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Featured Replies

4 hours ago, mdmost said:

The Minecraft thread can attest to the power of the communal experience that you're not getting by waiting till the movie comes out on streaming. 

It's the exception that proves the rule, and my in-theater experience didn't have that atmosphere; I'm just acknowledging that others did, without having experienced it myself.

Now that people don't HAVE to go to theaters for a high quality experience, it turns out most of them don't WANT to go to theaters, or don't want to nearly so often.

52 minutes ago, Rimbo said:

It's the exception that proves the rule, and my in-theater experience didn't have that atmosphere; I'm just acknowledging that others did, without having experienced it myself.

Now that people don't HAVE to go to theaters for a high quality experience, it turns out most of them don't WANT to go to theaters, or don't want to nearly so often.

Yep. And unfortunately theaters will disappear. 

1 hour ago, Brandywine said:

Yep. And unfortunately theaters will disappear. 

Why is that unfortunate? If they're not serving a purpose, why is it bad that they're going?

1 hour ago, Rimbo said:

Why is that unfortunate? If they're not serving a purpose, why is it bad that they're going?

Probably because he likes going to movie theaters?

Just now, WBT said:

Probably because he likes going to movie theaters?

Yeah, but they probably won't go away completely.  Just... mostly.

5 hours ago, Hagbard Celine said:

i've tried that many times; success rate below 20%; how it's gone wrong:

- my reserved seats are occupied, regardless of how full the theater is; when holding a popcorn and drink it's impossible to get the phone out to show the usurpers; it's also impossible to communicate verbally due to the aforementioned preview soundcannon; by the time a manager is found, if they can be found, the movie has started

- there are all kinds of perturbations to the above; a horde of children that want to sit together and their karenmoms incensed i want to sit in my reserved seats; there are empty seats down low in the look straight up section and the usurpers motion to those seats implying that's where i should go; the manager fails to get the usurpers to move and motions me down to the bullshit section and on and on

- staggered start times are factored for concession staffing; if your movie is one of the last of a batch then the manager is going to cut staff loose or re-task them where they are not available to help any late surge; in addition the competence level of concession staffing has plummeted to negative numbers; this last caveat alone requires the insurance of a 20-minute buffer, which of course inevitably only is needed when it's not needed

- occasionally the manager will volunteer a refund for complaints, but only for monies paid, with no consideration for the sunk cost of opportunity and time; i made the effort to buy the ticket online and commit the time, and i don't care what the "contract" says or doesn't say, the only way to ensure my sunk costs are recovered is to arrive early, acquire concessions, and then hold hands over my ears and shut my eyes during the 20-minute preview storm

now, of course, i could patronize alamo, which kicks ass but it's 30 minutes away

there is an alamo-clone 15 minutes away, but it sucks and is over-run with people who i don't like to be around

 

 

Dude what theaters are you going to? I’ve never had any of these problems a single time.

11 minutes ago, hobbes2702 said:

Dude what theaters are you going to? I’ve never had any of these problems a single time.

"It happened to me, therefore it happens everywhere." "I never see that happen, therefore it doesn't happen." You can claim one thing and someone else can claim another.

But the market don't lie.

38 minutes ago, hobbes2702 said:

Dude what theaters are you going to? I’ve never had any of these problems a single time.

Yeah most of the time I go there are fewer than 10 people in the theater

Porno theaters disappeared and we survived. 

11 minutes ago, WBT said:

Yeah most of the time I go there are fewer than 10 people in the theater

Most of the time I go the auditorium is between half full and capacity.

On 3/3/2025 at 7:44 PM, Biff Tannen said:

Alamo has beer and tells people to stfu or you will be thrown out. Works great for me. 

Alamo spoiled me. It’s one of the things I miss most about Austin.

1 hour ago, Degenerate Gardner said:

Alamo spoiled me. It’s one of the things I miss most about Austin.

Give Sony a bit more time, and you won't be missing a thing. 

3 hours ago, Rimbo said:

"It happened to me, therefore it happens everywhere." "I never see that happen, therefore it doesn't happen." You can claim one thing and someone else can claim another.

But the market don't lie.

I love the theater.  Never in my life have I dealt with anything haggardnuts mentioned nor have I witnessed someone else dealing with it.  he must be going to some low-rent theaters. 

1 hour ago, Degenerate Gardner said:

Alamo spoiled me. It’s one of the things I miss most about Austin.

It's the only place I go. I've seen more movies in the last year than the previous five. Most of them were ones that they were running back out there from years ago. We went to go see 'The Last Picture Show' yesterday. 

11 hours ago, Hagbard Celine said:

and is over-run with people who i don't like to be around

and I’m sure you’re a joy 

11 hours ago, Deej said:

Porno theaters disappeared and we survived. 

Did we? You see how this country is these days? #Bringbackcinemawest!

Old Austin died the day the Rebel Drive-In shut down.

38 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Old Austin died the day the Rebel Drive-In shut down.

 

I'm pretty sure I haven't been to a theater in 8 years. Haven't missed it at all. Pretty sure that all of the theaters I used to go to are long gone now. 

20 hours ago, Deej said:

Porno theaters disappeared and we survived. 

You sure about that?

Surprised Pee Wee Herman GIF

You sure about that?
200.gif

Thats why i come to surly: For the cutting edge cultural references and humor.
On 3/7/2025 at 11:29 PM, mchookem said:

i absolutely love going to the movies. our first date we saw Rising Sun at The Arbor. some of it is definitely nostalgia.

but honestly it's mostly bc i just could not imagine seeing a new Tarantino or PTA or Nolan or Coen bros. picture on anything other than the big screen. or Spielberg or Cruise or Scorcese or whoever...

like, i saw Dune 2 twice in theater and once in our decked out basement theater room and the latter did not compare.

we just went to an Interstellar re-release at our fantastic Harkins CineXL theater a couple weeks ago and it was an incredible experience, reminiscent of seeing Aliens or Empire Strikes back when i was young. 

going to the movies has been an integral part of my life experience that i hope i can enjoy until i physically can't anymore.

 

Me and the Mrs. enjoy the movie theater as well, but it has to be a decent movie. There’s honestly been so few theatre worthy offerings since Covid. We have a home theater and use that most times since everything pretty much goes direct to streaming.

But we do live a stones throw from two or three really decent theaters with the food, audio system, etc., that make the outings worth it. But it’s mostly garbage or Bollywood shit. 
So TLDR; if the “academy” stops making shit movies direct to steaming and releases some good popcorn fodder for the big screens we’ll go. 

They stopped making interesting movies that make you think. If I want mindless bullshit, I'll stay at home and watch it while I surf Surly. 

18 minutes ago, Deej said:

They stopped making interesting movies that make you think.

Those movies have never, ever filled movie theaters.

It was never as bad as all the vapid superhero bullshit we get now 

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