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Old 11-15-2009, 12:08 PM   #1  
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Default The Sad End of an Era - I Think I've Seen My Last Movie in a Theater

Last night, Jason and I had a nice date night. We went to dinner at Olive Garden (that 500 calorie apricot chicken is GOOD) then we caught the 9:00 show of 2012.

We got their early to get good seats (I like to sit pretty much in the middle of the theater). Or course, right before the movie starts (theater around 2/3 full) a tall kid with a hoodie sits right in front of me.

Then, the talking. Three little clusters of talking people, to my left on the aisle, in front of me and beind me and to the right. Not whispering, just talking. Flat out talking. I shushed to no avail. Several people actually answered their cell phones in the movie and then had conversations as they walked up the aisle to talk outside of the theater (any credit they get for taking their call outside is negated by the fact they answered the phone in the first place!).

Then, a kid 3-4 rows ahead on the left pulls out a cell and starts texting. The bright cell phone screen was a very distracting light in the bottom half of my vision.

A little background: I adore movies and I love watching movies in a theater (big screen, awesome sound system, etc). I used to go to a movie every weekend. I love knowing what everyone is talking about and being able to participate in the conversation, I hate dodging spoilers (I think of all the movies I saw on opening weekend that might have been wrecked by waiting too long - like the Sixth Sense!) I especially love movie trailers and I'm always disappointed if I don't get at least 5! Planning what was coming out, getting excited about new movies, a very big part of my life for at least 15 years.

After last night's experience, I don't see why I should pay 20+ dollars to listen to other people yammer. I think VCRs and DVD players have destroyed people's ability to sit quietly through a movie. It's like they're on their couch, talking to their friends and family, offering commentary and feedback. And I've also noticed that a lot of people in theaters are just plain dumb, they keep asking their friends What happened? Who was that? If you can't follow a basic Hollywood movie plot, catch it on DVD so you can REWIND it as much as you need to (this is based on a horrendous experience at the movie Crash where an old couple behind us kept going What? Who? What? Who? for 2 hours).

If you are a movie talker - STOP. If you go to the movies with friends who talk, tell them to STOP. And everyone, turn off the damn cell phone. You seriously can't go 2.5 hours without calling/texting, really?? (mothers staying in contact with babysitters discreetly, excepted).

We have a pretty nice TV and after last night we talked about (sometime in the future) setting up a projector TV with a nice sound system and watching movies at home. I'll miss the darkened theater, the smell of popcorn, all the exciting trailers, and the thrill of watching a movie on opening weekend, but it will be so much better for my blood pressure.

Last edited by Glory87; 11-15-2009 at 12:13 PM.
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Old 11-15-2009, 12:17 PM   #2  
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I haven't been to a movie in the theater for years. I refuse to pay that much money and have people talking through it, etc. I just wait for it to come to netflix.
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Old 11-15-2009, 12:26 PM   #3  
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You should send a pointed, descriptive complaint to the theater and say you won't be able to patronize their business, after a lifetime of doing so. Maybe eventually they'll ban cell phone in the theater and do something about the talking.
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Old 11-15-2009, 12:52 PM   #4  
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I don't go to the movies on weekends for that reason. During the week when the theater is almost empty is best. And I tend to see art flicks and those don't attract the jerky kids.
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Old 11-15-2009, 01:13 PM   #5  
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oh, boy, I hear you! I miss going to the movies, but we have those exact same things happen to us. Considering it costs about $5 to rent a dvd, for two (or however many people) to watch at our own convenience, and our snack bar is much much cheaper and healthier, well, it takes a pretty spectacular movie to get me into the theater now.
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Old 11-15-2009, 01:15 PM   #6  
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The last time I went to a movie in a theater was about 10 years ago. Now most movies are in multiplexes with huge screens but only about 150 seats each, so the screen looms over you and if there's enough fast-moving action it can make some people a little nauseous. In old-fashioned theaters you can find a seat further back and you can take in the whole screen
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Old 11-15-2009, 01:33 PM   #7  
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We maybe go to the movies once a year. I used to go quite a bit. You might want to see if they have any 'adult' theaters in the area (I'm not sure if SD does, I know I've been to one in the Chicago area). They serve alcohol and food so I don't think kids are allowed or at least I don't remember seeing kids.

We don't rent movies but we tend to buy movies we like or think we'll like (on sale, usually under $6) or for a while we were doing Netflix but stopped due to work schedules.
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Old 11-15-2009, 01:39 PM   #8  
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Wow, what a horrid experience! I haven't gone to a movie in months because of a lack of cash. However, the most we've gotten is a quiet murmur of one person commenting to another. Nothing as bad as all that. But I suppose what our theaters lack in noise, they make up for in garbage. Gum under chairs, sticky soda all over the floors. Ick, ick, ick. I opt for movies at home now, more oft than not. Good choice.
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Old 11-15-2009, 01:43 PM   #9  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nelie View Post
You might want to see if they have any 'adult' theaters in the area (I'm not sure if SD does, I know I've been to one in the Chicago area). They serve alcohol and food so I don't think kids are allowed or at least I don't remember seeing kids.
Oh, those places are fantastic! I got to peek inside one once, as I'm not old enough to go in. My grandma wanted to take me to a movie there, as they have nice recliner chairs and food served right to you. However, the alcohol portion made it impossible for me to come. When I'm 21, instead of going out getting "smashed", I'm definitely going to one of those adult theaters. They sound excellent!

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Old 11-15-2009, 01:54 PM   #10  
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We have a theater that serves alcohol and food but it's all ages, they have a kids menu too. I haven't been to it, the regular theaters are expensive enough.
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Old 11-15-2009, 02:02 PM   #11  
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I haven't been to a movie in years but this not surprise me at all...

Of course "those people" are going to ruin your evening...

they turn right in front of you in traffic....run you off the road....answer their phone in airports (where there is no where to go and if you do you will lose a seat FOREVER!) and yap-yap-yap....

you can't get away from it and I am afraid for today's youth it is quite normal...

I do know that if you are sitting next to someone at the airport and they yap-yap on their phone, you can actually answer the questions and/or make comments to their comments to the person on other end, that it annoys them enough sometimes they just hang up....or move
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Old 11-15-2009, 02:02 PM   #12  
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We have a projector and surround sound system in our living room. I pull the shades, make my own popcorn, and have movie night at home. We much prefer this to going out.

An added bonus - I'm hearing impaired and LOVE that I can turn on the closed-captioning
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Old 11-15-2009, 02:06 PM   #13  
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Agreed w/ others on the theaters w/ the bars...I believe the one near me is all ages, but seems to attract a more adult (read: knows how to act in a theater) crowd.

I've always thought they should stop letting people in right before the trailers start...I hate having people walking in front of me while I'm trying to watch the trailers...and if nothing else, at least before the actual movie starts.
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Old 11-15-2009, 02:07 PM   #14  
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We went to see Lion King at the Civic a few weeks ago....I had never seen the movie...anyway we purchased it over Amazon and were going to use it for one of our Friday night date nights...order take-out and stay home..well it came yesterday so Angie wanted to have date night last night...

we put it in...had to move to the older TV and dvd player...for some reason the movie just kept doing that digital scrambling thing on the newer dvd player and Hi-def tv...

way fun...even in hernia surgery pain...
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Old 11-15-2009, 02:21 PM   #15  
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What is wrong with people these days? The ME-ME attitude is getting out of hand. So many people are all about their experience..their thrill...their happiness, all at the expense of the people around them.

I recently saw an advanced screening of a movie that I really wanted to see. There was a young woman, 20ish??, sitting in the row in front of me about 6 seats to my right. She continually leaned forward and yelled over to her "friend" who was sitting directly in front of me....six seats away from her! As if talking to the person next to you isnt distracting and rude enough...you have to holler down the row! The friend sitting in front of me was mortified and continually shushed her to no avail. We shushed her...to no avail. She all but ruined the movie for my group of 7-8 people and wasted our $10 a piece tickets.

I agree with what another poster said...contact the movie theatre and tell them you are going to have to discontinue using their theatre because of their lack of ushering. Remember when movie theatres had ushers?! Remember when nonsense got you tossed out of a movie?! I long for those days again! And yes...cell phones should be banned inside the theatre...period.

Even mothers with babysitters at home can get up and leave the theatre to check texts....what did they do before this technology was available...that's right...they left the theatre and called home.

I love going to the movies but between the cost and the rude behaviorof so many people, I rent most times or wait for it to come to our cheap theatre where I can pay 0.50 to see it on the big screen. Rude behavior doesnt seem to bother me at this cost...
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