# A Poll: How often do to go to a theater to see a movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811 "2011-05-13T18:22:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/21 "2011-05-13T23:27:29Z")
Honestly, I don’t remember the last time I was in a theatre. I _think_ it was for Team America: World Police, circa 2004-2005. I’m not exactly sure why this is. I just don’t get the enjoyment out of movie theatres that I used to. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/22 "2011-05-14T00:39:30Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Honestly, I don’t remember the last time I was in a theatre. I _think_ it was for Team America: World Police, circa 2004-2005. I’m not exactly sure why this is. I just don’t get the enjoyment out of movie theatres that I used to. That would be among the last movies I saw in a theater too. Absolutely loved it! I was gonna say that the first _Pirates of the Caribbean_ (hated it) was the last one, but I just looked and saw that _Team American_ came out the following year. So it might have been the last. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/23 "2011-05-14T00:43:40Z")
We’ve had this poll before. I don’t like voting in public polls. But if I did, my vote would be 1-2 times a week. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/24 "2011-05-14T00:52:26Z")
I picked once or twice a year, because that’s about right assuming that the drive-in doesn’t count. Probably the best unexpected thing about moving to this part of New York is that I can get to something like 6 different drive-in theaters and see two different movies for $8. The trick then can be finding two good movies to watch (often possible, but not always), but in the past I’ve been able to catch Rango/True Grit, Despicable Me/Toy Story 3, Inglorious Basterds/The Hurt Locker, How to Train Your Dragon/Iron Man 2, Harry Potter 6/Ice Age 3, Land of the Lost/Star Trek, and probably more, though I’m having trouble coming up with any. In any case, I probably would have seen maybe a third of those (and did see Star Trek in IMAX) in the local mall cineplex. A couple of those I wasn’t interested in but the fiancee was, or we had to sit through one to get the one we wanted to see. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/25 "2011-05-14T01:02:52Z")
It’s really, really rare that I will see a movie in the theater. It’s gotta be a fabulous huge movie that is best seen on the big screen, or it’s not worth it for me. It’s always too loud, and I honestly don’t see that most dramas or romantic comedies are any better on a giant screen. The last one I saw at the movies was either the new Star Trek movie, or Avatar when they brought it back for a second run, whichever was more recent. So, it’s been a while. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/26 "2011-05-14T01:08:17Z")
I go to the second-run theatres. I can get a ticket for two dollars and I figure that’s as cheap as a rental. Plus movies look better in theatres. I go on a pretty regular basis. The last few movies I saw were _Sucker Punch_, _The Adjustment Bureau_, _Drive Angry_, _No Strings Attached_, _True Grit_, and _Tangled_. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/27 "2011-05-14T01:17:01Z")
I picked once a week but the real answer is probably a little less. I go twice a month with my son plus I see other things that he isn’t interested in. So maybe 40 times a year. But on reflection if I go to the Sydney Film Festival I may go 12 times in a few days. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/28 "2011-05-14T04:06:20Z")
I also picked once a week, but I’m more the likely about 40 times a year as well. Once a week or more in the summer blockbuster and late fall-Christmas period. The vast majority of them are matinées. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/29 "2011-05-14T04:44:29Z")
I chose “almost never” but not for the reasons you gave. I just don’t like going to theaters all that much. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/30 "2011-05-14T04:48:43Z")
I’m surprised to see so many join me in the ‘almost never’ group. I definitely prefer to watch a movie at home on by gigantic TV instead of sharing the experience with a couple of hundred noisy, smelly strangers. If they add ‘pause’ and ‘rewind’ to the movie theater, along with the ability to change the channel when the movie starts to suck, I’ll return to the theaters. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/31 "2011-05-14T04:58:08Z")
Used to be four or five times a year, perhaps more in the era before DVDs, but now it’s just an expensive hassle that is unnecessary and often disappointing. The last movie I saw in the cinema was in last July. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/32 "2011-05-14T05:31:22Z")
Not for quite a few years. In fact I think the last time was 15 years ago with _Independence Day_. I don’t like all the people who insist on talking or yelling, the ambiance in general, or the fact that I can’t just pause it and go to the bathroom without missing anything. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/33 "2011-05-14T06:10:49Z")
There are certain film series I will always see in the theater, and as soon after opening as possible. James Bond and Star Trek are on the short list. There are actors whose films I endeavor to see in theaters too, but don’t always make it. It shakes out to two or three times a year, but rarely more. And I went from the release of “Chicago” to the release of “Casino Royale” without going at all. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/34 "2011-05-14T09:00:55Z")
About half a dozen or so/year. I’d go more often if the good movies didn’t require an hour commute by ferry to get to (art house movies, foreign films, limited releases, etc). I can get to see mainstream movies without problems, but most of them I’m not interested in. Which is too bad, as I vastly prefer seeing movies in theaters. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/35 "2011-05-14T10:11:32Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > We’ve had this poll before. I don’t like voting in public polls. But if I did, my vote would be 1-2 times a week. 😕 If you don’t like to vote in public polls, why did you just answer publicly? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/36 "2011-05-14T12:40:57Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > 😕 If you don’t like to vote in public polls, why did you just answer publicly? It grates to have the poll public, but I don’t mind answering in a post. Just old and cantankerous and weird that way. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811/37 "2011-05-14T13:03:38Z")
Option 6 is missing: I can see a bigger picture at home that’s in focus with no kids running up and down the aisles, no idiots yapping on phones and no bright glaring spots of light from idiots texting. I can ride the train and get all that (minus the movie itself) for less money. Oh, and the snacks are better for us at home. I forget what channel or program it was on, but just a couple days ago, one of the morning shows had a bit on movie snacks, and apparently a large tub of popcorn with “butter” has as much saturated fat as a pound of Swiss cheese. :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-poll-how-often-do-to-go-to-a-theater-to-see-a-movie/581811.md?page=1)