# In which I kvetch about the local movie theater. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 28, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623 "2005-04-28T21:26:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/1 "2005-04-28T21:26:11Z")
Maybe this is too mild to be a real Pit thread, but I just have to vent. As you probably already know, _Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_ opens in theaters tomorrow. Being a long-time DNA geek, I would like to go see it. There are two malls on opposite ends of town, each with its own small theater complex. These are the ONLY theaters in town, unless you want to see an overpriced indie flick or a second-run mainstream film on campus. One of these two malls also has a Kinko’s. I need to go to Kinko’s tomorrow, and I figured I could go see HHGttG while they worked on my order…assuming, of course, that it was playing in that theater. In the last half hour, I have discovered that there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY to find out what the upcoming movies are for this theater! I checked fandango.com–it only tells me what’s playing today. Yahoo! Movies–same thing. Hollywood.com–ditto. Finally, I found the theater’s phone number and gave them a call (which I probably should have done in the first place). I got a prerecorded message…telling me what movies are playing today. There was no way of talking to a real person or even leaving a message. To the people in charge of this theater: Your theater is located in the “other” mall, the one that is inconvenient for all but a handful of residents. I would like to patronize your establishment, but only if you’re playing movies that I’m interested in–and I’m not going to ride the bus across town just to look at your “Coming Soon” posters. Get with the program already! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/2 "2005-04-28T22:36:11Z")
[The IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/) has a week’s worth of showtimes. Did you try them? ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/3 "2005-04-28T22:49:37Z")
I just tried fandango, clicked on the HHGTTG on the front page, typed in my zip code, it then took me to a page which listed local theatres, I click one, and it gives me a list of what’s playing today, and above that, a little pull down box that says: Date of Show. Clicked on it, chose tomorrow’s date, it refreshed and gave me a list of times. Is it possible that you missed the pull down menu? (I only ask because that’s something I often overlook). ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/4 "2005-04-29T01:06:20Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > I just tried fandango, clicked on the HHGTTG on the front page, typed in my zip code, it then took me to a page which listed local theatres, I click one, and it gives me a list of what’s playing today, and above that, a little pull down box that says: Date of Show. Clicked on it, chose tomorrow’s date, it refreshed and gave me a list of times. Is it possible that you missed the pull down menu? (I only ask because that’s something I often overlook). I tried that. It said there were no showtimes listed for April 29. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/5 "2005-04-29T14:12:14Z")
What’s the name of the theatre you want to go to? ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/6 "2005-04-29T15:38:11Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > I just tried fandango, clicked on the HHGTTG on the front page, typed in my zip code, it then took me to a page which listed local theatres, I click one, and it gives me a list of what’s playing today, and above that, a little pull down box that says: Date of Show. Clicked on it, chose tomorrow’s date, it refreshed and gave me a list of times. Is it possible that you missed the pull down menu? (I only ask because that’s something I often overlook). I found the HHGTTG movie’s website **very inaccurate** for theaters. I plunked in my zip code, and it gave me ONE result. (Which it claimed was 10 miles away. Yea, right. Try doubling that.) Meanwhile, I meander to [malco.com](http://malco.com) (the local major movie theater chain), and check the theaters for the release date… Bingo! All but a few have at least one screen devoted to the movie. * * * \<\< What are you doing wrong with our bug-free product? \>\> ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/7 "2005-04-29T15:59:00Z")
I use [moviefone.com](http://moviefone.com). Run by AOL, but always accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Faruiza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@Faruiza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faruiza)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/8 "2005-04-29T19:08:21Z")
I dare you to find a better expert than one named **FilmGeek**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/9 "2005-04-30T03:23:36Z")
Update: Went to Kinko’s yesterday. HHG isn’t playing at the theater there. It is, however, playing at the theater across town. Belgium. ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/10 "2005-04-30T03:24:53Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > Update: Went to Kinko’s yesterday. HHG isn’t playing at the theater there. It is, however, playing at the theater across town. Belgium. Update to the update: I mean I went to Kinko’s TODAY. :smack: I need sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/11 "2005-04-30T06:29:59Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > Update to the update: I mean I went to Kinko’s TODAY. :smack: I need sleep. Well, if you had waited a half hour… ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/12 "2005-04-30T07:04:22Z")
> [@Nightsong](#): > > I found the HHGTTG movie’s website **very inaccurate** for theaters. I plunked in my zip code, and it gave me ONE result. (Which it claimed was 10 miles away. Yea, right. Try doubling that.) Hmm… I’ve never tried the HHGTTG website. I clicked on the fandango HHGTTG site, which took me to another part of fandango, and all times were accurate. And I can’t wait, I’m going for a stroll tomorrow to go see it… yay! ---
**Author:** ![Jeeves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@Jeeves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeeves)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-kvetch-about-the-local-movie-theater/301623/13 "2005-04-30T07:16:32Z")
Ok, I think this is the town that I lived in 1998-99 in the Pacific Northwest. I don’t want to reveal what town you are in **LeeshaJoy** , but are you in a town that has a strong Vandal presence?