A Growing indifference to Cinema Going

[Vince W]

Actually going to the cinema for a mid morning or mid afternoon matinee is often a joy, primarily because the annoying kids are at school, and/or most adults are at work. So get the cinema almost to myself - and that's when they don't mind taking your own food in because its just not worth the time, money or effort to do their own for such a relatively small footfall.

That's one of the pleasures of being a self-employed consultant

I've skived off a few times to do this! I'll schedule an out of office meeting and head to the cinema. I've only done it a few times so no questions are asked, but it is nice to be in a nearly empty cinema.

 

[Judderman]

When our children were younger and money was tight, we used to buy sweets and drinks at the newsagents and sneak them inside. Now, I don't think they even stop you. I think there was a civil court case which decided they had no right to stop anyone.

Yeah these days I don't even considering it sneaking stuff in if I bring food or drink from elsewhere. I think plenty of people buy there snacks elsewhere if they think about it beforehand. If they don't want me doing that then next time I would go to another cinema.
Of course if on a date you should hide the fact of being a cheapass and opt for concessions.

 

[Cathbad]

Of course if on a date you should hide the fact of being a cheapass and opt for concessions

 

[BAYLOR]

Yeah these days I don't even considering it sneaking stuff in if I bring food or drink from elsewhere. I think plenty of people buy there snacks elsewhere if they think about it beforehand. If they don't want me doing that then next time I would go to another cinema.
Of course if on a date you should hide the fact of being a cheapass and opt for concessions.

Ebenezer Scrooge would approve of your frugality.

 

[HanaBi]

I've skived off a few times to do this! I'll schedule an out of office meeting and head to the cinema. I've only done it a few times so no questions are asked, but it is nice to be in a nearly empty cinema.

I used to do that when I worked full time for an employer - schedule out-of-office meetings in order to see a film, AND I'd still claim travelling expenses.

A breach of company trust of course, but then i would justify this to myself by all the hours of unpaid overtime I used to do for them.

 

[Amelia Faulkner]

My local Cineworld sold oranges and bananas for a while. I assume they've now palmed that off onto the Starbucks in the foyer.

 

[Cathbad]

My local Cineworld sold oranges and bananas for a while. I assume they've now palmed that off onto the Starbucks in the foyer.

Wow... that means Starbucks finally positioned an outlet where they were cheaper than the competition!

 

[HanaBi]

That's another irritation about the cinema - the gradual encroachment of the big food/drink corporations sharing the same building. Always a Starbucks, or a Costa, or a KFC etc.

 

[Amelia Faulkner]

Wow... that means Starbucks finally positioned an outlet where they were cheaper than the competition!

 

[BAYLOR]

A small popcorn and small drink 14 dollars.

 

[Judderman]

Just go for the films and you will be fine. Great on a cold day.

 

[BAYLOR]

They now serve dinner at movie theaters.

 

[Cathbad]

They now serve dinner at movie theaters.

"Dinner and a Movie" theaters are nothing new, Dude.

(I'm actually writing a story at the moment that includes a few!)

 

[BAYLOR]

"Dinner and a Movie" theaters are nothing new, Dude.

(I'm actually writing a story at the moment that includes a few!)

Is is horror story with zombie ushers dinning on movie patrons?

 

[Cathbad]

I don't do zombies.

But it is horror.

 

[Caledfwlch]

It's been a few years since I went to a big Multiplex Cinema, as having moved back to Mid Wales, we don't have one, just a small local independent 1 screen cinema. But last time I went to a Multiplex, for me and my ex fiance's 2 tickets to a film, a drink each and some popcorn, it cost around £27 ($40+!) crazy prices.

In the UK, multiplex cinemas are often housed in kind of an entertainment version of a retail park. (A retail park is Kind of the UK version of a Mall, but not all in one building, several buildings, though we do have actual Mall's too)

The one we would go to in Leeds, just outside the city centre, it had the Multiplex with about 8 screens, a bowling alley, a night club, 3 or 4 chain restaurants like Frankie & Bennies, a huge Gym, a Pub, and a locally run (ie non chain) Indian Restaurant which was absolutely fantastic.

 

[Vladd67]

Talking of Multiplexes it is sad to see the Point cinema in Milton Keynes has closed.

The Point is an entertainment complex in Central Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. When it opened in 1985, it included the UK's first multiplex cinema.[1][2] The front part of the building has a distinctive mirrored crystal ziggurat shape, framed by external steel beams at each corner, joined at the apex. Originally it had red neon lights connecting the apexes at each side, so that it looked like a pyramid at night. In May 2012, the building's owners Hammerson announced proposals to demolish the building and replace it with a retail-based development.[3][4] On 6 March 2014 it was announced that Milton Keynes Council had voted to approve the application. [5] On 26 February 2015, the Odeon cinema to the rear of the building closed, in preparation for the demolition. Historic England commented that it was "in essence, a large industrial shed unit" and refused to recommend the building for listed status. [6]

And so it sits there empty and untouched.

 

[Vertigo]

Personally I have no problem going for a few hours without food or drink (I do it all the time when I'm walking in the hills!) so when I do go to the cinema (rarely admittedly) I simply don't buy any of that crazy priced food and drink. I take the same attitude to low cost flying; if my flight is less than say 4 hours I have no problem doing without rather than giving the airline the silly prices they want for a dried up sandwich. I can understand how that approach might not work so well with children but for adults it shouldn't be even a slight discomfort to have something to eat and drink just before going in and then wait until you leave.

Back on the original topic I find most of the movies today are all about visuals and not about good, well-told stories. There are exceptions of course but I find that to be the case for the majority and equally they seem to think acting is secondary to SFX. I want more substance to my film viewing.

 

[Cathbad]

There is no way I can go two full hours without my caffeine, so I am forced to cough up the $3.50 for a medium diet coke at the theater.

(addictions are hell!!)

 

[BAYLOR]

There is no way I can go two full hours without my caffeine, so I am forced to cough up the $3.50 for a medium diet coke at the theater.

(addictions are hell!!)

In my case , if I make the effort and try really really hard , I go about 10 whole minutes without caffeine. After that things get scary and the caffeine withdrawal, headaches and trembling starts to set in .