Hey, I'll admit it looks good from the trailers. But like I said, "its principalities involved this Smokey".
I have only been to the movies about half a dozen times in the last 15 years. This is primarily because it's rare that a current release is of any interest to me. I'm more of a classic movie fan. And on those rare times when a movie sounds interesting to me, I remember all the poor behavior I've seen at the theatre and I just stay at home.
I can't stand movie theaters. Usually a bunch of bratty or crying kids or punks and their punk dates, people all around you talking, and overpriced food. In the age of home theaters, I'd rather stay home and watch a movie.
If my wife makes me go to the movies I insist on going during the week during the middle of the day after the film has been out for a while. This guarantees me (hopefully) a nearly empty theater. I cannot stand other people in the theater when they talk or eat or whatever. Especially for the price of movies these days. If something like Star Wars comes out where the big screem experience is important, I'll go but otherwise I'll just watch on my home theatre (which is not that great but at least I can pause the movie and no one else is talking).
the "communal experience" isnt good enough to make up for the incredible amount of rudeness and kids running all over the place and older kids talking constantly on their phones or to the friends on the other side of the theater...etc...etc... If there is a movie I really want to see...Ill go...but summer screws up the way I like to go...matinee in the middle of the day when the punks are at school.
I used to go to a lot more movies in the US. They are more expensive here in New Zealand. I usually hit only about a movie a month, sometimes less. I spend most of my yearly movie budget on the annual film festivals that take place during the winter. It's like Christmas! There are so many great movies that never make it to regular theatres, or to the video store that my wife and I make sure we see as many as possible. Next month my wife and I are going to see about five films in a Nicholas Ray retrospective (including "East of Eden," and "The Man From Laramie"), "Kung Fu Hustle," the next movie by the director who did "Spirited Away" and a bunch of documentaries about such people as Hank Williams, Gram Parsons, Emile Griffin, Daniel Johnston and the assholes from Enron. Incidentally, Hollywood used to make the best movies in the world because of stories, stars and directors. Most of all stories. This article points out why Hollywood does not make many good movies anymore- the emphasis is all on technology and special effects. You can't bluescreen a turd into the Hope Diamond. I think too many of those people who make these decisions forget that.
I have two small kids. I'm lucky if I get to watch tv now. Normally I'd be first in line to see many of the movies that are out now. I used to see at least one movie a week back in my single days and when I was dating my wife. No more. I even quit my Blockbuster on-line dvd service because I just wasn't watching them.
Here's a question, if he isn't Batman, instead it's a story about how a man becomes a vigilante after a series of misfortunes (a la unbreakable) would you watch it? Like he doesn't were the bat suit but is still a millionare crime fighter with a mask? The story is original imo and I loved it. Heck, if they took out all the fight scenes and the bad guys, I honestly think they could've easily rewritten the second half of the movie to lead in to American psycho (still one of the funniest dark comedies I've ever saw)
VHS tapes could not produce a good quality picture or Digital surround sound. You HAD to go to the movie to get that. It was a part of the experience. Now they have DVDs. Now anybody can buy a decent, inexpensive digital surround sound system and DVD player. Add a widescreen TV to that...part of the whole reason to go to a theater is taken away completely. The only reason to go is to see a movie sooner rather than later + see a big screen. Now they release movies to consumers faster than ever...you don't even have to wait that long for the DVD anymore. Add to the fact that there is a lot more other media out there for consumption these days, namely video games. In 2004, the video game grossed more money than the Motion Picture Association in North America for the first time ever...and if current trends continue...people will continue to spend more money on home entertainment than ever before. A whole generation of people has grown up with video games and are now having kids that play video games...so movies get moved to the side.
I still go to the theater for movies that I HAVE TO SEE on the big screen, but people suck. Having someone yell "Obi-won's my ni**a!!!" and a bunch of people laughing for 5 minutes afterwards while Anakin Skywalker is burning....I dont consider that a communal experience. I call that someone ruining my movie.
I am not a frequent movie goer. I only go a couple of times a year. I save my trips to the theater for movies I really want to see. So far this year: Episode III, Batman Begins. I might go a couple more times this summer to see the begining of the Batman movie (I missed it) and War of the Worlds.
I went to the new Star Cinema Grill in Clear Lake for the first time today. No kids under 18 without parents, and no kids under 5 period. The theaters are also monitored. The food and alcoholic drinks are just a bonus. I don't think I will ever go to a "regular" theater again.
I hadn't been to the theaters to see a movie since Spider-Man 2 (and that was as a Father's Day outing/gift to my dad) but I did go see Star Wars on a Wednesday evening 2 weeks ago. There were only about 20 people in the theater, so there was no theater rage or overly bratty kids (although one kid kept getting up to go to the bathroom). What ticked me off was that the film never seemed to be in focus. Nobody else seemed to notice, but I felt like someone had switched my glasses. Maybe I'm just not used to seeing films on the big screen anymore.
I haven't had any problems with people at the theaters I go to, mainly because I normally go late at night etc. I don't go very often because of the $$$.
Movie theatres are so loud these days that you can watch the movie with earplugs on and still hear everything. It also filters out the people chatting behind you or the children who don't know better. Even paying 8 dollars for matinee is ridiculous. You could get a DVD for a couple more dollars, watch it as many times you want and have special features. If movies were a bit cheaper, there would be more repeat viewers for movies and less incentive to do other stuff. IMAX is on its deathbed and the outlook is questionable.
The older I get, the less urgency I feel that I need to see any particular movie right away. I know I'm probably going to see everything sooner or later somewhere, so it's not really that big of a deal. I still like the big screen and movie theatre experience, but agree that it is all way to overpriced, and I don't really see too many movies that are all that noteworthy. I usually just see movies in the theatres when somebody else wants to go, just to have something to do. I like independent arthouse films quite a bit, but have IFC and the Sundance Channel at home, so I don't feel a sense of urgency there either.
Sorry to drag up an old thread, but this seemed appropriate. Herbie only made about $12 million this weekend, and Bewitched only made $20 million, both falling far short of expectations. Combine that with the Honeymooners flop, and maybe studios will get the message that moviegoers are getting tired of recycled crap...
