For years, I refused to go to an actual movie theater to watch a movie. The last movie I remember going to see at a theater was Good Will Hunting, which came out in 1997. Yes...I know that was 15 years ago. Well, in the last 3 years, I have been to the theater probably a good 6 or 7, maybe 8 times. And all but two of those times were to take my daughter to see a kids movie. Amazing what you will do when you have kids.
Each time I go, I remember why I stopped going in the first place. First and foremost, the cost just to get into the movie is RIDICULOUS!! I took my kid to see Dr. Seuss' The Lorax a couple weeks ago and it was almost $15 dollars for the two of us to get in. And that was a 2PM movie...not a 7PM or later movie. Then, to get 2 bottles of water and two soft pretzels was more than the movie! I mean, are you kidding me charging $3 for a bottle of water?? I can go to Sam's and get 32 bottles of water for $3!! We usually eat right before we go to a movie so that she's not hungry during it, but we didn't this time. Or I'll sneak little snacks and water in. Good grief!!! The person in front of me paid something like $67 for whatever food/beverage items they bought! So, right now we are talking almost $35 for this dang movie! And that was just for me and my child.
After I forked out this cash to these "kids" that looked and acted like they just LOVE working there, we walk into the theater where the movie would be playing. There aren't very many people sitting in there when we first walk in. But it didn't take long for it to fill completely up. I think people brought their kids, their nieces and nephews, neighbor's kids and their neighbor's neighbor's kids. There were several times I saw one adult walk in with like 15 to 20 kids. I even saw a woman bring in her newborn baby (at least the baby didn't look to be any older than about a month old). I never heard the baby throughout the movie, but I can only imagine that bringing a baby to a movie is not only bad for their eardrums, but also bad for their little immune system.
While the movie was playing, it was actually really hard to focus on the movie for everything that was going on in the audience. I cannot tell you how many times that this entire group of folks sitting in our row got up and walked in front of us to go do whatever. After you have about 6 people at once pass right in front of you to get by in a movie, well...you've missed half the darn movie. Besides the constant annoyance of people up and down through the entire movie, we gets kids kicking the back of our chairs, we hear laughing, phones ringing, text messages coming through, coughing, sniffling, the sounds of people and kids smacking on food/candy/junk food (a pet peeve of mine), and even a few burps...of which sounded like they could have only come from the adults, although I've heard a few kids that can burp like grown men. The lady that sat next to me had 3 kids with her. So, to be frugal she bought one large container of popcorn and decided to divide it up among the 3 kids. So I see her pull 3 paper sacks from her purse and open all three to divey the popcorn among the 4 of them (good idea). The kicker is that she did all of this of the floor of the movie theater. She actually set the bags on the floor. The nasty, sticky, gross, no telling what's on it...movie floor. And then....she leaves the bags, plus the popcorn tub on the floor and lightly places napkins over the top of them until the movie starts as if to keep any of the "germs" in the theater from getting in to the bags. All the while, there are all sorts of folks walking past these bags of popcorn she has on the floor. No telling what they are kicking up as far as dust and dirt. Me personally, I would have had each child hold a bag in their laps and then poured the popcorn. At least it wouldn't have been on the floor.
To be honest, I don't remember most of the movie. I didn't see it. I couldn't stop focusing on the stuff going on around me. And neither could my child. So, it seems as though, it was a complete and total waste of $35!! I'm shocked neither of us became sick from that experience with all the coughing, sneezing and sniffling that was going on.
And THIS is exactly why I hate going to the movies. I was introduced to RedBox by the bf and thank goodness for that. It's much cheaper than going to the movies. I can eat and drink in the comfort of my own home. An 18 pk of beer cost me about $14 at my local Kroger...I can only imagine what one beer cost at the theater. And besides, I got 18 beers for the same amount that it cost me to just get into the movie. My feet don't stick to the floor. I don't have to listen to the noise that approximately 218 other folks can make. I can sit on my comfy and clean leather couch without it being kicked. I can pause the movie should I need to get up for any reason. My child can go to the restroom without me having to go with her. The toilet is clean and I don't have to place tons of t-paper on the seat before she sits on it.
That my friends, is a wonderful thing in my book!! The movies might not be what's brand new on the big screen, but I will choose RedBox over the actual theater any day!!
Tootles!!
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