FiveO

I don't mind watching movies in theaters....still see a few here and there.

Couple reasons I prefer to wait until they're on VUDU and just buy them:

1. Cost. For what it costs me to go to the movie, gas/ticket, etc...I can just buy it 2.5-3 months later.

2. Idiots. Yesterday I saw The Mule. The lady 2 seats away was wearing so much perfume it was making my eyes water 2 seats away...for the entire movie. Ugh!

I much prefer just waiting and buying movies when they come out on VUDU.

Alan Smithee

Thought of another reason for this when browsing Fandango online just for fun- yet another problem with newer theaters is the ridiculously small number of seats available! Smaller theaters combined with larger seats has resulted in about 50 seats total in some auditoriums! The first theater I worked at had 209 in its smallest ones, and we thought THAT was pretty small! Some of these new theaters also have only about 4 or 5 rows of seats altogether, so if even a handful of people come then the good seats are likely taken already. I always like to sit in the 'sweet spot' but that gets increasingly difficult. Reserved seating sort of lets you get around that, but not only does that mean having to plan to see a movie well in advance, but you get charged a "convenience fee" for buying your tickets online on top of that! I was looking up movies that I could conceivably head out and see, but most of the good seats were already taken and I'd end up sitting at an angle or too close to the screen (remember watching "Batman" at an angle, and vowed never to do that again!) If you've got a nice big theater with 900 or so seats on the other hand, on a regular day it's more likely that you'll get at least a decent seat even if there's a good number of others there.

TomOpus

That is why reserve seating is good.

Geddlo

I'm not a fan of those reclining seats theaters have now.

But my friend has a 120 inch projector and a nice sound system, so we just tend to wait and watch at his place

IDrinkMolson

Generally I like assigned seats. Don't have to rush to get there, can go to consessions/bathroom beforehand, etc.

But, this has happened to me 2 out of the last 3 movies I went to. I got the first 2 (assigned) seats about a week earlier (Circled). Then day of the show someone buys seats right next to us. As you can see it wasn't a sell out. I checked before we left home to see how crowded it was going to be and those seats next to us were empty.
And for good measure the old bitch fell asleep and started snoring.

Toddarino

dex14

That's why I always choose the aisle.

Josh-da-man

You need to buy extra seats to guarantee nobody sits next to you.

story

People are weird.

The_Cube

dvdjunkie32

Love going to the movies, but never fails, I'll always get the asshole next to me who has to check his cellphone every 10 minutes or some idiot that walks in after the movie has started and thinks someone else is in his reserved seat.

Why So Blu?

asianxcore

Obnoxious Movie-Goers have definitely curbed how often I go to the theater.

Giving up my time & money only to be greeted with Cell Phone Screens at their brightest settings being used throughout the film, or constant talking wears on me.

It was a bit easier to deal with when I was fully abusing MoviePass, seeing a film a day. At the cost of (almost) nothing, it made dealing with crowds a bit easier.

Without it, I'm paying $8-12 locally for films or driving 1-hour to San Francisco, CA paying even more for tickets and even more for Parking. Not worth it.

Ash Ketchum

I went to the Friday morning 10:00 AM show of GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS at my local multiplex, expecting the theater to be quiet and nearly empty. Instead, while waiting on a (long) line for the only open cashier, I watched a steady stream of school kids getting off of buses and entering the theater. I didn’t think they’d be going to GODZILLA, but after the movie started in my theater, several classes of kids entered, right in the middle of the Mothra introduction scene. Someone turned on the full house lights so the kids could find seats and fill up the near-empty theater. I moved to the aisle seat in my row (the back row) so I wouldn’t be sandwiched between anybody. Their teachers (or keepers—whatever they were) sat in my row so the kids were constantly running in and out in front of me to ask them questions and there was a constant flow of people to the concession stand to bring back food and distribute it, often right in front of me. Plus constant conversation. Nobody seemed to be watching the movie.

I knew I’d never make another effort to see this again, so I stuck it out as long as I could. But at some point I’d had enough of the constant distraction—and the fact that what I’d seen so far of the movie was abysmally awful—so when the first story arc ended at the 70-minute mark, I got up and left. I did get a cash refund (and I wasn’t the first to ask) and the promise of a free pass if I would wait for the guest services guy at the cashier after getting the refund, but since I’ll probably never go to this theater again, I didn’t bother waiting.

I mentioned all this to a teacher in my building and she said that the theater should have reserved screenings exclusively for the kids and not sent them in with regular moviegoers. She said I should have found out what school it was and complained to the school about the kids’ chaotic behavior.

I went to the AMC Theater website to figure out how to complain, but all they had was a form that required way too much personal info (phone number?!), so I didn’t fill it out. But it was clearly a case of bad management by the theater and poor supervision by the schools.

TomOpus

A few years ago I had an issue with a theater and sent an email. It was routed to the specific theater and I got a nice response from the manager. We actually had a nice back-and-forth conversation for a few days. You missed out on a free pass or two.

leacha

That would have made me walk. I can find other/better things to do instead of waiting in line for something.

TomOpus

No reason to wait. Just buy online.

I belong to Victory rewards at Alamo Drafthouse. I buy my ticket online. When I get to the theater I walk into the theater and go straight to my seat. I just show my server my confirmation email on my phone. So damn and quick.

Alan Smithee