I enjoy the movie going experience. We have a very nice luxury theater near my house and it’s been nice to see it almost back to pre-pandemic activity levels (TX). The other one near my home still hast reopened and I bet it will go out of business, which is too bad because I really liked it. It was one of the brewery ones. We’ve seen almost all of the decent news movies over the past few months in the theater.
I had enjoyed going to the movies pre-Covid, but somehow we never made if to more than two or three/year. Often there were very few others in the theater.
Have not set foot in a movie theater since Covid. I try to minimize time in indoor spaces. Have heard that very few people are going to theaters for matinees, mid-week. We may give it a try.
The $8.50-15 per ticket per person is a pricey disincentive. One could subscribe to a month of Disney plus or another service for each person attending.
I do go to the community theater for live performances. Have seen two in past two months (one per month). They are musicals. Everyone is vaxed or negative test and wears a mask throughout the entire time. No food nor beverages and one intermission.
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@twoinanddone : The 1961 version or the 2021 version??
For some reason the site is not letting me enter a reply to the topic, only to a specific post so this is not intended as a reply to @Singswimsew , but rather a general comment.
My wife and I love musicals and have seen well over 150 performances over the past 20 yrs. We love theater. We also love movies. Although I enjoy movie musicals that are done well, I find most of our friends have little interest (they also don’t attend theater often).
We saw WSS over the weekend. Spielberg did a fantastic job. Initially I was thinking, “What’s the point, why do we need a remake when the original is so great”. But the modern shots and overall cinematography were beautiful and made a 2 hr 30 minute movie fast paced (don’t generally like movies over 2 hrs). Personally, I think the singing and dancing in the original was far superior, but the remake will be more captivating for the general public because of the way it was shot. Spielberg is a genius bar none!
All this said, I would have preferred to see it at home on my big screen and my comfortable couch. I was amazed at how dirty the theater was (including the concession area) with very little traffic. There were only about 10 of us in the theater on a Saturday afternoon. I told my wife for me to go back to theaters (not because of covid but because it wasn’t a great experience) it would require a movie that needed to be seen on the big screen (epic type). I think this will be a real challenge for the theater Cos. All I recommend is they realize they’re in the service business and do everything they can to make their “guests” have a terrific experience. At a minimum, clean the damn place, make sure the AC is working, don’t have a bunch of teenagers who are supposed to be working standing around texting when a line is forming or when floors could be swept, or soda machines wiped down.
I’d see a “Saving Private Ryan” type movie in the theater but other than that, I’ll take my family room any day! Lots of me out there. Rant over.
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I saw the new James Bond movie at the cinema and it was a thousand times better than any movie at home. It reminded me of why I like going to the movies. I agree that for now, they should focus on releasing bigger budget all star movies that will draw people back.
I had no issue with wearing my mask for two hours in a cinema with high tech ventilation. Personally, I feel at this stage that as long as the cinema has good ventilation, it’s as safe as anywhere else. It’s easy to spend nearly the same amount of time in a grocery store doing the weekly shopping.
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I think seeing a movie in an almost empty theater is a little creepy. But I don’t want to be in a crowded theater either. I’m cozy at home and I can replay certain parts if I missed a line or want to see something again. My floor isn’t sticky either! 
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We’re big MT geeks and well, just geek-geeks. We’ve been to both movies and live this year. We did go to the movie theater to watch “In the Heights” and “Dear Evan Hansen” this year, along with every Marvel/Sony release. I admit I’m not enticed enough to go see WSS. Probably because I’ve seen so many versions of it over the years. I’ll watch it when it’s released on digital. It would be the same for any of the “classics.”
Our theatre is very well spaced with large recliners and 5’ between rows. We haven’t had to sit near anyone. The busiest was Shang Chi, but groups were nicely spaced. We’ve had our Spiderman tickets for a week; tickets have been selling out, so I think it’s a matter of it being a franchise many different groups follow.
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Going to be interesting this spring when the new Downton Abbey movie comes out. Dare I say, that film will draw an ‘older crowd’ who may be averse to going to a theater. If they go for a theater-only release, I believe it will tank as well. Would wife and I pay to stream that at home? Surely. Not sure we would go to a theater, especially if COVID levels are still high at that time.
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I don’t know. We had Walking with Jesus shown a few weeks ago and it was packed with old people. (H walked in for a moment out of curiosity.) But there may be more than just age demographics going on there.
At our theater now, you have to pick your seats and you can see how many people are in the theater and where they are sitting. And if you’re not comfortable they will give you a refund.
But then I also have worked in a room much smaller than a movie theater with 8-10 unmasked people all day since June 2020. I figure a 2 hour movie with 4-10 people is ok.
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I am also a huge theater person and just started going back to the theater. We saw Hamilton and it was sold out and very uncomfortable given how close the seats are. Although the ushers were reminding people to wear their masks, many would pull it down or remove it once the ushers left. I still intend to see all of my shows in my season ticket packages for the season.
I think movie-going and theater going during the pandemic is largely location dependent. The older folks in my area don’t seem to be that risk adverse. I still wear my mask indoors in public and I’m young. I rarely see those over 60 (or even 55) here with masks on - movie theater or otherwise.
This!!! 100%!! People spilling their mega drinks and chewing loudly around me are what takes the pleasure out of going to the movies. Once, someone directly behind us dropped their gallon-sized Coke on the floor… we barely escaped the Coke flood! Had to sit for the rest of the movie with our feet up in the air. Not fun.
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Just saw Dune with my teenagers at the local IMAX and it was really excellent. For a movie like that, I don’t think you can really replicate the effects at home - the cinematography was outstanding. That being said, with most movies home is more comfortable and convenient and I don’t think you lose a lot. It cost $100 for 5 of us to go, not including food so, to me, it is only worth it for certain types of movies.
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I love going to the movie theater, I can sit and enjoy the movie with no distractions. I don’t have enough discipline to watch it at home, I’ll empty the washer, do piddly things that can wait because I feel guilty just being a couch potato.
And I loved West Side Story. 
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I love seeing a movie in a theater! Watching at home is not the same and if a movie watched at home does not get my interest about 20 minutes in I will walk away and do something else or pick up a book and read.
Alas…covid…
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I love going to the movies and can’t wait to see WSS. However, I am hoping to go during the week to the first show of the day when there will be few people there. Did not want to go this weekend when I figured it would be packed! If it had been a couple of months ago, I would not have been as concerned.
Hopefully, word of mouth will propel it, but my local theaters are not really showing it. Had hoped to go to a mid-day showing. Hoping to catch Dune as well!
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I’ve only gone to the movies every year or two, usually for something the family wanted to see. In retirement I have more time and might have liked to go now and then. Alas, Covid concerns have kept us away. We have done a few other things, but I guess we’re just not big enough movie theater fans to go now.
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Spider Man: You Got Exposed to Omicron crushed box office records.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/19/media/spider-man-no-way-home-box-office-record/index.html
This shows a good movie with the right demographic will get people into the theater. Does help that this particular demographic skews younger. Although I am a big marvel fan it’s still not enough to get me into a theater. My kids all saw it this weekend.
Yep. Exactly as I noted in my original post. You can get em in theaters for “big action/super hero” movies. But Hollywood is worried not much else.
I used to go to see every movie in the theater… midnight showings to be the first when possible (I was a film major way back when). But about 5 years ago it just go to be “too annoying” - cell phones, texting (so both lights and sounds all over), etc., and I found myself being more annoyed the whole time and not enjoying it.
So I bought a projector and a simple 5.1 A/V receiver and speakers (total about $1300)… was going to get a screen but my wall ended up being just fine… so now I have my own recliner, and a 120" image on the screen, and nobody annoying me!
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