[Dr. Scarpetta]

I didn't see any of the movies mentioned in this article, but I did see 'Secretariat' and highly recommend it.

[Eye of Unk]

I have not been to a theater since just about when obama started to pretend he was being POTUS.

I used to take the family on a 100 mile round trip drive to Anchorage to see a leading opener like Harry Potter, well we have a loacl theater but its antique dated.

Since we have Bluray and a plasma widescreen we just wait for it to come out on video now. The theater novelty just doesn’t wow us anymore.

[RayChuang88]

Think of all the things that are killing movie theaters:

1) Increasingly exorbitant ticket prices.
2) Totally exorbitant concession prices.
3) Often subpar picture and sound quality.
4) Often uncomfortable seating.
5) Audiences that talk during films and don't bother to turn off or switch to "vibrate" mode on their cellphones and pagers.
6) The price of home theater systems taking a nosedive lately--including big flat-screen TV's and Blu-ray players.
7) The movies coming out on DVD/Blu-ray about 3-4 months after theatrical debut, often in the uncut original version that the director intended for the film.
8) The availability of video streaming services from NetFlix, Apple and Amazon--in some cases in resolutions as high as 1080p.

Small wonder not only do I watch a lot of movies on my 40" flat screen, but also am watching a lot of TV shows, too. Also, if you've seen the article from Fast Company magazine I mentioned in a post earlier, the arrival of the iPad and the cheap cost of e-book readers are also starting to hurt both TV and movie viewership, too.

[Alberta's Child]

I think this is just the continuation of an ongoing trend that began years ago.

About ten years ago I was working for several real estate developers who were in the process of building new big shopping centers. Right around the same time, nearly every one of them revised their development plans to eliminate the multi-plex theaters from their sites. I suspect they had all been privy to something in the movie industry that led them to do this.

In my opinion, it's a combination of three things that is driving this: (1) bad movies, (2) high prices for tickets and food/beverages, and (3) dislike of dealing with ill-mannered moviegoers.

[hopespringseternal]

The last movie I saw in the theater was Batman: The Dark Knight and I intend to make the last I ever see in a theater.

Should have known it was utter dreck when everyone was praising it so much. It's Batman, it should be a kids' movie, and they turned it into the darkest, most depressing turn-off I have ever witnessed in a theater. There were ten and twelve year old kids balling watching that movie.

On top of it is having to pick a fight with people to get them to stop kicking your chair or putting their feet up right next to your face or quit talking on their cell phone or....ad infinitum.

Investing in a modest entertainment center is an easy payback over even occasional trips to the theater.

[WilliamHouston]

I can’t remember the last time I watched a movie. Maybe it was the Dark Knight or Terminator Salvation. I haven’t watched a Hollywood movie in a theater since.

[SkyPilot]

In 1998, one of the greatest movies ever made, "Saving Private Ryan" - was snubbed by the liberal activist wack job voting academy members.

They didn't want to "glorify war", so they voted for an insipid, conceited, smug movie, "Shakespeare in Love" as Best Picture.

Thirteen years later, "Saving Private Ryan" has established itself as the best and most realistic depiction of battle ever put on screen, and "Shakespeare in Love" is a forgotten film whose DVD sales are below that of "The Secret Life of Bacteria: A Documentary."

Hollywood is still capable of great things, but it seems it cannot get out of its own atheistic, liberal, Marxist, misguided world view long enough to remedy the situation.

My daughter gave me this as a Christmas present (I refused to see it when it was in the theaters).

I listened to part of the story line when they had it on the home theater while I was in the kitchen cooking. It was drivel: Dances With Wolves Via Pocahontas Meets Native/African American Global Warming Earth Worshiping Pagans Against White Capitalist Marines And Republicans.

I couldn't enjoy it. I don't know, maybe my problem is I am not a stupid mindless Democrat with an IQ of 70 who thinks this kind of claptrap is so great.

But, then again, I remember an anti-Nazi who attended a rally in Germany in 1936 saying he "desperately wanted to be like the crowd, and be caught up in this swoon of joy, but my rational mind kept getting in the way."

[NavyCanDo]

There are some worthy movies still made from time to time but the cost at the Box Office is driving most families including mine to see less and less at the movie theater and wait a few months until they come on DVD or Blue Ray. With our home theater, they are just as enjoyable to watch and our home made popcorn taste better and doesn’t cost a fortune.

When we do go to the theater it’s usually part of a reward program we set up for my 9-year old son. He earns a movie night.

And about the movie prices. Regular movies here are $10.50 now for an adult and $7.50 for our child, coming to a total of $28.50. If we want to see it in 3D then it’s $35.50

For $28.50 I can buy the movie in a few months and own it, or get it from Netflix.

And I HATE the new 3D. They are ripping of the audience all for the sake of getting more money from them. And I don’t think it adds much at all to the movie. I grew up in the hey-day of 3D movies when it was a fun experience that everyone was chatting about on their way out. . When the audience was dodging all sorts of projectiles and flying things, like vampire bats, spears, hypodermic needles, hot wax, and on and on the possibilities went. It was fun just watching the people jump. Do they jump today? Nope.

And they did not raise the ticket pieces then. It was about getting people back to the theaters and out of their homes, where they were glued to the new TVs . Today’s motivation is to pick their pockets at the theater , sale 3D TVs at the electronics stores, and raise the prices of purchased movies. Check the price of a 3D Blueray vs. a DVD?

[Exit148]

I liked it when stadium seating came, but it soon was ruined by audience behavior. When whole families would tramp in, laden with food trays and talking was the norm, then we just stopped going. I do check out the movies on “On Demand”, but the lack of quality stuff has almost stopped that viewing, too.

There are some good ones out there, but darn few. Where are the “Beautiful Mind” types(Was that the title? With Crowe?), or a good action thriller that isn’t mostly tongue in cheek. The crash scenes have become boring and stupid. How about a comedy that doesn’t resort to bathroom jokes as the newest Fockers has?

Bring back plots that make sense, and actors that can act, rather than one-liners.

The movie industry should step back and re-examine themselves if they want serious viewers. But if all they want is to do is make money on nonsense, then I’m not biting.

[martin_fierro]

What the movie industry needs is

MOAR NICHOLAS CAGE MOVIES!!1!
boy can that guy act.

[bolobaby]

My wife and I had “It’s a Wonderful Life” in our Netflix queue recently. So campy and so great at the same time. I wish they could make more movies like that!

(Lest you think we are old codgers, we also laughed our arses off over “Scott Pilgrim Versus the World”)

[GOPJ]

Movies are made for the 35% of the population that’s liberal... and of that group most are made for liberals between the ages of 12 and 25 - do the math... It’s the same group that would be hard pressed to elect a dog catcher - no less keep an industry alive.

[phockthis]

I refuse to support these commie loving little bas-—ds in any way at all...

[DollyCali]

Well, I did my share! (and then some)

Cinema

Post here or FR Mail DollyCali or Perdogg
to be added or dropped from this ping list.

If you are receiving this I put you on my list,
no doubt w/o your permission..
so it is okay if you want to dive out

This is who I have on my newly "throw together from memory" list.

Perdogg; evening star; borges; Mrk; blondie; altura; mylife; Mama-bear; jackdeth; Dr. Scarpetta; starman417; wtc911; swmobuffalo; rummyfan; tax-chick; LS; JoeProBono; joe6 pack; MHGinTN; re_nortex ; trisham ;Yorlik803;patriot08 ;

[reaganbooster]

My friends and family think I’m strange because I absolutely detest animated kid movies. Everyone but me thinks they are cute, funny and entertaining. Give me movies with real people, lots of action and plots that
are realistic. To me, if a movie cannot depict a possible real life situation, it’s trash.

[The Comedian]

Gee, with Hollyweird making masterpieces like that Plame piece, I just can't understand why...

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[Freddd]

I’ll probably never go to the movies again to see the ‘stars’.

Communists who berate our country. Not a penny from me.

I don’t need them to entertain me for an hour and half...

[RoseofTexas]

Saw the Green Hornet....VERY political and just plain Stupid...SORRY, but I didn't like it one bit. On the other hand, my hubby gave it a 6. Watch some of the movie Julie, Julia with M. Steep on cable the other night and turned it off when the characters started piling on the republicans... WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP!! ANYTIME, Steep,C. Diaz, Roberts, and those big name idiots are the main characters of the movie you know it's going to be an ALL OUT BASH on conservatives.....WARNING: for sake of sanity, AVOID THOSE IDIOTS...you know their movies are an EXTREMELY BARF feasts against republicans. I rarely go to movies, but my hubby had his heart set on the Green Hornet...so we went to the BIG FLOP!! Money down the drain! I WANT A REFUND!!:(

obtw, saw the previews before the movie and was SO UPSET with all the voilence ALL the movies coming out this year have...AND THEY FAULT PALIN for the violence on this generation....HOLY COW I DESPISE HELLYWOOD!!!

[MarkL]

I only went to one movie this year, the Harry Potter movie, and I really enjoyed it. But nothing else. I'll just wait for them to come out on DVD.

The last movie I went to was either the last Harry Potter movie, or 300: I can't remember which. The next movie I'll be going to will be either the final Harry Potter movie, or The Hobbit, Pt1, whichever comes out first.

Mark

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

What we need is another Cannon Group.

Run by the great team of Golan and Globus, Cannon Group turned out a huge number of low budget movies in the 1980s. If just one out of every ten of their movies was a hit, it would pay for the production of all ten, and still turn a big profit.

The big studios today are owned by non-entertainment parent corporations who just want a few, huge budget movies with big name actors. Movies that cost $200m to make, and earn $210m at the box office still have just a $10m margin of profit.

Compare that to producing 10 movies for $1m each. One of them is a hit that brings in $30m. That original $10m makes $20m in profit. So those silly ‘B’ movies make more money than big budget blockbusters.

And the movie going public at least gets to see *one* good movie, even if it is low budget.

[Tanniker Smith]

I might’ve seen a movie or two during Christmas week — if I could’ve gotten my car off the street.