In 2019 a friend and I got subscriptions to Regal and began going to a movie a week. Most days we’d plan something, but sometimes we’d just show up and pick something. (We blindly picked Underwater, and what a great surprise. Also decided to see the Tom Hanks Mr. Rogers film and proceed to ugly cry all over myself.)

Then COVID.

The last movie I saw in theaters as a subscriber was Bad Boys for Life. I tried to go see Dune 1. I drove 30m, bought popcorn and a slushee, and waited… But the video file was corrupted. They said they had to redownload it before the next show, so they canceled the showing and gave everyone a free ticket. I never bothered using it. I just went home and watched it for free on HBO Max.

I love theaters, both as nostalgia and just to have the experience. But man, “paying extra to go out of your way” is a difficult sell.

Why would I pay >$30 for a subpar watching experience where there’s annoying people all around, I can’t stretch my legs, I can’t bring in my own food, and I’m shoved an industry ad that blames me for seeking a better market option (the seven seas stores tend to have the same movies for less than 1/30th of the price)?

I used to go see movies all the time with friends/family, then it got too expensive.

I got a better job and could afford to go back, but then COVID hit, and my (ex)wife was terrified of being shot, and so my first movie in years was the first new Dune, played at an Alamo Draft House.

I went with a couple friends, got a seat too close to the screen, my friend started POUNDING their popcorn, chewing super loudly, while other people talked. Like, I thought people would shut up once the commercials ended and the movie began, but no, it didn’t even wane! I got up and left after a few minutes, got a refund on my ticket. Haven’t even thought about going back. Whatever I watch, it’ll be on my couch, at home, for free.

The moviegoing experience is too expensive. $20+ tickets and a bag of popcorn priced like a steak dinner? Movies used to be a date night activity, it’s too damn expensive for that now. What teenager can even afford to take a girl to the movies?

And the films are crap. I watched Hollywood die, bloat and start to outgas. They don’t make comedies anymore. There’s maybe the Meet The Spartans guys who frat bro no homo joke their way through “parodies”. Everything else is churned out corporate sludge with way too much CGI.

B movies just don’t get made anymore. The upper end of B movies, like all those junk food action movies Cannon used to make, are now premium cable/streaming service TV shows. In the 80’s if you wanted to see cheap crap action schlock you’d go to the theater or rental store and see “Chuck Norris Is: Eagle Death Kick”, now you turn on Longmire and watch Grizzled McViagra shoot an injun right in the rezz. All of the really low budget independent “someone found a camera” stuff that RedLetterMedia laughs at three at a time end up on Youtube now, like Viva La Dirt League and their gaming-centric skits. During the Flash era and into the early days of Youtube there were a lot of budding animators but Youtube decided to kill that. So B movies are gone.

Hallmark has replaced the rom com, as far as I can tell. Everyone’s mom is currently busy lapping up “Woman living busy life moves to a small town and falls for an architect over the Christmas holiday CLXXIV” They churn out a few dozen of them every year. They don’t make While You Were Sleeping or My Big Fat Greek Wedding anymore, the rom com has gone the way of “finger family pregnant frozen elsa kills hitler spiderman,” optimized for maximum eyeball on screen time, except instead of toddlers it’s middle aged women.

What’s left but the five official franchises they’re allowed to make media about anymore? Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel, DC and Star Trek. And that last one has made the jump back to TV. Quippy dialog filmed like a big sound board so they can make the whole movie in post. It’s amazing how long it’s worked.

We’re in an age of huge screens and sound systems at home.

Plus it seems we’re also in an age of paying a months worth of streaming service for one person to see one movie.

It’s no wonder the cinema is on its arse.

Tbf i thought wicked was pretty great-

I still casually go see 90’s films for $8 at a small place downtown sometimes, I even get popcorn.

I just like going to the movies. It’s nostalgic for me. I grew up in the 90’s. Put Forrest Gump on a theater for a cheap price and I’ll be there.

I have been to European theaters that are dine-in and smaller. You got maybe 30 comfortable seats and with tray tables. You order your food / beverages 60 minutes before the movie.

During those 60 minutes you can wait in the lounge and have a drink with an appertife.

When the commercials start the food is served, then the movie starts and everyone is enjoying their meal and movie.

When the half way point hit they pause the movie as days of yore and you get a 20 minute break for going to the toilet and order more things.

They also serve tea and coffee during that time for free.

The kicker is that the tickets are little bit cheaper then the traditional big theater and the experience is 10 times better and more intimite since it only takes 30 people in one saloon.

Last movie I went to (like 2-3 years ago), there was a lady on her phone with the brightness turned all the way up nearly the entire time.

No thanks.

How about the fact that there’s a massive oligopoly in the industry? How about one studio basically steamrolling the industry with one franchise in the 2010s which alienated movie goers? How about movie-going being expensive AF?

Anything except lower ticket prices right?

When it costs $50 for 2 people to see a shitty movie?

Being the price down and I’ll consider going again

Took my kid to see Moana 2 yesterday. Medium popcorn was $11.50. WTF…

I just started going to the theaters again. It’s been pretty fun. I’d still rather buy a blu-ray and watch it at home. I wanna go see Nosferatu when it comes out.