It seems everyone has a different sitting preference at the movies. I want the ultimate experience: the screen completely filling my vision, like I’m in the movie. Usually the third or fourth row. My wife complains we’re too close. Then I see people way in the back and it must be like watching TV the screen is so small. I don’t understand that at all. So, Lemmy, where do you sit with your popcorn and why?
Bonus question: best movie food / candy, and how do you sneak it in?
Middle Middle. The “True Neutral” of movie theater seat preferences I suppose.
OP is more like Neutral Evil.
Only right answer
This is the way.
We found our MCU fan.
You, sir, are a psychopath. I always sit about halfway up as close to the center as I can get.
Distance from screen: 1/2 to 3/4 back (2/3 back being ideal)
Horizontal position: as centered as possible
Very back row, dead center.
Unless it’s a huge movie on opening night, I usually have all the leg room my tall ass needs, have a perfect view of the entire screen so I can take the whole movie in, sound is usually the best there, and there’s just something about the back row and having all of that free space for activities. I can use set my bag down, get up and stretch without interfering with other viewers, and something about it is just very soothing for me. It’s like a comfort thing.
Same feeling I get when I go camping and have everything within arms reach in my tent, or in my car on a roadtrip. Something about that feeling just does things for me. Most comfortable feeling in the world lol.
Life is good when we make it good.
As an acoustic engineer who would tune movie theaters, 2/3 of the way back in the center of the room. If it is a Dolby certified theater there will be a chair with a small plaque that is where the measurements are taken and the room is tuned to that seat.
Center seat, about a third of the way to the back. This is where we setup to calibrate the surround systems back in the 90s and I’m not aware of any change to this so I still sit there.
Dolby standardized to 2/3 in 2005 and everyone copied them.
Thanks for the info, I’m going to have to start sitting farther back.
I prefer to sit on the chair.
I prefer to sit on my butt.
Gross.
Edge seat nearest the door. A lot of the movies I’m willing to spend money to see are over 2hrs and I typically have to piss somewhere in that time. A quick convenient exit lets me get in and out with no fuss. I wish movies still had intermissions.
Bonus: Bit-o-Honey, just stick a few in one of your pockets. The body heat warms it up so it’s not rock hard. No loud wrapper, not particularly messy.
Do you have the RunPee app?
Not who you replied to but this is awesome. My old man bladder thanks you. Installed.
Flip phone, so no apps. Just pick my dash spot by need and feel.
Most movies have a 2-3 min slow spot I can dash in. Then I do my best to peel porcelain.
havent been to a theater since 2019, but i used to go for center of the rows. My main reason being that the sound is “centered” there, so it isnt behind you like in the front row, or in front of you in the back.
Regular theater: in the center, about 1/3 back from the screen.
IMAX: in the center, very back row against the wall.
why very back in IMAX? wouldn’t that be too far?
The screen is giant. Giant isn’t even the right word for it. And with stadium seating, you don’t have to worry about people sitting in front of you.
It reminds me of how the movie screen seemed to me when I was 5. If I’m too close, my field-of-view won’t include the edges of the screen.
Right behind the crossing lane and the never-used handicapped section so I can put my feet up. It’s six rows from the front. Only downside is every yahoo with a tiny bladder that insists on parking on the far side of the theater from the exit has to parade back and forth constantly in the movie, breaking the emersion.
Bonus: a couple of airplane bottles to add to my coke and some raisinettes from the drug store where they cost 1/5 as much. Just carry them in my bag. No one working in the theater gives a crap if you bring in your own food.
The ideal viewing position is the center about 2/3 of the way back.
Way at the back, for 2 reasons. First, it’s easier on my neck. Looking up when sitting in a lower section is hell for me. Second, I really dislike people sitting behind me.
Rear-center sitters unite! There’s literally 2 of us!
Ya’ll can afford movie tickets?
The theater by my house is only $11. That’s worth it to me.
For $25/mo I can see all the movies I want. That’s like a single IMAX ticket where I am, so even one movie breaks even.
Usually about halfway between the back and the front.
