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[SHUT UP] Movie etiquette

noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
edited August 2011 in Debate and/or Discourse
Basically, we have this;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L3eeC2lJZs

vs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmmT_ESRW1c


Both from the awesome Alamo Drafthouse.

So what's acceptable movie etiquette? My view is that once the movie starts, talking and texting is NOT okay in any shape or form. Basically I'm a movie nazi. I mean, if I had it my way, once the previews started, you shouldn't be able to talk.

Is that unreasonable?

And have you guys had bad movie theater experiences? How did you deal with them?

noir_blood on
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Posts

  • mere_immortalmere_immortal So tasty!Registered User regular
    I figure if you want to talk to your friends and play with your phone go and do it in the pub.

    Don't come to the cinema if you can't be quiet for a couple of hours.

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  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    Texting never really bothered me. It is quiet after all. Sometimes if lots of people are texting it is a bit annoying simply because cell phone lights are bright.

    and I wonder about my neighbors even though I don't have them
    but they're listening to every word I say
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRVt1clJjgw

    Warning: Do not explain the plot. If you don't understand, then you should not be here.

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  • ForarForar #432 Toronto, Ontario, CanadaRegistered User regular
    Talking loudly bothers me, and I find it occasionally annoying when a friend or family member doesn't understand the simple "whisper it to me" approach to chatting in the theatre.

    Texting annoys me because people often have their iphone set up to project like it's a flashlight. Whenever I feel the need to check a text that came in mid movie, I usually do so a surreptitiously as possible; shielding everyone else from the screen and doing so as briefly as possible.

    We've done this dance/thread before, and I now predict 2-5+ pages of people wavering across the line between "suck it up, pussies, texting is fine" and "omg it's like a fucking spotlight right into my eyes, truly these people are worse than Hitler!".

    First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited August 2011
    My girlfriends mom likes to ask us questions about why things happened in the movie when she has seen just as much as we have. This makes movies with any kinds of plot changes, not even twists, hard to watch with her.

    Her: "Why did that guy do that?!"

    Me: "How should I know!?"

    edit: it's almost as if when you watch further into a movie, things get explained to you!!!

    JebusUD on
    and I wonder about my neighbors even though I don't have them
    but they're listening to every word I say
  • VariableVariable Mouth Congress Stroke Me Lady FameRegistered User regular
    a whisper, something quick, I don't really mind.

    a discussion whispered or no pisses me off.

    I seriously hate when people take their phones out for extended periods. a text I can understand, maybe you couldn't answer and want to say 'I'm at a movie'... that's reasonable. but it becomes a distraction when they never put it away.

    answering a phone is just disrespectful, but I don't even like when people answer their phones at a table and don't step away (say during dinner). Nothing bothers me more than being with someone while they yap away on their phone... but I'm veering off topic.

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  • either,oreither,or Registered User regular
    edited August 2011
    The thread title suggests I'm going to be in the minority here, but I agree (partly) with Jesse. I think if people are talking during a movie about what is transpiring in the movie that is fine, as long as they aren't really loud or obnoxious. You should be able to lean over to your friend and ask, if needs be, for clarification on what you think you just saw, or to give some sort of reaction. Whenever I am back visiting my parents I usually go to see a film with my Mum and she'll often say something to me during it, usually if she has a question. I don't have a problem with that, because often that enhances her experience and I don't see how a few whispered words from the person sat in front of you every now and then can really ruin your theatre-going experience. I mean if someone is talking loudly and continuously about something completely unrelated then they deserve to have people get mad at them and end up being ejected. If you're mad that the hundred or so people around you didn't stay completely silent for the entire 120 minutes then maybe you should just watch the DVD in the ridiculous home theatre set-up you almost certainly have to ensure that your experience is pure and untainted by these apparently awful people.

    either,or on
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  • ThesmileyemoThesmileyemo Registered User regular
    Once the movie starts, your phone should be off, and you need to shut the fuck up.

    I've had many horrible experiences with random people not knowing how to shut up. The most notable is probably when I saw Insidious. The people behind me were attempting to play MST3K, and carrying on conversations at a normal talking volume, and despite my repeated requests for them to be quiet, they just ignored me and continued. The staff at this theatre don't do anything about people talking, so complaining to them wasn't an option. By the end of the movie I was completely furious, and when my friend asked me what I thought before we left I said "The movie was good, it was just a shame that THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME DON'T KNOW HOW TO SHUT THE FUCK UP!" then I turned around and said something to the tune of "IS IT THAT GOD DAMNED HARD TO SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET FOR 2 HOURS! IF YOU WANT TO TALK SO MUCH, WAIT FOR THE FUCKING DVD YOU GOD DAMNED INCONSIDERATE MORONS!" and then stormed out.

  • South hostSouth host I obey without question Registered User regular
    JebusUD wrote:
    My girlfriends mom likes to ask us questions about why things happened in the movie when she has seen just as much as we have. This makes movies with any kinds of plot changes, not even twists, hard to watch with her.

    Her: "Why did that guy do that?!"

    Me: "How should I know!?"

    edit: it's almost as if when you watch further into a movie, things get explained to you!!!

    My mom does this. It is so annoying.

    Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
  • enc0reenc0re Registered User regular
    No phone use whatsoever during the feature. Nothing else that lights up either. Texting and whispered talking is allowed during the trailers only. The occasional lean over whisper comment is permitted during the feature. Laughing at movie jokes is OK. Noisy children will be shot.

    This isn't hard people.

  • Sweeney TomSweeney Tom try The Substance it changed my lifeRegistered User regular
    edited August 2011
    I'm one of those who talks all the time during movies.

    That said, I can see how that is annoying, and I try to stop myself from doing it.

    And texts and calls are a definite no-no. Just turn the fucking phone off entirely.

    And for God's sakes, don't bring children under the age of 10. They'll cry during every single thing.

    Sweeney Tom on
  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    i think a friend of mine was giving me a hard time for not wanting to talk during a movie

    'so you want everyone to just sit there, staring at the screen in absolute silence and not make a sound?'

    '...yes. yes that's exactly what I want.'

  • Bionic MonkeyBionic Monkey Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Texting doesn't bother me. Maybe I'm lucky, but I've never been to a movie where texting was so obnoxious or constant or obvious that I couldn't enjoy the movie. Sure, they'll distract me momentarily, but within two seconds, I'm paying attention to the movie again.

    Talking though, those motherfuckers can go die in a fire. These people are the reason I almost never go to movies anymore. A whispered comment here or there, that's fine, and on par with texting. I'll be back to the movie in a moment and have completely forgotten the other people. But when you carry on an entire conversation...

    I went to Harry Potter a few nights ago, and a group sat down right behind us, and of course these rat fuckers decided they couldn't sit still or shut the fuck up for the entire last half of the movie. And it's a two and a half hour movie. I've screamed at motherfuckers to shut the hell up before, and if I were younger, I probably would again.

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  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    South host wrote:
    JebusUD wrote:
    My girlfriends mom likes to ask us questions about why things happened in the movie when she has seen just as much as we have. This makes movies with any kinds of plot changes, not even twists, hard to watch with her.

    Her: "Why did that guy do that?!"

    Me: "How should I know!?"

    edit: it's almost as if when you watch further into a movie, things get explained to you!!!

    My mom does this. It is so annoying.

    It is annoying somewhat. But it is also funny. Plus her mom is pretty fun in general so it is okay.

    and I wonder about my neighbors even though I don't have them
    but they're listening to every word I say
  • Sweeney TomSweeney Tom try The Substance it changed my lifeRegistered User regular
    Texting doesn't bother me. Maybe I'm lucky, but I've never been to a movie where texting was so obnoxious or constant or obvious that I couldn't enjoy the movie. Sure, they'll distract me momentarily, but within two seconds, I'm paying attention to the movie again.

    Talking though, those motherfuckers can go die in a fire. These people are the reason I almost never go to movies anymore. A whispered comment here or there, that's fine, and on par with texting. I'll be back to the movie in a moment and have completely forgotten the other people. But when you carry on an entire conversation...

    I went to Harry Potter a few nights ago, and a group sat down right behind us, and of course these rat fuckers decided they couldn't sit still or shut the fuck up for the entire last half of the movie. And it's a two and a half hour movie. I've screamed at motherfuckers to shut the hell up before, and if I were younger, I probably would again.

    I've found more often than not that yelling at people talking extremely loudly during a movie and telling them to shut the fuck up to the rest of the audience's applause usually gets the people talking extremely loudly to shut the fuck up.

  • DangerousDangerous Registered User regular
    I don't mind a little talking. If there aren't many people in the theater sometimes my friends and I will whisper back and forth a bit. But I can't stand groups of teenagers (Ok, adults too) who won't shut the fuck up. It's like, why did you even pay to come see this movie? Also I can't stand parents who bring young kids to movies that are not appropriate for them at all. It sucks that you can't find a sitter, but honestly your kids should not be watching this.

    sig2-2.jpg
  • NailbunnyPDNailbunnyPD Registered User regular
    edited August 2011
    I stopped going to the movies because people are annoying. They make me angry, while staff do nothing. Paying $15+ for that kind of abuse is not my thing.

    I wish I lived in Austin so I could attend this theater, because that advertisement was made for me.

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  • RiemannLivesRiemannLives Registered User regular
    People who talk or text during a movie in the theatre are scum. Plain and simple.

    Attacked by tweeeeeeees!
  • VariableVariable Mouth Congress Stroke Me Lady FameRegistered User regular
    such a rational response

    there are reasons to say a couple of words or send a text, I agree that loud or constant talking or constant phone use are ridiculous.

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  • noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
    Variable wrote:
    such a rational response

    there are reasons to say a couple of words or send a text, I agree that loud or constant talking or constant phone use are ridiculous.

    Just out of curiosity, what would those reasons be? Barring true, actual emergencies, what can't wait two hours?

  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    Forar wrote:
    Talking loudly bothers me, and I find it occasionally annoying when a friend or family member doesn't understand the simple "whisper it to me" approach to chatting in the theatre.
    enc0re wrote:
    The occasional lean over whisper comment is permitted during the feature.
    Talking though, those motherfuckers can go die in a fire. These people are the reason I almost never go to movies anymore. A whispered comment here or there, that's fine, and on par with texting. I'll be back to the movie in a moment and have completely forgotten the other people. But when you carry on an entire conversation...

    Wait wait wait wait wait.

    Every time I've seen somebody on the Internet complain about people talking during a movie, I thought they were referring to people who lean over and whisper to their neighbor. And I always thought this was a little uptight. Who cares about a little whisper?

    Now, it seems that whispers are okay. This implies to me that there are people who talk in a theater without whispering.

    Really? I don't remember the last time I was in a theater and somebody started talking (except for drunken midnight movies like Rocky Horror and so forth where the whole point is to yell at the screen). This is a thing that happens? People actually do this? There are actually people - adults - who engage in normal-volume speaking during a movie?

    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • VariableVariable Mouth Congress Stroke Me Lady FameRegistered User regular
    noir_blood wrote:
    Variable wrote:
    such a rational response

    there are reasons to say a couple of words or send a text, I agree that loud or constant talking or constant phone use are ridiculous.

    Just out of curiosity, what would those reasons be? Barring true, actual emergencies, what can't wait two hours?

    true actual emergencies

    someone really important calling me multiple times means I will text back that I can't talk. important to me, I mean. maybe an emergency maybe not

    talking would be like clarification for what's happening. maybe you blinked and missed something.

    for either just keep them quick and quiet.



    and yes there are people who will just talk during a movie. yes 100%

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  • Bionic MonkeyBionic Monkey Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Talking in normal volume, or whispering entire conversations that are still audible.

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  • TexiKenTexiKen Dammit! That fish really got me!Registered User regular
    If you're going to text and whatnot go sit at the top row so the light doesn't get in my line of sight.

    I saw Captain America at 12:30pm last Monday, took half a day off from work, and it was one of the more enjoyable movie experiences outside of watching a film at home. Everyone there were mostly businesspeople, a few older people, and one couple who brought a baby in who surprisingly slept through the whole thing. No punk kids, no thugs, not crowded, it was great.

  • ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    Feral wrote:
    Forar wrote:
    Talking loudly bothers me, and I find it occasionally annoying when a friend or family member doesn't understand the simple "whisper it to me" approach to chatting in the theatre.
    enc0re wrote:
    The occasional lean over whisper comment is permitted during the feature.
    Talking though, those motherfuckers can go die in a fire. These people are the reason I almost never go to movies anymore. A whispered comment here or there, that's fine, and on par with texting. I'll be back to the movie in a moment and have completely forgotten the other people. But when you carry on an entire conversation...

    Wait wait wait wait wait.

    Every time I've seen somebody on the Internet complain about people talking during a movie, I thought they were referring to people who lean over and whisper to their neighbor. And I always thought this was a little uptight. Who cares about a little whisper?

    Now, it seems that whispers are okay. This implies to me that there are people who talk in a theater without whispering.

    Really? I don't remember the last time I was in a theater and somebody started talking (except for drunken midnight movies like Rocky Horror and so forth where the whole point is to yell at the screen). This is a thing that happens? People actually do this? There are actually people - adults - who engage in normal-volume speaking during a movie?
    I have had normal conversations in a movie theater during a movie, before.
    It was during Season of the Witch. We were the only ones in the theater.

  • JacobkoshJacobkosh Gamble a stamp. I can show you how to be a real man!Moderator mod
    Feral, it absolutely happens.

  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    It never happens here. (Kids notwithstanding.) Ever.

    Lemme guess. There are people who spend the entire 2 hours fucking with their phones too? (As opposed to shooting off a quick three-word text)

    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    Wow, I couldn't even finish watching Jesse Eisenberg's video. But he's just a goddamn actor that doesn't know anything.

    Yes, carrying on a casual conversation, answering your phone, pulling your shitty little Nokia flip phone out and texting in the middle of the movie earns you the wrath of Khan as far as I'm concerned. You deserve to have worms put in your ear.

    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    Feral wrote:
    It never happens here. (Kids notwithstanding.) Ever.

    Lemme guess. There are people who spend the entire 2 hours fucking with their phones too? (As opposed to shooting off a quick three-word text)

    Yep.

    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    What the fuck

    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • Mike DangerMike Danger "Diane..." a place both wonderful and strangeRegistered User regular
    edited August 2011
    I clearly exist in some kind of Twilight Zone, because I have never once been to the theater and had people talking or using their phones interrupt my Movie Experience. Maybe I just don't go often enough?

    Edit: I took a look at the Wikipedia list of movies that came out last year, and I only went 4 times, so this could be a small sample thing.

    Mike Danger on
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  • GreasyKidsStuffGreasyKidsStuff MOMMM! ROAST BEEF WANTS TO KISS GIRLS ON THE TITTIES!Registered User regular
    The worst kind of experience I've had with talking happened at two movies, around the same time. First was Inglorious Basterds. I had a row of these assholes behind my friends and I, who talked and hooted and hollered in the most obnoxious fashion possible for the entire movie. It was an incredible hindrance on my viewing, so much so that I didn't really fully enjoy the movie again until I got to watch it by myself in my house. Pretty sure they were slightly drunk too, I honestly don't know how anybody could find that acceptable behaviour. My friend and I, as well as another guy a few seats down, yelled at them afterwards. They were belligerent and just all-around assholes.

    About a week later I saw It Might Get Loud with my brother, and same deal. A few kids in front of us snuck in some Captain Morgan and basically just talked to themselves for the first half of the movie, repeatedly ignoring people telling them to shut the hell up. They got one warning from staff. Then they kept talking, and after a second person went to get staff again, they were kicked out.

    It is just obnoxious. Quick whispers I can deal with. I went to Pirates of the Caribbean 4 with this girl and she constantly leaned over with normal volume quips about the movie and I was pretty close to telling her she needed to stop because she was starting to sour my experience.

    I know this whole post sounds horribly bitter and jaded but fuck, I have had some bad experiences with talking people that I just can't get behind it much at all.

  • 21stCentury21stCentury Call me Pixel, or Pix for short! [They/Them]Registered User regular
    I usually talk a lot during the trailers with my dad, about the movies. After the trailers, though, yeah, whisper or don't talk, don't text, don't call people. I go to the movies very often, and I don't think I ever had a problem with someone talking on their phone during the movie. One time, though, there were a couple ladies who were talking about random crap really loudly... During the movie. It baffled me. Why would you pay to go see a movie and then disregard it and talk about your life? Weren't they aware they could do that elsewhere for free?

  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    Feral wrote:
    What the fuck

    Is it really that surprising? There are a glut of people in this world that have absolutely no respect for others and just care about their own comforts and desires. There are a lot of them and sometimes they go to the movies and bring the same selfish behaviors to bear there as they do while anywhere else.

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  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    You can talk as loud as you want until the feature starts.

    Making fun of previews is perfectly acceptable.

    I have run into the interesting scenario of having someone trying to silence someone right behind him talking quietly get thrown out of the screening because he decided the best way to get this person to shut up was to stand up and scream SHUT IT repeatedly for about a minute.

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  • 21stCentury21stCentury Call me Pixel, or Pix for short! [They/Them]Registered User regular
    I'm with feral here. In the last... 2 and a half years or so, I've been going to the movies with my dad every week, with only a few exceptions. In all those times, only once have I heard other people talk loudly enough to sour my movie experience.

  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    Let's kick this up to eleven: If you have a baby, don't go to the movies with your baby. Find a babysitter, or stay home. You are not entitled to go to the movies just because you have a baby.

    When I say "baby" of course I mean like cradle/crib age. If your baby is prone to crying, don't bring your baby to the theater.

    I rarely see this anymore, but it does happen. And I remember we discussed this like three or four years ago and people came down heavily on both sides - that just because people have babies that doesn't mean they need to shut themselves indoors and blah blah blah and while I agree with that, I think it's reasonable to expect people not to bring their wail factories to a movie theater.

    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    Drez wrote:
    Feral wrote:
    What the fuck

    Is it really that surprising? There are a glut of people in this world that have absolutely no respect for others and just care about their own comforts and desires. There are a lot of them and sometimes they go to the movies and bring the same selfish behaviors to bear there as they do while anywhere else.

    I've just never encountered it. Maybe once, a long time ago, so long I don't even remember what movie or theater it was. I go to the movies often enough, probably about 15 times a year or so.

    This feels a little bit like finding out that there are people who piss on other people at concerts. Like, they'll just whip it out and urinate on the person in front of them.

    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    I'm with feral here. In the last... 2 and a half years or so, I've been going to the movies with my dad every week, with only a few exceptions. In all those times, only once have I heard other people talk loudly enough to sour my movie experience.

    It's happened enough for me that I will only go to the movies if it's a good crowd I want to hang out with. I rarely go to the movies anymore to see the movie itself. Blu-Ray and big HDTVs (mine is 60") has severely decreased the quality differential between movie theater viewing and home viewing.

    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • TexiKenTexiKen Dammit! That fish really got me!Registered User regular
    Drez wrote:
    Let's kick this up to eleven: If you have a baby, don't go to the movies with your baby. Find a babysitter, or stay home. You are not entitled to go to the movies just because you have a baby.

    When I say "baby" of course I mean like cradle/crib age. If your baby is prone to crying, don't bring your baby to the theater.

    I rarely see this anymore, but it does happen. And I remember we discussed this like three or four years ago and people came down heavily on both sides - that just because people have babies that doesn't mean they need to shut themselves indoors and blah blah blah and while I agree with that, I think it's reasonable to expect people not to bring their wail factories to a movie theater.

    Movie theaters used to have "Mommy Movie Days" where they would show certain movies where the premise was that the movie playing at a certain time is for moms to take their babies and it wouldn't bother everyone because it was done specifically for them. I don't know if it's still done anymore, but I think that's a nice way to get moms to watch their newest romantic comedy with Diane Keaton while not ruining it for everyone else.

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