Prefer to Watch Movies at Home or the Theatre

[trancejeremy]

I would go to the theater if there was one closer to me and if it was cheaper. Back in college, I'd go every week on a tuesday, which was only $2-3 a ticket.

But now the closest theater is 30 miles, and even though it's only been 10 years, I doubt I could find tickets for $2-3. I don't think I've been to one since then.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Nothing beats watching a good movie in a well-appointed theater with a well-behaved and appreciative audience. Nothing is worse than watching (or trying to watch) a good movie in a crappy theater with people yapping and cell phones going off.

A home theater setup will be good but not great or terrible.

 

[Lazybones]

I used to like theaters. The one in the town where I went to grad school had red curtains before the screen, instrumental movie music before curtain rising, cool games in the arcades, and an employee who would come before the crowd and greet you before the performance.

Now you have (at least in my town):

• Commercials, including the noxious "Twenty" at the Regal cinemas;
• 10 previews, including some that have nothing to do with the genre you've come to see;
• Parents who bring children (including toddlers!) to an R-rated feature;
• People who talk on cell-phones before and during the performance, without concern for those around them. At a recent showing, a man started a conversation during the opening credits, and when people shuushed him, he turned around and flipped them off, and started talking louder.
• Parking problems.
• Crappy sound systems. At the Century where I saw RotS, the dialogue seemed to only be coming from the two front speakers (everything else was surround).
• Ten dollar tickets.
• Overpriced concessions with 500% markup over retail costs.

I am getting a projection home theater system in late 2005 or early 2006, and if I can get my wife to go along, I may never go to a movie in a theater again.

 

[Bobitron]

I have $16k worth of home theater, and there have been plenty of months where I must have driven the folks at Netflix nuts with all my rentals. I would say I am a home theater guy who still appreciates the theater experience. I go maybe once every two-three months, just for the biggest releases.

 

[Orius]

At home.

I very rarely watch movies at the theater. The most recent movie I saw was Revenge of the Sith, and that was the first movie I saw since Return of the King. I don't like sitting through trailers for lots of stupid movies, or even worse the stupid commercials the cinemas put in before the film (I'm paying to watch this the way it is! WTF is with the commercials?!). And sometimes the audience can be obnoxious, although that isn't always a problem. If I watch a movie at home, I can pause it at any time to go to the bathroom or get more popcorn or something. And speaking of popcorn, I don't have to pay an arm and a leg to loot my fridge. DVDs also include stuff like cut scenes and various documentaries which can enhance the experience. You can't really get that in the theaters.

 

[Vonlok The Bold]

Depends on the movie, my mood, and the cost.

Now, for example, I would never wish to see Lawrence of Arabia again except on a big screen. You need the theatre sized screen just to get the entire impact of the film.

On the other hand there is My Dinner with Andre -- doesn't matter if it is on a small screen at all and, in some ways, is preferable there.

There are also many films that I wish I could see on the big screen again, but I know I will never have that chance, or there is at least very little chance. But I would rather see than not see the film, so I will gleefully opt for small screen.

And others that I regret seeing altogether...

So for me there is no simple answer to the poll.

This sums up my feelings exactly. I voted other on the poll, and this explanation is worded far better than I could ever do myself.

 

[Chimera]

At home, where I can;

Pause at any time.
Go to the rest room and not miss anything.
Stop and get something to eat or drink.
Fast forward through the nasty or tediously dull bits.
Go "what was that?", back it up and watch the scene again.
Go "Holy ", back it up and watch the scene again.
Stop motion through certain bits looking at the detail or things that flew by too quickly.
Stop motion view incredible scenery or background.
Not worry about bothering other people.
Not worry about being bothered by other people.
Crank up the sound during the overly quiet bits.
Turn down the sound during the screaming loud bits.
Check for synchronicity with Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.

 

[Ranger REG]

I voted theatre.

I prefer the big sound and big image of the theatre, even if the crowds can be a little annoying.

Mostly home, even if I don't have surround sound. I hate crowded theaters.

 

[sunbeam60]

I chose at home even though under ideal conditions I would choose the theatre. Problem with cinemas, in the UK at least, is that people just don't shut up any longer. They just don't. They litterally sit there and talk or snicker. Some years ago you might find that with 13 year olds, but nowadays, you can find grown up men and women not giving a .

Went to see Batman Begins the other day and absolutely loved it. However, three teenage girls were sitting in the row behind us and they were seriously talking throughout the whole movie. Until I told them to stay quiet, at least, but my point is that I don't go to the cinema to be unpleasant to people and certainly not to waste my energy getting annoyed.

I find myself opting more and more for the home theatre since the people watching the movie with you will stay quiet.

Bah, rant over

 

[delericho]

I prefer the theatre, but I prefer to go when no-one else is about. During the day is really good if you can make it (except during the school holidays), and Tuesday evenings are pretty good, too.

With the exception of films I've made the effort to see on the first weekend (the Star Wars prequels, the latter two Matrix films, the three Lord of the Rings, and Spider Man), I haven't been in a cinema where the screening was more than 50% full in ages.