Cinema Habits/Behaviours that Annoy You?

[AGXStarseed]

Last week, I was waiting excitedly for Friday to come along so I could go to the cinema to watch Kong: Skull Island - the second film in the new "Monsterverse" which includes 2014's American remake of Godzilla.
Just my luck, however, I ended up catching a cold and feeling under the weather on the day. Although I probably could have still gone, I decided against doing it as I wouldn't enjoy the film as much due to focusing on my cold and it wouldn't be fair on the other moviegoers if I spoiled their experience by constantly sniffling and getting up to blow my nose every ten to fifteen minutes.

It's made me think, though - are there habits/behaviours that people do at the cinemas that really annoy you or ruin the experience entirely?
Here's a few examples I've come across:

1. People bringing babies/Annoying Kids: I don't understand the concept of bringing a baby to a cinema - they're not old enough to enjoy the film and if they start kicking up a fuss it's really irritating. In my opinion, either leave the baby with a friend/babysitter or wait for the film to come out on DVD/Blu-ray and watch it in your own time.
As for kids, I know a lot of kids can be well behaved at cinemas and not be an issue so fair dues there. The kids I'm on about however are the ones who constantly misbehave, kick the back of your seats, spend their time running around the seats like headless chickens and/or talk throughout the entire movie.
An experience I had of that was in 2004 when I was taken to go and see the Thunderbirds movie (I don't recommend it if you're a fan of the original TV series) and there was a kid a few rows in front of us who wouldn't stop talking throughout the entire film. Thankfully, I was able to mentally block him out by focusing on the film.

2. Annoying Teenagers: Again, some teens can actually behave throughout a film and credit where credit is due. However, some teenagers treat the cinema like they own the place and make everyone else's experience miserable - whether they're talking throughout the film, throwing food or other items around, mucking about on their phones (what part of 'Switch off your phone' do they not understand?), putting their feet up on the seats, taking their shoes off when they've got sweaty/smelly feet, etc.
For me, an example was when I went to go and see Chronicle in 2012 - the first film I went to go and see by myself. Near to my seat was a group of teenagers who wouldn't shut up for the majority of the film and were on their phones a lot.

3. Chewing Gum on/under the seats: Do I need to say much more?
Bottom line: It's disgusting!

 

[Sylar]

Checking at or spending most of the time looking at a phone screen.
Talking on the phone.
Talking in general.
Arriving late.
Walking in an out to go to the toilet or get snacks.
Eating.

If you have to go to the bathroom, you have to go but it's still annoying being distracted by people going back and forth. I just don't get why people can't just watch a film without food or drink, get something before or after the movie you'll probably save yourself some money. It was bad enough hearing the crunching when it was just popcorn and sweets but now my local cinema has started selling hotdogs and nachos, stinking the entire room out.

 

[AGXStarseed]

Checking at or spending most of the time looking at a phone screen.
Talking on the phone.
Talking in general.
Arriving late.
Walking in an out to go to the toilet or get snacks.
Eating.

If you have to go to the bathroom, you have to go but it's still annoying being distracted by people going back and forth. I just don't get why people can't just watch a film without food or drink, get something before or after the movie you'll probably save yourself some money. It was bad enough hearing the crunching when it was just popcorn and sweets but now my local cinema has started selling hotdogs and nachos, stinking the entire room out.

So true on going to the bathroom all the time. It's worse when the person chooses to sit right in the middle of the row so their frequent toilet breaks just annoy everyone else who either has to stand up or twizzle every time said individual can't contain the contents of their bladder for more than 20 minutes.
In my opinion, if you're going to sit in the middle of a row then go to the toilet before you take your seat and don't drink anything if it's just going to make you pee frequently.
Otherwise, sit at the end of a row where it's less obstructive when you need to go.

An additional annoyance to the latecomer issue is when a member of a group of friends tries to stop people from sitting in certain seats because they're waiting for their friends.
I'm sorry but why should other people not be able to sit where they want just because your friends haven't turned up on time?
If they can't arrive on time like everyone else then tough - they sit where they can find a seat when they finally do make it.

 

[Judge]

None. I stopped attending the cinema years ago. I'm just patient enough to wait until a film is on pay-per-view or video-on-demand. Plus I'm now on really good terms with the projectionist, who stops the presentation any time I want.

Best seats in the house, and hot-buttered popcorn with plenty of trans fats.

 

[Mr Allen]

We sit pretty close to the front most times, but even then it's guaranteed that we'll end up sat behind someone with a big head who blocks our view.

Also, when I go to the movies with carers, they're not allowed to turn their phones off because the Office needs to be able to contact them at all times, I understand why they do that, but it is annoying, if you can't turn your phone off, at least put it on silent, and if it does ring, go outside and answer it, or ignore it and ring the Office back after, if it's not after hours.

 

[Judge]

I read somewhere that John Wesley Hardin once shot a man for using his cellphone in a movie theater. Or not.

 

[toothless]

when i was in a wheelchair most of my time,i would sit at the very front seats which are for wheelchair users, the most annoying ones were the ones going for a piss, as from this height people were on your level so they would completely block the screen for a second or two.
i havent been since before i upgraded to using a rollator/walker,which means i would have to step up to a higher level which is agony for my spinal nerve damage.
i dont go to the cinema anymore as my CEA carers card ran out, and i have no motivation as going to the cinema wipes me out with awful sensory overload and the challenging behaviors that stem from it.
however,i love films,so i just watch them on kodi if im desperate to see them and also buy the DVDs when they come out as i like collecting them.

 

[Rayner]

Interesting fact I'm related to that dude. John Wesley Hardin did shoot people for more trivial reasons, so I wouldn't put it past him.

I read somewhere that John Wesley Hardin once shot a man for using his cellphone in a movie theater. Or not.

 

[Judge]

Interesting fact I'm related to that dude. John Wesley Hardin did shoot people for more trivial reasons, so I wouldn't put it past him.

Sorry. Just some humor on my part.

Hardin died in 1895. Ten years too early for movie theaters, let alone cellphones. Though allegedly he once shot a man for snoring.

 

[xudo]

I don't really like going to the cinema, as I'm always worried that I'll start ticcing. I would also never go to see a new film when it's just been released, because the cinema would be really busy, which I'd hate and also there's a high likelihood that someone will have to sit next to me and then I'd spend the whole time being anxious about that.

 

[Kirsty]

Also, when I go to the movies with carers, they're not allowed to turn their phones off because the Office needs to be able to contact them at all times, I understand why they do that, but it is annoying, if you can't turn your phone off, at least put it on silent, and if it does ring, go outside and answer it, or ignore it and ring the Office back after, if it's not after hours.

Or vibrate.

 

[pax]

Sorry. Just some humor on my part.

Hardin died in 1895. Ten years too early for movie theaters, let alone cellphones. Though allegedly he once shot a man for snoring.

Strange coincidence, I was just remembering an embarrassing incident when, as a child my parents took me to see a movie. Strangely enough, I had trouble with non -literal concepts. So in the middle of the court-martial scene in Breaker Morant (it's a great movie) Edward Woodward declares "We caught them and we shot them under rule 3-0-3!"* I loudly ask "What's rule 303???"* I probably wrecked the movie for a few people

* Basicly, "It's a war, not a tea party, the Geneva convention hasn't been invented yet, they're the enemy, so we shot the bastards!" Or "There is nothing decent and humane about war"

 

[Questella]

I only go to the movies once maybe twice a year and always wait so long that there will be few to no other people there, picking earlier or last showings help too. I can't stand sitting in those seats for 90-120 minutes I move, fidget, twist and turn, if I can put the arm rests up I'll take three seats.

Following my knowing of my asd I now just say f*** it and take a blanket, pillow, plush toy. Going to a movie the day it comes out until at least two weeks is not an option, if the theater was too crowded I would just have to leave and waste my money and not see the end.

Warcraft was the last I saw, wanted to see it big 1x, in the cheap theater the last week it was out, we were the only ones there. :> #isnice

 

[pax]

What I hate most is queuing up. I hate people standing on my heels having loud conversations with their friends by basicly talking through my ear canal. Personal space people.

 

[AGXStarseed]

I only go to the movies once maybe twice a year and always wait so long that there will be few to no other people there, picking earlier or last showings help too. I can't stand sitting in those seats for 90-120 minutes I move, fidget, twist and turn, if I can put the arm rests up I'll take three seats.

Following my knowing of my asd I now just say f*** it and take a blanket, pillow, plush toy. Going to a movie the day it comes out until at least two weeks is not an option, if the theater was too crowded I would just have to leave and waste my money and not see the end.

Warcraft was the last I saw, wanted to see it big 1x, in the cheap theater the last week it was out, we were the only ones there. :> #isnice

I've only ever had one time when I went to a cinema and was the only person in the room. Loved every minute of it.

 

[Aurellia]

I go to the cinema whenever there is something I want to see there.

I usually go at least two weeks after the film's release, and I have the seats at the top row. This removes most of the issues that I have at the cinema.
Those being people sitting behind me, and large crowds.

I've only been once on peak, when a film had just been released. Urgh, never again.

 

[Aeolienne]

What do people think of this new trend of "autism-friendly" cinema screenings? For those who haven't heard of this before, the idea is that the film is shown with reduced sound (for less sensory overload), the lights are left on in the auditorium and the audience is free to mill around and chat at will without being told off for causing a disturbance. I'm in two minds about this. On the one hand, if this means that fidgety types are less likely to attend mainstream screenings and I can enjoy them undisturbed, all well and good. On the other hand, I object to the insinuation that autistics are inherently incapable of sitting quietly in a cinema. Quite the opposite, judging by this thread. Maybe these special screenings should be called something else, such as "noisy screenings". And I must confess I do feel rather as AGXStarseed does about cinema-goers with crying babies in tow: if people aren't capable of behaving with due consideration for other members of the audience, why don't they watch the film at home later on? Am I being unreasonable?

 

[Questella]

What do people think of this new trend of "autism-friendly" cinema screenings? For those who haven't heard of this before, the idea is that the film is shown with reduced sound (for less sensory overload), the lights are left on in the auditorium and the audience is free to mill around and chat at will without being told off for causing a disturbance. I'm in two minds about this. On the one hand, if this means that fidgety types are less likely to attend mainstream screenings and I can enjoy them undisturbed, all well and good. On the other hand, I object to the insinuation that autistics are inherently incapable of sitting quietly in a cinema. Quite the opposite, judging by this thread. Maybe these special screenings should be called something else, such as "noisy screenings". And I must confess I do feel rather as AGXStarseed does about cinema-goers with crying babies in tow: if people aren't capable of behaving with due consideration for other members of the audience, why don't they watch the film at home later on? Am I being unreasonable?

I've seen a theatre near here advertise this. idk It still would do me little good without subtitling. If people are up moving around, talking, chatting, etc, wouldn't that make it more distracting and more difficult? I'm kind of confused how this would work.

 

[atrocityexhibition]

I find it annoying when people show up super late. It just seems lazy. Maybe they had some good reason, but the cynic in me thinks they're just predisposed to being rude.

 

[Thursday]

Really dislike those who aren't mindful of the light on their phones. If I can see it rows above, you're doing it wrong. Also, people who cough and don't make an attempt to cover their mouth are just plain inconsiderate.

We usually watch movies either at the earliest screening (11AM) or the latest (midnight premiers) and choose seats at the sides. People here are more likely to choose the middle rows at the center of the cinema so we usually end up with empty seats around us.