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A Case For Why Movie-Theater Experience Is Still Worth the Effort (theverge.com)
It's all but confirmed that major Hollywood studios are chalking out plans to make movies available in the home mere weeks after their theatrical debuts. Some director and producers, including Christopher Nolan of Inception, The Dark Knight, The Prestige and Interstellar fame are seemingly opposed to the idea, urging people to watch movies at the theaters for "best experience." The Verge has an article today in which it lists 10 reasons it thinks people should not stop going to the cinema halls. From the article, condensed for space:
1. The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
5. A massive speaker system.
6. Previews.
7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable channels, running a Netflix comedy show in the background while you do dishes, or half-assedly watching an Adventure Time marathon while stoned.
8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
10. Bragging rights.
1. The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
5. A massive speaker system.
6. Previews.
7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable channels, running a Netflix comedy show in the background while you do dishes, or half-assedly watching an Adventure Time marathon while stoned.
8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
10. Bragging rights.
But is it worth my the effort?
Main reason not to go, in Los Angeles at least, are disruptive, annoying and inconsiderate people.
Once only studio execs had bitchin' screening rooms at home; now thanks to technology we all do, and besides, free beer at home!
Did you ever wake up in the morning, with a Zombie Woof behind your eyes? -- FZ
"A Case For Why Movie-Theater Experience Is Still Worth Your the Effort"
Good job, guys.
The modern movie-going experience is horrible. Bad food at a high-price, noisy patrons and then finally when you get situated you are bombarded with obnoxious advertising. Seriously? I'll take a home experience any day of the week than be stuck in some dark TGIFridays-like tacky environment.
-_-
I have a ridiculous set of Tannoys in 5.1 setup at home. The movie theater only wishes it had my speakers :-)
11. The assholes in front of you holding up their bright cellphones to record or take pictures.
12. The assholes behind you talking through the movie.
13. The price for 4 tickets plus snacks would buy a year of Netflix.
If the poisoner is getting less business, that's a good thing.
Movie theaters were successful because people had no option to view a movie otherwise. Sorry guys but theaters are going the way of the dodo bird. If anything enthusiasts will start clubs with small projectors etc but there will be no demand for what we have now.
love is just extroverted narcissism
Seriously? Teenagers on their phones are 10x more distracting than anything in my living room. Who the hell stopped watching a movie to pay the electric bill?! This list is full of shit.
I can pause the movie to go piss.
I can go make popcorn and buy candy at a fraction of the price.
I can sit and rip on my bong at any time I like.
You can keep the theaters. Hasn't been anything worth that kind of money in over a decade, anyway.
1. The big screen. - My poor neck.
2. People everywhere. - Making noise, talking on their phone, a baby crying in a R rated movie...
3. Focus. - Painfully holding in my piss.
4. Relentlessness. - Still painfully holding in my piss.
5. A massive speaker system. - My poor ears, no volume control.
6. Previews. - Ads.
7. Disruption. - Um, disruption is a bad thing.
8. Alone time. - I'm with people who the fuck wrote this.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark. - Diabetes woooo!
10. Bragging rights. - People brag about going to the movies? How sad.
The best reason to go see a film in a theater is because it's a camp film.
For example: Snakes on a Plane is much better in a theater than at home. It's something about the vibe in the theater during those films. It's kind of like a live action MST3K.
One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
1. The big screen. Have a big screen at home, all THX like and stuff ... what did they say ?
2. People everywhere. find them annoying so not a plus
3. Focus. if the movie sucks enough that paying bills is a valid option... its a valid option
4. Relentlessness. right... oops i dropped that popcorn down (or whatever)
5. A massive speaker system. got it
6. Previews. you mean advertising? not missing it
7. Disruption. you are doing it wrong
8. Alone time. its a cherished time for me at home too
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark. and thats a PLUS?
10. Bragging rights. about what? wtf
Ed. Note: This list not valid in Aurora, Colorado.
Consistency is only a virtue if you're not a screw-up.
IMO (and the consensus in the comments on the last story): the only theaters worth going to are Drafthouse-style restaurant/bar theaters. In which case you're basically paying for a night out with friends at a bar and the movie itself is almost a secondary draw.
10 Reasons Not To Go:
1. The big screen. You can barely see the whole thing without turning your head, especially if you get stuck near the front.
2. People everywhere. They spend all movie talking and kicking your seat.
3. Focus. Because most movies have boring parts.
4. Relentlessness.Because 2 hours is a long time to go without using the toilet.
5. A massive speaker system. Louder isn't always better, and it still isn't loud enough to drown out cell phones.
6. Previews. What a waste of time, watching all the best parts of movies I don't even want to see.
7. Disruption. Pizza is here!
8. Alone time. Even in a dim movie theater it's hard to get off.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark. At least my floors at home aren't sticky.
10. Bragging rights.
Yeah, doesn't everybody just love price-gouging at its most absurd? Not sure if it's that or not allowing outside food into the theater that I like the most about the "experience".
1. The big screen.
A projector gives you the same field of view at home and with better control of your height in relation to the screen.
2. People everywhere.
As my rapid breathing on reading this can attest, this is a huge NEGATIVE for many people.
3. Focus.
Do most movies DESERVE your full focus? At home the degree of focus you give an be proportionate to the amount the movie deserves.
I have no trouble fully focusing on GOOD movies at home, you just need to darken the room well.
4. Relentlessness.
That one aspect I will give you, though even the most modest level of self control can put down the remote for a whole movie no matter what.
5. A massive speaker system. ... that sucks balls. Seriously you could spend $100-$200 and have better sound than most theaters offer, with much greater control over OMG BASE levels.
6. Previews.
trailers.apple.com. But seriously after you've seen trailers once if you go to ANY more movies you are watching the same trailers over and over and over again, for well over a half hour before the actual movie starts. A massive waste of time.
7. Disruption.
Again, dim the room. You can easily create a special space around movie watching.
8. Alone time.
Hey what happened to the value of #2? That's right, even the list writer admits that PEOPLE SUCK.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
Home can be dark too, and you can have a lot more (or less) than 32oz of... WHATEVER YOU DESIRE.
10. Bragging rights.
*rolling eyes now*
If you mean that you've seen a movie when most others have not, bravo. That puts you right up there with every torrent user on earth. You want to brag about being on-par with heavy torrent users, really?
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
1. Nice, but still easily enjoyable on a regular TV
2. Loud, crowded, if you need to go to the bathroom you have to move in front of people or, if you sit on the end, people are always disturbing you.
3. If you lose focus at home, just rewind
4. At home you can rewatch a particularly enjoyable/tense/scary scene
5. That is usually too loud
6. Unskippable ads
7. What's more disrupting than missing part of the movie to get a refill, go to the bathroom, or have other people distracting you?
8. How do you have quality alone time in a room full of people?
9. Or go to the store and get a 2-liter for half the price of theater drinks, not to mention whatever food/snack you like
10. Who gives a shit?
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
1. The big screen. - I have one at home... with 7.1 sound.
2. People everywhere. - Kicking my chair.... coughing, using cell phones.... etc... ruins the movie.
3. Focus. - People walking in the isles, I cant pause, see #2
4. Relentlessness. - I do not want to be trapped in my seat, thanks though...
5. A massive speaker system. - I have one
6. Previews. - You tube
7. Disruption - See #2
8. Alone time. - Even better at home on the couch.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark - Really?
10. Bragging rights - can still have them by watching at home.
5 out of 6 people enjoy Russian Roulette & 6 out of 7 Dwarfs are not Happy
Ok I'm not a theater person but I did see the last Star Trek movie in XD (4K 3d). The 3d effect was alright but seeing 4K on a big screen was incredible. Every detail was in focus, you could make out the text on displays all around the ship.
Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
1.The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
I have a large screen and projector.
2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
I don't like a lot of people. The ones I do are welcome to my house any time to watch a movie.
3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
Already paid the electric bill, that's why my projector is running.
4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
You have the same option to turn away from the worst in theatre, its just that you don't get a refund.
5. A massive speaker system.
Got it.
6. Previews.
I can always pause my add blocker.
7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable channels, running a Netflix comedy show in the background while you do dishes, or half-assedly watching an Adventure Time marathon while stoned.
Hmm Adventure Time is in theatre? At least if I get stoned and watch it at home I know I won't get arrested for public intox.
8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
How is this alone time?
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
I'll pass on the diabetes thanks. But if I wanted it I could have a whole 10 gallons of it for the same price.
10. Bragging rights.
You mean I can finally feel like a big boy if I go to the theatre?
32 oz of soda? That much sugar and caffeine are probably a big reason why people like going to the movies, who wouldn't feel good after absorbing that much calories and caffeine. No thanks.
If you live in/near a major city the theater is a goddamn trainwreck; the theater experience is nice if you live in/near a rich suburb. That's it. I just make a mental note to check if a movie is out for rental a couple months after release... If I remember.
moox. for a new generation.
Didn't we do this last week?!!
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
1. My friends big screen allows me to see the pores on the actors faces.
2. Annoying shits who should just go somewhere else.
3. I never pay bills while watching a movie, unless it's a really crappy movie.
4. I can pee when I need to and not miss anything.
5. Have you seen my friends surround system? I need earplugs!
6. That's what "swipe right" is for.
7. Hmm, I thought we were watching a movie. I don't know anybody who surfs channels while watching a movie at the same time.
8. Um, friends and family sitting next to me without wondering if we'll all be mowed down in our seats.
9. A nice HOT cup of tea thank you.
10. Loser.
Reasons to only go to the Alamo Drafthouse 1. Beer. Full bar. 2. Pretty good menu. 3. PSA's that are legendary. https://youtu.be/1L3eeC2lJZs 4. Nice big seats, lots of room.
load "$",8,1
I wonder who paid Verge to run this stupid article, and how much they got paid... I won two $10 giftcards for a large movie theater chain from a raffle and peddled them off on Craigslist for face value.. If/when a movie comes out I actually *want* to see, I wait till its on Redbox, rent it for the day, pop it in my DVD drive on the computer, rip it to my Plex media server and watch it from there on my bigscreen tv.. Haven't been in a theater in close to ten years and not planning on that changing.. Waiting now for Rogue One to hit Redbox (I understand April 11 is the date)...
THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
1. Large screens are fairly affordable at home. In fact, with the shorter viewing distance, the screen may fill more of your field of vision.
2. Other theater-goers are more likely to be a distraction than a benefit, based on my experiences.
3. Failing to focus on the movie is a personal issue. Understandably, this can be a problem for parents---but you can have someone watch the kids whether you go out or stay in.
4. I don't know anyone this applies to. I haven't seen anyone do this as far as I remember. Seems like they're stretching.
5. It is not difficult or expensive to setup a home audio system. This one might apply to someone who views relatively few movies and doesn't want to invest in a sound system.
6. Are they seriously selling commercials as a benefit? I can find those same previews on Youtube 99% of the time, and at home I can decide whether I want to watch them.
7. This is basically the same as #3. They are padding the list.
8. The social aspects of going to the theater are available for movie nights at home---or any number of other activities, like bars and hobbyist clubs.
9. Unhealthy eating habits are a bonus now? If you're an adult, I don't understand the special appeal of drinking soda in the theater. You can buy and drink enough soda to kill yourself if you want, and no one has the authority to stop you.
10. If paying $10-$15 for a 2-hour show is something you brag about, you need to reexamine your life. Exception for enthusiastic fans---if you simply can't wait another day to see that movie, it's worth some pocket change to scratch that itch.
---
According to the latest ruleset, this post should be modded as Vorpal Flamebait +5.
(I've learned to not take that 32-ounce cola into a film, for just that reason).
Holy fucking fuck, what a bullshit article. Did movie studios pay for that? How can ANYONE possibly believe the BULLSHIT they wrote?
A mere 20 comments here so far and already 5 people have demolished the list in much the same way. Allow me to pic ONE point from TFA itself:
Focus... In the movie theater, all you have is your chair, any snacks you brought or bought, and the movie youâ(TM)re there to watch.
ARE YOU FUCKING HIGH? What planet do you watch movies on? Fucking LIAR! Yeah, there are no distractions in the theater... except for idiots talking, and idiots who bring kids and babies to loud-ass grown-up movies late at night, and people using their phones, and people going in and out in front of you, and the doors in the back opening and letting in light and sound, and people messing with their leg position in the newly-installed powered recliners, and...
Fuck you, The Verge. That article is thoroughly dishonest and does not deserve to be called journalism. As an opinion piece, it is EASILY picked apart. As anything else, it doesn't even qualify.
Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
This is a clickbait listicle. I actually hope that the verge has some kind of revenue sharing or other deal with slashdot now, because this is ridiculously stupid.
Yes, these are also my reasons for not wanting to go to a movie theater.
There is nothing like watching something awful on a REALLY big screen.
Right, a major bummer. Could even be #1.
A complete lack of focus is pretty much a certainty in a stinky, noisy, blurry-screen theater.
Yes, a big screen and (5) below will intensify the worst parts of the average garbage movie.
No one in their right mind wants this. And after I was assaulted (damaging my hearing), I want this much much less than the average person.
Spoilers.
Disruption.
Did you mean this in the Pee Wee Herman sense of the phrase?
In a dark suit?
32 ounces of diabetes is not my idea of fun.
Stupid brags as stupid does.
I come here for the love
If theaters want people to come back, they need to have 21+ only screenings of PG-13 and R movies on opening weekend.
Obnoxious kids and crying babies in theaters is what drives people away. And since most of the money for a theater is made on opening weekend, that would be the time to not drive paying customers away.
Those people can still come, but those people who don't want to deal with them, need that option.
Work Safe Porn
5. A massive speaker system.
The quiet scenes are too low, and the loud scenes are too high. Modern sound engineers are terrible.
So not only is half of my screen presently covered with previously absent ads when I read /., but now the stories themselves are also thinly veiled advertisements, this one for going to the movie theater of all things.
What the hell guys?
When the only tool you have is a claw hammer every problem starts to look like the back of someone's skull.
1. In some cases, but perceived screen size is relative to your distance from it. A medium-sized TV can sufficiently fill my visual field as long as I'm not sitting clear across the room from it. Maybe not quite the same, but close enough for me. Bonus: My sofa's comfier than most theater chairs - and less sticky - and no tall people ever sit in front of me at home and block a corner of the screen (except the cat sometimes).
2. I don't need a group of people telling me when to laugh, thank you very much. My own emotional acuity is perfectly adequate for my enjoyment. When I do want company for a movie, friends and family make for a much more enjoyable shared experience than the random crowds of strangers at the theater.
3. I honestly can't relate to this issue. If you can't ignore your electronics long enough to watch a two or three hour movie, you may need to disconnect for a while.
4. Also can't relate, although I know there are many people like that. But even in the theater you can close your eyes and plug your ears to avoid the scary (my wife does this). Bonus: Watching at home is less relentless in bad ways; in a theater you can't pause to use the restroom or rewind to catch important missed dialog.
5. Theather-quality home speaker systems can be prohibitively expensive, but you can still get good quality for the price even on a budget. I'm not much of an audiophile, though, and am reasonably content with a $100 2.1 sound bar. YMMV.
6. Previews? Ick. I deliberately arrive a couple minutes late to avoid previews. If you like them so much, watch the ones you want on YouTube, not the limited selection they offer before your movie. I don't like paying to be advertised to.
7. Again, can't really relate. I can see how that would affect some people, but I don't watch a lot on the TV so sitting down to a movie really does feel like a time that's set apart. YMMV.
8. TRUE alone time at home, with your significant other, is also a cherished pastime and WITHOUT all those annoying "other people." Not everyone likes crowds - in fact, some of us *hate* them and go out of our way to avoid them.
9. Why not 32 ounces of diabet... er... cola in the dark that I don't have to pay $10 for? At home I can have full access to all my favorite snacks, on the cheap, no smuggling required.
10. Huh? Do you also brag that you wandered Walmart for 30 minutes trying to decide on a nice pillow to buy, instead of just getting one on Amazon in 5 minutes? Unless it's a premier showing of Star Wars, Star Trek, or some other suitably awesome movie, there are no bragging rights attached to watching a movie in the theater. And even then it's negligible.
Wow. If they want me to go see movies more, then make the cost be reasonable and less confusing for people to pick where to go.
For example, in my area, there are 5 AMC theaters close by. Each one has at least 4 ways to see movies, some have 6. On their site, its hard to tell sometimes what the difference is, other than 2 are for 3D movies and 2 are for "regular" (or 3 and 3 for the 6 theater). So I decide I want to see the noon showing of movie X. That used to be a lower cost. Nope, not anymore that is now $10 for cheap / lowest end viewing. You want Atmos (spelling?) sound, that is $15. IMAX is $17. Real 3D is $17.50 and IMAX 3D is $18.50. This does not cound the new GDX or 4K that they are offering....
Oh you want a 32 oz drink, that is $10....
So for me to see the cheap movie X, I am out $25 right off the bat. Oh but wait, you have a new fee (they did get new reserved seating) which is $1.50 per seat, and you have to pay 9% tax on all three items (movie, drink, and seat fee), since the local market hits you with 2% more for "entertainment" and "food". So its almost $30.
Easier to wait, and go big, buying the Bluray/DVD/Digital copy, and still save money.
Last year, before all the theaters upgraded, we were able to see a movie for $5, and get a soda for $5 (still a little high, but that is at least bearable).
Anybody else feel like The Verge should have stopped at 7 reasons?
I can pause the movie whenever I want to go to the bathroom or get another drink/snack.
Once only studio execs had bitchin' screening rooms at home; now thanks to technology we all do
You mean the same execs that are now telling us that we should watch films at the cinema and not at home? I suspect the only experience they are worried we might miss is the one which involves a large transfer of money from us to them and personally I think that's an experience I am happy to miss out on.
I haven't built my screen yet but I got myself an Epsom HD740 refurbished for $400. https://epson.ca/Clearance-Cen...
After hooking it up and just testing on a wall with a 120"+ diagonal display and at about 12 feet way I got the same movie theater feeling watching when testing with The Matrix
Things I can do at home while watching a movie
Fuck my wife on the couch while watching the movie.
Smoke all the weed we want.
Do some rails
Trip on shrooms in a safe familiar place
Drink beer
Fuck some more on the couch
Cheap munchies
Watch the movie with my cats and dogs.
I personally don't give a flying fuck about movie theaters, just give me the movie/dvd/BR on release day for $25.
by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
... then they are screwed.
We still go to the theater occasionally - it's kinda fun if done once in awhile and the theaters near me don't tend to have the "problem people", and I like movie theater popcorn - but watching from the convenience and comfort of my home is just really, really tough to beat.
The weakness of this list is itself a testament to why people like to watch stuff at home.
Some of these are a little valid but more are BS:
1) Sort of valid but then big screens are available at home these days. It is all about size vs distance, you don't need as big a screen if you are close.
2) Can be nice but can be hell. Yes watching movies with friends is nice (can do that at home) but other people are often inconsiderate.
3) ...what? You can be as focused, or not, as you want at home or at the theater.
4) This is just dumb.
5) This is not an advantage IMO. Not because I dislike good sound, but I have a big system at home that'll do THX reference (105dB SPL) levels. Thing is, my system is properly calibrated and set at the right level. Theaters, IMAX in particular, like to turn it up too loud. There is, in fact, a "right" level for movies they are encoded with absolute sound level data.
6) Fuck you.
7) I have less distributions at home. I can focus in on the movie with nobody else bothering me. At the theater, other people control how much focus I can have.
8) Wait, what? I'm not even sure what they are arguing. Also I'd say you get better quality time with a friend/loved one at home than in a theater.
9) I'm not sure if he's aware, but all major soda vendors sell their products at all major retailers. It proves to be very easy to get whatever brand of cola you like at home. 32oz cups are easy to buy as well.
10) Again, fuck you.
If these are the 10 best reasons, then theaters are doomed.
Is the news so slow today that they must fall back to this waste of time? Or was this an attempt to show more advertisements on the website by trolling the readers with stupid claims to get them to go to the comments page?
Most of the negs come from the theater letting assholes shit on the pussies. (looking at you)
I live in Florida where asshole theater patrons HAVE been shot!
The theater owners need to return to controlling this.
It is still a community activity.
It gives you something to talk about with your friends in family, that does not include work or housework.
Took my family to see the new Power Rangers movie yesterday at my local Cineplex Movie Theater. Haven't been there in almost a year.
There was a grand total of 6 people in there, including my family of 4.
... stupid people and their smartphones. You can list all the reasons in favor that you want, but more often than not, somewhere during the movie, someone thinks that whatever is going on on his/her smartphone is so important that the entire theater should be interrupted from their enjoyment of the movie.
Why is the Verge shilling for Movie Theaters/companies? I know why I still go to see movie's in theaters and I don't need the Verge to tell me, though maybe the Movie companies could do a better job of this themselves. More to the point though, if they want my money, especially at the exorbitant prices they charge for popcorn, coke etc. is 'make a good movie & stop recycling old fodder/making endless sequels'...
I thought that was 10 ounces of ice, 20 ounces of water and 2 ounce of normal strength cola. Better known as badly flavored water. All for only $4.
Or we could just pick up a 32 ounces of actual normal strength cola from the store for maybe $1.25 to drink at home. Maybe even get another 64 ounces for still less than the price you will pay at the theater.
Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon what's the difference? All steal money from devs and control with walled gardens.
People everywhere
Sometimes this is a plus, but 9 times out of ten it is just annoying.
Focus
Speaking of focus. Occasionally the picture is slightly out of focus. Annoying as hell.
A massive speaker system
This is usually a positive, but sometimes they turn it up too loud. That does not make a pleasant experience at all, and this just doesn't happen at home.
Previews
How about starting the movie at the advertised time instead?
Disruption
Was this not covered by Focus? Not once have disruptions been a worse problem at home than at the theater...
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark. 10. Bragging rights.
Who the hell are they trying to sell this to?
I still enjoy going to the movies, but those reasons just suck.
Take an afternoon off from work if you can, and go to the afternoon show. 500 seats and 27 people. That is how you get a good movie experience.
If I'm paying a premium to see the movie, you could at least have the courtesy of not showing 15 minutes of advertisements that completely spoil the next 5 movies. Movie theaters, limit yourself to 10 seconds per trailer for 3 trailers max, and I might be willing to go to theaters more often.
If you show me a 2 minute preview, I will wait at least 5 years to see your movie, so that I'll have time to forget the spoilers you showed me.
The person upwind of you believes bathing in perfume negates the need to bath in water.
I think not, a decent Home Theater Room will still set you back 20-40K and require you dedicate space in your home to said HT. Even at $12 a pop 20K will pay for a hell of a lot of movie tickets,
4K Projector 10K
Good 120" screen 1K
HT receiver ATMOS Capable 2K
Speaker System 3K
Subwoofer 1K
Installation costs 5-10K
Those are mid-range HT parts. It goes up from there. And damn the 2yr old HT receiver doesn't support HDR pass-through, now you need a new receiver.
A 65" screen with a soundbar does not equal a Home Theater.
(My wife has a serious pause button abuse issue)
The preceding post was not a Slashvertisement.
We're not going to vote on whether or not I go to the movie theater. I really don't give a shit why other people like it or don't.
-Dave
I'm still waiting to see other content on all those digital screens. Sports, concerts... Netflix and HBO series!
Studios shorten release windows or do simultaneous releases, which is fine, but do undermine theater's businesses. And theaters stick to only (mostly) movie content? I must be missing something...
Ads. Ads. ADS. ADS. The only time I went to the theater to see a movie in the last 5 years was recently to see Logan. Mainly because I had the day off, the kids were in school, and my wife and I went together. It was the opening show, by total chance because we went on a whim. Luckily it was at 11AM and the local theater had $5 movies before noon, so it was a great start.
We got there right at 11, it wasn't crowded so we found good seats, and the lights came down.
After watching advertisement after advertisement, from car dealerships to restaurants, and two from the movie theater chain itself, they started in on the previews. I don't usually mind them, and they weren't that annoying. Then MORE ads, including YET ANOTHER one for the movie theater chain. Not just a simple logo or slogan, but a minute or two advertisement for their great movie experience. It had been about 25 minutes and I was almost ready to walk out I was so pissed.
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
Some cultural communities consume entertainment differently than do others: some talk back to the screen, interact with the story line with a constant stream of utterances, talking amongst themselves, talking on cell phones.
Some cultural communities have a small translating the entire movie, line by line, for a group of adults.
The only real reason is because movies come out there first.
If you care about movies, your home setup is probably more comfortable and customized and to your liking than a theater anyway. And if you don't care that much, then you probably don't care how much better a theater is either.
You can posture all you want, but we watched Blockbuster, an empire rise and fall on the backs of people willing to watch ~333 pixel tall half-worn-out VHS tapes every damn weekend.
4k digital cinemas have almost no resolution gap with a 4k tv, and 2k digital cinemas are barely higher resolution than 1080p... Compare that to the gap between a 35mm cinema and a VHS tape.
1. The big screen. Yeah, my 72" screen at 6 foot takes up the same amount or MORE of my visual space than that 120ft screen at 50ft. 4k projectors are getting cheaper, and I'm more than happy with 1080p.
2. People everywhere. - This isn't a positive. They talk, use their phones, get up and block my view, etc..
3. Focus. If the movie is worth paying attention to, I've never had this problem. And I suffer from ADD - squirrel!
4. Relentlessness. Yeah , not a problem.
5. A massive speaker system. 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound at 100+db is louder than the movie theatre, and actually give just as good separation..
6. Previews. - worst part about going to a movie
7. Disruption. Good thing, your kid starts screaming, and you don't have to miss part of the movie. You don't have to deal with other people in the theatre to distract you and disrupt your experience.
8. Alone time. So by alone time, you mean not spending your time alone?.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark. - I have 32 oz cups, and they don't look at me weird when I bring a six pack at home...
10. Bragging rights. - who brags about seeing things in the theatre?
It can be $24-$45 for a couple to see a movie in a theater (depending on the city/movie screen, i got these numbers by comparing movie ticket prices for 'Ghost in the Shell' in Denver for standard, 3D, and 3D+RPX movie theaters) Plus everything you can buy in terms of food at a theater STARTS at 3$. For two snacks and a drink that is AT LEAST $9 probably closer to $15.
That comes out to $35-$60 for a couple to be entertained for at least 90 min (yeah a 90 min movie costs the same price as a 150 min movie). That is a LOT of dough for todays millennial debt-burdened customers to cough up. Yeah yeah i know the theaters and studios will talk about inflation, rising production costs, challenging economic times etc. The point is if they don't work together to reduce these costs then the dwindling audience for movies will continue to decline.
Sadly they don't seem to be working together. The studios constantly try to push movie ticket prices up, giving less and less of a % to the theaters, while the theaters try to push the concession prices up and up to make ends meet.
I really want to know. Here in Berlin/Germany cinemas charge about 5€ (US$ 5.33) for one liter (I think that's the equivalent of 32 ounces) Coca Cola or Pepsi.
Signature deleted by lameness filter.
The last time I went to a movie I brought earplugs (and could still hear everything perfectly). This is a major reason I avoid theaters.
1. The big screen.
And no subtitles, or at least no subtitle system that doesn't burn up your eye muscles trying to focus at vastly different distances.
2. People everywhere.
Talking on their phones and to each other during the show, answering texts, spilling popcorn and soda all over the place and talking to each other during the show. and incidentally getting you charged with assault if you nudge them to call their attention to the above facts.
3. Focus.
Matter of pure choice on the part of the viewer.
4. Relentlessness.
Matter of viewer attention. See item 3.
5. A massive speaker system.
As if I really need more hearing damage than I have. These days theater speakers are set for rock concert volumes.
6. Previews.
These are nothing more than paid-for advertising which you frequently forget about by the time the movie being advertised comes out.
7. Disruption.
See items 3 and 4 above. Also, if a movie can't hold your attention to begin with, it's already not worth watching.
8. Alone time.
Huh? My family and I watch DVD movies together every weekend. We cherish it.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
And insulin injections in the light of morning. There are very few theater snacks which aren't on my doctor's KOS list..
10. Bragging rights.
WTF? Just how many movies these days are worth bragging about?
Follow the money. Who owns the theater chains? What do they own?
Watch this hand... I'll be picking your pocket with the other.
The real reason?
They are trying to avoid ANY political story because it will quickly become a cluster. It has been found out over the last couple days that Susan Rice, who worked on Obama's West Wing in the White House, actually did spy on the Trump administration before and after the election. All the Russian collusion stuff was a lie to justify it and distract, while Trump's wiretapping comments look like they might be completely true.
So you will see /. avoid any story that "might" mention Trump for the next week at least. They don't want people who read /. and are not politically motivated to know how completely corrupt the DNC has become. This is literally a full Watergate level controversy and does not look good for the DNC.
Went to a viewing of Rogue One and they had the volume cranked to 11, it made me miserable as hell. I left the theater with ringing ears and a massive headache.
I could not tell where the action was at due to the muddy imaging of the sound.
TURN IT DOWN PEOPLE!!
I plan to watch Ghost In The Shell and take earplugs along.
First rule of holes; When in one, stop digging.
What I hate more than anything else about going to the theater is the ads and previews. When I was a kid, if the movie start time was 7:30 that meant the movie started at 7:30. You get there at 7:40 and you missed something. Now they run ads from 30 minutes before the start time to 10 minutes after. Then they pile on 6 to 8 previews. After the previews it's another ad or two, followed by an announcement to shut your phone off that everyone ignores. Last movie I saw it was 24 minutes after the start time before the movie actually started. I never arrive at a theater before the start time anymore.
A theater size screen requires a large room which provides a physical setting/vibe you can't get at home. A computer monitor with headphones, a large screen in a home, and a movie theater can all provide the same field of view with relative comfort and good audio but the experience for each is slightly different. For increasing numbers I suppose the unique theater experience isn't really worth it, but for some it probably always will.
1. The ridiculous ticket prices, when compared to subsequent rental or blu-ray purchase.
2. The ridiculous snack bar prices. $6.50 for 30 cents worth of popcorn? $5 for a paper cup of fizzy corn-sweetener water?
3. The talking idiots behind you. you cannot shut them up. the theater does not care.
4. The texting idiots in front of you. phone screen as bright at a truck headlight in a dark theater. inconsiderate wankers don't care.
5. the uncomfortable sardine seating (in most theaters, some have better seating but for most, there is very little personal space)
6. the box-office lines. 50 people in line and one math-challenged high-schooler making change.
7. parking at the theater. hundreds of yards from the door at many big movie-plexes.
8. driving to the theater. so much more time-efficient to never leave the house.
9. the fact that at most theaters YOU CAN'T GET A BEER. (...most... not all... and when you can it is disruptive to those around you.)
10. the fact that you cannot pause the film to answer a nature call.
I've got a 75" TV with watts and watts of 7.1 audio. A nice comfortable recliner. Privacy to do what ever I want when the film plays. Beer, liquor, munchies, a clean bathroom just steps away. I don't know why anybody goes to the movie theater at all any more, I'd rather sit on a hill of fire ants. Movies at home are awesome.
there are 3 kinds of people:
* those who can count
* those who can't
Ah, you mean the reason I wear earplugs when I go to the movies?
When someone says, "Any fool can see
Why is it that whenever I legally watch a movie the studios shove a bunch of previews at me that I can't skip through? You go to the movies and you sit through a bunch of them. I have a bunch of DVDs that force you to watch previews and that wonderful FBI warning about privacy. It's especially bad because for that movie I bought 10 years ago I think that movie that was coming soon has already come and gone but I'm stuck watching it. (Well I would be if I hadn't ripped it onto my computer.)
The studios attitude seems to be that whenever they have paying customers then they need to piss the customers off.
1. The big screen. If you don't have a good sized TV of your own.
2. People everywhere. Yeah no. People can go away.
3. Focus. If you lack an attention span.
4. Relentlessness. If you can't turn the lights off when you watch.,
5. A massive speaker system. Stupidly overloud effects and no volume control? no thanks!
6. Previews. yeah no, i don't want to spend 30-45 minutes on ads and previews. that's what a fast forward button is for.
7. Disruption. Need to pee. pause. off you go.
8. Alone time. Yeah but you can't do it naked..
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark. If you don't value your health.
10. Bragging rights. If you're five.
1. The big screen.
Ah yes the screen is big, but the projector is digital in most theatres. I can see jagged pixels and strangely jerky flow to action scenes. Yuck.
2. People everywhere.
Haha no.
3. Focus.
OK I see people fucking around with their phones at EVERY film, you name it, somebody has found a distraction. And their distraction becomes my distraction. At home I dim the lights (where available) and really dig into some movies. My focus at home is far more intense than in the theatre, which is why I sometimes discover a film I thought was only so-so in the theatre is actually quite brilliant when I get to really focus on it at home.
4. Relentlessness.
True Story: I was watching Return of the Jedi when it went to the big screen in 1997, the line "My son is with them. Are you sure? I have felt him." some jackass in the back row yelled out at top volume "THAT'S SICK!", everyone in the theatre laughed and the tension of the scene was utterly destroyed thanks to one hilarious bastard
5. A massive speaker system.
Great if its actually working and actually calibrated. Most theatres I've been to lately present blown-sounding subwoofers and barely audible mid-range. Again from experience when I saw the first Matrix sequel there was a significant short and all I could hear was interference, it was SO BAD I couldn't hear any of the speech The Architect character gave (upon home viewing I didn't miss anything)
6. Previews.
Are you for fucking real? ODDLY ENOUGH from my Star Wars Special Edition story above, one of the previews was for the original Austin Powers, the trailer made it look utterly awful, turns out it was one of the funniest films of that year. Trailers are annoying and rarely if ever represent what you'll actually get. A marketing tool that serves absolutely no functional purpose. Also let's face it if you open YouTube how many videos can you go before you are hit with some movie preview?
7. Disruption.
Disruption like an auditorium full of noisy easily distracted humans??
8. Alone time.
????!
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
When I saw Titanic (man I saw a lot of movies in 1997?) I ordered the Tubb O' Pop and was happily slurping it down and literally THE SECOND the ship hit that damned iceberg I had to piss or die. I couldn't wait, the one part of the movie I'd waded through other garbage to finally see and I HAD TO GO. So I did, and tried to rush back to my seat as quickly as possible but man, so much was missed. At home I just pause if I have to (which is rare because I don't abuse myself by cramming a liter of pop into my face over the course of one movie)
10. Bragging rights.
Heeeeey! Look at meeeeee! I just spent $40 to sit in a smelly claustrophobic room full of noisy distracted people so I could watch 30 minutes of commercials and then a movie I couldn't properly hear the dialog to that was projected at just enough of an odd angle to make the pixels on the right hand side of the frame far more visible than the blur on the left.
AREN'T YOU JEALOUS!?!
crazy dynamite monkey
1. The big screen. 70" plasma at home seems plenty nice.
2. People everywhere. Screaming babies. Loud children talking and running around. "Adults" on cell phones. Adults yelling at the movie (if you are in the right neighbor hood) or you get MST3K's retarded cousins thinking they are funny.
3. Focus. #3 brought to you by Adderal, the study aid you can trust.
4. Relentlessness. What kind of mental defectives have this problem?
5. A massive speaker system. My cheap Costco theater system shakes my house. Do I need more than that?
6. Commercials before the movie. Jeep and Coke ads that pay for broadcast TV, get used to abuse consumers so the theater can double dip.
7. Disruption. Did you miss #2?
8. Alone time. That word you keep using.. Also see #2 yet again.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark. 32oz rum and cola at home.
10. Bragging rights. If your life has gotten to the point that a miserable theater experience entitles you to "Bragging rights" you should probably look into "Death with dignity".
11. Overpriced. Just buy the Blu Ray and save money.
12. Expensive garbage food. Food at home is WAY better and cheaper.
13. The drive. Home saves gas and reduces risk.
14. Waiting in line for tickets. You don't have that problem at home.
15. Uncomfortable seating. Small, cattle car, kicked from behind, seats do not compare with that comfy couch at home.
16. Roy Rogers fund raiser before feature. Do they even still have these? Home certainly doesn't.
17. Sticky floor.. Just like home!
18. Screen garbage. Is that reboot/sequel/piece of trash really going to be so good that you need to see it sooner rather than on Blu Ray/Netflix in a few months? So many new good stories in books and we get reboot after reboot after reboot.
Theaters died for me when they decided to charge me for the ticket and then make me watch TV commercials so they could double dip. If they want to pay me my billing rate to watch those commercials, then we can come to an agreement.
Sure there a few theaters who try to deal with some of these problems but home simply wins.
Here are the reasons I love going to the Cinema.
1) At home I have to worry about ruining my carpet if I spill my drink. At the cinema I can splash it around without worrying about making my floor sticky.
2) It gets dark in the cinema so I can see my phone screen really well. This makes it great for texting or looking at the list of contacts to pick someone to call.
3) Sometimes the movie screen makes a great photo op. I love to stand up with my budies and take a selfie.
4) It's a great place to catch up on gossip. I can talk with my friends about who is seeing who and oh my god, what they did last weekend.
5) You can put your feet up. The seat in front makes a great footrest.
6) I can leave the kids at home and make out with my lover in the middle of the cinema without the kids bothering me asking for beer and crap.
7) Or, I can take my kids, let them scream their heads off- I don't have to worry about someone complaining to the Home Owners Association about how much noise the kids are making.
8) Watching other people's expressions when saying things like "oh my god, like, this guy on the left is about to be killed by a man who smashes through the window unexpectedly". Dropping spoilers and watching strangers get mad is like, the bomb.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
1. The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
OK, my screen isn't that large, but it takes up as much, or more of my field of vision than what the comfortable viewing distance does at a commercial theater.
2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
I have enough room to seat as many people as I care to. And I can throw them out if they annoy me. Plus most of my friends are more enjoyable to watch a move with as they tend to have a similar sense of humor. Do you know how annoying it is to be at a movie and not find dick and fart jokes particularly funny, but then be the only one in the audience to notice a really funny joke?
3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
I have no lights on when watching a movie, and no easly way of doing bills. If the movie doesn't hold my attention enough that I don't feel like doing bills, it's not worth my time to watch it.
4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
So it keeps your attention more when you have to miss 5 minutes of it because you need to use the bathroom? Or can't rewind it to catch something that you misunderstood?
And hearing people slurping the last little bit of their gallon drink through a straw during those quiet emotional times really sets the mood.
5. A massive speaker system.
My wife couldn't care less about technology and sound, but the last time I took her to the movies, she actually complained that the sound wasn't as good as at home. That's when I knew I was done upgrading my audio. I usually watch movies with the volume at about 25% of what my system is capable of. I've had it up to 80% without any distortion, but frankly it's not comfortable after 50%. So, in my case, it's the opposite.
6. Previews.
Bluray discs come with previews. I watch them about half of the time when I get a new disc.
7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable channels, running a Netflix comedy show in the background while you do dishes, or half-assedly watching an Adventure Time marathon while stoned.
I don't typically watch TV shows in the theater room. Though I have. When the STTNG boxset was on sale for $60 I bought it. A lot of older shows that were on film, really look great on bluray.
8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
Excited audience= loud, annoying and disruptive.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
Yes, a 1500 calorie sugar drink along with a 1000 calorie bucket of popcorn and 800 calorie nachos is just what you want while sitting on your ass for two hours in the dark. I'm pretty sure I could roll a barrel of soda into my basement if I wanted to.
10. Bragging rights.
Bragging rights for what? spending $50 to sit in a sticky seat surrounded by yapping teens on their cell phone while consuming enough calories for the entire day in sugar and fat? Awesome.
Well, maybe once upon a time, when I was a child, and it really was The Big Screen, 30 or 40 feet wide, and a few hundred people were all there to see the same movie, it really was an event. Now there's 15 screens, each not that much bigger than one you might have at home, and you're just one in a herd of consumers being serviced. Multiplexes destroyed the moviegoing experience decades ago.
I would go to the movies but the combination of carbonated diet coke BURPS and BELCHES mixed with hot dogs followed by NACHO FARTS from people with IQs less than the price of a movie ticket RUINS the whole experience. American movie theaters SMELL DISGUSTING as they ARE BOMBED by the FAT NACHO eating cows during the entire movie.
The big screen might be OK, but the 6 dozen giant Tablet-phones of the texting teenies in my line of sight, I can do without.
1. I like my home theater just fine.
2. Nothing like a bunch of people who can't shut their pieholes to fuck up a movie.
3. Sounds like someone else's problem
4. So?
5. See #1
6. No thanks.
7. See #3.
8. See #6.
9. Diabetes in a cup.
10. Who cares?
How about: "don't make crap movies" (humorously: my captcha for this was "sequel" ;)
1. The small screen. - Enjoy the experience of watching a movie in the comfort of your home
2. People everywhere. - If you don't know what movie you want there are plenty of people happy to make recommendations. Plus all of your neighbors probably go to the same store so you get the bump into people who you know but wouldn't otherwise chose to spend time with!
3. Focus. - The best movies are along the outer wall so you can go straight to the good stuff.
4. Rewards - Now when you rent the new movies you want you can also get old movies you don't want for free!
5. Cover Art - A lot of effort went into making the boxes look pretty. Don't you want to look at the pretty boxes?
6. Previews - Conveniently located on screen above your head so you can watch them while finding your movie.
7. Disruption - No longer do you have to go to the movie on their schedule and only see the few movies they are showing. Disrupt the movie industry and take control of your viewing!
8. Alone time - Don't be surrounded by crowds of strangers during the movie who detract from the experience.
9. Movie Snacks - Located conveniently by the cash register, you can get popcorn and movie candy at movie going prices for your home enjoyment
10. Bragging rights - Be the LAST of your friends to still shop here!
In Movie theater we have to sit 2 hours continuously but in home we can watch it while laying on bed & there we can't pause or repeat any thing....
www.theReadingPoint.com
1. Big screens at home are now affordable.
2. Ugh, people everywhere.
3. Focus is not a problem for me. Also, bathroom breaks.
4. Relentlessness? Whatever. Develop a spine and watch the movie.
5. I have plenty of speaker at home. Could use a little more sub maybe. I should get on that.
6. Previews suck balls.
7. Disruption is what I get from dildos at the theater.
8. Alone time is what I get at home.
9. 32 ounces of diabeetus.
10. Bragging rights? "I don't even watch TV." DONE AND DONE
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
I can't focus when the guy next to me is woofing down an onion-covered bratwurst and draining the last bit of soda from a straw. I can't focus when someone keeps bumping the back of my seat. I can't focus when the lady to my right is struggling to open a cellophane package, and spends the next 10 minutes crinkling it every time she reaches in for a new candy. I can't focus when onion bratwurst guy farts, or when candy lady goes fishing through her purse to check her phone in hopes that maybe her date didn't suddenly cancel after all. At home, no matter what kind of weird distractions come up, I can at least pause the movie.
I can smoke weed and watch movies on my theatre system at home. fridge full of beer and the most important of all, the pause button.
I have all but #2. and #2 is the REASON I dont go to a movie theater and spend thousands on building my own at home.
And yes my speaker system kicks the ASS of almost all big theaters. because mine is tuned and sounds good. Theirs is abused and some snot nosed idiot kid messed with the EQ.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Are you serious with this crap? The worth thing about going to the theater is all the damned people!
I was using low to mid-range budget numbers just for parts, not including installation and calibration costs. Dedicating space in a home is another thing people don't think about.
Most people have no idea how much it costs to actually build a true HT. If I had said 50K-100K slashdotters would think is was nuts.
That 65" screen with a soundbar is plenty adequate for most people to watch on. It is for me, especially sports but don't go thinking you have a Home Theater.
#0) You want to show your support for the continuing production of certain types of movies by big movie studios by attending the ones that interest you the most.
Now granted, Hollywood does put out a lot of trash as well, but there are usually a small handful of ones that interest me nearly every year, and I have no problem being part of the voice that tells the makers of these films to keep doing more of the same.
There is nothing else that I want from the movie-theater experience that I could not obtain at home.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
I went with my brother years ago. He wanted the "32oz bottomless cup of cola" for $1 more --- and managed to finish it before the previews were over. He ran out for his free refill - sat down and slowly drank it as the movie began.
He then missed most of the second half because he kept leaving to pee.
Lots of violations to that list: Cola in the Dark vs Focus. Plus I was disrupted and had to fill in plot details later.
The world is changing and it is adapt or die. Movie chains and big media seem to have adopted the dying approach.
Brought to you by Carl's Junior.
2/3 of those are reasons why I do NOT go to the movie theater.
Nothing like this toxic lot to remind me why I moved to Australia. Where do I begin. Honestly who snacks between meals so why are concession prices relevant. Crowds here are very well behaved. The sound can be too loud true. Where I go I get preassigned seating and it's nice to catch an indy after a supper in the city.
I can't stand it when the background audio... i say background... the non-center speakers... are set so loud it starts to hurt your ears. I've had to go ask workers/managers to turn it down over and over again, sometimes to no avail. This keeps me out of the theaters more than anything.
Was thinking of doing the double header movie for the new Guardians of the Galaxy - but the theaters near me are only doing it in 3D.
Who can handle wearing those horrible glasses for 4+ hours?
Think they mean..ads. Is there anyone really just..clamoring to see..ads? Are we to believe that..if there are no more theaters, we will see no more..movie advertisements? Yeah..didn't think so either.
1. The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
The size of the screen is about the field of view and resolvable resolution. Most people can buy easily a setup that rivals any comfortable seat in a non-IMAX theater.
2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
How is this a good thing?
3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
These sorts of people have the same problem when they go to a theater. They whip out their phones and are part of the problem with #2.
4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
WTF is this shit? People who get scared of movies are children and retards. Further, even children and retards can close their eyes and cover their ears. At home or in the theater.
5. A massive speaker system.
How is this a plus? Many theaters have shit cranked too high. Again, people can do this pretty affordably at home, even splurging for gimmick shit like Dolby Atmos. (No, you don't need to spend thousands on a receiver and speakers to get good quality sound that is more than capable of filling up your living room.)
6. Previews.
Ads? We have those on BluRays. Even if you like them, any Hollywood-sponsored movies-in-the-home option will have ads around the content.
7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable channels, running a Netflix comedy show in the background while you do dishes, or half-assedly watching an Adventure Time marathon while stoned.
You're just repeating #3, which was bullshit on its own. Further, when was the last time an Adventure Time marathon was screened in theaters?
8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
Wait, now you want alone time? Doesn't that go against #2? And ignoring that contradiction, how does being alone in a crowd rival being alone on a couch where you can get naked and have sex if you desire?
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
I don't need that much cola, but at home I can have far more than 32 ounces, for far less money. And when I need a refill I can pause the movie! As for the dark, my lights have an off switch.
10. Bragging rights.
Who brags about paying way too much to see some shit? I do get the appeal of seeing something you're excited about as soon as it's available, but increasingly all the cons of the experience (the cost and the crowd and the content itself) are winning the war against that appeal. This is why ticket sales are plummeting and why Hollywood keeps teasing the idea of new releases in the home.
I stopped reading at point 2.
We should follow the masses of people ? This can lead very far.
To keep the discussion around movies, let me tell you two little stories :
1) like millions of people, I tried to see Titanic soon after its release. I ended watching another movie because it was crowded as hell. It was supposed to be a comedy, a fun thing. It was not, it is my worst movie memory. But a lot of people, if not everybody else, was laughing. I was frightened. How the hell could they laugh at that ? So you're telling that I should have laugh because they did ? No ! Frak you !
2) the last movie I saw in a theater is Dark Knight Rises. It was 3 or 4 month after the release. There were less than 20 or 30 people then. One guy answered his phone 3 times ! What the frak ? We're here to see a movie ? Or was he there to show that he can spend 10 € NOT to watch the movie ?
I swore not to go to a theater any more.
Totof
5. A massive speaker system.
Great if its actually working and actually calibrated. Most theatres I've been to lately present blown-sounding subwoofers and barely audible mid-range.
This. I haven't been to a theater (except for real imax) in over 20 years that had decent audio. Even supposedly "certified" or whatever theaters have crappy sound that is usually:
1. TOO LOUD. It's not a rock concert. It's a movie. Go ahead and make it nice and loud if it's an action movie or whatever, but what is unforgivable is:
2. Crappy and blown to all heck. Clearly clipped bass, midrange, and on at least one occasion clearly crackling high end. Leaving some dialog too muddy and distorted to hear, and any loud booming sounds painfully distorted. Like literally, fingernails on the chalkboard painful.
Both of these (in most theaters) could be fixed by simply "calibrating" the system by having someone sit in the theater with a test loop playing, and turning the volume down until the distortion goes away, and if that happens at a level that leaves the sound too low, then someone needs to upgrade their amplifiers. Christ, I could outfit a decent sized theater myself with clean nice loud power for a few grand. It's not rocket science, and it's not even that expensive these days to buy decent gear.
I can't figure out how people put up with such crappy sound in theaters. The sound quality in a film is actually MORE important than the visual image quality. It's almost like they don't want people to enjoy going to the theater.
I have a 20-year old system in my living room that can get VERY loud if I want it to without clipping, so I simply don't understand why this problem exists to the extent that it does.
1. The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
-- not in my town
2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
-- this is a reason I don't. Seriously, are we on the same planet even?
3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
-- which is true for "no one ever"
4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
-- as apposed to having to explain to my wife what happened during one of her two bathroom breaks.
5. A massive speaker system.
-- "I already got one", Monty Python
6. Previews.
-- You misspelled "commercials"
7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable channels, running a Netflix comedy show in the background while you do dishes, or half-assedly watching an Adventure Time marathon while stoned.
-- like anyone is doing dishes when a good movie is on.
8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
-- as can coming over and sitting together on a large couch. And my chairs are more comfortable than theater chairs.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
-- I'd rather not pay $10 for it tho...home wins...and it is dark
10. Bragging rights.
-- "Who the fuck cares?" -- Harrison Ford
Bad User. No biscuit!
#1 & #5 are the only PROS on the list. Most everyone has #1 & #5 at home these days.
Sure a theater may have a huge screen, but unless you can sit in prime center location large TVs at home can be more immersive with better viewing angles.
And the picture quality in the theater is usually poor because of enlargement (distance from projector to screen) and crappy projection screen. Every theater screen I've seen in the last year has had some flaw: torn/repaired patch, blemish, loose sagging spot, dark smudge on screen, etc
With good sound system, sitting minimal distance from HD TV at home gives much better experience than the theater, except for the group-effect.
I'm legally blind. I hate movie theaters. I watch all movies on 27 inch screen with my head for inches away. Otherwise, I just can't see what's going on. I would be willing to pay $50 to watch movies when they come out, say, on iTunes. Sometimes the sanctimoniousness of sighted people really annoys me.
1. The big screen. Got a 120" projector screen at home and nice seating 15 feet away. At that distance, it's big enough to outrank most theater-going experiences.
2. People everywhere. I believe these are called friends. Maybe you don't have any friends. If not, I recommend them. Friends are pretty cool. If you want to hang out with total strangers, just invite a few homeless people in and feed 'em too while they watch the movie with you.
3. Focus at home. I've never had this problem. I don't know anyone else with this problem. You probably made this up.
4. Relentlessness. I can pause in the middle for a bathroom break. My bladder can be pretty relentless too.
5. A massive speaker system. Already got it at home. It is a surround sound setup, THX certified, and sounds better than theater speakers too. Oh, and I have a ButtKicker under my couch as well. And I've got volume control. What were you saying again?
6. Previews. You've clearly never heard of IMDB. Let me help you out there: http://www.imdb.com/ Oh crap! People aren't going to the theater to watch trailers because they can watch the trailers online! We've got to shut this IMDB thingie down ASAP!
7. Disruptions at home. Huh? I've never had this problem either.
8. Alone time with significant other. It's called a babysitter, grandparents, or sending the kids to a sleepover party as someone else's house. Parents were going to have to utilize those resources anyway to be able to legally get away from the kids in the first place.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark. Diabeetus dude. Get a few pizzas for a fraction of the cost and hang out with friends that way.
10. Bragging rights. I feel like you ran out of things to write in your top 10 reasons. I know people who brag about seeing a movie in the theater and I think to myself, "Gee, I wish I had the kind of money they have to waste on going to the movie theater, but I don't, so they're being pretty dickish right now." You brag. I think you're a jerk. That's how it works.
1. The big screen not worth the cost.
2. People everywhere, chatting, playing with their phones, and smelling like New Yorkers.
3. Focus. Ha? What? OH well.
4. Relentlessness. Clueless. You have NO option to say, "What did he say?" "What happened?" If you just pissed $$$ away because you missed the one and only clue to the how movie that allowed the movie to resemble some sort of sense.
5. A massive speaker system. LOL. "massive"
6. Previews. Really? You LIKE to sit there for 10 minutes to watch crap that you wouldn't watch on your TV in the first place? Fast forward button. Oh, you can't.
7. Disruption. Not an issue if you have 1/3 of the grey matter working as you can turn off the phone, err, okay, you are under the age of 30 and can't cope with having the phone turned off.
8. Alone time. Yea, We haven't noticed you getting off in the back row. Keep it up and you'll be on the next XXX film the theater runs.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark. Is that really cola in the cup or ?
10. Bragging rights. ??? That you were SOOO STUPID to pay $$$ to see a piece of crap film?
Nothing like this toxic lot to remind me why I moved to Australia. Where do I begin. Honestly who snacks between meals so why are concession prices relevant. Crowds here are very well behaved. The sound can be too loud true. Where I go I get pre-assigned seating and it's nice to catch an indie after a supper in the city.
Why would you let a woman touch the remote control?
captcha: victim
1: Arguably, home screens in the 50+ inch category can deliver a similar experience. If not, there are still projection systems that CAN. And you don't have to sit 10-20 feet back from the screen to get the effect.
2: Sorry, but "people everywhere" is part of the PROBLEM of big theaters. All the noise they generate. Or being crammed too close together with someone. Or if someone has foregone their "bi-annual bath". Or they eat loud *candy bag crinkle*, etc.
3: Sorry, not an issue.
4: Again, not an issue.
5: High end home theater systems can deliver wonderful sound quality. And I would argue that modern theaters are, quite simply, TOO LOUD. Some films are cranked so high they cause auditory distress in the viewer.
6: This is 2017 goddammit. Fuck previews. We can watch them on the Internet. Or they can do what they ALREADY do. Include them ahead of the movie for a specific amount of time.
7: How is some jackass group of kids jawing away while you're trying to watch any less of a disruption? Besides, I'm single. I don't have an issue with kids screaming. Nor is my living space set up in a way that makes doing dishes while watching a movie even possible, let alone feasible. NOT AN ISSUE!
8: And here, arguably, a home environment still delivers a superior bonding time with friends, loved ones, etc. Additional audience members are, inevitably, unwanted distractions. And the penchant of theaters moving towards assigned seating makes this even worse.
9: At home I can curl up WITH A FUCKING TWO LITER (67.6 ounces) if I want. And it costs me under a buck. Not $6-8. Same for candy and other concession-type items. And, with the shift towards lots of theaters offering "American Grill" food? I can bring in (or have delivered, or cook) almost anything my tubby little heart (well, actually it's a digestive organ below my heart) desires!
10: Who the fuck cares about "bragging rights"? Seriously, what mental defective gives a damn about "bragging rights" to seeing a film? Especially when it's "Well *I* saw it IN A THEATER?"
Sorry, but the theater experience just isn't THAT special anymore. And the industry simply hasn't kept pace, while growing every more ridiculously expensive. Nowadays, the price of tickets and food (unless you either just go hungry or sneak stuff in) weighs in around $50-70 for two people. And, combined with other people's atrocious public behavior, why should anyone subject themselves to this?
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
1. prices (tickets)
2. annoying assholes
3. prices (food)
4. no pause button to hit the bathroom
5. prices (gas to drive there)
6. no reachability on your cell
Sorry but that overrides their pathetic list
I think it's hilarious that you can judge the age of Slashdot by the comments on this thread. The chief rebuttals to the list are:
1. It's too loud!
2. Screen is too big! Hurts my neck!
3. Soda gives you diabetes!
4. Candy is too expensive!
5. I have to pee!
Ha ha. Slashdot, underwritten by AARP. And I say this as someone whos slashdot ID is 20,000.
First theaters have become wallet vampires. They are way too expensive. Then there is the awful popcorn and offerings at the candy counters. Gone are the days when the best popcorn came from a theater. Then there is the expense of driving, parking issues, getting robbed or in wrecks and a host of other negatives. Watch it at home, save your money, save your life, and have some decent snacks while you watch your cable TV.
I like an old movie palace with a working pipe organ that is played before big shows. There is nothing quite like hearing the mighty wurlitzer roaring out pop tunes from the 1930s and then the latest star wars movie starts playing.
Man, you really need that seminar!
* Spend an hour driving halfway across the city.
* Pay insane price for parking.
* Stand in line for 30 minutes for movie tickets.
* Pay insane price for tickets.
* Cramped seat.
* Freeze in over-air-conditioned cinema.
* 30 minutes of ads and trailers before the movie begins.
* Movie screening starts at an inconvenient time for me.
* Insane food prices.
* Yakking loudmouths and screaming kids.
* Effing * L O U D * volume to drown out all the cellphone yakkers
and screaming kids. It literally hurts my ears.
* Other patrons engaging in chemical warfare with strong body odour and/or horrible "perfume".
* Cellphones beeping and screens lighting up in my field of view.
* Feet stick to the floor.
* Miss some action if I have to go to the bathroom.
* Dirty bathroom.
* Curtains occasionally blocking left or right edge of screen.
* Scratches+artifacts on older movies.
* Asshole kid behind you kicking the back of your chair.
* Take 20 minutes to get out of parking lot after the movie.
* Another hour to drive home.
I'm not repeating myself
I'm an X window user; I'm an ex-Windows user
It's hard to believe that nobody has posted this yet. An obligatory comic about the movie theater experience:
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/movie_theater_layout
I just saw Ghost In The Shell in from a comfy, ideally-centered seat that I reserved online, in IMAX 3D, with an incredible sound system. There is no movie experience outside of a theatre that can match that, and I am happy to make the "effort" of going.
I also enjoy seeing trailers for upcoming movies. When I've paid good money to see a movie and inflated prices for snacks, however, it really pisses me off to be subjected to TV commercials run through a shitty little VGA projector before the show.
1. The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
Nope... a decent sized TV works just fine.
2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
Oh lord no! I like it quiet and comfy.
3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
I can focus better without people talking and kids screaming which means 2 and 3 are poor arguments.
4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
Or a little self control and just watch through it while saving lots of money for tickets, snacks, etc.
5. A massive speaker system.
Overrated.
6. Previews.
I run ad blockers, paying large sums of money for tickets and snacks better not have any damn advertisements.
7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable channels, running a Netflix comedy show in the background while you do dishes, or half-assedly watching an Adventure Time marathon while stoned.
See self control.
8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
How on Earth am I alone with all these people around me?!
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
Can do this at home for MUCH cheaper and get something that isn't watered down.
10. Bragging rights.
There's something to be said for bragging that you paid to much for a movie and snacks while having a miserable time around all sorts of noisy people in a dirty theater with sticky arm rests.
The whole movie theater experience sucks these days, but there are aspects of watching a movie on DVD/Blu-Ray at home that suck as well.
How many industries threaten their customers with five years in federal prison every time they use one of their products?
I hate previews--it's one of the things I hate most about the theater experience. More and more DVDs and Blu-Rays prevent you from skipping through previews. They force you to watch them every time you play a disc, even if you've seen them a dozen times. That sucks even more than previews in a theater.
My town has a really nice art house, built and operated by our annual film festival. Outside of festival week, it's a great place to see opera simulcasts and dinner-and-movie theme evenings. For everything else, and I watch a lot of movies, there's Netflix.
None of the so-called "advantages" mentioned means anything to me.
I'd rather relax in the comfort of my own home, free to watch at my own pace and sound level. Plus there are no dickheads talking on the phone, no screaming toddlers or obnoxious teenagers, no over-priced boxes of M&Ms, and I can drink as much as I like of whatever I want.
Best of all, when I'm done I don't have to drive home because I'm already there.
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
What they mean is seeing movies the way your parents did. How are theaters going to compete when the first full-length VR/3D movies are made that require headsets consisting of a mobile phone and bits of cardboard? Theaters are the buggy whips of the 21st century.
Yes, when I have to go to the restroom due to my old body!
Also, I like to control what I am watching like rewind, fast forward (FF), skip, etc.
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
1. Theater full of people...that won't SHUT UP, or have their phones on, or just flat make noise, kick the back of your chair. 2. OVERPRICED snacks. Easier to sneak in what you want, except for a big bag of popcorn. 3. Parking halfway across a crowded lot, only to find it raining when you come out of the theater. I'd rather watch it at home, with my OWN snacks, at my OWN time...cheaper, easier. Plus, the choice of movies is pretty bad these days.
Last 3-4 days we saw posts how theater is dying and hollywood not making enough (how greedy can these people be ?) money wise, netflix and people watching stuff at home.
Now this article... looks like PR. Hey, didn't you know ? It's cool to watch movie in theater".
I just love how they got bashed in all the comments here.
That's what the tinseltown theater by me charges.
The Edwards theater wants $12 for the same movie. It's just not worth it.
She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.
Let's analyze this:
>1. The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
Sitting 10 feet from my 75" UHDTV is just fine for me
>2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
I don't like comedies, generally. And I don't need my mood "enhanced" by what others feel.
>3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
Are you kidding? I don't know about most people, but I don't play games or pay bills while watching a movie at home. And I certainly don't need to be "trapped" someplace to have self-discipline.
>4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
The only time I pause is to go to the bathroom or something. The only time I fast-forward is when the content is so BORING or STUPID that I am trying to salvage the otherwise poor content.
>5. A massive speaker system.
More massive than what I have in my house for my smaller area? I have a high-end amplifier and speakers and perfectly tuned and balanced surround sound system. I have yet to be in a theater that has even remotely as close a correct balance. Usually theaters are just LOUD... so loud I have to wear EARPLUGS!
>6. Previews.
That is an advantage? To have to get there early to get a decent seat and then be subjected to 15 to 20 MINUTES of previews, ads, and public service messages? If I want to watch previews, I can do that on my phone, tablet, computer, anytime I want, and for FREE.
>7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable [...]
OK, you HAVE to be kidding. People talking, chewing, walking around, crinkling food wrappers, crying, messing with phones, wearing tons of nasty perfume, yelling, tapping on my seat... what could be MORE disruption than sitting in a typical theater?
>8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
This is about the only thing on the entire list that has some validity. But guess what? My friends can come over and watch at my home, too.
>9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
Why would I want that? I typically drink water and I am certainly not going to pay $6 for some stupid soda worth $0.50.
>10. Bragging rights.
??? Bragging about what? That I was "man enough" to fight traffic, parking, and all the above inconveniences and distractions and earplugs to have watched a movie in a theater? Wow.
Bring back drive-ins. The newer generation already thinks their grandparent's stuff is cool. It would work. You could even encourage hotels or camp grounds to build them to also increase travel industry.
Not to mention 15 minutes of advertisement at beginning, people that forget to silence their smartphones, etc... We would have to go to big city to get to movie theater, so we don't do that very often. Not to mention tickets here costs so much...
My screen is 204" diagonal. I can muddle through.
Yes, and catch the latest airborne disease. No thank you. And just by the by, I actually do have my own reactions and am content to experience them without being sucked in by the cinematic equivalent of Stockholm syndrome.
You have to be kidding me. At home, no crying babies, no cellphones going off, no ushers hassling people to put their feet down, no one getting up and down in front of you to hit the head or the snack bar... "people" screwing up my focus are the main reason why I don't go to the theater!
Sometimes the need for the bathroom is relentless. Given the one against the other, I'll take the pause button, thanks. Other reasons too, but that one wins every time, and theaters can't beat it, period.
I only have 2,000 watts RMS, dual 18" subs... you get the idea. I can cripple along with it.
You left out "local ads" and the "turn off your cellphone" schtick (which apparently a large portion of the audience is too dull to comprehend) and by the way, these previews are for movies that suck, and lastly, most disks these days do have previews, but I can skip them if they suck, which, like at the theater, they usually do. Until they bring back cartoons (hello, Scrat!), you got nuthin here. Tip: replacing cartoons with sucky local ads... not a win for the theater enterprise working to keep customers coming in.
Sounds like a (series of) personal problem(s) to me. The only disruption that matters is the one you can't control. In other words, a theater full of people whom you have no authority over. No thank you. Also, I never do any of those things. So there's that.
Well, yeah, but I can have that at home, too. Nothing to see here, move along.
yeah, washing over your feet when the idiot behind you forgets and knocks it off the chair arm, which, by the way, there is only one of per person, unlike my actual theater seating, which is full bore, two-arm reclining awesomness x5.
I believe you misspelled "embarrassment." As in: "I spent way too much for something I only saw part of while being severely annoyed by others, paying too much for snacks of which there is a very poor selec
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
Some asshat likes the theater. Good for them, but what part of this is 1) news and 2) worth the time it would take for me to read the whole summary, let alone the article?
enough with these cunts who think they should tell you what to do.
Release in cinema. Make available at home. See who picks where. If cinema provides a plus compared to home then I guess people will go there, otherwise Deal with it.
fuckwads
1. The big screen compensating for the fact that you are sitting much further away, giving you the exact same FOV as you get at home.
2. Noisy people everywhere. A group of people laughing at completely different things distract from the experience.
3. People using their phones to talk, SMS or pay their electricity bills.
4. You don't have the option to pause or rewind later when you didn't understand some part the first time or when you need to go to the bathroom.
5. A massive speaker system that you can't turn down to comfortable levels. In fact most cinemas don't even have a setting below "hearing protection required".
6. Previews and other ads. Nobody wants to pay to watch ads.
7. When it turns out that the movie did not live up to the expectations, you can't change the channel or do the dishes while waiting to see if it gets better later in the movie. And if you leave, you usually don't get your money back.
8. Couples in the back enjoying "alone time" without needing to worry that their parents will suddenly burst into the bedroom.
9. 32 ounces of cola on the dark floor, making your shoes sticky for weeks.
Here's my take on the "10" items:
1. The big screen.
- IMAX, yes. There are some movies that I will go to see in IMAX (Star Wars!), or at least iSense in ODEON.
- Other movies I'm happy to see on a 'normal' cinema screen, although I find that in my local cinema these tend to be badly calibrated and slightly out of focus
2. People everywhere.
- this isn't always a good thing. Sometimes it's fine, but there are those people who will sit whispering to each other or chomping on popcorn... people can spoil the experience you want to enjoy, and this is generally a reason that I don't go to the cinema.
3. Focus.
- agreed, and this is the main reason I _do_ go to the cinema. If I'm watching a film at home, I'll inevitably take out my phone at some point. If I'm in the cinema, I never do. Some people do, but they are very few.
4. Relentlessness.
- Em, what now?
5. A massive speaker system.
- good and bad. I've a good speaker setup (5.1) at home, but the cinema setup is (and always will be) better, unless I have a few spare thousand euro to spend. And I've better things to spend that money on. But sometimes the cinema speakers can be turned up a bit too much. (that said, it might be to drown out the people whispering to each other).
6. Previews.
- meh. Yeah, it's an opportunity to see what's coming up. But cinemas tend to play too many of them, and too many ads. I've paid to watch the film at 8pm, so why is it now 8:20 and it hasn't started yet?
- the only advantage to ads and previews is that most people have finished their popcorn by the time the movie starts.
7. Disruption.
- isn't this just point 3 again?
8. Alone time.
- em, what? alone time means being alone, so how does going to the cinema with friends or family mean alone time?
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
- Paying a fortune for getting diabetes for watching a film in a cinema...? And then needing to run to the bathroom during the best bits. No
- I don't buy drinks or food in a cinema - far too expensive, and generally not particularly nice either. I'll eat before hand, or afterward, and I wish more people would.
10. Bragging rights.
- Bragging about what?
So 2 good points, 3 ok points, and 5 that aren't actually arguments for going to the cinema at all, IMHO.
Other than Points 1 and 5, the rest of the list is bunk. A dying format trying to nail the doors shut on us before we can escape. In the home is the future. As always.
In the UK, a single ticket may cost more than a blu ray disk, let alone digital copies. Popcorn and drinks are ~5-10x the regular price. But what really bothers me is not the price - it is that cinemas play >30min of ads before playing the films. Why add insult to injury?
I hadn't been to the cinema for years, preferring to wait until the DVD/Blu-ray release and watch on my home projector setup. But a friend convinced me to go with him three times.
- The first time, for the first 20 minutes of the film they didn't pull the curtain all the way back, resulting in the outer 15% of each side projecting onto the curtain rather than the screen
- The second time, the left-most speaker of the centre cluster clearly wasn't working, as dialogue obviously supposed to come from the centre was coming somewhere mid-right in the 'audio space'. Trust me, sound coming out of the 'wrong' place makes a film practically unwatchable if you aren't a moron.
- The third time there was a three foot rip in the screen. Seriously.
All three events made me hate the experience. None of them bothered my friend.
On top of this, in EVERY viewing, people were texting/browsing on their phones (which, for a horror film, completely ruins the atmosphere, especially when you hear a constant stream of 'ping' alerts), people were eating loudly, scrunching various wrappers throughout the whole thing. Someone actually started a phone conversation at one point. No-one in front of me could keep still, and something moving about in your lower vision completely interferes with your concentration.
Including the cost of driving to the venue I paid more to watch each filme ONCE than owning the blu-ray/DVD forever would have cost. And what for? To half-watch (when possible) a film on broken equipment, surrounded by fuckwits who for some inexplicable reason didn't actually seem to want to even watch the film they'd paid to see. Maybe I was unlucky, but I suspect even if everything worked properly I'd still have to put up with other people and their selfishness...
I was lucky to go to a reference theater in LA. Perfect sound, perfect picture. No sticky floors or icky seats. It can be a trip elsewhere if done right. Also, no ads before rolling the film. My problem with going to the local multiplex is this...endless ads and previews. When you need to get there a full half hour before the movie you see is rolled, and are forced to sit through loud commercials and endless previews, but hey, I paid to sit here ! Worse, each ad requires full use of the sound system and as much razzle dazzle as possible. Local movie theater ads...then the distributor's ads...then the mandatory ad reel from the studio...more movie theater ads...and then, maybe...the actual movie. Star Wars took over a half hour to get to the movie. Imagine going out to a nice dinner, but the appetizers are all lemons, a bowl of sugar, an onion, and you are forced to eat each one before the main course comes out. Wrecks the palate before you begin. I'd rather see a Blu Ray at home in most cases. It has to be something I really want to see to subject myself to the pack at the beginning of the film.
I do not like going to movie theaters to watch movies. Too often, you have the chatty cathy talking over the movie, or worse, playing siskel and ebert. I like being able to watch a movie in the comfort and privacy of my own home. I have a decent-sized 60" television which provides an experience that is more than adequate. I can also pause the movie to use the bathroom or fix a snack. I'm a little hard of hearing so if I miss a line, I can always rewind. Plus, prices to see movies in the theater have become really ridiculous. Between the cost of the movie and maybe some popcorn and a beverage, you are approaching the cost of eating a decent dinner out. I would rather sit and eat a relaxed dinner. There is just no compelling reason to go to see a movie in a theater anymore.
I still like the theater on one condition: I go to morning showings. I took a few hours off work and went to Episode VII the day after it was released at a 9:30 a.m. showing. It was me and about four other people in the theater. The evening and afternoon shows were sold out for at least a week solid. (No, I'm not interested in debating the merits of Episode VII. It was one of the rare films I just wanted to see right away.)
Eliminating the crowds eliminates 90% of the nuisances. And it's nice giving a film your full attention now and then, even if I only do it a few times a year.
Sweet informative mod.
Figuring out when to sprint to the bathroom to excrete that soda.
... then it's probably not worth it.
A book should serve as an ax to the frozen sea within us.
Kafka
What if I don't want to laugh?
For example, when I was watching The Lord of the Rings, I believe it was The Two Towers, there was a scene where Gollum was having an argument with Smeagol. The entire theater was laughing at the back-and-forth between the two. It seemed to me that I was the only one who recognized the seriousness of the moment at hand, the severe mental illness and psychological stressors that brought about that exchange. Sometimes the rest of the audience is dumb.
1. The big screen. There's something to be said about watching visual storytelling on a three-story screen, particularly when the film really takes advantage of the format.
If there's something to be said for it, then say it.
2. People everywhere. A group of people laughing together simultaneously triggers a feeling that you should laugh, too; during a suspenseful moment, you can feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together.
A group of people talking to each other and making phone calls during the film, on the other hand...
3. Focus. Even people who try their hardest to give a movie their undivided attention on a living-room screen have fallen victim to temptations like "Well, I'm just sitting here, I might as well pay the electric bill."
Ah, argument by assertion. If I want to watch something, I watch it. If I don't want to watch it, I don't.
4. Relentlessness. Part of the advantage of that kind of focus is that movies that are tense, scary, or deeply emotional can cast much more of a spell over you when you don't have the option to pause or turn away from the worst, then rewind later to catch it safely out of context.
More argument by assertion.
5. A massive speaker system.
... is an excellent reason not to go to the cinema. I might be willing to pay cash to see a film; I'm not willing to pay with my hearing.
6. Previews.
Oh, hey! We have ads! You can't get those at home!
7. Disruption. A problem with watching movies at home is that it makes the film-watching experience blur into the same experience as surfing cable channels, running a Netflix comedy show in the background while you do dishes, or half-assedly watching an Adventure Time marathon while stoned.
Assertion, assertion, assertion. Perhaps I do not do any of those things. (As it happens, I don't.)
8. Alone time. Going to the movies with friends or your significant other can be a cherished pastime, especially when you're surrounded by an excited audience.
Whereas I can't cherish the time I spend with friends and family at home? And - mirabile dictu - some of us don't think an audience improves things.
9. 32 ounces of cola in the dark.
Ugh.
10. Bragging rights.
What the ever-lovin' fuck? People brag about going to the movies?
What a mind-bogglingly stupid series of arguments.
They don't just sit there and passively let the hero walk into a trap, they'll jump right up and try to warn him. "Look out, he's behind the door! Don't go in!"
It restores your faith in humanity, after a day of reading libertarian psychopath comments on the internet.
Star Trek transporters are just 3d printers.
I started going to the movies again when they opened a Movie Tavern in the area. Reserved stadium seating, large reclining chairs, waiter service to your seat with a button on the tray to summon them, decent food and BEER in a glass!! Prices aren't much higher than a regular movie theater and the food is around Applebees quality and price with a decent drink selection. Shit - the beer is cheaper than the popcorn. Score that a fucking win in my book! Living like Vincent Vega in Amsterdam.
Not a single one of the ten reasons is even slightly compelling. Some are actually repulsive. Theaters are still very nineteen-hundredy. Maybe movies themselves are passe. People will tolerate inconvenience to experience art. If studios produced entertainment, seats would be filled.