Home (Theater) Sickness

Shizelbs · May 2003

Boy am I pissed as Hell. I just got back from X-Men 2. This, however, is not a review of the movie. It was awesome, nonetheless. This is a **** session. Although I only have an R series HT, and the sound was better in the theater I went to, I left mad as Hell. Here is why:

I go to Washington State University. Its in Pullman, a little cow town. I like it, because everyone is great looking and always in a good mood. Not too many people older than 24 or so. Its a nice little place to go to school. These same people brough all their energy into the movie tonight. It was not welcomed by me.

First of all, I waiting in line for over an hour. Fine. I expected that. College students seem to like to cut in line. A lot. That I was not fine with. Get your butt to the end of the line. Simple as that. Not that hard. Gosh!

Then we get in there, and every dang person has to get the biggest dang thing of popcorn and a small barrel of soda. This monstrosity of soda, by the way, invariably leads to everyone getting up at least twice in the movie to relieve themselves. I swear at one point, there were more people in the mens' room than watching the movie. Unacceptable. You would think with most of them half drunk anyways, no one would really be all that thirsty. Anyways, the biggest problem with it all, is that it takes freaking forever for them to be served. So, after over an hour of waiting outside, I have to wait for a bunch of numbnuts to get more calories. Heaven forbid they have to wait three hours or so before their next feeding. Geez!

Now, college students aren't reknowned for extreme maturity. Thats fine by me. I was like that as a freshman, sophomore and junior. I am a little bit better now. That is no excuse for hitting me in the face with a water gun. If you are too drunk to hit your ugly friend with all your water, then put the damned gun down. I about stood up and ripped it from his callosed little hands. Grrrr!

Finally, the movie starts. Typically, when the lights dim, MOUTHS CLOSE! No, not today. Not for the four people in front of me, and the two directly behind my ears. Just them. Thats it. They talked through the whole stupid movie. The girl of the couple behind me hadn't seen the first X-Men. Naturally, she needs to know who all the mutants are. So, does she bone up on it beforehand? Hell no! She asks lover boy the whole bloody history of the comic book throughout the movie. It was like having the director's naration in the DVD menu. You know the one; the feature that never gets used. The worst of the talking came right before the scene that was, literally, referred to as, "the best scene in the movie." How do I know it was the best scene? Because I heard; "I heard this was the best scene in the movie." Not only did I hear more damned voices from Hell, but their timing could not have been better. This was not a comment, but rather a warning of the scene to come. Thanks for the warning Mr. Spoilitforme. Dangit!

Okay, this rant is almost over. I saved the worst for last. Had you seen this movie with me, you would have sworn it was a comedy. A really good comedy. Maybe the best comedy you have ever seen. Why do I say this? Cause the herd of morons watching the movie laughed their butt off at everything. EVERYTHING! Stuff that clearly wasn't funny. It was so annoying. Someone gets killed = laughter. Someone blows something up = laughter. I would be more specific, but I want not to spoil the movie for anyone reading. As though you have read this far.

I am done. Thanks for letting me rant. I have never left a movie so angry. Its a shame, because I thought it was great, despite all the distractions. In the end, I have a newfound appreciation for the home theater I already loved. The only laughter I will hear for a long time during a movie shall be my own.

Dr. Spec · May 2003

HOME THEATER ALL THE WAY. Going to the movies SUCKS. THE PQ is worse, the sound is WAY worse, and the crowds blow.

Eff the movies - if they came out with DVDs the same time the movie was released, I'd never go again.

Doc

rs159 · May 2003

Originally posted by Dr. Spec
... the sound is WAY worse, ...
Doc

Just some things I noticed about "theater" type sound.

-The subs are crossed -very- high. I'd say around 120.

-Sometimes it's OK at lower volumes, but when things get exiting, everything collapses into the midrange and deep bass. Whatever bass the mains were putting out goes to hell, along with the highs. Oh my God, the highs - SCREECH! SCRATCH! "OUCH!"

-No regards to voice matching. It's not like a good HT where all the speakers are the same or at least the same line. For some of us mixing RTiXX and RTXXi is unthinkable, but in a theater, screw it to hell - Jensen center, MTX mains, BOSE! surrounds, eek.

-Bass has no dimension, it just rumbles every now and then. Every time there is supposed to be a "PUNCH", all you hear is "Grrrr...." Probably due to the fact that theater owners think they have to have 4 25 inch subs in 6th frickin order bandpass boxes "because it's louder". But 8 15 inch subs in regular old vented boxes would impress me a lot more. And you?

-Some of the seats are way too close to the front, back, and walls. It either hurts your neck, makes the soundstage more like a sound pedistal, or puts you about 80 degrees off axis from one of the surround arrays.

I know not all theaters are like this, but it's the general way things are.

Back on topic - crowds suck. It also sucks when you get the call of the wild and the best part is coming up. It also sucks when you don't want to annoy anybody and you have to try to not crunch your candy/popcorn too loud (I've pretty much screwed popcorn and graduated to twizlers and the like because it's a "quieter" candy when I do decide to venture into a theater) It also sucks when you actually do get a good seat and then some **** who looks like she's stuck in the 80s sits in front of you. What's even ruder is when they do it to *little kids*.

I'm done bitching now.

ChrisDurano · May 2003

That sux ****.

I didn't plan on watching this in the theater, except my wife wants to watch it (she can't wait for the DVD release). When we do go though, it won't be anything less than a THX certified theater. Thats the only time we'll watch a movie. I plan on doing this w/ the Matrix too. I'll probably wait a month too, that way it won't get too crowded.

dorokusai · May 2003

That irritates the **** out of me when people talk during the movie :supermad:

avelanchefan · May 2003

Man Shizelbs that bites. I am sure you feel you did not get your money's worth even with your student discount.

BTW- I have been to the Wazzu campus before. It's a beautiful area, and like you said everyone is friendly. Made me want to go back someday.

Shizelbs · May 2003

Student discount my nuts.

kberg · May 2003

Originally posted by Dr. Spec
HOME THEATER ALL THE WAY. Going to the movies SUCKS.
Eff the movies - if they came out with DVDs the same time the movie was released, I'd never go again.

Doc

I couldn't agree more, Doc!

Shizelbs, I feel for ya. Ya know, everytime anybody anywhere says or does anything STUPID, I'm reminded of Jack Nicholson's line in "A Few Good Men", which is...

"You ****' people."

...which is sometimes my verbal reaction to those offending me in the same manner you were. Eight bucks or more for that crapola you went through? Not for me, either!

I'm really cutting down on going to the theater and instead waiting 6 months or so until I can put half of that money to the rental and half to the purchase, or maybe all to the purchase if my crystal ball says I'll like the movie without renting it first.

MxStYlEpOlKmAn · May 2003

We have a good theatre down here, sounds awesome, look awesome, is awesome. DEEP bass, and good mids, and good highs. Its an awesome theatre...lol

goingganzo · May 2003

the last mivie i went to see was k19 and 20 min in the theater lost power thank god. the highs were screachy and there was no low end. this was at a amc theater. there is 1 movie i just might go and see is matrix maybe. depends if they release both befor x mas i might not. and just down load it off the web.

ChrisDurano · May 2003

Oh......btw ****....how bout Coach Price eh?

From a former Husky.....you just gottal luv that crap.

Shizelbs · May 2003

Coach Price got what he deserved. He was warned before he left for the golf tournament not to screw around. I guess its a good thing there are no strip clubs anywhere near Pullman.

As for the UW, they can suck it. NewWeasel, yes, he too can suck it. I really don't like the UW at all.

scottvamp · May 2003

Nothing but HT for me. For half the price - you can OWN the DVD. Now that I just went to 7 channels with 1400watts - I can hit reference levels and I can not be happier.
Watched Blade II again last night and my HT has hit its peak.
Shizelbs - I feel your pain - no wait I don't.
And people are confused when I don't go to the movies.

goingganzo · May 2003

yeah the dance club sene in blede 2 is sweet makes feel like i was at another rave.

danger boy · May 2003

I saw X-Men 2 this weekend too. it's a good movie.. i liked it. and i'm not even that big of a fan of X-men.

While i didn't have the bad experiences that Shiezlbs had, it could have been better too.

One small 2 year old little girl was talking and doing 2 yr old little girl noises. I like kids... really I do.. just not in a movie theater where the movie is aimed at adults. Please leave your small children at home with the baby sitter. thanks.

The sound was only so so. rs159 is right.. the system lacked bass. I seriously get more bass out of mr PSW350 and RT1000i's. The only thing it had me beat on was the theater had about 12 speakers placed around the room. So surround was nice. but bass was lacking.