[Stuart Wright]

Presumably we have home cinemas because we enjoy watching movies.
So how often do you go to the cinema to watch a movie?

[Battlestar]

I used to go quite alot but got fed up with my local multiplex picture quality and sound quality. ALso dealing with little idots that dont want to see the film, just sit there and make noise.

If its a big summer blockbuster that I really want to see then I may try and make an early afternoon performance at the flix but other than that normaly just waot for the DVD.

[golden phoenix]

i used to go the flicks a lot, but to be honest there is alot of tripe that is released these days.

not many films "grab me" and i say i have to go see that...saying that though..im going to see the dark knight tommorrow

so theres probably about 2 -4 films a year that are worth seeing at the cinema...

[KevD]

I get the Cineworld Unlimited card so end up going more than would if I didnt have that, usually about 2/3 times a month.

Agree with Battlestar though about other people in the place, and quality isnt always what you would hope for. I usually head in early weekday showing if I can or latenight showing when you tend to get less clowns.

[SeanT]

Not once in the last year, due to a little monster that we can't really take with us yet. 2-4 times otherwise.

[mikim]

About 1-2 per year.

But then I watch about 2-3 films per week at home. It's looks & sounds consistantly good and often better than the cinema (definately more than I can say for the local picture house due to past experiences)... nobody talks through the film...I can pause when I feel like it (very handy if watching a 2-3hour movie)!! I don't have to drive there and back, I don't need a babysitter... blah blah

I could go on but then it would become a rant

This is basically why I (and I'm sure many others) have spent a small fortune on setting up at home.

[hat1]

Originally Posted by SeanT

Not once in the last year, due to a little monster that we can't really take with us yet. 2-4 times otherwise.

Same here, used to go 2-4 times a year but since a little tazmanian devil arrived in our house we can never get a baby sitter..... although the wife still seems to go at least once a quarter to see a chick flick with her friend, something wrong there I think !

[Glenzo]

Originally Posted by Battlestar

I used to go quite alot but got fed up with my local multiplex picture quality and sound quality. ALso dealing with little idots that dont want to see the film, just sit there and make noise.

If its a big summer blockbuster that I really want to see then I may try and make an early afternoon performance at the flix but other than that normaly just waot for the DVD.

I SECOND THAT ESPECIALLY WITH THE DRUNKEN YOUTHS WE HAVE WHO COME IN WITH ALCOHOL ON THEM AND THINK IT'S A BLOODY NIGHT CLUB.

ONLY GO NOW FOR A CHANGE OF SCENERY. MY HD PROJECTOR AND ONKYO 606 KEEP ME MORE THAN HAPPIER THAN THE AVERAGE TRIP TO THE CINEMA.

[C225]

I go about once a month i would say but echo coments about some of the other pepole that go. Take the dark night i went to for example the other day a bunch of 7 i would say 15 year olds who just sat through the film humming along with most of the music and kept getting up and down to the toilet i know it's a long film but needing the toilet at least three times each they obviously were not interested in the film.

[DarkEntity]

with the use of my unlimited card for cineworld, i go to see a film every week or so, sometimes more. Recently its been a lot more with all the films being released

[Phil Hinton]

Has to be a very special film to make me go these days and put up with the really poor presentations. No joke but I have seen 2.35:1 movies go 10 minutes before the masking has moved out, 2.35:1 movies where the lens has not changed and everything is squeezed into the 1.85:1 frame, films projected on seats, or on the ceiling and even the side walls. I had to walk out of my first attempt at watching Indiana Jones as it was out of focus for the first 10 minutes recently and just the other day the same happened with the first 5 minutes of Batman. Funny enough the adverts are never out of focus or not loud enough! go figure! I'm sure a lot of this is down to the fact everything is automated these days with just one projectionist working at a time covering 10 or so screens.
I have not seen a decent presentation outside the west end of London, and its sad that there is little to no competition elsewhere in the country to make cinema operators put presentation and the cinematic experience above profit. Maybe its because they see little money from the showing of the actual films, so they ignore that to make sure the confectionary is sold and the adverts are well presented.
In an age of digital playback in the home, cheaper big screens and projectors and the fact more and more people are cash strapped and less likely to pay for entertainment outside the home; you would think that Cinema chains would pull out the stops to make it an experience again.
Like I said it has to be a really big movie to make me pay the £10 ticket prices and put up with substandard presentation and of course those who don't know how to behave themselves in public.
/Rant over.

[Davy]

I would have answered 5-10 a year; but now I've built my own Cinema Room, it's Never!

[Tejstar]

I used to be a serial cinema-goer until I was put off by teenage brats ruining the experience on almost every occasion. I'm not an overly fussy type but when people show a complete disregard for others then that's something I can't put up with.

The last film I saw at the pictures was King Kong, however I am likely to go back this summer to watch The Dark Knight. As I have a decent setup at home and an 18 month old son, I can only see myself going to big cinema events in the future (like TDK).

[Richard]

I have a home cinema so I don't have to go to the cinema.

[inzaman]

I used to really enjoy the cinema but now very rarely go - i have been twice so far this year (one of those visits was due to a pair of free tickets) and cannot see myself going again this year. I might go and see TDK but for the cost of admission and some of the reasons mentioned above i will probably wait for the imminent BD release and watch it in the comfort of my own home

[Keith Hurst]

I too have to add my voice to the rarely go camp. If it's a major major release then I will venture out into the wild, but really that's what it's like at our multiplex.... people more interested in texting on their mobile phone rather than watch a movie.... people bringing in beer and hurlling torrents of abuse at people.... one of the screens has a hole in it and another has a big coke stain where obviously some disgruntled viewer has thrown a wobbly.

Is it worth it... on the whole not at all but some films still demand either that very large experience or viewing with loads of other eager fans (as long as the neds stay away). In the main I'm camped out in my cinema room and that suffices in the main for me. Pity really as I have always loved the whole cinema experience, not just watching a film on a large screen. It's just that these days that experience is becoming less enjoyable due to the numpties who also attend most screenings.

KH

[doylie1984]

being quite lucky an being near an imax i love watching them on a very big screen it feels more immerse than a normal screen waiting for batman to stop selling out so i can go watch it as that most annoying thing so far only 5 showing's a day. looking forward to wall-e also. when (and a big when) i get my own HD projector I'll probably stop going to watch normal screen films unless there's something i really want to see as with film release 6 months or less now the waits not too long anymore.

so around 19/20 times per year.

[sleepyone]

I also have the cineworld unlimited card so I'm almost there every week, and sometimes go to see films twice like wall.e and TDK.

The youngsters can be annoying though, i actually found my most recent pleasant experiences in going to see Rambo, as it was 18, no young teens who seem intent on texting and talking at random bits during the film.

[mikim]

Point proven!

Went to see 'Dark Knight' this evening at a so called 'recently renovated' multiplex.

• The left surround bank were all out!
• The audio mix was setup by an idiot.. way too much treble & bass and nothing in the middle...
• The picture was out of focus.
• The picture had a full frame judder every second or so.. only slight, but noticeable on still scenes.
• The cinema was like an oven by the end of the movie.

I admit I can be very over critical, but I was not the only one to notice, and in my mind it should be near on prefect considering the cost.

I have complained too many times now to even be bothered tonight
They give you free tickets and an apology... but what good is that when you don't want to go back anyway.

On a positive, the movie was a cracker... looking forward to watching it at home on a decent setup.

[Stinkey]

I used to go every Friday when I was younger. Now that I'm older and my home theater is of better quality than that of the Cinema's I rather wait till it's out on BD

[MI55ION]

Originally Posted by Tejstar

I used to be a serial cinema-goer until I was put off by teenage brats ruining the experience on almost every occasion. I'm not an overly fussy type but when people show a complete disregard for others then that's something I can't put up with.

I share your pain! I used to love going to the cinema until I came of age realising I couldn't stand the brats anymore. After a sustained abstinence I accidentally found a way round it where I could enjoy the cinema again.

Now this may seem a little obvious but I reluctantly went to watch Hanckock after it had been out on general release for over 2 weeks. Anyway, it was a Sunday evening and as we stood in queue for the tickets, I heard the pleasant exchange of words between a few loud and obnoxious vermin deciding on what they were going to watch. They opted for some film I don't remember the name of but what they said prior I do recall and it was like music to my years 'not Hancock, seen it already'. Result! Went inside the screening and there were only about 20 to 30 people all nicely spread out and to sweeten the deal, we got to sit in the sweet spot. So there you go folks, allow the storm to pass in the first few weeks of release and then view at your leisure. Just waiting now to watch Batman.... need the patience of saint but well worth it in the end.

[Louis Reeves]

Well I went to the cinema last night to see 'The Dark Knight' and I had a fantastic experience!

Sound and picture were spot on, and the lack of noisey chavs in the theatre helped too!

It was my first visit in about 12 months, and it has certainly got me in the mood to go again soon.

Fantastic Movie as well, for those of you who haven't seen it yet!!

[Tejstar]

Originally Posted by MI55ION

Now this may seem a little obvious but I reluctantly went to watch Hanckock after it had been out on general release for over 2 weeks. Anyway, it was a Sunday evening and as we stood in queue for the tickets, I heard the pleasant exchange of words between a few loud and obnoxious vermin deciding on what they were going to watch. They opted for some film I don't remember the name of but what they said prior I do recall and it was like music to my years 'not Hancock, seen it already'. Result! Went inside the screening and there were only about 20 to 30 people all nicely spread out and to sweeten the deal, we got to sit in the sweet spot. So there you go folks, allow the storm to pass in the first few weeks of release and then view at your leisure. Just waiting now to watch Batman.... need the patience of saint but well worth it in the end.

Lol - that's partly the reason why I have still yet to see TDK. By the time I do end up going (probably in a fortnight't time) TDK will hopefully be old news to all the inconsiderants out there!

[AgentCool]

As a student I used to go essentially every week. During my peak visiting era (2004) I probably went about 40 to 50 times throughout the year. Nowadays, I probably go about 10 to 20 times a year. I NEVER went on an evening though and still refuse to. The one time that I did (last year to see Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End) the cinema was completely full, loaded with kids and I ended up in the crappiest seat in the house (front row, far right). Sometimes, during my student days when I'd go on a Friday afternoon, there would only be me and my buddies in the cinema!

[AgentCool]

Originally Posted by mikim

Point proven!

Went to see 'Dark Knight' this evening at a so called 'recently renovated' multiplex.

• The left surround bank were all out!
• The audio mix was setup by an idiot.. way too much treble & bass and nothing in the middle...
• The picture was out of focus.
• The picture had a full frame judder every second or so.. only slight, but noticeable on still scenes.
• The cinema was like an oven by the end of the movie.

I admit I can be very over critical, but I was not the only one to notice, and in my mind it should be near on prefect considering the cost.

I have complained too many times now to even be bothered tonight
They give you free tickets and an apology... but what good is that when you don't want to go back anyway.

On a positive, the movie was a cracker... looking forward to watching it at home on a decent setup.

I've always been critical of cinemas but since Vue built "Europe's 1st All-Digital Multiplex" in Hull I've consistently been impressed with the experience. When I went to see TDK on Monday I was sat in the comfy 'Superior' seats located in the surround sweet-spot. The digital projection was flawless and razor sharp and the Dolby Digital surround was awesome with, shock, actual, rib-cage shaking bass! Ok, it wasn't quite as good as my home cinema sound setup but it was light years ahead of any other cinema I've been to.

[SeanT]

Originally Posted by AgentCool

crappiest seat in the house (front row, far right)

Nah, that's front row, centre, like being at a tennis match!!!

[drunkenmaster]

Like most of the posters here, used to go once a week, mosty on the opening night. I think the age of the multiplex has destroyed the cinema experince we all crave for. Now its 3-4 in a year. Now where can I watch The Dark Knight in London or Hertfordshire\Essex with good sound, comfortable seats a near perfect viewing experience and no noisy chomping viewers.

[Romero]

Having bought the Blu-Ray version of Batman Begins and watched the Imax first six minutes of The Dark Knight I was blown away by the quality, so headed off to Vue Cinema here in Dublin, in their main Screen number 1, I went at 10am so and was able to pick the sweet spot in the centre and not have people either side of me, so the ads came on and they were out of focus so I said ok they are just ads, so the main feature starts and its a great movie (not as good as Batman Begins imho) but it was out of focus in a lot of parts the negative was full of marks and scratches and it just took me out of the whole experience and maybe thats why I didn't enjoy it as much, was talking to a m8 who went last night and he found the same issues. The sound was ok, no issues there. My point is that in the age of High Def Cinemas need to step up to the mark and invest in state of the art equipment and get decent staff to run the equipment, apply some quality control, I'm sure in the UK there are decent cinemas, but Vue here in Dublin are extremely poor.

[Badger0-0]

The last film I went to see in the ordinary flicks was "The Mummy returns"

What a disapointment!

Late teenagers smoking dope and making a right racket

I've been to a couple of films since then, but now I always go Gold, as you don't get the idiots.
A bit pricey, but much better.

The only trouble is those Lay-Z boy type chairs are so comfortable, I invariably fall asleep

Seeing as I go so rarely, I voted never.

[raptor99s]

50+ hell yeah but then again i do work there so i suppose i have to really.