AMC Hoffman Center 22
206 Swamp Fox Road,
Alexandria,
VA
22314
206 Swamp Fox Road,
Alexandria,
VA
22314
2 people
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When I lived in DC I hated this theater. It is the opposite of a movie palace. It has sterile box theaters, and if I didn’t know there were seats and screens behind the doors I would think this is some sort of office building not a movie theater. Yes it is nice and modern and has all the amenities but its a big sterile theater.
Hoffman’s Dolby Cinema auditorium opened with the premier of ‘Star Wars: Rogue One’ last month
I really don’t like these theaters – for starters no one comes around to close the doors – so all the noise comes into the auditorium as well as any ancillary light – I shouldn’t have to do it myself. Secondly, I was more than peeved that the first showing of James Cameron’s ‘Deep Sea Challenge 3D’ for the first 8 minutes the 3D projector aperture wasn’t set right – the colors were all off and the image had no pop. Had to go down three flights to tell someone this, missed the beginning. [insert annoyed face]
of the only two theaters in the DC metro area that is booking Werner Herzog’s ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’ – Hoffman’s presentation is 3D digital projection (hooray!) – Landmark Bethesda is not (booo!)
The AMC Hoffman Center is probably the largest multiplex to date in the great DC metro area. This three story edifice covers at least a quarter of a city block, has twenty-two auditoria each seating between 100 to 450. The IMAX regretfully is not true IMAX (e.g. Smithsonian IMAX theatres) but does has the capabilities for 3D presentations. Photos from 2010: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
I tried to catch Shrek 4 in IMAX-lite 3D by sneaking off from work early. I arrived 10 mins late and was just about to enter when….the fire alarm went off. I thought it was a joke and that they would let me in anyway..but NOOOOOOOO. Everybody out! Then the manager said they had to wait for the firemen to come in and inspect the building and shut off the alarm once the building was secured.
At first, rumor had it that some delinquent falsely set off the alarm. Then it was revealed that there may have been a sensor problem and until the cause was known, the shows would be cancelled until further notice. GREEEAAT! I went to CA Tortilla or whatever its called and had a bite to eat and returned to find the crowd gone but the police had arrested a young man. At the emergency exits there were paramedics with a stretcher, no one was in it…were they going in? Or, going out?
Fortunately, the manager said he would call the DC area AMCs to inform them to accept the movie stubs as re-admit tickets. We’ll see.
My friend and I caught NIght at the Museum 2 here in IMAX (lite). The auditorium seems to be about the same size as the Columbia 14 but there are no seats along the main aisle. Its either above the railing or below. Overall, the presentation was good. The staff seemed pretty friendly and helpful. $14.50 for IMAX-lite… hmmm.
well AMC didn’t book ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ to any of the three IMAX digital screens, at least it was just announced that ‘Eagle Eye’ is getting released in September from Paramount, let’s hope this go around IMAX digital screens will get this.
‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’ has been bounced to next year (July) – shucks!
oh and I forgot to state this – I asked if the auditorium seating was changed in anyway – he said no.
oh no… the screen is no where as immense as any of the other area museum IMAX screens – that was one question that I completely forgot to ask the IMAX techie I was talking to – yes I know, an obvious question. The expanded screen takes up more the wall (ceiling to floor) – It also appears not to be the same aspect ratio of the typical IMAX screen – it’s more 1.78 than the standard 1.34 For the first show of the day – 10:45am it was me and a lady – TWO! The IMAX guy wasn’t all that pleased with how AMC is marketing this. In the Washington Post, the IMAX denoted films are at the bottom of the theatre’s listing. The system is definately a digital system, can you believe 4K, I thought I would have been higher… my complaint of ‘Space Station 3D’ was that for a film to digital conversion the master was not from a completely flawless source, those apparent film flaws just gave you the impression you were watching film.
Giles, how large of a screen do you think #5 has? Is it as large as the Air & Space installs? I kind of doubt it. What would you estimate audience capacity to be and what was the attendance like? It seems more of an IMAX-lite theater than true IMAX. Also, I thought the installs were digital projection as opposed to film. As happy as I am for the new installs, I don’t want to pay another $15 to see Kung Fu Panda, again. I already saw that at the Chantilly VA IMAX.
actually it did debut yesterday – I saw “Space Station 3D” and while the image wasn’t 100% pristine, the 65mm print sourced had a some very minor ticks and spots, the sound and the installation of a 12-channel souund system: 8 behind the screen, two above and two to the rear – the sound was obviousily the best part. I’m going to have to go back and see (and hear) ‘Kung Fu Panda’ – oh and the auditorium they retrofitted was #5
well for some reason, the IMAX actually opens Saturday not Friday – go figure??
I’m going to check out the “Space Station 3D” tomorrow at 10:45am – will post back on my thoughts of the venue and ‘experience’
Forgot to mention that showtimes for the IMAX movies are listed on MovieTickets.com (change the date to Friday)
Two IMAX movies, Kung Fu Panda: The IMAX Experience and Space Station 3D, will be shown starting on Friday.
The first IMAX digital systems in the AMC chain opening this July include the Hoffman, Columbia Mall and Potomac Mills.
WOOF! Funny. I didn’t see the dog movie, but I did see the trailer and it looked like fun.
Over time, digital projection systems will get better, like computers, digital cameras, etc.
They have a newly installed Digital Projection system in the first theater on the left, as you enter into the comjplex. I forget the number on it but it has a fairly decent sized screen in a above average sized auditorium. The movie I saw here in DP was Underdog. WOOF! The picture was quite bright probably brighter than some of the older DP set ups I’ve seen around the area.