A Case For Why Movie-Theater Experience Is Still Worth the Effort (theverge.com) 370
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.
Main reason not to go (Score:3)
Once only studio execs had bitchin' screening rooms at home; now thanks to technology we all do, and besides, free beer at home!
Re:Main reason not to go (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
I'd go watch movies there if we
Re: (Score:2)
So anyone who used their phones was disruptive but the people next to me that eat during the film are not ?
I've never been to an Alamo but I wondered about exactly that issue.
I just figured most people ate during the trailers (fine) and then just sipped drinks during the movie (also fine).
Even kinfe/fork on plate noises would still seem to be better than talking though, and not as visibly distracting as a cell phone screen.
Re:Main reason not to go (Score:4, Funny)
I initially read that as "... gets my GF off" and I was thinking 'so, the problem is ...?'
Re: (Score:2)
This depends on the movie. A crapshow like "Catwoman" is only redeemed by watching it in a ghetto theater.
Hypocrits (Score:3)
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.
Everyone? (Score:2)
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
Re:Everyone? (Score:5, Insightful)
A 65" screen with a soundbar does not equal a Home Theater.
There's no spec sheet for a home theater, it's whatever someone is happy with. My 65" TV and 2.1 soundbar are more than adequate.
Re: (Score:2)
You underestimated the prices. A low end Atmos receiv
Yep to underestimating (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3)
and besides, free beer at home!
Damnit! My house didn't come with free beer. I have to go to the grocery store and buy mine. That's the last straw, I'm selling my house and moving to one that has free beer.
Nonsense (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Agreed. The "modern" theater experience does need to die. The theater business does not necessarily need to die along with it, but it does need to contract/re-balance somewhat. Having first-run movies available at home should give the mainstream public an alternative to showing up at the theater. Decreased theater demand should then lead to lower prices, which inevitably will lead to fewer theaters. However, I believe there will always be people who want to see "Theater Movies" in an actual theater, an
Buggy whip salesman (Score:5, Insightful)
Debunked (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
My poor neck.
For the first rebooting of Star Trek I came too late. I was stuck in the front row. Being just a few feet form the 3 story screen, I spent the entire movie half out of my seat contorted, trying to see what was going on. I wanted to lay on the floor, but was too embarrassed to try that position.
Camp (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
I'll give you this one. Rocky Horror Picture Show sucks at home.
umm (Score:4, Insightful)
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
Brewvies (Score:3)
10 Reasons Not To Go.. (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Sounds like #9 is in direct conflict with #8. I mean... DIRECT CONFLICT!
Re: (Score:2)
Counterpoints (Score:5, Insightful)
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?
Re: (Score:2)
Geez... Whoever wrote this article is an idiot.. Number 2 and 8 conflict.. I get some nice "alone time" or have close friends over to watch a movie here at home.. Fuck the noisy punks, sticky floors, high snack prices at theaters.. I don't do theaters, just like I don't do Windows anymore...
Re: (Score:2)
I was going to post counterpoints, but you beat me to it. However, my counterpoints complement yours rather that just repeat them.
1. The big screen.
TV's are large enough and cheap enough that I can have a screen as large as I want, and no larger. My home TV sizes are perfect for my environment. At the theater, the screen is either too big (front row seats), too small (back row seats), or not much larger than my living room TV (center seats). This is a non-issue.
2. People everywhere.
This is a good reason
Re: (Score:2)
That is a great point about the "relentlessness" being a huge drawback in relation to physical needs, especially as movie lengths draw out... because theater previews are so long to start with, there have been times when I've eaten a lot of my food and consumed most of my drink before a movie even began. I have a pretty decent holding capacity bladder wise but there have been a few movies where by the end I was anxious to get out and it was really detracting from my enjoyment of the movie by the end, not t
Seen another way (Score:2)
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
4K (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
i was pretty sure there wasn't anything like 4k 3D, also the last ST was in UHD not true 4k anyway. but just wondering if XD = 4k3d
source appreciated.
Re: (Score:2)
According to Cinemark they have Barco 4K projectors. If the movie was indeed natively 4K I don't know.
None of that sounds appealing as an adult (Score:2)
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.
Alamo Drafthouse (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Was just coming to post the reasons to go to the Alamo as really the only reasons to go to a theater.
You left off my personal favorite: fried pickles
(in general, their food sucks, but there are a few bright spots on the menu).
Fried pickles, beer, and the great pre-preview content (including the PSAs) are what keep me going there.
Re: (Score:2)
Wonder who paid Verge (and how much)... (Score:2)
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
Reasons Not To Care (Score:2)
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. Seem
Cola in the dark (Score:2)
(I've learned to not take that 32-ounce cola into a film, for just that reason).
OMGLOLWTFBBQ (Score:5, Informative)
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.
Kid free screenings on opening weekend (Score:2)
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.
Proliferation of ads... (Score:2)
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?
Poor Reasons (Score:2)
2. I don't need a group of people telling me when to laugh, thank you very muc
Desperation (Score:2)
If those are the best arguments... (Score:2)
... 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.
Re: (Score:2)
It's a romantic list. They're having a romantic fantasy about the good old days of the cinema.
Re: (Score:2)
Hey, I think you're right. They should add:
#11. A night at the cinema is a fun time for the ladies to put on their best dresses and for the men to don their most dapper suits and ties.
Ummmm... no (Score:2)
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
Why did /. put this story up? (Score:2)
Year of the Home Theater (Score:2)
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.
I can list one reason why not... (Score:2)
32 ounces of cola? (Score:2)
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.
That list really isn't selling it. (Score:2)
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
11. Your wife can't hit pause. (Score:3)
(My wife has a serious pause button abuse issue)
personal choice (Score:2)
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.
There is ONE reason to go to the theater (Score:2)
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 re
How much do 32 ounces cost at your cinema? (Score:2)
A massive speaker system (Score:2)
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.
Personal Countercase (Score:2)
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. R
And, as the old saying goes... (Score:2)
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 Sound is The Boss of The Show (Score:4)
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.
Large room (Score:2)
ten reasons not to go (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
A massive speaker system (Score:2)
Previews (Score:2)
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 attit
Might as well jump on the counter point train... (Score:3)
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!?!
Why I like going to the Cinema (Score:5, Funny)
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.
The big screen? (Score:2)
The Big Screen (Score:2)
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.
No. (Score:2)
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?
buh? my turn! (Score:2)
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
Nope. (Score:2)
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.
You missed one... in fact, you missed the only one (Score:2)
#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 obta
one up - 64 oz of soda !!! (Score:2)
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 duplication is delicious (Score:3)
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But is it worth my the effort?
Perhaps more effort on typing?
It's about the focus. You paid to get in so you give it your full attention. And the reward for you is when you do give something your full attention your mind dives deep. It's a wonderful sensation. And when you get out of it you want to talk about it with the people you shared it with. In your own house there's always something else to do next. the mind moves on.
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How does it get your full attention after a half hour of commercials and a disruptive rude audience? Not to mention poor quality movies the last couple years.
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>It's about the focus.
Yes it is. Which is why I prefer to see movies in a quiet, comfortable setting without the numerous visual and auditory distractions of a theater. Badly placed safety lights, "ergonomic" chairs, other people who can't shut up or stay off their phones for a couple hours. None of those are present in my living room.
If you can't focus without paying for the privilege, I would suggest you take up meditation or other form of focus exercise for a while - a little mental discipline goes
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In your own house there's always something else to do next. the mind moves on.
This would be the case at home or at the cinema, with the exception that you have the drive home to talk about the movie... unless you're at a mall, where being in a giant building expressly designed to distract the hell out of you (so they can sell you stuff) would tend to get in the way of any serious discussions about the movie you just saw. Or, if traffic gets ugly on the way home. Or, well, at least one person in the car has to focus on the road, and not the soul-tingling implications of what he or she
Yes, these are also my reasons as well (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
EXACLTY.. but let me expand on one.... (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Re:EXACLTY.. but let me expand on one.... (Score:5, Insightful)
This is my biggest issue with the entire ordeal as well. By the time the movie itself actually starts I've been lulled into a trance of "Screw this place, I'm going home."
That and people who can't keep their mouths shut, who then also become agitated because someone tells them to shut up. I paid to watch a movie, not listen to your bullshit conversation.
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^^^ If I had mod points. Had the same experience. I thought it was funny in a "can you believe this?" way at first, but was clearly in the realm of anger by the time the movie started. It 30 minutes in my case.
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Concession Prices
As Steven Wright said, "Last time I went to the movies I was thrown out for bringing my own food. My argument was that the concession stand prices are outrageous. Besides, I haven't had a barbecue in a long time."
And, more seriously, one or two previews are a "pro", seven or eight are not.
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Concession Prices
That's the only way the theater operator makes any money. Of a $12-$15 first run ticket the theater gets 25 cents and the rest goes to the studio that made the movie.
Re:Yes, these are also my reasons as well (Score:4, Insightful)
Have you seen a movie in a theater following the new trend of limited, reserved seating in recliners? I saw Ghost in the Shell this weekend (certainly worth seeing for fans of the franchise). Modern digital projection, very few people in the theater, none of whom were disruptive. No problem with cleanliness at all. Lots of space between the rows of seats, so you're not disrupted when someone needs to get out.
So, yeah, (some) movie theaters are fixing their shit, making the experience good again. Show up 20 minutes late to skip the ads. And if you're bother by garbage movies - have you tried finding an internet movie reviewer who will help you avoid those? There are lots these days, easy to find one who gives useful information given your personal tastes.
Really, your post reads like someone complaining about their girlfriend dragging them to chick flicks, except, well, this is Slashdot.
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Pretty much. But There is indeed a case to be made for movie theaters because we are social beings. I have a fancy espresso machine at home but I still stop by a coffee house every once in a while because of this social aspect.
So when it comes to movie theaters they can be a plus but they have to know their place and care about their audience. We have one theater I like which is in the more upscale area where people are also more educated and polite. They have big comfy seats with huge arm supports which ma
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I can see the argument where coffee is concerned - coffee houses have traditionally been social locations where people get together to talk about whatever interests them. Like bars for sober people.
A movie theater though? You're sitting in the dark, watching a (hopefully engrossing) movie in a situation where courtesy demands that you refrain from any form of conversation. How exactly is that social? At best it offers a common experience that can then serve as a focal point for conversation afterwards.
Re: Yes (Score:5, Insightful)
1. Well, most movie theaters, except for IMAX, have screens MUCH smaller than they used to, certainly not 3 stories. I have 60+ inch Plasma and OLED tvs (4k the latter)...and from my viewing distance, it is quite large. I have had projectors in the past which worked out great, but my current abode really doesn't work for that, but honestly, with the quality sets I have, I don't miss them.
2. People Everywhere - That's PRECISELY the PROBLEM. I dunno exactly when it happened, but general public civility and manners has long since disappeared from the populace. You have parents bringing in kids too young for some movies or just dropping them off and letting them run wild in a theater. Then, there's the "adults", constantly texting, talking on phone, being rude in general. And hey, of late, there's even those that want to storm into a crowded theater and start shooting people. No thanks. At home, I can invite people I want over, and have them leave if they act an ass.
3. Focus - Ok, maybe. I personally don't have a problem turning things off and paying full attention to something for a couple hours. I guess it comes from my background in getting lost in books. I can readily disappear into a good story. Unless it is an emergency or I take a break to pee, eat or mix a cocktail...I can safely ignore the real world for a period of time even while at home.
4. Those important periods are NOT when I hit pause....in between those bits is when I pause for a pit stop or make a drink (having bar that is stocked and free to use at anytime is a major plus of home theater).
5. I got that covered...100% Klipsch surround, KlipschHorns in front, Cornwalls in back, 17" 800W sub, and good center channel (soon to replace that with a single heresy speaker from klipsch)...and I recently got a new Marantz AV processor. One of the last times I was in a movie theater, they barely had the sound on. I've gone to THX theaters especially for the sound, only to have to get up numerous times and ask them to turn the damned sound ON. Sorry, theater lose there. They might have better equipment at some places, but it does not good at all if not used. Hell, I watch the Flintstones cartoons at concert level....
6. Ok, I'll give them this one...ever since I was a kid, I LOVED the previews. I don't, however, appreciate the multitude of commercials they've been putting there last years...ugh. I paid...quit selling me stuff!!
7. See #2...in a theater these days, it is the f
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Re: Yes (Score:4, Insightful)
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I'm not so sure on the 3D. All the 3D theaters new me have those lame Sony 4K projectors. They are far too dim for an enjoyable experience. I have a 3D TV at home and it looks MUCH better, although I do sit back 15 feet or so.
As for sound, 3 of the last 4 movies I've seen had some issue with the center channel speaker. It sounded distorted and lower in volume. When dialog moved from the center to the rear, it got louder and more clear.
As far as I'm concerned, seeing a movie in a theater is a negative in eve
Re: Yes (Score:4, Insightful)
many home projectors have 3d, the 1080p one Ive used for years has 3d, and its a much better effect than seeing it in a theater
Once you own a 1080/4k+3d projector at home with a good 5.1-7.1 sound setup, there is absolutely no reason to ever go to a theater ever again
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I ended up with a video projector back in 2001 when the company I worked for closed and couldn't pay the vacation time they owed me. It was only 800x600 and 300 ANSI lumens (required almost pitch-dark room to use) but it was AWESOME to have. I've had projectors ever since. 100" screen, for all intents and purposes it's as big as the cinema based on viewing distance. My furniture is much nicer. I control the air conditioning. I don't have a sound system as sophisticated as yours (6 way surround, don't
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6. Previews.
6. Ok, I'll give them this one...ever since I was a kid, I LOVED the previews. I don't, however, appreciate the multitude of commercials they've been putting there last years...ugh. I paid...quit selling me stuff!!
Previews and commercials are probably the main drawback of the theatre experience for me. Just goes to show how different people can be, and that there is no way to please everyone.
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Go on a Friday night, then it would be two people, one big popcorn, two sodas and Nachos. That would probably exceed Netflix for a year.
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. Who the hell stopped watching a movie to pay the electric bill?!
Anyone who was watching "Howard The Duck" and had an electric bill due in the next month.