Not in most of the world, actually. Before cellphones, medical personnel on call had to be IN the hospital, in most countries; cellphones meant being able to stay within a certain time-travel distance.
I already said I have no problem with a theater prohibiting cell phone use during a film, in post #31. In fact, in the part of my post (#35) that you deleted, I said:
Some people are saying cell phone use should be banned “from the time you enter the auditorium until you leave” and that’s what I was talking about.
I have to ask, in this age of modern communication has any cinema ever tried, along with the audible soundtrack, making personal audio available like they do on planes or at drive ins? So you could tune in the audio track on your phone, or stick your earbuds in a jack in the seat and ignore everyone else.
This is just a guess, but they might not want to do that because you might not hear a fire alarm go off.
Some theaters have have headphones for the hearing impaired. And some of them even have something called Rear window closed captioning. Which is basically a screen with scrolling text that connects to your cup holder. Which I’m sure is annoying to no one.
I haven’t been to a cinema in the US, so forgive me if this is a stupid question, but don’t you get an onscreen announcement at the start of a film asking you to switch off your mobiles? Because that’s what we get in the UK.
It’s not enforced by law or anything, and I doubt an employee would leap across the aisles to wrestle a contraband phone from someone’s hand, but the request is there and the majority comply with it when prompted.
They make fun little films about it sometimes, eg when the mobile phone company Orange was the ad sponsor. Here’s one of their classics ‘Lord of the Ringtones’.
Yes, we get onscreen announcements asking us to turn off our cell phones. Sometimes they use characters or actors from recent films and ask people not to talk or text on their cell phones during the movie.
Not gonna work, as you will look out over a sea of brightly lit phones, which is distracting as hell.
This is also why even texting or airplane mode is also rude as fuck.
^This! :D:D:D:D Oh how I wish I could give ya a high five! 
Unfortunately, the sound quality would not (yet) be as good with earbuds, and head phones are rather clunky.
But, yes, I would love that. I could adjust the volume to non-deafening levels. Now, just design a head-set with high quality sound that floods a stream of filtered perfume free air across my nostrils, and I … well, to be honest, I will find something else to bitch about.
And fire alarms would not be an issue, as they are supported by epileptic-seizure inducing flashing lights, in part because film is such a visual medium, which appeals to the deaf. (Those nauseatingly sweet couples holding hands through the entire movie? One could be signing the dialogue.)
Most Theater’s I go to make an announcement during the previews or just before the Movie actually starts to please turn off all electronic devices and cell phones before the movie starts. What is so hard about this to understand?
It’s been a decade since I’ve seen someone using their phone in a theater or heard a phone go off. Even on Friday and Saturday nights where they have the rent a cops to stop fights, everyone turns off their phone or sets it to airplane mode/vibrate before the movie comes on.
Yet, phones still go off during Mass. And it’s ALWAYS a woman with a big purse with the phone at the bottom.
Yes, in general, cell phones are not ringing during movies. But what does happen is that someone pulls out a smartphone to send a text message or even to check the time, and the bright phone screen distracts nearby people. I just came from the movies and although I was paying attention to the movie, I was distracted every time this occurred.
If they actually enforced the ban, with ushers keeping an active eye on things, yes. If they just put up signs or something, I’d figure it would be just as ineffectual as those “please turn off your phone” notices during the previews.
The Oatmeal has defined the perfect layout. 
Which is more important, your kids or the latest J Lo flick? If it’s your kids, be with your kids and wait for the DVD. If it’s J Lo, go to the movies.
So parents should never go to the movies?
Seriously?
You know, when I was a kid, I went to the Saturday matinee for hours & hours without an electronic tether. And, vice verson, my parents would leave me with the sitter, (who had emergency numbers, but no way to reach my parents quickly).
So you have kids. Either they are old enough to be trusted by themselves for 2 hours or you have left them in the care of someone you trust. Even if the kid fell down and broke a arm, and the sitter had to take them to the ER- so? Would it be better if the sitter left them writhing in agony while they called you, you drove home, then to the ER?
I guess that means that parents with kids can never go on a adult vacation without their kids. :dubious:
Parents should never go to the movies, seriously, unless they can behave in a non-disruptive manner.
Just because you* managed to reproduce doesn’t give you* license to be an asshole while using your* spawn as an excuse.
*-nonspecific you, not even sven or anyone else in this thread.
Most kids throughout history did just fine without overprotective helicopter parents. I you (the non specific you) don’t trust your babysitter, then no - you should never go the movies by yourself. You’re not grown up enough.