Antimustachian Field Trip to the Movie Theater

[LD_TAndK]

It'd been ages since we went to the movies so we decided to see Dune part II. In case you also haven't been in a while, here is my report

Total cost: $56
$34 for two tickets
$22 Large Popcorn, drink, and candy

Pros:
 - the food almost didn't feel like a rip off because we received a bushel of popcorn and a gallon of soda which we're still working on finishing today
 - theaters seem to have moved to a reserved seat system which is nice in my opinion
 - reclining chairs and wide aisles so people don't have to stand up to let you leave

Cons:
 - The movie started 30 minutes late after 15 minutes of cruddy TV style commercials then 15 minutes of trailers. Apparently this is normal
 - People were constantly on their phones throughout the film

Final assessment:
 - You're not missing out on anything, carry on saving money

[RWD]

We're actually going to the movies later today for the first time since 2019. But it's for something unique that is only going to be available for one day.

[NotJen]

I recently moved within walking distance of a movie theater, and I've been going almost weekly.  But only on Tuesdays when the cost is $5.95.  Luckily, I am not in the habit of purchasing snacks (in the "olden days" I usually went to dinner pre-movie with my BF or friends, so movie popcorn was never really a thing for me).

I have no idea why, but I'm getting a lot of enjoyment out of it.

Isn't the start time ridiculous, though?  I leave my apartment at whatever time they claim the movie starts, walk to the theater, buy my ticket at the auto kiosk, go to the bathroom, and get to my seat as the first preview is starting.  Pretty nice to have that all worked out.

[aloevera1]

I used to be big on going to the movies. Loved the vibe, the anticipation, action movies... Never bought snacks, just enjoyed the movie. Even commercials didn't bother me that much. So the cost was about ~$20 a movie.

However, after COVID I really lost interest in this activity. Just doesn't appeal anymore. Haven't been to a movie in 4 years... Missed it at some point but still don't really feel the pull to go.

Maybe if I start I'll get into it again, but then why should I start?

[Dave1442397]

Ever since people started using cellphones at the movies, I stopped going.

The last movie I went to was Rush (the James Hunt/Nikki Lauda story), so that was 11 years ago. There was ONE other guy in the movie theater. At one point his phone rang, loudly, and he proceeded to answer it, talking at full volume. I gave him a dirty look from my side of the theater and he finally got up and took it outside. Since then, if there's something I really want to see I'll either rent it or buy the Blu-ray.

[NoVa]

We have a local theater where Wednesdays is $6 for seniors. Popcorn and drinks are about half of what AMC or Regal charge. I can get a movie ticket, large popcorn and drink for $15. Movies are a mix of art house and blockbusters.

[Sibley]

I'd be more inclined to go to the movie theater if they were showing movies I was interested in. I can skip, or sneak in, the snacks. The LOTR Rohan movie will be out this Christmas, so will see that on Christmas Day most likely (family tradition).

[uniwelder]

We have a local theater where Wednesdays is $6 for seniors. Popcorn and drinks are about half of what AMC or Regal charge. I can get a movie ticket, large popcorn and drink for $15. Movies are a mix of art house and blockbusters.

This sounds similar to the community theater in my town.

[ducky19]

We just went to see Ghostbusters Saturday evening. Used a Fandango gift card I had, so the tickets were free. Popcorn and drinks were $22. Dreamlounger seats. Overall great experience, but not something I would do more than once or twice a year. We have a drive in theater about 1hr20min away from home, will probably do that once this summer and call it good.

[Dicey]

We have some unused gift cards, but no real desire to use them.

I have a friend who goes to the movies with her spouse frequently. Turns out they like spending it's a way to spend time together, without having to talk to each other. Who'da thunk?

Maybe I'll give them to her for her birthday...

[Askel]

Only $56?! 

Apparently there are movie theatres that sell beers now.   

It's a good thing we don't have them here because that might financially wreck me.   

I think I'm still recovering financially from a rainy day we spent at the movies when out on a bike tour.   You don't even have to go to the snack counter for more beers, they'll just bring it to you!   

[Just Joe]

People and their phones... Was in the restroom last week and some guy was on a call while he was on the toilet. And it was obvious. Yuck... 

[ChickenStash]

I don't go out to the movies all that often but that sounds about like what I remember for pricing. When something I really want to see comes out, I try to hit matinees to save a buck and I don't care for the popcorn or other overpriced snacks they offer. The bigger theaters near me started adding dining with "real" food options a few years ago. I think they have a separate theater with tables or something. Not really my thing but I've heard good reviews.

Side note, I just saw the local big theater has LOTR Extended marathon showings... 12 hours long. Wowza.

[ATtiny85]

Ever since people started using cellphones at the movies, I stopped going.

The last movie I went to was Rush (the James Hunt/Nikki Lauda story), so that was 11 years ago. There was ONE other guy in the movie theater. At one point his phone rang, loudly, and he proceeded to answer it, talking at full volume. I gave him a dirty look from my side of the theater and he finally got up and took it outside. Since then, if there's something I really want to see I'll either rent it or buy the Blu-ray.

Yeah, most of the time these addicts don't have much of an impact. However, when they are driving and with things like a movie theater, it is a problem.

[partgypsy]

I still enjoy going to movies. My default is just not to go. I only go if a friend wrangles me for some special one. When I do, I get the movie popcorn (smuggle in water). I guess it's a treat, and I stress snack for scary/tense scenes.

[tooqk4u22]

I am generally not a movie going person but recently I, along with DW and DS, went to see Bob Marley. It was last minute decision as we had some time to kill between games....did a quick search and tix were discounted (last minute afternoon show) so $30 all in, no snacks got.   

Hadn't been in a while and I found it very enjoyable and a different experience than if I had watched it at home as I would normally do.  Definitely re-awakened me to going to the movies. 

Also costco movie cards are like $20 foe 2 tix, popcorn and drinks I think....so not to bad. 

[zolotiyeruki]

When we moved into our current home almost 13 years ago, we bought a projector.  I think we've been to a movie theater 4 or 5 times since.  We're watching movies on a 10-foot-wide screen from 10 feet away, sitting on super comfortable sofas with an ottoman, snuggling under a blanket.  We can pause the movie to get snacks or go to the bathroom, control the volume, turn captions on or off, and watch movies and shows on our schedule.  It's fantastic.  If we had a good sound system, it'd be even better, but that starts straying into Tiny Details Exaggeration Syndrome.

We don't care about seeing movies on opening night, or even within months (or years!) of release.  The delay lets us filter out stuff that's not worth our time. :)

[GuitarStv]

Theaters suck.  Literally every part of the experience of watching a movie is better in my home.  I have no desire to ever enter another movie theater.

[RWD]

When we moved into our current home almost 13 years ago, we bought a projector.  I think we've been to a movie theater 4 or 5 times since.  We're watching movies on a 10-foot-wide screen from 10 feet away, sitting on super comfortable sofas with an ottoman, snuggling under a blanket.  We can pause the movie to get snacks or go to the bathroom, control the volume, turn captions on or off, and watch movies and shows on our schedule.  It's fantastic.  If we had a good sound system, it'd be even better, but that starts straying into Tiny Details Exaggeration Syndrome.

We don't care about seeing movies on opening night, or even within months (or years!) of release.  The delay lets us filter out stuff that's not worth our time. :)

We spent ~$3k on a set of speakers 15 years ago. The sound quality is orders of magnitude better than the theater. And I use them for music, TV, video games, etc. too so they don't go to waste when we aren't watching movies. Since good quality speakers don't get superseded by new technologies they are still just as good as they were 15 years ago. One of our better splurges, in my opinion.

[GuitarStv]

While back in the 80s and 90s this wasn't the case, today I find that theater sound is surprisingly poor quality compared to a properly set up home system.  The ability to control volume levels is also tremendously beneficial, as many theaters set levels way above where they should be in an attempt to overpower noisy patrons.

[uniwelder]

When we moved into our current home almost 13 years ago, we bought a projector.  I think we've been to a movie theater 4 or 5 times since.  We're watching movies on a 10-foot-wide screen from 10 feet away, sitting on super comfortable sofas with an ottoman, snuggling under a blanket.  We can pause the movie to get snacks or go to the bathroom, control the volume, turn captions on or off, and watch movies and shows on our schedule.  It's fantastic.  If we had a good sound system, it'd be even better, but that starts straying into Tiny Details Exaggeration Syndrome.

We don't care about seeing movies on opening night, or even within months (or years!) of release.  The delay lets us filter out stuff that's not worth our time. :)

We spent ~$3k on a set of speakers 15 years ago. The sound quality is orders of magnitude better than the theater. And I use them for music, TV, video games, etc. too so they don't go to waste when we aren't watching movies. Since good quality speakers don't get superseded by new technologies they are still just as good as they were 15 years ago. One of our better splurges, in my opinion.

We also have a home projector.  It's absolutely fantastic!  Barely used for $40 at university auction.  The speakers are crap though and we've definitely been getting serious about upgrading.  It'll probably cost me $10 to get something much better at the thrift store.

[halfling]

Regal had a $4 movie weekend over the summer, so we went to see Oppenheimer in IMAX. Worth it, IMO. Movies with complex sound design, huge explosions, and expansive landscape shots just aren't the same on a TV at home so I really like going to the movies for the immersive experience! I bought Pacific Rim after seeing it multiple times in theatres, but only cared to watch the DVD once :(  I love being able to enjoy little details on a giant screen, too.

[Log]

Just saw Dune in IMAX for $12 at an AMC theater with their Discount Tuesday deal. Didn’t get any concessions. No one I could see was on their phone during the movie, and it was overall a fantastic theatrical experience. The ritual of going to a special place at a scheduled time is a great experience, and I barely watch movies at home anymore, so I basically never see movies if I miss the window when they’re showing in theaters.

For standard (not IMAX) screenings, it’s only $7.

[Dave1442397]

We spent ~$3k on a set of speakers 15 years ago. The sound quality is orders of magnitude better than the theater. And I use them for music, TV, video games, etc. too so they don't go to waste when we aren't watching movies. Since good quality speakers don't get superseded by new technologies they are still just as good as they were 15 years ago. One of our better splurges, in my opinion.

I did the same thing. I bought a set of Energy speakers for around $2400 back in 2007, and the sound is fantastic. I've cranked up music to the point where I can barely stay in the room, then gone outside to see if the neighbors could hear it. Nope, so I never worry about volume levels.

I replaced the TV, receiver, and Blu-ray player four years ago, and it's just a great system to watch movies on. At the rate TV technology is going, I can see the next upgrade being from 77" to 100+".

[LD_TAndK]

While back in the 80s and 90s this wasn't the case, today I find that theater sound is surprisingly poor quality compared to a properly set up home system.  The ability to control volume levels is also tremendously beneficial, as many theaters set levels way above where they should be in an attempt to overpower noisy patrons.

My hearing was noticeably damaged the day after watching dune, like I had attended a rock concert or something. The subwoofer shaking my seat was neat though

[Askel]

Home theatres are great and all, but few things beat a packed theatre all reacting to a great midnight showing together. Laughing, cheering, booing, maybe the full compliment of props for The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

It isn't quite the same as listening to a CD (do people still do that?) vs. a live concert, but it's somewhere between couch in the living room and there.   

[RWD]

The subwoofer shaking my seat was neat though

This part is easy to reproduce:
https://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Audio-BST-2-Tactile-Shaker/dp/B08NN5V62G/

[JAYSLOL]

I’ve also definitely been going to the movie theatre less and less over the last decade, and now see one or two at most per year.  I try to go to the local drive in theatre over the regular one, the atmosphere is more fun, it’s a bit cheaper, and you get to watch the movie from the comfort of your own car at whatever volume you prefer, and can bring your own food if you want. 

[GuitarStv]

While back in the 80s and 90s this wasn't the case, today I find that theater sound is surprisingly poor quality compared to a properly set up home system.  The ability to control volume levels is also tremendously beneficial, as many theaters set levels way above where they should be in an attempt to overpower noisy patrons.

My hearing was noticeably damaged the day after watching dune, like I had attended a rock concert or something. The subwoofer shaking my seat was neat though

I remember watching the movie 300 in theater and feeling like my ears were under assault.  I actually pulled some -30 dB earplugs out of my backpack and popped them in . . . and had zero problem making out any of the sounds or dialogue from the movie which kinda clinched to me that the sound was set way the hell too high.

[Tigerpine]

While back in the 80s and 90s this wasn't the case, today I find that theater sound is surprisingly poor quality compared to a properly set up home system.  The ability to control volume levels is also tremendously beneficial, as many theaters set levels way above where they should be in an attempt to overpower noisy patrons.

My hearing was noticeably damaged the day after watching dune, like I had attended a rock concert or something. The subwoofer shaking my seat was neat though

Agreed. I literally watched most of that movie with my fingers in my ears.

It's also just a poorly balanced movie though. When I rewatched it later at home, we had to keep turning the sound up for dialogue and down for music.

We solve that problem by always watching movies with the subtitles on at home.  It drives my parents crazy when we visit them and borrow a movie from the library, but you never miss a bit of dialogue (as long as you don't look away too long).

[zolotiyeruki]

The unintelligibility of dialog in recent movies isn't disputed.  In fact, some directors, like Christopher Nolan, actually take pride in it.  Such an attitude strikes me as being rather pretentious, but that's art, I guess.  Actors have gotten worse with their enunciation as well. more info here.

[LaineyAZ]

About movie theaters in general:  something I think I've mentioned before is that our community has what is basically a non-profit theater.

It shows all kinds of movies, although generally not until they've been out for a while.  It's owned by a local real estate businessman who owns the entire strip mall (and several others), hence how he can charge only $3.50/ticket.  Many times I've noticed small groups of supervised mentally and physically disabled people there, as well as elementary-age kids from summer day camp - all able to have this fun excursion because it's so affordable.

My point is we don't have many Third Places in our society that don't require money to just sit and have an enjoyable experience in a clean, air-conditioned place.  I'm thankful this businessman continues to support the community by keeping this place open.  Whenever I go I usually buy at least a drink to help keep it going. 
I wish more cities and towns would consider this non-profit option. 

[tooqk4u22]

The unintelligibility of dialog in recent movies isn't disputed.  In fact, some directors, like Christopher Nolan, actually take pride in it.  Such an attitude strikes me as being rather pretentious, but that's art, I guess.  Actors have gotten worse with their enunciation as well. more info here.

The Bob Marley movie definitely had parts that were tough to understand, and if I were home would have rewound, but I chalked it up to being realistic with the dialect.   

[Just Joe]

When we moved into our current home almost 13 years ago, we bought a projector.  I think we've been to a movie theater 4 or 5 times since.  We're watching movies on a 10-foot-wide screen from 10 feet away, sitting on super comfortable sofas with an ottoman, snuggling under a blanket.  We can pause the movie to get snacks or go to the bathroom, control the volume, turn captions on or off, and watch movies and shows on our schedule.  It's fantastic.  If we had a good sound system, it'd be even better, but that starts straying into Tiny Details Exaggeration Syndrome.

We don't care about seeing movies on opening night, or even within months (or years!) of release.  The delay lets us filter out stuff that's not worth our time. :)

We bought an older home with a projector, screen and sound system. Projector is 1080, stereo and sub is new enough to have 7.1 surround sound. A person could outfit their spare room with the same used equipment very inexpensively. Previous owners had it paired with sat TV. We use a Roku.

Our internet isn't fast enough here in the boonies for more than about 1080 streams so no biggie. We don't own any Bluray media nor the player to display it. 

We've really enjoyed our movie room.

The movie theater is still a fun treat. Our town even has has a popular drive in theater about 20 minutes away. We seldom visit either. We are tired after work. Happy to go home and let the dog out to do her thing.

The next project is adding insulation between the basement ceiling and the family room above. Just one of the many little projects this house has needed.

[Cranky]

I love going to the movies! Matinees are cheaper. It makes me mad that the fees for buying tickets online are so high, but if you go at 2 on a weekday, it’s safe to just buy tickets when you get there. I don’t buy snacks, unless I’m taking the grandkid and he asks nicely for popcorn.

[Zikoris]

Literally the only movies I watch are in theaters. I love movie popcorn and the big screen/sound system. Sitting at home in front of a television has absolutely zero appeal to me at all. I don't even watch airplane movies.