What i hate about movie theaters | Teen Ink

What i hate about movie theaters

May 29, 2009
By Anonymous

Movie Theaters can be a magical and happy place but they can also a dark scary room of death. When you walk into a movie theater you look around and see all the smiling people and the big banasters with the newest movies on them. After you buy your ticket for 8 dollars then you get to where they really make the dough. The connsesion stand, this is the ultimate rip off. What I do is go buy candy and stuff at the right aid right next to the theater for 5 dollars cheaper. After you get through the ticket agent you finally get to go to the movie. When you walk in you see the super screen with all the ad’s on it. The all of a sudden the lights dim and shut off. As you climb up those sketchy steeps you will most likely step on something like gum or a popcorn bag, even sometimes you step on something that you have never seen before. Then you go to your seat and hopefully get one that doesn’t squeak or have a little wet spot in it from the horror movie that played before yours. Those are just some of the things that I hate about movie theaters.



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This article has 22 comments.


mplo said...
on Dec. 30 2015 at 9:31 am
I think that the commercials and previews of coming attractions are played prior to the feature presentation(s) in movie theatres to benefit any late-comers who straggle into the movie theatre.

mplo said...
on Dec. 30 2015 at 9:28 am
The only trouble with going to a grocery store for snacks prior to entering a movie theatre is that many, if not most movie theatres ban bringing in food from outside.

mplo said...
on Dec. 30 2015 at 9:21 am
To each their own, but watching a movie at home, whether one has an expensive, elaborate home-entertainment system is never, ever the same as seeing a movie on a great big, wide screen, in a real movie theatre, with the lights down low. Sometimes I go to movies with family and/or friends, but I often go solo, as well. It's agreed, however, that concession stands can be and often are a rip-off. Even the more independent, non-profit movie theatres overcharge for their concessions, whether they're healthy or not. What I often try to do, however, is to have a substantial bite to eat (preferably a meal.) prior to attending an evening showing of a film so that I don't feel the need to go to the concession stand. If, however, I'm running late, I'll generally buy a small thing of unbuttered popcorn, to tide me over until after the movie. Popcorn is okay for you, and also has fiber in it, and has been endorsed by the American Dental Association as well.

mplo said...
on Dec. 30 2015 at 9:14 am
While your article succinctly points out some of the problems that can and do crop up in movie theatres, it also depends on the kind of movie theatre one goes to, the location of the theatre, the kind of clientele a movie theatre draws in, but most importantly, it depends on management, as well as the overall quality of movies that are being shown in a given movie theatre(s). For me, nothing beats seeing a wonderful movie (especially one of the great, golden oldie-but-keeper classic films) on a great, big wide screen, in a real movie theatre, with the lights down low, and sharing the experience with a whole bunch of other people, whether one knows them or not! Some movie theatres (there's one in my area.) will not allow children under the age of 8 years old into their evening showings, due to their propensity for making a lot of noise. Sure, watching a movie on TV can be enjoyable, but it still fails to beat seeing it in a real movie theatre. I have also noticed that in theatres that show better-quality, more interesting movies, that the problems that you've brought up in your article, plus more, such as cellphone use/texting, etc., tend to occur far less often. Holding yearly memberships to the two independent movie theatres in my area of residence has been of tremendous help to me. Not only can I get into a movie in those particular theatres on a considerable discount, but they show all kinds of really interesting movies, including older classic films. Moreover, on rare occasions where I've observed a patron near me cellphone texting, talking, etc., I've managed to get a person to stop just by speaking up politely and matter-of-factly. Texting and cellphone use, generally, is rather distracting, with the small, bright lights that are emitted by cellphones/smartphones, and rather inconsiderate of others who've more than likely paid good money to see a film that they've wanted to see, and not to be distracted. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, which originated somewhere in Texas, but now has other theatres cropping up in other parts of the country (how I wish Boston would get an Alamo Draft House!), has a zero-tolerance policy towards texting and cell-phone use generally in their movie theatres. Anybody in the audience who continues to text/talk on their cellphone despite two warnings, gets kicked out of the theatre, with no refund of their money. If more movie theatres had that kind of zero-tolerance policies towards texting/general cellphone use in their theatres, more people would come back to the movie theatres, I'm sure. There's a youtube recording of a young woman who wouldn't stop using her cellphone in an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, despite two warnings by a theatre staff person, and was kicked out, with no refund of her money. She later responded to her having been thrown out of the Alamo Drafthouse Movie Cinema with an opinion that was laced with expletive after expletive--lots of "blue" language. If you can find it, it's very funny to read. It went viral! I know that I had a good laugh reading/listening to an uncensored version of it, and felt that the young woman who persisted on texting and using her cellphone in the movie theatre despite warnings and ultimately got expelled with no refund of her money, totally had it coming to her.

on Sep. 13 2012 at 6:50 am
ChickenLegHouse BRONZE, Brighton, Michigan
3 articles 0 photos 44 comments
I can get them here for five bucks.

on Jun. 13 2012 at 1:14 pm
This is the worst expose on movie theaters I have read this week.

MayDay SILVER said...
on Sep. 5 2011 at 11:01 am
MayDay SILVER, Bloomington, Indiana
6 articles 14 photos 88 comments

Favorite Quote:
I don't jugde if you don't jugde.

I totally agree with you Laura!

on Sep. 18 2010 at 4:16 pm
couchtomato BRONZE, Laguna Niguel, California
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
The thing I love about movies personally isn't necessarily the movie itself, but the experience.  If I just want to see a movie, I will watch it online or buy the DVD. But to me, going to the movies is about being with your friends.  Posing with posters, racing the arcade cars, sharing popcorn, or laughing when the movie is bad. The prices I pay are well worth the memories.

Trio123 GOLD said...
on Jul. 14 2010 at 9:27 pm
Trio123 GOLD, Sunnyvale, California
13 articles 46 photos 119 comments
I love movie theaters. Eerything about them. Everything except people who unwrap noisy plastic in the middle of a scene or those who bring their little babies who suddenly start crying (usually in the middle of the most important scene)...Anyway, I really liked your piece- it made me think of somethig I hadn't thought about in a while :)

on Jul. 14 2010 at 2:37 pm
ReadWriteBreathe PLATINUM, Pocatello, Idaho
24 articles 4 photos 114 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You have to consider the possibility that God does not like you" Tyler Durden Fight Club

I absolutely love movie theaters. But I also agree with your article. Movie theaters are so expensive and to top it off, they are sometimes dirty and disgusting. Good work.

on May. 31 2010 at 7:45 am
BriarRose PLATINUM, Seneca, Illinois
24 articles 7 photos 161 comments

Favorite Quote:
I don't need a rose. I want a daisy you picked for my hair. I don't want some fancy box of chocolate. I want a pink frosting cookie you made just for me. Lets skip the upscale restaraunt and have a picnic in the park.

great piece, and i know what you mean...personally, i love going tot the movies, but so much is getting so annoying...like prices and the couple one row ahead of you tht ends up making out....not soemthing you want to see, especially if you happen to know them....but overall, great idea =]

 

--BriarRose


on May. 23 2010 at 5:31 pm
Flightless GOLD, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
13 articles 1 photo 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If it's all you've got embrace it." and "Anything is possible"(But not everything is probable) :/

I love the movies 'cause you have this big awsome screen infront of you and this greasy, buttery bucket of popcorn, but the babies crying, the tall guy sitting infront of you, someone talking on the phone behind you, or your freind holding her hands over her ears and peeking out every so often on the world's leats-scariest horror film ever.... *Breath* now thats the worst, I mean how can you ENJOY that?!?

on Mar. 27 2010 at 2:30 pm
Natalie4ya GOLD, Laredo, Texas
19 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To each his own" "Love is being stupid together"

I LOVE movies theatures and movies in general. Theres just something wonderful about the dark and dirty theature with its red seats and hords of strangers all going to try to enjoy the same movie. I LOVE movie theatures just the way they are:)

on Nov. 18 2009 at 4:46 pm
FeedTheBirds SILVER, San Diego, California
6 articles 0 photos 82 comments
The best movie theater is in your dreams.

But really.

Advertising and corporate america hit movie theaters a while back. I agree that it is not exactly a cleansing or cheap fun anymore, but that doesn't mean all movie theatres have to be like that. There are a lot of small independent theaters around (if you look) that give a more vintage feel to moviegoing. Perhaps if you try that out you'll have more fun watching movies on the big screen!

on Nov. 3 2009 at 11:47 am
music_lover PLATINUM, Park City, Utah
25 articles 0 photos 51 comments

Favorite Quote:
MY quote: "Without music, life would be absolutely pointless.... Music is my life and it always will be!"

I think that the best movie theater would be in your own house, your own basement, with your own tv, and your own yummy popcorn. :)

EstebanV said...
on Oct. 29 2009 at 7:12 pm
EstebanV, Burlington, Massachusetts
0 articles 0 photos 13 comments
try going to a more "luxury" theater

on Oct. 10 2009 at 1:04 am
TheRaisinBranLover BRONZE, Yucca Valley, California
2 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
nnnn eeee wayzzz

well when evr i go to the movies lol i just go to watch or to get into a fight lol

loughnerl said...
on Oct. 8 2009 at 2:45 pm
I totally agree with you. While movie theatres are a great place to meet friends, it is so expensive. The description, "a dark scary room of death" was creative, humorous, and made me want to continue reading. You are completely right when you said, "the concession stand is an ultimate rip off." It makes perfect sense to go to a grocery store or in your case, Rite Aid, and buy popcorn, drinks, and candy for half the price than at the concession stand. You do have a few grammatical errors in your writing. For example, you are suppose to write out the numbers one through ninety-nine. You also misspelled Rite Aid. However, you did an execellent job at getting your point across. Continue to post your opinions about other topics. I enjoyed this writing.

stella bella said...
on Sep. 30 2009 at 1:14 pm
that was really funny haha it made me laugh. but i didnt get the part where you put "sketchy steeps." some of your reasons didnt really make sense at all, but yeah it was pretty funny. next time try to make it a little more clear instead of mixing ideas that dont really go together. oh and good job!

SquirrelGirl said...
on Sep. 28 2009 at 7:23 pm
Really funny I've got to say but that last part with the wet spot on the seat doesn't seem too common and the 8 bucks for the ticket is no more (so sad)