Go to the Movies?

[Tom52]

We enjoy going to the movie theater on occasion but I doubt we average over 2-3 movies per year. Most recent was The Revenant and the new Star Wars. Since we are retired we are able to go to matinees which cost $6.50, evening showings are $8.50. If you are 65 and over there is a $1.00 senior discount. Every Wednesday they have $5.00 matinees for any age but they never have a showing before 4:00 PM on $5.00 Wednesdays, go figure.

We would probably go more often but many of the shows do not appear all that interesting. If the trailers look lacking, how good can the film be? We primarily like action movies, drama, and some comedies so long as they are not too moronic.

Going to matinees during week days usually limits the audience to mostly seniors so it is fairly quiet and not too crowded. That is unless you sit too close to a couple where one is hard of hearing, their partner is continually repeating what is said to the one that should be wearing hearing aids.

The seating is fairly comfortable, but not the relining type.

We usually sneak in a snack of our own, no way we will pay concession stand prices for drinks or popcorn. Besides since they are matinees we usually combine it with lunch out just before the show so not much need for snacks anyway.

 

[Car-Guy]

I went with a big group of girls to see the first Magic Mike movie at a small theater that served beer and wine. It was lots of fun and we definitely like the movie.

I wouldn't pay (or go for free) to see Magic Mike but I do like the idea of going into a small dark theater with a big group of women screaming with joy watching such a movie especially where they serve beer and wine.

But I digress from the OP's question. I haven't been to a theater in well over ten years. Probably more like 15+ years. I can wait for it to come out on Direct TV or NetFlix.

 

[Ronstar]

We go weekly in Az during the winter - $14 for 2 senior tickets, $7.50 for extra large popcorn. Smuggle in a couple bottles of water.

We see all types of movies- in a newer theatre (very clean, nice seats, sound, etc). Docile crowd demeanor - average age is probably 65-70.

 

[Moemg]

We go occasionally . We used to frequent the $2.00 movie but since we have Netflix that went by the wayside. When we go to the movies we go to a theater that has reclining seats and is less crowded. We skip the popcorn unless they have a senior special .

 

[Ronnieboy]

Love going to the movies, would go weekly if I had the time and there were enough interesting movies to see. There are just some movies that you have to see in the theater on a large screen to get the best experience.

We tend to get the leather recliner seats when they are available, only 1 theater in the 14 plex has them so far, it is worth the extra buck or two. They even have seat heaters...

We buy our snacks there, usually a combo with two drinks and a bucket o popcorn for $11 or so. They have a rewards card that we use quite often to get a couple bucks off of concessions up to a free movie ticket at certain point levels (personally I believe sneaking food in or bringing back your free refillable tub on another day is not only tacky but unethical).

We don't like it when it is crowded so we avoid the Friday nights and usually will go to matinee when w*rk schedule allows and wait a week or two after it has been open to avoid the die hard, have to see it when it opens, people plus if it doesn't last two weeks then it was probably a movie we can wait for Redbox or Netflix. There are some exceptions to that of course, we had to see Star Wars on opening weekend. We already have our tickets for Batman v Superman and Captain America Civil war. Sundays are usually slow around here too.

One of my retirement 'dreams' is to be able to go to the matinee movie when new movies come out, Fridays at 11am, assuming I'm not sleeping in

 

[ElizabethT]

Rarely, perhaps twice a year, in our hometown, however we attend several film festivals each year, which we thoroughly enjoy, adding another 25 or so to the mix. I would go more often here at home if I felt there were more worth seeing.

What we do do much of, for about the same cost as a movie ticket, is attend live theatre at our local university. I enjoy the energy of a live performance, and the audience is generally well behaved. Plus, no eating or devices are allowed.

 

[kcowan]

We go a few times always with friends. Given that we can watch excellent movies at home, it is purely a social outing with friends. We usually go to the early movie, say around 4-5 then go out for dinner. It makes no sense financially but it is a great social event!

Plus we usually skip lunch and rely on the popcorn to tide us over to dinner. Craziness.

 

[Music Lover]

I've only gone 2 or 3 times in the last 20 years. I have a 67" HD TV, good speakers, and a very comfortable chair/recliner.

 

[W2R]

Some curiosity questions.
Do you go?
How often?
Typical ticket price? Regular? Special?
Any special genre of movies? Comedy, Drama, Adventure etc.
Buy refreshments? (Here, January special is $15 bucket of popcorn, bring back the bucket, and get a refill for $4 for the rest of the year.)
Comfort of the seats?
Demeanor of the audience?
Different theaters?
Has your attendance habit changed over the years?

We used to go to the movies as a "date"; never bought refreshments, total cost $6 each. Seats OK, audience demeanor hideous and often ruined the experience despite almost no one in the theaters at the times when we would be there.

We don't go any more, mostly because I don't want to go. I don't like ultra-violent movies with high tension music and so many of them are like that in recent years.

The last straw for me was the insanely high volume that is literally painful. Almost every time we went we had to complain to get the volume turned down to a level that was still half deafening. I'm just not going to subject my hearing to that. And why should we pay $6 and then have to wear ear plugs? Forget it. They just aren't catering to people like us and we are perfectly happy streaming video at home.

 

[jollystomper]

Do you go?

Yes.

How often?

4-6 times a year. Very few movies are we eager to see as soon as they come out, we are patient.

Typical ticket price? Regular? Special?

At the local Megaplex we pay $10-15 a ticket - we have their "rewards" card and surprisingly we end up with a free ticket twice a year. Sometimes one visit is with kids and some of their friends where we will treat them to a ticket (for concessions they are on their own).

In addition, we are within reasonable driving distance of a "2nd run" theater that has several screens and will show movies after they are out of the megaplexes, their tickets are always $4.50.

Any special genre of movies? Comedy, Drama, Adventure etc.

DW and i have different movie tastes, I lean towards action/thriller/sci-fi/horror, she leans towards historical drama/fantasy/superhero/foreign. We like comedy but IOHO much of what is comedy these days is more "gross/shock to make you laugh". So we try as best as possible to compromise. The last two movies we saw in theaters were the latest Star Wars film (her choice) and Creed (my choice).

Buy refreshments? (Here, January special is $15 bucket of popcorn, bring back the bucket, and get a refill for $4 for the rest of the year.)

We will usually share a popcorn and "small" soda (which in the Megaplex is still in a 32 ounce cup, amazing). It essentially becomes a meal for us, we will get a free refill when we leave and take it home for a snack.

Comfort of the seats?

Very comfortable.


Demeanor of the audience?

No issues with the audience, but we really do no got to movies where the "rough" or "rowdy" crowds tends to see, nor do we go to very popular movies early in their run, we wait until the crowds are down. It has been years since we have gone to a showing that was more than 2/3 or so full. Also, the megaplex has a huge area outside of the screens where one can sit and chat, or play video games ( like a scaled down Dave and Busters), so that spreads folks out and it never seems real crowded.

Different theaters?

Just two, mentioned above, as they are both convenient (under 30 minute) drives away.

Has your attendance habit changed over the years?

Has definitely gone down as the kids grew up and moved out. During the pre-teen and early-mid teen years we'd probably go twice a month (and DW come up with some ingenious methods of bringing our own snacks in to save money). Once the kids hit the late teens they preferred going with their friends. Interestingly now that our oldest kids are in late 20s early thirties they are interested in going to the movies with us again.

 

[pb4uski]

Seems to me the last movie I actually went to see in a theatre was just before these newfangled 'talkies' came out.

When I first saw your post I had to check to see if it was imoldernu who was posting.

 

[Dawg52]

Haven't been in years. I'm happy watching movies at home.

 

[Walt34]

Haven't been in years. I'm happy watching movies at home.

TMI

 

[Beldar]

Haven't been in years. I'm happy watching movies at home.

I have to wash my eyeballs after that!

 

[RonBoyd]

Is Sean Parker’s Screening Room the End of Movie Theaters? - The Daily Beast

This potential development warrants no joyous fanfare, since there’s still no better way to enjoy a film than on a gigantic screen, in a pitch-black auditorium, with a bucket of popcorn, a drink, and/or choice of junk food directly at hand. That experience, at once personal and communal, is at its finest so entrancing, overwhelming, and purely entertaining that its shortcomings—screaming kids, rude patrons on their cellphones, absurdly inflated ticket and concession fees—can’t overshadow its sheer sensory majesty. It is, in short, the ideal way to see a film, be it a comedy, a romance, a drama, or a larger-than-life, louder-than-loud CGI superhero action extravaganza.

 

[eytonxav]

We go only occasionally if its a movie we really want to see, otherwise, we wait for the DVDs to come out, and get those from the library. We do not particularly like crowded theaters when the new movies come out, or patrons that cannot resist repeatedly checking/texting on their cellphones.

 

[Balance]

We used to go more frequently, say three times a month. Now with Netflix, Apple TV, Redbox, Library, etc. etc. we only go for the decent serious special effects movies like Star Wars. If it's a drama or comedy, I would actually prefer to watch it at home. If I miss a part, I can replay.

Once in a awhile, I will treat my youngest to a matinee of a good family movie. Yep, we get the popcorn, etc. and yes it does not make financial sense, but she will grow out of it soon so I want to enjoy it while I can.

 

[Options]

We have not been to a theater in years. It's not just the cost, but the hassle too. We'd rather watch DVDs at home, and with the subtitle turned on. I thought it was our hearing, and not the cast not talking clearly as they used to, but we have no problems with oldie movies.

NW, difficulty hearing in places such as large theatres could be an indication of preliminary hearing loss. Have you considered getting checked for it?

See this:

Hard of Hearing: Signs of Hearing Loss in Adults - Grandparents.com

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), more than a third of people 65 to 74 have some degrees of hearing loss, while over half of those over 75 experience the same. It’s the third-most prominent issue for seniors following arthritis (#1) and heart disease (#2) and only gets worse as we get older. Most hearing loss in older adults is the combined result of aging—our ears gradually don’t work as well as they used to—and exposure to noise.

..."Some early signs include difficulty hearing in challenging listening situations, particularly when others seem not to struggle," says Dr. Battey. "For example, if you have trouble hearing in the presence of background noise, at the movies, watching television, or during telephone conversations, that may be a sign of potential hearing loss."

 

[calico1597]

We snowbird in AZ and tend to see more movies in the winter. Senior tickets run $5-6 each. I really get honked at the prices of popcorn and soda. A bottle of water is $4.50!! I can afford it but who wants to pay that? We usually get a midprice combo and share a drink. I've also taken my own snack and water from home. I wouldn't if their pricing was reasonable.

 

[38Chevy454]

I can't even remember the last movie I saw in a theater or when. I received a couple movie passes from work as a small thank-you gift about 9 months ago, they're still waiting to be used. At least I did not lose them (yet......).

I watch an occasional movie at home, but in general just not a movie person that much.

 

[audreyh1]

We have not been to a theater in years. It's not just the cost, but the hassle too. We'd rather watch DVDs at home, and with the subtitle turned on. I thought it was our hearing, and not the cast not talking clearly as they used to, but we have no problems with oldie movies.

The overloud theater audio had us literally sticking gummy bears in our ears! Never again!

We love our home A/V setup.

 

[swakyaby]

I envy the movie and popcorn prices I see quoted here!

DH and I cannot agree on movie choices, so we end up going only 3-4 times a year while I would otherwise see 12 movies a year.

Regular tickets are $10.50, matinee is $8.00, and occasionally we'll get 3-D for $13.00. I love movie buttered popcorn. It costs $8-$10 for large.

The other customers are very well-behaved. No problems with cell-phones or texting in a darkened theatre. I am, however, embarrassed to say that my DH cannot stop chattering throughout the movie, laughing inappropriately during quiet moments, making comments that I am not interested in hearing. I have shushed him repeatedly. I am surprised that no one has yet kicked his chair or said "Will you guys shut up!" It almost seem pathological.

 

[Taxman59]

Just went to a movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. Great movie, I was laughing throughout the show. The best part was I had $2 left from a $20 after buying 2 tickets, a large popcorn and 2 drinks! I love matinée showings!


Have the day you deserve, and let Karma sort it out.

Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[John Galt III]

I go to 3 specific theaters I know will be a positive experience. I avoid certain theaters, due to very annoying and loud commercials they start about a half hour before showtime. If you want to show up early to get a good seat, you have to suffer through the ads. Not worth it. The good news is there are still some theaters that don't have the ads.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I go to a movie theater only 3-4 times a year. I would go more often if I could find films that appealed to me. As it is, I usually have to drive into Pittsburgh to see a movie. I saw "The Lady in the Van" with Maggie Smith about a month ago at the Manor in Squirrel Hill. Shopped at my favorite shoe store (Little's) beforehand and my cousin and I had tea and cake afterwards at Dobra Tea where we were overwhelmed by the hundreds of exotic tea choices. So it is very nice to have a change from one's own living room.