Complaining About Theater Experience
04-20-16 | 09:17 PM
#251
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Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
I have a bad habit of walking into every auditorium to see what the presentation looks and sounds like if I have time to burn before my movie. When I was stationed at Andrews AFB I would sometimes go down the street to the Xscape theatre in Brandywine MD. When I informed the manager that they were projecting Monsters University in what looked like scope and the screen was set at flat. I informed them that the film was released flat they told me that theatres had the option to show it either flat or scope . I told him he was wrong. Next when I informed him that Man of steel was being projected pillarboxed when it was a scope film he then threatened to have me arrested for trespassing for walking into different auditoriums. That was the last time I ever went to that theatre.
04-20-16 | 09:41 PM
#252
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
I only go to the theater 3-4 times a year to bring my 8 year old daughter to the kid movies. It has become an experience for her and I and I enjoy her excitement. We get a Sprite, movie sized M&Ms, and tub of popcorn to share every time. It's almost a ritual, but we have fun. I know I'm overpaying but I'm hoping when I'm dead and buried she can remember some of the time we shared "at the movies".
I still remember my Dad taking me to Empire Strikes Back and going all out. I loved it all and told him "thanks for taking me". My mom told me later he said he was so glad he took me. OK, end sappiness.
Point being, I think going to the movie theater is supposed to be an experience. Sure with home theaters, and annoying people, it's lost its charm but it still has its place.
I still remember my Dad taking me to Empire Strikes Back and going all out. I loved it all and told him "thanks for taking me". My mom told me later he said he was so glad he took me. OK, end sappiness.
Point being, I think going to the movie theater is supposed to be an experience. Sure with home theaters, and annoying people, it's lost its charm but it still has its place.
Last edited by Barth; 04-20-16 at 09:49 PM.
04-20-16 | 11:05 PM
#253
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
Yeah, this is me. Getting my drink and popcorn is 100% part of the experience.
When I see a movie, it's usually early in the day on a weekday and I'm by myself, so I don't pay more than 7.50 for a ticket. I bring my loyalty cup that I get refilled for $1.50 and buy my small popcorn for ~$3.50, and I'm good to go. I'm out the door at around $15, which is fine with me.
When I see a movie, it's usually early in the day on a weekday and I'm by myself, so I don't pay more than 7.50 for a ticket. I bring my loyalty cup that I get refilled for $1.50 and buy my small popcorn for ~$3.50, and I'm good to go. I'm out the door at around $15, which is fine with me.
04-21-16 | 01:09 AM
#255
DVD Talk Hero
04-21-16 | 10:27 AM
#257
DVD Talk Gold Edition
04-21-16 | 12:11 PM
#258
DVD Talk Hero
I can only hope I can do the same when my daughter is big enough. I really want to take her to a film festival.
04-21-16 | 12:32 PM
#259
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
04-21-16 | 12:42 PM
#260
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
07-25-16 | 03:02 PM
#261
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
Can't even go to a weekend matinee without this kind of stuff happening:
http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/32515...icked-his-seat
http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/32515...icked-his-seat
PADUCAH, KY (KFVS) -
An Illinois man is accused of pulling a gun inside a Paducah, Kentucky movie theater on Saturday morning, July 23.
Paducah police say they will seek charges against the man.
According to police, they were called to the Cinemark Theater on Hinkleville Road at around 11:50 a.m. on Saturday after a fight broke out inside the theater.
A man told one of the officers that he and his son were sitting behind another man and the son was kicking the back of the man's seat.
According to witnesses, the man got up and cursed at the boy, asking if he was going to continue kicking his seat.
Police say the boy's father broke in and a fight began between the two men.
They say as the father got the upper hand in the fight, witnesses told them the other man pulled a gun and said, "What the [expletive] are you going to do now?"
According to police, other people in the theater saw the gun and began running for the exit.
Three men, including theater employees and patrons, escorted the man from the theater and were outside with him when police arrived.
According to police, this was the only theater in the building affected by the incident. The movie-goers who ran during the fight were let back in.
Police say the man was barred from Cinemark property and they will present their investigation to the McCracken County Attorney's Office on Monday for charges.
An Illinois man is accused of pulling a gun inside a Paducah, Kentucky movie theater on Saturday morning, July 23.
Paducah police say they will seek charges against the man.
According to police, they were called to the Cinemark Theater on Hinkleville Road at around 11:50 a.m. on Saturday after a fight broke out inside the theater.
A man told one of the officers that he and his son were sitting behind another man and the son was kicking the back of the man's seat.
According to witnesses, the man got up and cursed at the boy, asking if he was going to continue kicking his seat.
Police say the boy's father broke in and a fight began between the two men.
They say as the father got the upper hand in the fight, witnesses told them the other man pulled a gun and said, "What the [expletive] are you going to do now?"
According to police, other people in the theater saw the gun and began running for the exit.
Three men, including theater employees and patrons, escorted the man from the theater and were outside with him when police arrived.
According to police, this was the only theater in the building affected by the incident. The movie-goers who ran during the fight were let back in.
Police say the man was barred from Cinemark property and they will present their investigation to the McCracken County Attorney's Office on Monday for charges.
07-25-16 | 03:35 PM
#262
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
Had an interesting experience a couple of months ago that I forgot to post about. My wife and I and our 7-year-old son went to see The Good Dinosaur. It was in its final weekend of playing. There were about six other couples with young children in the theater.
Previews begin with the image, "The following previews are approved for appropriate audiences." Seemed odd considering it's a kids movie. Sure enough, the previews include a trailer for "The Forest." While the kids in the theater hide their eyes, I go to complain. The employee I talk to doesn't seem very concerned with my complaint.
The previews play out completely, including several more that weren't appropriate for children. Finally, the movie starts. And it's "Krampus." Again, I leave the theater to complain. Somehow I've become the room's spokesperson. Again, the employee doesn't seem very concerned.
Five minutes in, the movie stops. A manager apologizes and says the correct movie will start soon. We wait. 10 minutes later, "It will start in five minutes." 10 more minutes later, we're all asked to come to the lobby for two free passes per ticket purchased. Their "pass key" for The Good Dinosaur had expired and they were no longer able to unlock it for screening.
Several traumatized children walked out of the theater that day. But hey -- free passes!
Previews begin with the image, "The following previews are approved for appropriate audiences." Seemed odd considering it's a kids movie. Sure enough, the previews include a trailer for "The Forest." While the kids in the theater hide their eyes, I go to complain. The employee I talk to doesn't seem very concerned with my complaint.
The previews play out completely, including several more that weren't appropriate for children. Finally, the movie starts. And it's "Krampus." Again, I leave the theater to complain. Somehow I've become the room's spokesperson. Again, the employee doesn't seem very concerned.
Five minutes in, the movie stops. A manager apologizes and says the correct movie will start soon. We wait. 10 minutes later, "It will start in five minutes." 10 more minutes later, we're all asked to come to the lobby for two free passes per ticket purchased. Their "pass key" for The Good Dinosaur had expired and they were no longer able to unlock it for screening.
Several traumatized children walked out of the theater that day. But hey -- free passes!
07-25-16 | 03:53 PM
#263
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
07-25-16 | 05:28 PM
#264
DVD Talk Reviewer & TOAT Winner
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
Yep, digital is better!
07-25-16 | 06:03 PM
#265
DVD Talk Hero
07-25-16 | 06:22 PM
#266
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From: Detroit, formerly known as Obi-Wanma
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
My local theater has these fancy recliners now, and they still don't give a shit about presentation. In the last several months, I've gotten up several times to ask that a problem be fixed, and apparently no one else in the theater cares, because I've never seen anyone else get up.
Twice it was because the masking wasn't open all the way and the sides of the movie were being projected on the curtains. Once it was the bottom right corner of the image was missing (I can only assume something in the projection booth was blocking it. Twice it was because the bright house lights were still on as the movie started. And once it was because it was 10 minutes past the advertised showtime and the trailers hadn't even started (they ended up starting the movie and skipping the trailers).
I think it's because all this shit is supposed to be automated and so they assume that it is and no one ever checks on it.
Twice it was because the masking wasn't open all the way and the sides of the movie were being projected on the curtains. Once it was the bottom right corner of the image was missing (I can only assume something in the projection booth was blocking it. Twice it was because the bright house lights were still on as the movie started. And once it was because it was 10 minutes past the advertised showtime and the trailers hadn't even started (they ended up starting the movie and skipping the trailers).
I think it's because all this shit is supposed to be automated and so they assume that it is and no one ever checks on it.
01-20-17 | 10:44 AM
#267
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
I've been driving 1 hour to the Alamo Drafthouse for their 'Terror Tuesday' nights the last few weeks and it has completely spoiled me on Theater Experiences.
Saw Underworld: Blood Wars last week and a family of 6 was in the background. I'm not going to be upset at a 3-4 year old walking around making noise. I'm going to be upset at the parents who decided to make their entire theater their babysitter & living room. I'm sorry you couldn't find a babysitter and I'm sorry Birth Control is a strange concept to you but I nor the other patrons in the theater shouldn't be punished for it.
The other night I went to a Double Feature of Point Break/Road House. As my luck always is with Cineplexes, I was one row behind a group of 7 people who all snuck in beer and bottles of booze. Honestly, I don't care if people drink in theaters (as the Alamo Drafthouse and several other theaters here serve alcohol) but I start getting annoyed when drinking turns into non-stop commentary, commentary at full volume and a general disrespect for everyone else in the theater. It puts everyone at this awkward position.
I sent a FB message to the theater who responded pretty quickly by sending 1 and then 2 of their Associates to sit in the Auditorium, though no one said anything to them.
01-20-17 | 07:43 PM
#269
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
Went to see Rogue One and parents decided to sit their kid next to me and my theater has these lounge seats and this kid, getting bored, couldn't sit still and by the end was laying down like he was in bed (and yawning loudly).
01-20-17 | 07:55 PM
#270
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
Everyone else was fine, it was just the 7 drunk Townies in the row in front of me.
Last edited by asianxcore; 01-20-17 at 08:01 PM.
01-20-17 | 10:15 PM
#271
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From: Not necessarily Formerly known as Solid Snake
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
The other night I went to a Double Feature of Point Break/Road House. As my luck always is with Cineplexes, I was one row behind a group of 7 people who all snuck in beer and bottles of booze. Honestly, I don't care if people drink in theaters (as the Alamo Drafthouse and several other theaters here serve alcohol) but I start getting annoyed when drinking turns into non-stop commentary, commentary at full volume and a general disrespect for everyone else in the theater. It puts everyone at this awkward position.
I sent a FB message to the theater who responded pretty quickly by sending 1 and then 2 of their Associates to sit in the Auditorium, though no one said anything to them.
01-21-17 | 01:49 AM
#272
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
Good catch!
I turned my brightness all the way down, had the screen perpendicular to my chest and sent a single message to the theater. Luckily, they responded pretty quickly and I didn't have to be on it longer than like 10 seconds.
I turned my brightness all the way down, had the screen perpendicular to my chest and sent a single message to the theater. Luckily, they responded pretty quickly and I didn't have to be on it longer than like 10 seconds.
04-06-25 | 11:54 AM
#273
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
My friend and I went to go see "The Friend" yesterday, and we sat in the back row. There was a woman wearing a hijab sitting in the row in front of us, one seat over to the right. Watching the Commanders vs Patriots football game from August 2024 on her phone. Fast forwarding through the commercials. The movie started, and she lays the phone flat on her lap to continue watching. I could see this because it's stadium seating. I lean as far to the left to get it out of my peripheral but could still see it, even though she had the brightness dimmed somewhat. But I didn't say anything. Until. She lifted it up again facing her to fast forward through the next set of commercials. I leaned over and said "Can you please put your phone away. It's very distracting". She said "OH!", and laid it back flat on her lap. Still on. I then said "No, please turn it off!". And she said "OH!!!" again. She then put it in her purse, grabbed her things, and left the theater entirely. Never returning. I only mentioned what she was wearing because I thought her hasty exit was a possibly a cultural thing. That maybe she was humiliated and so embarrassed she felt she had to leave (?) Which wasn't my intention, and I felt pretty bad. I wasn't rude though. And I know I could have moved somewhere else, but why should I? She shouldn't be watching anything on her phone during a movie. And I don't know why she too didn't choose to sit in the back row away from everyone.
04-06-25 | 11:59 AM
#274
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
I don't remember where I read it (it could have been a post or link from here) but some theater owners are toying with the idea of being phone friendly (do whatever you want on them during the movie) to get people back... especially younger ones. That would 100% guarantee the loss of my business. 
04-06-25 | 12:35 PM
#275
DVD Talk God
Re: Complaining About Theater Experience
I don't remember where I read it (it could have been a post or link from here) but some theater owners are toying with the idea of being phone friendly (do whatever you want on them during the movie) to get people back... especially younger ones. That would 100% guarantee the loss of my business.
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