My #1 reason for hating the movie theatres, including the new stadium-seating style ones:

Legroom

I'm 6' 2 1/2"....and within about 20 minutes I'm playing Yoga trying to get my legs in a position...there is no slouch room or my knees get permanant indentations from the seatback in front of me. :P

I go into a theatre, pay my nine (!) bucks to catch the flick, and then wind up getting the equivelent of a Coach Seat :D

At home: Pop in movie, fire up 110" screen, stretch legs out...sideways on couch? Perhaps...or, enter: THE OTTOMAN.....dial in sound to appropriate level......if wife or kids
make sound during performance, assist them to other part of the house (locket closet, garage), resume movie at point during which distraction started to occur.. etc :)

That reminds me. I have a lower back which despises sitting. I can do it from time to time, but too much sitting is always uncomfortable. At home, I can lay on my stomach on the floor, I can lay down sideways, lay on the futon, use an ottoman, or do all sorts of things to ease my sore back. I can also take breaks. You can't do that in a theatre. I will admit that the newer theatres, especially the steep stadium style ones, have much better seats than the older ones. I am only 5 foot 9 1/2" tall though, so I can see how taller people don't have a picnic in some theatres.

theatres: instant flu/virus spreaders...home:NONE!

I don't even have a PJ yet, but I can honestly say that my experience with my modest 50" plasma-driven budget HT eclipses the cineplex "occurrences" in nearly every aspect, save for screen size. Sure, when you're looking at a screen that is 50' across it is much more immersive than a 50' diagonal one, but when you're interrupted every 3-4 minutes by other rude guests, that immersion is ruined and you wasted money.

I get movie certificate from a co-worker every year for the holidays, and that is the only time we go to the theater anymore. We took the boys last year to see Pixar's Cars, and again, I was reminded of why we stay home. Even my wife asked "This movie is going to be released on Blu-Ray, right?", and at the time, I only owned an HD DVD player.

Honestly, given my work schedule, if I want to throw away $50-$60 for my family to be insulted by other's behavior, I'd rather just burn the money and save the time.

I can only guess my opinion will get stronger once I do finally have my projector/screen installed.

My wife and I have been to probably one movie since our kids were born. It's too much of a hassle, too expensive and too hard to find someone we trust to watch our kids (only family babysitters for us - period).

I have probably been to 2 or 3 movies without my wife over that same 5 year period.
Now that we have our home theater, I don't see going back anytime soon. We've stayed away without having a theater so I can't see what will possibly bring us back.

The only thing I can possibly think of is our kids asking (begging) us to take them to some animated movies. Even that will probably be rare, I think, as I get most of the good animated stuff added to my media server as soon as the DVDs are released.

Heck, I even had my nephew bring his girlfriend over to our house recently for a date night. They preferred to use my theater instead of going to the local cinema.
Considering they are 23 & 21 years old, I'd say that's a pretty ringing endorsement of my theater!

My wife and I have been to probably one movie since our kids were born. It's too much of a hassle, too expensive and too hard to find someone we trust to watch our kids (only family babysitters for us - period).

Seconded.....


I have probably been to 2 or 3 movies without my wife over that same 5 year period. Now that we have our home theater, I don't see going back anytime soon. We've stayed away without having a theater so I can't see what will possibly bring us back.


When my wife asked me the last movie we saw together I think I answered "Wasn't it LOST BOYS??" :D


The only thing I can possibly think of is our kids asking (begging) us to take them to some animated movies. Even that will probably be rare, I think, as I get most of the good animated stuff added to my media server as soon as the DVDs are released.


Part of the problem is that half of those matinee shows are treated like daycare for some braindead parents who drop their 6, 7 or 8 year olds off and then leave to go to..whatever...sleep in the car, who knows.

Heck, I even had my nephew bring his girlfriend over to our house recently for a date night. They preferred to use my theater instead of going to the local cinema.
Considering they are 23 & 21 years old, I'd say that's a pretty ringing endorsement of my theater!

Would the price of admission have anything to do with that?

On to newer releases. Anybody else see "DejaVu"? The copy I saw was a bit grainy and contrasty but I enjoyed the movie. Your thoughts?

My local theater still beat my theater by a big margin in total experience.
I am a good cook but still going to restaurants waiting in line, eating greasy and salty food is what I like to do often. And indeed it is more expensive.

Last night I enjoyed "Apocalypto". The audiance was in fine form and behaved as usual, the popcorn fresh, and the image acceptable. The opening hunt scene was memorable, not to mention the 'mother in law'. Hoping this one releases in HDDVD. (Ever wonder who really invented cement? Ask Mel Gibson.)

I'm thinking Apocalypto isn't exactly going to draw the type of crowd the rest of us are consistantly annoyed with :D

I can't stand theaters any more. No pause button and no liquor - what's to like??

last movie i saw my sons treated me for fathers day ( from that standpoint it was very enjoyable ). from every other standpoint it was extremely disappointing , poor picture , grossly loud sound ,over priced snacks and of course the ever present manner - free teenagers. if the theatres could understand that loud bad sound is not good and that they have the right , in fact the responsibility to control the behavior of their patrons , then perhaps the excessive cost would be tolerable. until then i'll enjoy the quality and control of my own theatre ( one of the best things i've ever invested in ).

Last night....DREAMGIRLS.

Did you know Eddie Murphy can sing? That or a pretty good voice over.
Tell me this isn't the Motown story complete with Diana Ross and the Supremes. Just add Casey Cason(sp) for the complete mix.
Great vocals. I'll be watching for this one on HDDVD (Paramount).

BTW, this MUST be a good movie. Much of the audience remained seated through the closing credits.

I can't stand theaters any more. No pause button and no liquor - what's to like??

….and the cost of the projectors now days isn’t much more than a couple of trips to the local Cineplex with the family! :)

4 boxes of popcorn and a couple of sodas or an Optoma.....hehehe:)

heheheh...

Give me my HT, my neverending keg o' beer & all the munchies I can consume and it's like I just never wanna leave home - with Blockbuster online & HDTV it's difficult to keep going to work @ 6AM M-F :D

At least starting @ 6AM means I get home by 3PM - plenty of time to 'take care of business'! :)

Hmmm...beer and the pause button...that's a circular arguement! :D

Last night....DREAMGIRLS.

Did you know Eddie Murphy can sing? That or a pretty good voice over.
Tell me this isn't the Motown story complete with Diana Ross and the Supremes. Just add Casey Cason(sp) for the complete mix.
Great vocals. I'll be watching for this one on HDDVD (Paramount).

BTW, this MUST be a good movie. Much of the audience remained seated through the closing credits.

Thats cuz they were still sleeping!! ;)

It used to be going to a theater was a fun way be involved with the movie. Audience screaming or cheering made it fun. Now it seems too many people multi-task during the movie... texting away... poor manners, imo.

My wife and I go to the movies maybe 4 times a year. It is a good place for us to go and get away from the kids on a date night. Most of the time the sound is way too loud or too quiet.

I love my HT. Where else can you warm your feet with a dog?

I love my home theater. Even though its simple and small.
I have a 4805 projection on my wall with a Bravo d1 + a jvc 7.1 dts amp.
I also have a used Laserdisk player [just upgraded to one with auto flip yay!]
a ADS media link for streaming from my pc. The ADS has dvi and looks great.
It all works, sounds , and looks great. [I have a light controlled room]

However, I do still make a run down to the theater. Why? because I live in Austin tx and we have some the best Movie theaters in the USA. The Alamo Draft house is a small chain of theaters that are combo / Theater Restaurant / Bar. They have EVENTS rather than just movies.For example earlier this year I went and saw the 1933 King Kong Archival print [beautiful!] presented by Ray Harryhausen [he sat right in front of me!]

Yup I still love going to the Theater, but I'm spoiled in the theaters I can go to.

Mike

Thats cuz they were still sleeping!! ;)

You didn't enjoy the show? Eight nominations and Hudson's Oscar winning performance. A star is born. Who's sleeping?

Tonight POTC on BD. Is there any contest?
BTW, DreamGirls on HDDVD/BD is Supreme.

Yesterday I went and saw "28 Weeks Later" at the theater and had to deal with a screen that was out of focus on the left and right side. I went to let management aware of the problem and was told it would fixed - it never was.

HT wins everytime.

main problem with cinema is the film defects...

Went to see the new Shrek movie. Volume was low, print was blurry (saw the first showing). The new Transformers preview sucked... it was letterboxed and again the audio had zero impact.

I went home and downloaded the HD version of the Transformers preview and transferred it to a flash drive to play it on my XBOX360 (it wasn't available on Marketplace). Even with 2.0 audio, my theater with a 136" 2.35 screen totally destroyed our local theater's presentation.

I still love the romance of the Cinema and I always will. Don't get me wrong I love my home theatre. I love having a big screen and surround sound at home. Too me though it just does'nt feel like I am at the movies.
I love the smell of stale pop corn, I love the palpatible anticipation in the air from a large Audience.
I can immerse myself in a film more at the theatre, too many distractions at home.
Granted there have been times when other patrons have been rude or someone has a crying baby etc. But in my 30 years of cinema going these instances have been few and far between.
Also a night at the movies is just that...A night out
I have a many happy life memories associated with the cinema, Girls I have taken out , memories of friends long gone and of course the films themselves. Remember the first time you saw "Star Wars" or "Raiders" or "Close Encounters"?

Remember the unabashed AWE that accompanied the experience???

To me home cinema is a replication of memories of the cinema experience.
I will always see a film in the cinema before DVD.
Home Theatre may be a purer, clearer ,more relaxing form of entertainment.

But to me Cinema is life, to lose it would be tragic. :)

iam with JediBoy (eXcept i like Fresh PopCorn)
i will always Love the Cinema
what's not 2 like....
50 - 70ft screens.....
couple Thousand WATTS driving
8 or more Altec/JBL Horn Speakers + Subs
Stadium Seating (nothing blocking my view)
True Conscious Immersion into the Film story

at home i sit Closer (11ft) to my 106in screen
surrounded by 3 JBL/Bic speakers (400watts)
or Dolby Headphone thru Sennheiser HD650 cans (late night)
and i can rePlay any of 850+ movies & concerts (http://www.invelos.com/DVDCollection.aspx/Mouw)

but i need both

I live in the inner city. The movie theaters generally suck... It never pays to go see what's hot on or close to the release date.

People smoking marijuana, yelling profanity towards the screen, having full blown cellphone conversations during the movie, infant children crying throughout the presentation. I mean who the hell takes their newborn baby to the movies to see "Perfect Stranger"??? People are just generally waay too selfish & inconsiderate for my taste.

Even some of the upper-tier ones in Manhattan suffer from issues like curtains not being fully extended beyond the screen edges, low volume, miserable keystoning, etc....

There are a few spots you can go to and depending upon when you go, the experience isnt so bad.

A couple years ago, I went to the Arclight Theater in Hollywood, Ca. That was a VERY good experience. It was $15.00+ per ticket but I didnt regret spending the money.

I prefer my Home Theater anyday!

This is hard for me, I think my dismal experiences at the cinema led to my home theater. I remember a few years back when you saw a newspaper ad for a movie and u saw DTS next to the show time that the audio was going to be loud and you were going to enjoy the immersion, etc. I loved it, I remember being able to close my eyes and feel like I was there, now if people aren't being rude, the sound is low because old people complain, or any other number of things. When I built my home theater(HD1000u 106", Ascend Acoustics), the first thing I wanted was that loud clean sound, the golden days of horn jbl cinema style speakers, etc.. I remember watching Master and Commander and ducking and weaving on my couch and ever since then I can't remember going to an actual theater. I hope someone comes back and opens a a franchise of theaters geared towards enjoyment again, rather than lousy popcorn and mediocore sound and picture for 10 bucks.

Last time I went to the theater it was to see Superman Returns. Haven't been back since.

Just too many annoyances for me, time after time. I envy you people who seem to be less distracted by the deficiencies in the picture/sound and the ever-increasingly rude people who just don't give a damn about anyone but themselves.

I vowed I would never go back to a theater to see anything I cared about. I wait for the DVD and watch blissfully from my couch. I'll take the nieces/nephews to see a kiddy movie or the wife to see a chick movie. But when it comes to the movies I'm really interested in, I just refuse to let the cretins sitting around me ruin the experience anymore.

The only thing that I hate going out for a movie is that we need to go there at least 30 minutes earlier in order to get a good seat during the weekends (don't really have time during the weekdays... and too tired after work)! At home I can pop in a discs whenever we wanted to.

A couple of weeks ago my Wife & I left the kids with their aunt & uncle and used free movie passes on a matinee Sunday afternoon. It was us and about 5 other people. They were very polite, no cell phones, the room was clean.

The picture was what I expected, probably better than some, but the sound was blarring, almost excruciating! We both periodically held our ears shut because it was so LOUD! This was after sitting through a half-hour of previews and COMMERCIALS! You pay good money to be there and still have to sit through commercials?!

Even though the experience was free, I hated it and want my 3 hours of life back. Due to gift certificates we see about one movie a year and hate it everytime. Different cinemas, always a similar experience. I would much rather watch the movie on a 27" TV in Stereo. I don't get why anyone goes anymore.

It's nastolgic my experiences when I was a kid, but those days are long gone. If my Dad had a HomeTheater like I do now, the 'Wow' memories wouldn't be any different - maybe even better.

My experience with cinemas usually includes:
1- a sore butt from sitting on an uncomfortable chair for 2 hours
2 - a bladder on the point of bursting, lest I miss some crucial plot point
3- people eating popcorn at a louder volume than the movie
4-people unwrapping candy and chip bags constantly
5- crying and screaming babies
6-cellphones ringing despite the kind warnings
7-sticky soda-drenched floors
8-people that kick my seat
9-people that constantly get up and have to pass in front of me
10-that tall guy, you know, the one who sits in front of you
11-people cracking jokes, holding conversations, or snoring
12-surround speakers that have blown and crackle and never get serviced
13-movie sound quality varying
14-picture quality usually has lots of pops, dots and streaks
15-idiotic previews, commercials that cater to the lowest common denominator
This is why I have a home theater and don't go to the movies anymore. It's hard to enjoy something when you're surrounded by ill-mannered buffoons.

HAHAHA
I'll chime in here.
I only go to the theater when my daughter(10) wants to see something.
The picture is never as sharp as at home, it is soft, if that makes sense.
The surround is usaully not on at all, if it is it's so low you wouldn't know there was surround.
It's to the point now that I ask first if the surrround works in the theater we are going to see the film in.
If the answer is no I ask for a discount on my ticket.
No discount we leave.
This has caused greif with my daughter because we have left the theater to see it somewhere else.
I have come out of the film, asked to see the manager for my money back.
Manager said "did the lack of 5.1 detract from your theater going experience"?
I said most certianly, I just spent 15 dollars, I can wait a month pay 4 dollars and see it at home with great sound and picture.
Never been back to that theater.
I guess I'm with you folks on this.
:D

My biggest complaint about going to the theater is other people. I always try to sit in the back row of the front section of seats, so I can at least avoid the idiot who can't keep his or her feet off of my seat or the row in front of them. Since, the whole row is connected, I'll even notice someone kicking a seat down either side of my row. When I sit in a theater, I try to keep my feet off of the seats in front of me. Is that really that hard to do?

The other thing about other people is that they just can't shut up. Wait until after the freaking movie to discuss a certain plot point that you found interesting. And, if you absolutely, positively have to say something to your friend, keep it short and use your freaking quiet voice. Close your mouth when you chew. Don't text message with your big, bright phone glaring in front of me.

I swear, there have been a few times when I've turned into George Costanza in the episode where he does everything opposite of what he normally would do in life. No more do I have a problem with standing up during the movie and telling everyone to shut the hell up, if it gets too out of hand. By out of hand, I'm not talking about laughter and spontaneous reaction to a scene and something that's normal for a group experience. I'm talking about people being out and out rude.

Granted, most of the time, I just hope that the person or people stop what they're doing soon. But, people should really know better, so why should I be nice about it.

I'm with the majority here. I used to enjoy going to the cinema but with so many inconsiderate people attending I'd rather wait a few months and see the movie at home where I can enjoy the experience without being aggravated by the rabble. Coupled with problems at the theater - poor focus, too loud or too soft sound, broken chairs, sticky floors, etc., I'd rather watch the movies at home.

I spent 2 hours during Spirited Away throwing candy at the handicapped person sleeping 5 seats away from me. She/he (I'm not quite sure - kind of looked like a sterotypical russian old lady with head scarf played by Jones from Monty Python sitting in a wheelchair) had an external conversation with itself for the first quarter of the movie, then snored through the rest. Each candy piece would wake her up for a minute, not knowing what had happened. When she finally started moving around, candy rained down from her hair and clothing and spilled everywhere. The look on her face was priceless. The few other people in the theater approved. Childesh of me? Probably. Not really. I saw 300 the other month and had to listen to some little bastard teen chew his popcorn like an elephant and his mother check her voice mail. Upon exiting the movie, in the lobby, I poked my friend and pointed to the lady and said in an extremely loud voice bordering on yelling :THat's the lady whose cell phone kept ringing and whose son eats like a ****ing horse! Right there! THAT lady! THe one with no manners! " sigh. People.

It's the teenagers, but I don't really blame them. Went to a friend's house for dinner the other day, his teenage son was telling us about how awkward it is when they are in a movie and his parents call, because they try to end the conversation quickly, but sometimes the parent won't get off the phone.

I was stunned, I said "you take phone calls in the movie theater?"

His parents looked at me like I was crazy and said "they better answer the phone when we call."

When I was in high school I carried a pager, let people get in touch with me, but I didn't have to respond immediately. With a phone and text messaging, if I'm somewhere and someone important (generally my wife) calls, i send the call to voice mail and text back "busy, important?"

But I am simply stunned that the parents of older children expect to reach their teenagers instantaneously and are offended at the idea of waiting for a call back.

Granted, my only child is 9 months old, so who knows what I'll be like in 15 years, but I hope that I'll remember tat the world is a relatively safe place... bad things happen, but it's infrequent, and the news media covering something doesn't make it more likely... The summer of shark attacks was a slow news cycle, not an increase in shark attacks, the number of shark attacks was below average that summer.

Wow, i am amazed at the many negative responses I am reading in this forum.
I live in Australia . I have experienced some bad cinemas but most of the time the image and sound is top notch, I certainly haven't had enough bad experiences to warrant chucking in going to the cinema altogether . The price of refreshments is the only thing I can really complain about. $10-$12au for a bloody coke and popcorn. I always go to the supermarket early and purchase nibbles before the film .

the last movie I went to the theater to see was Miami Vice.... well my tolerance and for rudeness in a theater is about .05 seconds. im sittin there with a girl watchin the movie and the guy behind me answers his phone, i give him a chance but after about a minute of talkin he says, no its cool im just watchin this movie whats up.. or something along those lines indicating that he was gonna stay on the phone....... so I stood up, turned around and loudly said "Shut it off, or ill shove it down your throat", after about 5 seconds of staring at each other he said I gotta go and got off the phone, then about 20 people applauded and we finished the movie in peace...

Wow, i am amazed at the many negative responses I am reading in this forum.
I live in Australia . I have experienced some bad cinemas but most of the time the image and sound is top notch, I certainly haven't had enough bad experiences to warrant chucking in going to the cinema altogether . The price of refreshments is the only thing I can really complain about. $10-$12au for a bloody coke and popcorn. I always go to the supermarket early and purchase nibbles before the film .

Fortunately for me I frequent a cinema where the patrons observe theater ethics. That or management holds a strong 'hidden' hand somewhere. Maybe it's playing the national anthem before the feature that does the trick.

as much as I HATE public theaters, I had no choice to see POTC At World's End. and I would not miss that, I am a POTC finatic plane and simple, My license plate is POTCBP I made the complete Jack Sparrow costume including wig back before ANY POTC stuff was available, I took my Jack and my Will to Disneyworld in costume and that was One HECK of an experience.
Anyway I had to go see this IN the theater now Not wait for the DVD, So I went Friday to the 10 am show in hopes of FEW people and NO kids.
I lucked out, there were under 20 people there, EVEN SO, we had two teenage girls sit right in front of us. In front of them was another lady alone.
Well the minute the movie starts one of these girls takes off her shoes and plops her feet over the back of the seat in front of her, and fully one foot from this poor ladies face and she kept them there waving them about occasionally through the entire 2 hours and 45 min of the film.

Oh by the way, those that go see it, DO BE SURE to stay through the credits for the scene at the end!!!

I want to see it too, but Im gonna wait to watch it on blue ray

My wife and I watched "Dreamgirls" last night in 1080p Blu-ray through our new Epson 1080p pj on a 110" screen in our own theater. The picture WAS better than the theater. The lack of ambient light (our theater is a bat cave) made for a stunning picture. BTW, I can buy a Blu-ray disc for the same cost as going out to the cinema...and that'll only get cheaper whereas the cinema continues to get more expensive.

Oh by the way, those that go see it, DO BE SURE to stay through the credits for the scene at the end!!!


:rolleyes: ,I remembered the talk about it AFTER we sat down for our 2nd film of the day..Spider-man3.. :mad:

The new Transformers preview sucked

I thought the same thing...absolutely ZERO bass in the theatre we attended (AMC, wife's favorite theatre. Harkins is 100 times better soundwise but my wife prefers the mall :mad: )




bad things happen, but it's infrequent, and the news media covering something doesn't make it more likely

okay so Boston's a safe place? :confused: We've had dozens and dozens of attempted child kidnappings,etc hererecently in the OKC metro so that statement sure wouldn't fly here. :rolleyes: Not to mention the kids in my oldest daughter's school attacking her (boys)..

okeday.

My wife and I watched "Dreamgirls" last night in 1080p Blu-ray through our new Epson 1080p pj on a 110" screen in our own theater. The picture WAS better than the theater. The lack of ambient light (our theater is a bat cave) made for a stunning picture. BTW, I can buy a Blu-ray disc for the same cost as going out to the cinema...and that'll only get cheaper whereas the cinema continues to get more expensive.

Between damaged prints, out of focus projectors, crappy screens and poor audio, sometimes regular DVD in my theater actually looks and sounds better than the real theater! It is a shame because in Wichita we have some really nicely decorated theaters with huge screens. I recently saw Spiderman 3 and Shrek 3 and both presentations sucked.

Rarely go to the cinema. When I do I always find myself comparing the picture and audio with my home theater. Even though I do not yet have high definition DVD's yet, I find my standard definition DVD's to be more than the equal of what I find in the theater.

The one thing you can't replicate of course is the room size, but with the room dark and watching the movie this issue tends to go away.

I will say that going to the cinema does have a unique magic to it that cannot be replicated in a home theater. Something about lobbies, ushers, tickets, crowds, previews... The whole experience does tap into nostalgia for me. I also am a sucker for old theaters. I love going to small towns and going to see movies in their ancient movie theaters (often for $1.00 or $2.00 admission). I love art deco theaters.

I will say that going to the cinema does have a unique magic to it that cannot be replicated in a home theater. Something about lobbies, ushers, tickets, crowds, previews... The whole experience does tap into nostalgia for me. I also am a sucker for old theaters. I love going to small towns and going to see movies in their ancient movie theaters (often for $1.00 or $2.00 admission). I love art deco theaters.

Perhaps you missed seeing some members theaters. There's a separate forum for that. They do infact have the above complete with marquees and popcorn machines. Art even had his daughter dress up as a 1930s usher for an AVS member gathering. I know of another member who has 24 seats in his theater. Last I heard, admission was free, too.

I will say that going to the cinema does have a unique magic to it that cannot be replicated in a home theater. Something about lobbies, ushers, tickets, crowds, previews... The whole experience does tap into nostalgia for me. I also am a sucker for old theaters. I love going to small towns and going to see movies in their ancient movie theaters (often for $1.00 or $2.00 admission). I love art deco theaters.

With all the progress in HT equipment, I have to say I really enjoy going to my local theater about once a month. I am a movie guy more so than a audio/video guy. Locally they are well set up and have only had a few times that was not up there in performance in terms of focus and bad black level, etc.
The shear size of the screen and look of a fresh print, size of the room and ofcourse going with family/friends and seeing such a big crowd is not going to be duplicated in home, I'm afraid. I choose more adult type of movies so I dodge the younger crowd.

I saw Shrek 3 at the theater. My youngest asked to see it (I knew that's what would finally get me back).

It was 'pleasant'. We went on a sunday evening so there weren't huge crowds. Previews only took about 20-25 minutes. My kid did ask several times "when is the movie starting".

The quality was good. Sound was good. My kid went to the restroom 3 times during the movie so we both missed a little bit.
Popcorn, soda and candy were grossly overpriced. (if the theater doesn't make enough on the tickets, increase the ticket price. Grossly overcharging for concessions is stupid (IMO)).

I personally would've rather waited for the DVD but the theater experience wasn't bad.

Rarely go to the cinema. When I do I always find myself comparing the picture and audio with my home theater. Even though I do not yet have high definition DVD's yet, I find my standard definition DVD's to be more than the equal of what I find in the theater.

.

Just wait till you go HDDVD/BD. My home theater image consistly smokes that of my local cinema. I suspect some of that is due to the print quality they receive. Many HDDVD/BD come from better source prints...and it shows.

I went to see Pirates this weekend at our local super giganto-screen. I was dreading it when I saw how many people were in line to get in. I immediately thought to myself "How many people am I going to have to babysit today?" Well, to my surprise, it was a pretty civil crowd. In fact, I didn't have a problem with any of them. I was utterly shocked.

The problem I did have was that the picture was clearly out of focus. Is that an oxymoron? :) Anyway, I had to get up twice about a half hour into the movie, because apparently nothing was going to change unless I got up and said something. This is their main-attraction screen out of all of their screens. You would think that someone would do a focus check prior to starting the movie. When I say out of focus, I mean really out of focus. So, here I am walking the length of the theater back and forth twice, to get the thing focused. I'm sure someone was thinking "Sit down and watch the movie!" :rolleyes:

Well, I just got back from seeing "Fracture".

You know it was a good movie when three guys discuss the movie rather than babes after the show. A nice suspense thriller with a how'd he do it rather than a who done it story line.

Good flick.

Perhaps you missed seeing some members theaters. There's a separate forum for that. They do infact have the above complete with marquees and popcorn machines. Art even had his daughter dress up as a 1930s usher for an AVS member gathering. I know of another member who has 24 seats in his theater. Last I heard, admission was free, too.

It's still not the same. Going out to see a movie at a cool, old theater just has that "Je-ne-sais-quoi" that you cannot recreate with a faux home theater. Usually these theaters are in neat, older parts of town (main street) or in the city adding more atmosphere. It's also just nice to get out of house.

It's still not the same. Going out to see a movie at a cool, old theater just has that "Je-ne-sais-quoi" that you cannot recreate with a faux home theater. Je sais quoi: Sticky seats, noisy neighbors, too many ads, overpriced, unappealing and unhealthy snacks, etc....................

exactly.............actually I am thinking of going into business with a friend to creat an adults only theater...........U have to be at least 21 to get in.

I want to create more of an upscale type of event or night out that non-buffoons can actually enjoy........complete with full bar, lazy boy type seats, and decent food instead of overpriced trashy junk food.............basically a bar and grill with several smaller theaters around the perimeter that could even be reserved for small blocks of friends.

exactly.............actually I am thinking of going into business with a friend to creat an adults only theater...........U have to be at least 21 to get in.

We have a theater like that here in Portland.
http://www.livingroomtheaters.com/about.html

D.

It's still not the same. Going out to see a movie at a cool, old theater just has that "Je-ne-sais-quoi" that you cannot recreate with a faux home theater. Usually these theaters are in neat, older parts of town (main street) or in the city adding more atmosphere. It's also just nice to get out of house.
I agree with you - it's definitely not the same. A home theater is infinitely better. :)

I'll trade "Je-ne-sais-quoi" for more comfortable seats, no talking cretins ruining the movie, no cellphones, bathroom breaks without missing anything, reliable PQ and sound, and whatever food/drink I like, in a heartbeat.

:p

I have limited my commercial cinema outings to only Imax, digital projection, or Kodak certified theaters, like the one I went to in Chevy Chase, Maryland about 7-8 years ago.

Well, here comes summer and here come the blockbusters...sort of.

Is there some unwritten rule in Hollywoodland that every sequel MUST be worse than the movie that preceeded it? Yes, I'm talking about Spidy-man.

The first movie was rather entertaining, the second, well, not as good as the first. By #3 it's all CGI, B monsters, and acting on par with high school drama class. What's suppose to escape you to the movies rushes you to the exits. No two thumbs up here.

But, "Fracture", on the other hand had no sequel. Not the best murder mystery how-to-get-away-with-murder I've seen, but entertaining nonetheless.

Anyway, hoping Pirates 3, with the return of Barbossa, changes hollyhistory.

The first movie was rather entertaining, the second, well, not as good as the first. By #3 it's all CGI, B monsters, and acting on par with high school drama class. What's suppose to escape you to the movies rushes you to the exits. No two thumbs up here.


Ah yes, the summer fluff. The movies that lower your IQ with each passing second. Granted, not every film needs to be a docu-drama or leave the emotional impression like Citizen Kane, but sometimes they do justice to a character in a film, other times they do not.

Spidey? Too much fluff. First one, as you say, was pretty good...even though the "Goblin Suit" was Re-Tar-Ded to the extreme. But I felt they did a decent job with all three X-Men films, they didn't tart them up too much, they stuck passibly close to the ways the storylines went in the comic books, they didn't utterly destroy the properties (see: Joel Schumacher Batman)

But Spidey? I absolutely hated the second one...what a weak and pointless movie....Doc Ock was just lame beyond belief, I hated the actor they chose for the role (tho he was good, he didn't fit at all with the character I'd grown up with reading from the books).....and now for part 3 with who....Venom and Sandman...? Meh its just not hooking me. I think the Spidey movies are adrift at sea.....


Anyway, hoping Pirates 3, with the return of Barbossa, changes hollyhistory.

Pirates.....honestly, after Part 1 I'd had enough to last a lifetime...that movie left me satisfied, but not wanting to see another one. Then they made 2 more...at like 3 hours each. Ugh...no, I haven't seen em. Eventually...but not yet.

Pirates.....honestly, after Part 1 I'd had enough to last a lifetime...that movie left me satisfied, but not wanting to see another one. Then they made 2 more...at like 3 hours each. Ugh...no, I haven't seen em. Eventually...but not yet.

How funny. Aside from "Batman Begins" no two other BDs get played or requested more often the Pirates 1 and 2.
BTW, my sister sure notices the HD/BD difference too. She remarked how 'poorly' images at the theater she frequents don't look so good "anymore".

Ah yes, the summer fluff. The movies that lower your IQ with each passing second...

Pirates.....honestly, after Part 1 I'd had enough to last a lifetime...that movie left me satisfied, but not wanting to see another one. Then they made 2 more...at like 3 hours each. Ugh...no, I haven't seen em. Eventually...but not yet.

People don't believe me when i tell them how old I am. That's because I read at a third grade level. Keeps me young. Rocky LaPorte, Comedy Central

Actually, I prefer movies that are at least 2.5 to 3 hours long. I need some story!

80 minutes movies are like watching previews.

One of my favorites is It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World - that movie is LOOOOOONG! "Everybody has to pay taxes. Even businessmen that rob and steal and cheat from people everyday, even they have to pay taxes." Jonathan Winters

Summer winds down with two highly rated movies for me: "Rescue Dawn" and "The Bourne Ultimatum".

Your feedback here:

You have to work at it some to make the experience of your dedicated theater feel like going to the commercial pay theater. But the benefits are worth it.

I try not to use my theater everynight. That seems to be keeping it very special when I have movie nights on the weekends. I did watch Monday night football in HD out there is past week though.

For some reason tiered seating seems to help as well to get that commercial theater feeling.

It was funny as for MNF in the theater room I was sitting front row and I would go out in the living room for breaks. After sitting in the front row in the theater the players looked tiny on the normal pull back shots when the ball was being hiked on the 61" in the living toom.

So, will "The Dark Knight" win movie of the year honors?

Any favorite also rans?

So, will "The Dark Knight" win movie of the year honors?

Any favorite also rans?

Time to answer my own question: No.
But what will? Suggestions?

Okay, it's the holiday movie push. Anyone have a "must see now" recommendation that can't wait for "BluRay"?

Okay, it's the holiday movie push. Anyone have a "must see now" recommendation that can't wait for "BluRay"?

I thought that Eagle Eye was surprisingly good. The movie up until the last 5 minutes was excellent.

You have to work at it some to make the experience of your dedicated theater feel like going to the commercial pay theater. But the benefits are worth it.

I try not to use my theater everynight. That seems to be keeping it very special when I have movie nights on the weekends. I did watch Monday night football in HD out there is past week though.

For some reason tiered seating seems to help as well to get that commercial theater feeling.

It was funny as for MNF in the theater room I was sitting front row and I would go out in the living room for breaks. After sitting in the front row in the theater the players looked tiny on the normal pull back shots when the ball was being hiked on the 61" in the living toom.

I love movies at home but our cinema now has lux, 21 or over, waitress, food alcohol... its hard to beat.

I thought that Eagle Eye was surprisingly good. The movie up until the last 5 minutes was excellent.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll surf over to RT and have a look-see.

-U can hit pause and go grab another cold beer and come back and resume where u left off!

I joined the FP crowd a year ago and haven't been back to the theater to this day!TDK came close but I still waited and then watched the crystal clear BR copy on my 120" screen when it came out on BR.

I love home theater and the regular movie theater.

Why go to the theaters?

The mass experience of many movies stand out in my mind. Seeing a midnight show of Pulp Fiction, Beverly Hills Cop... or an early matinee of Something About Mary on opening day, "priceless". Raiders. Lines for Empire Strikes Back... summer matinees for the second or third running of Star Wars. The whole Summer Movie season. Love it! I still enjoy that experience and go quite often. Some summers, I see at least one movie a week.

To keep costs down with movie theaters, I use movie passes extensively. My local chain takes premium passes for IMAX, Disney 3-D, or anything... and I can get 20+ a year just from reward points on my various Credit Cards. I also go on free popcorn Tuesday... and often will smuggle in our own drinks. Every other trip I earn rewards and usually get 4-5 free passes a year.

I don't deal with crowds if I don't want to... multiplexes today run all movies all the time. I saw Bolt in 3-D with a great adult, respectful audience late on a Tueday night. That was very cool. The previews (Coraline, UP, Monsters vs. Aliens) all in 3-D were worth admission alone.

I also embrace crowds, particularly for comedies or big action flicks. A new comedy, weekend show... discount tickets, free reward popcorn and soda shared between Mrs. Guru and myself, good times!

Why the Home Theater?

I love watching movies at home. Why not? But it is a different experience because you can pause it. The night at home is more about sharing the experience with my little clan. Mrs. Guru and I picking a movie we like, and then chatting about it, munching on Whirley-Pop popcorn, all cozy in PJs with the dogs and cat all curled up about us. (In truth, we also do this at the Drive-In... though the cat stays home).

I watch wall-to-wall movies at home. In fact, I'd probably be okay with cable turned off. My new Epson 6100 projector and a new screen soon makes it more theater-like than ever.

-comix

-U can hit pause and go grab another cold beer and come back and resume where u left off!

I joined the FP crowd a year ago and haven't been back to the theater to this day!TDK came close but I still waited and then watched the crystal clear BR copy on my 120" screen when it came out on BR.

I saw TDK in the theater only because it was an IMAX theater. No previews, no unruly kids, just straight to the main event on the big, big, big screen.

Still can't beat watching at home for the ultimate in convenience and perfect seating!

I have a problem with both of the local theaters. One is nice and tidy and the equipment is decent, but it's not stadium seating. I always get one of the last empty seats right in front of me or a few rows down and there is always a 6'9" guy that takes that seat. Not that tall people can't enjoy movies, but I love how HT guarantees that if anyone sits in front of me, they're sitting on the floor.

The second local theater is stadium seating and nearly new, but the place seems to hire a Merry Maids once a month and consider the cleaning done. The last time I went there, I wore a white t-shirt. I walked out of the theater with the back of my t-shirt yellow from popcorn butter wiped off on the seat :mad:.

I love home theater and the regular movie theater.

Why go to the theaters?

The mass experience of many movies stand out in my mind. Seeing a midnight show of Pulp Fiction, Beverly Hills Cop... or an early matinee of Something About Mary on opening day, "priceless". Raiders. Lines for Empire Strikes Back... summer matinees for the second or third running of Star Wars. The whole Summer Movie season. Love it! I still enjoy that experience and go quite often. Some summers, I see at least one movie a week.

To keep costs down with movie theaters, I use movie passes extensively. My local chain takes premium passes for IMAX, Disney 3-D, or anything... and I can get 20+ a year just from reward points on my various Credit Cards. I also go on free popcorn Tuesday... and often will smuggle in our own drinks. Every other trip I earn rewards and usually get 4-5 free passes a year.

I don't deal with crowds if I don't want to... multiplexes today run all movies all the time. I saw Bolt in 3-D with a great adult, respectful audience late on a Tueday night. That was very cool. The previews (Coraline, UP, Monsters vs. Aliens) all in 3-D were worth admission alone.

I also embrace crowds, particularly for comedies or big action flicks. A new comedy, weekend show... discount tickets, free reward popcorn and soda shared between Mrs. Guru and myself, good times!

Why the Home Theater?

I love watching movies at home. Why not? But it is a different experience because you can pause it. The night at home is more about sharing the experience with my little clan. Mrs. Guru and I picking a movie we like, and then chatting about it, munching on Whirley-Pop popcorn, all cozy in PJs with the dogs and cat all curled up about us. (In truth, we also do this at the Drive-In... though the cat stays home).

I watch wall-to-wall movies at home. In fact, I'd probably be okay with cable turned off. My new Epson 6100 projector and a new screen soon makes it more theater-like than ever.

-comix

FWIW, I saw Monsters vs Aliens on the 4th. I immediately knew I was missing something by not viewing the 3D version.

The only reason I go to the theater now is if a movie is released that I cannot wait to watch until the blu-ray/dvd release (e.g. Star Wars, Bourne Trilogy, Bond, etc.). I still remember watching Star Wars and Superman as a kid at the Chinese Mann theater in Hollywood, CA in the 70's back in the day. That was truly a magical experience watching those movies as a kid...Of course, back then there was no comparing "Cinema" and "Home Theater"...

Theatre runs are becoming an increasingly annoying experience for me (battling crowds, limited parking, extortionate concession pricess, FREEEEEEEEEEEEZING temperatures from the rabid overuse of A/C, sticky floors, and cell phone conversations I don't want to hear coming from every direction), but there are some movies, as others have stated, that I don't want to wait to see, so there's not much choice. Now, with all those negatives I just listed, I have to say that I don't think I'll be going cold turkey any time soon, because I just saw Star Trek projected digitally in 4K resolution, and it was, without a doubt, the most BEAUTIFUL audio/visual presentation I have EVER seen. It was SPOTLESS. No scratches, no rough reel transitions, no artifacts of ANY kind that you would normally associate with the chemical development process and the fragility of the media. It was PRISTINE. Every frame was just gorgeous. I could not believe how smooth, vibrant, and, just consistently AWESOME the image was. It made my beloved DT-510 look like an Etch-a-Sketch with a dirty screen by comparison. I don't think that kind of absolute visual perfection will be reproducible in home theatres any time soon (although, there are many close approximations in higher end projectors). This wasn't "close" to perfect, though. It was. Completely blew me away, and made for a thoroughly enjoyable experience that I can't reproduce at home. Unfortunately.

Mobile phone jammers could help with 1):
http://www.phonejammer.com/home.php?cat=249

adding to cpc's comments....

1) peoples mobile phones ringing in the cinema
2) people talking while the movie is running
3) stupid youths ruining the film by making funny noises and throwing popcorn
4) paying lots of money for entrance fees

but of course, i do still love the cinema, i love seeing the latest trailers, kicking back and having some snacks, and watching on a really big screen!!!

nevertheless, im very happy i have my ht, when the billing is what i want to see, when i want to see it!!!!

krlock

I do go about 2-3 times a year to the local theater. Most of the time I hate it but once in a while everyone shuts up and im ok.

Things I hate, that make me sweat, turn red, and my heart start beating faster and faster..

1 talking
2 cell phones everywhere
3 prices
4 never fails...someone opens up some candy and BOOM....you hear it fall everywhere...EVERY SINGLE TIME..
5 small isles that nobody can get down,always walking between you and the movie.
6 the audio is NEVER EVER loud enough. And it sure isnt loud enough to drowned out all the talking and eating and slurping of drinks.

The movies were a great experience when I was younger...OR before cellphones were needed to live. I HATE cellphones about as much as I hate anything else I can think of..

Last time I stepped into a theater was in 2005. "War Of The Worlds" was the last film I watched. I haven't been back since. (No fault of the movie) I enjoy my HT too much, and now that I have a 1080p projector and a blu-ray player, I know without a doubt, I will never go back to the theaters again.

Truth is, I'm just not that impressed with the size of todays movie screens, they have gotten smaller so I don't bother. Where I live, we used to have a 70mm screen. Now that was something to behold. The theater (Indian Hills) seated 810 people, and had a 110 foot wide curved screen, 35 feet tall. It was a beauty.

Watching "Empire Strikes Back" and "Aliens" there was truly a movie expierence I'll never forget. I just didn't get that feeling anymore from todays cinemas. With the smaller screens of today, everything around me became more of a distraction. Indian Hills engulfed you, and made you feel like you we're apart of the movie. You wouldn't even notice the people sitting right next to you, until the movie was over and the lights came on.

Unfortunately the theater was torn down many year ago, and replaced by a parking lot. With new movies landing on dvd 3-4 months after they been released, makes it easy for me to be patient. The new block busters coming out right now will be on blu-ray by late August or mid September. I can wait.

Every once in a while you get to view a movie like "Star Trek". The print I viewed was delightfully crisp and sharp with colors that simply popped. A week or so later I saw "Angels and Demons" in regular 'so-so' fashion...same theater. Assuming the same projection was used in both cases, my pleasure lays with print effort.

I noticed something recently when I went to the local theater to watch Star Trek. I went twice and both places have stadium seating with ample aisle space. I will not ever step into a theater without at least those two qualities.

The first weekend I went to see Star Trek in digital at an Imax Experience screening. I really enjoyed the movie (thanks JJ) and the digital print was beautiful. The next weekend I went to a regular film presentation and I noticed something - I have not looked at a regular film in a long time. The little spot that blips on the screen when scenes change! I forgot all about those but there they were! The image was not as sharp and the colors just didn't seem to stand out either. The audio was lacking in surround and LFE quality as well.

I really do like my home theater!

My HD70 is still looking good and I am losing nothing by staying home!

Friday I saw "UP". Packed house. Gotta admit, that's something I never get at home.

I went to see angels and demons about a month ago and was not impressed with the showing. That was the first movie I had seen in the theater in 7 years. I was completely unimperessed with the sound and the video was passable at best. It was shown with a dlp projector and the black levels really suffered. Surprisingly enough the pj wasn't that bright either. I could go on for days about the sound and how htib esque it was. Bass in a theater will probably not ever hold its own against my diy subwoofer I have at my place. It was also horribly lacking in dynamics. There are two movies I wouldn't mind seeing in the theater coming up. One is Bruno. I am not going to break my arm trying to get there to see it, but I may if nothing is on TV. The other that I am absolutely going to see is I hope they serve beer in hell. That is going to be a killer movie if it is half as good as the book. Not for the faint hearted though.

I went to see 'UP' too, in 3D. That's about the only time I go to the movies nowadays....and some movies in IMAX as well.

At one time, the theater was where I enjoyed any new movie and a small TV was where I watched anything else. VCR's changed that, but not much. Then there was larger TV's and laser disc.

Now with my projector and surround sound coupled with a blu-ray player, I experience most movies, even many new ones, at home. That is now my primary movie experience.

I still love the movie theater, but it is reserved only for special movie events that cannot wait and for which I want a social experience. Star Trek was one of these. But that will be one of a handful of movies I see in the theater in a whole year. I even thought while enjoying it that I couldn't wait for the better experience in my theater. And the social aspect of inviting others to see it there.

What I time we live in. I'm glad I didn't live a long time ago! I am thankful to God for my eyes and ears. And electronic's engineers.

|:O)

Every once in a while you get to view a movie like "Star Trek". The print I viewed was delightfully crisp and sharp with colors that simply popped. A week or so later I saw "Angels and Demons" in regular 'so-so' fashion...same theater. Assuming the same projection was used in both cases, my pleasure lays with print effort.
Amazing this thread began in 2003...

I could reply to a number of your posts cause you made a lot of points worthy of discussion.

I saw Star Trek a while back. It was a horrible dirty film. I loved the movie, but the media was so dirty it was all I could do to ignore it. Even in shaky-cam action scenes, you could see constant dust. I have no idea what they did to that reel, but it sure was bad.

Last weekend I went to see Transformers 2 and at the same cinemaplex, the film was clean as could be and looked dramatically better. ST was a second week viewing, T2 was the opening week.

I inquired at the theater booth if they had any digital projectors and they told me that yes, in Theater 11, they've got a digital projector that's used for 3D movies. I've never seen that one. I'll be back to the movies a few times in the next weeks to see Harry Potter and G-Force. Neither is in 3D though I don't think. I may have to go see a 3D just to compare.

I've got a copy of Journey to the Center of the Earth BR in 3D. On my 1080 DLP TV, it was ehhh, soso. 3:2 cadence doing 3D doesn't work so well. On my 1080 FP it's way better. I want to see how much better a commercial projector does. Unless I'm wowed, I don't think I'll view many 3D movies period.

As to comparing sound (as was asked back in 2003 :D ), I think my sound is better than that at the local cinemas. I feel it's more balanced, and better spectrum.

It's no wonder cinemas replace stuff when its broke vs upgrading all the time like HT crazies do. When I went to see Star Trek (matinee), there were 5 people there including myself. My brother and his wife went to another showing and said there were 8 people there then. I'm not sure we paid the light bill... Transformers did draw a lot more.

As for the "Packed House". Last weekend I had family over for a 8hour filmfest w/dinner/drinks. What I learned from that (first time with my new FP) is that I need a bigger house or move to a smaller family!

I agree with not going to the movie theaters except for can't wait movies. I recently went to the new Cinemark XD theater and that was pretty good. The picture was great, but with the hugeness of the screen I was unimpressed with the resolution. What was awesome was the sound. Only the THX theater where my parents live has better sound. I think that the theater companies are realizing that people don't want to go to the movies that much anymore. Hopefully more theaters like the one I went to will pop up so that maybe people will want to go to movies again.

I still love the movie theater, but it is reserved only for special movie events that cannot wait and for which I want a social experience.

I agree with not going to the movie theaters except for can't wait movies.

And I feel the exact opposite! The "special movie events" are the very movies that I don't want ruined by the cretins who won't turn off their cell phones or simply shut. the. hell. up.

On the rare occasion that I do allow myself to get dragged to a theater, it's only for movies that I basically don't care about. A movie that I'm really looking forward to? I'll wait for the DVD. You only get to see a movie for the first time once, and I'm not putting that in the hands of the inconsiderate a-holes that seem to follow me every time I enter a theater.

^
That's funny. I just finished emailing my niece about the midnight showings of Harry Potter to ask if they were worth going to since HP6 opens tonight at 12:01

I was considering going tonight if I'm not too tired.

On that same subject of all the people with Cell phones, talking and making noise. Last week I went to see Transformers. It was a weekend matinee and this is at a shopping mall complex so figure plenty of kids. There were more people in the theater than I'd ever care to count, well, well over 100 or even 200. A lot anyhow.

In probably two scenes where things were funny to chuckle-out-loud proportions, I heard a very few people who sorta laughed under thier breath. Never through the entire movie heard anyone speak. One kid in my aisle needed to go out twice and very politely and quietly asked me to shift aside for him to exit/enter.

I'm not sure it's not more bothersome at my own house! Maybe it's just the folks here in this town but I was sure surprised. Especially since this is a film that generally appeals to the younger generation.

Maybe the cost of movies here is now greater than that of a babysitter so it's cheaper to send them there! :D

Over in my area we usually have to grab a seat a half hour in advance in order to get a good seat. There have even been a couple of times where they overbooked seats, and since we refused to sit in the very front row, we walked out and got ticket vouchers instead. It's sad when you seen some kids sitting on the stairs...
I've been trying hard to stick to my Netflix/Redbox plan, but with all the summer blockbusters coming out, and my daughter's summertime blues, we've been to the theater a few times already.
Let's see:
noisy cellphone-using kids - check;
bratty ten-year old kicking the back of my reclining seat - check;
red laser dot on the screen - check;
smarta$$ commentary - check...

Oh, to be 10 years old again. Michael Bay would be my Hero. Action, action and more action. Plus a little touch of Megan.
Yep, I saw the new Transformers.

Uh oh, I just saw "2012" on Bluray. Well, part of it anyway. Wanna test out your new home theater surround sound? Crank it up.:eek:

Went to see Clash of the Titans this weekend and my 720p Sharp looks soooo much better. I know they use Christie or something, it's digital and the black levels SUCK!! 3D stands for 3Dollars more please. i have seen two 3D movies and both would have looked just as good in 2D, not impressed at all!

Went to see Clash of the Titans this weekend and my 720p Sharp looks soooo much better. I know they use Christie or something, it's digital and the black levels SUCK!! 3D stands for 3Dollars more please. i have seen two 3D movies and both would have looked just as good in 2D, not impressed at all!

What did you think of the movie though? Any good? Not gonna shell out the money to see it, but might rent it when it comes out. AND I have said it before and I'll say it again...3D is nothing more than hype to get more money. Sure its "ok" but nothing I have to have and nothing I will pay lots of extra money for.

My wife and I recently went out on a Friday afternoon, that I had off, intending to see Shutter Island. When we walked into the theater, it was initially very HOT (temperature wise). The metal railing going up to our seats was even warm to the touch. After just a few minutes I notice a thermostat on the wall. I went down to it and it read......99'F !!:eek: Are you kidding me??? I went to the lobby and "disturbed" a young lady who must have been the afternoon manager. As she followed me to the theater, she explained that the control in their office for that theater was broken and they put one on the wall, which of course kids mess with on occasion after a movie. After she fiddled with it for about 5 minutes, she said, "Let's see if that works". Well I'm here to tell you, IT DID NOT. After starting to sweat by just sitting in our seats, and no relief in sight, we finally left before the movie even started. Maybe that was the reason we were the only 2 in that theater. :confused::confused: All we got was our money back, and a half hearted apology. Just wondered if they ever got it fixed, because they had 2 more showings scheduled that day. What a depressing event and total waste of a free afternoon. We did end up seeing the movie a week later at a different theater in another neighboring town.

Never a chance of that happening in our Home Theater.

I don't go to the theater often, but when I do, I go during the day so the theater is empty and matinee prices are OK. Experience is always good without other people there to mess it up. It also sets an experience standard and refresher as to what got me so interested in home theater in the first place.

Theater food? I don't eat the crap at the theaters. My "friends" worked at theaters in high school and told me stories about what they did to the theater food...no thanks.

Theater food? I don't eat the crap at the theaters. My "friends" worked at theaters in high school and told me stories about what they did to the theater food...no thanks.

I would love to hear the stories...

What did you think of the movie though? Any good? Not gonna shell out the money to see it, but might rent it when it comes out. AND I have said it before and I'll say it again...3D is nothing more than hype to get more money. Sure its "ok" but nothing I have to have and nothing I will pay lots of extra money for.

Typical popcorn flick. I liked it, it was great fun and they did a good job with the special effects. Sam Worthington is the next great action star in my opinion. If they decide to reboot Mad Max I really hope they get him to play the role.

The 3D actually hurt the film in my opinion. It would have been much better without it. I think people tend to lose focus on the story and acting and in the back of their minds are looking for that next big 3D moment in the film. I agree its nothing more than a gimmick and I hope its as short lived as it was years ago. Not hatin, jus sayin.

Typical popcorn flick. I liked it, it was great fun and they did a good job with the special effects. Sam Worthington is the next great action star in my opinion. If they decide to reboot Mad Max I really hope they get him to play the role.

The 3D actually hurt the film in my opinion. It would have been much better without it. I think people tend to lose focus on the story and acting and in the back of their minds are looking for that next big 3D moment in the film. I agree its nothing more than a gimmick and I hope its as short lived as it was years ago. Not hatin, jus sayin.

I could care less about the whole 3D movement personally. I will wait and rent and look forward to it...Thanks

Talk about a post from the dead...started 2003!!!

5 yrs or less we will see the DEATH of Theaters, streaming is the way to go.....just watch how Netflix/Vudu do in the next few years, also dvd/blu-ray will die also.

Talk about a post from the dead...started 2003!!!

5 yrs or less we will see the DEATH of Theaters, streaming is the way to go.....just watch how Netflix/Vudu do in the next few years, also dvd/blu-ray will die also.

I have it on good authority aliens abducted it but had to return it due to intergalactic 'catch and release' regulations.

Guess I'm too 'old school'. Streaming may be the future but there's just something about owning a hard copy.

Don't text message with your big, bright phone glaring in front of me.

This is the biggest complaint i have now. I can handle everything else but when they hold them up infront of their face while they type they dont even try to conceal it what so ever. Or even step out to make a call or type a simple message to wait till its over. They could hold it down near the floor so it doesnt bother the rest but they dont even care.

I don't see a near term death for theaters. Maybe they will decline, but the box office number don't show that either (numbers are up in tickets sold and dollars earned). They still serve a purpose as an outing and an event.

As an analogy, you could argue that you can make better food at home, with surer knowledge of the source and quality of the ingredients, and no guesswork regarding hygiene. That doesn't mean that restaurants are about to go out of business.

Despite all the distractions described here, I usually have more distractions at home. Being at home and watching a movie signals to family that I'm "doing nothing" and therefore I'm available to do anything else. Cellphones and conversations in the theater can't compare.

Which leaves us with that "new movie I'm dying to see" monopoly. Some people don't mind waiting, but even though my own theater going has dropped off greatly, I admit that I often want to go see that latest move in the theater, despite everything that people have typed here.