Do you make a date of it or a night at home?

[Feraud]

Just the other night I lit candles everywhere and watched a movie called "The Devil's Backbone". Freaky!! I'll be posting a synopsis one of these days.

Good movie!!


As for the Mrs. and I, we tend to do a little of both. I have a Netflix account and always have a movie in house. I enjoy sitting with her and watching a film. We can pause the dvd to discuss a scene, joke out loud about something or make snack runs to the kitchen.
There are the films we have to see when they are released. When going out we try to catch the first showing to not have to sit with the "weekend crowd". Film choice is important too. There is definitely a different audience for a film like Brick as opposed to Big Momma's House II! :eusa_doh:
I'll stick my nose in the air and avoid the latter, thank you.

 

[jake_fink]

When was the last time anyone got to see Chinatown on the big screen?

I used to love seeing movies on the big screen and used video only to catch up on the hard to see stuff, or because I had to see something for a paper or an article that wasn't playing anymore (or yet). The print of Chinatown I used to see was the SAME PRINT from some time in the 80s until the last time I tried to watch it. The colour and sound had deteriorated so badly I had to leave. It was like watching a film they'd just scrubbed the candy counter with!

The reps in my town used to show great films, and oddball movies as well - silents, thirties/forties programmers, hard to see classics like The Great Gabbo and The King of Jazz - but now they stick to rinky-dink "festivals" and second run rubbish. Apparently the rise of video (and Ted Turner) made it more and more difficult to source copies of older films and so the reps, with their limited budgets, moved toward the easier to find but less interesting fare.

Toronto has pulled down pretty well every old cinema of note. This used to be a great town for seeing a movie, but no more. It's all Silver Cities and Paramount Playdiums, giant over-heated-in-winter, over-cooled-in-summer boxes annexed around a big, greasy, stinking foodcourt. Just awful.

We still have the Cinematheque at the art gallery and the evergreen Reg Hartt (http://bvio.ngic.re.kr/Biowiki-2.0/index.php/Reg_Hartt), without whom I might never had the pleasure of seeing great prints of great films in bars. I used to see Orpheus everytime he showed it, and I loved his Sex and Violence Cartoon Festival - all uncensored Warner cartoons with a few Fleischers thrown in for good measure. But due to some kind of legal something or other Reg now shows his films in his "theatre" which is actually his living room, and he can be a bit... um... intense. So not a date place.

The upshot is that I'd rather be watching movies at a cinema, but the cinemas don't seem to want customers like me... and with a 16 month old whipper-snapper on the scene, my wife and I don't get out so much. So thank goodness for dvd!

 

[Doctor Strange]

What I really like to do is pull out my 16mm Bell & Howell and project actual *film* at home! I've got classic stuff - a couple of features, some Buster Keaton shorts, lots of 30s-50s cartoons. I only manage this a couple of times a year, but you still can't beat a projected film image!

I occassionally see new films in theaters with my kids, typically for event films (King Kong was the last, X-Men 3 will be the next), and I belong to a subscription cinema club that screens a half-dozen not-yet-released independent and foreign films each spring and fall on Sunday mornings. This allows me to see more offbeat stuff, which is sometimes very good (e.g., the recently opened Indian film "Water".)

And yeah, I catch up with other films on VHS and DVD (and cable) too...

 

[jake_fink]

(e.g., the recently opened Indian film "Water".)

Ahem... the recently opened Canadian film, "Water".

 

[Doctor Strange]

It may have Canadian money behind it, but it's in the Hindi language, was written/directed by a well-known Indian director, and takes place in India in 1938. While it may technically be a Canadian film, it seemed awfully Indian to me...

 

[jake_fink]

While it may technically be a Canadian film, it seemed awfully Indian to me...

Me too. But ain't that Canada for you.

Deepha Mehta was born in India, but her entire professional life has been in Canada (except, I think for one or two jobs in the US, like the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles). I think she calls herself a Canadian director.

Anyway.... Did you like it?

 

[matei]

It has to be an exceptional film to see in the cinema... either that, or a real special-effects laden, over the top type that you can only enjoy on the big screen.

We've got a decent media setup at home (large tv, surround sound, hooked into a "media centre" type PC), and we usually prefer to watch our films there. That way we don't have to put up with annoying gits who talk, crumple wrappers or forget to turn their mobiles off!

I'm also the official popcorn maker. My popcorn is waaaay better than what they serve in the cinema nowadays. Plus, I use real butter!

 

[Big Man]

Movies and dating ...

Oh yes, I remember back when I was dating (that would be in the early 1970's) the movie theater was a good place to take a date for one reason - it was dark.

Of course now that I have children of my own (one being a 17 year-old daughter), I think watching a movie at home with the family is a much better idea.

 

[Pilgrim]

Depends on the movie. Films like the Lord of the Rings deserve to be seen in a theater. However, since we have a 53" big screen and surround system downstairs, it's a pretty good way to watch at home!

 

[Doctor Strange]

Jake - Yes, I liked "Water" a lot. Very well done in every regard, and quite moving. Excellent acting, nice evocation of the time/place. Definitely one of the best foreign/indies I've seen recently.

And I didn't realize that the director primarily worked in Canada - even the introductory remarks made at the screening referred to her as an Indian director...

Goes to show, you don't ever know!

 

[Magus]

I agree with the thought of "It has to be an exceptional film to see in the cinema... " We rent those that don't pass the muster.


Beyond that...I feel rather strongly that Movie attendance is not a date, nor should it be considered one...no conversation...no interaction...just sitting in a room with lots of strangers for two hours. Movies "dates" are for young people who don't know how to actually engage another human in something interesting enough to occupy an evening....or are afraid to. With that said, do my wife and I go to the movies together? Sure...but we are there to see the movie...not each other.

Not "flaming" the author of the thread as each of us have our own ideas. Just stating my thoughts on the matter.

M

 

[flat-top]

This theater is like 10 mins from my house, but I've never been there! I've gotta make a point to finally go!

Galaxy Lafayette Theatre
Suffern, N.Y.

This theater, "which just celebrated its 80th anniversary restored and renovated, is in many ways better than ever. Operated by Galaxy Theatres with first-run offerings, it gets raves for its Big Screen Classics on Saturday mornings, which include a pre-show Mighty Wurlitzer organ concert — all for a mere $6." 845-369-8234; galaxy-movie-theatre.com/suffern.

 

[mysterygal]

as far as going to a movie theatre for a date....that should wait awhile..there's really very little chance of getting to know the person right next to you by going there. For me, I could care less if it's something like Star Wars or some mundane movie..sometimes it's good to get out of the house and watch something on the big screen...though I do agree there are some movies that must be watch on the big screen to get the full effect.

 

[Magus]

as far as going to a movie theatre for a date....that should wait awhile..there's really very little chance of getting to know the person right next to you by going there. For me, I could care less if it's something like Star Wars or some mundane movie..sometimes it's good to get out of the house and watch something on the big screen...though I do agree there are some movies that must be watch on the big screen to get the full effect.

...and sometimes the cinamaphotography is better than the content. "Far and Away" an ok movie....WONDERFUL camara work and settings.

M

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Some movies deserve to be seen on the big screen.

If this were a perfect world, then every movie theater would have an IMAX screen. Here in L.A., we have several that show first-run films. I saw Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and V for Vendetta on IMAX screens. WOW!!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

You might as well be going alone if you go with a strange girl, and I don't go to movies alone.

Why don't you ever go to movies alone?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Three good things about living in Los Angeles:


-- its downtown movie palaces (the "Los Angeles" and the "Orpheum", which sometimes show classic films).

-- its proximity to Catalina Island and the beautiful "Avalon" theater (right underneath the 1920s Avalon Casino).

-- its extraordinary "Silent Movie Theatre", which has shown only silent films since 1942. If you're ever in L.A., you must visit: http://www.silentmovietheatre.com/

 

[Wild Root]

Marc is right! LA has some great theaters here from the golden past, I’ve been in a few of them and will attest to them being worth the experience!

Now, when it comes to asking a young lady to the movies… I don’t! I don’t invite some one over on a first date either… just not the way to impress a young lady. I’m a firm believer that the perfect way to make a girl (and the guy) feel uncomfortable is to go to the movies on a first date. I mean, you’re sitting there, not talking and wondering what to do… ah, so un fair to both parties. For a first date, I tend to take a lady to a restaurant and find something to do away from the house. My first date with a young lady I’m seeing now started out nice! I invited her to attend the Lost Treasures of the 1920’s and we enjoyed a great night of music! The second date went very well, she was in the area and met me up at my place and we drove to a nice eatery, then took a nice relaxing drive in the old car. We just talked and talked and TALKED! Talking is something I enjoy very much! Getting to know that person you’re with is very important!

After the third date or so, we hang out and watch movies at my place or hers. I’ve not been to the theater in a long time because, there’s nothing I want to see! But, I’m sure if there was something good out, we’d make the trek to the movie house. Other then that, it’s way nicer to kick it on the Chesterfield enjoying a bottle of fine Dr. Pepper (Original formula) or Peach NEHI and just being comfortable with the girl

=WR=

 

[Rosie]

Like a lot of you have said

It's gotta be a heck of a movie for me to go to a theater. The last time I went to the theater was for the Lord of the Rings Movies, unless I REALLY want to see something, I wait the two - three months it takes for it to be released on DVD. Besides, most of the movies I watch come on TCM and since I haven't seen a lot of them, they're new to me. Besides, nothing beats curling up on the couch or in bed and watching a great movie. Plus, I can't brig myself to spend 15 bucks on popcorn ad soda

 

[mysterygal]

the cost of snacks and pop at movie theaters is a joke! There's a new theater in town that you can actually sit at a table, eat a meal while watching something on the big screen.