A few days ago, I saw a thread complaining about movie theaters....
I didn't read it at the time, as I hadn't been to a newly run movie in quite a while.
Well, I did today and I'm here to pile on the complaints about movie theaters.
Had plans to see a movie (Youth) with a friend today after work. We were both going to rush from work to make it to a matinee showing in the late afternoon.
I get to the theatre to find out that it's a "luxury" theatre with reserved seating only!!
This means I can't just buy my ticket and go in, no, I have to select a seat.
"But my friend is coming to meet me and she might be running late, how do we sit together?"
Turns out, I have buy her ticket and leave it with the ticket taker (not the box office, no, that would be too simple!) with her name.
I have to call her and let her know it's waiting for her, so she doesn't buy another ticket!!
Unfortunately, due to her work, she had her phone turned off and it wouldn't let me leave a message!
(My phone doesn't text).
So, I have to wait for her to show up, so we can buy our tickets together, in order to sit together.
Oh, and the "reduced" matinee price was $14!!!! On a Wednesday afternoon!!
I love Michael Caine, but boy, I was tempted to tell them to shove it.
We would have gone to another theatre, but this was only theatre in town showing "Youth".
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It is the ONLY benefit to living at the end of the world. We saw the new Star Wars...during Christmas break...at a matinee with 15 other people. In 3D. For $15 for the two of us. Sorry about your experience but I bet your restaurant/bar choices are better than ours 
Of course, he's an hour away 
No medical emergencies for us. But if I get strep throat at least I can go to the movies 
But I've been to movies in Scottsdale before and never had to pay such outrageous prices!!
However, this was a brand new theatre, so maybe this is the wave of the future, as some have said elsewhere in the thread.
I guess I'm being priced out of going to movies.....
We used to have a wonderful one not too far away.
Believe it or not, they would often run indie / art films if they were "big" enough.
(Think things along the lines of "The King's Speech" or "Sense & Sensibility" that kind of thing).
And, they would KEEP running something for as long as it was popular!
My brother must have gone to see "Tombstone" there at least three dozen times!!
It came to a bittersweet end, though.
The space was sold to the city and they turned the space into an art museum!
It's a really nice museum with some really wonderful pieces (including a permanent installation piece by James Turrell),
but there are times I miss the dollar cinema.
But I'd happily go see the Love Live! movie or maybe a Pokemon movie. Something light, airy, cheery, and with good messages. Anything else, it's not even on my radar anymore. I'd buy a large drink of some kind to help the establishment, though; its not their fault that their margins are SO slim, and they really are. But otherwise I won't set foot in one except to buy my yearly gift certificates for them for others (because my conservative family LOVES the movies).
Now, if I could get my app back that let me watch east Asian (SK/CH/JP) tv I'd be happy but no, it died and went away. 
And, I have to admit that "Youth" is hardly a "big" movie.
This was the only place in the greater-Phoenix area showing it.
they wouldn't CHARGE so much ($14 for a matinee?) and would have allowed me to leave a ticket for my friend at the box office.
You'll like this: there were TWO different snack bars in the theatre: one was traditional with popcorn, soda, candy and the other one with "foofy" food, as you put it: high end pastries and stuff like that. So the two crowds didn't mix!!
And there was a bar as well! An actual bar where you can just hang out and drink or order drinks to take into the theatre.
Unlike your theatre, the facility is not 21 and over, there were many children there, but none going to see "Youth".
Definitely not a children's movie!!
Sunday morning matinee.
Only seats available were the front row, which I cannot do.
My husband and our 2 kids sat in the front row while somehow I scored a great seat smack in the middle of the theater.
I kept waiting for someone to approach me and say "You're in my seat" like when someone is in your seat at a concert or on a plane.
Had someone done that of course I would have moved but no one did. We just couldn't get 4 seats together.
It wasn't even opening weekend. I had people on both sides of me but enjoyed the movie aside from not sitting with my family.
Now we know to plan ahead of time. Our matinee prices are cheaper, though!
It's a huge freaking pain in the ass to go to the movies these days.
Youth looks great, reviews have been great and awesome cast!
We all loved The Martian. 
Youth was quite good. I was prepared for a major tragedy, but I ended up laughing and not crying at all.
I think those who find it a tragic movie have not had very many bad things happen to them, because everything in the movie is just "life stuff" that either I or someone close to me has experienced.
Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel have wonderful chemistry together, and they really carry the movie.
Although Rachel Weitz (?) as Michael Caine's daughter is really great as well.
Definitely worth seeing, but maybe not worth $14 for a matinee, unless you are a crazy Michael Caine fan.
It's just that a casual get-together with a friend after work is not compatible with going to the movies anymore, apparently.
You could order a drink to take into the theatre, or just sit and drink at the bar.
I don't know why anyone would want to do that, though.
But then, there's a bar in our local Safeway as well!!
I have to decide what to get for lunch 
Going to see the movie was my friend's idea.
It was she that told me where and when it was showing, I didn't do any of the research, as if research is required for going to see a movie.
And no, I don't pay attention to the local media. I have much better ways to spend my time.
Not everyone has smart phones or even cell phones, but I guess that's a personality defect in your world?!?!
$14 was the listed price for ALL the movies showing at that theatre during the matinee hours. That's what their sign said. It had nothing to do with that particular movie.
And, I did wait for my friend to show up, because that was the option that was left to me.
And, I hate malls and have not shopped in one for years, I certainly don't spend my time "frolicking" in them, expensive or otherwise.
Geez, what is your problem?
The whole situation could have been resolved if I could have left a ticket for my friend at the box office.
If movie theaters are going to emulate live theatre, symphonies, and operas then they need to step up their service to having "will call" services at their box offices.
And please, local media? Nonstop nonsense about traffic accidents, local ball teams, the latest sensationalized murder?
I'm sorry to hear you are wasting your life on that.
You are the only rude one on this thread. Everyone else who disagreed with me did so politely and we had reasoned discussion about it.
And, a number of posters happened to agree with me, so I reject your "ridiculous" premise.
And, please...I've been on DU way too long for you to come even close to hurting my feelings.
Don't even give it a second thought.
