Yes my name is really Thor. My full nmae is thorsten. So Thor is short for that. I did manage moviesbythor.com and did most of the reviews until I quit doing them when I figures it was a conflict of interest to film studios. We ended up using the webpage space for the practice version of raleighgrande.com that cmoody and I made. That's why if you go to moviesbythor it is no longer the review site it once was

5/3/2009 6:59:45 PM

Sorry. On the phone. Didn't realiZe it double posted

[Edited on May 3, 2009 at 7:07 PM. Reason : S]

5/3/2009 7:05:19 PM

^^ Man, I might have met you. I worked with Mike Burden and went to some meeting in Garner with him, Chris Moody, and some other people. You might've been one of the other people.

Anyhoo, good luck.

5/3/2009 10:05:48 PM

This would be a great opportunity for you to go back to school and get a degree. Or open up a movie theatre of your own and show Carolina Cinemas how it's done.

5/3/2009 10:42:19 PM

Quote :

"Dude I was at the Watchmen and Origin midnight showings and have been coming a lot since you guys added beer. I definitely felt the turnaround you're talking about, that sucks you got laid off because just from seeing you before a couple of movies I know it couldn't have been your performance."

is a really good example of the situation. i was helping Thorsten and CC with all their design stuff (web, logo, concession designs, etc) and was impressed with the vision of the theater (mostly thor's).

the goal was for Raleigh Grande to be more of a customer's theater and not a corporate theater and the changes were really showing. Thor was recently on a social media panel talking about what RG was doing and busted his ass to make the theater a place people wanted to come to...not just for a movie. these things do happen, but it is sad that it will be just another corporate chain.

for those that say "it was a theater job" - that isn't exactly true, especially if you know Thor. RG was morphing into the coolest theater i know of. it was a hybrid of the rialto and a theater with all the big box office movies. they had unique concessions, cool promotions, hot food (for a while), beer and wine and tons of cool things that people wanted and were actually listening. it was awesome to see those changes happening.

but corporations do make bad decisions and a lot of times they aren't felt until down the road. while this sucks for thor, raleigh grande, and the loyal RG folks, it will lead to better things. the experience will make you even better at the next place and i'll definitely keep my eyes open for you and would be happy to be a reference since we worked together on all the stuff.

keep your head up man.

5/4/2009 11:17:46 PM

Wow. I am speechless.

5/4/2009 11:30:11 PM

^Brandon...
It truly is the end of an era.

5/5/2009 12:00:20 AM

Thor was an awesome boss.

5/5/2009 12:02:14 AM

Well shit, sounds to me like you'll do great at whatever job you pick up next and you have solid experience with promotions, customer relations, leadership, and determination to do a good job.

5/5/2009 12:03:52 AM

is your name really Thor?

5/5/2009 12:15:27 AM

God
I'm so sorry to hear this.

You probably won't have a lot of choice in the near future, but something to consider: do you want your boss providing references? Hopefully, you'll end up interviewing and working for a company and boss who listens to more than just words, and this won't really matter...but life isn't perfect.

The same boss who tells you one thing ("we're interviewing a DM") to actively deceive you while she's doing something else? The same boss who either refuses to give your proper credit, or if she was getting pressure to replace from above, to go to bat for you? She might not have been able to save your job if her superiors were in charge of this, but the line about interviewing for another position is what really gets my goat.

HT was looking to hire some mgrs and asst mgrs not too long ago

5/5/2009 12:30:19 AM

you should take up moviesbyThor again.

One of my favorite things about Seattle is the movie theatres here. EVERY theatre is unique, the employees are very friendly and seem to like their jobs. It's been a totally different experience from the east coast theatres.

And that's a serious bitch move on their part. The upside is that it sounds like you have a body of work to speak for itself when job hunting. Sounds like you should be going after higher positions in the entertainment industry.

5/5/2009 12:39:46 AM

^^yeah, it's a pretty raw deal.
The whole "reference thing" really bothers me. I think I'll just stick with my last GM as a reference. To think I worked my ass off for 8.5 years and not have a great reference from my most recent employer...
Like I said, she actually said, "you're very skilled and talented, and I'd be more than happy to give you a reference. And all I could think about was, "you've been my boss for 3 days and the first direct thing you did (concerning me) was inform me that upper management has "decided to let me go" without so much as a reason. what kind of reference can I expect?

^ moviesbythor.com was really fun, but ultimately worked because I watched practically every movie (for free)
If it somehow was legit and a real job I'd love to pursue that, who knows...

And to all the people that ask about my name, yes, Thor is my real name.
My full name is Thorsten. So people call me Thor. Like Mike for Micheal...
you get the picture.

I'm German... if that help explain anything. haha

5/5/2009 12:58:35 AM

I thought the God Thor was Germanic, not Scandinavian?

That really sucks man. I worked at a theatre (AMC Carolina Pavilion in Charlotte) in HSand loved it. I hope you can find something else that works with your love of movies. One of my buddies was the GM of an AMC theatre in Philly and was laid off last fall. He was like you in the respect that he started as an usher (at same theatre as me) and worked his way up to GM. He was laid off after 11 years with the company b/c his theatre's numbers weren't meeting the grade. Didn't matter it was an old theatre in rough shape.

If it helps I will boycott the RG

[Edited on May 5, 2009 at 12:40 PM. Reason : s]

5/5/2009 12:40:15 PM

Quote :

"File your unemployment, and enjoy the paid vacation."

you finished school right? that plus your job history/experience should land you another somewhere pretty easily.

5/5/2009 1:09:01 PM

I may have met you once, are you slim and have long hair? I cannot remember the name of the guy that I met that ran a movie theater and said he could get me into movies for free, but he was really cool.

5/5/2009 1:36:33 PM

^slim with long hair would not be the best way to describe.

probably wasn't me


I should find out if my unemployment $ is going to be going through. if it is anything close to the estimate they gave me, I will have no worries.. at least for 6 months.

5/5/2009 3:03:18 PM

I thought unemployment was like 60% of what you made during the previous fiscal year or something.

5/5/2009 3:08:38 PM

Does carolina cinemas own the crown point theater in charlotte too? I know they were sold off by regal recently and what happened to you sounds similar to what happened to someone I know at that theater. He had worked there for a long, long time (he wasn't the general manager, but i think he was the assistant manager just below the gm or something like that) and he was recently just fired with no explanation as well.

5/5/2009 3:12:45 PM

Riders on the storm

5/5/2009 3:15:52 PM

Maybe now you'll have a bit more time to work on that novel.

5/5/2009 3:18:23 PM

^^ rufus... yes, they do own Charlotte Crownpoint and I think I know exactly who/what you are talking about..

5/6/2009 2:21:05 AM

one day i hope i feel as passionately about a job as you did

[Edited on May 6, 2009 at 2:22 AM. Reason : .]

5/6/2009 2:22:46 AM

Quote :

"I got let go for fucking around with my coworker. Try not having a job for 2 months AND being denied unemployment. You're in good shape"

Man, that thread was epic, from when you started knocking it down to when you eventually got caught because of net-nanny or some such shit.

5/6/2009 2:44:15 AM

the day after Thor is let go, Raleigh gets ravaged by a thunderstorm

coincidence? I THINK NOT

the god of thunder is not pleased

5/6/2009 6:55:03 PM

So, I thought I would update some people...

I got a job!
I am now one of the assistant managers at crossroads 20. I am very happy about this. Sure, I get to climb the ladder again, but hey.. at least I'm "on the ladder" again!


Also, remember how I said that "I was complimented on my work and was told that if I wanted to use her for a reference to please do so..."

Yeah, that reference came back, "against company policy to comment on reference, ineligible for re-hire"

Yup, that's after she said I could use her for a reference.

Oh... and they are contesting my unemployment payment. I haven't received any yet because of this but filed my rebuttal. unbelievable.


I'm just happy to once again be working! Especially at a job I really like.
The other two senior managers at the Raleigh Grande have put in their two weeks notice... so... yeah, that place is about to be all kindsa effed! Losing all of the managers that really knew anything in the start of summer... rough.

5/25/2009 2:45:22 AM

Congrats man!

5/25/2009 2:57:27 AM

Congrats on the job...

Sucks in regards to the reference. Know that my business will no longer be going to Raleigh Grande because of this.

5/25/2009 2:59:29 AM

I live near Crossroads 20, so maybe I'll see you there some. I haven't been to a movie in a while though. Working nights downtown kinda hinders that. Matinees FTW?

5/25/2009 3:12:13 AM

matinees ftw indeed.

cheaper!
LESS ANNOYING HIGHSCHOOLERS!!!

5/25/2009 3:22:55 AM

^but they sure are purdy to look at

I hadn't kept up with this thread. Congrats on the job man! I was at last Friday's 9:30 showing of The Hangover and you came out beforehand and talked to the crowd. When you said your name was Thor I was like oh damn he got a job! Good deal man.

Loooooooved The Hangover!

f*ck the Grande.

6/12/2009 8:46:01 AM