If movie theaters died off would you care?

Movie theaters are hurting big time. I just read that the second biggest theater chain Regal Cinema is filing for bankruptcy. It got me thinking lets just say movie theaters died off which I don't believe will ever happen completely but lets just say they did.. would you care? is going to theaters still important to you? or is your home set up good enough?

More options are always nice.

I have rarely gone to the theatre in the last 10 years. So, I would not miss them if they went away. I enjoy watching movies at home without people talking, making noises, checking their phones, coughing, stinking up the place, etc.. The picture quality is better on an OLED and I can also pause whenever I want.

For a very long time there was a time and a place for a movie theater but technology has rendered it almost moot.

Going to the movies today can be an ordeal. 30 minutes of commercials, 30 minutes of previews, high prices, ignorant patrons, etc..., it is hardly worth going.

It's difficult when you can just get quality viewing at home. But there is a time and a place for movie theatres and I think they will be ok .

I went to the movies to see Thor Love and Thunder last month and before that it was Jurassic World Dominion. What's interesting is Jurassic World Dominion hit digital a few months later before coming to DVD/Blu-ray. My mom paid $20 to rent the movie and didn't like it compared to Jurassic Park (1993) and the sequels. I wouldn't miss the movies as prices have gone from $5(early bird) to $8.50 for regular price since 2019. Don't forget concessions as they have gone up $2 to $3. I am lucky enough to have a sound bar system that feels like a movie theater and a big screen TV.

@pillarrocks: A soundbar system is not going to feel like a movie theatre unless the theatres you go to have shit sound systems. You need to have some serious hardware to replicate the sound of a good movie theatre.

@BassMan:

It has a speaker that adds bass. Though yeah, I would certainly need a better system to replicate a movie theater system.

@pillarrocks: Soundbars have certainly come a long way though. The high end ones have impressive audio for the dimensions they are working with. They destroy built in TV speakers too.

Oh I would absolutely miss them. I don’t really go that often but it’s definitely quite an experience to go see a movie at a theatre.

I personally like going to the movies, even nowadays when they're usually put on streaming weeks later.

I would personally be bummed out if they went extinct.

I made a home theater because I wanted the cinema in my home. I wouldn't care about losing the experience of being in a cinema. It is inferior. Could go into details, if you're interested. But I would care about some of those few new movies I care about no longer being feasible with streaming budgets.

I was always a movie-fanatic but never cared for theaters as watching movies there was always more a pain in the ass rather than being something enjoyable.

BUT theaters were good for going there with buddies before getting drunk in clubs or going out there with some girl, with the theater actually just serving as kind of "background" rather making it THE main event of the evening.

I still prefer to enjoy my movies relaxed at home without some stupid a-hole making noises all the time or dumb people who have no clue how to shut off their goddamn smartphones.

But what i really love with watching movies at home is being able to pause the movie while getting myself another package of popcorn or just taking a dump if i need to.

Yes, I’d miss them.

Truthfully I don’t go to the movies that often, but that‘s not an indictment on the medium, only the lack of films that are capable of fully exploiting it to its fullest (last one that really did was Dune). Plus as I age it’s harder to find friends to go with when they’ve now had kids, etc.

But it’s an experience when all clicks and the texting idiots remain home. I’d never want theatres to go, just as I wouldn’t want concerts to.

Not really, I barely use to go for years except for few movies, better ways to use my money, I only started going again more regularly semi-recently because I got a part time job working at one and could see anything for free, get concession dirt cheap. Then Covid happened, I am in no rush to go back, not since our national health policy on Covid is on honor system and half the people think safety measures are a joke.

Haven't gone to a movie theater in years. Big screen and good sound is cool. The price, the farts, the coughs, the wrapper noise, etc. is not.

Wouldn't miss it much.

Nope.

Haven't been to one in ages. Last movie I saw in a theater was maybe SW Episode 7 or Avenger's Endgame.

Plus movies come to streaming so fast now, it's ridiculous. And while there is a lot of crap on streaming, the is often enough something of really good quality on there as well.

I think much of the argument in favor of theaters comes from older folks who wax nostalgia about "cinema" and, occasionally, how some films are shot in a specific kind of film that only a theater can truly present (i.e. Tarantino's Hateful Eight).

I have fond memories of going to t he theater as a child and young adult, but times change. I think in-home entertainment is the way to go.

I like more independent movie theaters. If those went too, I would miss them.

I still go to movie theatres sometimes, but it's no longer the spectacle event that it used to be since I have a decent sized TV and surround sound at home, but I'll definitely be sad if they disappear. I've never been to a drive-thru cinema; I must definitely go someday.

Yes big big time. I hated not being able to go to the movies for most of 2020 and I think even part of 2021 because of covid and lock downs. Seeing a movie on a giant screen is special. The one bad thing with movie theater is cant stop it when I need to go to the bathroom.

I rarely went to a movie theater. Whenever i did I felt like i was just in a place with a bunch of people, they never did much for me. I think movie theaters will be less popular because people have such good tv/sound set ups at home that its not a must go to thing like it was 20 or 30 years ago.

yeah theyre part of cineworld, i saw yesterday they were about to go bust. tbh i love a cinema trip but there's very little worth watching at the min.

im lucky my local cinema is a vue cinema and it's fckin mega. nearly all screens are huge, top quality picture and sound, every chair big arse leather recliner, loads of arm and leg space, it's always a great experience.

i went to a cineworld last year watching the last bond film and it was a skanky af cess pit, holes in chairs, cramped in like sardines, and a picture quality that would make a tv from 2005 blush. cant say if its representative of the quality of their venues in general but it was god awful, sorely lacking investment and other than the job losses i won't be sad to see them go

@one_plum:

My city used to have one and as a kid, I would go see movies like Spawn. It certainly was cool though I miss it as it was fun getting to see one movie and you can see another on the next screen.

Going to the theaters is an experience that I enjoy. I honestly prefer the outdoor theaters; very nostalgic to me. But I don't go to the movies all that often, so in all likelihood I wouldn't care one way or the other. Heck, I don't usually watch movies online or via blu-ray at home either.

Yeah man I like theaters. Cheap date night to get of the house. The classic dinner and a movie.

I have Santikos Mayan and they upgraded the theater with big screens and recliner seats that are comfortable and free popcorn refills and soda stations. Really nice though a bit pricey as it used to be $5 for early bird for first showing years ago and now $8.50 per ticket. I have Citybase theater which is $5 per ticket though they don't have free refills on popcorn and sodas and charge more for concessions.

Drive-ins, too.

They are a lot of fun and always a good deal because you'd get two movies for like 10 dollars.

My friend owned a big truck. So he and I and like 10 people would essentially pack up the living room and take it to the drive-in. Literally the contents of a living room. We'd take the sofa, an old giant Persian rug, some chairs, the coffee table, receiver, and speakers. Pack it all up in his truck and drive down, set it up while it was light out, and then sit down with the cooler and start drinking beers. You couldn't grill but I'd always cook some food before hand and take it with us since you're there for like 5-6 hours.

One of my fonder memories, actually.

*bonus: if you have to use the restroom, you don't miss out on the movie since everyone is playing it on their speakers and you can still glance at it as you walk to the bathroom haha

My family and I still go to movies occasionally (probably about 5-10 a year) so yeah it would suck... however, it would save me a lot more money to just stream the movies at home off of any available service (which we have also done a few times). We have an 85" TV with a surround system, so it's kind of like a movie theater anyways.. something about going though my wife and kids really enjoy... probably the $12 popcorn and $8 drinks.. lol

Nope, I wouldn’t miss movie theatres at all. Over my life I must have seen close to 50-100 movies at the theatre but haven’t seen one since Die Hard 4,it’s been awhile lol. I have a “82” Samsung 4K tv and a out of date sound bar with subwoofer but still works fine. Even at home I rarely watch movies/tv, I just use my tv for gaming. If I’d watch a movie,much more beneficial to watch on my own tv at home.

I have a home theater in my basement that does a pretty good job. But I still enjoy going to the theater. (mostly for the popcorn) I recently saw Top Gun Maverick in IMAX, and it was great. I'm refusing to watch it again on streaming, and will wait for the UHD bluray release, so I can watch it at an acceptable quality level... Streaming has been super meh imo

Not even in the slightest. I haven't been to one in years and have no desire to go back again.

I cared in the late 90's to mid 2000's. Going to see some stuff with school buds was fun. Now i don't give a crap.

Yeah. I've always thought of it as the "big brother" to a video store. I also appreciate the almost consistent whiff of buttery popcorn that enters your nostrils when stepping foot into both establishments. Maybe that's just me though. Lol.