Well, I'm sure that Hubs and I will be speaking of tonight for many years to come. We made plans to go out tonight to see A King's Speech. So we left the two teens at home (the youngest was sleeping at a friends house) and we headed out early to shop at a few stores first--the movie theater was attached to a mall. There there was a Chili's at this mall and we had some dinner and had a super nice waitress and everything was peachy.
We arrived early for our 7:30 movie and it was at the very end of the hallway. It was such a small theater, but we had our pick of the rows and we sooted in the middle. The seats were comfy and I was feeling fine (back at the restaurant I had ordered a "platinum" margarita and had no idea it was one of those in which the glass is the size of a soccer ball).
More and more people arrived and just before the movie started, our row was completely filled up except for the seat next to Hubs, who was on my right. On my left was an older man who resembled Bad Santa with a very large belly....and he was snoring very loudly. Hubs looked over at him to check out who was sleeping--only the man wasn't sleeping--this was his breathing style. Inhale and exhale...inhale and exhale. Loud and annoying. Plus, he smelled like mothballs (Hubs agreed on this later). Ugh.
Then a minute after the movie started another very large man takes the seat next to Hubs. Another Loud Breather!! But not as loud as Snore Man next to me. As soon as this guy sat down he took out his IPhone and checked his mail. Oh no. This guy was going to hear it from Hubs. We saw True Grit over Winter Break and a guy in front of us did this--right at the time the teenager Mattie was in the snake pit and Hubs yells out, "Put The Phone Away!" It really was deserved.
Fortunately this guy did not check the phone again....at least not while we were still there.... The movie began and we started to hear really loud noises like babies crying, shrieks here and there, lots of talking, white noise, etc. coming from next door. I wondered what movie was playing so loud that we had to hear it. We tried to ignore it and concentrate on the movie, which is after all about a man's speech and so one is fixed on the words. It's not like our movie had any music or a loud soundtrack to drown out these distracting noises from next door. I whispered to Hubs, "What on earth is playing next door?" and he tells me that it is the entrance/foyer area of the mall and the noise is the population out there. WTH?
Meanwhile, Snore Moth Ball Man next to me is relentless. Hubs and I agree we can't take it any longer. I suggested to Hubs that he walk out and tell management about the mall noise and I'd wait. A few minutes later he appeared back at the doorway with a gesture that mission was accomplished and I left as well and we got our money back (manager was very nice, offered another movie, or our money back).
On the way home we fantasized about winning the lottery and then creating our own movie theater room or at least renting out a theater. I don't mean to sound all crabby but I am sort of glad that the noise from outside the theater was so loud and gave us a final reason to leave because Snore Man #1 and #2 would have ruined the movie for us without a doubt (and with the theater so small there weren't any seats left). Shucks, I know it is a good movie, but looks like we won't be going to any movie theaters together for a while.
12 comments:
What a horrible experience! We also went to the movies last night -funny? Since we never go to the movies.
We had a much better experience, though. We had been wanting to splurge on a movie night in the LUX level of this new (well now 2 years old) movie theater. The LUX level theater has huge comfy seats with lots of space in between(they kind of couple the seats so you are still sitting with your date, but not on top of everyone else) and lots of leg room, a tray for your food. Someone sat on the other side of me, but I honestly didn't even notice. You also have a waitress who bring you pretty much anything you want. My husband had a piece of warm apple crisp which he loved! It was absolutely the best movie experience of my life. So nice. My husband and I decided that since we never go to the movies when we did this was absolutely the way we would treat ourselves. Oh and there was also a lounge level just for the LUX people. Yes a teenage free zone! In the lounge there were comfy seats and you could get drinks and apps, etc. It was so nice.
I am so sorry you had a horrible experience, but I would absolutely recommend checking out a theater like this if you have one in your town. Espcially if it is a movie you really want to see. It is a great date night!!!
When I read the title of your post I wondered what movie could be that bad that you left after 10 minutes. Then when I read that you saw the King's Speech I knew it wasn't the movie that was the problem because that movie was so good. Sorry for the bad experience. That's frustrating.
I once leaned over and actually said to an obnoxious group of adults OLDER THAN ME chowing down on Burger King Whoppers and talking throughout the movie at a theater, "It's people like you who make people like me never want to go to a movie again because you don't comprehend that it's not playing in your living room but in a public place where your insensitivity to others is beyond what the general public can bear!"
Oh, and I was 8 months pregnant at the time.
What a DRAG, esp when it's probably rare that you get to go see a movie AND that one is supposed to be REALLY good! At least you got a yummy drink at Chili's, though! I love that place!
I never go to movies. Thank you for reminding me why.
Oh that's a bummer :( I haven't really had a bad experience here, except when we went to see New Moon at the $2 second run theater with just about everyone in the area who waited for it to hit the $2 theater so they could go see it with their children. And I mean little children who should have been in bed long before show time. And then they ignored the kids to text on their phones. Ugh. Glad you got your money back :)
One peculiar perk about living in Los Angeles, is that there are SO many people who work in the film industry here that everyone is very serious about theater etiquette. Everyone is quiet and attentive, and at least half the audience waits and watches all of the credits. We've tried to go to the movies on Long Island while visiting the inlaws, and we can't even do it. It just freaks us out. We're totally spoiled.
I just keep laughing at your Snore Moth Ball Man.
Ugh. I don't go to the movies often for this very reason. I wait for the DVD or Netflix. The loud talkers, the little kid ignorers, the texters, the crinklers drive my distractable brain insane. I like to be immersed in a movie. I have one friend I won't see them with anymore because she likes to talk throughout the movie and is forever asking what happened. Go figure. The King's Speech is too good a movie to sit through like that, you made a wise decision. Hope you get to enjoy it on DVD or some other way.
Michele R. here--
For our last movie out we made it a point to see True Grit at the 11:45 a.m. on a Sunday to have a minimal crowd but since it was winter break it had many people but the texting/lit phone happened then. Plus, a lady asked to sit next to me and I said, “sure” and she said she just asked a man same question a few rows down and he said he would not move his coat out of the empty chair and move over.
I am shocked looking back that we tried a movie on a Saturday night but it was our window of opportunity to get out. We would have dealt with the texting guy and the Snoring Breathing Method Guy may have been ignored, but it was the lack of sound proofing on the one side of the theater that was unbelievable and why we had to leave.
I truly believe it may have been the end of movie-going for us, although there are some girl flicks coming out end of April/early May that I must see without Hubs.
Looking forward to many dvd rentals this year.
Common decency is dead. RIP.
I've given up theatre going since texting became vogue. Oh those stupid lit up screens ruining it for everyone.
That margarita sounds devine though. Next time, have two. You won't notice a thing.
Really strange experiences you have. I the manager would be really calm and sensible because he was taking your money back. But I think that experience would have been remind in your memory for long time.
Post a Comment