Movie Theaters

[Ready]

Movie theaters in California are open now, but with reduced capacity. You are required to wear a mask while watching the movie, although you are allowed to remove it while eating or drinking.

I was never a big movie theater patron even before COVID, and I haven’t been to a theater in well over a year now. The thought of having to wear a mask for two hours while watching a movie just doesn’t appeal to me. It’s too easy to watch movies at home now on Netflix.

The theaters were shut down for essentially a full year during the pandemic. It’s hard to imagine how these businesses will ever fully recover from that. And the studios have lost their venue for releasing big budget films for the past year, so they have been impacted significantly as well.

Are you going to the theater to watch movies again or have you permanently altered your preferences for movie viewing as a result of the pandemic?

 

[Amethyst]

As you said, it's too easy to watch movies at home. Plus, you can eat your own popcorn and visit the restroom without missing anything.

Movies are still good date options for kids.

 

[Arizona1]

We quit going to movies about seven years ago because of the at least half hour of commercials before the movie.

 

[Time2]

We lost the two theaters in our area after Hurricane Michael, Oct, 2018.
One is being rebuilt as church, still. The other is being rebuilt as a high end theater, special seating, etc. I don't know what was high end about it.
The one being rebuilt as the theater was going good, they got the external
walls all built and then it all seemed to stop. This was well into Covid after construction stopped, so I don't know what happened.
With all the streaming, I wonder if theaters will go they way of drive in movies.
This is the one I would set behind as a teen to watch movies and later drive in and watch.

 

[MichaelB]

I was hoping the need for social distancing would bring back drive-in movie viewing.

 

[Sunset]

We stopped going to theaters about 7 yrs ago. Probably because we got a 55" TV and at ~10 ft from it, it's as big as a movie theater screen 1/2 way up the audience seating.
Plus -> no annoying person in front, can hit washroom and not miss anything, and snacks don't cost $15.


Part of the killer was how theaters moved to small screens from the gigantic ones, just before large TV's came out I really didn't like the small screens.

 

[Music Lover]

The pandemic has no effect on us going to the movies. We sit 8' away from a 65" TV and good quality speakers. We can start a movie when we want, pause when we want, and have a fridge full of high quality food. I don't think I've been to a movie theatre in at least 20 years and can't think of any reason to go to one.

 

[scrabbler1]

We quit going to movies about seven years ago because of the at least half hour of commercials before the movie.

UGH, this drive me crazy! The only thing worse than this was back in the 1980s they'd show a short video for a charity then have the ushers walk around with donation jars to collect money.

I rarely go to movies, maybe 1 or 2 a year, some years none. They had just renovated the multiplex theater down the street from where I live; it now has those large reclining seats arranged in pairs, and with lots of space between each pair, both within the rows and between rows. With all the extra space, they could probably reopen at full or nearly full capacity. They had to stay closed for a long time but may have reopened, I'm not sure because........I so rarely go to movies!

 

[Dtail]

We actually still like going to the movies concept. Now with wearing a mask, perhaps it won't work for us.
DGF is recovering from surgery, so on hold for a few weeks, but will give it a shot then.
P.S. Perhaps also only having a 50 inch tv in the main room influences the decision too.

 

[ncbill]

Little point to going to the movies when you own a HDTV & can pay Disney+, etc. the fee for seeing the movie same day it starts in theaters.

Or as I joked before wait about three months until they drop the fee.

 

[Koolau]

Movie experience just isn't what it used to be. Most screens are small and in a mall - not a "real" theater. I hate to drop that much money and be disappointed. If the fare on TV is any clue as to what's available on screens, I'm not interested.

We have a small movie theater we went to occasionally until Covid. It had something like 24 recliners and cost $5 for (sometimes) nearly first run movies. They had a truly eclectic mix of movies (foreign, domestic, art, old, new) and the theater was comfortable. They've reopened but we just haven't gotten back to it. Maybe next month.

I used to love movies, but not so much any more. Like Norma Desmond, I guess I got old or maybe the "pictures got smaller."

 

[Aerides]

I won't be going back soon, but would once things are really normal. As much as I like my couch and home screen, I also like going to an action/sci-fi/mcu type film in the opening week. Especially in a modern or renovated theatre with individual reclining seats, etc.

Since ER, we typically went to afternoon/matinee showings, then to dinner afterwards, instead of the pre-ER saturday version in reverse. Far less crowded and easier to get exactly the seats we want.

While WW84 was not a good film, it was still fun, and I was happy to watch it at home for free via HBO. But I would have enjoyed it more on the big screen.

 

[MichaelB]

DW and I enjoyed a night out to the cinema and have missed it this past year. We have a medium sized plasma at home with a decent audio system that makes watching films at home better than ever, but some films are just meant to be seen on the “big screen”. In our area there are multiple cinemas now with reserved luxury seating, and that makes a world of difference.

 

[rk911]

Movie theaters in California are open now, but with reduced capacity. You are required to wear a mask while watching the movie, although you are allowed to remove it while eating or drinking.

I was never a big movie theater patron even before COVID, and I haven’t been to a theater in well over a year now. The thought of having to wear a mask for two hours while watching a movie just doesn’t appeal to me. It’s too easy to watch movies at home now on Netflix.

The theaters were shut down for essentially a full year during the pandemic. It’s hard to imagine how these businesses will ever fully recover from that. And the studios have lost their venue for releasing big budget films for the past year, so they have been impacted significantly as well.

Are you going to the theater to watch movies again or have you permanently altered your preferences for movie viewing as a result of the pandemic?

PP (pre-pandemic) we went out to dinner and a movie (sometimes movie then dinner) often. that's about the only "normal" thing we haven't done since the world ended. our theatres have opened as well but we haven't been yet for much the same reason plus not much to go see. looking forward to the new Bond film.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Are you going to the theater to watch movies again or have you permanently altered your preferences for movie viewing as a result of the pandemic?

I must admit we are not devoted moviegoers, but....

You seem to be missing the most obvious choice: "have you TEMPORARILY altered your preferences for movie viewing as a result of the pandemic?"

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

I'm looking forward to heading back to the theatres.
Before the pandemic, we only went a handful of times per year either for a movie that might be enhanced by a theatre's big screen and sound experience or simply as a cheap night out. We only go to the theatres with stadium seating because I think they're more confortable and I live the viewing angle better. As others have alluded to, a more modern theatre configuration can make a lot of difference.
Plus, someone we know regularly organizes a bulk buy of admission certificates so entry for 2 of us is under $20 which isn't too bad to anchor a night out IMO.

 

[disneysteve]

We were not frequent movie goers before COVID. I don't enjoy the overall experience with people kicking the back of my seat, my feet sticking to the floor, people on their phones at full brightness the whole time, sometimes even talking on their phone or just talking to each other, not to mention the movie sound system set at 300 decibel volume, and charging $10 for a $.50 bag of popcorn. There would usually be 1 or 2 movies a year that would draw me in but that was about it.


I think theaters have a tough road ahead. I suspect a lot of people upped their home system set up during the pandemic and are enjoying the comfort and convenience of watching movies at home. I'd much rather spend a few dollars to rent a movie in our family room and sit on my sofa.

 

[Amethyst]

OTOH I am perishing for a good live show.

 

[disneysteve]

OTOH I am perishing for a good live show.

Definitely. There's no replacement for live music or live theater. Watching it on TV is a very poor substitute. I was excited to hear even a tentative return date for Broadway.

 

[fh2000]

Signing up for AMC basic membership is free, and the charges on Tuesdays is $6 per person in our area. If they resume such pricing, we might go back once in a while.

 

[JRon]

Wife and I went to a lot of movies - one of our favorite pastimes. Like others have mentioned we started going to early afternoon shows with hardly anyone else there. I would rather watch movies at home, but once they start only releasing good movies in theaters again we will probably go back for the ones we really want to see.

 

[mountainsoft]

We stopped going to the big Regal cineplexes 15-20 years ago. It just got too expensive and they insisted on turning the sound up so loud it literally hurt my ears. It was so bad I even left the theater a couple times and asked for the sound to be turned down. Of course, nothing changed, so we quit going.

However, we still enjoy going to some of the smaller mom and pop theaters. They cost less, have fewer crowds, and serve food and alcohol with the movie.

We have a small historic theater in our town that plays some first run movies, but also lots of art films. They reopened a month or two back and we've already seen a couple movies there. We had to wear masks the entire time, which was kind of a bummer, but it was still nice to get out of the house for a date.

There's another small theater we go to that is in an old converted grade school. They play second run movies, serve food/alcohol, and even have comfortable couches and tables in the theater instead of the typical theater chairs. Unfortunately, we haven't been back since COVID restrictions started.

Yeah, it's cheaper and easier to watch movies at home, which we do nightly. Still, it's nice to get out of the house for a date night every once in a while. It's more about the experience than the movie itself. It's a nice activity to do when it's cold and wet outside.

 

[garyt]

We quit going to movies about seven years ago because of the at least half hour of commercials before the movie.

Wouldn't it have been easier to just show up 10 minutes before the movie started?

 

[pacergal]

I was hoping the need for social distancing would bring back drive-in movie viewing.

wouldn't that be fun!
We have one that re opened a few years ago, about 30 minutes away--only open on Friday nights, always a huge line, so we haven't been there.

We stopped going to movie theaters years ago--too loud, don't like the "talkers" and phone addicts who can't stop.
Will go to an occasional IMAX.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Wouldn't it have been easier to just show up 10 minutes before the movie started?

When I do go to the theater, the seat placement is important to me, probably because I'm spoiled by my home theater. So I try to get there early and ignore the commercials, even though I find them annoying, too. And you're assuming the theater doesn't sell out, and if not, you don't mind sitting on the aisle or stepping over people in the dark.

We were still going to the theater 2-3 times a year for action movies that benefit from the big screen and big sound that our home theater still can't quite replicate; also, there are certain storylines we won't want to wait months to see, mostly Marvel, Star Wars, and LoTR movies. If you get a theater full of diehard fans it's a different energy, a bit like going to a convention.