Movie theaters | TheaterFire

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gingerthetrailpup@reddit

I loved going to the movies. Then people got loud and obnoxious. And holy geez, people are pigs. And can we talk about prices??

So I wait now until I can watch it at home.

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Outrageous_Drag6613@reddit

Agree. People talk during the whole movie, chew like a cow or other obnoxious behavior. It’s like they forget how to act like a human.

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TripMaster478@reddit

Yeh I'm sorry but there's very few movies I can't wait for. It's like, I'll see it in six months if I really want to.

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2PlasticLobsters@reddit

The first time I encountered that was Dune Part 1 a few years back. The girl at the ticket counter looked at us like we were idiots. I had to explain that we don't get out much.

By the time we saw Dune Part 2, her job had been replaced by a kiosk. It took a couple minutes to figure out, but at least didn't give us any funny looks.

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I'm a member of my city's indie cinema. With my membership tickets are as low as $7.25. Snacks are affordable (they even have Cheerwine and beer!) The crowds are always great and well-behaved. I love it!

For the record, I've come to hate the name "movie theater". I like that Commonwealth English uses "theatre" exclusively for places that show live plays and "cinema" exclusively for places that show films.

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Jett44@reddit

I hate going to theaters now. From people on their phones the entire time to talking on the phones ..and the food has gotten out of hand.

I'll stay home and watch in my theater room.

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drunkeneagle@reddit

Support the movies and go.

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FlatSixFun@reddit

Same. Went to see Project Hail Mary in IMAX a few weeks ago, my first movie theater experience in a decade. Still a letdown compared to my home theater. Don’t really ever plan on going back again.

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Jett44@reddit

I would have gone to see “F1” on IMAX but I decided waiting until it was released at home was worth it.

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FlatSixFun@reddit

Yeah, I’m a pretty big F1 fan (I’ll be at Montreal next month!), but still decided on the home theater route for that as well. My 9.2.4 system in a dedicated room that has a pause button is hard to beat.

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root_fifth_octave@reddit

Yeah, there’s a lot of ‘hell is the others’ stuff going on at theaters now. I’ve been like 4 times since the pandemic, and used to go weekly.

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DoubleDrummer@reddit

Benefit of being 6’6” bald and build like a brick shithouse.
I just politely ask people to be quiet and they listen to me.

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Jett44@reddit

as a proud GenX-er I grew up going to the theater and always loved going up until the pandemic but yeah..I'm done.

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root_fifth_octave@reddit

Did something change with people? Seems like you used to more or less be able to expect some basic consideration.

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MundaneHuckleberry58@reddit

The only theater we go to is a local chain (once Alamo drafthouse) that won’t allow anyone to be on their phones or any talking. They enforce it, & everyone gets to watch a movie without being distracted by inconsiderate neighbors

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Jett44@reddit

We have an Alamo as well ..they didn't enforce the rule then.

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fifilachat@reddit

But really. It’s easy to get a seat in the movie theater these days. No one’s ever in there.

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ActionCalhoun@reddit

Assigned seating and stadium seating are the two best things to happen in movies ever

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thenoid42@reddit

"assigned seating now" I don't know where you live but that's been a thing where I live for nearly 20 years. Are you sure you just haven't been to the theater in that long?

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im_on_the_case@reddit

First film I ever had assigned seating for was The Fellowship of the Ring. I just happened to be on way out of the theater when they started accepting bookings. Asked at the desk why there were so many people waiting outside. They let me book before the hordes came in and luckily I had cash. Snagged the four best seats in the house for the first showing. Biggest and best screen in the city. Lady luck really shone on me that day.

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thenoid42@reddit

2001 sounds about right. Our theaters used to have kiosk outside of the theaters that you could drive up and get your tickets. booked, They used to have time limits on them, but I don't think that's a thing around here any more.

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Mulchpuppy@reddit

Clearly that's a location thing. I didn't encounter assigned seating until 2017 when I moved to Orlando. Prior to that I was in SC and went to theaters religiously.

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tanhauser_gates_@reddit

Big Lebowski, watched it twice.

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allaboutaphie@reddit

Well many people take your seat with no concern of assigned. Which is no biggie because usually many other seats open.

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DonegalBrooklyn@reddit

I still love going to the movies. Assigned seats are inconvenient in some situations but it is great for a popular movie or opening night. There is no home viewing situation that can replicate going to the movies.

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LeadingResearch9528@reddit

The last time I went to a movie theater was probably 2014 or 2015. I prefer to watch from my comfy couch, with a cocktail, and the freedom to pause when I need to pee or want to smoke a ciggie. I do miss movie theater popcorn though, there’s no way to replicate that yellow goo they call butter at home.

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jitterbugperfume99@reddit

There are a few products that are meant to replicate it — butter flavors coconut oil and a special salt, but I’m afraid if I try it and it’s actually perfect I’ll eat buckets full.

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LeadingResearch9528@reddit

Whaaaaaat? Never heard of that. I need to explore that butter. I have to ask, are you a Tom Robbins fan or is your username reddit autogenerated? Jitterbug perfume is the title of a rather amazing book.

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jitterbugperfume99@reddit

Tom Robbins fan :) this is the stuff, it is sold lots of places online. Worth a try!

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Suspicious_Wonk2001@reddit

If you’re really Jonesing for theater popcorn many theaters will sell the popcorn as a takeaway. Nice little holdover from Covid lockdown.

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Jett44@reddit

This is the way.

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Jordangander@reddit

I hate assigned seating.

It makes meeting people for a movie now like a concert experience, 1 person has to buy all the tickets and know where everyone likes to sit and how many people will show up.

Then they have to hope they get paid back by those who do show up, and those who decided not to won’t pay the person back because they didn’t use the tickets.

That or everyone is scattered all over the theater.

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kevbayer@reddit

I just took a survey from Fandango about this exact thing. Apparently they're thinking about making the group attendance thing better

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mutarjim@reddit

*Not available in some locations, like where I live.

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Infamous_Hyena_8882@reddit

I meant a movie theater and almost a decade

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Outrageous_Drag6613@reddit

Most movies are so stupid now a days. Very rare to find a good one

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PissedCaucasian@reddit

Art house theaters still show movies with a plot.

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Outrageous_Drag6613@reddit

You buy snacks? I always sneak them in. Dad taught me that.

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MinusGovernment@reddit

I have 2 buddies that we go to opening night Star Wars/Marvel films and maybe 1 or 2 others if something stands out. I have to get popcorn to bring home for the wife (happy wife happy life) because she never wants to go see a movie. Candy and beverages come from the closest Walgreens to the theater though.

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fireflypoet@reddit

I'm a big sneaker too.

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MinusGovernment@reddit

You can be about 20 mins late if you want to miss the previews and commercials now too.

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freerangeXkid@reddit

In college I remember going to see Jacob's Ladder with a handful of dorm mates and there weren't any seats left when we walked in. So we sat on the floor in front of the front row.

That's not the movie you want to watch two feet from your face.

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93195@reddit

The ironic part being of course is that the theater is usually now half empty, and pre-assigned seats often no longer matter.

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EverythingScrolling@reddit

There is almost never a movie I want to see badly enough to mess with going to the theater. I don't love assigned seats because sometimes a rando will later choose a next to you without leaving a space between like a normal person (not talking about a showtime that's selling out and running low on seats).

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KellyAnn3106@reddit

This happened to me a few years ago. My mom and I were at a weekday matinee of a movie that had been out for a few weeks. We were the only people on the theatre. Then a woman with 2 toddlers came in and sat next to us during the trailers. Whole empty theatre and I end up with a toddler next to me. We would have moved but my mom has mobility issues and moving her in the dark was a bad idea. Just no manners or situational awareness from this lady.

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fireflypoet@reddit

Bizarre!!

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Outrageous_Drag6613@reddit

Who the hell brings toddlers to a movie? Ugh

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ExaminationFancy@reddit

Newer theaters have way more space between seats. I understand your aversion, it’s less of a deal today.

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SageObserver@reddit

Movie theater….you mean cement bunker at the end of a shopping plaza.

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Nervous-Rooster7760@reddit

Recline and assigned seats are only way to go. Honestly not sure last movie I saw in a theater. With big TV and full basement for viewing and food hard to want to leave lol.

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Ok-Entertainment5045@reddit

Back before theaters priced me out I did like the big recliners and assigned seats.

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MaximumJones@reddit

I would rather stick needles in my eyes than deal with assholes in theaters who talk/get on their phone/smell bad...

Thank Odin for streaming 😁

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Outrageous_Drag6613@reddit

Or who text the entire movie

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Sensitive_Diamond328@reddit

Yes OMG and the theater where I grew up had an indoor location and outdoor location at the mall, so inevitably there’d be a mixup when you were meeting friends and of course no one had cell phones. That Seinfeld episode where they can’t find each other in the theater makes me howl every time. 😂

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PaprikaJones@reddit

We had this in NJ. Inner & outer theater.

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Auntie_Venom@reddit

We love going to the movies still, we don’t do it as often anymore but we do it more than most from our generation that I’ve noticed from conversations like this. The big leather seats… I could go on and on, we’re a bit spoiled because our local AMC is the flagship location.

Every so often, I look at the long halls and remember the lines to get a good seat for the big movie premier at midnight. They seem a bit empty now.

I love that they show old movies too, we went to see Empire Strikes Back, and a special showing of Dogma last year. We’ve see simulcasts of concerts, Doctor Who specials and r/RiffTrax Live movies. We’re on the cusp of 50, no kids so it’s still something we do like we did back in gasp high school.

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liddybuckfan@reddit

I like the assigned seating too, as well as the comfy lounger seats. It is pretty rare for me to go to a movie, though. The prices are bonkers. Half the movies I've seen the in the theater in the last few years have either been re-releases of old Star Wars movies or something related to Taylor Swift.

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Princessferfs@reddit

I remember quite well and watched plenty of movies from the front row, which always sucked.

I really like reserving a seat.

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1043b@reddit

Memory unlocked. I remember back in the early 90s when the first Jurassic Park movie came out someone decided it would be a great idea for the family to go to opening night and went and got tickets for 9 of us.

My 18 year old little brother hurdled rows of seats to push to the front of the crowd and 'reserve' a row. As a young 20 something I was appalled and impressed at the same time

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tmmao@reddit

I used to get to the theater an hour ahead, to get my favorite seats. Now I just buy them on my phone— I love the future!

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-Granby-@reddit

I don't like the assigned seating. I want to pick my seats when I get to the theater. I like to walk in and see who is sitting where. How many of them are there? Are they already being loud and obnoxious? Then I will sit away from them.

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Chibi-Skyler@reddit

Just the other day, a friend and I took in a morning matinee. I hadn't been to the movies since 2011. I only remember paper tickets and the staffer tearing it and handing back the stub. Now the ticket is on my phone, and the guy scanned the QR code. So strange.

Our theater now has reclining seats, really comfy, but again, it felt strange. I also remember a time when there was no reminder to "silence and put away your cell phones."

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djr650@reddit

Probably went to assigned seats to stop the ability to "easily" walk into and sit in another theater after your paid movie finished. That's one of the things from 'back in the day' that is not so easy now. 😉

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Agent7619@reddit

We only go to a movie every 12-18 months, and the theater we go to has reserved recliners with heaters. We never do it, but they will also deliver food and drinks to your seat before starting time. I can't imagine going back to old style seats that are basically baseball stadium seats with a piece of cloth covering.

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renegade7717@reddit

ya. and we’re super picky now…no lounger seats? w beverages or food? nah I’ll stay home. We have one close to us and thank goodness covid didn’t shut it down forever- we go as often as we can to make sure it’s thriving. Love it.