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Why would I pay a movie theater?
Mangaloid
Member Posts: 17
I can download the movie for free and enjoy it in the comfort of my home. What does the theater offer?
- Watered down soda, limited to one brand.
- Overpriced bad popcorn filled with poison and touched by degenerate teenage counter jokeys.
- Uncomfortable environment in which no smoking is allowed and there are always a few drunk teens making a racket.
So, why in the world would anyone pay for such a horrible service? I for one will not participate in this torture mascaraeding as entertainment. Offer me a pay download and I'll probably pay. Fail to do that, and we'll be doing it my way.
Comments
It sucks we don't have Netflix over here, would be great because of the Xbox 360 Netflix offer.
me and my fiance use netflix all the time. We also have a 360 and its really nice to queue up a bunch of movies and watch em whenever. The audio isnt that great on the xbox videos, but then again most of the instant watch movies are of lower quality anyway. Its nice to have when your home sick
sorry you guys dont get that GL. However Id expect MS or Sony to expand on this more in the future.
@OP
I still love going to the theater. I usually go on the weekends early, like 11am. If I have to go at night, i do it on the weekdays. Mondays and tuesdays are good. I hate over crowded theaters. Tickets for movies before noon are only $4. Nothing beats the theater for sound and picture (that is if the theater is equipped properly). Watching movies in the theater.. to me anyway.. is much more immersive. I dont have any outside distractions and it puts me in an environment specifically for absorbing yourself into a film.
btw.. go see Drag Me to Hell if you havnt yet.
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a robot foot stomping on a human face -- forever."
Mostly just to get out of the house.
There's also the fact that most pirated movies of theatrical releases are just shit for quality. Street price for pirated "in theater" movies is like $10 and that's for the privlege of watching someone else's home movies of their trip to the movies. The end result is that the camcorder washes out the color and records all the speaker reverb making it difficult to both see and hear a movie, which is kind of the point of watching a movie. The worst part is that even if you decide to download the movie after it gets released to DVD, you're still only going to find the camcorder shit because no one even bothered to properly rip the God damn DVD!!
It's a good thing that I can rent movies at a dollar for five days here. Although new releases are $3 for one night. And if it's on cable I can just record it when it comes on HBO and burn it off later.
It's not like you don't have alternatives here.
You should probably reevaluate whether you really do feel better alone at home watching a cam recording of an audience watching a movie more than being in the audience yourself.
And if you really do, then well you're unique. I don't have a lot of memorable experiences watching a movie in my office chair, but I have plenty from this year alone of dinner and theater outings.
Four Netflix movies plan a month ftw.
I don't even remember the last actual opening premiere I saw.
"TO MICHAEL!"
You are missing out on one aspect. iMax theaters.
They make my wife dizzy.
50 inch plasma, Bose, a blu-ray player and free snacks/drinks are good enough for us.
"TO MICHAEL!"
Im sorry; but thats how I justify paying.
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
I prefer to see some movies on the big screen - the most obvious are the 3D movies which are becoming popular again, but there are also a mindless spectacle movies that lose their charm when they're reduced in size.
I bring my own food and drink to the movie theater. I know that, as far as the theatre is concerned, that it's wrong of me, but I think that charging people 6 times (yes 6 times!!!!) the actual value of a product is even more wrong - I consider it to be in the same spirit as price gouging. Also, forcing paying customers to watch non-movie related advertisements before the movie starts and not sharing the money made from it with your customers by lowering ticket sales is wrong too. I'm not suggesting that I'm right to sneak food in I'm just explaining that I have a hard time sympathising with the plight of the owners and so I'll pay full price for my ticket and leave it to the employees which they hired to catch me with outside food and then refund my ticket when they do.
I learned that if you go during the late morning to early afternoon you avoid the annoying kids, teens, and younger adults. Also, if there is an IMAX version and a normal version of the movie - pick the normal one that plays slightly after the IMAX one. Everybody chooses the IMAX version and you get a full theatre all to yourself. The IMAX one is not real IMAX anyway...
Edit: Also, I don't have a TV, when mine broke I didn't replace it right away and found that I could live without it so I have to watch movies at my desk on a monitor.
"The liberties and resulting economic prosperity that YOU take for granted were granted by those "dead guys"
I like it when the whole pub goes.
300 drunks take over the cinema. Smoke spliffs drink beers and watch the films.
I've got some limited home cinema action these days, but I never went to the cinema anyway. A lot of people really enjoy it, but I can't face the price tag.
I'd rather sit in an air conditioned bar for a few hours staring at the barmaids breasts for the same money. The movies always end up on TV anyway. I'm in no rush.
I usually wait about 1-2 weeks after a movie comes out before I go near a theater. My friends can't understand why I won't go on release night/weekend. Few reasons:
1. Crowded
2. People acting ghetto and talking out loud about every scene.
3. People talking on cell phone describing phat scenes to the friend.
4. Sticky floor and funk inside the theater.
5. People yelling out ghetto dribble and think they are funny.
6. People who bring 1 month old to an R movie then the kid starts screaming bloody murder from the loud noises and they refuse to leave.
7. Food too expensive and sometimes nasty.
I rarely go to the theater now unless its something I really really want to see right away. I'm moving more towards waiting for stuff on blu-ray because my TV looks a lot better than the scratched/slashed/dirty movie screen. Plus most movies come out on blu-ray pretty quick now these days.
Don't be terrorized! You're more likely to die of a car accident, drowning, fire, or murder! More people die every year from prescription drugs than terrorism LOL!
I love going to the cinema for the occasional good film. Top tip to the OP wait for say 2-3 weeks after a film is released that way you will almost be the only person watching it so the room is quiet and you get a decent seat.
And if you dont like there soda or snacks then just smuggle in your own.
I feel tho that movies are just not the same on a TV or monitor screen when compared to the big screen.
Another great example of Moore's Law. Give people access to that much space (developers and users alike) and they'll find uses for it that you can never imagine. "640K ought to be enough for anybody" - Bill Gates 1981
Yeah, but LCD projectors are getting to be just as cheap as a big screen HDTV. Clear one wall of your living room, position the projector just right and hook up a couple of big Kenwood speakers and you basically have the theater experience without any of the bullshit of an actual theater.
Food smugglers. Shame, shame.
Pretty soon, they'll have "security" to check your bags for "weapons" and just happen to notice your stuff during it and tell you to throw it out. If the theatre made me throw my food out, I'd be pissed and don't know if I'd want to watch the movie after that.
I don't agree with the rationale that because they are showing you adverstising in the coming attractions or whatever, that smuggling in food "evens out" the field. If you don't want to buy their food, don't. But most people smuggling food in are the same people who are complaining about how dirty the floors are and they are usually the culprits, leaving their smuggled crap right under the seats.
Next time if you dare, look under the rows and you'll see everything from KFC to McDonald's and lots of homemade food like someone was having a friggin picnic. I used to hate when people brought ethnic food to the movie, and then the stinking whiffs of it got all caught up in the ventilation system. I don't want to experience smelly eggrolls while I'm watching a Jackie Chan movie. That's just no consideration for other patrons.
I mean, it's not supposed to shown in "Smellavision", right?
"TO MICHAEL!"
Last month we bought the cinema 21: 9, awesome picture, but still aslong movie theater show movies on a screen that do not fit my house I will continue to visit them, especialy when it's Sci-Fi. But will admit that the only time we really enjoy going to the movies is when going to Amsterdam anjd going to the cinema that has lovers seats ( two seaters) and mostly go at the latest hours.
Is it because "Jackie Chan" is "ethnic" Chinese that you feel he would "stink" like "smelly eggroles" in "Smellavision"?
"The liberties and resulting economic prosperity that YOU take for granted were granted by those "dead guys"
I've seen White people bring fried chicken to the theatre. I've seen Black people bring Chinese food to the theatre. I've seen Asian people bring McDonald's and Arby's. The ethnicity of the person has nothing to do with the type of food they bring or how people are "stink", in your words. When you walk through Chinatown, do you smell linguini with clam sauce, spicy bratwurst, kimchi or freshly baked bagels? Or do you smell cooked rice and other ethnic foods typical of Chinese cuisine?
Cut it out and stop trying to be a you-know-what. You're not that clever and I'm not that type of person. You're wasting your time so put away your paintbrush. Apparently, this is a new tactic for you but clearly it's not becoming.
When I smell eggrolls while watching a Jackie Chan movie, yeah.. it would make it seem like "Smellavision" especially as he does plenty of in-China period movies. Just like if I was watching "Gandhi" set in India and someone snuck in curried chicken, which people do. And no, I don't want my movie experience THAT precise, thank you very much. Popcorn and candy smells are just fine.
Trying to justify a business advertising as a way to bring their own food is silly. You bought the ticket, that does not give you the right to bring your BBQ in there too. Get your butt up and wait in the lobby if you don't want to see the ads, no one makes you sit there... go play a videogame in the lobby. The rule is also for these types of reasons, not just the movie wants to "rip you off"; other patrons don't want to smell things you pull out your knapsack that smells crappy and unpleasant inside a closed-in, darkened space when the rules clearly say it's prohibited.
"TO MICHAEL!"
I can't imagine having as much fun watching a video taped version of Drag Me To Hell, on a computer screen - no matter what size it is, no matter what quality the guy pirating the movie has on his video camera.
That movie was meant to be on a big screen. The scarey parts are more scarey on a giant screen away from the comfort of your own home.
Watered down soda? I think it is the same soda as everywhere else.
Overpriced? - use the computer terminals and buy a child ticket for $7. I have yet to be caught going in to AMC with a child ticket. I talk up the ticket taker when I give him the ticket to rip off. If I have a group of tickets I put the child tickets at the bottom. Wednesdays have free popcorn for movie watcher members. You can get pretty good deals using the movie watcher cards when you buy your tickets; like all sorts of candy for $1.
You can also bring your own food and drink into the theater. They never busted my nuts over that either. I have never brought ethnic food. Usually just candy and maybe a drink I had from the food court. One time I ate Burger King tenders before the movie started.
Do you really have to have a smoke during a movie?
Noisy people... the only let down.
I watched every episode of Boondocks Season 2 a couple weeks ago (I paid for the DVDs).
The first episode is awesome. It is about sneaking in the movies...
watch the whole episode here on pretty good quality. It was a pretty funny episode.
vodpod.com/watch/1324230-the-boondocks-season-2-ep-1-or-die-trying
I stand by what I typed and I'll leave it with you and your subconscious self.
As far as my bringing outside food in... it's not stealing... It's not tresspassing... it's not a law... it's not even a contract... i don't believe they have the moral or ethical right to invent a rule just so they can use that rule to circumvent the capitalist rule of supply and demand. If they want me to purchase their goods over that of another supplier then they need to reduce their price to something more competitive.
How do you feel about the smell of pizza, nachos, or chili dogs? because all of these things are also available at the concession stand in the theater near me.
As far as me not viewing the ads... I'm in the theater at the time they say the movie is going to start but instead of watching the movie I paid to see I'm watching several non-movie related commercials that I don't want to see.
I don't have any guilt about buying a box of Mike and Ike and a bottle of Coke at a Dollar Store and walking past their consession stand that sells that same coke for $3.00 and that same Mike and Ike for $6.00.
"The liberties and resulting economic prosperity that YOU take for granted were granted by those "dead guys"
I remember when I couldn't stand rednecks. Lately though, they've not been such a problem. It is the ghetto crowd that is taking over the spot of annoyance in my world. I know exactly what you're talking about. I went to see Star Trek a few weeks ago and I seriously wanted my money back after going through that. There were about 3 groups of ghetto punks in the theater who ruined it for everyone. And I think they were proud of it. They were actually yelling stuff across the theater to each others group. It's like they were there just to cause trouble.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
All Rights Reversed
"TO MICHAEL!"
How about this.
When my bottle of coke interferes with the ability of other movie goers to enjoy the movie. I'll stop.
Saying that somebody brings their own bottle of pop will lead to people bringing smelly fast food into a movie theater is a slippery slope logical fallacy and you know that Popin; Shame on you :P
Letting somebody with a can of pop in, and letting somebody in with a full meal that smells strongly is very different. There is an easily definable line between the two.
There is no logical argument you can make that one leads to the other.
As for them selling tickets. Thats is false.
Just like a gas station makes dribble from selling you gas, the movie theater, especially for big budget movies, makes very small amounts of money on the actual ticket sales. The opening week, over 50% (I beleive 80% for big hollywoods) of the ticket sales go directly to the movie producers, that % shrinks in successive weeks.
The majority of their operations is sustained on concession sales.
As for kicking you out for bringing in outside food. They could kick you out over a chocolate bar, and yes they could get away with it. But They wouldn't do it.
Why? Because you would complain, you'd make a racket, the movie goers would be frustrated and stressed out and they would probably goto another theater.
The policy is mostly in place because they have nothing to lose. They know that even if they never enforce the rule, it will still dissuade some poeple from brinnging in food and they will see an increase in food sales.
I know first hand, I have a friend who runs a large movie theater; the sign is simply there to give them a scape goat to remove people with obnoxious food (such as your Wendy's examples) or to dissuade that odd person with a very rigid moral compass to buy their food.
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
Slippery logic? The first thing someone does when they get rousted for something is "Look at that guy over there! He brought in stuff and you said nothing. Wtf?" That's because one person brought a soda and one person brought a burger. That's where stupid lawsuits come from because they allow a Coke in a can in but not a Big Gulp slurpee/slushy.
Now you can say there's a difference; yeah, that's the type of refreshment. But they both are still against the regulations. Look, if you want to defend bringing in stuff that's fine. But you are dead wrong by trying to justify it when you know it's clearly against the management and owner's wishes.
Again, most law abiding adults will go to the theatre and abide by the rules of the establishment not because they are lemmings or suckers, but because they respect the rules of decent society norms. You choose to see it as "no big deal" but the vast majority do and think it's a moral wrong. No one is committing a crime of course, but it's still wrong, or else they'd invite you to bring your own food like some restaurants say BYOB or other cases. (Parks that allow you to bring your own food or buy from their concession stands like Dorney Park not far from here).
Why stop at movies? Let's go to Disneyworld and bring in our own lunches and dinners because it's just too much of a hassle to walk ALL the way back to the car and the food is priced too high. Or let's bring our own beer to the baseball game because we aren't killing anyone, it's just beer. Or let's bring our own refreshments to the opera, museum or art gallery. I know they have those inconvienent rules that say "No eating" but dammit, I'm hungry.. and I don't wanna pay!
"TO MICHAEL!"
Wickersham/Wickersham
"The liberties and resulting economic prosperity that YOU take for granted were granted by those "dead guys"