Rant about Movie Theaters

Nine out of ten times I go to the theater I only do matinees. Can't remember the last time I had a problem during the day.

Retiring to suburban enclaves, gated communities, and private theaters only exacerbates the problem. As Martin Luther King wrote, "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it." Fleeing and avoiding are not protesting. All movie-goers have certain privileges when watching movies. At the same time, we have certain duties. And one of those duties is holding each other accountable and making sure those who break the rules of etiquette and good manners do not get away with their rudeness without encouraging reproving. If we sit back and stew in our anger without saying anything or if we just figure it's not worth our time and decide to boycott the theater as a result, we have let one more pillar crumble. As a people we must stand up to selfishness and moral ineptitude. One very visible and easy way we can do this is in the movie theater when people are talking or texting, and in general, ruining the experience for others.

It may seem a trivial thing, but if we are too afraid to stand up to those who are careless and so blatantly anti-social in theaters, where it is so very easy to correct them, how will we stand up to people when they are doing injustice and it will actually cost us our comfort to correct their injustice? As Mr. Marley said, "Get up, stand up. Stand up for your rights."

7.1 sound and 120" projector screen FTW

Going to the movies is still a very important and worthwhile experience. I wrote this a while back for someone who had the same sort of complaint:

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Here it goes: It is your fault that you were distracted by people texting. Why? Here's why. You could have controlled this in 4 different ways.

1) Go to the movie during a time that would have less people that are prone to text at it. Matinees on weekdays help. If you can't make it then, then do matinees on the weekends. The earlier the showing the better. Why? The average age of the patrons to the movie theater is greater than at later weekend hours.

2) Don' sit in the back of the theater. Those are the worst seats possible. You don't want to see every single movement by every single person. Get the front row center right in front of bar and the alley way that divides the top section from the bottom section. Or get the very top of the bottom section if you don't like seeing the occasional silhouette pass in front of you.

3) Go to a movie where people won't text at. Don't tell me you went to see Captain America or some comedy and was surprised people were texting. I promise you not a single text was swapped in any theater screen room around the country that showed Tree of Life.

4) Ask them not to text or tell management. You kindly ask them to stop texting to follow the theaters standards of courteousness towards the other attendees.



See? It takes practice, but you can have an enjoyable movie experience in the theater. I know I do.

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I agree. We go to the Studio Movie Grill and it is quiet even with people eating and drinking.

did this in the master bedroom 4 years ago and its the BEST money I've ever spent....we watch it everyday and are still blown away every time

I go to the big one about 3 times/ year.

Go to the small indie/foreign one about once/month

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Who are they playing these films so loud for?

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To drown out all the assholes talking.

I rarely go for the reasons that have been stated. I would pay more for a movie ticket if it meant having ushers that stood by and either told people talking to STFU or just straight escorted them out.

Yes, I did, but that was the expected, accepted behavior. It was even encouraged by the staff who had cleared an area out and turned some of the lights on in the front. It was akin to clapping at the end of a rousing movie.

And was it fun. Greatest time I've ever had in a movie theater. I pity those who, for prideful or other reasons, did not get to lose themselves and take part in a joyous, child-like moment of movie history.