$15 for a movie now????

[chalmers]

Nope. RedBox movies are still $1.00 for DVD, $1.50 for Blu-Ray.

One of the local theaters just went through a major overhaul. ($600,000) Movies now can cost as much as $18.50/seat.
http://www.modbee.com/2010/11/14/1429695/moving-seats-huge-screen-upgrade.html

Theatres are milking our massive "gotta have/see/consume it now' population. I can wait, unless it's something totally epic that just needs to be seen on a big screen, for me that would be something like Lord of the Rings, etc.

 

[Lithium381]

redbox ftw $1 rentals/night

 

[SAWYER]

lol@going to the movies. That shit is not worth it to me, noisey, crowded and expensive..no thanks

 

[BoomerD]

Theatres are milking our massive "gotta have/see/consume it now' population. I can wait, unless it's something totally epic that just needs to be seen on a big screen, for me that would be something like Lord of the Rings, etc.

From the link I posted, they installed a new massive sound system and "moving seats. (D-Box)
Not worth it IMO, but the place seems to stay booked.
(that theater is in a town of about 22,000 people, but is in our "metropolitan" area. County population is about 500K)

 

[zerocool84]

I agree with the theater experience thing - some movies, the theater experience makes them awesome. But, the only way to get that theater experience is if it's the first showing of the film, at midnight, and the place is packed with fans of the genre. Otherwise, the theater experience has been replaced with people sending and receiving text messages all over the place - constant flashes of bright light distracting from the film; not to mention other acts of rudeness.

You hope most of those are fans - there are still the occasional texters, flashes of bright light, people yapping, etc.

The best time to see a film in the theater is the first showing on a Monday morning about 2-3 weeks after release date - [nearly] everyone is at work so you get to sit in a near empty theater and can enjoy it without any interruptions from texters/flashes or some contagiously sick asshole who manages to plop right down next to you and cough/sneeze during the entire movie.

Seriously, going on opening night is about the worst thing to do, even with fans there it's even worse. I make it a habit to never go unless a movie has been out for at least a week or two and never during peak times. Babies crying, people kicking your seat, cellphone on, talking, crappy seating, etc.

 

[shortylickens]

Damn, this thread is filled with a bunch of cheap fogies. The theater is an experience and some movies need to be seen there.

Yes it is an experience. Like getting your first filling or passing your first stone is an experience.
And NO movie NEEDS to be seen. Thats just typical spoiled American bullshit right there.
If I'm gonna watch a movie I will acknowledge in advance that I am spoiling myself. I could spend that money to take care of starving kids in Africa. But I didnt. I spent it on me.
I may as well at least enjoy myself and the theater experience pretty much guarantees that wont happen. At home the odds are much better, provided the movie doest suck ass. And seeing a crap movie in the theater only drives home the suck factor. For example: Clash of the Titans.

 

[Howard]

You don't want to eat theater nachos, man. Trust me.

 

[coloumb]

Damn, this thread is filled with a bunch of cheap fogies. The theater is an experience and some movies need to be seen there. Seeing the original Star Wars when they were rereleased in theaters with all the fans was awesome.

If you can't appreciate the emotion of the crowd and fans getting into a movie and having fun with that, you shouldn't be going to the theater. You should be at home watching the Golden Girls and drinking your Metamucil.

Come to think of it - the only movie that I can remember where nearly everyone "got into the movie" was the original Star Wars - especially when the Death Star was destroyed. THAT was a very memorable experience - seeing other people CHEER and applaud during that scene.

Back then - you had to be a gozillionaire to have an equivalent home theater system so it made sense to go see the movie on the big screen vs watching the VHS version on a tiny television.

Today - it's very affordable and more enjoyable to watch most movies at home if you have a nice system. You can invite people over who you know won't RUIN the movie watching experience AND you can pause the movie for bathroom/snack breaks

 

[KeithTalent]

Seriously, going on opening night is about the worst thing to do, even with fans there it's even worse. I make it a habit to never go unless a movie has been out for at least a week or two and never during peak times. Babies crying, people kicking your seat, cellphone on, talking, crappy seating, etc.

This is why I pretty much exclusively go to matinees. They are cheaper and generally have fewer patrons, plus those patrons are typically there to actually watch the film.

KT

 

[roguerower]

I agree that the theater is an experience but there are so few movies that are released these days where that "experience" is warranted. I can wait 2 months, and get the DVD from Netflix and watch it on my HT setup at home and be infinitely happier.

I don't buy snacks at the theater, I use my GF's purse.

 

[chalmers]

I agree that the theater is an experience but there are so few movies that are released these days where that "experience" is warranted. I can wait 2 months, and get the DVD from Netflix and watch it on my HT setup at home and be infinitely happier.

I don't buy snacks at the theater, I use my GF's purse.

Buying snacks at the theater is the worst. I am always amazed by the decent size lines at mine.

 

[Fritzo]

Yeah, took the family to a movie last week. There were 4 of us, and we each got a drink and small popcorn. It cost $88. WTF?????? It wasn't 3D or IMAX or anything either.

This is why movies are making so much money and they keep making them-1/10 of the people are seeing them at 20x the price.

 

[chalmers]

Yeah, took the family to a movie last week. There were 4 of us, and we each got a drink and small popcorn. It cost $88. WTF?????? It wasn't 3D or IMAX or anything either.

This is why movies are making so much money and they keep making them-1/10 of the people are seeing them at 20x the price.

Unreal. I heard that theaters make like $.25 per movie ticket sold or something, and that most of their margins come from concession sales.

 

[TheVrolok]

Fortunately, there's a smaller (maybe 8 screen?) theater a few miles from my apartment that still only charges 5.50 a movie. Doesn't quite have the selection that the big theaters have, but it's half the price and the seating is still pretty good.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Damn, this thread is filled with a bunch of cheap fogies. The theater is an experience and some movies need to be seen there. Seeing the original Star Wars when they were rereleased in theaters with all the fans was awesome.

If you can't appreciate the emotion of the crowd and fans getting into a movie and having fun with that, you shouldn't be going to the theater. You should be at home watching the Golden Girls and drinking your Metamucil.

Well, Star Wars is an exception and I would always go to the theater to see that. Let's take another example -- Inception. I wanted to go see it when it came out, but the wife was reluctant and we got busy, so we never did.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and Target had the BD+DVD combo pack for $17. I thought "what the hell" and bought it. That was cheaper than a night at the theater and I can watch it whenever I want or turn around and sell it and maybe even get more than I paid.

 

[AMDZen]

Damn, this thread is filled with a bunch of cheap fogies. The theater is an experience and some movies need to be seen there. Seeing the original Star Wars when they were rereleased in theaters with all the fans was awesome.

If you can't appreciate the emotion of the crowd and fans getting into a movie and having fun with that, you shouldn't be going to the theater. You should be at home watching the Golden Girls and drinking your Metamucil.

You're right about that, where else can you experience crying children even at a 10:00 showing, teenagers that won't shut up either talking to each other or on the phone. And those sticky ass floors, you can't get that anywhere else, fo sho.

 

[TridenT]

This is why I don't go to movies.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Come to think of it - the only movie that I can remember where nearly everyone "got into the movie" was the original Star Wars - especially when the Death Star was destroyed. THAT was a very memorable experience - seeing other people CHEER and applaud during that scene.

I remember even louder reactions when the Millennium Falcon escaped in Empire Strikes Back and the theater nearly exploded when Darth chucked the Emperor down the reactor shaft in Return of the Jedi. I don't remember any reactions like this in the prequels, except maybe the gasps of horror and the look of shocked faces after seeing The Phantom Menace.

 

[AMDZen]

I remember even louder reactions when the Millennium Falcon escaped in Empire Strikes Back and the theater nearly exploded when Darth chucked the Emperor down the reactor shaft in Return of the Jedi. I don't remember any reactions like this in the prequels, except maybe the gasps of horror and the look of shocked faces after seeing The Phantom Menace.

There hasn't been a reaction like that in any movie I've ever seen in the theatres. But I'm not old enough to comment on the original star wars

 

[KeithTalent]

You guys have a lot of shitty theatres around you apparently. I have about 5 or 6 theatres within walking distance of me and while one of them is pretty bad, the one that plays all of the blockbusters and 3D nonsense, the other ones are generally really good.

KT

 

[Anubis]

You guys have a lot of shitty theatres around you apparently. I have about 5 or 6 theatres within walking distance of me and while one of them is pretty bad, the one that plays all of the blockbusters and 3D nonsense, the other ones are generally really good.

KT

not everyone lives in a city

there is 1 within walking distance of me and it sucks, 1 small screen and gets movies a week late, however it is cheap, last time i was there i think was 15 years ago when i was in HS

all others are a 20+ min drive

closest ones that do 3D and or imax are eaisily an hour away, the one at 20 min is the one i normally go to as its cheap and pretty nice seating

 

[KeithTalent]

not everyone lives in a city

there is 1 within walking distance of me and it sucks, 1 small screen and gets movies a week late, however it is cheap, last time i was there i think was 15 years ago when i was in HS

all others are a 20+ min drive

closest ones that do 3D and or imax are eaisily an hour away, the one at 20 min is the one i normally go to as its cheap and pretty nice seating

Of course there will be some that are a bit farther removed like yourself, but I can't imagine the majority of the people bitching here are out of the city like that. If so, then just ignore me as I guess I am the anomaly.

KT

 

[bruceb]

I agree and will wait for the DVD to come out. No new release is that important or superb enough to get me to travel to a theater and pay high price to watch it once.
And for a family, that gets costly. DVD / Blu Ray, in the long run comes out cheaper and you can watch whenever, whereever and how many times you want by as many people want to watch it.

 

[purbeast0]

when i see movies it is typically on opening night and my wife and i go like 20 minutes or 30 minutes early depending on how hype the movie is, so we can get good seats dead center in the theatre. the movie theatre will basically have no empty seats with like 10-5 mins before the movie starts on blockbuster movies.

i have no clue wtf you all are talking about with all of the texters and lights flashing while you are watching movies.

makes me think those of you who think theatres are like that don't even go to theatres and just 'hear' that they are like that.

and a home theatre will never ever replace the actual movie theatre experience, sound and picture wise.

$11-$14/ticket for wife and I is less than $30 for a movie. hell we spend like $18 when we eat at chipotle, and a movie lasts longer than that. $30 would be like 4 drinks out at a bar too, and would last way shorter than a movie.

i have no problems spending $30 for an evening of entertainment.

 

[BurnItDwn]

wow, the # of movies I watch, I'm thinking I'll save money in the long run even though I spent several $K and hundreds of hours working on the theater room...

$10 or less bluray or netflix for me