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Two-Thirds of U.S. Adults Would Rather Wait to Watch Movies on Streaming

natjjohn

Member
Love going to the movies. Everybody posting your set up; I assure you it’s worse than going to the movies. Can brainwash yourself that it’s better, but it’s not.

Going to movies less but that’s mainly because became a parent so don’t have as much free time. Not going to do a movie faux pax that someone suggested of taking my young child to something clearly out of their age range and expecting them to sit through it.

having gone to the movies a lot, and even went recently to a kids movie, just not seeing this ungodly, unruly behavior that ruins the movie experience.
 

Jaybe

Member
I’ve got a great IMAX theatre about a 5 minute walk from my place plus where the Toronto International Film Festival is held is also close by, so I do love going to see certain films at a theatre. Recently saw Dune 1’s re-release and Part 2 in IMAX, plus Oppenheimer, GotG3, and Godzilla-1 last year too. I think I caught most best picture nominees in theatre as well. I have a membership to a small local theatre that has movies ending their run and other independent movies too. They also put in classics which are a good time.

I’m generally picky about what I see though and this year is looking very light now after Dune 2. I also have no interest in comic book movies any more after GotG3, since that was a nice end point for a story arc. People can be annoying too, it’s rare but damn does it annoy me when it happens.
 

MayauMiao

Member
The problem with cinemas nowadays is that you have to put up with noisy people, phone ringing, noisy kids, high cost of food/drinks, and the ridiculous ads before the movie starts.

At home, I just fired up 4K stream on my huge TV and can completely not worry about such annoyance.

I haven't been to cinema since The Flash last year.
 

nush

Member
just not seeing this ungodly, unruly behavior that ruins the movie experience.

I think it depends where they live. I lived in China and went to the movies regularly, apart from a few people that could not leave their phones alone so you had those small spotlights around you sometimes, the audiences were quiet and respectful. You'd expect the opposite there right?
 
After spending a lot of money buying a 77 inch Oled plus some serious kef audio equipment for 5.1.2, you couldn’t pay me to go see a movie on such an inferior screen. The last time I went was to see a Thor kovie with a girl I was dating. The whole time, I just thought to myself, this movie looks like shit
 
Love going to the movies. Everybody posting your set up; I assure you it’s worse than going to the movies. Can brainwash yourself that it’s better, but it’s not.

Going to movies less but that’s mainly because became a parent so don’t have as much free time. Not going to do a movie faux pax that someone suggested of taking my young child to something clearly out of their age range and expecting them to sit through it.

having gone to the movies a lot, and even went recently to a kids movie, just not seeing this ungodly, unruly behavior that ruins the movie experience.
I have built a home theater setup that costs more than some people's cars, and even I am not stupid or unaware enough to think it holds a candle to a true movie theater auditorium experience. And I don't mean your shitty local movie theater either, I mean an IMAX theater.

I don't go out to movies that much anymore, but not because the movie theater experience is inferior. It's because most of the trash Hollywood pumps out these days isn't worth watching. I went to see Dune Part 2 in IMAX. I saw Oppenheimer on the IMAX. I saw Godzilla Minus One on the IMAX. I will go to the theater for a good movie, because it's worth it, no matter how much money I have spent on my home theater.
 
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NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
Just tell me one thing guys, is buying food mandatory in the cinemas near you? Some of you including expensive food in the list of cons makes it sound like they won’t even sell you a ticket unless you‘ve left some cash at the snacks counter.

I used to go to theaters a lot, but since my job got more intense I started to treasure my evenings at home and only went to theaters to watch big releases with friends. After COVID, even that has become a rarity. I’ve been to cinemas three times last year, after a very long hiatus. But the main thing is, I just don‘t watch many movies these days. My home set isn’t anything special, it gets the job done, but it’ll never compete with the big-screen experience. It’s just that I prefer doing other things if I have a choice.
 

AJUMP23

Gold Member
I think we all need to learn about the mid day matinee. A handful of people normally older, and cheaper tickets with your choice of seats. I went to a movie on a friday night a few years ago and I go.....oh I am too old for this. But the matinee is great. Skip some work, get a drink.
 

TheMan

Member
Every once in a while I get the urge to go back to a movie theater but they just don't hold the same appeal anymore. I agree streaming is just so much better and cheaper
 

Cyberpunkd

Member
The only good thing about the modern theater experience is the assigned seating
Reminds me when I went to London to see The Two Towers in 2002 (maybe?). Odeon near Oxford Street didn't have assigned sitting, something that was common in Poland (imagine 2002, 2 years before EU, barely 3 years after NATO, shit fuck country) since forever. I laughed so hard.
 
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nush

Member
Just tell me one thing guys, is buying food mandatory in the cinemas near you? Some of you including expensive food in the list of cons

Yet they stealth brag about the the tech they have at home... most of them are just justifying their purchases.
 

lachesis

Member
I don't mind going to theater, but I prefer watching it by myself with captions on, no social distractions, at my own pace (ie-bathroom breaks, pause for a break, rewind a bit for something that I missed, or snacks)
When do go to theater, I often go by myself if it's a movie that I really want to focus - early morning show, past couple weeks of release date to avoid crowd.. and sometimes get a good discount on the ticket.

Also I wish movies would have intermission - especially if it's over 2 hours. Obvious bathroom breaks and all.
These days, some movies tend to go way too long - it would be better to have a intermission. It would sell more snacks and drinks at the concession stand too, or chance to order in.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
Not waiting for streaming necessarily, but I have been waiting for UHD Blu-Ray releases of movies (that but of consistent visual quality that streaming still does not match even with a decently fast connection [over 500 Mbps downstream and 72 Mbps upstream]).
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Went to a few okay-ish movies last year (Mario Bros, Dungeons and Dragons, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, Spider-verse) but only really because my kids wanted to go, and it's a fun way to spend time with them. As others have said, having to deal with the movie ads (+30 minutes easily), loud people, uncomfortable chairs, the inability to pause for bathroom breaks, and expensive snacks really saps a bunch of the enjoyment out of the experience.

That being said, I saw Godzilla Minus One and The Boy and the Heron (twice) and they were amazing experiences that I wouldn't have wanted to wait for streaming.

The only movie I've gone to the theater for this year has been Godzilla Minus One C, which was still fantastic. Not planning on going to see Dune or Ghostbusters or that godawful American Kong vs Godzilla movie, but might check them out once they hit streaming.
 
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