Twice in the last couple of weeks, someone has mentioned to me that they avoid movie theaters now for safety reasons (i.e. shooters).

I wonder if that's a consideration for a lot of people today??

That's irrational. It is certainly more dangerous for them to drive to the theater than it is for them to see the movie in a theater. I wonder if they ever leave their house.

I've been to a movie theatre 4 times in the last ten years. I prefer streaming at home. It's cheaper, easier, safer and more convenient. I can hit pause any time I want a break plus I have closed captioning. I think the current business model for theaters will not last long term.

Sea Speed said:

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That's irrational. It is certainly more dangerous for them to drive to the theater than it is for them to see the movie in a theater.

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I agree.

I still think quality and prices are the biggest reasons people don't go to movies like they used to. But it seems like there is a small cohort of people avoiding theaters for other reasons.

Skipped over the p*ssing match but chiming in to say I hope this means they'll reopen the DFW locations relatively soon.

I don't mind the ticket prices. But on the other hand I'm also less likely to take a flyer on a movie at that price point. If I'm unsure I'm willing to wait til it streams but if it's something I want to see on the big screen I'll pay the price and that even includes older movies and special screenings the Alamo does. I've seen the Godfather double feature, Goodfellas, Fast Times and several others that I never got to see in a theater.

As an aside on the prices... just because a place offers drinks to your seat you don't have to have a 6 pack every time you go if you're concerned with the tab. And at least the DFW Alamos were doing $7 Tuesday tickets for the past year or so.

EclipseAg said:

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Twice in the last couple of weeks, someone has mentioned to me that they avoid movie theaters now for safety reasons (i.e. shooters).

I wonder if that's a consideration for a lot of people today??

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I can think of some locations where safety was a concern, but that was more in the parking lot than inside the theatre. R.I.P. Dunvale AMC.

aggie_wes said:

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Streaming has pretty much killed the movie theater for me. Yes the experience at home isn't what it is in theater, but I'm watching stuff at no extra cost (beyond what I'm already paying for the service anyway) within a few months of it hitting theaters.

Also I don't have to spend $60 on a bucket of popcorn, cokes, and candy for the family if I'm at home.

I may never go to a movie theater again. Not joking.

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I only go for visual/audio spectacles like Top Gun 2.

Ticket prices need to be reigned in, no doubt. But quality movies solve most of the issues. How soon we forget Barbenheimer.

I'll see maybe 3-6 movies a year in a theater. The price isn't so much a factor as it is other things for me. Sometimes its just timing - that desire to get out and at the same time have something playing that you are interested in. Seeing a blockbuster can be fun in public just because of the spectacle of it all (Barbenheimer, etc).

Most often though I prefer to wait and see at home. Home is more comfortable, and a better experience audio/video wise for me at least. No amount of lowered ticket prices will ever overcome that.

Came here to be entertained. Did not leave disappointed.

When I do go see some type of big, long event movie in the theatre, I'll always have to watch it at home eventually to see the parts I missed during pee breaks. My bladder doesn't hold those big gulps like it did when I was a youngster and could hold it for a 3 minute stream after the movie ended.

Jugstore Cowboy said:

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When I do go see some type of big, long event movie in the theatre, I'll always have to watch it at home eventually to see the parts I missed during pee breaks. My bladder doesn't hold those big gulps like it did when I was a youngster and could hold it for a 3 minute stream after the movie ended.

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Check out the RunPee app. Thank me later.

Regarding ticket prices and such, yes, ticket prices need to come down in concert with better movies.

2019 was a great year for movies. We can argue about The Rise of Skywalker, the last movie that I recall from that year, but it was a fun experience at the movie theater. Since then, I believe I can count on one hand the number of movies I've seen theatrically that I enjoyed as much as movies pre-Covid - Oppenheimer and Top Gun Maverick, might be missing a title or two.

Going to the theater has been my thing since age 5 or so (when dad took me to see Godzilla vs the Smog Monster). I will always want to see the big budget spectacle movie on a theater screen since I can never replicate that experience at home. Ticket prices won't be as big an issue for me if the movie is one of the "event" movies such as Infinity War or Endgame. I'm just not seeing much on the release schedule for this year that qualifies, at least in comparison to years like 2019. Deadpool & Wolverine, Horizon Part 1 and 2, and Alien Romulus are about it. Yeah, I'm interested in the Beetlejuice sequel and will likely see that one, but that's coming out during football season. Might be hard to find time for it.

And I also love to experience old favorites on the big screen again, something for which the Alamo located about 2 miles from my house is good. Just since 2022, I've seen Escape From New York & Escape From LA, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, The Mummy (1999), The Phantom Menace, It's a Wonderful Life, Halloween, The Shining, Gojira (Godzilla 1954), Superman: The Movie, Blade Runner (Final Cut), Conan the Barbarian, extended editions of The Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Alien - all of which I own. Again, the theatrical experience can't be beat, and I am willing to pay for it.

Another thing I don't remember has been touched…could the decline be partially due to younger generations not being able to put away their phones willingly and focus on a movie for a couple of hours? In terms of my movie-going arc, I definitely saw more movies randomly at the theater when I was young. I don't just drop in anymore. But the younger demos are different nowadays.

It is like literal torture to get most under 25's to stay off their ****ing phones for a solid 2 hours. It could be a masterpiece of cinema in the best possible theater and their addiction will still have them feeling the need to respond to Snap every 3 minutes.

Definitely feel like there has been a sea change in movie-going.

Used to be, you'd say "Hey, you want to go to the movies tonight?" And the answer would be, "Sure, what do you want to see?" And you'd look in the newspaper and pick something. The actual choice didn't really matter all that much; eventually you'd get around to seeing almost everything that came out. The goal was simply to get out of the house and have some fun.

Now, people only seem to go to see a specific film.

Some of that is due to costs, no doubt. But we also have a lot more choices now. And teens/young adults -- what used to be the biggest ticket-buying cohort -- don't feel the need to leave their house, ever.

Well, it's clear we're well beyond the peak of movie theaters. They might not die as fast as VHS, but they'll never be what they used to be that's for sure.

Chipotlemonger said:

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Jugstore Cowboy said:

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When I do go see some type of big, long event movie in the theatre, I'll always have to watch it at home eventually to see the parts I missed during pee breaks. My bladder doesn't hold those big gulps like it did when I was a youngster and could hold it for a 3 minute stream after the movie ended.

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Check out the RunPee app. Thank me later.

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I bought the infinite pee coin years ago. /Redstone