian movie-goers...sorry rest-of-the-world. Jam! [1]  reports that Cineplex Theatres, beginning Sept. 15th, will be cutting ticket prices across Canada by re-establishing that Tuesday night is cheap date night. Hmm. Does that mean the date itself is cheap or that I'm a cheap date? Anyway, Cineplex will be offering a combo of a movie ticket, regular popcorn and regular fountain drink for half price. My first thought was that they would do this because they need to draw people back into the theatres, but we all know that this summer was a record breaking time for theatres and that fact was pointed out by Cineplex spokesman, Pat Marshall. 'Cineplex had a record year of attendance. This is a way for us to give back to our customers." Is this going to satisfy everyone that thinks it's too expensive to go to the movies?...