Movie theater pet peeve

My wife and I are in the theater. We always watch previews. Why are there commercials for IMAX on the screen when we are watching an IMAX movie? Couldn't the advertising production costs be better spent, such as donating to a charity? Something? It just seems as though these ads are preaching to the choir.

Of course, you're probably not watching an IMAX movie, but a slightly bigger screen, moved slightly closer to the audience, with a bigger subwoofer. Real IMAX is on an eight-story high, square screen.

The only time I've seen one of these LieMAX shows is when the regular screening was sold out. It was a waste of five extra dollars.

We do have two real IMAX theaters in Atlanta. Fernbank does the nature documentary thing on an old school IMAX. Mall of Georgia up in Buford also has a real IMAX format setup, where they show current run movies. And it is pretty damned impressive on the right movie.

I've actually been spared the baby IMAX screens.

My movie theatre pet peeve is when some lunatic comes in shooting everybody. That really grinds my gears. Worse than people that open their smartphones in the middle of the movie even.

Yeah, those IMAX ads are bogus. The ones up here (in Canadia) are really antiquated too when they play. It's like a laser show. SO LAME. You're right that it makes zero sense. IMAX has been fighting for sometime to become relevant and the next big thing. They must be pissed to see 3D get popular over them. I remember seeing Dark Knight in IMAX and it was unreal. U2 3D was great too on IMAX.

I think an IMAX movie even made my top ten one year a few years back. I can't remember what it was. I think it was something under the ocean? Ah yes, Under the Sea 3D in 2009. My 8th favourite of the year (beating Star Trek which caused a ruckus).

There's a map floating around the internet somewhere showing which IMAX theatres are real and which are still crappy tiny ones. I agree that the smaller ones are a terrible waste of money.

I saw Dark Knight on what's listed as an IMAX 1570(+dig) screen on the map. Woop. When I get out to see Rises I'll go to the same one.

It was pretty cool, but weird to have the aspect ratio flopping around between scenes. The tall building scenes in Hong Kong were the only ones that really stuck with me, those were awesome.

I also saw Apocalypse Now Redux when it was touring on the IMAX screen in San Francisco. I think I lost 1d10+3 Sanity.

what REALLY drives me crazy is when they show a preview for the movie I'M ABOUT TO SEE! More common is an add for the soundtrack from the film which features scenes from the movie I'M ABOUT TO SEE. Are you freakin' kidding me?!?

I hate stupid slow people in the ticket line. Asking the stupidest fucking questions to some 17 year old girl at the booth who doesn't have a clue.

"WHAT'S IT ABOUT?" Are you fucking kidding me? I was dumbfounded. "Oh well, what's THAT ONE about?" GET OUT OF THE LINE STUPID BITCH. The poor ticket girl has to now ask her co-worker and now the other line is held up. This happened on two consecutive visits!

Then there was this lady who, after asking plenty of stupid questions and then making everybody wait for their family discussion over what ticket to buy, asked:
"DO I HAVE TO WEAR THESE THE WHOLE TIME??" Yes, you have to wear the goddamn 3d glasses for the 3d movie tickets you just bought you stupid fucking cow.

I went to go see The Dark Knight Rises. Stated showtime: 7:30.

After TWENTY FOUR minutes of previews, commercials, announcements, etc it finally fucking started at 7:54.

And theaters wonder why attendance is declining.

Previews I don't mind but there were like 9 of 'em. A bit much and mostly garbage too. But the commercials... those make me grit my teeth. I HATE commercials and I shouldn't have to watch them at a film I paid for. TV I can understand but movies? No.

Bummer that you got bad trailers, Hex. Our showing had the Hobbit and Man of Steel, both of which look amazing. I fully agree about commercials though, those really grind my gears. Anyone else bothered by the AMC/Coke commercial where the 3 kids are watching a movie and it's suddenly like a forest, and all of the other moviegoers are just buried but the kids don't seem to care?

Pre-post edit: Sweet, found a link:

I hate when the person next to me busts out their iPhone and starts texting, RIGHT NEXT TO ME. So distracting. I actually had to tell this lady once to please put her damn phone away, we all paid to see this movie and you are very distracting.

you're lucky she was beside you. It happens to me when they're a few rows up but I still can't help but stare at the bright beautiful dead lights....it's so annoying. I can't tell them to put it away cuz I'm so far away.

Chris, that,s a good point about that ad. I'm gonna yell at the screen next time it happens, "EVERYONE AROUND YOU HAS DIED! GET OUT OF THERE!"

Black Barney wrote: you're lucky she was beside you. It happens to me when they're a few rows up but I still can't help but stare at the bright beautiful dead lights....it's so annoying. I can't tell them to put it away cuz I'm so far away.

Gollum wrote: Don't follow the lights!