Do you go to the movies?

[edn88]

There was an article on ARSTechnica today about European theatres boycotting hollywood because movie releases are out too close to DVD releases.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070206-8781.html

It got me thinking, that I sure go the movies less these days, instead opting to either buy the DVD and watch on my big screen TV or wait for the movie to come out on free-per-view.

There are still movies that I want to see on the big screen, the minute they come out (LoTR, Star Wars etc). For epic films, I don't mind paying $40+ for my wife and I to enjoy the movie, popcorn, drinks etc., but for the same price I get the DVD (and $16 extra in my pocket).

I suppose the economics are some what scewed, because when you factor in the cost of my home electronics, I need to watch the equivelent to about 375 movies to 'catchup'.

I think that this is a case where the industry has to catch up to reality and give the consumer something worth going to the movies - ie. Blockbusters etc etc. or they are going to face dwindling attendance. I know that there are still folks that love the experience of a night out, but I still get that when I go to the Flames games, or a play or a concert.

Your thoughts?

[Cowperson]

There was an article on ARSTechnica today about European theatres boycotting hollywood because movie releases are out too close to DVD releases.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070206-8781.html

It got me thinking, that I sure go the movies less these days, instead opting to either buy the DVD and watch on my big screen TV or wait for the movie to come out on free-per-view.

There are still movies that I want to see on the big screen, the minute they come out (LoTR, Star Wars etc). For epic films, I don't mind paying $40+ for my wife and I to enjoy the movie, popcorn, drinks etc., but for the same price I get the DVD (and $16 extra in my pocket).

I suppose the economics are some what scewed, because when you factor in the cost of my home electronics, I need to watch the equivelent to about 375 movies to 'catchup'.

I think that this is a case where the industry has to catch up to reality and give the consumer something worth going to the movies - ie. Blockbusters etc etc. or they are going to face dwindling attendance. I know that there are still folks that love the experience of a night out, but I still get that when I go to the Flames games, or a play or a concert.

Your thoughts?

An article in a newspaper the other day said attendance numbers show Canadians going to movies less than a few years ago while Americans are going more.

We also favour different kinds of movies than Americans.

If someone wants to find that article be my guest.

I love movies . . . . . but I rarely go. Didn't attend a single movie in 2006.

I have four movie channels on Satellite so most movies eventually get to me even if I'm waiting a year.

Plus Turner Classics and some other classics channel that I can't recall right at the moment.

I love that Turner channel. Any obscure black and white movie can hook me.

What's up with all the horror flicks hitting the theatres these days?

Cowperson

[worth]

I can see any movie for free whenever I want and I never go. I can't even remember the last movie I saw in the theater, and I enjoy movies.

[Frank the Tank]

We have a two and half year old, so we haven't been to the movies in....oh.....about two and a half years.....:D

[Inferno]

I think the last movie I might have been to was War of the Worlds in Winnipeg when we were down for a weekend so it's been quite a while.

After living in Winnipeg for a year and being only about a two minute drive from Silver City St. Vital I cant watch movies at the theatre here. It's like me watching a movie on my 19-inch monitor when I can watch it on my 40 inch LCD TV.

[BlackEleven]

Some movies, like the upcoming 300, are worth watching in theatres. Most, however, are not.

[Sainters7]

Ive always loved going to the theatres, but lately theyre really starting to annoy me. I dont know if people are changing, or if its always been this way and Im just starting to get really unlucky now in my choice of movie time/theatres, but Im on quite a run now of going to see movies where there's a group of jerks that will NOT stop talking throughout the movie.

When I saw Superman Returns in the summer, this guy was literally yelling at his girlfriend throughout the movie, at one point even dropped a c-bomb on her, and a couple f'n b*****. And theres lots of kids in the theatre too, I couldnt believe it! I was way in the back row in the centre of the theatre, whereas he was far down in the middle rows, to the right of the theatre, and I could hear him plain as day. They ended up finally leaving 20 minutes before the end of the movie, I think he knew he was gonna get his ass kicked by someone after the movie was through.

During Borat I knew it was gonna be "that type of crowd", and it was. People were constantly chattering throughout it(not that you really needed to hear every bit of dialogue in that movie, but it was still really annoying). And the last movie I saw was Blood Diamond, where I had a family behind me with two young kids and they would not stop talking to one another. And I dont mean whispering. They were talking as loud as they would if they were at their own home. Usually when someone directly around me is that loud, Ill say something. But they sounded African(they were talking in a different language), and the movie was very heartwrenching about African peoples, I just felt bad doing it for some reason. So I never did.

When the movie ended, I looked at them and was glad that I hadnt, as they all had tears streaming down their faces, the movie very clearly hit close to home for them. Nonetheless, I was still annoyed, as I couldnt focus on alot of the movie due to their chattering.

So are people as a whole just getting stupider when going to movies, or am I just unlucky now? Does anyone else constantly get annoyed with others around them during movies? I can definitely see the appeal of wanting to stay home and rent a movie, as opposed to sitting with the annoying masses.

[Prototype]

It's beacause of movies like The Black Dialia (sp?) that I find it hard to get jazzed about spending that $40 for my wife and I to hit the theaters. The popcorn and drinks may have been bang on, but the movie was pure crap.

I'd rather spend the $6, rent it, and only waste time, not money.

On the flipside, I was talked into going to see Borat by my brother's in law, and was pleasantly ammused. It's such a crapshoot these days. I'd rather play poker and gamble the money away personally.

EDIT: After reading the post above me, I'd like to clearify that I was talked into Borat, not durring. :D

[Sainters7]

It's beacause of movies like The Black Dialia (sp?) that I find it hard to get jazzed about spending that $40 for my wife and I to hit the theaters. The popcorn and drinks may have been bang on, but the movie was pure crap.

I'd rather spend the $6, rent it, and only waste time, not money.

On the flipside, I was talked into going to see Borat by my brother's in law, and was pleasantly ammused. It's such a crapshoot these days. I'd rather play poker and gamble the money away personally.

EDIT: After reading the post above me, I'd like to clearify that I was talked into Borat, not durring. :D

haha fair enough. On the flip side of it, I hate when people get annoyed when you talk during the commercials before the previews at theatres.

EDIT: Ahhh, I gotcha haha. Im a little slow right now, Im working on an essay at the same time as this and flipping back and forth. I see what youre sayin now, top drawer

[Homer_J]

In Winnipeg, the new Cinema City Theatre (2nd run movies) is nearly as nice as Silver City. You can almost always find a coupon in the paper. My wife and I can go to the movie, have a medium popcorn and pop for just over $10. We go a couple of times a month. We rarely go to first run movies anymore.

As for the original question. We've had very few problems with people in the theatre. Once in a while there are some people who are too loud (usually teenage girls), but never anything that took away from the movies itself. Sounds like you've had some bad luck edn88.

[burn_baby_burn]

I go to a few movies. Usually take the 8 year old to the cheap theatre on the weekend to catch films such as Ice Age 2 or something like that. Went to Flushed Away a few weeks ago at the same theatre. I slept through most of it. I never rent movies. I wait till they come out on movie central.

[Sainters7]

In Winnipeg, the new Cinema City Theatre (2nd run movies) is nearly as nice as Silver City. You can almost always find a coupon in the paper. My wife and I can go to the movie, have a medium popcorn and pop for just over $10. We go a couple of times a month. We rarely go to first run movies anymore.

As for the original question. We've had very few problems with people in the theatre. Once in a while there are some people who are too loud (usually teenage girls), but never anything that took away from the movies itself. Sounds like you've had some bad luck edn88.

I think you meant me. I dont mean to get a whole BOA: movie theatre etiquette going on here. But I hadnt had problems like this at all until I moved up to Edmonton last year for school. All the above movies I mentioned where I had problems were at the Silver City Cinemas at West Edmonton Mall.

[Sylvanfan]

I can use my CAA card to get movie passes for $8.95 and my wife can get a similar thing through Capital health. If we do go to the movies we usually don't get the drinks and popcorn because for an extra $20 we can go to a restaurant afterwards and get a proper meal if we like. Theres the odd action type film or epic with good special effects that I prefer to see at the theatre as opposed to at home. Also my wife and I have very different tastes when it comes to movies so theres maybe 6-12 a year that we both want to see bad enough to go to a theatre. But for most movies nowadays it does make sense to rent them and watch them at home.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

I actually went to quite a few movies this year (relative to my usual number) but that being said it is usually only on a spur of the moment type of lets go to a movie, or a first date sort of thing and really haven't planned going to a movie in quite some time, the cost not to mention the hassle of going to a movie makes it a bit more prohibitive from my standpoint.

[JiriHrdina]

I used to see a ton of movies. Over one per week, but in the last few years that's reduced a ton - now I see maybe a dozen in the entire year - and that's probably stretching it.

But that has more to do with time than anything else. I really enjoy the movie going experience - I like the trailers, the big screen and watching a movie in with a couple hundred other people. For great comedies, horror movies, or anything else where the emotion of the movie is key - watching with in the movie theatre setting just can't be beat. So I don't have a problem with the cost - though I never buy snacks - that cost is out of line.

That's one thing I wonder - if they lowered the price of the food to a more suitable amount, wouldn't they motivate a pile more people to buy?

[GirlySports]

I think it boils down to the fact that we're too old!
It's the teenagers that go to all the movies, spending dad's money :)
Or in my case, I haven't been to movies in a few months and I broke up with my bf, a few months ago! I can't go to a movie alone.

[Dion]

I go to 1 or 2 movies a week. I always go to the cheap theatre, Canyon Meadows Cinemas. 5 bucks to get in another 5 for a popcorn and a soda. In fact combined it's cheaper than a movie ticket at any of the Cineplex theatres in Calgary.

http://www.calgarymovies.com/theatres/theatre.asp?id=-574943644

[Winsor_Pilates]

Not very often. Maybe 5 times a year and usually just the visually stunning movies that deserve a big screen.

[metallicat]

I try not to, but I go see a few. I'd rather blind buy the DVD for the same price as a movie ticket and popcorn/drink. If I go see a movie in the theatre, it's because I *really* want to see it, not just on a hunch.

[SpitFire40]

Almost never, there's so much good TV on... and why spend $30 to see a movie when you can buy the DVD... or HD-DVD and watch at home... and actually own the movie.

The last movie I saw in a theater was Star Wars Episode III

[Resolute 14]

I go to fewer movies these days because most movies today are nothing more than recycled crap, a fact that was driven forcefully home when I went to see Casino Royale last weekend.

I'd rather spend $20 to go to a Roughnecks game than $12 to go to a movie.

[Antithesis]

We go a lot more during the summer months than we do during the winter ... I'd say about a dozen times over a year. Maybe that'll change when I get a killer home theatre system, but until then ...

Plus, like Grant said, there's just 'something' about going to the theatre. We don't have any other vices, so it may as well be movies for us!

My Dad and Stepmom go about twice a week ...

[Sainters7]

I think it boils down to the fact that we're too old!
It's the teenagers that go to all the movies, spending dad's money :)
Or in my case, I haven't been to movies in a few months and I broke up with my bf, a few months ago! I can't go to a movie alone.

Thats definitely a big factor. I dated someone for two years and I swear I mustve seen every movie out in that time. Then I didnt have anyone Id consider an actual "girlfriend" for a solid two years and I hardly ever went. Now Ive been dating someone since November and have already probably seen five or six movies with her since then.

[Sainters7]

We go a lot more during the summer months than we do during the winter ... I'd say about a dozen times over a year. Maybe that'll change when I get a killer home theatre system, but until then ...

Plus, like Grant said, there's just 'something' about going to the theatre. We don't have any other vices, so it may as well be movies for us!

My Dad and Stepmom go about twice a week ...

I think thats another big factor. Im reading alot of the earlier posts, who are saying theyd rather just rent it and watch it on their HD-hifi, surround sound 40"+ TV's. If I had one of those Id probably rent all the time too, as you can get alot of the same experience with a system like that than you can at the theatres, for an action movie which requires it. Whereas if you're in my position, where youre watching it on a 19" in your bedroom, through the PS2, and with TV speakers and crappy 10 year old stereo speakers, its not exactly the same deal and youd probably rather go to the theatres. When I get myself a good system Im sure Id rather rent as well.

[Engine09]

An average of once a month. I rent a movie maybe twice a month, watch a lot of hockey.

As for TV, Animal Planet is cool, I don't watch anything else at all.

[socalwingfan]

My wife and I probably go 2 -3 times a month, depending on what's playing. We have so kids so its usually spur of the moment when we're bored.

[Spuds_Buckley]

Been going to fewer and fewer movies every year. It seems everytime I go, the amount of advertisements before the movie starts playing quadrouples. Much rather wait a few months and watch it on-demand in the comfort of my own home.