We went to see Kung Fu Panda 2 last night. Wonderful movie, horrible experience.
What the hell is it with people that they just have to use their cell phones and not take screaming kids out of a theater? I usually yell at the cell phone people; last night, I yelled at both them and the parents of the screamer. It wasn’t until somebody else yelled, “Shut that kid up or I’ll come over there and kill it!” that they took the kid out.
That might have been a little overboard but I can’t say that I blame the guy entirely.
When I need to take a screaming Dudeling out of a location, I never use my cell phone–it’s too fragile and might break on his noggin.
Actually, this is why we’re so glad to have a couple drive-ins in our area. Dudeling can scream his head off and no one else is bothered, and no one can bother us with their incessant yammering.
You must be a real pleasure to go to the movies with! ‘Yeah I was with the guy in the back screaming at cell phone users and babies’
Sometimes you can be right and still be an asshole.
I avoid movie theaters for a number of reasons including your complaints, but when I do go I take into account what movie it is and what type of an audience would attend at the time I’m going.
Then the movie was Kung Fu Panda, what type of audience where you expecting?
I saw it with my daughter yesterday. I had my enjoyment marred by a couple of crazoids shouting at other patrons. When the one asshole threatened to kill a child, I made a mental note to shoot him if he made any attempt to do anything but yap.
Then you’d hate to be in a theater with me because I don’t hesitate to tell people who are talking or texting to knock it off or get the hell out.
Seriously, what in your opinion makes the OP an asshole? Do you talk and / or text at the movies?
Agreed that you have to expect kids to act like kids at a *kids’ *movie though.
Well, I agree that you have to accept a certain amount of kid noise in kid movies. Still, if one of them is straight up screaming, as kids sometimes do, the parents need to take him outside of the theater until he calms down.
Why does “act like kids” mean “make noise and move around”? I think it’s unreasonable to expect children to be still and quiet for hours at a time, but I don’t think it is unreasonable for a 90-minute kids’ movie. Further, I have seen children who are capable of doing it, though of course it was learned behaviour and not their natural inclination.
I really don’t think it does children a service to assume they are incapable of polite behaviour. Placing unreasonable expectations on them and then beating them or belittling them when they fail—that is flat-out wrong. So I wouldn’t expect it of a three-year-old, but then, I wouldn’t take a three-year-old out to the movies. Expecting an eight-year-old to sit quietly through Kung-Fu Panda II? You bet.
I’m no fan of the OP, but I wish I could give him a high-five for saying something about bad behavior in a movie theater. When someone breaks societal norms, like being disruptive in a movie theater, society ought to call people out on it so that the behavior stops.
It is not acceptable that movie theaters are almost torture these days. The answer isn’t to give up the fun of watching movies on the big screen with huge tubs of popcorn and a gallon of Cherry Coke. The answer is to call out the people who are responsible for the problem.
Yeah for the OP! (assuming the OP isnt some hypersensitive person…)
I haven’t been to a movie theater since before cell phones became common. And way before text messaging was even remotely common on cell phones.
Seriously, its been that long since I’ve ventured out (though its possible I have forgotten one or two instances in that time frame).
How bad is the cell phone/texting these days out there in theaters? I’d kinda like to go again, but my social turn into the hulk thresehold is pretty low these days and I’d rather not end up in jail…
Fun fact about human interactions: Often times people use humorous threats of violence to make a point, without any actual threat being meant or implied.
Also, when someone says they’re “hungry enough to eat a horse”, they probably will not actually eat a horse, even if there’s a horse right there!
It depends. If you’re a movie nerd and like to go to the theater a lot, you have to get to know your local venues and their audiences. For example, I avoid weekend audiences at all costs because that’s when you get dumbshit teenagers and they’re the most annoying. Weeknights are the best. If I have a day off work (or am playing hookie) I’ll go to weekday matinees because the audiences are generally small and composed of polite old people. (The worst you have to deal with here are the occasional snorers.)
I also deliberately go to the more pricey theaters when I can, since the undesirable elements tend to congregate at the cheap places.
i find occupying the upper-most seat to be the best defense. first, brainless people are often too lazy to climb to the highest row. second, if there’s an asshole at that altitude, you have a clear field to take him apart. third, i’m usually with my girl so the privacy is welcome.
Despite all the PSA warnings that come up on the screen asking people not to use their cell phones during the movie, there is the occasional bozo who has absolutely got to yank out his cell and read a text message when it comes in. And respond to it. Usually one yell at him will embarrass him enough to not do it again, sometimes two.
The squalling kid I referred to in the OP was an infant, not a small child. Yeah, someone actually brought a baby into a movie theater and did nothing to shut it up when it started screaming. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I think that parents shouldn’t take their kids into public places until they are six or so and there is at least an outside chance they’ll behave.
The fact the OP takes it upon himself to enforce rules that are not his to enforce by yelling at other patrons. I consider most people who try to get their way by yelling at people assholes.
I don’t talk or use cell phones in movie theaters. At my local megasuper plex or whatever they call it, I go on off hours and will be among the few people at the showing or I go to one of the independent theaters that I’ve never had those types of issues at. Either the enforcement is better of the clientele is better, I can take at guess which but either way I enjoy the show.
The OP is a supporter of the free market and all yet chooses to go to a kids movie and a theater that clearly doesn’t enforce there rules then complains about what he gets for his money.
As I see it he can take his BS philosophy and put his money where his mouth is. Why is he supporting a theater that is not to his liking.
