• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Is It Time To Let Moviegoers Text Freely During Films?

EatLeadCommie said:
Sometimes you get messages during the movie and you kind of have to respond. I try to hold my phone very low and shield the screen because it's bright. I just text back that I'm at the theater and will text back later.

Still, banning texting would not cause me to shed any tears. Some people just sit there and text during the entire movie. How the fuck are you even taking in what's going on in the movie? And how does it not occur to people that what they are doing is distracting to other patrons? It's like the new talking during movies, only more widespread because people are so oblivious to the distraction that they're causing. They simply think that they're not making any noise so it's ok.
Click to expand...

why do you have to respond to these texts?
 
awakeandready said:
getsome said that when she saw Hunger Games at the Grand they had an announcement in the beginning that anyone with their cell phone out would be asked to leave.That almost made me want to pay the crazy prices of the Grand.
Click to expand...

Awesome
 
yeah, cell phones are awesome but they've totally heightened people's feelings of self-importance (i'm not knocking on ELC, this is a general statement).
Oh, I HAVE to take this call.
Oh, I HAVE to respond to this email/text.

...or what? Unless someone will die as a result of your inability to respond back, there is absolutely nothing THAT important that you can't enjoy a damn movie or wait 5 minutes. I'm not saying I'm immune to this feeling, but it is a little ridiculous when you think about it. It's sad how quick we expect responses knowing that people are basically always 'available' via their phone.
 
PhilliesDeacs said:
Facepalm

Just... ugh... I'm speechless at how fucking retarded people are with their phones - its mostly kids, but its not limited to them by any means. It should be perfectly legal to blast any of the following people in the face:

1. People who use their phone in a movie theater
2. People who walk with their head buried in their phone
3. People who talk on the phone at the gym
4. People who keep checking their phone while you're trying to talk to them
5. People who take their phone out and put it on the table during dinner
Click to expand...

I will sometimes do number 5, but I put it facedown and make it clear that it's to get it out of my pocket, not because I want to use it.
 
DeacDiggler said:
I will sometimes do number 5, but I put it facedown and make it clear that it's to get it out of my pocket, not because I want to use it.
Click to expand...

Yep, w/ a smartphone especially if I'm wearing jeans or something.. I typically keep my phone in my back pocket so it makes sense to take it out when I'm sitting down for a meal.
 
cookoutdeac said:
Yep, w/ a smartphone especially if I'm wearing jeans or something.. I typically keep my phone in my back pocket so it makes sense to take it out when I'm sitting down for a meal.
Click to expand...

Seriously, I have to carry two cell phones (one work and one personal). It's uncomfortable and annoying to have those things in my pocket when I am seated.
 
Demonbeck said:
Seriously, I have to carry two cell phones (one work and one personal). It's uncomfortable and annoying to have those things in my pocket when I am seated.
Click to expand...

I used to have a work cell phone at the Y. It was the worst.
 
Theaters should just make a fold-out on each armrest to make a little hood for texting. No light interference that way. People who text continuously (whether in movies or not) annoy me, but if I were a theater, I wouldn't want to lose the current teenage generation as customers because they don't want to put away their phones.
 
I had no idea this was such a huge issue. I've texted at the theatre on a couple occassions, but always keep it very low/cover it with my hand.
 
Nooooooo.

Movie theaters are the perfect arena to teach kids that there are appropriate times to text and their are times when it is NOT OK. Throw those kids out of the theater with their phones until they realize you can't do that during a movie.

Man, I can't imagine what high school is like anymore. Texting was just becoming a thing when I was a junior/senior and it was already a little unruly; it must be impossible to keep kids' focus in class anymore.
 
I am literally a cell phone addict between texting, tha boards, twitter, imdb, etc., but I am pretty intentional about the movie theater being a sacred space. IMDB is the rare exception I make, because I get so hung up on what else someone was in that it distracts me.
 
I am as guilty as others about paying too much attention to my phone, texting in inappropriate places, etc. but you just don't do it in a theater. I usually turn my phone off in the theater, put it away in my pocket, whatever. I would never even think to go check it during the movie.

I am way guilty of having it out at the table in a restaurant though and honestly, it bothers me that I do that so much. Nothing I do is THAT important. My smartphone has made me much less attentive to the world around me and I think it's even worse for other people.
 
I am against texting in movie theaters. If you need to call/text someone, step outside of the theater. If not missing part of the movie is important to you, then the text or call you were going to make obviously wasn't too important.
 
Manifest Destiny said:
I really like what the Alamo Theatre guy said about manners. Are people just no longer expected to have manners anywhere?
Click to expand...
He's pretty hilarious. They used to play this at the beginning of R-rated movies at the Alamo Drafthouse (and a censored version in front of the G through PG-13 movies)... (very, very NSFW language)

 
All the premovie crap they roll on the screen at Carmike now is all "text here for this" and "text your answer to this trivia here".
 
Deacfreak07 said:
I am literally a cell phone addict between texting, tha boards, twitter, imdb, etc., but I am pretty intentional about the movie theater being a sacred space. IMDB is the rare exception I make, because I get so hung up on what else someone was in that it distracts me.
Click to expand...

Perfect example of something you absolutely don't need to do in the theater. If you're that obsessed with finding out what other movie someone was in, leave and check your phone outside. As soon as you turn your phone on, you're annoying every single person behind and next to you.
 
yeah, 'shielding the screen' is totally ineffective in a dark theater. people behind you can still see it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top