Do you like watching films at the Cinema?

Our local community centre shows a recent or new film once a month and they get the sound levels right too! It's only £5 and that includes refreshments - tea/coffee and biscuits.

DH usually says "Let's wait till it comes on TV". It usually does!

Time was when I loved cinema, and would take myself off to the Hampstead Everyman, or the Curzon, or the Cameo Poly... but I gave up in about 1983, when so many cinemas were chopped up into little flock-walled 'screens', or separate viewing rooms. And then there was the cavalcade of crap that was Hollywood in the 80s and since - I couldn't give a toss about zombies or re-animated fossil monsters, or, come to that, car chases or people running about with hand-guns. None of that has conspired to lure me into the local 'Duplex' (whatever that means in this context) that has replace the now demolished cinema I last attended!

I have DVDs of many of the better films of the past -- and I can watch those in comfort, and put them on hold when the trip to the litter-tray becomes imperative. As it does... I have committed 'going to the pictures' to history, along with jazz clubs and youth clubs...

I do enjoy going to the cinema, but I have to really want to see the film, it can be quite an expensive affair these days and I'm not really happy to pay the requisite ticket price for a small screen it doesn't seem worth it. I like the wide screen experience, it's what we all remember before cinemas were broken up into Multiplexes. Unfortunately Orange Wednesdays isn't around anymore, a shame it was a good mid week treat. I kept a very old phone just for that purpose. Films I would only quite like to see are usually relegated to my dvd rental list, having said that I wouldn't want to give up on the cinema experience, films at their best, are a great form of entertainment.

I have taken my 5 year old granddaughter to a few films in the last year and she really enjoys the experience as did my children when they were young.

We get free tickets for every film as part of our theatre subscription but don't go very often as there is too much else going on!

Our small cinema has recently been updated and when our city dwelling DSs came with us to see a children's film (5 adults 1 child!) they were amazed at how good it was.

We don't get antisocial behaviour so it is a real pleasure to go, especially to the live screenings which are often held in one of the theatres to cater for a bigger audience. I love the NTLive ones.

I prefer the big screen for the first viewing of a film, if it's worth watching again the sofa's fine for that. I just love the experience and atmoshpere of the cinema - the moment when the lights dim for the start of the film, the smell of popcorn, the slight rustle of someone opening their maltesers, the shared laughter or tears or whatever emotion the director has wrung from the audience. Obviously it's a difference experience when I take DGC to a kids movie - it's all about the ice-cream/assorted goodies and trying to persuade younger GD not to drink her entire bottle of juice in one go or she'll need the loo in the middle of the film, advice which she invariably ignores!

Baubles: I know what you mean about the smaller cinemas, I saw It's a Wonderful Life in a small venue last December, at the end of the movie most of the audience was in tears, there was a spontaneous round of applause and we all wished each other a Merry Christmas - for a couple of hours the increasing commercialism of the season didn't exist, it was most uplifting.

As said, love our small local cinema - no popcorn, etc, no glitz- and not too LOUD. Best thing about it, it hosts the CinéClub throughout the winter season- with great films often foreign, which we would never have the chance to see in normal cinemas. Often in English for original language. A few of them are a bit 'osbcure' but most of them are absolutely brilliant. As members of that CineClub we can attend 2 others for free, the 1 in France is even closer- so we get about 24 films for about £60 for the season. Love it. Many films this season will be based, quite logically, on emigration in the world, both now and in the past.

I agree with everyone about the noise, is it to drown out all the phones, popcorn chomping, crisp and sweet packet crackling and talking???!!!
We go to the occasional 'big' film but tend to watch most on tv.
The availability of all the cultural events at our local multiplex has been a revelation!
Live opera, ballet and theatre ,which we would hardly ever had the opportunity to see ,let alone afford,has been wonderful.
It's an opportunity not to be missed, the only trouble being that there's so much to see it can be quite expensive!!!

Also like to add to what has already been said some Cinemas now do a Senior Club or similar ,where you have 1030 -1400 slot, mainly to watch with tea/biscuits, for less than £5 sometimes.
Films shown are likely to appeal , but sometimes are close to DVD release date.
Mick

Took out travel insurance (£9) through that meerkat company and have just downloaded their 2 for 1 app onto my mobile.

So might start going to cinema again.

The noise problem isn't news - back in the forties Spike Jones released a record called Popcorn Sack - rattle, rattle, rattle...

"That Eddie Robinson is tough
But when he tries to do his stuff
"I'm gonna drill ya, see, and y'know why, Jack?
Now I'll slug that mug with the pop corn sack"

When Katharine Hepburn speaks her part
And gives out high dramatic art
"Oh, the callalilies will soon be back
On the chest of that pest with the pop corn sack"