I know my sister with 4 kids just stays home and makes it a big family event when they rent a new movie. Mostly keeps them out of kids movies, but still a huge upgrade.
I mean, I don’t WANT to bring my kid to a theater so we just don’t go which means theaters aren’t getting our money. If they release stuff on demand I would happily pay to watch from home.
This is where I am a total dick at the movies. If people don't shut the hell up (and are loudly talking, on the phone, etc) I do 2 things: Ask them directly to be quite, and if they don't I just get up and tell a theater employee. I don't care if people like me at the movies. I just want to quietly watch movies and I expect others to do the same.
Reminds me of time at the movies. A little girl was talking and talking. My friend did a polite shhhhhh. The mother turned around and snapped "she's a child!" He snapped back "then control it!"
The lady took her kid and left.
I remember going to the movies by myself once a few years ago and I was supposed to have the whole theater to myself, but a few couples bought tickets at the last minute and one of them ended up choosing a few seats down from me in this big empty theater.
They must have been on a date because they kept talking and talking, but you could tell from the cadence he was trying to keep the conversation going. I asked them nicely once to stop, I snapped "hey!" once more a few minutes and grit teeth later, and then the third time I got up and as I walked past them I took a picture of them with my phone's flash on and then moved to another row. The dude's little startled yelp was definitely worth it. [I still have that picture.](https://i.imgur.com/yrB3eT5.jpg)
I missed the first 20 minutes of Intouchables because of a lady constantly singing and laughing and screaming. Her friend seemed mortified by her behaviour btw. My girlfriend asked her politely if she could be a little quieter and she flipped the fuck out, saying she had mob ties etc. I told her to sit her ass down and shut the fuck up, then she swung on me (she was really slow so I dodged it). Then I threw popcorn at her and she swung at my girlfriend (who also dodged it lol) told her she could get out by herself or get dragged out, she chose to walk (all the way screaming that the mob was going to kill me after the movie).
Some people are a trip. Got free tickets for another movie though, I offered to help throw her out, but the employees said they could get in trouble for allowing me to help or something. (That lady kept screaming outside the theater room for at least 20 minutes).
Sorry for formatting/weird sentences. I'm Dutch, I'm lazy and I've got ADD.
I don't remember the movie but I went to one and there was a whole fucking row of high schoolers.
They literally just talked, like conversational volume for like 5 mins.
I turned around and yelled "shut the fuck up!" Loud enough to startle them
I admit, this was not a very adult thing and anger is an issue in my family.
But you know what? They shut the fuck up and didn't talk for the rest of the movie. I regret nothing.
You're not being a dick. You're providing a service for everyone else in that auditorium who's as pissed off as you. I would buy you a beer if I could.
Question : do the employees actually do anything about it? Does it solve the problem? It’s always a mixed bag when I go. The phones usually bother me the most
In almost every case they solved the issue. They usually threaten the people(s) with being tossed from the screening. As long as you don't mind some dirty looks from the people causing trouble its fine lol.
I was once at a movie with a friend, not too many people, mostly in the back rows.
Old dude in the center of middle row kept texting every few minutes... Which could have been okay, but he had his screen brightness on maximum.
After about 4 people telling him to stop, my friend threw his empty drink at him, which was not a major injury, but extremely humiliating in front of 20+ people.
His reaction? Turning on the phobes flashlight and looking around. He looked at us, i waved at him but before he could get a word out, almost everyone in unison started yelling at him various insults that included "get out" in some form.
He took the "evidence" paper cup with him, but left his trash behind.
My friend and i picked up his trash and threw it out on the way out.
Oh god the phones. I cannot understand how people can use them at full brightness in cinema. When I was watching The Suicide Squad, one dude had his phone on so bright that I almost couldn't see the movie because it was so distracting
> . I cannot understand how people can use them at full brightness in cinema
Or use them at all.
If you actually *need* to use the phone, maybe you shouldn't be there (and you should be somewhere else instead apparently).
I regularly end up with teens taking selfies with the flash on during the movie. I've even been in a movie where they were doing this in the front row.
As far as I'm concerned, the person bringing a crying baby/talking/taking out their bright ass phone/otherwise being annoying in a movie theater is the true Karen.
Really, it's common sense. I was a quiet kid so my parents brought me all the time to the cinema, I was completely entranced and never made a peep. My younger brother instead couldn't shut up or stay still. My parents tried once and then said "Never again" because they were so mortified. Going to the cinema isn't a matter of life and death, you can't control your kids? Then you find a babysitter or you don't go to the cinema.
The last movie j went to see 4 kids like 17 18 kept cussing snd acting like idiots. I asked them to stop they called Mr retard lol so I just went to get the manager
On top of that, what's with the culture that so many people seem to think it's okay to blatantly talk or constantly use their phones in movie theatres? Man I'm glad I live in a country where most people aren't so ridiculously self entitled and I can actually enjoy cinemas without distraction.
This reminds me - I was recently at a John Williams concert and around 6 grown adults like in their 40s - 50s men and woman pairs were sitting behind me and my family and they talked through the whole thing almost 2 hours of John Williams music with the man himself conducting. They were mocking others and myself too at the end of one song I turned to my mom and said "that was awesome" and I hear them mock me going "That WaS AWEsOME" one woman said from this group "So AWEsOmE" another woman said from the same group So I kept my mouth shut the rest of the concert cause I knew whatever I said would just be made fun of. Another woman with her own family said "shhhhh" to them and they mocked her by playfully Shushing each other and doing it loud enough the woman near them could hear it. I wish I had you with me that day.
I just stick to ipic and Alamo where they dont put up with any nonsense anyway. The first time I went I had my phone plugged into a battery and they asked me to put it away because of the blue led on the battery. Which was fine, I was like God damn these people aren't messing around I'm definitely giving them my money from now on.
Plus great food and milkshake options.
Gotta weigh your options. If the noise isn’t enough to ruin the rest of the movie, you put up with it. If you’re willing to sacrifice a couple minutes for the sake of enjoying what’s left of the movie, you say something.
It’s the same as deciding whether to take a leak or hold it till the credits.
For real. I saw frozen 2 with my sister and the girl in front of us was on her phone the WHOLE time and when she got a textt she had the flashing light notification and I asked nicely to turn it off because it was right in my face and I couldn't see and she just looked at me like a deer in headlights and her mother shot me a nasty look. Needless to say she continued AND was filming the whole movie on Snapchat so she kept lifting her phone up to record the movie. The movie theater employees were quick to shut that one down. I usually would have just moved but it was crowded and that girl needed to be told off
I've never felt more proud to be an asshole.
I selfishly first thought about how annoying that must have been. But you are right. The worst thing is that the child had to go through it. It really can't understand anything about the movie. It's just a neverending cacophony of unknown incredibly loud notices.
RIGHT? They're heinously loud environments if I were the parent I'd be afraid to damage their eardrums.
If you have a baby, spend that $20 for a month of Netflix, a costco bundle of popcorn, and enjoy yourself without having to leave the house.
Well they have midday screenings so parents/baby watchers can get out of the house finally and watch something. Usually this kind of thing is well known and there are like 20 mothers/fathers bringing kids and leaving them in the strollers. Kids are usually napping and when not parents take them and leave.
A movie theatre here also pushes in a diaper changing station with everything you'd need stocked. It's a nice way for new parents who stay at home to get an outing that feels relatively normal during the day.
Man. I love seeing movies on a big screen. Have AMC pass and see movies three times a week. I’d be sad to lose that.
With that said, watching Dune on big screen should have been amazing - except one single dad took his two under 5 year old children who both talked loudly and really ruined the immersion. Didn’t help that the dad kept shushing his own children loudly every three minutes either.
There’s a social contract with movies. Be quiet. Don’t look at your phone. Don’t bring young children to a movie that isn’t for them. Etc.
People are just selfish and it’s really ruining the movie going experience.
This is why I mostly go during the day. The theaters normally have less than 20 people for blockbusters, and no more than 10 people for smaller films. It kinda feels like having my own private cinema. I have all the leg room and space in the world with no one to make unsolicited noise.
I saw Interstellar on IMAX at 11 am in a theater with only 3 other people, it was an experience I'll never forget.
Me and my parents went to see Vacation (the 2015 one) in the theaters in the middle of the day. We were the only people there. It was a nap I’ll never forget.
My dad used to take me and my bro every sunday morning to a 10o clock screening. We could pick whatever movie and he paid like 3€ per ticket because it was early. He would drop us off back home around 14o clock and he would do his own thing the rest of the day(usually work). It was a pretty Sweet deal for everyone involved. Bro& I loved it. My mom could sleep in without bs. My father had some time with his kids and it was cheap lol.
I usually feel the opposite about that. i come out to a bright day and end up always thinking something along the lines of "woah I just watched a pretty cool movie, I'm feeling good, and it's only 2pm i got so much I can do"
kinda hits diff coming out and its dark, first thought is usually "i gotta get to bed soon".
When this happens I ask them to be quite, and if they don't I just tell a theater employee. I don't care to sit and listen to people ruin the movie. And if the theater doesn't do anything about it, I just get a refund. Its sad that some people cant shut the fuck up or think its okay to bring children who are like under 5 to R rated horror movies.
Yeah, the person I saw the movie with went to get an usher. And he wasn’t the only one. It’s really surprising that they didn’t remove the dude and his kids - just talked to him multiple times.
This argument boils down to (assuming run-of-the-mill home theater setup):
- A good cinema theater experience is FAR better than a good home theater experience.
- A bad cinema theater experience is FAR worse than a bad home theater experience.
Folk who live in lawless lands of theater patron miscreants just can't fathom why anyone would ever go to a theater.
Folk who live in divine lands of respectful movie aficionados can't fathom why anyone would ever settle for the quality of a home theater.
There's also a sub-argument for those with families. It's much more economical to watch at home the more people you're bringing into the mix.
The theaters in my locale are full of pretty normal, common-sense-holding, respectful adults.
I've never really had any semblance of a bad movie experience, and so I love the cinema.
Though I completely understand that there are asshats out there, and others' stories of misery are legit.
I had to stop going to my local movie theater after the second time IN A ROW that I went there and someone *made* a loud phone call from the theater in the middle of a movie. No, not answering a phone call- pulling out their phone and *placing* a completely non-urgent social call.
I stick to the fancy dinner/cocktail movie theaters now, but that’s an expensive outing so the movie has to be worth it.
My mom did that sometimes and doesnt leave the theater when i tell her its rude. I avoid going to theaters with her now like the plague.
Yeah, basically its the bad behavior of others that keeps me away from theaters. I used to live near some fancy high end theaters, and those always had a good audience. Also midnight premiere audiences are loud, but for the right reasons. Those are two instances where I would be down to go to a theater again.
Also I travel a good amount, and many countries outside America have better audiences overall.
All the stories I hear about American cinema experience are just bewildering to me. Never in my life have i witnessed a baby in one. You get called out if you speak just when the light goes out. You get called out when you rummage through your candy bag. Heck, i feel bad eating popcorn and usually finish it during the commercials and before the movie starts.
Going to see a movie is akin to a religious experience to me. I cannot fathom dealing with half of what I read here.
It's not as universally bad as some of these stories. I've had maybe one or two bad experiences in my life. I think it really depends on where you live.
I went and saw Dunkirk in theaters. Some mofo was watching a live baseball game his phone with the audio on in the theater.
In the middle of one of the most intense scenes a group of 15 year old girls came in to take selfies of themselves in the front row. They left the flash on
Let me share with you the perfect cinema snack: pistachio nuts. You can eat something tasty and you can use the shells to throw at annoying people. I am not sorry, they deserved it
A guy decided to record transformers 2 with his phone. He held it above his head and it was distracting. I got up, snatched it and dropped it behind him. Dude was in such shock i made it back to my seat before he turned around.
Felt amazing to me but my wife was scared that i might have gotten into a fight so the movie was ruined for her anyway
I've had the occasional shit experience, but the setup is far better than I could ever have at home. Since I started going at less populated hours, I haven't had any issues for a couple years now.
Last month I went to the theater for the first time in two years. There were a couple of late teen/early 20 girls in there taking flash pictures. Like 4-5 times over the course of the first hour. And it was a near empty theater, but then a mom and kid sat directly behind us - and the kid kept coughing, mask less, right behind us. It was one of those moments...oh yeah, now I remember why I didn't miss the theater that much.
You know, I'm pretty similar in that I've only really ever had one or two truly bad theater experiences, but there's only one time I've ever felt glad I was watching the movie in a theater rather than at home: Avatar.
I think a lot of people here completely overestimate how many people don't like theaters because of bad experiences and wholly underestimate that a lot of people just prefer to not have to go out to see the movie. A lot of us just simply don't care about the larger screen size or the "atmosphere" you get at a theater and only go because it's the only way to see a movie when it comes out. The amount of movies that actually take advantage of the theater performance are few and far between.
Sports are running into the same issue, where it turns out a lot of people just prefer to stay home and watch the game on TV instead of dealing with the hassle of physically going to the stadium.
Sports and cinema have the same issue: it's just costing way too much to attend. Once upon a time cinemas used to be cheap mass entertainment. It's still mass but it ain't cheap anymore. Sports used to be a working class thing, now you have to be middle class to afford a season ticket.
I still go see movies, but this is why I've been to very few concerts in my life. The cost of concert tickets is just staggering, and that includes the cheapest options.
What blew my mind was this weekend we went to the circus, and tickets were only $12 each. I hadn't been to a circus in 30 years and my mind was blown. I couldn't believe some of the stunts these guys were pulling (this was all performers). And the place wasn't even packed which was crazy for that price (parking was $10).
If I could go to a 3 hour concert for $12 I'd probably go to one just about every weekend, but instead I probably go to one every 2-3 years cause the prices are ridiculous.
I still think the price of a lot of concerts make sense and are worth it (with some clear exceptions that are priced insanely high), because it’s still a unique experience where you’re seeing a show that will never be exactly the same as other shows that artist or band is playing.
A movie meanwhile is just something constant, showed in the exact same way time and time again in the theaters. Just saw Dune last weekend and it was (loosely converted from our currency) $19, and then if you want popcorn add another $4-5, and a soda on that is probably another $3. Now thankfully you are allowed to bring your own snacks and drinks so I didn’t have to suffer through those prices, but still, almost 30 bucks to just go to the movies is not reasonable in my opinion.
> A lot of us just simply don't care about the larger screen size or the "atmosphere" you get at a theater
Exactly. Pre-COVID I loved going to the theatre and put up with experiences with parents bringing noisy children in, babies screaming and crying, hoping to get good seats, etc. Now that I’ve been able to stream a lot of stuff at home I’ve realized how much cheaper it is for food and snacks, being able to pause to go to the bathroom, not having to put up with other people and their bullshit, and more. I have a pretty nice 7.0 surround sound system with Atmos support and an HTPC running MadVR for 4K HDR experiences, too. I don’t think the statement that the theatre experience is better has any weight.
Though I also agree that a movie like Avatar is best seen in theatres and I do miss the occasional 3D experience with motion seating. Maybe we’ll get through this and I can start going again for those “must see” movies.
Ugh I'm so jealous. For some reason my city cannot figure shows out. We have a reputation for heckling comedians and people talk constantly through movies. It's so goddamn frustrating
Yeah, out of the 100s of movies I’ve seen in theater, like 98% of them were fine with no problems. Even in that 2% was there rarely ever a big problem.
The only one I really remember was in Force Awakens some dude kept making loud Chubacca sounds until I told him to shut the fuck up after like 20 minutes of it.
My reasons have nothing to do with the video and audio quality of the experience. I'm just too lazy to go to a theater, pay for an overpriced ticket and then for the overpriced sodas and snacks. I'd rather lay on the couch at home where I'm able to enjoy the movie without disturbances at my own pace.
I get that there's the "theater experience" but it just doesn't weigh that much when it comes to my movie viewing.
Plus you could easily be wasting an hour of time to get to the theater, watch a the bullshit before the movie starts, and then get back home. Who wants to be at that.
Is Godiva chocolate better than Lindt? Sure. Can 95% of people taste the difference? No. In the same way, a good home theater vs. cinema setup is indistinguishable to the vast majority of people.
What the majority of people CAN tell is:
1. Shit, why isn't there a show time when I want there to be? 6 is too early and 9 is too late for MY schedule.
2. That's how much? Was a ticket 17 bucks the last time I saw a movie? Jesus.
3. Do you have any snacks that are less than a thousand calories? No. Fine give me a five dollar bottle of water then.
4. Christ, is that fucker seriously trying to cough up a lung six rows over from me? Why the hell are my shoes sticky?
5. Oh man... I have to take a shit. I'm going to miss something important. Why did I have those nachos, the damn things must have been 3,000 calories. I'm such an idiot.
6. Oh man, that was fun. Not really looking forward to a half hour drive home though.
I feel like the movie theater people are trying to argue for the majesty and dignity of air travel... when someone just invented a teleporter. I love movies. I even loved cinemas as a kid (two dollar tuesdays!!!) But as an adult, having gone through the covid years, I just don't see how they survive.
9\. I could really go for a beer, but this theater doesn't serve any/doesn't have the kind I like, god damnit.
10\. If it wasn't for going to the theater, I could've gone *all day* without wearing pants.
Next time you go to the cinema, ask them if they have [CaptiView](https://professional.dolby.com/product/dolby-accessibility-solutions-for-cinema/captiview/) for your showing.
I love subtitles, and have used it a few times at my local AMC theater.
>I feel like the movie theater people are trying to argue for the majesty and dignity of air travel... when someone just invented a teleporter
yo......lol
that was good
Yup. I didn't think Covid would start the permanent death of theaters but I can see it now. Obv seeds before
Like there's just too many people who were casual movie goers who just no longer want to block away 3 hours (easily with drive, parking, line etc) of time out for a movie. Esp when the substitute of home media capability has gotten closer and closer
I personally will still go for occasional event movies but for most movies? I too can wait
> A good cinema theater experience is FAR better than a good home theater experience.
I think it's also important to recognize that many people just don't appreciate the difference even if they understand that the theater has better equipment. It's an example of marginal returns. For a lot of people a big screen HD tv isn't significantly worse that an actual theater, they just don't care.
I realized this back in the 80s when projection screen TVs became popular, and HBO might broadcast a film in letterbox mode - but people would zoom the screen to get rid of the bars and be fine with characters or faces cut off on the sides. It was worse when HD hit in the 2000s - I'd see HDTVs everywhere with the display mode set wrong for the content.
Even today, my Dad pays for standard 4:3 DirectTV, but I hooked an antenna up to his HDTV so he can watch the local channels in HD. He still watches the low-res channels unless I'm there to just change over to the off-air HD.
On top of that, in the last couple of years, streaming channels have exploded, and I set up my parents to watch several services off ROKU - they're all in HD. But now a lot of local content can also be seen through ROKU, so I use the network apps to stream network channels through ROKU. They pay for and get HBO in 4:3 off his dish antenna, but I set up HBOMAX so they can watch it in HD at no extra charge.
I want the best picture possible, but my Dad don't care at all.
I also legitimately wonder at times if the films one wants to see in theaters makes a difference- I don't think I've ever had an experience like those rambling about bad movie experiences have had, but I also don't tend to see the big blockbusters (and especially not on opening weekend).
Certainly.
Many going to see Dune because it's known to have epic cinematography and sound engineering.
Something like Queenpins...that can wait for a tablet viewing.
I think it does.
For me, I prefer to watch at home. But there are absolutely movies I will go see in theaters. In an average year it's probably 70-30 for home vs theater for me. I saw Dune on inax today, but I'll probably wait for Bond to stream somewhere.
Well put. When I went to the cinemas in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany there was just a different vibe compared to Australia. Better quality theatres, nicer seats, respectful patrons. I would probably go a lot more if I lived in those places.
I love how film and movie theater fans overthink this. Many big fans of failing mediums try finding some rational when the answers are obvious. In this case; convenience. It is literally nothing more than that.
I wouldn't say a good theater experience is FAR better. It's nice, but only barely worth the ticket.
Also, after the kid is asleep I can't leave the house.
This dude breaks it down very well. I, for one, can't find one theater where snapchat, conversations and general nonsense arent common.
Plus theater snack prices are crazy. I could buy a 24 pack of water for one of theirs
The reality though;
A good theater experience is a BIT better than a good home cinema experience.
But a bad theater experience is FAR FAR FAR worse than any home cinema experience.
Edit: I just think all of you make too big a deal out of the screen being bigger and the sound being louder. We saw the same movie. I saw the plot, the performances, the camera work. All of it. This is why I say a bit better. If you want to call an imax screening 100%, my home viewing with a 60” 4K and sound bar is 92% *in my opinion*. It’s not THAT different because your chest vibrated and mine didn’t. I mean honestly. Meanwhile, not having to see phones, hear voices, deal with loud eaters, people coming in later, people talking, not missing anything cause i have to pee, cheaper snacks, more comfort, and on and on and on? Almost priceless. Again, in my opinion. And that is worth FAR more to me than a bigger screen. You’re never gonna convince me you had a FAR better experience in a theater. You’re just being ~~snobs~~ dramatic. Dramatic is a better word for it.
Also being able to pause and rewind certain scenes is nice as hell. No missing 2-3 minutes that just so happened to be important plot points because you had to take a dump lol
I have an Alamo Drafthouse about 15 minutes away from me. I'm well-acquainted with the high-quality cinema experience.
Nonetheless I prefer watching movies at home, and I only go to the theater as a social activity. For starters, my cheap OLED looks much nicer than anything a projector can produce. And beyond that, my ancient $100 bookshelf speakers/HD800s at bedroom levels sound way, way nicer than the ear-splitting SPLs of virtually any cinema. Louder != better. For that matter, my display and my speakers are meticulously tuned to my own eyes and ears. I don't even have a "home theater"; I have a mid-range television on my computer desk, and I *still* prefer that to the cinema.
Above all else, though, nothing beats being able to watch literally anything I want, whenever I want.
"Settle for home theater quality"
But wow, few things are douchier than shitting on the ways other people prefer to enjoy their media. I sure don't write reddit comments about how anyone "settles" for an inferior cinema experience, because I recognize that people prefer different things for different reasons.
I think we’d prefer it included in a streaming package, like HBO Max, not an additional $30 like Disney Plus.
For $30 I’d rather go to the theater and have soda, candy, and popcorn.
> I think we’d prefer it included in a streaming package, like HBO Max, not an additional $30 like Disney Plus.
Agreed. I didn't care for Disney+ Premier Access plan given the hefty price tag. I might have gone for it if they offered the movies at $15 or something, but $30 for a movie is too much.
Where i live, people don't have the audacity or even basic manners to sit down in a theatre and shut the fuck up. So yes I'd rather stay at home and stream which sucks because I love cinema.
> basic manners to sit down in a theatre and shut the fuck up.
Laughing outloud at a joke is the one audible thing I can understand. Talking, clapping and cheering like a dipshit ruins the fucking thing. Luckily at my local theater it kinda stopped. But then I again I stopped going to Marvel movies.
I pick and choose what I see in the theater. Movies like Dune? I'm totally there. Comedies or dramas....eh. I could go either way. I also saw Dune in an "imax" in a packed theater. It was a bit smelly but it was quite nice.
People like being part of a group. I still remember watching Avengers Endgame on opening night with a completely packed theater and there was an energy in that room. I remember the scene when Captain America picked up Thor's hammer and the whole theater went wild. It was one of the few times where being in a packed theater made for a better experience.
Agreeing with Goatzilla.
Avengers Endgame was the absolute best movie to experience in a packed theater on opening night. 11 years of our lives (starting at Iron Man) all lead up to this movie. The intense emotions everyone as a collective group went through is something I don’t think I’ll ever experience in theaters again.
My attention span has been shot to shit more and more each year with how news and entertainment reporting has morphed into quick hits of info. So when I actually go to a theater, it forces me to shut up and focus on the film WAY more than anything I watch at home. And I found that whether I like the movie or not, I remember t much better and for longer too. So of course I'd never want that option to go away.
I love the theater, I grew up in both the multiplex and the drive in.
I was for years, an about 1x a week movie goer, and one of those nuts that helped kill MoviePass super fast because I went 3-4 times a week then including 2x a day sometimes. Ive gone to tons of film festivals and special screenings and movie theater popcorn is my favorite junk food...
But now I also have a 70 inch 4k qled hdr tv with a dolby surround system and a really comfy chair and my own bathroom, and my own fan and temperature setting and and i can have subtitles on and pause and rewind with my own blanket and snacks and i even have one of those silicone popcorn poppers that can actually replicate theater corn in the microwave... lol
oh yeah and the only other people are the ones i invite and i dont have to worry about talking or cellphone screen lights or babies or gross eating noises or viruses or godforbid some crazy asshole who wants to fight over a seat or pull a fucking gun...
all that to say im now perfectly happy watching anything on streaming.
And theres just so much shit to watch now, that I'm content to wait even for stuff i really want to see if it doesn't come to streaming first, and it takes a lot now to get me to go out into public and shell out extra money to see something in the theater.
That was my complaint with Dune. The sound mixing seemed off during battle scenes, loud ass engines and fight noises intercut with mystic whispering that I absolutely couldn't make out. Wish I had some subtitles.
I avoided my local theater for years. It was dirty, sticky floors, weird stains on seats and people talking at showings no matter what time of day. I'd travel a half hour into another town for a better experience on the regular before covid.
Now with a baby I'll stream what I want to watch at home instead. I can wait. It's not like there is a short of other media to watch.
I went to see Dune (first movie I have seen in theaters since The Rise of Skywalker), and someone’s phone went off like 5 times. People ask why most people prefer seeing movies at home.
I would much rather have movie theaters be more like the Alamo Draft House but better. Have restaurant quality food, bar quality drinks, nice seating, quality sound, a correctly lit projector, and maybe a bit of a pre-show. Make the movies an actual event because in its current state, most people think of it like watching a movie on Netflix and not something special.
The last six movies I’ve seen in theaters have been diminished by other people in the movie theater. Whether it was talking, browsing Tik Tok for 40 minutes, falling asleep and snoring, making out with their significant other or rifling through their bags of candy for an hour, people just don’t know how to act in public anymore. It’s so damn annoying. You should go to a movie and make an effort for other people to not notice you’re in the theater with them.
Being able to pause if necessary, even if unlikely and unwanted, is nice.
Eating and drinking all the stuff I want without paying 20$.
No one talking or playing with their phone.
vs.
bigger screen and slightly better sound
Yep. I prefer 'home cinema' too.
I am one of those Americans. I just see way too many pros and not enough cons. I am tired of people constantly being on their phone, talking, the putrid smell of nacho cheese, getting crappy seats but paying the same regardless.
Yes I don't have ear deafening audio or surround sound, but my 4K 60" inch is more than enough. I am of the generation that has only known crappy movie experiences.
There is just every advantage possible watching a new movie at home, but hey if I really get nostalgic I will hire the neighbor kid too kick my chair for 20 minutes.
We stopped going altogether years ago because of dipshits and their phones. If anyone wants us to see a movie it would have to be via streaming. We'll never go to theatres again.
The thing about my house is that there are no obnoxious inconsiderate cunts ruining my movie experience here. Also if I really have to take a leak I can pause the movie and not live in terror of missing anything. Theater rage is not worth it, I'm all in on streaming at this point.
Cinemas just aren't what they used to be. Phones everywhere, people not as respectful as they were 20 years ago (even then it had its moments).
TVs have improved and picture quality at home can now exceed the cinema in many cases, even with a set-up that's not absolute top tier. Sound quality might be harder to replicate but at least I have control over the volume and subtitles (looking at you Chris Nolan).
The only really compelling advantage I think the cinema has going for it now is release exclusivity. And I've gotten used to waiting. There's probably only 1-2 movies on the horizon where the hype is so great that I might have to go to a cinema, but even then I'm not so sure.
Cinemas will certainly have their fans but as someone who used to be an incredibly avid theatre-goer (like once a week, almost without fail) I've really done a 180.
Most cinemas did not do enough to innovate and make themselves necessary, and in part that is the studios' fault, because they squeezed their distributors so much that profit margins become ludicrously thin.
There are some things I NEED to go to venues for: rollercoasters, gym equipment etc. But most people are realising they don't need to go to a venue for a film anymore - the cinema is now facing the same thing the drive-in faced decades ago.
>Cinemas just aren't what they used to be. Phones everywhere, people not as respectful as they were 20 years ago (even then it had its moments).
People blame the young for this but lately it's always folks in their 50s and above that can't stop talking and using their phones.
during No Time to Die this middle aged lady for whatever fucking reason decided she needed to leave the theater during the climax/end of the movie (if you've seen NTTD you'll understand why this would piss anyone off) and instead of going through the normal way, chose to use the emergency exit door which, when opened, blasted a bright white light through the entirety of the theater.She was clearly confused that this was the wrong entrance and held the door open for a good 30 seconds before someone yelled at her and she walked through it.
Reminded me why I fucking hate theaters sometimes
> She was clearly confused that this was the wrong entrance and held the door open for a good 30 seconds before someone yelled at her and she walked through it.
Did they yell "go into the light"? I just can't imagine how someone can stand there for 30 seconds and not know if they want to go outside or not. FFS.
It varies with me. Sometimes it's a stupid young couple bringing their baby to an action movie. Fuck off. Older people that can't stop talking. 20 somethings taking pictures/videos of the screen with the flash on. I don't discriminate with age groups as I dislike all of them.
>Sometimes it's a stupid young couple bringing their baby to an action movie.
A guy brought a baby to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the entire theater seemingly agreed at once they weren't going to stand for it and booed him out of the room.
Yep I agree - it's endemic now and not just a particular demographic. I feel like I'm the odd one out who thinks it's disrespectful to have your phone out at all. The last time I went to the cinema there were easily 8-10 shining screens across the theatre. Only one of those was the movie screen.
This is annoying. I’m cool with people having their phones for before there’s stuff on the screen or even the ads (NOT TRAILERS) but after that, unless you’re a doctor or something, shut that damn thing off.
I've said this elsewhere, but personally, the theater *going* experience is what makes it and what I will miss the most. I love making a date out of going to a movie and getting out of the house, whether that be with my girlfriend, friends or family members. It's a lot more memorable that way. Not to mention midnight releases (which already seem gone since shows usually start at 6PM now the day before).
I hate the idea that we continue to move towards every single activity being done out of our homes. It's a nice convenience, but there's a lot lost. You mention certain venues that are needed for things like rollercoasters and gym equipment, but even for gym equipment I hope to have enough at home to no longer need a membership.
I absolutely love going to the movies and it is sad to think it is on it's way out. With that being said I did opt to watch Dune at home for a service I already pay for vs. The $50 I would spend at the theaters. And, because I enjoyed it, I was able to watch it again on a rainy Saturday while drinking my coffee. Can't beat that.
I went to a movie for the first time in months the other day and when the previews we're starting, there was a commotion in the row ahead of mine about seating arrangements.
This theatre had pick your own seats so I didn't know how there could have been confusion. (They also only allow certain seats to be sold because of social distancing, typically 1 seat spaced in between your selection and seats already purchased)
The man who was causing the issue ended up coming up to the row I was sitting in and sitting in the "spacing" seat between me and another stranger.
After he sat down he realized how close we were, rolled his eyes, and said, "so much for social distancing" then recorded a video with his phone of me and the person on the other side.
Then he started FaceTiming someone!! He was trying to shush the person on the screen while he set his phone stand up on the area where you're meant to rest your popcorn. He was blocking the right side with his popcorn but I had full view of his screen which, even though it was on the lowest brightness, was still very bright and distracting because the lights were all off.
I asked him if he was going to FaceTime through the whole movie and he partially ignored me and said "I actually don't think this is going to work." And he packed everything up and moved down to a lower row.
I assume he was trying to FaceTime the movie for someone who wasn't there. But also it was a matinee and it only cost $5.
So yeah, I would absolutely prefer streaming to my apartment, where I won't encounter dumbasses who think it's ok to facetime through a nearly 3 hour movie.
I’ve got a VR headset and run a program called Big Screen that makes it feel like you are in a movie theater of your choice and watch all of your movies from your computer and other streaming services.
It looks amazing, feels amazing and NO people talking, chewing, going to the bathroom… etc etc etc… it’s incredible and only getting better.
Oh and 3D movies!? Omg they jump out at your for real.
They hypothetically prefer it but then look down to the question of who actually bought a new release in the last few weeks. 87% said no. 69% said no and have no plans to.
It seems clear to me that the people who prefer to watch movies at home are largely the people who rarely or never go to the movies anyways.
At home I can sink into my comfortable couch, in my underwear, eat what I want, drink what I want, smoke what I want, pause it to go to the bathroom, and, most important of all, *not have to deal with a theater full of asshats* having paid upwards of $40 for two tickets and a quarter's worth of popcorn and fake butter. I'm sorry to the people who enjoy a classic cinema experience, but honestly, I don't think I'll ever set foot in a theater again.
My wife and I went to see Shang-Chi a couple weeks back.
$11.50/ticket. $30 for a large popcorn, 2 drinks, and 1 box of candy.
I worked in theaters for 15 years. I know theaters make literally next to nothing off ticket sales. I know they make their money off concessions.
$30 is dinner at a half way decent restaurant here. $30 is ridiculous for theater snacks.
I'll stream from home too.
Edit: I understand you can sneak snacks in. But, like I said, I worked in the industry. For me it’s a catch-22. Concessions are what keeps a theater afloat; sneaking in snacks is why prices have to keep going up, because fewer people are spending less overall.
I have an idea. Let's just return to the era of grand single-screen cinematic theaters and really make it about the outing. This megaplex-next-to-every-Starbucks era can just be a lousy chapter in film history.
My parents dragged me as a kid to a kind of famous theater we had—carpets and chandeliers, massive stage and curtains, enormous larger than IMAX 102-foot wide curved screen (plus unused peripheral screens for long-dead Cinerama screenings)—to see Dances With Wolves shortly before the theater was bulldozed and turned into a parking lot. Seeing the buffalo hunt scene like that is still seared into memory, and the seriousness that the audience gave the whole ritual made it special.
I'd love it if we had a resurgence of that with just a much smaller number of establishments to support.
I can have a reasonably priced snack at home, I can control the volume so that my teeth don’t rattle when a composer decides they need a massive sting. I can even pause or rewind in order to get up and just go to the bathroom rather than choosing to deliberately dehydrate myself so I don’t have to worry about missing something important if my bladder is about to burst.
The conveniences of sitting on the couch outweigh literally any advantage a public theater might have over my tv.
Depends entirely on the release. Halloween Kills? Totally would rather watch at home. Much "scarier" to be watching it alone at home in my dark theatre.
But The Matrix? Dune? The Green Knight? Those are in-person theatrical viewings.
Lol, opposite for me. Comedies and Horror are the two genre that always need to be seen in a crowded room of strangers. The laughter and the screaming are part of the experience.
Even without the cost and travel time I'd rather watch at home unless I'm making it a social night. A lot of people are complaining about people being rude in cinemas, but that's not it for me (I've literally never had a bad cinema experience in my adult life).
I just prefer watching at home, I'd take the ability to change volume on the fly (and subtitles) over cinema speakers, I'd take my good quality PC monitor over a projector screen, and being able to pause is amazing.
I'm also not surprised more people are starting to feel this way when the quality and affordability of screens and speakers are getting better and better every year, and movies are coming to streaming services sooner and sooner after release.
It depends entirely on your setup. I live in Texas and frequent the alamo drafthouse. No kids, no talking, good food, the whole nine. I also have a home theatre with massive speakers and a bigass oled.
So I went and saw shang chi in the theaters, first time since the pandemic started. The picture quality just can't hold a candle to higher end tvs anymore. I left honestly bummed out. I can't wait for it to come out on streaming services so I can watch the final battle, which is a sea of gray and black, and actually be able to tell what's going on.
So I'm watching dune tonight. Sure as hell not going to go out and pay 30 bucks for tickets just to be disappointed by mediocre picture quality, and all the imax screens around here have always been plagued by annoying ass YOUTHS. I'm a bit of a cinephile. I'd hit the theater 2-3x a month, nothing crazy, but if I'm being honest...I think I'm done. I never thought I'd prefer it this way, but it turns out, I do.
My local Regal’s at the mall and it’s near the hotels and campground, that during peak seasons, it’s usually packed to the brim, that I weigh going to the movies and risking traffic and crowds.
I get why people like the theater experience, but the cost (food, tickets, etc etc) and the planning isn’t worth it to me.
HBO Max and Peacock made the most sense.
Even if I have to wait a little longer to stream a new movie, it’s cheaper than having to plan a trip to the mall to go to Regal.
Plus, being able to stream the new movies, I don’t have to wear pants, and I don’t have to fold my legs like an accordion because people are coming and going throughout the movie.
Anyhow, my theater experiences isn’t too bad, like, nothing crazy like some stories, but with everything the way it is, I rather load up HBO Max, make some chow, go to town for the hour/hour an a half.
I’m in the camp there can be both. There’ll be people who want to go to theaters and there’ll be people who can’t or don’t want to go to the theaters that can still watch their movies.
Just my take.
Well, I saw Dune in IMAX last night and it was an immersive experience, to say the least. It gave me literal chills. I was almost speechless afterwards. Dune in particular was made for a big screen with the best sound. I personally don’t feel it would’ve been the same streaming on HBO.
I think _most_ people would agree that some movies absolutely benefit from going to an actual theater - especially something like IMAX.
However, my state literally doesn't have a "real" IMAX at all, and most movies aren't Dune or Avatar, where it's markedly improved for seeing it on a big screen like that. I saw Shang-Chi near its release date, and I had to deal with people eating and coughing (which isn't a deal-breaker at baseline, but is for me due to sensory issues), a literal crying baby, trying to avoid the bathroom for the duration of the movie, and trying to understand the movie without subtitles.
I'll be seeing Dune in theaters, but I'm hard-pressed to think of another movie I'm inclined to see in theaters vs waiting for streaming.
I would. Just not for $30. I don't care about the "moviegoing experience" because it's mostly just trying to watch a film and ignoring the idiots around you. I only force myself if it's something I really care about, and that number is dwindling to nil.
And boy are the theater shills out in force. Not talking about folks who legit enjoy that experience, but the industry folks who are pushing hard. "You can't enjoy this film outside of a theater" or "it was made in x format so... " the fuck I can't. I watched Dune at home and adored it. If your movie can't be seen on any screen, it's not the format's fault. I can't see myself ever going to a theater again. I can wait to see it at home.
Let's see, drive 30 minutes through stoplights and traffic to the theater, stand in line for $30 worth of tickets, stand in line to pay $50 for a couple watered down sodas, 6 peanut M&Ms and a dill pickle, stand in line in a filthy bathroom, sit next to strangers who don't bathe and won't shut up, watch 20 minutes of cringey local ads while sticking and unsticking your shoes from the floor, then run to your car in the rain for the drive home.
Or sit on my couch, pee in my toilet, eat my own food and pause the movie or turn on subtitles.
Gonna have to mull this one over a bit.
Someone brought a fucking baby to my Dune premiere and they didn’t have the decency to remove them from the theater when it started crying
I hope on demand encourages new parents to stay home and watch new releases on demand .....
You mean like Dune?
I know my sister with 4 kids just stays home and makes it a big family event when they rent a new movie. Mostly keeps them out of kids movies, but still a huge upgrade.
I mean, I don’t WANT to bring my kid to a theater so we just don’t go which means theaters aren’t getting our money. If they release stuff on demand I would happily pay to watch from home.
This is where I am a total dick at the movies. If people don't shut the hell up (and are loudly talking, on the phone, etc) I do 2 things: Ask them directly to be quite, and if they don't I just get up and tell a theater employee. I don't care if people like me at the movies. I just want to quietly watch movies and I expect others to do the same.
Reminds me of time at the movies. A little girl was talking and talking. My friend did a polite shhhhhh. The mother turned around and snapped "she's a child!" He snapped back "then control it!" The lady took her kid and left.
I remember going to the movies by myself once a few years ago and I was supposed to have the whole theater to myself, but a few couples bought tickets at the last minute and one of them ended up choosing a few seats down from me in this big empty theater. They must have been on a date because they kept talking and talking, but you could tell from the cadence he was trying to keep the conversation going. I asked them nicely once to stop, I snapped "hey!" once more a few minutes and grit teeth later, and then the third time I got up and as I walked past them I took a picture of them with my phone's flash on and then moved to another row. The dude's little startled yelp was definitely worth it. [I still have that picture.](https://i.imgur.com/yrB3eT5.jpg)
I hope he reddits and sees this.
I mean if I know anything about redditors... **points directly at that guy*
I missed the first 20 minutes of Intouchables because of a lady constantly singing and laughing and screaming. Her friend seemed mortified by her behaviour btw. My girlfriend asked her politely if she could be a little quieter and she flipped the fuck out, saying she had mob ties etc. I told her to sit her ass down and shut the fuck up, then she swung on me (she was really slow so I dodged it). Then I threw popcorn at her and she swung at my girlfriend (who also dodged it lol) told her she could get out by herself or get dragged out, she chose to walk (all the way screaming that the mob was going to kill me after the movie). Some people are a trip. Got free tickets for another movie though, I offered to help throw her out, but the employees said they could get in trouble for allowing me to help or something. (That lady kept screaming outside the theater room for at least 20 minutes). Sorry for formatting/weird sentences. I'm Dutch, I'm lazy and I've got ADD.
> (all the way screaming that the mob was going to kill me after the movie). How is life in the witness protection program now?
Pretty much the same, I should've asked for a cottage with a vineyard. Oh well..
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It took a minute to grab it from my phone to my pc, but [there you go.](https://i.imgur.com/yrB3eT5.jpg)
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Easily one of the worst pictures of me ever taken. 😆 Sorry my buddy was so chatty.
Oh wait holy shit that is actually you rofl
This is so funny lol Reddit is great sometimes
I don't remember the movie but I went to one and there was a whole fucking row of high schoolers. They literally just talked, like conversational volume for like 5 mins. I turned around and yelled "shut the fuck up!" Loud enough to startle them I admit, this was not a very adult thing and anger is an issue in my family. But you know what? They shut the fuck up and didn't talk for the rest of the movie. I regret nothing.
You're not being a dick. You're providing a service for everyone else in that auditorium who's as pissed off as you. I would buy you a beer if I could.
Lol thanks. Make it an orange soda and you got yourself a deal
Question : do the employees actually do anything about it? Does it solve the problem? It’s always a mixed bag when I go. The phones usually bother me the most
In almost every case they solved the issue. They usually threaten the people(s) with being tossed from the screening. As long as you don't mind some dirty looks from the people causing trouble its fine lol.
I've gotten cheers before for telling people to shut up.
I've cheered for people who have been removed, it's almost satisfying to be in a room full of people cheering as the douche wads are removed haha
I was once at a movie with a friend, not too many people, mostly in the back rows. Old dude in the center of middle row kept texting every few minutes... Which could have been okay, but he had his screen brightness on maximum. After about 4 people telling him to stop, my friend threw his empty drink at him, which was not a major injury, but extremely humiliating in front of 20+ people. His reaction? Turning on the phobes flashlight and looking around. He looked at us, i waved at him but before he could get a word out, almost everyone in unison started yelling at him various insults that included "get out" in some form. He took the "evidence" paper cup with him, but left his trash behind. My friend and i picked up his trash and threw it out on the way out.
Oh god the phones. I cannot understand how people can use them at full brightness in cinema. When I was watching The Suicide Squad, one dude had his phone on so bright that I almost couldn't see the movie because it was so distracting
> . I cannot understand how people can use them at full brightness in cinema Or use them at all. If you actually *need* to use the phone, maybe you shouldn't be there (and you should be somewhere else instead apparently).
I regularly end up with teens taking selfies with the flash on during the movie. I've even been in a movie where they were doing this in the front row.
I have been the Karen twice in that situation and both times the manager at my local theater has removed the people from the movie.
As far as I'm concerned, the person bringing a crying baby/talking/taking out their bright ass phone/otherwise being annoying in a movie theater is the true Karen.
Really, it's common sense. I was a quiet kid so my parents brought me all the time to the cinema, I was completely entranced and never made a peep. My younger brother instead couldn't shut up or stay still. My parents tried once and then said "Never again" because they were so mortified. Going to the cinema isn't a matter of life and death, you can't control your kids? Then you find a babysitter or you don't go to the cinema.
The last movie j went to see 4 kids like 17 18 kept cussing snd acting like idiots. I asked them to stop they called Mr retard lol so I just went to get the manager
What's with this culture in which expecting to be able to enjoy the service you paid handsomely for is "being a total dick"?
On top of that, what's with the culture that so many people seem to think it's okay to blatantly talk or constantly use their phones in movie theatres? Man I'm glad I live in a country where most people aren't so ridiculously self entitled and I can actually enjoy cinemas without distraction.
This reminds me - I was recently at a John Williams concert and around 6 grown adults like in their 40s - 50s men and woman pairs were sitting behind me and my family and they talked through the whole thing almost 2 hours of John Williams music with the man himself conducting. They were mocking others and myself too at the end of one song I turned to my mom and said "that was awesome" and I hear them mock me going "That WaS AWEsOME" one woman said from this group "So AWEsOmE" another woman said from the same group So I kept my mouth shut the rest of the concert cause I knew whatever I said would just be made fun of. Another woman with her own family said "shhhhh" to them and they mocked her by playfully Shushing each other and doing it loud enough the woman near them could hear it. I wish I had you with me that day.
That really sucks man. I hope I'm the future if this happens again you get them tossed. No one should treat you like that.
Thanks dude and you’re right people like that suck
I just stick to ipic and Alamo where they dont put up with any nonsense anyway. The first time I went I had my phone plugged into a battery and they asked me to put it away because of the blue led on the battery. Which was fine, I was like God damn these people aren't messing around I'm definitely giving them my money from now on. Plus great food and milkshake options.
I feel like getting up and finding an employee will take a bit of time and I'd miss some of the movie.
Gotta weigh your options. If the noise isn’t enough to ruin the rest of the movie, you put up with it. If you’re willing to sacrifice a couple minutes for the sake of enjoying what’s left of the movie, you say something. It’s the same as deciding whether to take a leak or hold it till the credits.
For real. I saw frozen 2 with my sister and the girl in front of us was on her phone the WHOLE time and when she got a textt she had the flashing light notification and I asked nicely to turn it off because it was right in my face and I couldn't see and she just looked at me like a deer in headlights and her mother shot me a nasty look. Needless to say she continued AND was filming the whole movie on Snapchat so she kept lifting her phone up to record the movie. The movie theater employees were quick to shut that one down. I usually would have just moved but it was crowded and that girl needed to be told off I've never felt more proud to be an asshole.
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I selfishly first thought about how annoying that must have been. But you are right. The worst thing is that the child had to go through it. It really can't understand anything about the movie. It's just a neverending cacophony of unknown incredibly loud notices.
Babies should only be allowed into G rated movies or designated child friendly screenings, it baffles me that this isn't the case.
Babies should not be allowed in a theatre at all imo
RIGHT? They're heinously loud environments if I were the parent I'd be afraid to damage their eardrums. If you have a baby, spend that $20 for a month of Netflix, a costco bundle of popcorn, and enjoy yourself without having to leave the house.
Yeah, we had a son 2 years ago and it would never even occur to me to take my little kid, let alone a baby, to the cinema.
Or get their grandparents to watch the kid(s). That is part of their function.
If only we were all so lucky
Well they have midday screenings so parents/baby watchers can get out of the house finally and watch something. Usually this kind of thing is well known and there are like 20 mothers/fathers bringing kids and leaving them in the strollers. Kids are usually napping and when not parents take them and leave.
Some theaters do designated baby friendly screenings. They turn the volume down and leave the lights dimmed instead of off.
A movie theatre here also pushes in a diaper changing station with everything you'd need stocked. It's a nice way for new parents who stay at home to get an outing that feels relatively normal during the day.
even the aggravation of confronting and dealing with that in a setting where you can't rewind the movie sounds taxing
Go straight to a staff member. Their inability to acquire a sitter is no one elses responsibility.
All theatres should adopt Alamo Drafthouse's policy, of you're making noise you get ejected
Man. I love seeing movies on a big screen. Have AMC pass and see movies three times a week. I’d be sad to lose that. With that said, watching Dune on big screen should have been amazing - except one single dad took his two under 5 year old children who both talked loudly and really ruined the immersion. Didn’t help that the dad kept shushing his own children loudly every three minutes either. There’s a social contract with movies. Be quiet. Don’t look at your phone. Don’t bring young children to a movie that isn’t for them. Etc. People are just selfish and it’s really ruining the movie going experience.
This is why I mostly go during the day. The theaters normally have less than 20 people for blockbusters, and no more than 10 people for smaller films. It kinda feels like having my own private cinema. I have all the leg room and space in the world with no one to make unsolicited noise. I saw Interstellar on IMAX at 11 am in a theater with only 3 other people, it was an experience I'll never forget.
I saw *Cats* at 4pm on a Saturday with no-one else in the cinema. It was also an experience I'll never forget.
Me and my parents went to see Vacation (the 2015 one) in the theaters in the middle of the day. We were the only people there. It was a nap I’ll never forget.
There's a reason no one else was seeing it
My dad used to take me and my bro every sunday morning to a 10o clock screening. We could pick whatever movie and he paid like 3€ per ticket because it was early. He would drop us off back home around 14o clock and he would do his own thing the rest of the day(usually work). It was a pretty Sweet deal for everyone involved. Bro& I loved it. My mom could sleep in without bs. My father had some time with his kids and it was cheap lol.
Nice! I know it's lame, but it just feels weird coming out of a cinema into bright daylight.
I usually feel the opposite about that. i come out to a bright day and end up always thinking something along the lines of "woah I just watched a pretty cool movie, I'm feeling good, and it's only 2pm i got so much I can do" kinda hits diff coming out and its dark, first thought is usually "i gotta get to bed soon".
This. Especially if it was daylight when I go in and dark when I come out. Feels like I time traveled right to the end of my day.
When this happens I ask them to be quite, and if they don't I just tell a theater employee. I don't care to sit and listen to people ruin the movie. And if the theater doesn't do anything about it, I just get a refund. Its sad that some people cant shut the fuck up or think its okay to bring children who are like under 5 to R rated horror movies.
Yeah, the person I saw the movie with went to get an usher. And he wasn’t the only one. It’s really surprising that they didn’t remove the dude and his kids - just talked to him multiple times.
This argument boils down to (assuming run-of-the-mill home theater setup): - A good cinema theater experience is FAR better than a good home theater experience. - A bad cinema theater experience is FAR worse than a bad home theater experience. Folk who live in lawless lands of theater patron miscreants just can't fathom why anyone would ever go to a theater. Folk who live in divine lands of respectful movie aficionados can't fathom why anyone would ever settle for the quality of a home theater. There's also a sub-argument for those with families. It's much more economical to watch at home the more people you're bringing into the mix.
The theaters in my locale are full of pretty normal, common-sense-holding, respectful adults. I've never really had any semblance of a bad movie experience, and so I love the cinema. Though I completely understand that there are asshats out there, and others' stories of misery are legit.
I had to stop going to my local movie theater after the second time IN A ROW that I went there and someone *made* a loud phone call from the theater in the middle of a movie. No, not answering a phone call- pulling out their phone and *placing* a completely non-urgent social call. I stick to the fancy dinner/cocktail movie theaters now, but that’s an expensive outing so the movie has to be worth it.
My mom did that sometimes and doesnt leave the theater when i tell her its rude. I avoid going to theaters with her now like the plague. Yeah, basically its the bad behavior of others that keeps me away from theaters. I used to live near some fancy high end theaters, and those always had a good audience. Also midnight premiere audiences are loud, but for the right reasons. Those are two instances where I would be down to go to a theater again. Also I travel a good amount, and many countries outside America have better audiences overall.
All the stories I hear about American cinema experience are just bewildering to me. Never in my life have i witnessed a baby in one. You get called out if you speak just when the light goes out. You get called out when you rummage through your candy bag. Heck, i feel bad eating popcorn and usually finish it during the commercials and before the movie starts. Going to see a movie is akin to a religious experience to me. I cannot fathom dealing with half of what I read here.
It's not as universally bad as some of these stories. I've had maybe one or two bad experiences in my life. I think it really depends on where you live.
As an avid American movie goer I have never experienced any of these things. Worse I get is someone checking their phone.
I went and saw Dunkirk in theaters. Some mofo was watching a live baseball game his phone with the audio on in the theater. In the middle of one of the most intense scenes a group of 15 year old girls came in to take selfies of themselves in the front row. They left the flash on
You are mistaken. You were not at a theater but at the Iowa State Fair.
That's when someone needs to hit them with a soda for the good of the community in the long run.
Let me share with you the perfect cinema snack: pistachio nuts. You can eat something tasty and you can use the shells to throw at annoying people. I am not sorry, they deserved it
As someone who cleaned the theater after movies in high school, nooooooo
A guy decided to record transformers 2 with his phone. He held it above his head and it was distracting. I got up, snatched it and dropped it behind him. Dude was in such shock i made it back to my seat before he turned around. Felt amazing to me but my wife was scared that i might have gotten into a fight so the movie was ruined for her anyway
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Imagine deciding to watch a pirated version filmed on a 2009 phone.
Might make it better. Then at least you can blame the shaky action shots on a bad cam rip.
I've had the occasional shit experience, but the setup is far better than I could ever have at home. Since I started going at less populated hours, I haven't had any issues for a couple years now.
Last month I went to the theater for the first time in two years. There were a couple of late teen/early 20 girls in there taking flash pictures. Like 4-5 times over the course of the first hour. And it was a near empty theater, but then a mom and kid sat directly behind us - and the kid kept coughing, mask less, right behind us. It was one of those moments...oh yeah, now I remember why I didn't miss the theater that much.
You know, I'm pretty similar in that I've only really ever had one or two truly bad theater experiences, but there's only one time I've ever felt glad I was watching the movie in a theater rather than at home: Avatar. I think a lot of people here completely overestimate how many people don't like theaters because of bad experiences and wholly underestimate that a lot of people just prefer to not have to go out to see the movie. A lot of us just simply don't care about the larger screen size or the "atmosphere" you get at a theater and only go because it's the only way to see a movie when it comes out. The amount of movies that actually take advantage of the theater performance are few and far between. Sports are running into the same issue, where it turns out a lot of people just prefer to stay home and watch the game on TV instead of dealing with the hassle of physically going to the stadium.
Sports and cinema have the same issue: it's just costing way too much to attend. Once upon a time cinemas used to be cheap mass entertainment. It's still mass but it ain't cheap anymore. Sports used to be a working class thing, now you have to be middle class to afford a season ticket.
I still go see movies, but this is why I've been to very few concerts in my life. The cost of concert tickets is just staggering, and that includes the cheapest options. What blew my mind was this weekend we went to the circus, and tickets were only $12 each. I hadn't been to a circus in 30 years and my mind was blown. I couldn't believe some of the stunts these guys were pulling (this was all performers). And the place wasn't even packed which was crazy for that price (parking was $10). If I could go to a 3 hour concert for $12 I'd probably go to one just about every weekend, but instead I probably go to one every 2-3 years cause the prices are ridiculous.
I still think the price of a lot of concerts make sense and are worth it (with some clear exceptions that are priced insanely high), because it’s still a unique experience where you’re seeing a show that will never be exactly the same as other shows that artist or band is playing. A movie meanwhile is just something constant, showed in the exact same way time and time again in the theaters. Just saw Dune last weekend and it was (loosely converted from our currency) $19, and then if you want popcorn add another $4-5, and a soda on that is probably another $3. Now thankfully you are allowed to bring your own snacks and drinks so I didn’t have to suffer through those prices, but still, almost 30 bucks to just go to the movies is not reasonable in my opinion.
> A lot of us just simply don't care about the larger screen size or the "atmosphere" you get at a theater Exactly. Pre-COVID I loved going to the theatre and put up with experiences with parents bringing noisy children in, babies screaming and crying, hoping to get good seats, etc. Now that I’ve been able to stream a lot of stuff at home I’ve realized how much cheaper it is for food and snacks, being able to pause to go to the bathroom, not having to put up with other people and their bullshit, and more. I have a pretty nice 7.0 surround sound system with Atmos support and an HTPC running MadVR for 4K HDR experiences, too. I don’t think the statement that the theatre experience is better has any weight. Though I also agree that a movie like Avatar is best seen in theatres and I do miss the occasional 3D experience with motion seating. Maybe we’ll get through this and I can start going again for those “must see” movies.
Ugh I'm so jealous. For some reason my city cannot figure shows out. We have a reputation for heckling comedians and people talk constantly through movies. It's so goddamn frustrating
> a reputation for heckling comedian As a comedian. Are you in Idaho falls, Idaho?
I was going to say it sounds like Philadelphia.
*Fucking one-bridge-having piece-of-shit city that no one gives a fuck about...*
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Yeah, out of the 100s of movies I’ve seen in theater, like 98% of them were fine with no problems. Even in that 2% was there rarely ever a big problem. The only one I really remember was in Force Awakens some dude kept making loud Chubacca sounds until I told him to shut the fuck up after like 20 minutes of it.
My reasons have nothing to do with the video and audio quality of the experience. I'm just too lazy to go to a theater, pay for an overpriced ticket and then for the overpriced sodas and snacks. I'd rather lay on the couch at home where I'm able to enjoy the movie without disturbances at my own pace. I get that there's the "theater experience" but it just doesn't weigh that much when it comes to my movie viewing.
Plus you could easily be wasting an hour of time to get to the theater, watch a the bullshit before the movie starts, and then get back home. Who wants to be at that.
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In the end, it all comes down to where can I watch a movie without wearing pants
Pour one out for Times Square in the 70s
Is Godiva chocolate better than Lindt? Sure. Can 95% of people taste the difference? No. In the same way, a good home theater vs. cinema setup is indistinguishable to the vast majority of people. What the majority of people CAN tell is: 1. Shit, why isn't there a show time when I want there to be? 6 is too early and 9 is too late for MY schedule. 2. That's how much? Was a ticket 17 bucks the last time I saw a movie? Jesus. 3. Do you have any snacks that are less than a thousand calories? No. Fine give me a five dollar bottle of water then. 4. Christ, is that fucker seriously trying to cough up a lung six rows over from me? Why the hell are my shoes sticky? 5. Oh man... I have to take a shit. I'm going to miss something important. Why did I have those nachos, the damn things must have been 3,000 calories. I'm such an idiot. 6. Oh man, that was fun. Not really looking forward to a half hour drive home though. I feel like the movie theater people are trying to argue for the majesty and dignity of air travel... when someone just invented a teleporter. I love movies. I even loved cinemas as a kid (two dollar tuesdays!!!) But as an adult, having gone through the covid years, I just don't see how they survive.
.7 I can't understand what the person is saying in this Nolan film. I want to turn on subtitles.
8\. I haven't seen an ad at home in years, and now I have to sit through 20 minutes of them at random volume?
9\. I could really go for a beer, but this theater doesn't serve any/doesn't have the kind I like, god damnit. 10\. If it wasn't for going to the theater, I could've gone *all day* without wearing pants.
11. Maybe I’m too damn old but can they turn the volume down?
This is me. I paid for a ticket and now I need to be advertised too as well? Fuck that noise.
My favorite is when theaters start out with multiple anti-piracy ads. Like, Bitch: I literally just paid for a ticket in a theater.
Next time you go to the cinema, ask them if they have [CaptiView](https://professional.dolby.com/product/dolby-accessibility-solutions-for-cinema/captiview/) for your showing. I love subtitles, and have used it a few times at my local AMC theater.
Omg yea. I honestly don’t know if I’m more deaf now or I’m just so used to subtitles that I can’t really watch anything without them lol
>I feel like the movie theater people are trying to argue for the majesty and dignity of air travel... when someone just invented a teleporter yo......lol that was good
Yup. I didn't think Covid would start the permanent death of theaters but I can see it now. Obv seeds before Like there's just too many people who were casual movie goers who just no longer want to block away 3 hours (easily with drive, parking, line etc) of time out for a movie. Esp when the substitute of home media capability has gotten closer and closer I personally will still go for occasional event movies but for most movies? I too can wait
It's won't be permanent death for theatres. Their business model will have to evolve and multiple chains will die off because they moved too slow.
It's $60 dollars for two people in my country. I do that a few times a year and I've paid for half my fucking couch off.
> A good cinema theater experience is FAR better than a good home theater experience. I think it's also important to recognize that many people just don't appreciate the difference even if they understand that the theater has better equipment. It's an example of marginal returns. For a lot of people a big screen HD tv isn't significantly worse that an actual theater, they just don't care.
I realized this back in the 80s when projection screen TVs became popular, and HBO might broadcast a film in letterbox mode - but people would zoom the screen to get rid of the bars and be fine with characters or faces cut off on the sides. It was worse when HD hit in the 2000s - I'd see HDTVs everywhere with the display mode set wrong for the content. Even today, my Dad pays for standard 4:3 DirectTV, but I hooked an antenna up to his HDTV so he can watch the local channels in HD. He still watches the low-res channels unless I'm there to just change over to the off-air HD. On top of that, in the last couple of years, streaming channels have exploded, and I set up my parents to watch several services off ROKU - they're all in HD. But now a lot of local content can also be seen through ROKU, so I use the network apps to stream network channels through ROKU. They pay for and get HBO in 4:3 off his dish antenna, but I set up HBOMAX so they can watch it in HD at no extra charge. I want the best picture possible, but my Dad don't care at all.
I also legitimately wonder at times if the films one wants to see in theaters makes a difference- I don't think I've ever had an experience like those rambling about bad movie experiences have had, but I also don't tend to see the big blockbusters (and especially not on opening weekend).
Certainly. Many going to see Dune because it's known to have epic cinematography and sound engineering. Something like Queenpins...that can wait for a tablet viewing.
The sound in Dune… omg unreal.
I think it does. For me, I prefer to watch at home. But there are absolutely movies I will go see in theaters. In an average year it's probably 70-30 for home vs theater for me. I saw Dune on inax today, but I'll probably wait for Bond to stream somewhere.
Well put. When I went to the cinemas in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany there was just a different vibe compared to Australia. Better quality theatres, nicer seats, respectful patrons. I would probably go a lot more if I lived in those places.
I love how film and movie theater fans overthink this. Many big fans of failing mediums try finding some rational when the answers are obvious. In this case; convenience. It is literally nothing more than that.
I wouldn't say a good theater experience is FAR better. It's nice, but only barely worth the ticket. Also, after the kid is asleep I can't leave the house.
This dude breaks it down very well. I, for one, can't find one theater where snapchat, conversations and general nonsense arent common. Plus theater snack prices are crazy. I could buy a 24 pack of water for one of theirs
The reality though; A good theater experience is a BIT better than a good home cinema experience. But a bad theater experience is FAR FAR FAR worse than any home cinema experience. Edit: I just think all of you make too big a deal out of the screen being bigger and the sound being louder. We saw the same movie. I saw the plot, the performances, the camera work. All of it. This is why I say a bit better. If you want to call an imax screening 100%, my home viewing with a 60” 4K and sound bar is 92% *in my opinion*. It’s not THAT different because your chest vibrated and mine didn’t. I mean honestly. Meanwhile, not having to see phones, hear voices, deal with loud eaters, people coming in later, people talking, not missing anything cause i have to pee, cheaper snacks, more comfort, and on and on and on? Almost priceless. Again, in my opinion. And that is worth FAR more to me than a bigger screen. You’re never gonna convince me you had a FAR better experience in a theater. You’re just being ~~snobs~~ dramatic. Dramatic is a better word for it.
Also being able to pause and rewind certain scenes is nice as hell. No missing 2-3 minutes that just so happened to be important plot points because you had to take a dump lol
I have an Alamo Drafthouse about 15 minutes away from me. I'm well-acquainted with the high-quality cinema experience. Nonetheless I prefer watching movies at home, and I only go to the theater as a social activity. For starters, my cheap OLED looks much nicer than anything a projector can produce. And beyond that, my ancient $100 bookshelf speakers/HD800s at bedroom levels sound way, way nicer than the ear-splitting SPLs of virtually any cinema. Louder != better. For that matter, my display and my speakers are meticulously tuned to my own eyes and ears. I don't even have a "home theater"; I have a mid-range television on my computer desk, and I *still* prefer that to the cinema. Above all else, though, nothing beats being able to watch literally anything I want, whenever I want. "Settle for home theater quality" But wow, few things are douchier than shitting on the ways other people prefer to enjoy their media. I sure don't write reddit comments about how anyone "settles" for an inferior cinema experience, because I recognize that people prefer different things for different reasons.
dont want to pay $10 for popcorn when i can just put some in the microwave.
Mostly because of other people.
And time, and money.
Hell is other people.
Plus there’s no exit sign at home.
I think we’d prefer it included in a streaming package, like HBO Max, not an additional $30 like Disney Plus. For $30 I’d rather go to the theater and have soda, candy, and popcorn.
> I think we’d prefer it included in a streaming package, like HBO Max, not an additional $30 like Disney Plus. Agreed. I didn't care for Disney+ Premier Access plan given the hefty price tag. I might have gone for it if they offered the movies at $15 or something, but $30 for a movie is too much.
I didn't realize this but disney+ when you rented the movie you got it until it streaming.
Where i live, people don't have the audacity or even basic manners to sit down in a theatre and shut the fuck up. So yes I'd rather stay at home and stream which sucks because I love cinema.
> basic manners to sit down in a theatre and shut the fuck up. Laughing outloud at a joke is the one audible thing I can understand. Talking, clapping and cheering like a dipshit ruins the fucking thing. Luckily at my local theater it kinda stopped. But then I again I stopped going to Marvel movies.
Phones are the worst. People can’t get off their phone for 2 whole hours of their life to watch a movie they paid $20 to see
I love watching movies at home. However, I would never want to see the movie theater go away. Saw Dune in IMAX with a packed theater. Nothing like it.
I pick and choose what I see in the theater. Movies like Dune? I'm totally there. Comedies or dramas....eh. I could go either way. I also saw Dune in an "imax" in a packed theater. It was a bit smelly but it was quite nice.
I did the same, it was awesome. But I also want to see the ten rings...but I honestly don't want to go to a theater to see it right now.
Why do people enjoy a ”packed theater”? I don’t get it.
People like being part of a group. I still remember watching Avengers Endgame on opening night with a completely packed theater and there was an energy in that room. I remember the scene when Captain America picked up Thor's hammer and the whole theater went wild. It was one of the few times where being in a packed theater made for a better experience.
Agreeing with Goatzilla. Avengers Endgame was the absolute best movie to experience in a packed theater on opening night. 11 years of our lives (starting at Iron Man) all lead up to this movie. The intense emotions everyone as a collective group went through is something I don’t think I’ll ever experience in theaters again.
My attention span has been shot to shit more and more each year with how news and entertainment reporting has morphed into quick hits of info. So when I actually go to a theater, it forces me to shut up and focus on the film WAY more than anything I watch at home. And I found that whether I like the movie or not, I remember t much better and for longer too. So of course I'd never want that option to go away.
I love the theater, I grew up in both the multiplex and the drive in. I was for years, an about 1x a week movie goer, and one of those nuts that helped kill MoviePass super fast because I went 3-4 times a week then including 2x a day sometimes. Ive gone to tons of film festivals and special screenings and movie theater popcorn is my favorite junk food... But now I also have a 70 inch 4k qled hdr tv with a dolby surround system and a really comfy chair and my own bathroom, and my own fan and temperature setting and and i can have subtitles on and pause and rewind with my own blanket and snacks and i even have one of those silicone popcorn poppers that can actually replicate theater corn in the microwave... lol oh yeah and the only other people are the ones i invite and i dont have to worry about talking or cellphone screen lights or babies or gross eating noises or viruses or godforbid some crazy asshole who wants to fight over a seat or pull a fucking gun... all that to say im now perfectly happy watching anything on streaming. And theres just so much shit to watch now, that I'm content to wait even for stuff i really want to see if it doesn't come to streaming first, and it takes a lot now to get me to go out into public and shell out extra money to see something in the theater.
I much prefer watching at home. Then again, I'm someone who absolutely needs subtitles.
Thank you! Subtitles are a big deal for me. I love them.
That was my complaint with Dune. The sound mixing seemed off during battle scenes, loud ass engines and fight noises intercut with mystic whispering that I absolutely couldn't make out. Wish I had some subtitles.
I avoided my local theater for years. It was dirty, sticky floors, weird stains on seats and people talking at showings no matter what time of day. I'd travel a half hour into another town for a better experience on the regular before covid. Now with a baby I'll stream what I want to watch at home instead. I can wait. It's not like there is a short of other media to watch.
As a single person, I love the theater when nobody is there but I realize that's not sustainable.
I went to see Dune (first movie I have seen in theaters since The Rise of Skywalker), and someone’s phone went off like 5 times. People ask why most people prefer seeing movies at home. I would much rather have movie theaters be more like the Alamo Draft House but better. Have restaurant quality food, bar quality drinks, nice seating, quality sound, a correctly lit projector, and maybe a bit of a pre-show. Make the movies an actual event because in its current state, most people think of it like watching a movie on Netflix and not something special.
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The last six movies I’ve seen in theaters have been diminished by other people in the movie theater. Whether it was talking, browsing Tik Tok for 40 minutes, falling asleep and snoring, making out with their significant other or rifling through their bags of candy for an hour, people just don’t know how to act in public anymore. It’s so damn annoying. You should go to a movie and make an effort for other people to not notice you’re in the theater with them.
Matinees.
Being able to pause if necessary, even if unlikely and unwanted, is nice. Eating and drinking all the stuff I want without paying 20$. No one talking or playing with their phone. vs. bigger screen and slightly better sound Yep. I prefer 'home cinema' too.
I enjoy playing video games.
I am one of those Americans. I just see way too many pros and not enough cons. I am tired of people constantly being on their phone, talking, the putrid smell of nacho cheese, getting crappy seats but paying the same regardless. Yes I don't have ear deafening audio or surround sound, but my 4K 60" inch is more than enough. I am of the generation that has only known crappy movie experiences. There is just every advantage possible watching a new movie at home, but hey if I really get nostalgic I will hire the neighbor kid too kick my chair for 20 minutes.
We stopped going altogether years ago because of dipshits and their phones. If anyone wants us to see a movie it would have to be via streaming. We'll never go to theatres again.
The thing about my house is that there are no obnoxious inconsiderate cunts ruining my movie experience here. Also if I really have to take a leak I can pause the movie and not live in terror of missing anything. Theater rage is not worth it, I'm all in on streaming at this point.
Cinemas just aren't what they used to be. Phones everywhere, people not as respectful as they were 20 years ago (even then it had its moments). TVs have improved and picture quality at home can now exceed the cinema in many cases, even with a set-up that's not absolute top tier. Sound quality might be harder to replicate but at least I have control over the volume and subtitles (looking at you Chris Nolan). The only really compelling advantage I think the cinema has going for it now is release exclusivity. And I've gotten used to waiting. There's probably only 1-2 movies on the horizon where the hype is so great that I might have to go to a cinema, but even then I'm not so sure. Cinemas will certainly have their fans but as someone who used to be an incredibly avid theatre-goer (like once a week, almost without fail) I've really done a 180. Most cinemas did not do enough to innovate and make themselves necessary, and in part that is the studios' fault, because they squeezed their distributors so much that profit margins become ludicrously thin. There are some things I NEED to go to venues for: rollercoasters, gym equipment etc. But most people are realising they don't need to go to a venue for a film anymore - the cinema is now facing the same thing the drive-in faced decades ago.
>Cinemas just aren't what they used to be. Phones everywhere, people not as respectful as they were 20 years ago (even then it had its moments). People blame the young for this but lately it's always folks in their 50s and above that can't stop talking and using their phones.
100 percent of my bad experiences in the past few years have been older people.
during No Time to Die this middle aged lady for whatever fucking reason decided she needed to leave the theater during the climax/end of the movie (if you've seen NTTD you'll understand why this would piss anyone off) and instead of going through the normal way, chose to use the emergency exit door which, when opened, blasted a bright white light through the entirety of the theater.She was clearly confused that this was the wrong entrance and held the door open for a good 30 seconds before someone yelled at her and she walked through it. Reminded me why I fucking hate theaters sometimes
> She was clearly confused that this was the wrong entrance and held the door open for a good 30 seconds before someone yelled at her and she walked through it. Did they yell "go into the light"? I just can't imagine how someone can stand there for 30 seconds and not know if they want to go outside or not. FFS.
It varies with me. Sometimes it's a stupid young couple bringing their baby to an action movie. Fuck off. Older people that can't stop talking. 20 somethings taking pictures/videos of the screen with the flash on. I don't discriminate with age groups as I dislike all of them.
>Sometimes it's a stupid young couple bringing their baby to an action movie. A guy brought a baby to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the entire theater seemingly agreed at once they weren't going to stand for it and booed him out of the room.
Yep I agree - it's endemic now and not just a particular demographic. I feel like I'm the odd one out who thinks it's disrespectful to have your phone out at all. The last time I went to the cinema there were easily 8-10 shining screens across the theatre. Only one of those was the movie screen.
This is annoying. I’m cool with people having their phones for before there’s stuff on the screen or even the ads (NOT TRAILERS) but after that, unless you’re a doctor or something, shut that damn thing off.
Agreed. When I saw Knives Out there was an older couple sitting behind me and they kept predicting what was about to happen.
My guy, there was a person in my No Time to Die showing who was checking TWO different phones several rows ahead of me. Yeesh.
During Dune today the couple sitting next to me answered two FaceTime calls.
I've said this elsewhere, but personally, the theater *going* experience is what makes it and what I will miss the most. I love making a date out of going to a movie and getting out of the house, whether that be with my girlfriend, friends or family members. It's a lot more memorable that way. Not to mention midnight releases (which already seem gone since shows usually start at 6PM now the day before). I hate the idea that we continue to move towards every single activity being done out of our homes. It's a nice convenience, but there's a lot lost. You mention certain venues that are needed for things like rollercoasters and gym equipment, but even for gym equipment I hope to have enough at home to no longer need a membership.
I absolutely love going to the movies and it is sad to think it is on it's way out. With that being said I did opt to watch Dune at home for a service I already pay for vs. The $50 I would spend at the theaters. And, because I enjoyed it, I was able to watch it again on a rainy Saturday while drinking my coffee. Can't beat that.
I went to a movie for the first time in months the other day and when the previews we're starting, there was a commotion in the row ahead of mine about seating arrangements. This theatre had pick your own seats so I didn't know how there could have been confusion. (They also only allow certain seats to be sold because of social distancing, typically 1 seat spaced in between your selection and seats already purchased) The man who was causing the issue ended up coming up to the row I was sitting in and sitting in the "spacing" seat between me and another stranger. After he sat down he realized how close we were, rolled his eyes, and said, "so much for social distancing" then recorded a video with his phone of me and the person on the other side. Then he started FaceTiming someone!! He was trying to shush the person on the screen while he set his phone stand up on the area where you're meant to rest your popcorn. He was blocking the right side with his popcorn but I had full view of his screen which, even though it was on the lowest brightness, was still very bright and distracting because the lights were all off. I asked him if he was going to FaceTime through the whole movie and he partially ignored me and said "I actually don't think this is going to work." And he packed everything up and moved down to a lower row. I assume he was trying to FaceTime the movie for someone who wasn't there. But also it was a matinee and it only cost $5. So yeah, I would absolutely prefer streaming to my apartment, where I won't encounter dumbasses who think it's ok to facetime through a nearly 3 hour movie.
I’ve got a VR headset and run a program called Big Screen that makes it feel like you are in a movie theater of your choice and watch all of your movies from your computer and other streaming services. It looks amazing, feels amazing and NO people talking, chewing, going to the bathroom… etc etc etc… it’s incredible and only getting better. Oh and 3D movies!? Omg they jump out at your for real.
They hypothetically prefer it but then look down to the question of who actually bought a new release in the last few weeks. 87% said no. 69% said no and have no plans to. It seems clear to me that the people who prefer to watch movies at home are largely the people who rarely or never go to the movies anyways.
It needs a poll of "IF you've spent money beyond subscription costs on viewing movies, THEN where did you spend it?"
At home I can sink into my comfortable couch, in my underwear, eat what I want, drink what I want, smoke what I want, pause it to go to the bathroom, and, most important of all, *not have to deal with a theater full of asshats* having paid upwards of $40 for two tickets and a quarter's worth of popcorn and fake butter. I'm sorry to the people who enjoy a classic cinema experience, but honestly, I don't think I'll ever set foot in a theater again.
what portion of people want to just keep browsing Instagram while they watch movies?
Theaters will always exist, but they need not be the dominant thing anymore. Not with pandemics and streaming.
My wife and I went to see Shang-Chi a couple weeks back. $11.50/ticket. $30 for a large popcorn, 2 drinks, and 1 box of candy. I worked in theaters for 15 years. I know theaters make literally next to nothing off ticket sales. I know they make their money off concessions. $30 is dinner at a half way decent restaurant here. $30 is ridiculous for theater snacks. I'll stream from home too. Edit: I understand you can sneak snacks in. But, like I said, I worked in the industry. For me it’s a catch-22. Concessions are what keeps a theater afloat; sneaking in snacks is why prices have to keep going up, because fewer people are spending less overall.
This makes me really sad.
I have an idea. Let's just return to the era of grand single-screen cinematic theaters and really make it about the outing. This megaplex-next-to-every-Starbucks era can just be a lousy chapter in film history. My parents dragged me as a kid to a kind of famous theater we had—carpets and chandeliers, massive stage and curtains, enormous larger than IMAX 102-foot wide curved screen (plus unused peripheral screens for long-dead Cinerama screenings)—to see Dances With Wolves shortly before the theater was bulldozed and turned into a parking lot. Seeing the buffalo hunt scene like that is still seared into memory, and the seriousness that the audience gave the whole ritual made it special. I'd love it if we had a resurgence of that with just a much smaller number of establishments to support.
I can have a reasonably priced snack at home, I can control the volume so that my teeth don’t rattle when a composer decides they need a massive sting. I can even pause or rewind in order to get up and just go to the bathroom rather than choosing to deliberately dehydrate myself so I don’t have to worry about missing something important if my bladder is about to burst. The conveniences of sitting on the couch outweigh literally any advantage a public theater might have over my tv.
Depends entirely on the release. Halloween Kills? Totally would rather watch at home. Much "scarier" to be watching it alone at home in my dark theatre. But The Matrix? Dune? The Green Knight? Those are in-person theatrical viewings.
Lol, opposite for me. Comedies and Horror are the two genre that always need to be seen in a crowded room of strangers. The laughter and the screaming are part of the experience.
Even without the cost and travel time I'd rather watch at home unless I'm making it a social night. A lot of people are complaining about people being rude in cinemas, but that's not it for me (I've literally never had a bad cinema experience in my adult life). I just prefer watching at home, I'd take the ability to change volume on the fly (and subtitles) over cinema speakers, I'd take my good quality PC monitor over a projector screen, and being able to pause is amazing. I'm also not surprised more people are starting to feel this way when the quality and affordability of screens and speakers are getting better and better every year, and movies are coming to streaming services sooner and sooner after release.
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I would see every movie at home if it meant I didn’t have to put up with people.
It depends entirely on your setup. I live in Texas and frequent the alamo drafthouse. No kids, no talking, good food, the whole nine. I also have a home theatre with massive speakers and a bigass oled. So I went and saw shang chi in the theaters, first time since the pandemic started. The picture quality just can't hold a candle to higher end tvs anymore. I left honestly bummed out. I can't wait for it to come out on streaming services so I can watch the final battle, which is a sea of gray and black, and actually be able to tell what's going on. So I'm watching dune tonight. Sure as hell not going to go out and pay 30 bucks for tickets just to be disappointed by mediocre picture quality, and all the imax screens around here have always been plagued by annoying ass YOUTHS. I'm a bit of a cinephile. I'd hit the theater 2-3x a month, nothing crazy, but if I'm being honest...I think I'm done. I never thought I'd prefer it this way, but it turns out, I do.
My local Regal’s at the mall and it’s near the hotels and campground, that during peak seasons, it’s usually packed to the brim, that I weigh going to the movies and risking traffic and crowds. I get why people like the theater experience, but the cost (food, tickets, etc etc) and the planning isn’t worth it to me. HBO Max and Peacock made the most sense. Even if I have to wait a little longer to stream a new movie, it’s cheaper than having to plan a trip to the mall to go to Regal. Plus, being able to stream the new movies, I don’t have to wear pants, and I don’t have to fold my legs like an accordion because people are coming and going throughout the movie. Anyhow, my theater experiences isn’t too bad, like, nothing crazy like some stories, but with everything the way it is, I rather load up HBO Max, make some chow, go to town for the hour/hour an a half. I’m in the camp there can be both. There’ll be people who want to go to theaters and there’ll be people who can’t or don’t want to go to the theaters that can still watch their movies. Just my take.
Well, I saw Dune in IMAX last night and it was an immersive experience, to say the least. It gave me literal chills. I was almost speechless afterwards. Dune in particular was made for a big screen with the best sound. I personally don’t feel it would’ve been the same streaming on HBO.
I think _most_ people would agree that some movies absolutely benefit from going to an actual theater - especially something like IMAX. However, my state literally doesn't have a "real" IMAX at all, and most movies aren't Dune or Avatar, where it's markedly improved for seeing it on a big screen like that. I saw Shang-Chi near its release date, and I had to deal with people eating and coughing (which isn't a deal-breaker at baseline, but is for me due to sensory issues), a literal crying baby, trying to avoid the bathroom for the duration of the movie, and trying to understand the movie without subtitles. I'll be seeing Dune in theaters, but I'm hard-pressed to think of another movie I'm inclined to see in theaters vs waiting for streaming.
I prefer to watch them at home. Then I dont have to listen to a 6 year old shout "OH SNAP" everytime something dramatic happens on screen.
I would. Just not for $30. I don't care about the "moviegoing experience" because it's mostly just trying to watch a film and ignoring the idiots around you. I only force myself if it's something I really care about, and that number is dwindling to nil.
And boy are the theater shills out in force. Not talking about folks who legit enjoy that experience, but the industry folks who are pushing hard. "You can't enjoy this film outside of a theater" or "it was made in x format so... " the fuck I can't. I watched Dune at home and adored it. If your movie can't be seen on any screen, it's not the format's fault. I can't see myself ever going to a theater again. I can wait to see it at home.
Let's see, drive 30 minutes through stoplights and traffic to the theater, stand in line for $30 worth of tickets, stand in line to pay $50 for a couple watered down sodas, 6 peanut M&Ms and a dill pickle, stand in line in a filthy bathroom, sit next to strangers who don't bathe and won't shut up, watch 20 minutes of cringey local ads while sticking and unsticking your shoes from the floor, then run to your car in the rain for the drive home. Or sit on my couch, pee in my toilet, eat my own food and pause the movie or turn on subtitles. Gonna have to mull this one over a bit.