Movie theaters and me... we're done

[susandennis]

I rarely go anywhere and today's outing will pretty much write that in cement. Holy crap. I got to the restaurant without issue. After standing around a while, a not very welcoming guy tried to seat me at the bar on a stool. Er nope. You got plenty of empty tables and I want one. Turns out he wasn't that gracious either but I got my table. And I say my table because I was there so long, I feel like I own it.

The service went from not great to WTF??? Am I invisible???? The food was ok, the ambiance was ok, but holy crap on a stick. The service was so bad that I left a tip that only rounded the amount. It was about 10% and I wrote on the receipt - 'ok food, horrible service'. I'm guessing, at their pace, they probably haven't seen it yet.

Then I walked up to the movie metroplex. The theater was hidden with no directional information. They seats were recliners but they sure didn't have many options. My feet did not touch the floor when I sat straight up so that wasn't going to work. Finally I reclined it but my back may never forgive me. The previews went on forever and were repeated and I saw nothing I needed to come back for.

If I had seen the movie [edit to add: the movie was Downton Abbey] in my living room with the ability to turn down the volume and have closed captioning and stop it to go pee whenever I wanted to, plus sit in my own damn chair, I would have thought that the movie was ok and moderately satisfying. But, at least this way, next time I think about going to a movie in a movie theater, I will clearly and cleanly and immediately remember this and temptation will be gone in a heartbeat.

Time for the baseball game!

Comments

[meowmensteen]

If it ain't the bad service, it's a kid screaming. I've mostly given up and just got really good at frying potatoes myself.

[daphnep.livejournal.com]

What movie did you see?

[susandennis]

well, doh. guess i could have included that tidbit! :)

Downton Abbey

[daphnep.livejournal.com]

I wondered!!!! I’m trying to figure out when I’m going to get to slip away and watch that.

[kinderheldin.livejournal.com]

Growing up, I loved going to movie theatres with my brother. Now, I can't deal with all the stuff you noted and more. I get it!

[susandennis]

We've got options now!

[baron-waste.livejournal.com]

We may live to see movie theatres go the way of drive-in theatres (and -churches, yes, they existed, briefly).  They have already fallen from their pinnacle, tho’ they fought; you can see some short films posted on YouTube, propaganda in a bitter, losing war against television.  Now, technology has left them in the dust - as you say, there’s simply no reason to go.  The two feed back into each other - unpopular is neglected is unpleasant is unpopular is out of business.

[letmesaythis.livejournal.com]

Our day was so similar, Susan. Jacy and I went to the closest IHOP to the Goodyear where I get my oil changed. First we were seated, then after a while our server told us she would be with us in a moment. We waited and finally another server took our order to help her out. We waited. The server came by after some time and asked whether someone else took our order and I told her that someone had. She said okay and left. We waited. A different person came over with water but no hot chocolate, which Jacy had ordered. We waited. And waited. And waited. Jacy remarked that a family at another table looked like they'd been waiting for a long time too. Then I looked over at the party sitting next to us and they had that same look, the one people get when they are famished and are being made to wait forever. The server who took our order, who was not our server, was passing by as we stood to leave. "We give up," I announced. She offered to check our order and I told her "nope" and we were out of there. We went to another IHOP 4 miles away and had an entirely different experience. The first IHOP was in the 'hood. The second was on the posh Main Line. Lesson learned.

We did a little shopping but then we went to a movie theater, which happens rarely, and saw Hustlers. I thought it was very bad but it's gotten decent ratings. Go figure.

So yeah, we kind of had the same day! :)

[susandennis]

ha!

[letmesaythis.livejournal.com]

And I forgot to add that we were in the reclining seats and mine hurt my back so much that I put my library book between my lower back and the seat back to get some lumbar support. It helped but it was by no means comfortable at all.

[susandennis]

It's not just me!!

[timbear.livejournal.com]

There are some films that are worth watching on the big screen but they are few and far between these days. I don't hate going to the cinema but it is quite an inconvenience and mighty expensive compared to watching at home a couple of months after initial release.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

i too was thinking that there are some movies that really require the big screen, but I doubt Downton is one of them (considering how successful the series was on TV). 2001 surely is, and while we did buy and watch the DVDs of the Lord of the Rings movies (for the extras), it's not the same as on the big screen.

We very rarely go to movies, but we even more rarely rent them to watch at home (we may be the only people in our socio-economic class not to have Netflix).

[timbear.livejournal.com]

I wait until the DVDs are on markdown in our local supermarket. Yes, I'm THAT old!

[maju01.livejournal.com]

I have not been to a movie theatre for at least ten years, and probably never will again. I far prefer the comfort of my own home with all the benefits you mentioned, most especially closed captions, even though our TV screen is quite small.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't have left a tip at all, but then I am English and the temptation to tip isn't strong with me

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

sorry you had such a shitty movie theater experience. :(