Watching films at the cinema - also, RIP David Lynch.

[jian]

OK, watching movies at the theater, if you prefer.

We went to the cinema this week (to see A Real Pain, which was OK) and because David Lynch had just died, they put this clip on:


Now, on the face of it, this is an entirely reasonable thing to say about most films. I’ve never tried to watch a film on my phone, but I imagine it’s even worse than watching one on a small screen on the back of an airline seat, which I’ve done with more films than I’d like.

But I don’t think that all films necessarily benefit dramatically from being watched in the cinema. Yes, it’s more immersive, you can’t pause it and come back to it two days later, and some films of course are amazing cinematic spectacles that definitely benefit from the theatre experience. But the latter is not true of many movies.

For instance, we watched these movies at the cinema in 2024:

Midnight

The Awful Truth

You Can’t Take It With You

The Lady Eve

The Fall Guy

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Spy X Family the Movie

Lawrence of Arabia

Seven Samurai

Deadpool and Wolverine

Cluny Brown

I Married a Witch

Lost in the Shuffle

The Chef and the Daruma

Wicked Part 1

Of the above, I think only the four in bold were really definitely better at the theatre, because they’re all spectacular. The six in italics were all made before there was a reasonable common alternative to cinemas (such as TV, let alone streaming) but I think they’re all fine to watch at home in whatever format you prefer.

(And of course, there’s the personal and economic issues. Not everyone lives near a cinema and going to one is more expensive than watching the movie at home, generally.)

What does everyone think - what films are better watched in the cinema? What’s better watched at home? Any? None? Answers on a postcard.

 

[aco175]

I think the last movie I went to the theater for was the Last Jedi (that was the last Star Wars movie wasn't it). It was not worth it.

I like the theater and going to watch together with friends. I do not like the cost since I already have a few pay sites for my home TV which is rather large and the cost of beer and popcorn is dramatically less.

There is also the idea of all the pay sites getting the movie soon or at the same time as the theater, so there is less need to go.

 

[Piperken]

In fairness, I have not been to the movie theater a great deal post-pandemic. That said, Avatar is a movie that came to mind. I saw this in IMAX 3D when it was in the theater. I still recall vividly the feeling of my mouth slack-jawed.

I'd advocate that "arthouse" type films (for lack of a better, more nuanced term), shown in a smaller, independent theater venues are better than seen at home. Mainly because the audience that goes to these often are quite passionate about the director, the writer(s), or particular actors/actresses etc., so the experience while you are in the theater has that old-school cinema vibe, in addition to stuff like having couches (yes, sometimes couches!) to sit on.

Also, these films tend to be small release, so rarely get to a streaming service.

 

[TiQuinn]

Unfortunately, I’ve found our local theater experiences to be lacking since the pandemic hit the industry hard. The last movie I saw in the theater was Nosferatu, which was excellent but the seats were very broken down and there were a handful of dead pixels on the screen which were very, very noticeable on such a monochrome film. This has generally been my experience on nearly every movie I’ve seen in the theater in the past few years - I wish I was watching them elsewhere.

 

[timbannock]

Yeah, if it's a spectacle, I'm all for it. But with even a 46" TV (or whatever it is that I have, it's close to that) 98% of comedies, dramas, and horror films are best on TV, where I can pause it for any number of valid-to-me reasons, optimize the audio and/or subtitles to my liking, and avoid nuisances like rude people.

But for this movies I do love in the theater -- most of the Marvel stuff, the D&D movie, several horror films, the occasional visually stunning drama -- I'm willing to put up with a lot to see them in a truly bombastic, auditorially overpowering way.

But I will wear earplugs. I want to keep my hearing at least a few more years.

 

[Clint_L]

I love watching films at the cinema, but do it less and less frequently because it is so expensive and audiences are less and less respectful. In particular, people on their phones at the cinema drive me nuts; I find little glowing screens in my periphery extremely distracting. So now I only go if it's a special event film, usually in a situation where the audience will be engaged, such as a film fest or an IMAX or something. Basically, I'm becoming a movie grump, I guess. But given that I can watch any film at home, for free, without those annoyances, I'm a lot choosier about what I am willing to pay for.

It kinda sucks because I've loved going out to movies for my whole life.

 

[roger semerad]

I have never liked theaters. I've had all kinds of problems over the years, unclean seats and isles, laser pointers aimed at the screen, phones not turned off and ringing during the movie, talking throughout the film, and even crying babies (not children, babies. As in under two years old. Of course they cried going to a loud unfamiliar place); and to top the list - bad technical presentation. You know, the whole reason you go to a place that supposedly specializes in up to date film presentation. The last time I went to the theater was to see Age of Ultron. I specifically went as a last chance for theaters to impress me, so I got the best quality ticket availible. It was a mass market theater (can't remember wich one) that had a IMAX certified laser projection system. Saw the movie in 3D and oh my god was it bad. Brightness levels pushed so far that it washed out the image, there was one scene with obvious ghosting, and the speakers had the bass pushed up so bad there were some scenes that I couldn't even hear dialog. The volume on those speakers was also unreasonably loud, it was so bad I thought about leaving after just the previews but I spent a large amount of my time and money so I toughed it out. How I wish I left. After watching the movie I started having tinnitus in my right ear( the one closest to the speakers). I can't prove the theater did it, but I don't shoot guns, go to clubs or concerts, and rarely use headphones; so bleep theaters. The theater was so bad it caused physical damage.

I don't even like the big screen. You have to get there early so you can sit somewhere in the middle-back to get a good view of the screen. Why would anyone want a screen so big you need to move your head to see it. Now, I don't want theaters to go away completely. Some people like them and a few specialty venues that actually care about the product they present is fine. Theaters as a mass market thing though, that has to die. If you think that theaters are a genuinely good place to see a movie, fine, release to theaters, blu-ray, and streaming at the same time and let it's quality speak for itself. What, that would mean the end of theaters as a mass market thing? Well, there is your answer. Every year theaters cling to life is a personal insult to me.

Just replace the printer with theaters.

 

[Older Beholder]

I agree with Lynch on this one.
Movies are better in a cinema.

Thankfully it's pretty rare for me to have a bad movie going experience, and I go every couple of weeks.
I'm not sure if it's an Australian thing, or that I tend to go to arthouse/indy cinemas rather than the massive multiplexes.

Last time someone got up and started talking to the screen in a movie was during Megalopolis, but that was part of the film.

 

[MGibster]

I think the last movie I went to the theater for was the Last Jedi (that was the last Star Wars movie wasn't it). It was not worth it.

The last movie I saw in the theater was Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. It was a matinee and I thought it was worth it. Prior to that, I went to see Alien: Covenant in the theater. It was not worth it. My theater going days started to taper off long before COVID as I consider the whole thing to be a big hassle not really worth the payoff. But then I don't watch as many movies at home either. I used to enjoy the whole experience of going to the theater, including popcorn and a drink, but I don't want to fight the crowds and I certainly won't pay those ridiculous concession prices. $18 for a large Coke and popcorn? They're out of their rabid $@# minds!

I agree that movies are better in a cinema. But it's just not worth going to a cinema most of the time.

 

[R_J_K75]

I think the last movie I saw in the theater was D&D: HaT. Pretty sure the matinee was $14, which is pretty steep. I won't even consider buying concessions anymore due to the outrageous price. With so many options to watch movies at home these days I really don't see the point in going to a theater anymore, not much I'm interested in enough that I can't wait for it to come out on VOD.