Checked out this tiny independent cinema downtown last Saturday and they made everyone put phones in those locked pouches. I actually forgot how nice it is to watch a movie without someone's screen lighting up. Has anyone else been to a place that does that, or do you think it's too much?
I've gone to maybe 40 films at the Alamo Drafthouse near me. Every time someone rolls in 15 minutes before showtime and says they were "just in case" early. That's not early, that's late. Trailers are already running by then. You're walking in front of people, asking about recliner buttons, missing the first scene. I know previews vary, but 20 minutes is the cutoff. After that, you're disrupting a whole row. Why do folks treat arrival time like it's a suggestion? Has anyone else had a near-full theater where latecomers ruined the opening? I'd rather sit through extra ads than lose the setup to a movie I paid $17 to see.
I was running the projector for our monthly film club in Portland and the DVD froze right at the emotional climax, about 20 people watching. I fumbled with the remote for a solid minute before I just turned it off, apologized, and suggested we pause for snacks while I rebooted the player. Has anyone else had a tech glitch during a viewing night, and how did you keep the crowd from getting restless?