Do you like watching films at the Cinema?

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"

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.

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

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!!!

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 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.

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 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.

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...

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!

Watching a good film in a cinema is on my list of favourite things to do. I'm not keen on the big cinema chains though, there are a couple of small film theatres in my nearest city which I'll drive to for many of the films I want to see. I like the atmosphere in these cinemas, no audience noise and very few people feel the need to consume bucket loads of food during the showing.

I make an exception for live streaming of ballet, opera and plays from London theatres, these are shown in one of the smaller halls in the largest multi screen cinema in town. A wonderful idea.

This last 2 weeks I have seen, Everest in 3D ,and this week The Martian.
The first one due to when the film started was quiet with a late morning and early afternoon finish.
The second was fuller , your popcorn and all expensive products you buy being consumed by others had a bloke behind doing the popcorn thing.
I enjoyed both films ,and Everest with the 3D , had a few effects with it, such as blizzards or storms , you could feel as though you were taken into the film when they occurred.
Mick

Went to see a grown up film at the local multi screen yesterday. Really enjoyed it, apart from twit next to me who kept turning her phone on for some reason. Only problem was that, because a grown up film ( Legend about the Kray twins) I spent half the time with my eyes shut to avoid the violence on screen. DD helpfully nudged me each time it was over . That said it was one of the best films I have almost seen for a while. And not too loud either.

Reading everyone else's posts I see we're not alone in the LOUDNESS thing, but I do feel very lucky as we have a choice of 3 multiplexes within a short distance. I can't imagine we wouldn't go often if we had to travel miles to get there.

I really don't get the loudness thing, why do they do it? my hearing isn't marvellous but I often have to put cotton wool in when we go, otherwise I can't stand it. For people with good hearing it must be torture!

Love it here, going to the old cinema I used to go to as a kid. In the UK, can't stand it these days due to smell of popcorn, etc, and far far too LOUD!

This last week or so, I have seen Everest in 3D, and yesterday The Martian the 1st film based on something that actually happened , the 2nd was from a novel ,and had a 70`s Disco soundtrack.
The downside of the 2nd was the popcorn chompers behind me, the new Bond starts at end of this month, trailers being shown.
Distance wise Bicester is about 11 miles ,Banbury is just nearer but has only 2 screens to Bicester's 7.
Just need a female companion to make it more enjoyable.
Mick

I'm the opposite,being deaf as a post.I have headphones but they're not always working properly.So,for that reason I don't go very often.

I love going to the cinema, but it has to be a film that I have really been looking forward to seeing. My nearest cinema is seventeen miles away, and is only small. I prefer to go to Carlisle, but parking anywhere near is a nightmare.

We love going to our local multiplex cinema we too go during the day taking advantage of the meerkat app that gives us two tickets for the price of one. Have no problem with the volume of the soundtrack but always wrap up well as the air conditioning is always on freeze level. Will watch most types of films but not too keen on war/action etc .

Yes, both DH and I like going to the cinema. So much better on the big screen as gillybob says.
It has to be planned though as our nearest is 40mins by car.

TBH, I prefer the video, preferably watched whilst snuggled up with someone else, on the sofa at home. But that does mean I'm always late catching the film.

The loudness puts me off too, plus our nearest cinema is a bus and two train rides away. There is an old church much nearer that is being used to show films as well as for concerts. That's an altogether more pleasant experience.

I love the cinema. We tend to go to the two smaller ones we have in the city centre. They are pretty much the same as the one outlined by grannya and are not as impersonal as the big multiplexes. The newer one of the two used to be a bank. I was rather disappointed that they are showing Macbeth for the next three days only and I can't go as we will be away, but I'll probably pick it up somewhere else. DD saw the trail and said it looked good.

Our local cinema is a gem. The building itself is beautiful and was refurbished in 1999 to a high standard, but it's the manager who is key to the success of the place. She shows not only the standard films, but also runs a 'silver screen' once a week with up to date films and tea and biscuits for £3.50; once a week the current film shows subtitles and there are regular live screenings of big productions (usually from London) such as operas, ballet, musicals and theatre plays.
A small cafe serves hot drinks and the balcony seats have little tables between them. Occasionally the Rotary, Lions or another group will reserve the whole balcony and have a themed reception with champagne and canapes - the latest Bond films usually get this treatment.
Unfortunately I don't get to the cinema as often as I would like to, but I've never noticed unruly or distracting behaviour from other patrons when I do. I think Charleygirl has been very unfortunate to experience this.