I generally make it a habit to never go to the major chain theaters (Edwards, AMC, Kirkorian) and if I do, never on a weekend and never during the evening. Weekend and evening shows at the major chains are always plagued with stupid teens that cannot control their ADHD and general idiots that make for a bad movie going experience for sure. Matinee's however, generally seem to be the elderly crowds and I have yet to have a bad viewing during a movie shown before 1pm.

Outside of major chains, I try to stick to arthouses, indie theaters, places that generally dont have pre-teens and Madagascar 2 playing at them. You get better films, smarter people and moviegoers who are there to see and appreciate a movie not hook-up or text their friends.

Back in the early 1990s, I lived in Brooklyn, NY and took a train out to some school? on Long Island to see The Abyss: Director's Cut only to have to listen to some jerk say, "that's new!" every time some added footage appeared onscreen. Argh!!!

However, around that same time period, some group was showing Godfather I & II on the Upper West Side. I believe the seating was folding chairs, and the screen was a pull down, but of sufficient size. The films were being shown in 35mm and I only came to see Part II. When I got there, an older gentleman who bought a ticket for the double feature gave me his ticket (shocking!) since he wasn't staying for the second film. The kindness of strangers (in New York, would ya believe). Anyway, well worth seeing on a screen even in mono and only 1.85AR. Also saw Seven Samurai at that place during the same festival. Not even the uncomfortable seats bothered me.

I have to agree with Tim, that if I had a house not an apartment, and the money for a new TV and surround set-up, sure I'd stay home more. But some films I'd still insist on seeing in the theater — like I went out of my way to see Dark Knight in IMAX.

Re: the live theater comparison. I went to see Inherit the Wind on Broadway a few years ago, partly because George C. Scott was playing the lead. Unfortunately, the day I went, he was ill and Tony Randall was filling in (Charles Durning was the co-star). Not quite what I had planned, but still an entertaining afternoon at the theater.

However, there a many movies that I prefer to watch on my nice Samsung 42" TV. Most of the Oscar hopefuls (with the exception of Wall-E & The Dark Knight) were enjoyed right from the privacy of my home theater. Gran Torino, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, all of these films are "small" enough that, even if given a choice, I would prefer to watch them from the comfort of my couch.

Have I had bad theater experiences? Yes. But, come to think of it, I've had plenty of bad "movie nights" at my house. There is always someone that gets bored and starts chatting with the person next to them and then starts asking stupid questions. Nothing, so far or in the foreseeable future, will replace the thrill and experience of the Movie Theater – may its gum-coated floors live on!!

But for the most part I find my cinema experiences quite painless. Living in Charlotte, I have a huge variety of movie theaters to choose from, and there's only two theaters I avoid. The rest are clean, attractive, and have good audiences.

Lol, but there was this one time when I went to see "Beowulf" in its sixth or seventh week, and I went with a few people from my English class (for an extra credit report), and we were THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE THEATER!! It was so great! I've never had more fun laughing and talking through a movie in my life! And "Beowulf" was the kind of movie that desperately needed a running audience commentary, because it was sort of lame.

Another story. I went to see "King Kong" a few years ago in theaters. In front of me sat this dad with his two young girls. And one girl was crying–but not in an annoying way. She was crying at the movie, poor thing! When Kong gets chloroformed and tied up, and then when he dies, the girl was just sobbing! She was heartbroken! It was so cute in a sad sort of way, and I just wanted to get up and give her a hug! :D

Of course the loud talkers, drunks, 'thug's, are all bad as well. But since most of our theaters here are stadium seated, it helps with being able to see the screen without people's heads in the way. Plus, I'm not all that bothered by texting to be honest. Something about stadium seating where my attention is straight forward, while people texting would be below me, and not really bothersome.

Despite all the problems, I also have to say that going to a theater is the best experience. I'm also too broke to afford the horribly expensive HD and sound system crap, but even if I could afford it, there's still something great about the theater, especially when it goes completely right. Thankfully I haven't had a bad experience lately. The last bad one would be the second time I saw TDK, and two people were laughing way too much and way too long at how "F'ed Up Harvey Dent looked" when we first saw him as Two-Face. But again, that was the only gripe of this past year for me.

We tried again at the same time two nights later. Two rows behind us a group of three 40-50 year-olds were whispering loudly through the entire show. My brother kindly Shhhh'd them about an hour into the film; they kept going. During the end sequence, when you should be paying attention if you came to actually watch the movie, my brother gave them a much more harsh Shhhh, which they predictably ignored. As soon as the credits came up they began shouting at him, "If you want a quiet theater, next time rent the whole dang thing for yourself!" to which he replied, "I paid ten dollars! I shouldn't have to listen to you talk the whole time." They shouted that because they also paid ten dollars, that gave them the right to talk all they wanted. These people actually defended talking in the theater. It was appalling, and not the only shouting match we've been in in the last few months, the other involving a group of guys who thought Burn After Reading would be enhanced by bringing a six-pack of beer and having a burping contest during the film.

I also completely agree with the comment about loud candy. Someone needs to come up with a quiet bag, or at least tell anyone purchasing candy that they should just open the bag quickly instead of trying to do it discreetly, thus prolonging the whole thing and sharing every tiny crinkle of the damn bag with the rest of the people in the theater, though I do appreciate those folks' good intentions.

I've been pretty lucky, especially at "The Dark Knight" midnight premiere. Deathly quiet. However, my two worst experiences were movies I loved anyway. At "Juno", there was this guy whose laugh was the most annoying thing in the world. I felt kinda bad because people were rolling their eyes at him, even though he can't control it. But it was still annoying. The worst though was "Cloverfield". There was this row of 7th graders (how do I know their age? You can tell with 7th graders) behind me and my friends and they would not shut up. They were the kind of people under the impression that their commentary was far more interesting than the film. I wanted to punch them in the face. Why come to an opening night of a film and pay 10 dollars just to talk? I don't get it.

Beyond that though, I'm lucky and glad for it. It's kind of weird, but I think "Milk" was my favorite movie-going experience of the year. It wasn't my favorite movie (it was in my top 10), but there were so many little things that I remember that made the film more of a memory for me than if I had watched it at home.
1)The floor was so slippery, there was zero friction.
2) Me and my completely tolerant friends were amused (and frankly thought it was cool) that there was a black guy in the theater, and I mean stereotypical black guy. Saggy jeans, do-rag, hoodie. And he went to see "Milk". Perfect don't judge a book moment.
3) Everybody in the theater looked squemishly at their friends when Franco and Penn first kissed. It was funny, because what did they think this movie was about?

When we saw The Dark Knight in IMAX, the picture was grainy, the screen wasn't even all that big, and there were flies crawling on the projector. We had been all excited that an IMAX theatre opened closer to home, but have since told all our friends to avoid that place, it was awful. Plus, we had to listen to a pitch from the theatre owner before the movie about their upcoming IMAX movies and their adult lounge and stuff. So while annoying patrons are the worst, they're not the only thing that can make seeing a movie in theatres unbearable…

I'm sure my friends and I were annoying in theaters back when we were teens, so I guess part of it is payback.

And speaking on the quality of enjoyment in theatres, I haven't had many bad experiences either. Sometimes, like when watching Juno, it's a tad embarassing when I'm the only person in the theatre who laughs. But then I realise that it should be every other person in the theatre with a stick up their bum who are embarassed for not catching the joke. That's right.

And living in NZ, some movies I would love to see in theatres don't even make it to our shores. Not even for the fancy little theatres that show indie films. That's my main problem.

Does have it's drawback's sometime's the movie get's pulled before I get a chance to see it making me have to travel to see it on the big screen or not at all. Being in your kind of work guess you don't have the luxury to wait and see it.

Thankfully, the publicist had security get the guy out immediately, but what was so shocking to me, wasn't the guy per se, but the PARENTS. While their kids actually had the good sense to boo the guy (it was kind of cute), many of the parents yelled obscenities and threats right back at him as he was leaving the theater, egging him on even more. It was totally surreal and more than a bit distasteful on all fronts.

Listen, I can't imagine ever NOT going to the theater and seeing a film. I don't care what kind of movie it is (big or small, epic or indie), the theatrical experience is why it is I do what I do, but the simple fact is going to these screenings are becoming something of a chore, and every time a cell phone lights up with a text message and the person starts typing away I've never wanted to smack a person more in my entire life – and I'm not violent in the slightest!

I had one experience while watching Chronicles of Narnia. Two girls behind me that wouldnt stop talking through the whole movie. When I "Shh'd" them, they got an attitude like "how dare I tell them anything" and got worse. I eventually had to turn around and in my regular tone of voice told them both to shut the hell up or get the fuck out. Even got a little applause from the people around me.

Tolerance is commendable, but sometimes a situation just calls for blunt force trauma.