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"Part of the problem, is that the younger generation has no idea how to behave in public. Heaven forbid that [disciplining] them when they act up when they are younger, as that might hurt their precious self-esteem."

That is one of the major reasons I don't go to movie theaters also. The uncivilized have ruined it. Other reasons include:

The outrageous cost
Most of the movies are simply stupid and boring
Having to sit through ads when I want the movie to start.
The sound systems are too loud -- especially for the ads and previews.

I know this will sound like a line, bragging or a stupid statement - but with a straight face, and my right hand held palm out and my left hand on a Bible ...

Build a home theater. They are not that expensive, and you can put together a VERY good system for less than you think. When you do, you will have a place where you and your family can retreat to enjoy a movie on YOUR schedule, eatting pizza, popcorn, taking bathroom breaks by hitting the pause button, playing HALO with the kids/grandkids, jamming on Guitar Hero or Rock Band with your friends and neighbors.

Never have to deal with punks ruining your experience, over-priced snacks, late nights, lines, missing the show because you drank too much Coke, and you get the Big Screen experience.

You’d be amazed at how good you can have it, for a very low cost of entry. Amazed.

My wife agrees, we built a theater in our home; and we both agree that we will never own a home in the future that doesn’t have someplace we can build a dedicated theater room. Once you have one, you will wonder how you ever managed without one.

Date night with the wife.
Meal before the show - $30
Tickets, popcorn, soda and candy - $40

Total for the night is going to run ~$70

2 Dates a month, 10 months a year = $1,400

Assuming you never take the kids, grandkids, friends or family out to join you, over 5 years we are talking about investing $7,000 for a show that may be ruined by others, or simply be a bad movie, traffic, or negative in some way.

Now take a basement room, throw up a 120 inch screen ($750), add a decent Denon, Yamaha, Sony or multi-media receiver of your choice ($1500), good set of speakers for 7.1 sound - I like Aperion Audio, great bang for the buck - ($1200), Playstation 3 ($400) and an XBox (350) and a 1080P Panasonic Projector ($2000).

Equipment cost = $6,200.

XBox allows you to stream Netflixs movies to your theater room in 1080p goodness - unlimited streaming of thousands of movie titles for $9/month. Playstation 3 quietly plays CD, DVD, Super-Audio CD’s as well as Blu-Ray disks; plus you can stream audio from your home PC through either the XBox or PS3.

Now, every weekend will be a ‘free movie night’. The kids will all want to go to YOUR place to watch the latest releases. SuperBowl game? Who is gonna trump you? C’mon over .... and have them bring the beer.

We only go to the theaters to see Major releases we just can’t wait to see (ie. Star Trek this summer). When the Grandkids come over, they are excited to sit with us and watch Pixar flicks. We are their favorite Grandparents, because we not only sit and enjoy those movies with them; they feel ‘special’ because they have a theater ‘just for Grandpa and me’.