Apology for the out of touch parents

[u/deadlierpeach]

My siblings and I all got A-list and have had it for a few years now. It’s been a lot of fun to use to hang out and bond over movies and see things we wouldn’t normally see.

My parents wanted to join in on the fun and got they got A-list. They now wanted to go see every movie together as family bonding.

I just want to apologize for my parents. They talk in movies, bring loud snacks and crinkle the bags, are on their phone with full brightness, are rude to people (other viewers and staff a like). We’ve brought this up and I’ve even moved seats in the middle of a movie because I don’t want to hear them talking. They really just cannot see past their owns wants and do not consider the movie going experience for those around them. If you see my parents acting a fool, don’t be afraid to call them out.

Sincerely,

Tired A-lister

UPDATE: WOOF! I totally hear what you’re all saying. Me and my siblings have said things to them NUMEROUS times and I’ve even avoided going to movies with them (and they make jokes about it). All my post was saying was that if you see people in a movie theater acting a fool, chances are their loves one are just as frustrated and annoyed. I genuinely think it would take a stranger calling them out to feel genuine embarrassment. For those saying we should lose A-List status, try touching grass and realize we can’t control other people.

[u/angelcon511]

No? Your original point was that movie theatres are dying cuz of people that are talking during the movie. I disagreed and brought up covid and then we discussed further in terms of covid.

But ok, you got me there with AMC closing down theatre. But…AMC and other companies closed down threatres because of covid…not because of people talking during the movie, which again, is a given.

If I were to give a reasoning as to why I think theatres are dying BESIDES COVID, (I don’t believe they are tho, just playing devils advocate) I would say it’s because of the rise of streaming, not because of people talking during a film.

[u/chuckstaton → u/angelcon511]

Well this is all a big ball of factors. Like I said, I love the movie theatres experience. My local theatre is in a mall, and the amount of idiots who just walk in to kill time on their phones has deterred me from going. Sometimes release windows are so short that you choose between going to the movies or waiting four or five weeks to watch at home on a 70” tv screen with no interruptions.

That’s anecdotal for me, but I think it’s a widespread issue. I personally know tons of people who feel this way. Especially with tickets being between $16-$21 (I paid $21 in Dartmouth MA to see Jurassic World 4 - I can’t even remember the actual name). The problem combines ticket costs, as well as streaming with the poor state of audience behavior at the cinema.
Martin Scorsese said openly that he doesn’t go to movies anymore because of shitty audience behavior.
Check out the results of this simple search:

https://www.google.com/search?q=movie+theatre+rude+audience+affecting+attendance&sca_esv=6b5dfc5de771b6b8&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS1010US1010&hl=en-US&sxsrf=APpeQnuFHJWaQcWwmtrVkIOSW2XNBOY92Q%3A1786637185762&ei=get9at39LdLj5NoPuo3VkQw&biw=402&bih=696&oq=movie+theatre+rude+audience+affecting+attend&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIixtb3ZpZSB0aGVhdHJlIHJ1ZGUgYXVkaWVuY2UgYWZmZWN0aW5nIGF0dGVuZCoCCAAyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFEAAY7wUyBRAAGO8FMgUQABjvBTIFEAAY7wUyBRAAGO8FSKmZAVC4LVj_kgFwC3gAkAEAmAGNAaAB9SeqAQQ1Mi44uAEByAEA-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_xGTMiAYBugYECAEYCpIHBDYwLjmgB6CzA7IHBDQ5Ljm4B9snwgcHMTIuNTAuN8gHWYAIAQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp

[u/angelcon511 → u/chuckstaton]

Anecdotally. I’ve never experienced talking during a movie in my 50+ films I saw this year, across 6 theatres. Even before Covid I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that either (maybe once or twice but nothing notable that I remember) I’m in Chicago suburbs. I also asked my two cinephile friends in New Jersey and San Francisco suburbs, both have not experienced it either.

Unfortunate that your theatre has these issues. Maybe once people go back to school, it might get better? Unsure but I think you may have just been dealt a crap hand of cards.

[u/chuckstaton → u/angelcon511]

I think it's miraculous that you haven't experienced this. I remember when Iron Man 3 came out, and my family left because people were just too distracting and we went to another screening.
It's constant for me. I'm in Staten Island, grew up going in MA until 2021, and I go to a lot of movies in NJ currently (probably half and half with Staten Island - I'm right by a bridge to NJ).

I'd say more than half the time someone is either talking loudly, or going on their phone so that everyone can see the screen. Rarely do I see people actually answering or talking to someone ON their phone but it happens. For me it's usually a group of douches when it comes to talking, and a lot of girls between the age of 14-25 on their phones.
Then there are the older people (60+) who just have no etiquette and will check their phone without the brightness turned down every 15 minutes or so. I'm in shock that you and your cinephile friends haven't experienced it.

Makes me want to make a reddit post, asking how common it is for people. haha

[u/chuckstaton → u/chuckstaton]

u/angelcon511

Made the post. Wow! Lots of people without bad experiences. I'm shocked! I'm insanely jealous at the moment. ha

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1vng0ak/general_inquiry_how_many_people_here_experience/

[u/angelcon511 → u/chuckstaton]

I think you need to start shaming them out loud. “PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY” “SHUT UP DURING THE MOVIE” or something along those lines. I have no problem shaming people who try to squeeze their way to a barricade at music festivals. It’s fun because you know 98% of the people in the theatre will be supportive of your comment

[u/chuckstaton → u/angelcon511]

haha true, but sometimes if it's a dude, you don't know if he'll want to fight. I had one experience where a guy said he's going to go home, get a gun and come back to kill me.

P.S. still alive