I just went to find a show and get tickets online for my annual Christmas movie. It was a royal pain. The theater (my spelling for movie palaces) websites were slow and painful, and it was difficult to find prices. When I could, they were ridiculously expensive for movies. Reserved seating at AMC was ~16 with service charges; Arclight was~17 plus charges. We ended up at a Laemmle with general seating for $13 per ticket with service charges.
I contrast this with the small theatre I attend. Going through Goldstar, I can see great shows for under $15 a ticket, often even less with the comp train. Even paying full price, I’m only a little more and I get to see live entertainment. Movies are the same performance whether I see it in the theatre, or on my TV screen at home.
Tell me again why I should go out to the movies? I’m starting to see few benefits for doing so, vs. just waiting for scripted dramas at watching it at home. The shared experience? Puh-leeze. Nothing the audience does changes the performance or the energy on the screen. If I want the shared experience, I’ll go to a live show where I can actually impact the actors.
The big screen? Again, puh-leeze. I can have an equivalently large screen, with equal resolution, and no people talking or walking in front of me, plus I can pause the show to go to the bathroom. Tell me again why I should see a movie in a theater, considering the hassle and the price.
It has gotten to the point where, when I go see a movie once a year, I’m reminded of why I only see a movie once a year.
