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I think I’m mostly done with movie theaters

harpercollins

By harpercollins
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harpercollins

harpercollins 394

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Uncharacteristically I went to three movies in theatres in the last three weeks. I think I’m over movie theaters.

 

- bad behavior from other viewers is increasing, and it’s too much of a gamble that your experience will be ruined. Not only did the guy next to me at mission impossible not silence his phone, he literally answered three calls on it.

- even normal human behavior is annoying when you’re lying next to a stranger watching a movie. I don’t want to hear a stranger chew or gulp or see him scratch his balls. The recliners are nice but I’d prefer a regular seat that gave me space between strangers.

- I love my subtitles. I really miss them at the movies.

- my theatre evidently is infested with Indian meal moths. They’ve been annoying/distracting to varying degrees at shows in three different rooms.

- at Oppenheimer tonight, it was so loud it hurt my ears and shook my seat. I get that its Nolan’s style, but I need some environmental controls.

 

All of a sudden I’m old. I actually don’t think going to the movies is too expensive, really. I love movies. Just turning into a hermit I guess.

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I hate subtitles.  At home, i can tell when Slorch Jr has used our Netflix or one of them, I forget; because the subtitles are on when I log in.

I can't see for shit( coke-bottle glasses) but I hear everything.  The subtitles annoy the living fuck outta me.

 

I still like big movies on the big screen, but yeah, the people aspect sucks.

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Texzilla58

Texzilla58 4739

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I grew up in movie theaters as my mom would come home for lunch in summers, and a couple days a week would drop me off at a theater and I’d watch a movie once or twice and then she’d pick me up on the way home.

Wife and I loved going to movies, often eating out and going to the last show of the night. No crowds and always lived exiting a theater late.

But now it sucks. Smartphones, children in inappropriate films at bad times, smaller screens yet annoying dynamic range audio tricks, no subtitles, no pause button…fuck that shit.

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GoPokes83

GoPokes83 2240

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I need the big screen/sound experience to enjoy some movies, and being in a theater setting let’s me focus on the movie without the distractions I have at home. Sure the kid continually checking his phone a row or two in front of you isn’t optimal, but having your wife or kid walk in and start telling you some story that’s not, “Hey, the house is on fire!” when you’re really invested in a movie can be worse. Time and money means I watch most stuff at home, and my couch is a great place to be, but for some reason I don’t like watching anything at someone else’s house.

I’m not putting up with any moth infestation around my open tub of buttered popcorn, or yellow greased popcorn anyway.

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MNLonghornFUKM

MNLonghornFUKM 8817

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I was going to take the kids to a Saturday matinee of the Super Mario brothers movie a month or 2 ago. After selecting seats, gotta do the dream lounger with extreme screen, I was at like $58 for 3 of us. Think we went to the park instead


That was before I get my $19 popcorn/ soda combo and the kids 6$ candy that’ll last them through the previews. Watched the same movie on peacock on Thursday and popped my own popcorn. I do agree it was/is fun going to the 10-11 PM Friday/Saturday night showings of blockbusters. But damned if you’re not out well over $100 for an early afternoon kid flick.

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South Austin

South Austin 52515

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I’ve loved movie theaters as a kid, and it’s a tradition I’ve built with my kids. We don’t go anywhere other than Alamo, which still provides a great customer experience and the other folks in the theater are almost always well behaved and respectful. 

And subtitles? Wtf? I like to watch the movie, not read it.

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4th&Five

4th&Five 41558

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Texzilla58 said:

Wife and I loved going to movies, often eating out and going to the last show of the night. No crowds and always lived exiting a theater late.

But now it sucks. Smartphones, children in inappropriate films at bad times, smaller screens yet annoying dynamic range audio tricks, no subtitles, no pause button…fuck that shit.

Lucky woman. 

Edited by 4th&Five
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TexasHooch

TexasHooch 5122

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I've been to maybe 3 movies in the past 10 years.  I'll really only do it if I feel that the movie demands a big screen and Hi-def audio.  Even then, I wait as long into the run as I can to get an empty theater.

Honestly though, it's more of a me thing.  I'm just too easily distracted by things that normal people wouldn't even notice.

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Underdog

Underdog 28688

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Love going to the theatre and just like ballgames and concerts it can be bit of a bitch dealing with others.  Have a local mom & pop owned place that’s good size but rarely ever crowded when we’ve gone to it.   And make sure I’m there plenty of time for previews. 

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harpercollins

harpercollins 394

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OP, you’re so brave. I applaud your deeply unpopular stance. 
*checks internet*
Oh…fishing for attention 

Wouldn’t every single post on every internet message board by definition be a request for attention?

Not sure where this post is giving brave/faux unpopular vibes, or how I’m even supposed to know that there’s an internet consensus about this, but this post is actually about me no longer loving something I used to really enjoy. I came on to give my take on Oppenheimer and realized most of what I was thinking about wasn’t about the film at all.
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austingirl

austingirl 2191

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I go to the movies at least 1-2/month but only at the Alamo (usually Village or Lakeline, sometimes South Lamar). Had to go to a Cinemark or some shit a few years back because we were joining friends who'd already bought tickets, and it was awful for all the reasons in the OP. 

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Brandywine

Brandywine 1316

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My father was the manager of a drive in theater for the first eleven years of my life so I love the movie theater experience. If I had Jeff Brazos money I’d own my own 12 plex with my own personal crew that makes me snacks, and the air conditioning is cold. I’d have all first run, and, classics. And you all would be invited and it will be free. 😁

The wife and I usually go to the 11 morning show, very few people there. Then we get a large extra butter popcorn and hot dogs. She gets an icee and I get a regular drink and we get in our seats and I’m in heaven. It’s my happy place. And that’s all we eat for the rest of the day. 

The thing is, if we don’t go to the theater then they’ll disappear and I don’t want to watch all my movies in my living room. 

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Celery Man

Celery Man 20962

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with the pandemic and having a baby, we didn't go to the movies for 3 goddamn years. I actually had a $100 Alamo card bouncing around in my truck from before we moved to Raleigh. Raleigh thankfully has an Alamo - we went and saw that Jennifer Lawrence comedy a few weekends back. It was solidly meh but man I do still love going to the Drafthouse.

 

4 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

This gonna hurt my amc stock

... maybe

FL-DumbMoney-11.jpg

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Kennythetiger

Kennythetiger 9388

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4 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

I’ve found that the movie experience depends a lot on the movie you’re seeing and the crowd that likes those movies. I saw Oppenheimer yesterday and didn’t hear a peep or see a cell phone light for 3 hours. 

The only negative experience I’ve had in a movie theater was when a boomer-aged lady a few rows ahead and to the side of us wouldn’t stop reading her phone during the movie. Her screen was damn bright. 
Finally I walked over to her seat, knelt down and politely asked her to turn off her phone. Explained that the backlight was very distracting. She “harumphed” me, but all was good. 
After the movie, she and my date were in the restroom at the same time. Waiting in the lobby, her husband approached me and thanked me for asking his wife to turn off her phone. “I did it too, but I’m her husband, and, well, you know…”

Yessir. I know. 

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26 minutes ago, Brandywine said:

. If I had Jeff Brazos money I’d own my own 12 plex with my own personal crew that makes me snacks, and the air conditioning is cold.

Largest employer in College Station?

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UpperWestside

UpperWestside 6169

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The biggest issue theaters have is the behavior of the patrons. I have that AMC pass so I can see three movies a week if I choose to do so. I pick times to go when I know the movie will not be full or even close to that. 
 

I am sure others share this sentiment, but the biggest issues are other people who will not stop talking during the movie to those around them or even on the phone. People coming in drunk and/or high just adds to the inability to be quiet and respectful. This experience drives people toward just staying home. 
 

Thinking anyone should pay 17 for a coke and popcorn. This is silly. I just bring my own snacks and usually a coffee to drink. Sometimes I buy the soda because I do like getting a cherry limeade Mello Yello. 
 

I have stated before that I have an aversion to loud noise, but some movies it works well because it drowns out the talkers. Oppenheimer did this really well as well as Top Gun last year and Mission Impossible this year. 
 

If you want to bring your children to an adult movie at least have them not talk through the whole thing. I get it if they go to see the TMNT movie. They are excited to see that movie. 

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I don't know the last time I went to an evening showing of a movie. I think I got turned off when tickets reached more than $10 a pop. Seems pricey when I can rent whatever I want for $4 on demand at home.

I do go to matinees at the Lake Creek 7. The theater definitely needs some maintenance, but I think it's $7, and half price on Tuesdays. They also have small popcorn and soda for $6.

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Red Five

Red Five 40859

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I left Indiana Jones (the new one) saying this. It was $50 for two tickets and one beer, and the person to my right was coughing into us every minute or so. The guy to my left brought in food and ate it as loudly as possible for two hours. Think I'm done. 

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DougO

DougO 5250

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It really started to suck when every shitty little theater chain started thinking it could be Alamo Drafthouse, with the food delivered to the seats, reserved seating with various price ranges. OK, a lot of people like that, but it's a pain in the ass when you're just trying to watch a damn movie. The local one I used to frequent, that was very cozy in a former life, ripped out all of the best rows of seats to accommodate that bullshit and super-fatass and cripple seating, so you couldn't even get the seat you wanted with the high priced tickets. They left the way too close seats and the above comfortable eye level seats to make you watch people meandering randomly in between throughout the film.

But mostly, it was the shitty movies that made me pretty much retire for theaters. I was an avid movie-goer for most of my life. Too many people these days don't even know that experience.

Edited by DougO
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mchookem

mchookem 16336

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we don't go as frequently but that's bc it seems like 80% of movies are some comic book variation and that's just not my bag...but i still love seeing 'big' movies in the theater.

this summer has been great and i've enjoyed going to the movies very much... first time since covid really. 

that was actually one of the odd things that triggered some really dark thoughts for me in the depths of 2020... movie theaters being 'done for good' (i think there was a thread with that title), it felt like the end of everything! 

there are several other movies i'm looking forward to seeing later this year. 2023 honestly feels like one of the better years for movies since even before covid. 

it also helps that Denver has some fantastic theaters.

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billfromlaketravis

billfromlaketravis 11489

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I think y’all need to find the right theater. Everybody seems to like Alamo. 
 

There’s a Cinemark near my house in a big ass mall, but the theater is small and intimate. There’s around 20 screens and they all sit around 50 people. The seats fully recline. Beers and popcorn are 6 bucks. Tickets are usually $10. I wouldn’t watch a movie shot on IMAX film there, but it’s fine for everything else. 
 

That said, the commercials are bullshit. I can tolerate 30-40 minutes of previews, but 15 minutes of commercials on top of that is unacceptable. 

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Texzilla58

Texzilla58 4739

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The issues with subtitles is one of modern movie production. Engineers overuse the magic of dynamic range, so these days folks are whispering and then we have an A10 laying fire at 120db. The cinematographers do the same with light. Uhh something is happening but the screen is black, dark black, extra dark gray.

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Deej

Deej 76800

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57 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I think y’all need to find the right theater. Everybody seems to like Alamo

I really don't need all the food and drink options of an Alamo. I just want a regular theater that will crack down on assholes like the Alamo does. 

Edited by Deej
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wild_turkey

wild_turkey 3159

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I like going to the movies, when there’s a good movie to see. I’ve seen Mission Impossible, Oppenheimer, and Barbie in the last month. Happy to have some good stuff to watch lately. Had a great experience each time.

We don’t have Alamo where I live, but there is a pretty nice AMC that is clean, has comfortable reclining seats, and serves adult beverages. It’s on par or dare I say slightly nicer than the franchised Alamo location where I previously lived.

Some of you need to get nicer theaters. Or maybe you’re in that phase of life where you prefer everything inside your home versus going out in public. Which is fine, I guess.

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