Home > Blogs > Sir Critic on Cinema > Archives > 2007 > October > 15 > Entry
Moviegoers: Enter your complaints here
Several cringe-worthy things have been happening at the cinema lately, and I don’t mean the movies playing there. I mean the audiences going there.
Sometimes I find that writing (or typing) your thoughts down is a good way to get things out of your system. Besides, you never know who reads these posts. Until I reviewed Across the Universe last week, I had no idea someone in Tulsa, Oklahoma read me.
So that established, here are the three moviegoing complaints weighing on my mind.
To: People who send text messages during movies.
Sorry, folks, but ANY use of cell phones during a movie, even if the cell phone is silent, is still rude. I appreciate that you at least have the sense not to yak it up during the movie, and that you’re trying to be quiet by texting, but you’re forgetting something: That bright glow your display emits is as distracting as a buzzing fly.
Maybe in the old days of sloped seating you could have kept your screen hidden, but since I’m sitting ABOVE you in stadium seating, I can very plainly see what you’re doing. And even with an excellent movie like Michael Clayton holding my attention, your display shines like a beacon that says “Look at meeee. I’m brighter than the movie screeen. And I’m moooore important than anyone in here!”
No, you’re not. If you have to text during a movie, you shouldn’t be there in the first place. Turn the phone OFF or leave. Thanks!
To: The the corporate types who insist on advertising during movies
Can we please cut commercials down at least a little, if we can’t eliminate them altogether? Most of us have come to grudgingly accept ads before the movies, even if we don’t like them. I don’t so much mind those pre-show ad packages that play on the digital projectors, even though I must resist a powerful urge to deck the annoying host of ScreenVision.
However, MUST you show those and then hit us with even MORE ads before the trailers? Talk about overkill! I also call BS on your claim in this story in Variety where one of your suits alleges that only 8% of moviegoers surveyed by ScreenVision said they would prefer no pre-show at all.
Really? REALLY??? Whom did you survey, your relatives?
And finally:
To: People who don’t eat the popcorn they buy
I’m usually the last person to leave the movie theater because I always watch all of the end credits. And when I leave, I am constantly amazed at the number of large bags of popcorn I find that are still mostly full. C’mon guys — if you’re going to pay $5.75 or whatever they charge for a large these days, at least eat more than the top third. I wish I had as much money to throw away as you.
The movie theater’s rule is you can’t bring other food in. There’s nothing that says you can’t take their food out! If you really don’t want to do that, I’ll take it. You’ll usually find me at the center of the aisle about 3-4 rows back. This is me:
Thanks!
Got any gripes about the moviegoing experience? Comment and vent!
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Moviegoing
Comments
By Allie D.
October 17, 2007 12:59 PM | Link to this
you missed my biggest pet peeve. It’s not the ads, the incessant talkers (although they run a VERY close second and they deserve to be punched in the face), or even the texters (frankly, I don’t care at all about texting if the person is being discreet about it and attempting to keep the screen glare down). It’s the people who bring their kids to the movies. It happens at least once out of every four movies I see. Let’s put it plainly here: If the movie is not marketed for kids, LEAVE THEM AT HOME OR WAIT FOR THE DVD!! There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, more distracting and anger-inducing for me than attempting to enjoy a movie that was made specifically for adults and having to endure the slicing of an infant’s cry into my experience! What baby over the age of 2 weeks is going to seriously enjoy sitting in a dark, loud room for 2 hours?? The idiot parent is not only wasting their own money because of the fact they will have to be up and down consoling the kid during the flick, but it’s a MAJOR annoyance to everyone there! Thanks for allowing me to vent.By Cali
October 16, 2007 3:02 PM | Link to this
The advertising topic you discussed is really interesting, considering I just got out of one of my college classes, 10 minutes ago, and we were discussing exactly what you mentioned! We watched a PBS Frontline video called “The Persuaders,” and the video discussed advertising, specifically advertising in the movies themselves. Pretty interesting…check out more info here if you have a minute: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/By ME
October 16, 2007 1:50 PM | Link to this
Thanks ER you hit some of my biggest complaints. When we go to a movie its because we can’t wait to see it … we’ve been looking forward to it. Please don’t ruin my theater experience with your rudeness people. Turn off your cell phone! Don’t talk! Please don’t run down the steps during the movie and PLEASE can whoever handles the music with the ads before the movie use different songs. The last experience I had was listening to the same song 15 times before the movie began .. even the couple in front of us was annoyed. Ads! I hate them. I pay BIG bucks to see a movie and I don’t want people selling me junk. I want to see previews and the movie!!!!!By D. Greene
October 16, 2007 1:45 PM | Link to this
The thanks I get for showing up on time to a movie is the privilege of being hammered with ads for ten minutes that aren’t even movie trailers. At least Danbarry, Beavercreek Bargain Box Office and the Neon don’t participate in that offensive garbage. If I go to a large chain movie theater I always show up at least five minutes late.By Dave
October 16, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this
I have two major complaints: One, they are TOO EXPENSIVE. Second, very few movies are being made that would be worth attending even if the price were lower.By Kim
October 16, 2007 9:06 AM | Link to this
People don’t mind the ads?? That is a joke! When I read how it was worded, I suspect they are getting those statistics by lumping previews in as advertisements, which of course they are. So when asked if I would rather retain the current format - which includes the trailers - or nothing at all, then I would vote that way too because I don’t want to lose the trailers. I think it is a jaded study meant to hang on to those advertising dollars. If only that would keep the movie prices down! I have a pet peave with cell users too - the glow is distracting and I also have to ask myself WHY they are in there if they have business so urgent that 2 hours are that vital. I also hate people putting their feet/knees into the back of my seat - and of course the old classic - talking during the movie! I even get annoyed when someone I’m with talks to me during a movie!By Brenda Kenyon
October 15, 2007 4:54 PM | Link to this
The ads before a movie are really irritating. I did not pay through the nose for entertainment so that I could kill time watching ads for products that I have NO interest in. Is there any wonder why people wait for the DVD to come out?