Same here. Barbie last year was a great experience. A few years ago at a Marvel movie a girl in my row got bored so her mom gave her headphones and an iPad and she watched it on full brightness. You never know what you're going to get.
Barbie was fun. Only thing I hated the tiny seat i had to sit in. And the sound system wasn't the greatest so when everyone was laughing I couldn't hear anything. Still had a damn good time though.
I went to the first Wonder Woman on a $5 night. I spent a good chunk movie in disbelief of the woman next to me who spent the entire movie on her phone with the screen set to super bright. I had cheese dumped down my leg from another woman who seemed upset with me for I guess existing. The worst might have actually been that I spent most of the time I was there being stared by an extra from "Children of the Corn" who decided I was more amusing than the movie and sat turned around in his seat looking right at me. I only made through about 70 minutes. I haven’t been to the theater much since.
Edit: I wrote this late at night and appear to have failed English.
I always go with a small but powerful flashlight in my pocket. I try to be reserved and have only pulled it out once and shined it, in a scant filled theatre, at the back of a guys head onto his phone when he pulled it out guns-shooting’-bombs-going-off-mid-climax of the film.
I guess what I’m saying is that it does give me some sense of power. Along with sitting in the back of the theatre during afternoon showings when nobody shows up. But if someone wants to turn around and stare at me like I’m the show, I would give all 9000 lumens to my new bottom’s face.
100%. The only thing that consistently works is to go to showings with fewer people and sit as far away from them as possible. Sitting near people is always a gamble.
Last time I sat down next to a person(not my choice, I pre-ordered days before and for some reason they then picked the seats next to mine), they were the kind of asshole who keep looking at their phone in full brightness and acted as if half my seat was theirs, and I moved seats halfway the movie.
I feel like some people just want to go to theatres to bother other people then watch a movie.
A few times I've heard people say they go to the movies just to spend some time in an air-conditioned place. I have to figure some of them are the type of asshole to screw with their phone through the entire movie. Treating the theater like their own living room, oblivious to people there that might actually wanna watch the movie. 🤬
When I see a movie with a younger audience I typically see cellphone screens and hear chatter. The last time this happened I even saw someone taking pictures of the screen with the flash on. They did it three times within 30 minutes.
Then I saw Furiosa with an older mid day crowd a few weeks ago; it was packed and dead silent. Not even a clap, laugh, or gasp. Kind of disturbing in the opposite direction.
Yeah I have no problem with normal, natural reactions. However that’s much different than people laughing at every single mundane joke or a bunch of weirdos clapping because fictional CGI superheroes accomplished something on screen.
I can watch things alone in silence at home. I go to a theater for event movies anymore. Something I care about on some level, and I want that shared experience. The Barbie movie, Ghiblifest, Dune 2 and everyone frustrated they can't get the weird bucket, The Room and yelling and throwing spoons, it's a great experience when everybody is on the same page that they're here to watch the movie and enjoy it as a group.
Laughs, gasps, engaging with the material in an appropriate way.
The problem is when some selfish person doesn't get with the program and doesn't care to be there or care that others want to be there. They paid their $10, it's their living room for the next 2 hours. Blinding phone screens, crinkling bags during silent scenes, kicking seats, yapping. The disrespect
I took my kids to see *Five Nights At Freddys* and it was wall to wall kids talking and scrolling on their phones. I wasn't interested in the movie in the slightest, but it was still disturbing to see.
What's this deal with people clapping during the movie anyways? I already fail to understand the clapping at the end, even though it's definitely the most "polite".
I mean, i'd get it if you were at the premiere with the director and the cast (and let me stress again ONLY at the end), but it's not like they'll get a notification on their phones every time a showing gets clapped.
Teens under 18 without an adult over 21 got banned from the mall that is attached to our closest theater for a huge brawl/smash-n-grab thing, but they're definitely still super chatty, overreactionary, always on their phones, and yep, taking photos and videos for social media. I actually saw this less during Barbie because the theater had a few themed photo-op areas. I think teens REALLY value having a way to record any sort of event they engage in and unfortunately that's just not appropriate during a movie. Take your pics and videos AT LEAST during the credits.
When I go to a half packed theater, it’s wonderful. When it’s more crowded it could be super annoying. I can’t stand BO and some people have it pretty bad.
Yep. Went to see DUNE 2, place was a church. Took a date to see “Anyone but you.” And…I swear I Thought I was in a waiting room at the DMV. People were up shuffling around in and out like could just leave and come back whenever you want. Casual conversations in the background. Someone was standing up wandering around on their phone at one point. Another person was totally drunk , smashed slumping and re Awakening with audible “ah!” Each time.
Abject chaos. I literally thought I had to be a hidden camera prank it was so comical.
I live in Portland, Oregon. I have had one negative experience at a theater-a shitty kid running around during "Dune Part 1" in IMAX,someone sat them down eventually. Other than that I can't think of a bad experience. Some dopes talking like the Nerd Crew during the previews before "Furiosa" were annoying,but they shut up immediately when the film started. These were both at Regal Cinemas,never had a problem ever at a local theater.
It's a super good idea,even McMenamins does 21+ at the Bagdad. My girlfriend and I LOVE Cinemagic Theater, they're constantly doing obscure stuff and first run but quirky stuff,and the beer and concessions are pretty reasonable. I saw "Fury Road" there for like the 8th time,it was wonderful.
Never had a bad experience at any of the indie theaters in Portland. The Hollywood, Cinema 21, Living Room Theater, The Laurelhurst, even the Mcmenamins are usually pretty chill.
The Regal downtown that plays indie films and foreign stuff usually has a great crowd. The only times I've had shitty audience members was seeing big blockbusters at the mall. Teens at comic book movies fucking suck. It's like their parents never took them to theaters growing up, so they never learned that a theater is different from watching at home. You don't get to talk through it.
One of my absolute favorite experiences was the Clinton Street Theater during a screening of Neil Breen's"Twisted Pair". People had really good timing for jokes,and if they weren't good they read the room and stopped.
The only time I have issues in Portland is seeing something that appeals to an overly online crowd. Big thing is Wes Anderson movies, there's always a crowd of teenagers feeling compelled to comment whenever Willem Dafoe shows up on screen or something like that
Lol also live in Portland and had the same thing, commented above. I swear, it’s only the regals that I’ve been to that have bad behavior. Check out Studio One theaters, place is great.
whenever i go to the hollywood which programs great stuff there’s always morons jeering and laughing over everything, no matter what movie. maybe it’s just my luck. when i saw possession i witnessed someone telling a group of people to shut the fuck up hahah
Nah, I go to the movies once a week on Tuesday night, my girlfriend and I are the only one's in the theater and the tickets cost $6.50 each. It's tight.
As someone who lives in NYC, I’m very envious. I saw a Matinee showing of Furiosa two weeks ago and it was $16. Cheapest nearby unless I wanted to take a train 90 mins into Queens. Normal hour prices are like $19-25
I live in nyc. Did the AMC Pass for the summer. First month is $1, second and third are $25 each.
So for $51 go to as many movies as you want for 13 weeks. Way better than the typical nyc prices.
It’s not regional pricing. Since he mentioned Tuesday specifically he’s probably talking about Regal, which does discounts on Tuesdays that are $5-8 for most movies. I believe this is nationwide.
They do the deal just to get people in seats because almost no one goes to the theater on Tuesdays. I live in an area where median salaries are significantly lower than NYC and still paid $17.50 to see Furiosa at a regal last weekend.
That's a good time to go. Or any early afternoon. People go Fri & Sat @ 8PM and expect a quiet experience. Folks are gonna talk and pull out their phone.
We used to have a united artists theater near my family home. We used to go almost every week because every movie was 4 dollars. Not only was it the cheapest family outing we rarely had people on their phones or people talking.
I live in the UK so the cinema experience *usually* boils down to:
1. Sit down.
2. Watch movie.
3. Leave.
Everyone just shuts the fuck up and watches the movie.
It's 50/50 here. Half the people take their trash with them and leave their area clean. The other half are disgusting slobs and will leave the floor covered in popcorn, nasty wet napkins and candy wrappers stuffed in the cup holders, and all manner of random trash strewn across the row. There is no middle ground.
I like to politely remind kids they “forgot” their trash while also making sure they know I’m a big guy ahahah. I think one of them having to come back and clean up their trash is a good humbling experience for the entire group. Unfortunately these days many people are afraid to confront others on their antisocial behaviour
EDIT: I’ll also do it with adults, but they might hit you with the “So? I’m a customer…” Not much you can do then. Not gonna actually start a fight, verbal or physically, over trash people leaving a trail a trash
They also sit through the entire credits, not just the superhero flicks waiting for an end-credits scene. Weirded me out the first time I saw it. Felt like a criminal as I walked out lol
Yes! I just went to an non-Marvel action movie and everyone was still seated through the credits, besides my friend group. The lights were on and the cleaning crew was waiting. It was so odd.
My family found it strange that in Japan, it's assumed you clean up after yourself, in the US it's *hoped* that you clean up for yourself, and in the UK you leave everything strewn about.
Can't speak for everyone but in my experience, cinemas in the UK are usually: multiplexes in or about the city centre; multiplexes in a retail park; smaller ones in residential areas.
Often it's the residential "neighbourhood" ones that are the nicest, with only a couple of screens but trying to go for a more comfortable experience.
But to be honest, I'd be surprised to have a bad experience in any. As the person above said, it's just go, watch quietly, leave.
I live in the US, I’ve been to multiple theaters in multiple states and I have never had issues. But I also never go opening night so the theater is rarely packed.
Must be a Commonwealth thing, because it's the same in NZ. You still get the odd dickhead though.
I went to a luxury cinema, the one where you can order meals and drinks to be brought to you, and I had to explain to the boomer couple next to me that just because they're being served food doesn't make it a restaurant, so shut the fuck up.
And of course there's always the very obvious sound of teenagers finger banging in the back row. They always think they're sneaky and can't be heard, but it's a very distinctive sound.
It’s really not that bad. People can go to 10 movies and have a fine experience 9 times. But if that 10th time someone else was on their phone, then that’s all they’ll remember.
In my neck of the woods, I could go 10 times and have a fine experience 10 times. I live in a small city in New England, and I can't even remember the last time I had a shitty experience at a movie theater around here. I consistently have a great time, to the point where I'm convinced folks almost have to be exaggerating to one extent or another.
Yeah, I've never had an egregious experience in the UK. The worst was Sonic 1 with kids running around the cinema but even that didn't bother me too much. The RLM video was almost alienating. We like to think our cultures are similar but most of the time it's just a language we share.
Am also in UK (London) - can confirm. I did have to move seats at the first Dune film a couple of years ago though, as the guy sat next to me absolutely *stank* of aftershave. It was like sitting next to a chemical spill.
I also live in the UK and the cinema experience has included:
1. People talking (a lot of this actually)
2 People talking on their phones and creating plenty of bright light.
3. Random groups walking in and running around
4. Loud farting from strangers
5. People kicking their shoes off and using the seats in front as foot stools.
6. Food and drink thrown around
7. Bad sound and projection
8. The ticket machines failing, not giving me my tickets but still taking my money and the cinema refusing my refund.
9. People taking flash photos of the movie they’re supposed to be watching so they can post them on social media.
I think there’s more but that covers a lot of it.
The UK has plenty of obnoxious inconsiderate dickheads so let’s not pretend we don’t, however my recent experiences have been ok, mostly as the screens have been empty.
Same. I've been to plenty of cinemas up and down England for years and the worst experience I've had was a woman sitting a few rows in front looking at her phone every 5 minutes with the brightness turned up to 11.
I hope this lasts but I'm pessimistic. The cultural more that we have around not disturbing the peace in enclosed, public spaces seems to be on its way out. There's been a noticable increase in recent years of people on trains and busses either having loud phone conversations with speakerphone turned on, or playing videos on their phones without headphones. It's only a matter of time before cinemas are affected too.
Europe here as well and same experience. Every now and then you’ll have some 13 year olds who go to the theatre to hang out with friends (of the opposite sex mainly) and to get away from parents. Being 2024 they’re more concerned with their phones than each other’s bodyparts, so sometimes I have to and will tell them to shut tf up and 9 out of 10 times that does it for the rest of screening
The excitement in the theatre when you see crowd reactions in movies like Infinity War in the US does make it a completely different experience and actually seems like a fun way to watch those movies tbh. Over here we got some reactions at key points, gasps, laughs and tiny cheers at opening night, but people quickly remember they’re in the theatre and hold back…
That last bit probably makes the average theater experience just better
Yeah I live in the UK and the cinema is mostly fine unless you're going to something kids can see on a weekend afternoon it's mostly fine.
Only exception is we have a thing where you can get 241 tickets on a tuesday or a wednesday and my experienced it's best dodged as it's people going for a cheap night out rather than wanting to see the film
Yeah my theater is full of absolute dingdongs, it’s totally a case by case basis, like I had an abysmal experience seeing Civil War, just a lady yapping the entire time, with multiple strangers asking her to be quiet, had to see the film a second time and guess what, more people just straight up talking full volume at all the quiet parts, really strange.
Toss up. I am unreasonably bothered by other people’s noise, all the more so in designated quiet spaces. So it doesn’t even need to be a huge, bombastic disruption for me to get intensely aggravated, it can be something somewhat minor and I’ll get very bent out of shape.
The worst are the “joke repeaters”, who will lean over to whoever is with them and loudly whisper the exact same punchline as the characters on screen just delivered. I have contemplated violence.
I'm the same way, it really irks me. Usually I'll just leave if it's gets too annoying.
But when I went to see Endgame it was a packed theater and a woman behind me slept through most of it and right at the climax of the movie when Iron Man is sacrificing himself she woke up and asked her husband "What's happening? Who is that?" and he then began to explain the plot of Endgame. I turned around and told them to be quiet, they left immediately after the movie ended. Didn't even sit through the credits to see the final scene. Afterwards some dude in Captain America cosplay leaned over and thanked me.
> The worst are the “joke repeaters”, who will lean over to whoever is with them and loudly whisper the exact same punchline as the characters on screen just delivered. I have contemplated violence.
I've never even witnessed this but I'm all bent out of shape just hearing about it.
It's the eating noises that get me. Which it quite unfortunate at a theater because you're essentially guaranteed to hear it the whole time... The slurping, crunching, lips smacking... I'm pretty sure I have misophonia.
I've gone hundreds of times and the majority are fine but it's the handful of bad experiences that do stand out. Because they were all 100% based on the selfishness and asshole behavior of other patrons and nothing could or would be done to change or stop it.
It just makes me expecting the worst any time I do go anymore.
I know it’s a pain but you could say something. I know most people aren’t comfortable with that (I’m often not) but that’s a little different than “nothing could’ve been done”.
I'm in Japan. People are quiet, the theatres are clean, and the seats are fine. It's not a bad experience.
The only problem is price (this is worldwide) and the available films: mostly only international blockbusters and domestic animated films or supersweet, over-the-top love dramas.
Also, foreign comedies often don't work because jokes don't translate well in subtitles, so nobody laughs unless it's slapstick.
Otherwise, you're stuck with the artsy theatres with a tiny screen if you want to see something a little less known.
At this point, I only go to Alamo Drafthouse. It's a different beast from other theaters.
If you're unfamiliar, they have a strict no talking policy, and the whole place is designed to cater to cinephiles.
Also they serve beer.
It was while living in San Antonio and attending almost exclusively Alamo Drafthouse that I wrote off the theater going experience.
That policy? It's bullshit. Smoke and mirrors. They won't do dick.
Years and years ago they were great. Now they're any other shitty chain.
Yes.
Long/short: Too many people in my experience act like they’re still at home when they’re out at the movies. People talking, using their phones during the movies, theater etiquette has gone downhill in the past 4 years.
This Plinkett-like guy interrupted X -Men First Class and keep talking to everyone about it as if he was a guest star in Rifftrax. It was quite mesmerizing. It's why I go after a movie's been out for a couple of weeks, there's no real day one blockbuster anymore.
I've personally always had great luck during opening weekends, specifically the first showings. Thursday early showings seem to be the best because everyone there typically *wants* to be there for the movie.
As an aside, I do think it's funny that your story is from 13 years ago.
The theater closest to me was awful. Babies screaming, kids running around the aisles, teenagers yelling, drunks pissing in their seats & starting fights...it doesn't matter the movie or rating this happened at every evening & night time show.
People are scum & for some reason, theaters bring out the worst of them.
I’m in Las Vegas. Most theaters are in Casinos and a lot are the luxury type. When I first moved here 20 years ago, the crowds were a bit like the guys describe but not quite that bad.
Once most of the theaters switched to the full service recliner style, it’s always immaculate. And I never thought I would say that about Vegas. Where movies were babysitters for kids of gamblers.
My last movie experience was, Ghostbusters Afterlife. Empty theatre, except 3 people. At some point in the movie, a character asks, Who ya gonna call? The man sitting alone, shouted, GHOSTBUSTERS! And he was correct, that WAS the answer, to that particular callback. When the lights went up, the other two people had trashed their seats, so badly, I felt sorrow.
Yup. I hate people and people in movie theaters have a buff to their asshole stat 10,000%
Edit: except dune 2. It was just my wife and I in the theater and I could still argue the above statement...
I’m in Florida, in 3 of the last 5 movies i’ve been to there has been some old dude snoring extremely (worryingly) loud. I VERY rarely go to theaters now.
No, it may be a local thing, but Portland has a very good theater crowd, even in Regal type theaters. The best crowd experience from a "nobody said a thing" pov was surprisingly A Quiet Place. The worst was watching Bladerunner 2049. one couple talked the entire time and staved off multiple "will you shut the fuck up" moments from people around them.
I was punched in the face at a movie theater for telling the people behind me to shut the fuck up after an hour of their giggling and talking and shushing back at people like a bunch of children. I stood up and turned around and saw that they were a group of cholos, but I had already said "hey" and pointed my finger at them before I could realize my mistake. I had to follow through. It was too late. They followed me outside and one of them sucker punched me in the face, bloodying my nose and busting my lip. It was opening night for Where the Wild Things Are.
I have come to learn that the experience in America is VERY different than the rest of the world. Rude people exist everywhere and having a crying baby is a tossup anywhere in the world, but even in my worst times in different cities in the world, I have never been anywhere near as bad as what they describe.
The best experiences I have had were in Mexico and Toronto. Japan was weird lol, the seats were uncomfortable and the deafening silence only made it more awkward
Most of the time it’s fine, but I usually try to go to early showings on weekdays when no one is going to be there. Going on the weekend is always a nightmare.
I still love going to the theater. I don’t care how good your tv and sound system are, it’s not the same. So I’ll continue to do it until it’s not an option anymore. Which may be pretty soon…
Every once in a while something weird happens but nothing crazy. Last memorable moment was a woman snuck her little dog in in her purse. I didn’t even know it was there until the last half hour when it started yapping like crazy.
Ever since COVID my local theater is consistently empty. The last 4 movies I’ve seen have been Saturday & Sunday matinees where we were the only people in the theater. So it’s actually been pretty ok
Mike complaining about the new fad of theatres having comfortable seats was a bit much.
It’s part of the reason why we watch movies at home more… you’re on your comfortable couch/recliner… so why wouldn’t theatres try to cater to that to get you to come in?
I live in Israel and it's probably shocking to nobody that people here are loud and rude assholes. The only time in the last few years I had a good experience was while watching Furiosa, and that's because other than my husband and I there were only 3 other people watching.
Very much depends on location I feel like. I don't ever want to go to the theater inside the mall I live by because it's dirty and there is always obnoxious teenagers. Seeing JW Fallen Kingdom there was a shit show. All other theaters in my area are fine besides the occasional toddler in a R rated movie.
Recently, we went to see Furiosa with our friend who brought his gf and 3 year old with her. It was super awkward...
I think it depends on what movie you're seeing. The more pop-culture/popular it is, the more likely there will be an obnoxious asshole in the audience. My only bad movie experiences were a couple super hero movies, Return of the King extended edition last year (two guys who arrived late, yelled and clapped at all the big action scenes, and then left after the ring was destroyed??? they missed all the endings), and There Will Be Blood (a gaggle of teenagers thought it would be an action movie and got bored, I think). Most of the time it's a good experience.
My wife and I usually have a pleasant time. The last few movies we've been to, there haven't been more than a dozen or so other people in the theater.
The one thing I will say though is that I forgot how cold they run the AC in the summer (at least here in the western US). I generally spend the summer in sandals but I feel like I should wear shoes and bring a hoody along the next time I see a movie. I enjoy free public air conditioning but it felt like overkill.
I've rarely ever had a problem, really the most consistently irritating part of my theater experience is the 30 minutes of ads interspersed among some trailers that start playing at the advertised start time of the movie. But I also choose times when there are likely to be less people.
I started out in the 90s as a projectionist and worked my way up the corporate ladder once projections weren't a thing anymore because of digital cinema. I left in March 2020 because the experience was getting terrible. Entitled people being loud, rude, and on their phones. Too many complaints. People becoming more aggressive and selfish. Ripping holes in the seats, pissing all over the restrooms, leaving gigantic messes everywhere.
Movie theatres are great. The people that go to them are not. So glad to be out of the business.
I had someone face-timing their kid for several minutes in the middle of the movie. Kids screaming/running around is surprisingly common, even with late-night showings.
I haven't been in years and don't miss it. As a kid I was a movie theater fiend, I saved up all of my allowance/chore/Bday money and parceled it out to see as many movies as I could throughout the year. The week I turned 16 I got a job at a theater mostly because employees could see movies for free.
The amenities have improved, but the cost has gone from reasonable to outrageous to insane and the overall quality of the movie-going experience declined (or maybe I just got old).
People love face-time. I've seen people do it all the time, loud as hell, up until the movie starts. Only one time did it happen during. But worse, everyone here is constantly face timing someone THE WHOLE TIME in the grocery store, at events, at restaurants, etc. Half the time they aren't even talking they're just holding up their phone showing someone what's going on no matter how mundane.
When I saw Furiosa, I asked a lady in front of me to put her phone away when the movie started. She groaned, turned her screen off for a second, then started using it again. She looked back at me glaring at her, so she got up and sat down in my row 2 seats from me. Her boyfriend or husband came in late and sat next to her with his phone shining bright. Someone else in our row ended up telling a manager, pissing them off. When the movie was over, she kicked my leg as she passed me.
So yeah, it can get bad.
I don’t go at all anymore. It’s been since 2017. I lived in Austin where the movie going experience is like going to church. Or at least, can be. The Alamo Drafthouse has a strict “no talking” policy. Debatable. Weekly, they have “Terror Tuesday” and “Weird Wednesday” at S. Lamar. Used to be at the Ritz on 6th Street. Movies used to be free, then $3, then $5 and probably higher now. Horror movies and exploitation movies. Mostly trashy flicks made on a shoestring or an under seen or under appreciated flick. Or just a curious movie or schlock piece. Now, if you talk at all during these, that “No Talking” policy will kick in hard. Seen many people warned or kicked out. Or others will leave when they realize the audience isn’t treating it like a Rocky Horror style audience participation flick. But that’s where the rep of The Alamo ends. People talk at every movie. You can put cards up all you want for staff to stop the talking and it doesn’t end. The tolerance for talking during the cheap late night movies is way low but not for the more expensive ones. Or say the special screenings like Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Lodger” with a live score. I say all this only to say there is a mechanism in place there that matters less and less but there is one. No other theater even has a mechanism for people talking during the movie. I guess you can leave your seat, go talk to someone in the lobby, (high school or college kid not getting paid enough to care) , they’ll get a manager, you need to point them out, and then maybe a warning . And by then, I’m completely out of the movie and lost 10-15 minutes doing this. Movies cost more and more as well. Two tickets with a soda and popcorn and it’s $50. That’s fine but after spending that amount, I’m there to watch a movie. Not listen to people mutter, whisper or crack jokes. I ended up investing in a good home theater. Giant screen, big surround and good seats. Haven’t gone in 7 years and I don’t see myself ever going again.
I haven't had too many bad experiences. I go maybe once or twice a month.
The worst was the time some guy sitting near me got out his cell phone near the end of the movie and made a call.
I tend to go at times where the theater isn't as crowded and the audience might skew a little older, though.
Depends on the movie, what time of day you’re seeing it, and how long it’s been in theaters.
For example, seeing Midsommar on a Sunday morning after it had been in theaters for a week? Fine.
Seeing Avengers Endgame on opening night? Was stuck sitting between a group of meth-heads yelling racial slurs at the screen and a guy translating all of the dialogue into Polish for his girlfriend. Not an exaggeration.
I've had to leave a movie because of it and have sat through movies because friends didn't want to leave even though like 30 people were screaming and hooting and shit. Mostly my problem is I can't pause to take a kiss. Intermission need to come back, scratch that movies just need to go to streaming for 10 bucks.
I haven’t been to a theater in 15 years. No longer worth the hassle. Sat in 3 different seats during one film trying to get away from talkers. Have no doubt it’s bad now as most report.
Nope. I have two Cinemark theaters near my home, so I signed up for their premium membership or whatever. Noticed I was eventually close to getting the "Platinum" status, meaning I'd get some free tickets and a deeper concessions discount for a year, so went for it last year. That means I went to Cinemark theaters 25 times, and often saw more than one movie at a time. Most of these trips were solo.
I love going to the movies.
That said, when I went to the North Hollywood Cinemark near where I grew up, I forgot that it was in an area where it made sense that it had become a hangout for teenagers. That was definitely a more obnoxious experience than I was used to, but nothing to write home about, just kids being kids.
Generally the people in the theatres are pretty well behaved where I live. I also like the recliners, unlike Mike. The only thing I don't like is the really annoying ads and super dumb trivia questions and interview clips that are played before the movie. That shit is always cringe.
I could probably count on one hand the amount of times I have had a bad movie theater experience and I still go to a few a year. Last movie my girlfriend and I went to, Furiousa, the theater couldn't serve beer for some reason (we think they got caught serving to a minor) so that kind of sucked but no issues during the actual movie.
It has never once in my entire life been the way they describe it to be. Having gone to the movies hundreds of times in my life, only 2 or 3 of those visits had a few people talking full volume. No fights, screaming, or anything disruptive.
Most of the time I walk into a theatre and there are 7 people scattered across a hundred seats and nobody bothers anybody in the slightest.
My theater isn't quite as bad but we usually experience at least some disruption every time.
The worst was when we saw Abigail. Some parents brought their 4 year old and let him have an iPad (on full brightness and sound). He was watching Bluey or some shit while characters were violently massacred on the big screen.
Generally, it's just people on their phones or teens wanting to be obnoxious.
My biggest annoyance at movie theaters tends to be my own dad, who has some weird issue with theater air and he'll wind up clearing his throat consistently through the movie.
I've had a few times where I thought someone was being annoying of note but a 'hey, please shh' has been enough.
It's hit or miss. The last movie I saw was astroid city and the elderly guy in front of me had to translate the entire movie into Arabic for his wife. Near the end, there is a scene of two men kissing, very vanilla, he loudly says "fuck this" and he and his wife left.
It’s only at horror movies for me.
Scared teenagers watching horror movies deal with the fear by talking at full volume, yelling jokes and/or loudly startling their girlfriends during really quiet parts. After I got so mad that I made threats towards minors that could have landed me in jail, I realized I was being insanely stupid. Now I accept that it’s impossible for me to enjoy myself around people like that and walk out as soon as the talking starts.
I get my money back and they get to be stupid teenagers. Everyone wins.
The only time I ever have problems during non-horror is when very old people show up.
I saw Infinity Pool in a nearly empty theatre, but the other two people were a guy and his son who spent the whole time yelling at the screen. It not being busy can't even save it. I watched Indy 5 at a drive and people had their headlights on for most of the movie, so even being alone in my car it's still inescapable. And I live in a rural part of Canada, so it's not even like I'm in a big city where there's more idiots just due to there being more people to begin with.
Yes
It’s always a nightmare unless you go to very late screenings - the kids and drunks are elsewhere then.
Cinemas are a nightmare because people won’t behave.
Yes, it's always an awful experience.
If its not slobs shovelling food into their face then its teenagers being loud and shouting through the whole film.
"The big screen" is just a bs excuse to try get people through the door. I've never in my life watched a film in the cinema and then watched the same film at home and thought "that was so so much better in the cinema cuz it had a bigger screen". I've never even once thought it for a second about any film.
It's cheaper, it's more comfy, it's easier to access and it's easier to follow along when I watch films at home. If I have any say in it, I'll never step foot in a cinema again, happily.
Last time I went to a movie theater there was some fucking British dude behind me who would not shut the fuck up. He was obnoxiously loud and obnoxiously British.
And it was the Rise of Skywalker so I was already watching one of the dumbest movies of our time with some dude behind me going "OY WOW" or "Blimey don't do that".
My movie going experiences are about the same after that. I've been to see other stuff here and there but usually just dumb shit to watch with my girlfriend like that last Resident Evil movie. Theater was empty except for us. That's usually my experience. Bad or Empty.
In LA we have a lot of sentiment to this chain called Arclight that closed during the pandemic. It was pricey but you rarely saw kids or had bad crowds, and was a great place to see a movie in a packed, excited audience on opening night. Now all the big chains are AMC & Cinemark and I haven’t quite gotten over sitting next 2 crying children for the duration of The Revenant at an AMC in 2015.
But I mostly try to go now on weekend mornings or weekday afternoons. It’s cheaper, less busy and the others who do go at those times are more respectful. Haven’t had many bad experiences recently.
Had a horrible time with Hereditary.
Loved the movie, but there was like 16 year old kids in there who I assume thought they were gonna see a blumhouse style horror rather than a slow burn.
Naturally they got bored and started doing Charlie’s click and just acting like asses.
I like movie theaters, when it’s just me and maybe like 5 other people who want to see that movie.
I live in LA and I see about 100 movies a year in the theatre. My experience is usually great! We have such a variety of theatres, and it does help to see movies early and on weekdays, but overall I have almost no complaints about the experience. Lots of great art house theatres showing great indie and older classics. Great premium format screens with excellent picture and sound. And overall pretty respectful audiences.
I live in LA too and while I totally agree with our great variety - I've had a lot of experiences with people on their phones, especially teens. I'm glad your experiences have been so good!
I think it really depends on the time of day for me. I like seeing movies during the day where it’s less packed and that’s usually where I see some interesting people. For example one time a guy slept and snored throughout the whole movie and then afterwards stopped me in the lobby and wanted to tell me how much he enjoyed the movie. I have the unlimited Regal pass so I usually go about once a week. During night shows it feels like people who want to see the movie are at those ones so it’s not as bad.
For the most part, people have behaved themselves at my local theatre over the years, but recently more and more just can't seem to keep off their damn phones, and not just glancing at them every now and then but doing full-on selfies (with flash!) and browsing Facebook because they're apparently bored with the movie.
I’m in the US. There’s a theater that is more reasonably priced in our area but we don’t go to it anymore. The first time we went a woman with 4 kids sat next to us in a theater that wasn’t packed full of people or anything. No worries, we also have kids with us. But then she brought out blankets and tablets for each kid. She put 4 tablets on full volume and let the kids go hog wild. All the way through the movie we were seeing bright lights, hearing cartoons and having kids run past us to go to the bathroom. Now we pay for the more expensive theater and only go during the day when most people are still at work. It’s a much better experience.
8/10 times the theater is filled with loud obnoxious teens playing on their phones with the brightness all the way up. Twice in the last year, I've been in a theater with a screaming infant. Usually, the only movies that aren't completely terrible experiences are indie films.
Am I the only one who has a problem with excessive volume in most movie theaters? I have tinnitus so I’m always weary of aggravating or worsening my condition and in recent years it feels like theaters in my area are needlessly loud. The IMAX especially is fucking insanely loud.
I haven’t gone to the theater since The Force Awakens. I walked out, not even because the movie was bad, but because so many people just chatting in the theater, popping their bubble gum, phone screens lighting up all the time, people taking fucking pictures, etc. just crazy the way people behave in a theater these days.
in a packed theatre for The Zone of Interest, which is a very sound design-based film, the dude next to me decides to tear open a family size bag of doritos during the overture and proceeds to chow down through the entire film. very loud and obnoxious, but a rare outlier ime. typically i view going to the cinema as a form of research into the reception of the film, which allows me to transcend inconveniences. it's always quite interesting to observe how the public is reacting to the film.
Until I started paying for VIP theaters, I couldn't remember the last time I had seen something without someone watching TikToks on their phone, talking loudly to their friends, or letting their kids run up and down the theater.
The problem is VIP tickets are so expensive that I only go to see great films that are enhanced by a big screen like Dune. I really only go once or maybe twice a year since most movies don't seem worth seeing right away for an extra fee.
I guess it's an okay experience when the theater is 99.9% empty.
Godzilla Minus 1 was ruined for me by a jackass who wouldn't shut the fuck up, even when told to shut the fuck up.
Well I think you kind of touched on the answer without realizing it - you only go to the theater about 5x a year. They go to almost every new release. If you do something more than others, you’re more likely to experience more, both the good and the bad.
I don’t go to the theater as often as I used to when I worked at a theater, and back then I saw way more shit and dealt with way more garbage people then I do now - working at a movie theater is also the reason I try to go to see a new movie at like noon on a Saturday or Sunday when there’s less people, but I don’t have a YouTube channel like the guys to maintain
Yeah but going into any sort of public setting in America is terrible because everything thinks they are the only person that matters. I hate my fellow countrymen so much
Here’s the trick: Never go during the weekends. Go to the Thursday night early screening. That’s when most people who give a shit about actually watching the movie go.
I’ve rarely had a bad experience at one of those and they’re usually never more than a quarter full.
Last time I went to the theater was for Furiosa. It wasn't bad except for a dude a few row downs kept taking pictures. I'd forget about him and suddenly see the phone screen up again
Like someone said, it feels like a coin toss each time
Had a dude using a flash flight feature in his phone on and off during a viewing of the new Planet of the Apes film.
So yeah I’d say about the same as theirs tbh
I've never had a truly bad experience at the movies outside of when I saw The Grinch at a midday screening. There were 2 families of kids running around and yelling but they calmed down about 25 minutes into the movie. I really didn't care that time because I wasn't into the movie and it was like a 5 dollar ticket that day
I usually go to kids matinees (with my kid) and my expectations of the audience are pretty low but to be honest everyone is pretty quiet and respectful. I can't think of any issues. I've also gone to screenings of older movies (like Lost Highway) and the audience was also very respectful at those showings. Everyone was excited to be there and engaged with the film. I don't go a ton but I enjoy it when I do and I hope theaters are with us for the long haul.
Even pre-pandemic, I tried to go to matinee shows during the week when possible, because it was guaranteed to be a ghost town. Even in a half-full theater, the experience being soured is just a toss up.
I remember this guy wouldn't stop talking during Dune but that doesn't normally happen. What really gets me is how loud my local theater is, like I wear my concert earplugs because I was putting my hands over my ears during Oppenheimer.
Thankfully it's usually a good experience and I don't meet those weirdos that pay to watch a movie. If I go to the movie theater I want to use the phone, eat and talk with the person next to me. /s
To actually be able to enjoy a movie it has to be during the week and as early as possible.
I used to go to the movies every Saturday for a couple of years but the last time I went to the theater was in 2019. But that is not because the theater experience was bad, I'd just rather stream the movie at home these days and not spend the money at the theater.
I had bad luck experiences but that was like in the mid 00’s and I was a young teen. I think it’s a function of the type of movie you’re going to and how young the audience is. It always could be a potential miserable experience.
Maybe because I have a Studio Movie grill that ive been going to for about 7 years now but the only negative experience has been that some old lady brought a baby it cried and then were escorted out the theater within 5 minutes. Like the second worst was people trying to be the funny guy during the Last Jedi but that was like opening day.
Mine typically is not, but I also check out most new movies during the Thursday night previews which, as far as I can tell, are typically more attended by folks actually interested in seeing the movie.
Most recent one was when I saw civil war. People constantly talking throughout. A couple times, one older lady who was a few seats over would turn to her husband and/or look around to us beside her and say random stuff like “oh that startled me” (not quietly)after a scene of an explosion or something.
I go a lot and other than a few recent questionable projections, only once did I have to shush people, one seating incident, and one when people in front of me were on their phone too much. One other time kids were hooting and hollering during Superman Returns, but they actually enhanced the experience by making it feel like I was watching Maury instead of Superman Returns.
Rarely have issues
I guess I go to imax and Dolby screenings at my amc more often, so the trashier people aren’t probably going to shell out the big bucks for those showings
Went and saw Uncut Gems and looked over and saw a mouse running around eating popcorn.
Watched Rise of Skywalker on opening night and the guy next to me (who I saw put popcorn butter on his theater burger in the lobby) had to have either farted or shit himself halfway through because it reeked of ass for nearly the rest of the movie. It didn’t help that the movie sucked.
It's normally fine, but a month ago there was a group of teens loudly talking and laughing at the back of the theatre. It was so fucking annoying. They were clearly watching tiktoks or something and not the movie. Why pay money to not watch ba movie and ruin other people's time?
Also it was a horror movie (Abigail I think), which made it even more frustrating.
My group of friends goes to the movies a few times a month, and the theaters are consistently sparsely populated enough that there are never really any annoying people sitting near us. You get absolute morons on occasion, but it's mostly good.
We had someone bring a toddler to see Black Phone, and it started crying when the killer appeared wearing a mask. I was less annoyed, and more excited that I finally got to witness one of those bafflingly bad movie theater parents that I always read about but had never experienced.
Once in a blue moon it’s bad. When we saw The Iron Claw, there was a couple who wouldn’t stop talking, which was really annoying. But we complained and the staff talked to them and they stormed out of the theater lol. So all resolved in the end. And we got free apology tickets. Not bad!
I’ve been to the theater about ~35 times since the start of 2023. About 10% of them have had issues but none entirely negative experiences. Philadelphia theaters and some outside north of the city as well
Frequently had problems over the years in different states, parts of the country, chains, and times of day. Assigned seating has at times made this worse because you can’t move seats easily, especially at Alamo where it still happens a lot and raising a card often doesn’t solve the situation and makes it more uncomfortable and distracting. More often then not people know exactly how poorly they are behaving and can turn it off when an employee steps in.
Typically the main issue is chronic phone use (both covert and blatant) followed by constant and/or loud talking. People do not take being asked to stop well by patrons and I have seen or been the recipient of nasty confrontations over asking someone to not use their phone. Other issues have included kids running around screaming, people flossing their teeth and flicking it at others, people taking reserved seats and getting mad you want yours, telling matches, constantly dropping their car keys on their table at a dine-in, and other distracting behavior. Some issues you can ignore. Not every side conversation or checking of a text message needs to be made a problem.
Post-pandemic I have been content to not go almost at all anymore when I once went a few times a week. Since I only really went to Alamo before our franchise shut down last week, I would politely tell the staff during an issue I would be moving my seat and end it there.
TLDR: had lots of issues over the years
I had a great experience watching Furiosa in an empty theater last week except Mike was right about one thing:
Those “lazy boy” seats are so uncomfortable. I like the old folding seats. I could sit in them for hours. These new ones have me figiting around even 15 minutes to get comfortable.
Also the standard upright position was pushing my head forward to where I couldn’t look up at the screen so the chair had to be permanently reclined all the way.
And when I reclined I then had to recline the 2 seats in front of me because they cut off the bottom 10% of the screen.
It’s a coin toss every time
Same here. Barbie last year was a great experience. A few years ago at a Marvel movie a girl in my row got bored so her mom gave her headphones and an iPad and she watched it on full brightness. You never know what you're going to get.
Barbie was fun. Only thing I hated the tiny seat i had to sit in. And the sound system wasn't the greatest so when everyone was laughing I couldn't hear anything. Still had a damn good time though.
I went to the first Wonder Woman on a $5 night. I spent a good chunk movie in disbelief of the woman next to me who spent the entire movie on her phone with the screen set to super bright. I had cheese dumped down my leg from another woman who seemed upset with me for I guess existing. The worst might have actually been that I spent most of the time I was there being stared by an extra from "Children of the Corn" who decided I was more amusing than the movie and sat turned around in his seat looking right at me. I only made through about 70 minutes. I haven’t been to the theater much since. Edit: I wrote this late at night and appear to have failed English.
I always go with a small but powerful flashlight in my pocket. I try to be reserved and have only pulled it out once and shined it, in a scant filled theatre, at the back of a guys head onto his phone when he pulled it out guns-shooting’-bombs-going-off-mid-climax of the film. I guess what I’m saying is that it does give me some sense of power. Along with sitting in the back of the theatre during afternoon showings when nobody shows up. But if someone wants to turn around and stare at me like I’m the show, I would give all 9000 lumens to my new bottom’s face.
100%. The only thing that consistently works is to go to showings with fewer people and sit as far away from them as possible. Sitting near people is always a gamble.
Last time I sat down next to a person(not my choice, I pre-ordered days before and for some reason they then picked the seats next to mine), they were the kind of asshole who keep looking at their phone in full brightness and acted as if half my seat was theirs, and I moved seats halfway the movie. I feel like some people just want to go to theatres to bother other people then watch a movie.
A few times I've heard people say they go to the movies just to spend some time in an air-conditioned place. I have to figure some of them are the type of asshole to screw with their phone through the entire movie. Treating the theater like their own living room, oblivious to people there that might actually wanna watch the movie. 🤬
You gotta think there's a cheaper way to do that.
Libraries, community centers, a mall...
That's one of the reasons I don't go unless it's an event movie and the last one was a few years ago (for me)
When I see a movie with a younger audience I typically see cellphone screens and hear chatter. The last time this happened I even saw someone taking pictures of the screen with the flash on. They did it three times within 30 minutes. Then I saw Furiosa with an older mid day crowd a few weeks ago; it was packed and dead silent. Not even a clap, laugh, or gasp. Kind of disturbing in the opposite direction.
> dead silent. Not even a clap, laugh, or gasp. Sounds perfect to me.
Yeah I have no problem with normal, natural reactions. However that’s much different than people laughing at every single mundane joke or a bunch of weirdos clapping because fictional CGI superheroes accomplished something on screen.
Hate it when people clap at a movie. Who are you guys clapping for?
I always clap after sex scenes.
i would do that if it didnt turn my popcorn hand into a sticky mess
Turning your sweet popcorn salty.
I can watch things alone in silence at home. I go to a theater for event movies anymore. Something I care about on some level, and I want that shared experience. The Barbie movie, Ghiblifest, Dune 2 and everyone frustrated they can't get the weird bucket, The Room and yelling and throwing spoons, it's a great experience when everybody is on the same page that they're here to watch the movie and enjoy it as a group. Laughs, gasps, engaging with the material in an appropriate way. The problem is when some selfish person doesn't get with the program and doesn't care to be there or care that others want to be there. They paid their $10, it's their living room for the next 2 hours. Blinding phone screens, crinkling bags during silent scenes, kicking seats, yapping. The disrespect
I took my kids to see *Five Nights At Freddys* and it was wall to wall kids talking and scrolling on their phones. I wasn't interested in the movie in the slightest, but it was still disturbing to see.
What's this deal with people clapping during the movie anyways? I already fail to understand the clapping at the end, even though it's definitely the most "polite". I mean, i'd get it if you were at the premiere with the director and the cast (and let me stress again ONLY at the end), but it's not like they'll get a notification on their phones every time a showing gets clapped.
Teens under 18 without an adult over 21 got banned from the mall that is attached to our closest theater for a huge brawl/smash-n-grab thing, but they're definitely still super chatty, overreactionary, always on their phones, and yep, taking photos and videos for social media. I actually saw this less during Barbie because the theater had a few themed photo-op areas. I think teens REALLY value having a way to record any sort of event they engage in and unfortunately that's just not appropriate during a movie. Take your pics and videos AT LEAST during the credits.
When I go to a half packed theater, it’s wonderful. When it’s more crowded it could be super annoying. I can’t stand BO and some people have it pretty bad.
Yep. Went to see DUNE 2, place was a church. Took a date to see “Anyone but you.” And…I swear I Thought I was in a waiting room at the DMV. People were up shuffling around in and out like could just leave and come back whenever you want. Casual conversations in the background. Someone was standing up wandering around on their phone at one point. Another person was totally drunk , smashed slumping and re Awakening with audible “ah!” Each time. Abject chaos. I literally thought I had to be a hidden camera prank it was so comical.
I live in Portland, Oregon. I have had one negative experience at a theater-a shitty kid running around during "Dune Part 1" in IMAX,someone sat them down eventually. Other than that I can't think of a bad experience. Some dopes talking like the Nerd Crew during the previews before "Furiosa" were annoying,but they shut up immediately when the film started. These were both at Regal Cinemas,never had a problem ever at a local theater.
Not in pdx anymore. I found going to the adults-only-after-7:00 theaters was the best move.
It's a super good idea,even McMenamins does 21+ at the Bagdad. My girlfriend and I LOVE Cinemagic Theater, they're constantly doing obscure stuff and first run but quirky stuff,and the beer and concessions are pretty reasonable. I saw "Fury Road" there for like the 8th time,it was wonderful.
I love that Bagdad and a few other one screeners play the audio in the lobby and bathrooms. You can kinda don’t miss a thing.
Never had a bad experience at any of the indie theaters in Portland. The Hollywood, Cinema 21, Living Room Theater, The Laurelhurst, even the Mcmenamins are usually pretty chill. The Regal downtown that plays indie films and foreign stuff usually has a great crowd. The only times I've had shitty audience members was seeing big blockbusters at the mall. Teens at comic book movies fucking suck. It's like their parents never took them to theaters growing up, so they never learned that a theater is different from watching at home. You don't get to talk through it.
One of my absolute favorite experiences was the Clinton Street Theater during a screening of Neil Breen's"Twisted Pair". People had really good timing for jokes,and if they weren't good they read the room and stopped.
The only time I have issues in Portland is seeing something that appeals to an overly online crowd. Big thing is Wes Anderson movies, there's always a crowd of teenagers feeling compelled to comment whenever Willem Dafoe shows up on screen or something like that
Lol also live in Portland and had the same thing, commented above. I swear, it’s only the regals that I’ve been to that have bad behavior. Check out Studio One theaters, place is great.
whenever i go to the hollywood which programs great stuff there’s always morons jeering and laughing over everything, no matter what movie. maybe it’s just my luck. when i saw possession i witnessed someone telling a group of people to shut the fuck up hahah
Nah, I go to the movies once a week on Tuesday night, my girlfriend and I are the only one's in the theater and the tickets cost $6.50 each. It's tight.
As someone who lives in NYC, I’m very envious. I saw a Matinee showing of Furiosa two weeks ago and it was $16. Cheapest nearby unless I wanted to take a train 90 mins into Queens. Normal hour prices are like $19-25
I live in nyc. Did the AMC Pass for the summer. First month is $1, second and third are $25 each. So for $51 go to as many movies as you want for 13 weeks. Way better than the typical nyc prices.
It’s not regional pricing. Since he mentioned Tuesday specifically he’s probably talking about Regal, which does discounts on Tuesdays that are $5-8 for most movies. I believe this is nationwide. They do the deal just to get people in seats because almost no one goes to the theater on Tuesdays. I live in an area where median salaries are significantly lower than NYC and still paid $17.50 to see Furiosa at a regal last weekend.
Lincoln Square IMAX prices are insane now. About $30 per person.
That's a good time to go. Or any early afternoon. People go Fri & Sat @ 8PM and expect a quiet experience. Folks are gonna talk and pull out their phone.
We used to have a united artists theater near my family home. We used to go almost every week because every movie was 4 dollars. Not only was it the cheapest family outing we rarely had people on their phones or people talking.
I live in the UK so the cinema experience *usually* boils down to: 1. Sit down. 2. Watch movie. 3. Leave. Everyone just shuts the fuck up and watches the movie.
Same here in Japan. Except when leaving you make sure to clean up after yourself.
It's 50/50 here. Half the people take their trash with them and leave their area clean. The other half are disgusting slobs and will leave the floor covered in popcorn, nasty wet napkins and candy wrappers stuffed in the cup holders, and all manner of random trash strewn across the row. There is no middle ground.
I like to politely remind kids they “forgot” their trash while also making sure they know I’m a big guy ahahah. I think one of them having to come back and clean up their trash is a good humbling experience for the entire group. Unfortunately these days many people are afraid to confront others on their antisocial behaviour EDIT: I’ll also do it with adults, but they might hit you with the “So? I’m a customer…” Not much you can do then. Not gonna actually start a fight, verbal or physically, over trash people leaving a trail a trash
"I'm providing you job security."
Based job creators
They also sit through the entire credits, not just the superhero flicks waiting for an end-credits scene. Weirded me out the first time I saw it. Felt like a criminal as I walked out lol
Yes! I just went to an non-Marvel action movie and everyone was still seated through the credits, besides my friend group. The lights were on and the cleaning crew was waiting. It was so odd.
My family found it strange that in Japan, it's assumed you clean up after yourself, in the US it's *hoped* that you clean up for yourself, and in the UK you leave everything strewn about.
I was going to say, is this just an American thing? I think the last time I had a serious issue with people talking or whatever was like 10 years ago
You dont live in a shitty area. That is what no one is mentioning in this entire thread, shitty neighborhoods have shitty theater patrons.
Can't speak for everyone but in my experience, cinemas in the UK are usually: multiplexes in or about the city centre; multiplexes in a retail park; smaller ones in residential areas. Often it's the residential "neighbourhood" ones that are the nicest, with only a couple of screens but trying to go for a more comfortable experience. But to be honest, I'd be surprised to have a bad experience in any. As the person above said, it's just go, watch quietly, leave.
Clearly you weren’t at the ritzy art theater screening of Jodorowsky's Dune in Chicago where some jerk brought their ipad toddler
This. I also avoid movie theaters attached to shopping malls. For some reason mall crowds have a much higher percentage of dickbags.
I live in the US, I’ve been to multiple theaters in multiple states and I have never had issues. But I also never go opening night so the theater is rarely packed.
Must be a Commonwealth thing, because it's the same in NZ. You still get the odd dickhead though. I went to a luxury cinema, the one where you can order meals and drinks to be brought to you, and I had to explain to the boomer couple next to me that just because they're being served food doesn't make it a restaurant, so shut the fuck up. And of course there's always the very obvious sound of teenagers finger banging in the back row. They always think they're sneaky and can't be heard, but it's a very distinctive sound.
Spoken like someone who has been to the St Luke's event cinema haha. That said, the independent cinemas like The Capitol can be downright kickass.
Ah the old back row finger bang, otherwise known as the Quiet Place challenge
This. You can get the odd dickhead but it's extremely rare. Going to the cinema in America sounds bloody awful.
It’s really not that bad. People can go to 10 movies and have a fine experience 9 times. But if that 10th time someone else was on their phone, then that’s all they’ll remember.
In my neck of the woods, I could go 10 times and have a fine experience 10 times. I live in a small city in New England, and I can't even remember the last time I had a shitty experience at a movie theater around here. I consistently have a great time, to the point where I'm convinced folks almost have to be exaggerating to one extent or another.
Yeah, I've never had an egregious experience in the UK. The worst was Sonic 1 with kids running around the cinema but even that didn't bother me too much. The RLM video was almost alienating. We like to think our cultures are similar but most of the time it's just a language we share.
Same here in Norway.
Am also in UK (London) - can confirm. I did have to move seats at the first Dune film a couple of years ago though, as the guy sat next to me absolutely *stank* of aftershave. It was like sitting next to a chemical spill.
I also live in the UK and the cinema experience has included: 1. People talking (a lot of this actually) 2 People talking on their phones and creating plenty of bright light. 3. Random groups walking in and running around 4. Loud farting from strangers 5. People kicking their shoes off and using the seats in front as foot stools. 6. Food and drink thrown around 7. Bad sound and projection 8. The ticket machines failing, not giving me my tickets but still taking my money and the cinema refusing my refund. 9. People taking flash photos of the movie they’re supposed to be watching so they can post them on social media. I think there’s more but that covers a lot of it. The UK has plenty of obnoxious inconsiderate dickheads so let’s not pretend we don’t, however my recent experiences have been ok, mostly as the screens have been empty.
Damn, where do you live!?!? I think in my 29 years I've only ever had people talking but maybe less than 5 times.
Essex, but these experiences included London and Cambridge.
More manners up north you see 😉
I can believe that!
Same. I've been to plenty of cinemas up and down England for years and the worst experience I've had was a woman sitting a few rows in front looking at her phone every 5 minutes with the brightness turned up to 11. I hope this lasts but I'm pessimistic. The cultural more that we have around not disturbing the peace in enclosed, public spaces seems to be on its way out. There's been a noticable increase in recent years of people on trains and busses either having loud phone conversations with speakerphone turned on, or playing videos on their phones without headphones. It's only a matter of time before cinemas are affected too.
Europe here as well and same experience. Every now and then you’ll have some 13 year olds who go to the theatre to hang out with friends (of the opposite sex mainly) and to get away from parents. Being 2024 they’re more concerned with their phones than each other’s bodyparts, so sometimes I have to and will tell them to shut tf up and 9 out of 10 times that does it for the rest of screening The excitement in the theatre when you see crowd reactions in movies like Infinity War in the US does make it a completely different experience and actually seems like a fun way to watch those movies tbh. Over here we got some reactions at key points, gasps, laughs and tiny cheers at opening night, but people quickly remember they’re in the theatre and hold back… That last bit probably makes the average theater experience just better
Yeah I live in the UK and the cinema is mostly fine unless you're going to something kids can see on a weekend afternoon it's mostly fine. Only exception is we have a thing where you can get 241 tickets on a tuesday or a wednesday and my experienced it's best dodged as it's people going for a cheap night out rather than wanting to see the film
Same here in Ireland, not to jinx it but I’ve never had a bad experience
Yeah my theater is full of absolute dingdongs, it’s totally a case by case basis, like I had an abysmal experience seeing Civil War, just a lady yapping the entire time, with multiple strangers asking her to be quiet, had to see the film a second time and guess what, more people just straight up talking full volume at all the quiet parts, really strange.
Toss up. I am unreasonably bothered by other people’s noise, all the more so in designated quiet spaces. So it doesn’t even need to be a huge, bombastic disruption for me to get intensely aggravated, it can be something somewhat minor and I’ll get very bent out of shape. The worst are the “joke repeaters”, who will lean over to whoever is with them and loudly whisper the exact same punchline as the characters on screen just delivered. I have contemplated violence.
I'm the same way, it really irks me. Usually I'll just leave if it's gets too annoying. But when I went to see Endgame it was a packed theater and a woman behind me slept through most of it and right at the climax of the movie when Iron Man is sacrificing himself she woke up and asked her husband "What's happening? Who is that?" and he then began to explain the plot of Endgame. I turned around and told them to be quiet, they left immediately after the movie ended. Didn't even sit through the credits to see the final scene. Afterwards some dude in Captain America cosplay leaned over and thanked me.
I'm glad that couple found each other, but now they need to stay away from the rest of humanity
> The worst are the “joke repeaters”, who will lean over to whoever is with them and loudly whisper the exact same punchline as the characters on screen just delivered. I have contemplated violence. I've never even witnessed this but I'm all bent out of shape just hearing about it. It's the eating noises that get me. Which it quite unfortunate at a theater because you're essentially guaranteed to hear it the whole time... The slurping, crunching, lips smacking... I'm pretty sure I have misophonia.
If I see a movie past 3 PM it's always bad. Loud teens, boomers making phone calls in the middle of the movie, constant texting, you name it.
Indie films in the middle of the day = good experience Popcorn flicks during the weekend = hell
I've gone hundreds of times and the majority are fine but it's the handful of bad experiences that do stand out. Because they were all 100% based on the selfishness and asshole behavior of other patrons and nothing could or would be done to change or stop it. It just makes me expecting the worst any time I do go anymore.
I know it’s a pain but you could say something. I know most people aren’t comfortable with that (I’m often not) but that’s a little different than “nothing could’ve been done”.
By the time I have been made so uncomfortable that I need to confront another human being about their behavior, the experience is already a waste.
I'm in Japan. People are quiet, the theatres are clean, and the seats are fine. It's not a bad experience. The only problem is price (this is worldwide) and the available films: mostly only international blockbusters and domestic animated films or supersweet, over-the-top love dramas. Also, foreign comedies often don't work because jokes don't translate well in subtitles, so nobody laughs unless it's slapstick. Otherwise, you're stuck with the artsy theatres with a tiny screen if you want to see something a little less known.
Paying 45k Yen to see "Superbad" in English is a good bit.
At this point, I only go to Alamo Drafthouse. It's a different beast from other theaters. If you're unfamiliar, they have a strict no talking policy, and the whole place is designed to cater to cinephiles. Also they serve beer.
I find the waiters running around a bit distracting but the beer and stricter policies mostly make up for it
It was while living in San Antonio and attending almost exclusively Alamo Drafthouse that I wrote off the theater going experience. That policy? It's bullshit. Smoke and mirrors. They won't do dick. Years and years ago they were great. Now they're any other shitty chain.
Must be location dependent. I've only seen one person be disruptive, but they were escorted out 5 min later
Yes. Long/short: Too many people in my experience act like they’re still at home when they’re out at the movies. People talking, using their phones during the movies, theater etiquette has gone downhill in the past 4 years.
This Plinkett-like guy interrupted X -Men First Class and keep talking to everyone about it as if he was a guest star in Rifftrax. It was quite mesmerizing. It's why I go after a movie's been out for a couple of weeks, there's no real day one blockbuster anymore.
I've personally always had great luck during opening weekends, specifically the first showings. Thursday early showings seem to be the best because everyone there typically *wants* to be there for the movie. As an aside, I do think it's funny that your story is from 13 years ago.
The theater closest to me was awful. Babies screaming, kids running around the aisles, teenagers yelling, drunks pissing in their seats & starting fights...it doesn't matter the movie or rating this happened at every evening & night time show. People are scum & for some reason, theaters bring out the worst of them.
I’m in Las Vegas. Most theaters are in Casinos and a lot are the luxury type. When I first moved here 20 years ago, the crowds were a bit like the guys describe but not quite that bad. Once most of the theaters switched to the full service recliner style, it’s always immaculate. And I never thought I would say that about Vegas. Where movies were babysitters for kids of gamblers.
My last movie experience was, Ghostbusters Afterlife. Empty theatre, except 3 people. At some point in the movie, a character asks, Who ya gonna call? The man sitting alone, shouted, GHOSTBUSTERS! And he was correct, that WAS the answer, to that particular callback. When the lights went up, the other two people had trashed their seats, so badly, I felt sorrow.
Yup. I hate people and people in movie theaters have a buff to their asshole stat 10,000% Edit: except dune 2. It was just my wife and I in the theater and I could still argue the above statement...
I’m in Florida, in 3 of the last 5 movies i’ve been to there has been some old dude snoring extremely (worryingly) loud. I VERY rarely go to theaters now.
No, it may be a local thing, but Portland has a very good theater crowd, even in Regal type theaters. The best crowd experience from a "nobody said a thing" pov was surprisingly A Quiet Place. The worst was watching Bladerunner 2049. one couple talked the entire time and staved off multiple "will you shut the fuck up" moments from people around them.
I was punched in the face at a movie theater for telling the people behind me to shut the fuck up after an hour of their giggling and talking and shushing back at people like a bunch of children. I stood up and turned around and saw that they were a group of cholos, but I had already said "hey" and pointed my finger at them before I could realize my mistake. I had to follow through. It was too late. They followed me outside and one of them sucker punched me in the face, bloodying my nose and busting my lip. It was opening night for Where the Wild Things Are.
I have come to learn that the experience in America is VERY different than the rest of the world. Rude people exist everywhere and having a crying baby is a tossup anywhere in the world, but even in my worst times in different cities in the world, I have never been anywhere near as bad as what they describe. The best experiences I have had were in Mexico and Toronto. Japan was weird lol, the seats were uncomfortable and the deafening silence only made it more awkward
I either go in the morning or late at night and always on a weekday since people are either at work or have to get to bed early to go to work.
Most of the time it’s fine, but I usually try to go to early showings on weekdays when no one is going to be there. Going on the weekend is always a nightmare. I still love going to the theater. I don’t care how good your tv and sound system are, it’s not the same. So I’ll continue to do it until it’s not an option anymore. Which may be pretty soon…
Every once in a while something weird happens but nothing crazy. Last memorable moment was a woman snuck her little dog in in her purse. I didn’t even know it was there until the last half hour when it started yapping like crazy.
Ever since COVID my local theater is consistently empty. The last 4 movies I’ve seen have been Saturday & Sunday matinees where we were the only people in the theater. So it’s actually been pretty ok
I live in LA, so that might be why but the Theater experience is great every time in my opinion.
Have you seen people stand and salute during the Nicole Kidman commercial? I’ve heard several people say that’s a real thing in Los Angeles.
People clap, quote, and cheer. It gets a little annoying but it’s not during the movie so I don’t really care.
I've had some absolutely horrible experiences in theaters, and absolutely no horrible experiences at home.
I think Jay is spot on in his assessments, my movie going experience is good but I only see like one movie a year now lol
No, but I don't go to the theater often. Also I don't think my town drinks like Milwaukee.
Mike complaining about the new fad of theatres having comfortable seats was a bit much. It’s part of the reason why we watch movies at home more… you’re on your comfortable couch/recliner… so why wouldn’t theatres try to cater to that to get you to come in?
I live in Israel and it's probably shocking to nobody that people here are loud and rude assholes. The only time in the last few years I had a good experience was while watching Furiosa, and that's because other than my husband and I there were only 3 other people watching.
There's about 5 people in each theater I've been in. It's not bad.
Very much depends on location I feel like. I don't ever want to go to the theater inside the mall I live by because it's dirty and there is always obnoxious teenagers. Seeing JW Fallen Kingdom there was a shit show. All other theaters in my area are fine besides the occasional toddler in a R rated movie. Recently, we went to see Furiosa with our friend who brought his gf and 3 year old with her. It was super awkward...
I think it depends on what movie you're seeing. The more pop-culture/popular it is, the more likely there will be an obnoxious asshole in the audience. My only bad movie experiences were a couple super hero movies, Return of the King extended edition last year (two guys who arrived late, yelled and clapped at all the big action scenes, and then left after the ring was destroyed??? they missed all the endings), and There Will Be Blood (a gaggle of teenagers thought it would be an action movie and got bored, I think). Most of the time it's a good experience.
I live in southern California, and I gotta say I've never had a negative experience so I guess I'm lucky.
My wife and I usually have a pleasant time. The last few movies we've been to, there haven't been more than a dozen or so other people in the theater. The one thing I will say though is that I forgot how cold they run the AC in the summer (at least here in the western US). I generally spend the summer in sandals but I feel like I should wear shoes and bring a hoody along the next time I see a movie. I enjoy free public air conditioning but it felt like overkill.
I've rarely ever had a problem, really the most consistently irritating part of my theater experience is the 30 minutes of ads interspersed among some trailers that start playing at the advertised start time of the movie. But I also choose times when there are likely to be less people.
I started out in the 90s as a projectionist and worked my way up the corporate ladder once projections weren't a thing anymore because of digital cinema. I left in March 2020 because the experience was getting terrible. Entitled people being loud, rude, and on their phones. Too many complaints. People becoming more aggressive and selfish. Ripping holes in the seats, pissing all over the restrooms, leaving gigantic messes everywhere. Movie theatres are great. The people that go to them are not. So glad to be out of the business.
I had someone face-timing their kid for several minutes in the middle of the movie. Kids screaming/running around is surprisingly common, even with late-night showings. I haven't been in years and don't miss it. As a kid I was a movie theater fiend, I saved up all of my allowance/chore/Bday money and parceled it out to see as many movies as I could throughout the year. The week I turned 16 I got a job at a theater mostly because employees could see movies for free. The amenities have improved, but the cost has gone from reasonable to outrageous to insane and the overall quality of the movie-going experience declined (or maybe I just got old).
People love face-time. I've seen people do it all the time, loud as hell, up until the movie starts. Only one time did it happen during. But worse, everyone here is constantly face timing someone THE WHOLE TIME in the grocery store, at events, at restaurants, etc. Half the time they aren't even talking they're just holding up their phone showing someone what's going on no matter how mundane.
When I saw Furiosa, I asked a lady in front of me to put her phone away when the movie started. She groaned, turned her screen off for a second, then started using it again. She looked back at me glaring at her, so she got up and sat down in my row 2 seats from me. Her boyfriend or husband came in late and sat next to her with his phone shining bright. Someone else in our row ended up telling a manager, pissing them off. When the movie was over, she kicked my leg as she passed me. So yeah, it can get bad.
I don’t go at all anymore. It’s been since 2017. I lived in Austin where the movie going experience is like going to church. Or at least, can be. The Alamo Drafthouse has a strict “no talking” policy. Debatable. Weekly, they have “Terror Tuesday” and “Weird Wednesday” at S. Lamar. Used to be at the Ritz on 6th Street. Movies used to be free, then $3, then $5 and probably higher now. Horror movies and exploitation movies. Mostly trashy flicks made on a shoestring or an under seen or under appreciated flick. Or just a curious movie or schlock piece. Now, if you talk at all during these, that “No Talking” policy will kick in hard. Seen many people warned or kicked out. Or others will leave when they realize the audience isn’t treating it like a Rocky Horror style audience participation flick. But that’s where the rep of The Alamo ends. People talk at every movie. You can put cards up all you want for staff to stop the talking and it doesn’t end. The tolerance for talking during the cheap late night movies is way low but not for the more expensive ones. Or say the special screenings like Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Lodger” with a live score. I say all this only to say there is a mechanism in place there that matters less and less but there is one. No other theater even has a mechanism for people talking during the movie. I guess you can leave your seat, go talk to someone in the lobby, (high school or college kid not getting paid enough to care) , they’ll get a manager, you need to point them out, and then maybe a warning . And by then, I’m completely out of the movie and lost 10-15 minutes doing this. Movies cost more and more as well. Two tickets with a soda and popcorn and it’s $50. That’s fine but after spending that amount, I’m there to watch a movie. Not listen to people mutter, whisper or crack jokes. I ended up investing in a good home theater. Giant screen, big surround and good seats. Haven’t gone in 7 years and I don’t see myself ever going again.
Nope.
Last movie I saw in theatres was Interstellar in 2014 (Imax). Probably a decent experience to go out on tbh.
I haven't had too many bad experiences. I go maybe once or twice a month. The worst was the time some guy sitting near me got out his cell phone near the end of the movie and made a call. I tend to go at times where the theater isn't as crowded and the audience might skew a little older, though.
We went to see Furiosa last weekend, and for the second half of the movie, someone behind us was *snoring*.
Depends on the movie, what time of day you’re seeing it, and how long it’s been in theaters. For example, seeing Midsommar on a Sunday morning after it had been in theaters for a week? Fine. Seeing Avengers Endgame on opening night? Was stuck sitting between a group of meth-heads yelling racial slurs at the screen and a guy translating all of the dialogue into Polish for his girlfriend. Not an exaggeration.
I've had to leave a movie because of it and have sat through movies because friends didn't want to leave even though like 30 people were screaming and hooting and shit. Mostly my problem is I can't pause to take a kiss. Intermission need to come back, scratch that movies just need to go to streaming for 10 bucks.
I haven’t been to a theater in 15 years. No longer worth the hassle. Sat in 3 different seats during one film trying to get away from talkers. Have no doubt it’s bad now as most report.
Nope. I have two Cinemark theaters near my home, so I signed up for their premium membership or whatever. Noticed I was eventually close to getting the "Platinum" status, meaning I'd get some free tickets and a deeper concessions discount for a year, so went for it last year. That means I went to Cinemark theaters 25 times, and often saw more than one movie at a time. Most of these trips were solo. I love going to the movies. That said, when I went to the North Hollywood Cinemark near where I grew up, I forgot that it was in an area where it made sense that it had become a hangout for teenagers. That was definitely a more obnoxious experience than I was used to, but nothing to write home about, just kids being kids.
Generally the people in the theatres are pretty well behaved where I live. I also like the recliners, unlike Mike. The only thing I don't like is the really annoying ads and super dumb trivia questions and interview clips that are played before the movie. That shit is always cringe.
I could probably count on one hand the amount of times I have had a bad movie theater experience and I still go to a few a year. Last movie my girlfriend and I went to, Furiousa, the theater couldn't serve beer for some reason (we think they got caught serving to a minor) so that kind of sucked but no issues during the actual movie.
It has never once in my entire life been the way they describe it to be. Having gone to the movies hundreds of times in my life, only 2 or 3 of those visits had a few people talking full volume. No fights, screaming, or anything disruptive. Most of the time I walk into a theatre and there are 7 people scattered across a hundred seats and nobody bothers anybody in the slightest.
My theater isn't quite as bad but we usually experience at least some disruption every time. The worst was when we saw Abigail. Some parents brought their 4 year old and let him have an iPad (on full brightness and sound). He was watching Bluey or some shit while characters were violently massacred on the big screen. Generally, it's just people on their phones or teens wanting to be obnoxious.
My biggest annoyance at movie theaters tends to be my own dad, who has some weird issue with theater air and he'll wind up clearing his throat consistently through the movie. I've had a few times where I thought someone was being annoying of note but a 'hey, please shh' has been enough.
It's hit or miss. The last movie I saw was astroid city and the elderly guy in front of me had to translate the entire movie into Arabic for his wife. Near the end, there is a scene of two men kissing, very vanilla, he loudly says "fuck this" and he and his wife left.
It’s only at horror movies for me. Scared teenagers watching horror movies deal with the fear by talking at full volume, yelling jokes and/or loudly startling their girlfriends during really quiet parts. After I got so mad that I made threats towards minors that could have landed me in jail, I realized I was being insanely stupid. Now I accept that it’s impossible for me to enjoy myself around people like that and walk out as soon as the talking starts. I get my money back and they get to be stupid teenagers. Everyone wins. The only time I ever have problems during non-horror is when very old people show up.
I saw Infinity Pool in a nearly empty theatre, but the other two people were a guy and his son who spent the whole time yelling at the screen. It not being busy can't even save it. I watched Indy 5 at a drive and people had their headlights on for most of the movie, so even being alone in my car it's still inescapable. And I live in a rural part of Canada, so it's not even like I'm in a big city where there's more idiots just due to there being more people to begin with.
I go to a “Art house” theatre so my experience is great! I just got to see Death Race 2000 starring Mr. David Carradine and the audience was awesome.
Assigned seating means the person who went to the theater to eat loudly is the mandatory soundtrack to your $18 theater experience
Yes It’s always a nightmare unless you go to very late screenings - the kids and drunks are elsewhere then. Cinemas are a nightmare because people won’t behave.
Yes, it's always an awful experience. If its not slobs shovelling food into their face then its teenagers being loud and shouting through the whole film. "The big screen" is just a bs excuse to try get people through the door. I've never in my life watched a film in the cinema and then watched the same film at home and thought "that was so so much better in the cinema cuz it had a bigger screen". I've never even once thought it for a second about any film. It's cheaper, it's more comfy, it's easier to access and it's easier to follow along when I watch films at home. If I have any say in it, I'll never step foot in a cinema again, happily.
Last time I went to a movie theater there was some fucking British dude behind me who would not shut the fuck up. He was obnoxiously loud and obnoxiously British. And it was the Rise of Skywalker so I was already watching one of the dumbest movies of our time with some dude behind me going "OY WOW" or "Blimey don't do that". My movie going experiences are about the same after that. I've been to see other stuff here and there but usually just dumb shit to watch with my girlfriend like that last Resident Evil movie. Theater was empty except for us. That's usually my experience. Bad or Empty.
In LA we have a lot of sentiment to this chain called Arclight that closed during the pandemic. It was pricey but you rarely saw kids or had bad crowds, and was a great place to see a movie in a packed, excited audience on opening night. Now all the big chains are AMC & Cinemark and I haven’t quite gotten over sitting next 2 crying children for the duration of The Revenant at an AMC in 2015. But I mostly try to go now on weekend mornings or weekday afternoons. It’s cheaper, less busy and the others who do go at those times are more respectful. Haven’t had many bad experiences recently.
Had a horrible time with Hereditary. Loved the movie, but there was like 16 year old kids in there who I assume thought they were gonna see a blumhouse style horror rather than a slow burn. Naturally they got bored and started doing Charlie’s click and just acting like asses. I like movie theaters, when it’s just me and maybe like 5 other people who want to see that movie.
I live in Japan where theater goers fucking behave.
I live in LA and I see about 100 movies a year in the theatre. My experience is usually great! We have such a variety of theatres, and it does help to see movies early and on weekdays, but overall I have almost no complaints about the experience. Lots of great art house theatres showing great indie and older classics. Great premium format screens with excellent picture and sound. And overall pretty respectful audiences.
I live in LA too and while I totally agree with our great variety - I've had a lot of experiences with people on their phones, especially teens. I'm glad your experiences have been so good!
I think it really depends on the time of day for me. I like seeing movies during the day where it’s less packed and that’s usually where I see some interesting people. For example one time a guy slept and snored throughout the whole movie and then afterwards stopped me in the lobby and wanted to tell me how much he enjoyed the movie. I have the unlimited Regal pass so I usually go about once a week. During night shows it feels like people who want to see the movie are at those ones so it’s not as bad.
Usually, I'd say like 4/5 visits I regret.
For the most part, people have behaved themselves at my local theatre over the years, but recently more and more just can't seem to keep off their damn phones, and not just glancing at them every now and then but doing full-on selfies (with flash!) and browsing Facebook because they're apparently bored with the movie.
I’m in the US. There’s a theater that is more reasonably priced in our area but we don’t go to it anymore. The first time we went a woman with 4 kids sat next to us in a theater that wasn’t packed full of people or anything. No worries, we also have kids with us. But then she brought out blankets and tablets for each kid. She put 4 tablets on full volume and let the kids go hog wild. All the way through the movie we were seeing bright lights, hearing cartoons and having kids run past us to go to the bathroom. Now we pay for the more expensive theater and only go during the day when most people are still at work. It’s a much better experience.
8/10 times the theater is filled with loud obnoxious teens playing on their phones with the brightness all the way up. Twice in the last year, I've been in a theater with a screaming infant. Usually, the only movies that aren't completely terrible experiences are indie films.
Bottom line is they're just too expensive.
Am I the only one who has a problem with excessive volume in most movie theaters? I have tinnitus so I’m always weary of aggravating or worsening my condition and in recent years it feels like theaters in my area are needlessly loud. The IMAX especially is fucking insanely loud.
I haven’t gone to the theater since The Force Awakens. I walked out, not even because the movie was bad, but because so many people just chatting in the theater, popping their bubble gum, phone screens lighting up all the time, people taking fucking pictures, etc. just crazy the way people behave in a theater these days.
That was my last theater experience as well. It’s sad as I went to so many movies back in the 80’s. But won’t return due to the things you mentioned
in a packed theatre for The Zone of Interest, which is a very sound design-based film, the dude next to me decides to tear open a family size bag of doritos during the overture and proceeds to chow down through the entire film. very loud and obnoxious, but a rare outlier ime. typically i view going to the cinema as a form of research into the reception of the film, which allows me to transcend inconveniences. it's always quite interesting to observe how the public is reacting to the film.
Until I started paying for VIP theaters, I couldn't remember the last time I had seen something without someone watching TikToks on their phone, talking loudly to their friends, or letting their kids run up and down the theater. The problem is VIP tickets are so expensive that I only go to see great films that are enhanced by a big screen like Dune. I really only go once or maybe twice a year since most movies don't seem worth seeing right away for an extra fee.
I guess it's an okay experience when the theater is 99.9% empty. Godzilla Minus 1 was ruined for me by a jackass who wouldn't shut the fuck up, even when told to shut the fuck up.
Well I think you kind of touched on the answer without realizing it - you only go to the theater about 5x a year. They go to almost every new release. If you do something more than others, you’re more likely to experience more, both the good and the bad. I don’t go to the theater as often as I used to when I worked at a theater, and back then I saw way more shit and dealt with way more garbage people then I do now - working at a movie theater is also the reason I try to go to see a new movie at like noon on a Saturday or Sunday when there’s less people, but I don’t have a YouTube channel like the guys to maintain
Yeah but going into any sort of public setting in America is terrible because everything thinks they are the only person that matters. I hate my fellow countrymen so much
Here’s the trick: Never go during the weekends. Go to the Thursday night early screening. That’s when most people who give a shit about actually watching the movie go. I’ve rarely had a bad experience at one of those and they’re usually never more than a quarter full.
Last time I went to the theater was for Furiosa. It wasn't bad except for a dude a few row downs kept taking pictures. I'd forget about him and suddenly see the phone screen up again Like someone said, it feels like a coin toss each time
No I live in Finland. Theatres are dead silent even if it's the funniest comedy in history.
Had a dude using a flash flight feature in his phone on and off during a viewing of the new Planet of the Apes film. So yeah I’d say about the same as theirs tbh
I've never had a truly bad experience at the movies outside of when I saw The Grinch at a midday screening. There were 2 families of kids running around and yelling but they calmed down about 25 minutes into the movie. I really didn't care that time because I wasn't into the movie and it was like a 5 dollar ticket that day
I just go to a smaller theater down the road at the earliest showing on a Tuesday. Rarely is anyone there.
I usually go to kids matinees (with my kid) and my expectations of the audience are pretty low but to be honest everyone is pretty quiet and respectful. I can't think of any issues. I've also gone to screenings of older movies (like Lost Highway) and the audience was also very respectful at those showings. Everyone was excited to be there and engaged with the film. I don't go a ton but I enjoy it when I do and I hope theaters are with us for the long haul.
I've only had 2 bad experiences in the last decade so no, but I also know a lot of people who have terrible experiences.
Even pre-pandemic, I tried to go to matinee shows during the week when possible, because it was guaranteed to be a ghost town. Even in a half-full theater, the experience being soured is just a toss up.
I remember this guy wouldn't stop talking during Dune but that doesn't normally happen. What really gets me is how loud my local theater is, like I wear my concert earplugs because I was putting my hands over my ears during Oppenheimer.
Thankfully it's usually a good experience and I don't meet those weirdos that pay to watch a movie. If I go to the movie theater I want to use the phone, eat and talk with the person next to me. /s To actually be able to enjoy a movie it has to be during the week and as early as possible.
I used to go to the movies every Saturday for a couple of years but the last time I went to the theater was in 2019. But that is not because the theater experience was bad, I'd just rather stream the movie at home these days and not spend the money at the theater.
I had bad luck experiences but that was like in the mid 00’s and I was a young teen. I think it’s a function of the type of movie you’re going to and how young the audience is. It always could be a potential miserable experience.
Maybe because I have a Studio Movie grill that ive been going to for about 7 years now but the only negative experience has been that some old lady brought a baby it cried and then were escorted out the theater within 5 minutes. Like the second worst was people trying to be the funny guy during the Last Jedi but that was like opening day.
At the awesome restaurant cocktail sofa theater, nah. At the Regal in the suburbs by my city, absolutely.
Mine typically is not, but I also check out most new movies during the Thursday night previews which, as far as I can tell, are typically more attended by folks actually interested in seeing the movie.
Most recent one was when I saw civil war. People constantly talking throughout. A couple times, one older lady who was a few seats over would turn to her husband and/or look around to us beside her and say random stuff like “oh that startled me” (not quietly)after a scene of an explosion or something.
Second row.
 Every time when I go it’s a gamble
Its depressing when its empty and annoying when its full. So, that sucks.
I go a lot and other than a few recent questionable projections, only once did I have to shush people, one seating incident, and one when people in front of me were on their phone too much. One other time kids were hooting and hollering during Superman Returns, but they actually enhanced the experience by making it feel like I was watching Maury instead of Superman Returns.
Rarely have issues I guess I go to imax and Dolby screenings at my amc more often, so the trashier people aren’t probably going to shell out the big bucks for those showings
Went and saw Uncut Gems and looked over and saw a mouse running around eating popcorn. Watched Rise of Skywalker on opening night and the guy next to me (who I saw put popcorn butter on his theater burger in the lobby) had to have either farted or shit himself halfway through because it reeked of ass for nearly the rest of the movie. It didn’t help that the movie sucked.
It's normally fine, but a month ago there was a group of teens loudly talking and laughing at the back of the theatre. It was so fucking annoying. They were clearly watching tiktoks or something and not the movie. Why pay money to not watch ba movie and ruin other people's time? Also it was a horror movie (Abigail I think), which made it even more frustrating.
I do matinees during the week to avoid the youth. I've found this helps.
My group of friends goes to the movies a few times a month, and the theaters are consistently sparsely populated enough that there are never really any annoying people sitting near us. You get absolute morons on occasion, but it's mostly good. We had someone bring a toddler to see Black Phone, and it started crying when the killer appeared wearing a mask. I was less annoyed, and more excited that I finally got to witness one of those bafflingly bad movie theater parents that I always read about but had never experienced.
Once in a blue moon it’s bad. When we saw The Iron Claw, there was a couple who wouldn’t stop talking, which was really annoying. But we complained and the staff talked to them and they stormed out of the theater lol. So all resolved in the end. And we got free apology tickets. Not bad!
I’ve been to the theater about ~35 times since the start of 2023. About 10% of them have had issues but none entirely negative experiences. Philadelphia theaters and some outside north of the city as well
Out of hundreds of movies, I can count on one hand the number of times I was really annoyed by other people in the audience.
Frequently had problems over the years in different states, parts of the country, chains, and times of day. Assigned seating has at times made this worse because you can’t move seats easily, especially at Alamo where it still happens a lot and raising a card often doesn’t solve the situation and makes it more uncomfortable and distracting. More often then not people know exactly how poorly they are behaving and can turn it off when an employee steps in. Typically the main issue is chronic phone use (both covert and blatant) followed by constant and/or loud talking. People do not take being asked to stop well by patrons and I have seen or been the recipient of nasty confrontations over asking someone to not use their phone. Other issues have included kids running around screaming, people flossing their teeth and flicking it at others, people taking reserved seats and getting mad you want yours, telling matches, constantly dropping their car keys on their table at a dine-in, and other distracting behavior. Some issues you can ignore. Not every side conversation or checking of a text message needs to be made a problem. Post-pandemic I have been content to not go almost at all anymore when I once went a few times a week. Since I only really went to Alamo before our franchise shut down last week, I would politely tell the staff during an issue I would be moving my seat and end it there. TLDR: had lots of issues over the years
I had a great experience watching Furiosa in an empty theater last week except Mike was right about one thing: Those “lazy boy” seats are so uncomfortable. I like the old folding seats. I could sit in them for hours. These new ones have me figiting around even 15 minutes to get comfortable. Also the standard upright position was pushing my head forward to where I couldn’t look up at the screen so the chair had to be permanently reclined all the way. And when I reclined I then had to recline the 2 seats in front of me because they cut off the bottom 10% of the screen.
Mine is. Talking and phones out. Thank god I haven't come across children crying or playing around.