OK, I have my little 61" RPTV and Axiom HT setup....which is why my wife and I havent gone to the theatre for a couple years until last night when we saw the Indiana Jones movie at the theatre.

Stood in line for 15 min to use the automated ticket machine, then stood in line for 45 min. to get the popcorn, pop and choc bar deal I prepayed for in the machine. Finally get to the counter and instead of the Hershey or OHenry bar advertised all they have is a pack of licorice and the zit faced manager says "sorry, that's all we got".

After getting into the theatre 15 min late, I find I only missed around 3-4 min of the opening, but my wife could only get seats in the 2nd row. I dont know about the optimal distance graph, but I'm pretty sure sitting 20 ft away from a 100 ft wide screen isnt it. So, the pic looked a little soft and my neck hurts from having to stare upward for 2 hours.

Sorry for the rant, but the short of it is...instead of spending $100 on a movie, babysitter and chiropractic appointment to be left uncomfortable and inconvenient, spend the $$ on some good HT gear and watch from your HT room.

I could have used that $100 on my new VP150

I hear ya. Years ago, my dad and I went to go see one of the Matrix movies in the theater and the surround sound cut out for the last 2/3 of it. I got up during the showing and informed the manager. He looked at me liked I had just beamed in from outer space.

In defense of the theater experience, there is nothing quite like the collective thrill, scare, or laughter to be shared with a hundred other people.

I like the whole theatre experience when I'm with the kids, I can't remember the last time the wife and I went to the movies.

As far as picture quality and sound goes, I prefer to sit home and watch a HD version of the film , compared to my local theatre, my 60" Plasma and Axiom speakers really are much better.

Michael, come to think of it, the last few movies I've seen in the theater have been with my nephew. I suspect "Wall-E" will be next on the list.

After seeing the previews, Wall-E is definitely on the top of my list for movies I'll take the kids to, I'm really looking forward to it eventually coming out on Blu-ray along with Iron Man that I never had the chance to see.

I had almost the anti-matter version of the above. My boys and I went with our church youth group to this movie, got there early enough to get the snacks we wanted and we were the first in the theatre. By the time we all got seats, we occupied 2/3 of the room and had all the sweet spots. HOWEVER the entire time the movie was running I couldn't help but think my Axiom setup was far superior to what we were listening to - and this is a brand new theatre.
At home, we can start and stop when needed, change the volume, repeat a scene, add more LFE... you get the idea.

Just 18 more movies (at the theatre) and I've got another EP500 paid for!

Scott

Factor in the price of gas and the nuisance factor as reasons to stay home. Not only that, but the refrigerator and bathroom are only steps away, and you can pause the movie whenever you want. Plus, there's nobody talking or blocking your view, no cell phones ringing and the floor isn't nearly as sticky.

I can see absolutely no good reason to go to the movie theater anymore.

Yep. You can't stop the movie at the theater for strawberry crepes either!

I don't go to the theater more than two or three times in a year anyway, but I can now enjoy a lot of those movies I skipped In the comfort of my home.

You can just come to my place and enjoy the full Axiom effect although the cost of the gas would make it almost as bad as a night at a theater.

haven't been to the movies since I got my axioms

I still go to the theater. I'm too impatient to wait to see certain films.

That is a weakness you must overcome, young grasshopper.

We still take in a movie at the theatre on ocasion but I prefer watching at home.

Exactly my experiences, ctown. I hate going to the movie theater. Hate it.

I still end up going once or twice a year with friends or family, just to keep the peace when I'm out-voted on 'what-do-we-want-to-do-today' votes.

I would have to say that 4 out of every 5 movies I've gone to in the past six or eight years have been basically ruined by some aspect of being in a public theater. Be it rowdy or talkative children/teens, beeping or ringing cell phones, coughing/hacking people, dismal audio, broken film, or a disgusting theater. Don't even get me started on the prices.

The last straw for me was a few years ago whlie sitting in a higher-end theater (bigger widescreen, 'deluxe' sound, stadium seats, premium ticket pricing, etc) and about 20 minutes into the film there was a very audible POP from the sound system. The center channel just dissapeared. Poof. Gone. Great for dialog. After a few minutes, a couple of us went to complain to the management and were told (at least I was) that the other channels were still working and so there was nothing they could do. Nice...

I can wait 6-8 months for the DVD, no matter what the film.

I share the above sentiment. Add a 100" projection screen and a Blu Ray player, and the experience is all set for me. With the better audio and astounding video, I won't be heading to the theater any time soon, unless it's for "event" films, like Indy 4. Mostly, I can wait til the Blu Ray comes out.

Add to this the fact that buying the Blu Ray movie is cheaper than my wife and I going to the movies, hiring a baby sitter, buying overpriced snacks and guzzling gas, and I'm ahead of the game. Plus, I have a souvenir copy of the film to play whenever I damn well please.

Besides, my movie theater doesn't serve cold beer.

When a movie comes out that I am very exited to see, I can't wait for the home version. It's also a nice outing for the wife and I although if she picked the movie, odds are that I'm sitting there thinking I could be kayaking.

It's only been recently that our bigger theater upgraded to a very impressive surround sound and bass system. Prior to that, audio was always a letdown compared to the Axioms setup at.

I share the same sentiments. Going out to movies with the family or friends is once or twice a year these days and I always feel cheated with the popcorn and pop prices. I built a dedicated a home theater room starting two years ago that is still an ongoing project. I don't think paying to go out to the movies as a family on a weekly basis every week for the next decade could end up costing me more than what I already spent on the room.

Was it worth it? If you ask my wife, the answer would be a resounding no. But, for me, the process of setting up the room, buying the components, calibrating and recalibrating, and sounding off from guys here have been quite enjoyable. The audiovisual fulfillment factor now far exceeds what I get from the local theater, and I have total control over every aspect of a movie. So for me, it's been well worth the expense and the time.

John

My wife and I both dislike going to the Cinema, she agrees that the Axioms provide superior sound, and the food is much cheaper at the local grocery store!

It has to be a pretty darn good movie that I’m all excited about seeing before I subject myself to the theater anymore. I enjoy the experience about as much as I do flying coach with an elbow in one rib to the right, an obese dude with bad BO to the left, an infant with an ear infection in front of me and a six year old who likes to kick the seat at random intervals behind me.

Although, I do have a hell of a weak spot for kettle corn and junior mints (and refuse to buy either for the house or I’d be sporting a 30 pack by now)….. However, the picture is better and the sound better at home and I just love that pause button…..Pause, go upstairs, mix a drink…. There is one movie theater in the big city that’s a micro brew and restaurant attached to an older movie theater that they’ve remodeled. The seats are couches with little tables and you can order some very good food and a micro beer. The movies are usually about six months old, but it sure is a much nicer experience than the big theaters with ity-bity screens and bose cubes (or whatever it si they use nowadays).

Lately, we've been going bowling instead of spending the evening when in the city instead of in the movie theater. I have no frigin idea what I’m doing and can’t break 100, but it sure is fun. A whole lot cheaper too.

Well that totally changes things. Now we're down to 12 movies and dropping daily. lol

Scott

I used to like the Movie Theatre experience, but this was just brutal.

Really, the last time I enjoyed the experience was taking my son to see "Cars" and it was pretty good. Still....watching "Surf up" or "Madagascar" at home is much better.

I won't even get into how good Tranformers was ....even in my 4.1 setup. Man, I gotta get myself a VP150.

terzaghi, I also have not gone to the theater since getting my Axioms. I echo the above with the complaints of loud teens (or adults, even), mediocre sound and picture, prices, and the benefits of the home experience (pause, beer, repeated viewing).

You know what else gets me? Commercials at the movies. Call me old-fashioned, but it chaps my a$$ to see soda commercials and promos for TV shows after I've paid for the movie. At least with TV, the channels with commercials are free (at least in theory, if it is received over the air - not factoring cable/satellite providers, you know what I mean), whereas there's no commercials if you've paid for premium channels, like HBO. With movies you're getting the worst of both worlds - paying to sit through commercials.

All you have to do is wait a month after a movie is released and then the theaters won't be crowded any more. I saw the Indiana Jones movie with Adam last night and the theater was practically empty.

As an aside, the worst part of the movie is that there were a few scenes -- most notably the ones with furry animals -- that had George Lucas written all over them and did nothing to add to the plot.

Because it's summer and the kids are out of school, we'll probably end up at the theatre for some of the matinees, today I promised to take them to see Kung Fu Panda.
The only time I ever drink soda or eat buttery popcorn is at the movies, can't seem to pass it up even though I never feel very well after.

Yeah, no home popcorn can match the theater, as far as I know.

Although I do like having a candy drawer just outside my HT

The only thing I ever spend money on at a theater is the ticket. The markup on sugar water and fluffy corn starch is too ridiculous.

I always bring candy for the kids, but the smell of the popcorn in the movies always sucks me in.

Ditto the popcorn note.

I think we need a good popcorn thread on how to achieve the "crack in a box" goodness that is movie theater popcorn.

I think you need that patented orange butter/grease.

I posted over in the water cooler area, then did a quick google search on the topic. Apparently, refined coconut oil and ultra fine salt is the key. The butter flavoring is apparently a franken-food made from unsaturated fats, flavorings, stablizers and other waste by=products. They say that clarified butter (which has the water removed) is a good analogue and doesnt leave popped kernels soggy - just finger licking, lip smacking delicious.

My stomach is growling...

I try to stay far away from movie theater popcorn. It's that whole 'subconscious eating' thing. Too easy to just eat and eat and eat and eat when you're really supposed to be watching the movie. Especially since most of the theaters I've been in have free refills. The mentality (for me and family members) always seems to be that since you overpaid for the popcorn, you might as well take advantage of the refills.

I believe I once read that a large tub of popcorn done with the 'normal' amount of butter at a theater has like 1,000+ calories and 70+ grams of fat. I'm definitely *not* a hard-core dieter, but that's pretty ridiculous for a 'snack' at the theater. I'd rather eat a couple of cheeseburgers if I'm doing that kind of damage.

Certainly better without the butter. But what fun is that?

Free refills? People actually get up, climb over people to get out of the theater, get more popcorn, and then climb over the same people to return to their seat, all for popcorn?

Crazy.

Once the movie starts, there is no way I would walk out to refill my big ole tub of popcorn. I might miss the obligatory boob shot...

"NEED" is a very difficult concept to define and, is not, I believe, the main point to deal with here.

The points made in this thread are all excellent, but some things need to added for consideration.

From a man card perspective, an HT room is a must.

Then there is the smell of testosterone in the air as your sub erupts and kicks you in the chest.

And perhaps the most important piece of all. Inviting your friends over for a poker game or to watch a movie, knowing that they are ALL thinking - "He has one and I DON'T"

Oh yes - "NEED" is far down the list here!!!

We're all taking mdrew bowling.

/lebowski

I like IMAX sometimes.

OK Dude.....but I don't roll on shabbas!!!

No, I'd never get up. That's what wives are for.

On those rare occasions that I do go to the movie, I'm an end-of-row kind of guy because I hate being surrounded by the stinking mass of humanity in the middle. But because of that, it almost never fails that I'm interrupted once or twice by someone going to get more popcorn or soda.

Yet another reason I hardly go to the cineplex anymore.

Heck, 6-8 months ago some sort of gang fight erupted in the middle of a movie at one of the theaters that I occasionally go to. This isn't even in any 'bad' part of town either. No one was killed, but guns were fired. Call me a recluse, but I'd rather stay home and listen to my glorious Axioms and watch my fantastic new TV with my butt planted firmly on my comfy & clean couch.

Brings up another reason to avoid the movies: communal chairs and headrests. You know how many dust mites and other personal critters are on a movie theater chair and headrest?

While mold, bacteria, dust mite, and toxins are usually within safe levels, both movie theater and airline seats contain high levels of cat allergens brought in by the patrons who own cats. If someone is allergic to cats and especially has reactive airways (asthma), sitting in a theater for two hours can prove to be a rather unpleasant experience.

John

You think dust mites are bad...

Back when I was in high school (early 90's), one local theater was shut down when the health inspectors found a rats nest in one of the seats. The seats were so old that they were still stuffed with hay, and somehow a rat had gotten in and figured that out. Seriously. Made the local newspaper.



Maybe this has something to do with why I don't like movie theaters.

Wow, interesting stuff on the cat allergens and rats nests.

I like my HT more and more.

Now serving Guinness exclusively!

Squirrels know what's good.

That Guinness draught-flow system is the best thing since sliced bread. Whether cans or bottles, it is the smoothest, creamiest beer around, which goes miles in my book. I am not a hophead, this much I know.

I always thought you were a little schMATLzy.

You stole my line.

yeah, so?

gratuitous posting alert !!! (to which Peter could easily again reply, "yeah, so?")

I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment. I will put more effort into making my remaining posts (until 10000) be more substantive, informative, and of overall higher quality than many of my recent postings have been. Thank you kindly for that kick in the pants.

LOL... I was just ribbing you man! 10,000 is going to be exciting.

No he wasn't, Peter!

What you don't know is that buried in the database that runs this message board, the 'PostPerUser' field is defined as a 4-digit number. When you roll over to 10k, you'll crash the whole system taking out all of the posts with it. Or maybe just reset to 1.

Not that I've ever seen such a thing actually happen.

All this talk of guinness and schmaltz reminds me of HeBrew beer.

http://www.shmaltz.com/

click on the video schtick tab....its funny.

I still enjoy going to movies as events (or early screenings at the studios), like going up to one of the Arclight theaters in LA or El Capitan for big Disney films (like Wall-E). But in general, I find myself in the same boat as this thread.

Whenever we go to local theaters, we're almost always disappointed in the quality of their sound. So often it sounds like they're cranking up the system over the point to which they have it amplified, so you get a lot of that extra shrill harshness in the sound. (instead of adding more fullness with the volume)

I too very much enjoy going to the theatre. Even with my Axioms and a 60" 1080p screen, it's just not the same as a large theatre.

Also...just a quick plug...The Dark Knight is a MUST see IMAX experience. Up to this point all the "Hollywood" films we've done for the IMAX screen have been simply "uprezed" 35mm films. Nearly 25% of The Dark Knight was shot on location with our IMAX cameras. If you go see it at an IMAX theatre those scenes are FULL SCREEN IMAX footage from original 65mm 15-perf negative. I can guarantee you that's an experience you cannot get at home.

I definitely want to see it on IMAX. I've convinced one of my coworkers we should go together (me tagging along with her family), as her son is a huge Batman fan and has already suggested they all go to the nearest IMAX.

It's really an entire different experience seeing Dark Knight in IMAX vs 35mm

Geez! what movie theaters are most of you going to? I've got one close to the house i just bought and the movie quality/sound is quite descent. some movies you just HAVE to see on huge movie screens... That being said. now that I'm a home owner i can build a better HT. anyone know where one can procure a acoustically transparent projector screen in Canada?

I have a list of some Canadian screen suppliers home. I'll try and remember to dig it up. Includes some models and now outdated pricing but it will get you started.

I don't know if there are any acoustic transparent models in my list as I decided against going that rout but several of the suppliers in the list offered one. I had concerns that anything porous enough to be truly acoustically transparent would sacrifice picture quality, or vice-versa. Because i couldn't find a definitive answer to that question, I played it safe as I kind of like seeing my speakers and I won't lose precious room space behind the screen.

This past weekend wife and I went out to the movies. We had a gift card to use at the local theater and decided to watch Tropic Thunder.

I am somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to audio/video, and it drove me nuts.

The sound was harsh and unnecessarily loud!

I have yet to hear Axioms with my own ears, but I do look forward to making a purchase in a few years. I look forward to clean clear sound and a wonderful listening experience.

I cannot even remember the last movie I saw in a theater, it's probably been over a year.

I'm tired of getting raped at the theater. And the talking...and the screaming kids....and the munching and package noises...and the sticky floors....and missing part of the movie if I have to take a leak.

And to tell the truth, I prefer the picture quality of my TV over the big screen.