# How not to watch a movie (lame...) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 15, 2004, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333 "2004-02-15T08:53:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/21 "2004-02-17T16:24:29Z")
> [@TJdude825](#): > > “Los Angeles, 1951.” Please don’t read them out loud. This includes opening credits as well. “Oh wow! Julianne Moore! I didn’t know SHE was in this. Oh wow! And Ed Harris!” **The Hours**! Do I win? ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/22 "2004-02-17T16:52:40Z")
> [@GMRyujin](#): > > What is it with people? Do you hit 40 and lose all abilities with minor electronic devices? > > My mom doesn’t want a DVD player cause, “They’d be too complicated.” With some trepiditation, I gave my 76-year-old FIL a DVD player. His eyesight is terrible so he can barely read the buttons on the remote, he never listens to what you tell him (both due to poor hearing and a stubborn streak) and he tends to take electronic things apart, utterly destroying them. Two hours after we gave it to him we got The Call. “It won’t work.” Uh-oh. Easy to fix. “You have to switch your TV to ‘video’…” Never heard about it again. Why not? This 76-year-old figured out ins and outs of that DVD player better than any teenager ever could! He changes subtitles, swithches languages, watches the interviews, surfs the extra features, plays music CDs through his television! He flips back and forth between TV, DVD, player and VCR – he tapes his TV shows while watching DVDs, cutting back to delete commercials! He watches three things at once! **He is the Master of the Remote**! If he can do it, the rest of us have no excuse. ---
**Author:** ![Jenny\_Haniver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Jenny\_Haniver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenny_Haniver)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/23 "2004-02-17T19:47:58Z")
> [@cowgirl](#): > > Sorry for continuing the hijack, but man, me too ! I really hate when you call someone and they pick up the phone and say “Sorry, I can’t talk right now …” So why did you pick up the phone ? Grr. [OFFTOPIC] I don’t understand why so many people are peeved by this - it must be weird to have no relatives that might have gone to the hospital, no friends who have news or want to make plans, no test results or job offers gotten by phone, and for whom every phone call is utter fluff, and furthermore, to live in a world where each caller understands that nothing important is ever communicated via telephone, so the act of answering the phone becomes an implicit consent to while away an hour. Clearly, they cannot of have picked up the phone just in case it is something important, but otherwise be busy, because why on earth would someone call about something important? No, it can only be a personal slight. [/OFFTOPIC] On topic, I’d like to quote a little _Firefly_: BOOK If you take sexual advantage of her, you’re going to burn in a very special level of hell. A level they reserve for child molesters and \* people who talk at the theater.\* ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/24 "2004-02-17T21:19:02Z")
I have come to the conclusion that some people just don’t concentrate on movies or TV that much. It is almost as if they decide “okay this is entertainment, time to put my brain in a lower gear”. I find I’m always explaining what is happening in shows to some people who otherwise are very sharp. I’m not saying what they are doing is wrong mind you, maybe I’m being too much of a geek and investing more brain power than some shows are worth. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/25 "2004-02-18T08:46:40Z")
Even worse than people who ask “what did he just say?” My stepson… He has a bad habit of repeating any line he thinks is funny or is cool, thus making sure no one understands what is said after it. My wife’s bad habit is to pick up the portable phone, sit down right next to me while I’m watching TV and call her friend. I mean, it’s a portable, why can’t she call anywhere else in the house? ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/26 "2004-02-19T14:15:37Z")
slight hijack Something about the OP reminds me of a situation in one of my classes last fall. The professor had brought in a selection of CD-ROMs to share with the class. One of them was the story “The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg(I think) read by Garrison Keiller. The credits said as much. She pushed the buttons to play the story and about two sentances in, a student exclaimed loudly “Oh, my gosh! That’s Garrison Keiller”. The professor smiled and said to the rest of the class “Well, now we know who didn’t read the credits.” ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/27 "2004-02-20T00:37:38Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > I hope your family never goes to see movies in the theater . . . Actually, we do, but they’re not nearly as bad there, for some reason. Also, there’s never a glare from the lights/windows behind me. > [@lno](#): > > Since you’ve posted that you’re using a DVD player, have you considered turning on subtitling? I’m a youthful 27 (that’s still youthful, right?) and I frequently turn on subtitling as soon as a movie starts, if only so I can still understand the dialogue if people start talking over the movie. > > On widescreen films (and you _are_ watching widescreen and not fullscreen, right?) the subtitling generally is in the black bars, and neatly complements rather than detracts from the movie. That’s a good idea. But in general, I find myself reading the subtitles (even though I don’t need to) instead of watching the movie. I should probably start using them, just to get used to it. And yes, I always watch widescreen. > [@gonzoron](#): > > **The Hours**! > > Do I win? Yup. You win a… well… you win. That was just the example that came to mind when I started the thread, because it was what we had watched most recently. ---
**Author:** ![Krebnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@Krebnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krebnut)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/28 "2004-02-20T01:06:22Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > You’ve hit upon a pet peeve of mine. > > Just because the phone rings is no reason to drop whatever you are doing to answer it. > > I can understand if you are _expecting_ and important call, or you are oncall for your work and have to be available. But barring that, let the damn voicemail pick up the call. People and events that are in front of you take precedence. Oh yeah, glad to find I am not alone. The phone rings, and I’m watching a movie or I am busy doing something else, I will not answer it. People seem to not understand I am not obligated to accept their intrusions at their whim. They can call back or leave a message. And, furthermore, I won’t answer the door either. Some of them are pretty persistent in pounding and pounding and pounding on the door…I know they hear me in there. Damn salesmen, church folks, politicians, assorted bored neighbors. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/29 "2004-02-20T07:02:56Z")
This is the very reason I refuse to watch a movie with my step-dad unless the closed captioning is on and always try to pick a movie I’ve already seen. I figure it’s a lost cause not responding to him since he’ll just repeat the question until I do (usually a real winner like “why is he doing that?” I don’t _know_, I’m watching the _same thing you are and thus have the same information you do!_) or start a running commentary. His favorite is answering the actor’s questions… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/30 "2004-02-20T07:33:52Z")
> [@Odinoneeye](#): > > My wife’s bad habit is to pick up the portable phone, sit down right next to me while I’m watching TV and call her friend. I mean, it’s a portable, why can’t she call anywhere else in the house? My mom used to do that, and when I called her on it, she’d get all hurt and say, “Excuse me for wanting to spend time with you!” Well, you’re not, you’re spending time with _the person on the other end of the phone!_ ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/31 "2004-02-20T08:16:30Z")
_shudders_ There isn’t much more I hate out there than people that bug the crap out of me while watching a movie. Why _do_ people feel the need to talk on the phone while I’m watching a movie? Can you not go into another room? I realize that you have to talk loud so that you can hear the person on the other end, so why _the hell_ can’t you go into another room?!?! This is a problem that _you_ created and that only _you_ can solve, so go the hell away! And for the love of God, don’t get territorial when I ask you to go elsewhere just because it’s your house and you pay the bills, or for some other reason. **NIETHER ONE OF US CAN HEAR WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR, AND I’M SURE AS HELL NOT GOING TO PLUG THE TV UP IN A DIFFERENT ROOM FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, NOW GO THE HELL AWAY!!!** _shudders again_ And please people sitting behing me in a movie theater, think before you speak, or better yet, don’t speak at all. Either way, just make sure I don’t have to sit through one of your incredibly dumb conversations. _actual overheard conversation while watching The Last Samurai_ Guy #1: _leans over_ This movie is sweet. Guy#2: What? Guy#1: This movie is sweet. Guy#2: What? Guy#1: This movie is sweet. Guy#2: What? Guy#1: I said this movie is sweet. _shudders yet again_ Also, if I go to see a movie in a theater one more time, and half the theater collectively repeats some lame ass line of the movie at the same time because they all though it was funny/cool, I’m going on a Floridina killing spree :mad: . ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333/32 "2004-02-20T12:40:42Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > I’ve also decided that some things are simply not worth the trouble to learn, as there will be a new version/completely different technology in six months to a year. I understand Hyperbole and all, but I just don’t see this line of reasoning. What technologies are only around 6 months? I just simply cannot think of any. Lets see, CD’s: Think 80’s, over twelve years, quite a bit different from 6 months. DVD’s: Been around for what? 3-4 years now? (probably longer, but not affordable) Computers: Too long, however, Windows has been pretty much the same old stuff for over 5 years now. (with only minor variations) Appliances: Don’t really go out of date Cell Phones: Learning one pretty much does it all, some variation, but most companies try to keep things similar I would love to hear some examples of stuff that is so hard to learn it isn’t worth learning because it is replaced by different technology in 6 months. Just one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-watch-a-movie-lame/229333.md?page=1)