Aargh!! This is why I don't go to the movies any more!

[wyliefool]

I'm reminded of one of my favourite movie-going moments.  I went to the Return of the King midnight showing with a group from a LotR convention -- so it was a dedicated group of fans. Lots of people in costume, tissue boxes with elvish writing, etc. 

Before the movie started, a knight got up and waved his cardboard sword at us and said, "If your cell phone rings during the movie, you'll taste my blade!"

I've always wanted to bring a Gondorian Knight with me to the movies, ever since.

That is AWESOME!! I'm totally doing that next time I go to a movie!!

[katcheya]

I just remembered that when "E.T. The Extra Terrestrial" came out in theaters, I was 4 and went to see it with my parents and favorite aunt.  Remember the scene when Elliot and E.T first see each other in the field and they both scream?   

Their screams were joined by a 3rd as I jumped into my aunt's lap and wouldn't get out till the end of the movie.   I'm sure the other patrons just loved us. 

...not only did my step-brother scream, but he actually STOOD UP, THEN screamed, then BOLTED for the door!  Poor kid!  (His dad did go get him, but I don't recall if he dragged him back into the thater, or if they left to go home.  I never thought to ask!)

[Piratelvr1121]

Poor kid is right!   

I went to see "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" with same aunt whose lap I jumped into during E.T.  and the scene where Judge Doom turned into a cartoon and tries to kill Eddie, Roger and Jessica scared the caca out of me.   

[buggurl]

people not reading their tickets correctly and just assuming that *my* seat is *their* seat and starting a "show me your ticket - no, you show me your ticket" war... not worth it to me.

  Where do you live, Cicero?  I'm asking because I've never gone to a movie theater in the US that had reserved tickets.  You pay your money, go to an empty seat, and sit down.

I live in the southern US, and the closest theater to me has reserved seating.  You go online at their website or to the lobby kiosk and pick your seat when you buy your ticket.  The ticket prices are a tad higher than some of the other theaters, but I don't care.  I love this, because I like to sit in the back in the middle of the row...am not as bad as Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, but I like to be in the middle of the screen for my optimum viewing experience. : )  Also, they have balcony seating in some of the theaters that is reserved for 21+, and you can buy adult beverages and drink them up there during the movie.  (This is the only way I will go with friends to see any Twilight movie--where there are no teenage girls and I can drink.)

[jimithing]

people not reading their tickets correctly and just assuming that *my* seat is *their* seat and starting a "show me your ticket - no, you show me your ticket" war... not worth it to me.

  Where do you live, Cicero?  I'm asking because I've never gone to a movie theater in the US that had reserved tickets.  You pay your money, go to an empty seat, and sit down.

I live in the southern US, and the closest theater to me has reserved seating.  You go online at their website or to the lobby kiosk and pick your seat when you buy your ticket.  The ticket prices are a tad higher than some of the other theaters, but I don't care.  I love this, because I like to sit in the back in the middle of the row...am not as bad as Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, but I like to be in the middle of the screen for my optimum viewing experience. : )  Also, they have balcony seating in some of the theaters that is reserved for 21+, and you can buy adult beverages and drink them up there during the movie.  (This is the only way I will go with friends to see any Twilight movie--where there are no teenage girls and I can drink.)

Same here. I live in Utah, and there is a chain of theaters that only does reserved seating. The one closest to me is also like a food court. There are a ton of small restaurants and food options. It's great.

[high dudgeon]

Quite a few people applauded at the end of Despicable Me.  I think it is just like yelling at the characters.  It doesn't do any good to tell the people to NOT open that door.  They are going to do what the script wrote.  If you are into a movie, then your natural instincts take over.

I think yelling at the characters on screen is very rude (unless it's something like Rocky Horror.) I don't care how "into" the movie you are, if you aren't able to control yourself enough to keep quiet during the movie, you are not mature enough to attend movies at the theater, and should limit yourself to watching things at home on DVD or at designated children's showings where more noise is expected.

Everyone knows the character is an idiot for going into the attic or basement, or for trusting the frenemy with her reputation ruining secret, or that it's actually the alien taking a human form. We know. We all know. There's no need to shout at the screen, and it's very distracting to the people who would rather hear the movie than your advice to the characters.

[Elfmama]

I remember shouting at the people in a movie.  There was a tsunami coming and they didn't see it, so I shouted "RUN! RUN!  HURRY!"

In my defense, I was about six.  The whole theater broke up laughing. 

[kherbert05]

1. When ET was rereleased to the theatres. I took my younger cousins. The littlest one climbed into my lap when ET got left behind and stayed there. I whispered and asked if he wanted to leave. He said no, and didn't make a noise the rest of the movie.

2. The Ordinal Star Wars Trilogy rerelease to theatres - Different set of cousins. One of them would not stop talking to the screen. I had gone over theater rules before we went. He got one warning then I lifted him out of his seat and marched him to the back of the theatre. It was set up so there was a little alcove back there. I told him he was in time out for talking - but I still could see the other boys. After 7 min (he was 7) We went back and sat down, but only after I warned that if he talked again he would spend the rest of the movie in the alcove. (the younger cousins all seem to want to do the but you won't ruin it for the other kids so I can be a brat challenge. Doesn't work on me I still find a way to make them change their behavior)

3. Same cousins Empire rerelease - No problems from the kids (OK the oldest one said Yuck after Leia kisses Luke to get back at Hans). These adults in front of us were being very rude and crude. Completely inappropriate language about Luke and Leia. I wasn't going to confront 3 very large guys in an almost empty theatre. I whispered and told the boys we were leaving to get the manager. When an older man walked by me. He said something to the men in front - and they shot out of their chairs. Then they sat back down putting their feet on the floor, but didn't say another word.

When they left, the men in front apologized. I'm pretty sure they were military, because they had day glow vests with reflective tape and motorcycle helmets. (the only people I saw wearing those vest were military. They were required to wear them when riding motorcycles according to my friends from the base.) I pretty sure the man behind me who spoke to them was an officer.

[C0mputerGeek]

Where do you live, Cicero?  I'm asking because I've never gone to a movie theater in the US that had reserved tickets.  You pay your money, go to an empty seat, and sit down.

I am not Cicero, but I live in Los Angeles. Some of the Landmark Theatres have reserved seating. The ArcLight does as well. You choose your seat when you purchase you're ticket.  It's pricier, but it's well worth it.

Every time I read one of the many, many threads on someone rude at the movie theater, I'm always amazed on how lucky I must be. I go to the movies at least once every 2-3 weeks and have only been annoyed by other people twice in the last oh, 10 years of movie-going. I remember both of those times BECAUSE it was so rare. Both times, it was a children's movie and the annoyances were kids that I just felt were being given a bit too free a reign, but really, considering they were children's matinees, I couldn't even be too annoyed.

For me, it depends entirely on which theatre I patronize. I have learned to avoid certain theatres like the plague.

[libraryliz]

I've had a ton of bad movie experiences.  My old hometown is notorious as an area wherein middle school kids are dropped off at the movies (I remember it from when I was a 12 year-old).  One theater had four rows of them (yes all friends and all together, no parents) and they were texting, talking, and climbing over each other the entire time, so bad the movie was stopped and the manager came in and lectured them on proper movie behavior.  (The adults in the theater all applauded him.)

Went to see the fourth Harry Potter movie at midnight on opening night.  Totally packed theater.  I'm sitting in front of a family of about 8 people who have brought a 3 year-old.  The movie gets dark and the child cries.  But mostly he walks up and down the seats in front of his family hitting every seat in the row in front of him and baby talking to himself.  Every now and then his mother would grab him, slap him loud enough we could hear it echo, and say "hush your mouth".  I was younger then and didn't say anything (and had a date who was physically restraining me because I wanted to say something), but I jumped at the end credits and spun around as did the rest of my aisle.  The horror family had left five minutes before the end.

Now I recognize that my netflix subscription costs less per month than one movie ticket.  And I can usually buy the DVD of the movie for less than two tickets (for BF and me) and the food in the theater.  We still see movies occasionally (saw Toy Story 3 yesterday), but we like to cuddle on the couch at home.

[Wendy Moira Angela Pan]

Where do you live, Cicero?  I'm asking because I've never gone to a movie theater in the US that had reserved tickets.  You pay your money, go to an empty seat, and sit down.

I am not Cicero, but I live in Los Angeles. Some of the Landmark Theatres have reserved seating. The ArcLight does as well. You choose your seat when you purchase you're ticket.  It's pricier, but it's well worth it.

I LOVE the reserved seating at the Landmark. I like being able to tell without buying a ticket first if there are any remaining seats worth sitting in.

I was part of That Group once. I went to see the 5th Harry Potter movie with a big group of friends on the first day it came out. At the scene where Harry and Cho kiss, the whole auditorium made that whooohooooooo noise, and my brother yelled, "Silence Muggles!" in this really deep voice. Everybody laughed and one girl turned around and said, "I love you!" It was really funny, but also kinda rude and annoying of him to keep the noise going when it would have died down if he hadn't said anything.

[Amava]

The last couple of times I have been to the movies (and they were kids movies) the movie was so loud I couldn't have heard a cannon go off. I literally had to hold my hands over my nephews ears because it was so loud and he said it was hurting him. About halfway through someone must have complained so they turned it down some.

And THAT's why I stopped going to the movies.  It's too blasted loud!  I've complained and complained, but I usually get treated like some poor old lady and given a lame excuse like, "We have to play the previews this loud to warm the speakers up for the movie".  What a crock.   So I cut down my movie-going experience to only Harry Potter movies (and Sex and the City), and I bring earplugs at all times. 

Same. If I dare go to a movie, I come out of it with a headache. I can't help it, I just don't deal well with loud noise.

[Elfmama]

It's probably turned up that loud so that people can hear the movie over people talking and kids screaming and the sound of chomping and rustling. 

[esteban]

I rarely go to movies anymore just because of the cost, Netflix streaming to my TV, plus the fact that with 3 kids it is cheaper to just buy the DVD makes theatres a rare occurance for me.

Since a few others have posted about kids and what they did at movie theatres, I'll drop my cute story here.

My son was about 5 when Star Wars Episode 2 came out, he is a huge Star Wars fan (as are his parents) so we all went together for opening night, with some friends for the 7 pm show (so DS wouldn't be up too late).  We spent the day discussing theatre behavior, and how he was going to sit between mom and I and he could whisper us questions, but no louder than a whisper.

We got to the movie and got good seats, on an aisle so if we needed to leave we wouldn't bother others.  The movie engrosssed him, I had never seen him sit silently for almost 2 hours.  Then the scene where Yoda pulled out his lightsaber to battle Dooku came on, there was a gasp from the whole crowd, and then from next to me "MOMDADYODAHASALIGHTSABER, YODAHASALIGHTSABERLOOKMOMDADYODAHASALIGHTSABER" In the most excited voice you can imagine.  I was super embarrassed for about 15 seconds, and then the entire theatre broke into laughter because it was obvious that DS was just so into the movie and the character.

One of my favorite movie-going memories.

[nannyogg]

One of the best movie experiences was when we were in Florida on holiday.  We went to the theatre in Celebration to the see Batman The Dark Knight and there were 4 other people apart from us and it was heaven.  On a side note, the teens manning the consession stand were awesome because we asked for popcorn but they pointed out that their popcorn was salted and they knew that people from our country expected it sweet.  Totally lovely of them and much appreciated.  We had M & M's instead!

A couple of our worst are - The last Harry Potter movie....we got there mad early to get good seats and in comes a family of 4 (as are we) literally two minutes before the movie is due to start.  There were very few seats left and they were all singles.  I guess we must have looked ummmm daft because the mum comes over and states that we should move so that her family could sit together....cue the four of us looking at each other and the kids starting to laugh.  (Rude I know but I think it was a case of I don't know how to react so I'm getting a fit of the giggles).  I quite mildly stated that I'm afraid that won't be possible (thanks guys) She retaliated with "But I have children"  I stated so do I...She replied "What am I supposed to do?"  DH states "Get here early enough to get seats?"  They stomped out of the cinema and we didn't see them again.

Robert Redford and Brad Pitt movie.....about spies I think and for the life of me can't think what it was called..anyhoo, was there with DH, my sister and my sisters BF (bodybuilder, could crack walnuts with one hand...this is important, but a very sweet, non confrontational guy)  A group of (we call them hoodies or chavs over here, dunno what you guys across the pond would call them...lets just say feral youths who would not know how to behave in public if it jumped up and bit them in the butt)  The movie had been on for about 10 minutes when the noise starts, shouting among themselves, text messages, loud phone conversations, throwing popcorn, swearing etc.  I lost it and marched down and informed them that I had paid to see the movie, not find out all the details of their friends personal lives and could they please quiet down.  This resulted in a serious amount of verbal abuse to which I did not take kindly.....the next shout was "JERRY!"  So down Jerry comes.  All 6'4" of him.  (He's nearly as wide too!)  He quietly informed them that if they didn't either shut up or leave he wouldn't be held responsible for the consequences.  They cleared out after that.  I did ask Jerry what the consequences were and he said "I would have had to get the usher"  We got to enjoy the rest of the movie in peace that the rest of the cinema gave him a round of applause!