More movie theaters plan on reopening
County has to approve plan that shows how they’ll implement safety mandates
The chances of seeing a summer blockbuster movie in an actual cineplex got better this week.
Well, at least in Broward County where independent theaters such as Paradigm Cinemas in Tamarac, Flippers Cinema in Hollywood, Paragon Theaters in Coral Springs and Davie, and the Swap Shop Drive-In theaters in Fort Lauderdale and Lake Worth already reopened.
The Silverspot Cinema in Coconut Creek announced Wednesday that it will open Friday. “The first film in the last five months to open will be [Aug.] 21 and that will be ‘Unhinged,’ ” says Soledad Gonzalo, marketing director for Silverspot Cinema. “We’ve done a bunch of safety protocols above and beyond what the CDC has required.”
Cinemark Paradise 24 in Davie will reopen Aug. 28, while Cinepolis Deerfield Beach was cleared to open although it’s not apparent when that will be.
In Broward County movie theaters are allowed to reopen as long as they get a plan approved by the county that shows how they intend to follow coronavirus mandates. Those guidelines mean that when you go to catch a flick, you should experience:
■ 50% capacity in the auditoriums and the restrooms (lavatories should also have stepped-up sanitation)
■ Touch-free payment options
■ All staff wearing face masks and gloves
■ Visually marked separation distances (six feet apart) for areas where people might congregate such as the box office or the concession stand.
■ Hand sanitizing stations Yeah, we know. What about all those big announcements that AMC and Regal cinemas were going to open up this week nationwide? Well, it’s true — here and there, where the country’s patchwork of protocols will allow.
You can see what Broward theaters and other entertainment venues have been approved to open at Broward.org/CoronaVirus/Pages/approvedBusi
nesses.aspx.
In Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County, not so much.
Miami-based Silverspot Cinema owns a multiplex in Coconut Creek with 11 screens and another in downtown Miami with 17. While the company has had success with other theaters in states such as Wisconsin and Ohio, their property closest to their home office will have to remain shuttered since Miami-Dade County has yet to allow movie theaters to open doors.
In Palm Beach County we may not hear about movie houses being allowed to open again until Aug. 25. That’s when the county commissioners will meet again and decide whether to fully implement Phase 2 reopening, which might include movie theaters and other indoor entertainment venues.
So even though cinema chains such as AMC (Aug. 20), Regal (Aug. 21) and Cinemark (Aug. 14-28) have made announcements about getting their box offices nationwide back to business, in South Florida it remains slow going.
But take hope cinephiles, because there are some movies you can catch outside of your home:
The sci-fi action movie “Tenet” will get a premiere on Sept. 3 at the AutoNation IMAX 3D Theater at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale. To get notice of when tickets go on sale, go to Eventbrite.com or MODS.org.
The heartwarming father/ son story “Made In Italy” will start playing on Aug. 21 at Savor Cinema in Fort Lauderdale and Cinema Paradiso Hollywood. For more information, go to FLIFF.com.
The action-adventure comedy “Sonic the Hedgehog” will be screened Aug. 22 at the West Palm Beach drive-in pop-up called Show on the Go, this time at Dreher Park. For more information or tickets, go to WPB.org.events.
The action-adventure comedy “Jumanji: The Next Level” will be shown Aug. 22 at the top level of the parking garage at Legacy Place in
Palm Beach Gardens. There will also be a pre-show documenatry screened titled “Busch Wildlife Sanctuary: Where Native is Nurtured.” For more information or tickets, go to ShopLegacyPlace.com or Eventbrite.com.
The James Bond spy movie “Goldfinger” will be shown Aug. 20 at the al fresco screening at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Then on Aug. 22 the superhero movie “Shazam” will be shown, while on Aug. 23 it will be the action-adventure “Spy Kids.” For more information and tickets, go to HardRockStadium.com/ theater.
The comedy-drama “Stage Mother” will be shown at the Drive-In Theater at Dezerland Park in North Miami on Aug. 20. The movie serves as the opening night launch of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Virtual Film Festival and will feature a stage show with female impersonators TP Lords and Jasmine Pryce Lords with music by DJ Hottpants. For more information and tickets, go to OutshineFilm.com/buy-tickets.