MartinBlank

What the hell is wrong with kids today?

We all got the message: "Please turn OFF your cell phones and pagers."

I just got back from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, and numereous times throughout the film the display lights from cell phones would pop up around the theater, keep in mind, it was a darkly-lit theater...stadium seat, I love it, but holy shit.

WTF, you can't go and entire 87 minutes without texting someone? I finally had enough and had to tell a kid to "shut his shit"...he stared me down, then I was forced to call him a "little fucker". And this happens everytime I go to the theater, kids are always illuminating the theater with their phones.

I can kind of understand the whole, "what if there's an accident and someone has to reach me?" arguement of keeping your phone on, ideally set to vibrate...But for fuck's sakes. TEXTING!?!?!? Is that that fuckin vital to human existance?!?!?!? It's not a fuckin' social event, it's a movie. Shut up and don't be an asshole!!! And for the record, as the trailers start up my phone is shut OFF.

Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Thank you for your time.

CKMorpheus

Funny you mention that. I went to see TCM: The Beginning as well, and right before the movie started, the usher actually came to the front of the theater, welcomed us to the theater and asked everyone to turn off their cell phones and pagers. This wasn't even at the Arclight, I think it was a Century theater. Never had that personal touch at a theater. Everyone actually took the phones out of their pockets and turned em off/on vibrate. Was probably the best experience I've had at a theater in a while.

DRG

I had this happen last week at Texas Chainsaw and again this week at Grudge 2. One girl was texting at one of the major scenes of Grudge 2... I'm thinking, why did you pay to go to this movie if you just wanna chat with your friends?

Apone

Phew, I've yet to experience that kind of crap over here.

Giantrobo

I don't mind texting. It's better than a stupid ass doing taking a full on phone call.

However, the BIG BRIGHT SCREENS in the hands of someone in the seat in front of you in a dark theater is suckckckckeeke.

TGM

Yet another reason I rarely go to the movies anymore...

JZ1276

This is why i HATE cell phone and refuse to get one. They are obnoxious. I have 30 yr old friends who cant keep their cell phones down for 5 minutes...wearing the little retarted earpieces, always have to be talking to someone about nothing...waste of money.

matome

Yep, people are inconsiderate assholes nowadays.

RayChuang

It's problems like this that will result in installation of theater walls with wire-mesh layers to effectively block all cellphone and pager signals. Which is something I do approve of since unlike active jammers, you don't unintentionally interfere with a nearby cellphone tower (which is an FCC no-no).

The Bus

I don't mind it if it's quiet.

Parcher

Well it usually isn't though.. there's the light, there's the sound of texting (most keys make a little noise when being pressed).

I've gotten better at just telling people to behave themselves.

deadite226

This is one of the reasons why I only go to the matinee shows during the week,

The Cow

Sheesh, the next thing you know they will be crunching popcorn and slurping sodas!

Respect for other patrons aside, going to a movie is a social event for most folks.

Anubis2005X

I'll confess to doing this once. But it was at the dollar theater and we were watching Legend of Zorro and I got a couple text messages. Terrible, terrible movie... I think most people found it pretty awful, and I kept the phone really low to the ground to try and not bother anyone... So, my apologies for being one of "those" people...

MartinBlank

The social aspect ends once the lights go down. Then, once the crawl starts, you can be social again. The only film I can think of that is an ACTUAL social event would be 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'.

I've always been against a movie for a first or second date. "You wanna go sit in the dark for 2 hours and not get to know each other?"

Giantrobo

Yeah I see your point. But then you get an empty room and then comes the couple that figures no one is in there but you and one or two others so they can hold conversations at regular volume. At least in a crowd chances are you can get a team of "SHHHHHH!!" people to take care of the loudmouth.

riley_dude

I never thought I would be one of those grown ups that said, what is the matter with kids today but kids grew up with technology and can't seem to do without it.
These people have no consideration for anyone around them. Parents don't teach them what is right and what is wrong and are used to sitting in their living room while watching movies. Why they can't diferentiate is beyond me.

candyrocket786

Ditto...


I rather watch a HD-DVD in my living room.

Gunshy

It seems, for young people, the movie going experience is similar to the being at home in front of the TV experience - IE they do what they like/can get away with. Unlike with older generations who remember life before cell phones, iPods and their ilk and remember movies audiences as a focused awestruck cohesive and attentive group, one that could sit still for an hour plus.

I don't think rude kids are going away but I do think the movie going experience as we used to know it will. I'm kind of all for it in a way as I hate these sorts of interruptions too; several older theaters near me have been refurbished and have reopened and are not so young-person friendly (insomuch as they don't play first runs so much) so they represent a much better movie going experience. It's that or stay home for me.

-Gunshy

dpz301

this annoys me too. but even worse are the a. people actually talking on their cell phones, and b. people narrating the movie to the person next to them. i can accept the occasional person that gets up and has the person next to them tell them what happens, but even that pushes the limit.

i am a young man who grew up on technology and i can stay off my phone for two hours at a time, so i don't see why others can't do the same, especially in a movie theatre.

Supermallet

This is why I've started bringing poison-tipped darts to movie theaters.

SuicycoDave

lmfao!

GatorDeb

You go to the movies for dates and actually watch the movie?

RayChuang

And with the price of 1080p TV's with HDMI inputs going one way--straight down--the acceleration to more people watching movies at home will go even faster. 1080p DLP rear-projection TV's are getting really cheap for the 50 to 56 inch (diagonal) models, and you can now even get 40" 1080p LCD flat panels for under US$3,000 now!

candyrocket786

Hell... I still get a crystal clear image with my 1080i CRT RPTV.