Just me or do movie theaters suck in general?

[TridenT]

I've seen a few movies within the past year or so, but I never recalled the films looking so crappy. I now notice like film-grain(Or maybe bad compression or something?) or something and the flicker of the screen... The rating screen text moves instead of being steady... Lots of the initial film can be that way. If I get into the movie it starts to fade away, but initially it's hugely apparent.

Typical of most movie theaters? Just wondering.

 

[KLin]

We've been spoiled by HDTV.

 

[Leros]

Alamo Drafthouse ftw

 

[TridenT]

I swear my experience of watching The Dark Knight on my shitty BenQ G2400WD and my Sennheiser HD555's is probably better than what I would get at a movie theater. I did not watch TDK at a movie theater though... I did watch Star Trek though and I thought it was pretty piss-poor quality for the free admission I got. (Girl I went and saw the movie with paid for me. )

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: KLin
We've been spoiled by HDTV.

35mm >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> hdtv

 

[lxskllr]

I don't go to the movies. The picture quality sucks, and the seats are uncomfortable. I feel like I'm sitting in someone's lame house, with no chance of escape. I hadn't been to a movie in years, but I made an exception to go see Nightmare Before Christmas 3D a couple of years ago. It's a favorite of mine, and I thought it would be hip in 3D. Well, apparently they still can't convert 2D movies to 3D with decent results. The 3D effects were weak, and I was sorry I went. I'd rather have just used the money to buy the DVD to replace the VHS tape I currently have.

 

[irishScott]

I dunno what shitty ass theater you're going to. They all look fine to me.

Then again I've never had an HD TV and the most my laptop/monitor can handle is 720p. Never seen a blu-ray or HD-DVD either outside of demos. $7 Used DVDs FTW!

 

[ProfJohn]

It is going to suck till they go to all digital projectors at which point it should become awesome, or at least very good.

Saw Star Trek and remember there being a line down one side for a few minutes, very distracting.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: irishScott
I dunno what shitty ass theater you're going to. They all look fine to me.

Then again I've never had an HD TV and the most my laptop can handle is 720p. Never seen a blu-ray or HD-DVD either outside of demos.

In the case of the movie I mentioned above, I went to what I presume to be a premier theater. The one at that big ass Annapolis mall. It's huge on the outside, and done up in an Egyptian style. It kind of looks like what you might expect from a 1930s Hollywood cinema. It wasn't nearly as nice on the inside though, and I was underwhelmed.

 

[MovingTarget]

The popcorn hitting the back of my cranium says otherwise...

 

[weflyhigh]

just got back from my shift at the local AMC

hey fuck you

 

[xanis]

Originally posted by: weflyhigh
just got back from my shift at the local AMC

hey fuck you

AMC can suck it. They jacked up their prices AGAIN to $10.50. Fuck them, I'm not going back.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

movie theaters can go to hell

 

[nageov3t]

I don't go to movie theaters often, but I've never noticed a problem at any of the big theaters.

 

[abaez]

You need to go to a good theatre.. there are quite a few places here in socal that actually hire projectionists that know what they're doing.. arclight.. nuart.. new beverly. Meaning that the image on screen is as good as you can get with the equipment (no flicker, steady picture, correct sound, correct splicing inbetween reels etc.) You won't find any of this at a chain theatre.

 

[LtPage1]

For movies that really matter to me, I make the trek to the Metreon to see them in IMAX. But the local Century seems to do pretty well.

 

[Dangerer]

Originally posted by: Xanis

Originally posted by: weflyhigh
just got back from my shift at the local AMC

hey fuck you

AMC can suck it. They jacked up their prices AGAIN to $10.50. Fuck them, I'm not going back.

unless you go to the movies by yourself, you just lucked out for the next year.
Text

 

[AstroManLuca]

About half of the movies I've been to in the last year have had some sort of problem. The two that stand out the most were a showing of The Dark Knight where the pitch of the audio wavered up and down slightly throughout the movie. I didn't notice right away and it was unnoticeable during dialog, but during music-only scenes, it became apparent. Really sucked. The other one was during Gran Torino, there would be an audio glitch every 20 or 30 minutes. They were very short and infrequent, but it was still annoying. At least one other occasion had problems but I don't remember what they were.

 

[Shadowknight]

When I saw Star Trek, even with 30db rated earplugs it was uncomfortably loud. Also, black levels and colors on my tv look better than on the projectors they use in the theater. Yes, I'd rather watch a movie on my 34" HD CRT than a 100 foot screen if it means the image looks better and I can pause the movie while I go to the bathroom.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

I like going to the theater, even though it's only something I do a couple of times a year. Hell, maybe that's why I like it so much.

 

[rh71]

I miss the whole experience of just going and concentrating on the movie in the right atmosphere. Having newborns/infants doesn't allow you to do much - I actually look forward to going out to the park... yup, that's it. I can't wait till they're old enough to do their own thing so we can do ours... but at the same time I don't want them to grow up yet.

I want to see T4 in the theaters but fat chance that's happening...

 

[Arcadio]

I don't like the atmosphere, that's it. People talking, babies crying, etc. There's nothing wrong with the quality of the projected movie. Much better than HDTV, obviously...

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Originally posted by: rh71
I miss the whole experience of just going and concentrating on the movie in the right atmosphere. Having newborns/infants doesn't allow you to do much - I actually look forward to going out to the park... yup, that's it. I can't wait till they're old enough to do their own thing so we can do ours... but at the same time I don't want them to grow up yet.

I want to see T4 in the theaters but fat chance that's happening...

Surely you can find a family member or trusted friend to babby sit for 3 hours? I feel for you dude.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer

Originally posted by: rh71
I miss the whole experience of just going and concentrating on the movie in the right atmosphere. Having newborns/infants doesn't allow you to do much - I actually look forward to going out to the park... yup, that's it. I can't wait till they're old enough to do their own thing so we can do ours... but at the same time I don't want them to grow up yet.

I want to see T4 in the theaters but fat chance that's happening...

Surely you can find a family member or trusted friend to babby sit for 3 hours? I feel for you dude.

I think he has twin infants and another kid under 3. Finding somebody that will watch that many (and young kids) is tough. Even including family. And when you do, you are probably looking at $60-$75 (or more) for baby sitting fees just for the length of the movie.

If you are looking to go out for dinner, then the movie afterwards you are looking at one expensive night. $100 in babysitting costs. $25 at the movies. $60 for dinner. Almost a $200 "date" night.

It's just tough with really young kids.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer

Originally posted by: rh71
I miss the whole experience of just going and concentrating on the movie in the right atmosphere. Having newborns/infants doesn't allow you to do much - I actually look forward to going out to the park... yup, that's it. I can't wait till they're old enough to do their own thing so we can do ours... but at the same time I don't want them to grow up yet.

I want to see T4 in the theaters but fat chance that's happening...

Surely you can find a family member or trusted friend to babby sit for 3 hours? I feel for you dude.

I think he has twin infants and another kid under 3. Finding somebody that will watch that many (and young kids) is tough. Even including family. And when you do, you are probably looking at $60-$75 (or more) for baby sitting fees just for the length of the movie.

If you are looking to go out for dinner, then the movie afterwards you are looking at one expensive night. $100 in babysitting costs. $25 at the movies. $60 for dinner. Almost a $200 "date" night.

It's just tough with really young kids.

Just the twin infants at 10 months. Maybe "doesn't allow" wasn't the right phrase... I can go out - and midweek I do my own thing for a couple hours - but during the nights and weekends it's all about the kids. My desire and my wife's desire is to be with them instead of doing our own thing and ditching the kids just to go see a movie while grandma sits at home with them. We're not THAT tired of them and it doesn't feel worth it to me. Maybe at 3 years old we'll feel differently. My point was that I do want to see a movie in a theater again but other things trump that. Going out to dinner without them - same thing... it just doesn't feel worth it since the point is just to "get away and enjoy" and right now that's not necessary - still keeps us from doing the simple things together if they can't go (movies).