How to Act at the Movies

I used to 'go to the movies' at least once a week, sometimes more. All that has changed, I go maybe once a year now. It's not worth it. Ticket prices, snack prices, inconsiderate jerks, babies crying and cell phones have all lead to the decline of the movie going experience.

Firstly, the cost of going to the movies has skyrocketed. Never mind the price of tickets going up, that can be understood to an extent. But what is a real concern is the cost of all the add-ons! How can a soda and a popcorn cost over $10, it makes NO SENSE! And, to make matters worse, my local theater has gone self-serve. Now I grab my own popcorn from a shelf and dispense my own soda and still pay ridiculous prices. $4 for a box of candy that costs 99 cents on the high end anywhere else. What are we getting for the extra $3.01? We already paid for our ticket, so what do are we getting for the extra money? The answer is nothing. Theaters main income is from concession sales. What has happened is the millions upon millions of dollars generated by the film industry has not been passed down to movie theaters. In fact, the theaters need to pay a ridiculous amount of money to show these movies and most of the ticket sales go back to the film makers.

Secondly, where the heck are the ushers to check and make sure people are being quiet during a film? The kicking of chairs, the rudeness, the talking, under age kids, phones ringing and babies crying?! Surely, paying upwards of $10 to watch a movie entitles you to a quiet and pleasant viewing environment, doesn't it? I have heard of some theaters banning customers for life after caught texting, every theater should adopt this type of policy.

Thirdly, I enjoy arriving early to ensure good seating. I paid my money and I sit for a while before the movie starts and on the screen are COMMERCIALS! What!?! I go to the movies to avoid commercials and there they are! Minute after minute of commercials.

Fourth!!!! Turn your cell phone off! NO TEXTING! NO CALLS! NO PHONE!

If theaters have to charge these rates to the movie viewing public, they need to insure that these people enjoy their experience. They are failing miserably. Why pay $40 for my us to go to a movie and be miserable, when we can sit in front of our big screen HDTV and make our own popcorn for 25 cents?? And, no one kicks the back of my chair.

At home there are no idiots to give us headaches and hassles, we can do that to ourselves, thank you very much!

As theater patrons, is there anything we can do ourselves to make the movie going experience any better?

I believe we can. Along with asking a texter or talker to keep it down, we should be complaining to theater management....EACH AND EVERY TIME! The more complaints they receive, the more pressure put on them to correct these situations.

We all pay good money for our theater ticket and deserve the best experience possible. What we need to understand, that these people are breaking the rules and the theaters are not going to help us unless we help ourselves. We need to not get angry, but take control of the situation and get it fixed. Go to the management and complain in a polite and mature manner, do not get upset or raise your voice, as soon as you do, you lose all credibility. Stay calm, get up and find a manager, that is their job. Ask for a refund if needed, they should want to make your experience a good one.

If management does not want to help you, then leave and do not return. Write letters or emails to the bigwigs. Tell your friends NOT to patronize the theater. Do what you can or nothing will change.

Try going to the theater on your next day off, not to see a movie, but just to convey to your theater manager of your unhappiness with how your experiences have been. Without communicating this to them, they may never know.

We can all pitch in to bring a change to our local movie theaters!