"Excessive Previews" while at the Movie Theater

[Rusty Heap]

I see about 1 movie a year going to a Theater and only if it's a blockbuster and in IMAX or other premium viewing. Last one was Avatar 2.



Me and Higgins went and saw DUNE 2 last night.



We even showed up 10 minutes late to the 3 pm showing knowing there would be much filler in the Meatloaf before the actual movie.



TWENTY MINUTES LATER the Movie finally started.



So for frequent Theater Patrons, is 30 minutes of preview the norm now?


And ALL the movies "coming soon" were either total crap or a tired looking Sequel lacking any original content.


I still remember when they'd play a 2-3 minute cartoon before the main show........

[GH85Carrera]

We occasionally goo to a local theater that is a Filx Brewhouse. Electric reclining seats, and we only get popcorn, but they have full meals. I push a button with about 40 minutes left in the movie and they bring me a beer brewed right on premises.

They have a lots of previews. When they start is my cue to go empty my bladder, and get back in plenty of time for thee movie. Oppenheimer was a real bladder tester.

[Evans, Marv]

We go to a movie maybe once a month. My wife is always anxious about getting there on time to see the previews. Me not so much as almost all of them are a waste of time.

[David]

We don't go much either and saw Dune last week. It's all assigned seating now so apparently the regulars know to show up 30 minutes late. My wife wanted to move closer to the middle but I told her I bet the seats are taken and sure enough right before the movie started they sat down.

[Steve Carlton]

If it's a movie where a good portion of the seats get filled, I'll reserve one through Fandango and usually show up 20 minutes late to skip the previews. I hate seeing a great one with a far away opening date like "Christmas 2024" or "Summer 2025."

[Icemaster]

Reserved seats are the best. We arrive showtime +20 minutes and have never once missed the opening credits.

I had a brief hope reserved seats would have been the death of previews and concessions adds.

[URY914]

This coming from someone that says wag more, bark less. LOL!

[GH85Carrera]

We buy our tickets on line, and pick the seats then. When we sit down the waiter or waitress will approach us, and call us by name, so they know we are in the right seat. They bring the drinks and popcorn and I write down my beer order for them to bring when the movie is 40 minutes before the end.

[A930Rocket]

We rarely go to the movies now, but when we do we get in seats halfway up. Ms Rocket is a stickler for being on time, which means early. So not only do we see all the previews, we have to wait for the previews… 🤪

[Cairo94507]

We do not go to the theatre to see movies anymore. I grew tired of all of the "children" taking selfies and filming and talking during the movies.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

As someone who sees at least 1 movie a week, every week, I love the previews. One, just enjoy them, two, good time to get snacks (the food at AMC is shockingly good for theater food, and cheap compared to popcorn), three, running late is never an issue.

Love assigned seats. Have sat in M17 in the IMAX theater at least 60 times in the last 3 years. And have a screenshot for each of 18 theaters with best seats noted. Life is to short to sit in D4 in any theater.

[rcooled]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

And ALL the movies "coming soon" were either total crap or a tired looking Sequel...

And annoyingly, the previews always seem to be somewhat louder than the main feature too.

It always makes me think, Who's putting up the money to make this junk?. And even more puzzling, Who's actually going to see it?

Apparently, the general public is quite easily amused...

[Zeke]

I have been to one movie where seats were assigned. I'd never heard of that nor buying tickets online like a concert. I didn't pick the seats. There were 4 of us. The seats were too close for an Imax. I looked around to all the empty seats further back (and most never did fill up). But because of the assigned seating the other 3 did not want get up and move.

Never went back and never will. But you have to understand that is NOT my main complaint but it seals the deal. My main complaint is the volume. I have to use ear plugs. What's the point in that?

At home I can watch at my level, pause to make a snack or pee. And it's cheaper.

Add that up and I won't even think about a theater.

[porsche tech]

^^^
Agreed, the sound is WAY too loud. We very seldom go either, as we both feel 90% of the movies now days are trash. Occasionally there is a good one and I can tolerate the previews (and verify there’s nothing I want to see) but the advertisements are insufferable. Pay good money to be bombarded with loud commercials? No thanks.

[rcooled]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

So not only do we see all the previews, we have to wait for the previews.

In some theaters around here, they run dopey home-made ads for local restaurants and businesses before the previews begin. Because of this, I always get to the theater around 20min past the advertised start time.

Originally Posted by Zeke

But because of the assigned seating the other 3 did not want get up and move.

Assigned seats can be a blessing or a curse. I don't care for this myself...rather just pick my seat when I get inside. That way, I don't wind up sitting behind some tall person with big hair, or near people who won't STFU during the film.

[Jeff Higgins]

Yup, way, WAY too loud, especially the previews. They were noticeably louder than the movie itself. And that rapid fire, machine gun editing of the scenes throughout every preview - I was barely able to register what I was seeing on the screen before the scene changed entirely. A 60 second preview with 100 scene changes. Very disorienting. Very annoying. In the future, I'll have to cut it much closer to "showtime", and maybe look in from the door while the opening credits start to roll. As long as those now run, that gives plenty of time to find one's seat.

[berettafan]

Agree previews are out of hand. Rarely go but wife wants to be on time and I want to arrive post previews.

[flatbutt]

I'm old and my ears show it so I bring ear plugs when I go to a movie.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I thought when you get old you can't hear so loud theater sound would be beneficial. No?

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

I thought when you get old you can't hear so loud theater sound would be beneficial. No?

It's a combination of what Jeff and Flatbutt are saying - at least to me. High volumes (and as many explosions as can be packed into the trailer, of course,) and a million jump cuts that my brain can't process fast enough, means the whole experience is just one big ol' earschplittinloudenboomer that goes on and on until the feature finally starts.

Earplugs a must. Hollywood is not catering to my demographic, and I'm OK with that, but it just means that I pick and choose my films carefully.