How to deal with cinema PITAs? (Rant alert)

travelover said:
In case you left early, the ship sinks.
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You forgot "spoiler alert" :). I walked out of Titanic when the ship hit the floe. It was way too real and scary and sad. Our theaters will refund your ticket price if you leave early (much earlier than I left Titanic) for any reason, including not liking the movie or rowdy audience. The management probably prefers to avoid confrontation with the rowdy audience.
 
+1 on avoiding movie theaters. Rude patrons talking, cell phones shining like searchlights, and the audio is WAY TOO LOUD. I've been feeling a bit bad on dropping a couple of grand on my new home theater purchase, but we're actually enjoying watching movies several times a week now, especially since the choice of TV shows is so poor.
 
I feel that if you have a BF or GF, you have to take one for the Gipper from time to time. For me, one of these occasions is going to a big movie. I am happy to go to indie or art house movies, the experience is completely different. But this does not do it for her, so from time to time I am off to something of her choosing. Overall, I dislike the sound, I dislike many of the patrons, I dislike the actors, and I usually dislike the story. The only good part is having a whisky afterward.

Ha
 
Last three movies I've been to see in a cinema, in order from most recent to oldest:
Magic Mike
No Country for Old Men
X-Files (original)

Not keeping up the standards at all! But, the Magic Mike one was awesome, girls night out in a place that serves beer and food.
 
W2R said:
The volume level in theaters did not bother me at all until recent years, but lately it has been completely unreasonable in our local theaters here in the New Orleans area. I often find the extremely high volume to be literally painful to my ears and one time in particular it was so high that the pain was nearly causing me to throw up.
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We have the same problem with sound levels that are way too high and very definitely in the dBs that will result in hearing loss. I believe the theaters cater to the younger folks thatare almost deaf due to the sonic assaults they subject themselves to with car stereos that shatter windows 2 blocks away.

Yellow (actually any color) foam ear plugs work great. :D I can clearly hear all the dialog and sound effects without any discomfort. For 50 cents it's worth trying.

Cheers!
 
We are very choosey what we see at the movies so generally we go maybe twice a year. Gravity is on the list but I would like to see it in IMAX unfortunately that is only in 3D which gives me headaches. We also pick times when the kiddies are in school. Otherwise it is Netflix. What really annoys me is seeing something on the screen that should not be there like a big blotch from something that was thrown at the screen.
 
W2R said:
However, the volume level is another matter.

The volume level in theaters did not bother me at all until recent years, but lately it has been completely unreasonable in our local theaters here in the New Orleans area. I often find the extremely high volume to be literally painful to my ears and one time in particular it was so high that the pain was nearly causing me to throw up.

Sometimes when F complains they do reduce the volume a little, though usually not enough. I value my hearing and I don't need to subject myself to that sort of experience. So, usually I try to beg off, and we end up skipping the movie and doing something else instead.
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W2R I second ear plugs, I use them for various things but not movies. Any department store should have them in sporting goods or home improvement stores for use with power tools, they are pretty cheap. You can adjust the audio level of the movie by how far you push them into your ears. I think you'd be quite pleased how well they will work and they will temper the voices around you that just can't shut up!

https://www.google.com/search?q=ear...f84APa6ICYCQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1130&bih=589
 
We sat in the lower section for a movie and it was much too loud for me so we moved to the back and that was much better. We don't go often, it's usually for something that really needs the big screen experience.

One reason to stay home and watch on DVD or Netflix is that you can PAUSE and REWIND. I find I need to do that if I didn't clearly hear some dialog. No I'm not having hearing problems, THEY MUMBLE!
 
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Last three movies... (can't remember the years)
Star Wars
All the President's Men
Raiders of the Lost Ark

Haven't been to a cinema since. Are the seats soft? Do the aisle seats have lights on the side? Do Balconies still exist? How about ushers? Do they still wear vests and caps, and carry flashlights? Do the screens still have curtains that open? Newsreels? Do you still have to stand up and raise the seat when others come in? Is the sound as loud as in the movies on Netflix? Can you hear the Camera?
I know that there are no longer any chapter pictures, so I'm not THAT old! I do miss the Perils of Pauline!
 
MBAustin said:
Go to an Alamo Drafthouse. Although they started in Austin, they are rapidly expanding to other states. Not only do they have decent food and a great beer selection (delivered to your seat), they have a zero tolerance policy for talking or texting during the feature - check it out
She texted. We kicked her out. : Blog | Austin | Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
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Don't mess with Texas! That's beautiful. Unfortunately in the Peoples Republic of Mass the litigious entitled rule.
 
rockymountainhigh said:
We are very choosey what we see at the movies so generally we go maybe twice a year. Gravity is on the list but I would like to see it in IMAX unfortunately that is only in 3D which gives me headaches. We also pick times when the kiddies are in school. Otherwise it is Netflix. What really annoys me is seeing something on the screen that should not be there like a big blotch from something that was thrown at the screen.
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We are going to see Gravity in Imax 3d this Thursday.
 
Tree-dweller said:
Far too often lately I am finding that going to the movies is a game of chance, as in, chances are my enjoyment of the movie is going to be lessened by spoiled kids or clueless alleged adults with no idea how to behave in a shared environment. Most recent case in point, going to see Gravity (in 3D) on a Saturday afternoon. A combination of punky adolescents, screaming infants, gleaming cellphone screens makes me consider dropping way too much dough on a 3D TV so I can experience the waycool 3D experience without having to deal with d-bags. <end of rant> Thanks, I feel better now.
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We go to movies regularly - probably 2-3 times a month. We have never experienced any of the issue you describe. We usually go to the mid-evening shows and rarely go to the matinees.

Our local theater is $4 on Tuesday nights and we buy books of 12 tickets that are good for all other shows for $49 (a whopping $4.09/show). There is another theater about the same distance in the opposite direction that was $7 and has crept up to $9 that we hardly ever go to unless DD is home, we want to go out as a family and what we want to see isn't playing at the other theater.
 
Disclaimer: We only go to the early bird specials on week days at two suburban theatres. we don't buy snacks at the theatres.

We have not been having problems with our fellow theatre goers. Usually there are only a scattering of people in the theatre.

Recently we carried an elderly neighbor (more elderly than we are) to a theatre. She wanted popcorn and coke. I was shocked at the cost.
 
H2ODude said:
Would Sandra Bulluck really have worn those little panties and no socks inside a spacesuit? Well, it was a better watch that way.:angel:
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Sandra Bullock? Panties? Count me in.
 
NW-Bound said:
I cannot recall the last time we went to a theater. I have to ask my wife, and she does not remember either, but agree with me that it was between 5 to 10 years ago.

We stopped going because of lack of interest in new movies, but I still find disturbing what the above posters wrote. Is it another sign of societal decay?
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Maybe so, but...Society is Coarser But Better - Reason.com
 
harley said:
Maybe so, but...Society is Coarser But Better - Reason.com
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A much needed silver lining...

spncity said:
Check out Protect Your Hearing with Ear Plugs for Concerts | Wear Your EarPeace. Made just for things like concerts and loud movies without losing quality so they say. Comes in a little container that hooks onto your key ring so you always have them with you.

Kindest regards.
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This reminded me of a couple more reasons I stopped going to the theaters: loud sound effects, and big screens gave me a headache even though I normally sat back about 2/3 of the theater from the screen.

And even amidst all that noise, once my wife gave me an elbow because of my snoring, and she said people looked at us. I kid you not. I fell asleep in the middle of an action movie, because I was bored.
 
NW-Bound said:
And even amidst all that noise, once my wife gave me an elbow because of my snoring, and she said people looked at us. I kid you not. I fell asleep in the middle of an action movie, because I was bored.
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No surprise to me- they are totally boring unless you happened to be scared to death at that moment. The lowest kind of entertainment.

Ha
 
Went to see Gravity in 3D. There were maybe 6 other folks in the theater for the 2:00 PM show. This is a new theater so I hope they get enough night business.

Week before we went to see something else, we were the only ones in that show. It actually stopped about 1 hour in. When I went out to check was told they didn't think anyone was in that show. Was asked to provide tickets, I still had them. Manager came out apoligized, said we'll bring it back to any point you want!

I hadn't gone to a theater in years due to undesirable behavior of folks. I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

MRG
 
H2ODude said:
....

Did enjoy Gravity, but I'm one of those who finds himself rolling his eyes at the technical impossibilities! Damn engineers! Would Sandra Bulluck really have worn those little panties and no socks inside a spacesuit? Well, it was a better watch that way.:angel:
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Gumby said:
Sandra Bullock? Panties? Count me in.
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HFWR said:
+1
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I'm usually a stickler for technical details in movies, but one must allow for some artistic license.

I do plan to see this movie (have not gone to the theater in years, I think "Ray" was the most recent for me, which I loved), and now I'm expecting a jab in the ribs during this scene while I very carefully evaluate the artistic versus technical aspects of Sandra Bullock in panties in space. >:D

-ERD50
 
I can't stand the smell of buttered popcorn :sick:, so going to the movies is pretty much out.
 
I enjoy the cinema "experience", but usually either a matinee, or the "dollar" movieplex. But, yes, lots of uncivilized a-holes out there. If it gets bad enough, I report it to theater management, and let them deal with it...
 
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