Theater or Home?
 

I used to enjoy watching movies at the theater until it got to the point that it was not worth the hassle of having to listen to all the noise and distractions while trying to watch the movie. The last time I watched a movie was several years ago when I nearly got into a fight with a guy (in a packed theater) who would not stop kicking the back of my chair. I then said enough was enough.

With that said... Do you like to watch movies at the theater when they are released or wait until they are released on DVD, Blu-ray, etc... and watch them at home?

Re: Poll: Theater or Home?
 

To me, there is simply no comparison to seeing a movie in the theater. Even if you have a top-of-the-line home theater system, or real projectors at your house, it's still not the same.

There's good and bad as far as crowds go but I've long ago mastered the art of avoiding idiotic audiences by selecting the theater and/or time more wisely. For a lot of comedies, I prefer going when the theater is packed and I don't mind the crowd noise. To explain it a bit more to some of the curmudgeons here, the sound that is so braying to your ears is called "laughter" and generally puts people in a good mood.

The movies I have the hardest time with are kid's movies. For those, it generally works if I go late at night on a weeknight.

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depends on the movie. if i really want to see it, most likely theater. if i can wait, i will.

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Theater.

I'll occasionally skip films that I have some interest in seeing, because I enjoy watching new(er) movies on my set up, but anything I'm really interested in I go see in a theater opening weekend. Nothing beats that experience, assuming there aren't people there to ruin it for you.

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Definitely Theater. Nothing beats seeing a big movie on the big screen. I usually go on Weekend mornings to catch a matinee, so not only is it significantly cheaper ($6 here at a brand new AMC), the crowds are smaller so there's less annoyances from the other theater goers.

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Could a moderator remove the second "Poll:" from the subject line? I did not realize the polling feature would add one as well. Thanks.

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It usually depends on the movie. Comedies I'm alright with, because people talking out of place doesn't bug me as much. But dramas and other genres I cannot stand the noise, so I'll usually either go to the theater very late in it's run, or I'll wait for the DVD.

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I saw the HD-DVD of Transformers projected on a 150" screen via a 1080p digital projector and a top of the line 7.1 sound system. In that instance the experience was 10x better than an actual movie theater.

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Even though I have a almost fully deticated theater room with a 5.1 surround sound and high def projector, nothing beats the experience of the cinema. 1080p is good, but film and Christie DLP are both leagues above it, plus most people can't get screens the size of a theaters at their home. As for the crowds, I've never had any serious issues, some bitchy people but other then that nothing major. Now that DLP projectors are becoming more commen the theater experience is even becoming better. Sorry folks, I don't care how good your projector is or what Blu Ray player you have, it can't compete with DLP or even film for that matter. My vote definetly goes to the theater.

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That's me in a nutshell.

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The only time I goto the movies is if it is an event movie: The Dark Knight, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, etc.

99% of the time, I enjoy my movies at home with my surround sound relaxing on my couch, and no chatter from some jerkoffs who keep getting up through the movie! And of course there is always one moron who cellphone rings too! As Tony Soprano said, "It was such a better world before cellphones!"

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I don't know what movie theatres many of you guys go to. Yes, I've had a dickhead kick the back of my seat. Yes I've seen the telltale cell phone light up when an idiot texts, and yeah, sometimes you get a talker. But honestly, those incidents are very few and far between in my experience, and I've never gotten into a fight with another moviegoer as many of you seem to experience. I wonder if some theatre-shunners are simply extremely high-strung and misanthropic and should stay home.

I do love watching a movie on my little HDTV, but aint nothing like going to a theatre. It's like the difference between seeing a great painting in person and seeing a copy of it in a book.

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What he said minus the Soprano's quote. Not that I disagree but I never saw that episode cos I could never get into that show.

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A good theater experience can be much more rewarding and cheaper than a good home theater experience...but a good home theater experience is much more controllable than a good theater experience. Plus once you invest in a home theater of any type it's good for more than just one movie.
That said, I enjoy seeing the occasional "big ticket" movie in the theater. I've seen two so far this year, which is about my average. Some movies are better larger than life. But generally, home theater works for me.
I haven't had any really "bad" experiences in an actual theater, but it's generally not worth the time, inconvenience, and relative high cost to do it too often.

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I love movie theaters, and I would much rather watch a film there, even thought this doesn't happen often enough. On a side note, I hate stadium seating, and I am sort of sad that most theaters are equipped this way today. There is something about the experience of looking up at the film and feeling dwarfed by it, that really enhances the theater experience. These days that means that I have to sit 4 or 5 rows from the screen just so that I am in the regular theater seats, before most auditoriums start the stadium seats.

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I'm the opposite, zombeaner. I love stadium seating. I never liked having to look up at the screen. I remember when I sat in my first theater with stadium seating. I really enjoyed being able to look directly at the screen. Conversly, I don't like going with a group of people that insist on sitting as close to the back wall as possible. It really dwarfs the screen and I end up looking down at the image. It's the same problem but in the reverse.

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Yeah, thinking about it I don't think i've had a person ruin a movie with a cell phone call or a crying baby situation in at least the last dozen movies i've gone to.

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Stadium seating is the best! I won't go to a theater without it. I HATE having peoples heads blocking out the bottom part of the image. Plus stadium seating is more comfertable and honestly, makes the theater look nicer.

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As some have said it depends on the movie. Looking over my Top 30 movies all time. I've only watched 8 of them in the theater and of my Top 5 only 1.

I use to get more excited with DVD release dates that theater releases but that was before I was online a ton, now I fear running into spoilers so I see some in the theater just so I dont have to avoid certain sites

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Why not a poll option for "both"? I go to the theater 2-3 times a week (early matinees or weekday evenings) and I watch 4-5 movies a week at home on my 100" projection screen with Blu-Ray and 7.1 surround.

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I go to the theater fairly often (it's what my wife and I have been doing together since our first date) but I do hate it when there is anyone in there that is doing anything but watching the movie.

The way I see it - if you wanted to text, or talk to your friends, or deal with a crying baby...why did you pay $10 to do it? It's inconsiderate, and I end up spending a lot of time thinking about how rude these people and not always paying 100% attention to the movie.

So I see movies in the theater because I hate waiting and running the risk of catching a spoiler online, but I hate the experience because in nearly every movie I've been to in the last 5 years, someone in there does something that pisses me off.

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Sums it up nicely for me too.

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I really don't go to the theaters that often anymore, except for comedies. Laughter is contagious and it makes the movie such a better experience.

You don't think the movie was funny? Oh, you watched it at home, on your couch, by yourself, while surfing the internet. No, I'm sure that didn't influence your opinion of the movie whatsoever.

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I'll usually only go to the theater if it's a big event type of movie, and I want to get the crowd interaction. I always take my lady to see the new Pixar movie, as they usually come out around her birthday, so we make a dinner/movie date out of it.

Comedies are usually a good time at theaters, but I have a hard time plunking down $10 apiece to go.

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If it's something I feel I have to see, e.g. to be part of the conversation about an over-hyped film like STAR TREK or WATCHMEN, I go to the theater. If I wait to see it on cable I usually tape it and never watch it or start watching it and turn it off in disgust when it turns out to be awful. Of the 14 new films I saw in theaters this year, I don't think I would have lasted through 12 of them on cable. Seeing it in a theater means sitting through it. Sometimes, sitting through the whole thing, even if I don't like it, has some value.

Most of the movies I watch on DVD are Japanese or Hong Kong titles that don't play in theaters here or are ones I've missed when they've had a very brief theatrical engagement (usually just at a film festival). I've got John Woo's RED CLIFF Parts 1 & 2 on DVD. It's the complete movie, something that won't play in theaters here in the U.S. (Still haven't gotten through it, though--I keep putting it on late in the evening and promptly falling asleep. I have to put it on early on a Saturday afternoon or something, when I have the necessary energy to watch it.)

Re: Theater or Home?
 

Our theaters look good on paper (big screens, stadium seating, digital projection) but they actually suck. The screens have marks on them, the clocks shine brightly onto the screens, the screens in the digital auditorium have a weird texture to them (reminds me of a high gain screen), and the seats are horrible. Sometimes they play the movie in the wrong aspect ratio!

I prefer my 7.1 136" 2.35 scope experience at home. The only reason I go to the theater is because I don't want to wait for certain movies to come out on Blu-ray.

Re: Poll: Theater or Home?
 

Done.

The cinema. Nothing else will ever compare.

Re: Theater or Home?
 

I see, on average, between one hundred and one hundred-fifty films (or so) in theaters per year. While I do enjoy watching movies in my home, and watch a few a week, nothing can compare going to the theater.

I almost always go to matinee viewings, so my cost, as well as my exposure to any tenuous elements, is limited.

Re: Theater or Home?
 

I'll take home over theater anyday. I rather be in my house quietly watching a movie than with a bunch of animals munching on popcorn, pulling out bright cell phones and whispering. Not to mention crying babies. Many theaters suck.

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That is a lot of money for what has to be at least some terrible movies.

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that has to be at least 700 bucks per year. That's too much for my taste.

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Theater.

Saw The Hangover a couple of weeks ago and had a blast, in part due to the energy and laughter of the crowd.

Re: Theater or Home?
 

I'm another that used to go at least once a week but now only go for the big, event type movies.

Cost is one factor, general movie behavior is the other biggie. I know that being at home no matter how fancy a screen you have could replicate the experience of sitting in the dark with a hundred strangers, but unfortunately now most of those strangers are talking and texting.

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Same.

Re: Theater or Home?
 

It is true that some of us do have misanthropic (marked by a hatred or contempt for humankind) tendencies but given the experiences that many of us have had while simply trying to enjoy a movie, it is completely understandable.

This closely resembles nearly every theater experience I had prior to my decision to just stay home and wait for the DVD release. Don't get me wrong, I love the big screen but the hassle of it all was just too stressful for me to enjoy the movie. Seriously, I actually skipped going to the theater to see the new Star Trek movie because the the thought of having to deal with it all gave me a headache. It just isn't worth it to me.

ANNOYANCES:
1. Cell Phones
2. Babies
3. Talking
4. Kicking
5. Tapping
6. Munching
7. Playing music
8. Playing games
9. Having sex (yes it happened)
10. Getting up during the movie

I considered it but thought it might be more interesting if is was boolean question because it would force the user to choose which one was more important to them. Giving an option of "Both" would have been way too easy.

Re: Theater or Home?
 

I prefer movies at home, but there is something special about a movie theater that a home movie cant capture. That said, I only go to a movie theater a few times a year for the big releases (i.e. Dark Knight, Transformers 2, Star Trek, etc.) and even then I go to the Imax theater if possible.

Re: Theater or Home?
 

I see as many movies as invisiblegt and 50-60% of mine are free via preview screenings and yes, alot of them are bad. I'd say 60% are just mediocre, 25% are horrible and the last 15% are good to great.

Re: Theater or Home?
 

this is why I go to matinee movies, less people is good.

Re: Theater or Home?
 

Depends on the movie. Comedies, Thrillers and Horror movies I like better at the theater due to audience reaction. Save for my most recent trip, it has been years since somebody was disruptive at a theater I've been in. Grindhouse wouldn't have been the same sitting at home.

Also big action flicks on the big DLP or IMAX or IMAX-lite rock. It sucks so many people have bad experiences but I'm glad mine have mostly been great. Plus despite having a fairly decent setup of my own (106" DLP Mitsu projector on a High Power (glass beaded?) screen), stuff like Star Trek just wouldn't be the same.

Midnight screenings are usually the best imo, especially opening night since the people there are people who actually WANT to be there.

I like keeping tabs on the walkouts as well, it's always a good novelty. The last movie I saw in theaters was Bruno, a woman walked out with her two daughters right after the spinning penis sequence. I chuckled.

Re: Theater or Home?
 

My home