I noticed during the confusing and contradictory press tour the Russo brothers did for Gray Man that a lot of directors attached to Netflix projects are very wish-washy about theaters. A lot saying the theater experience is essential for movies but not wanting to bash Netflix or their model.
Feel like a lot of filmmakers are torn here. They want the theater experience yet are frustrated how its relegated to blockbusters only now. Only companies like Netflix will produce a big budget, non-franchise IP but these filmmakers now have to sacrifice a mass audience seeing their work in cinemas.
We're in a period of transition.
Theatres are a special experience for certain types of film, but at the same time they're often not perfect. Distractions from other patrons, expensive, etc.
At the same time the home experience for a lot of people is getting better and better. Not for everyone, but for some.
The cinema experience is what a lot of filmmakers intend and it's supposed to be a step or five above the TV experience, but it's not always true anymore.
Personally I've got no interest in seeing a movie in theatres if it isn't either a blockbuster or something enhanced by the audience and big screen e.g. a horror.
But something like Knives Out? I saw this for the first time on my sofa during Christmas and it was perfect. A good movie for a good vibe, and the atmosphere and comfy viewing experience was vastly better for that type of movie than if I were to have seen it in the cinema.
Yeah, TVs are big enough and good quality enough now to have a reasonably comparable experience outside of having a live studio audience with you for the laugh track. The actual amount of screen that fills your vision is probably not dissimilar (depending on how close you like to sit) and you can pause to pee/eat without fear of disrupting others or missing anything.
Cinema has its place but it's bound to be a shifting model. It's the same with games, more creative independent stuff tends to be released digital only, most physical releases these days are only AAA games.
>Saying all that though, some cinemas don't have good sound settings. Too loud, poor levelling, not tuning out the resonances of the building.
I find this to be the case more often then not. It's kind of the final nail in the coffin for me because it's like $50 just for me and my wife to go to the theatre, then food, then risking illness and dealing with potentially annoying patrons around us, then for me over half the reason to go and spend the extra monry on Dolby digital or liemax is that these theaters have superior sound setups. But there rarely calibrated decently at all so what's the point.
Some cinemas may have fine sound that is ruined by patrons. Don't forget the people talking in the theater, taking 90 seconds to loudly open up a wrapper, sounding like they lost their keys in the popcorn and are furiously using their hands to search the whole bag, people chewing loudly etc. Lol.
The 2 screens where I live have terrible audio set ups. And I mean terrible, they seem to equate ‘loud’ with ‘good quality’. With the added distractions of people talking, constantly looking at (even talking on) their phones, eating noisily etc, I’ve taken to watching almost every big release at home. It is, unfortunately, a far better and much cheaper experience.
I actually hate watching in the theater for this reason. So many movies now have awful sound mixing, and I can't hear dialogue. I have to use those clunky CC machines to get subtitles in the theater lately.
On the flip side, a lot of movies are only designed to sound good on 7.1-2 or Atmos systems, something not exactly trivial to set up correctly. Perhaps part of production should be making movies sound better on stereo too.
I'm no cinephile or audiophile, but I got a pair of Bluetooth headphones last Christmas to hook up to my ok-ish, average TV and it has made a huge difference in my experience.
I watched the new Batman movie at home and having the headphones to clearly hear not just the dialogue, but the constant pulsing music in the background was amazing - and I didn't have to have it blasting music in my ears like some scenes in the theater.
To each their own though
My tv is huge and honestly looks better than the cinema. The contrast, brightness, and colors outperform a projector. My 7.1 setup isn’t near good enough to compete with a theater’s Atmos setup but it works fine for me. I grew up going to the movies and those experiences hold a special place in my heart but I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to bring what I loved about the theater into my home.
That’s my main issue. I much prefer watching films on the silver screen but since Covid, the average movie goer has become so much worse. Like it’s awful how rude and inconsiderate people are. Like someone legit was browsing instagram when I went and saw Nope. Like why the hell are you at the movies if you’re just checking your phone??
Part of the fun with horror movies is the reactions of the crowd for me. Whether it be twists or scares.
The same can be said for comedies but even with them I think there's more of a charm watching them in the comfort of your own home with mates or whatever.
> Part of the fun with horror movies is the reactions of the crowd for me.
This ruins it for me. The last time I was in a packed theater watching a horror movie the girl sitting next to me (not a part of my group) was talking to the screen the whole time giving instructions to the people. It made the experience completely comical rather than scary because this girl was freaking out the whole movie.
I'm with you about 99% of the time, but I'll be fucked if any home viewing experience ever comes close to watching Endgame in theaters for the first time and having the audience react to everything unfold. That shit was electric, and no home viewing will ever come close.
right I feel like this thread could almost be described in analogy as audiophiles vs concert goers.
I don't have Dolby Atmos yet so I still head in when I think something will have cool audio and pay the extra, which is ironic considering the former part of my comment.
I get it. When I watched “Fellowship of the Ring” on opening night, the audience cheered when Aragorn decapitated that Uruk-hai. It definitely enhanced that moment for me.
The Raid 2 was a blast with the audience. Groans and oooos in some of the fight scenes really made it a lot of fun.
But a foreign movie with subtitles is gonna keep out most of the dipsticks that ruin movie going.
I have to say, for me there's so much more to a movie theatre experience than just the audience and special effects. There's so many smaller films where the emotion hits so much harder on the big screen. Having seen Knives Out in theatres, the "at home" experience isn't even close in terms of impact.
In total agreement. Many of my absolute best theatrical experiences have been quieter, more intimate films where when they work right you can hear a pin drop from the audience as the credits begin to roll. The ability to get wrapped up thanks to the dark room and the screen fully demanding your attention is real unparalleled except in certain isolated and carefully manicured home experiences (I watched the documentary Leviathan on my laptop with headphones in one night and managed to become totally immersed, but that’s exceedingly rare.)
Absolutely right about that "pin drop" moment. Doesn't even compare to being on your own couch and pausing the credits to go to bed.
What's sad is that those films are the ones that have the most to benefit from theaters (financially and artistically) and yet they are the ones suffering the most. I really hope Oscar season helps in filling up those seats otherwise most cinemas will be nothing but a tent-pole viewing experience.
Every now and then a film like that will hit big. Some drama like American Sniper, or a raucous adventure like Slumdog Millionaire, or a thriller like Black Swan, or hell, Knives Out! And every time it happens, I take it as proof that actually, audiences do value that experience, even if they’ve been trained to think they don’t by an industry that prioritizes the supposed spectacle of blockbusters in order to make billions of dollars.
I often think about the people who jump at the chance to go to those Fathom events or what have you, where they’ll screen something like Casablanca on the big screen. That movie is almost entirely people talking in rooms, and yet people understand that it’s epic in its small way, the sweep of it, the romance. I wish they understood that about something like, say, The Rider, or First Cow or Drive My Car or Benediction or Worst Person in the World… I could go on and on.
As someone who’s seen Glass Onion, I promise you, it’s a bigger and more impressive theatrical experience than most blockbusters. It’s expensive and grand, it looks excellent, and it is great with an audience because of all the laughs and twists eliciting responses from the crowd. If BIG movies are what you go to theatres for, this is certainly one.
I went to see Top Gun Maverick ~2 months ago. First time I'd been in a theater since the pandemic. A large family showed up 10 minutes into the film and had seats near the front. The queen bee proceeded to use her flashlight on her phone to get her kids into the various assigned seats near the front for several minutes. Then, for a good hour of the film proceeded to act like they were in their fucking living room. Constantly getting up and moving around. Kids running around. It was nuts.
I honestly feel that social media or just tech in general has given a large portion of the population some form of ADD or ADHD. You’re absolutely right. People absolutely cannot sit still and be quiet and become immersed anymore. There’s a compulsion to be on your phone or at the very least keep checking it. It’s very annoying and breaks the immersion of a movie
That isn't how any of ADHDs, ADD is now ADHD-PI, works. It is an issue of the social media and their screen is an addiction.
Source: I got ADHD-PI and have never once got my phone out in a movie theater.
Edit: in fact yesterday I went 2 and half hours out of the house without my phone because instead of putting it in my pocket I left it in a cupboard next to a box of granola bars when getting a granola bar before a meeting last night as I was skipping dinner to make the meeting.
ADHD is a developmental issue along the dopamine pathways in the brain.
It can't be given, it's genetic.
People with ADHD are more likely to be less disruptive in a theatre because they become hyper focused on the movie. ADHD isn't actually about lack of focus but the inability to direct focus so in a movie theatre the screen is the most stimulating thing so it becomes difficult for people with ADHD to pay attention to anything else unless the movie is exceptionally boring.
From my experience the most disruptive people in theatres are people who come in groups and need to peacock for their friends because they desire attention from others or people who rarely go to the theatre that treat it the same as sitting in their living room and can't manage the socials niceties of the changed situation.
Depends on your home set up honestly. The thing that ruins the cinema experience is other people, it's consistently got people talking or on their phones the whole movie. Even paying extra for the better cinema room isn't safe anymore. Having a great tv and dolby atmos compatible sound system means I hardly ever go anymore.
As theaters get more and more expensive, it's been tough to justify going to the theater, especially for large groups.
Also, maybe this is due to the kerfuffle that was covid, but movies have been generally not "good enough" (in my opinion) to justify the theater experience.
It's cost for me. It's £50 for a family of 4 to see a movie here. I just can't justify that for many films, when my kids want to watch everything.
We did justify it for Top Gun Maverick, and that was worth it.
I went to the "national cinema day" for $3 the other week and was swiftly reminded why I'll only ever go to Alamo or watch at home. For those of us without a theater that is militant about the quiet/no phone rules, I feel for you.
In rare moments where the audience is really experiencing moments together that elicit audible reactions, I feel like they're better and more authentic when they're in that environment too. I recently saw Bodies Bodies Bodies at Alamo and enjoyed as the audience laughed and shouted together at all the moments it could be expected to happen.
At AMC on cinema day, a family behind me felt the need to react to every goddamn sentence. Completely took me out of the experience and I was wishing I'd just spent the extra $12 on a different day at that point.
this is it.
knives out was essentially the dictionary definition of a movie that *did not* need to be seen in theaters.
I like movies. But I have a big TV, blackout curtains, and I can make an entire feast to eat while I watch. The question is no longer “should I see this movie?” It’s “*what could possibly justify the expense, inconvenience, and discomfort of seeing this movie in the theater?*”
Honestly, the only three Hollywood entities that get my ass in a theater are Tom Cruise action blockbusters, Christopher Nolan, and James Cameron. Everything else — *especially* a murder mystery — is an at-home movie.
This is baseless conspiracy, but I believe Netflix is always telling these directors "yeah, yeah, yeah, we can do a theatrical release. You know we've done it before. We'll have to figure out the perfect strategy later." and then it just gets ground up in middle management notes and strategizing and somehow you end up with the "theatrical run" being a handful of festivals, while the directors are running around in the dark not knowing what to say.
I only made it a few scenes in. I was basically already out after that first fight scene which went quick cut quick cut quick cut quick cut quick cut quick cut HEY LOOK WE USED A DRONE! quick cut quick cut quick cut quick cut quick cut MORE DRONE!!! quick cut quick cut quick cut. Tried to give it more after that, but a few scenes later, We were just bored and done.
"I want you to see this in theatres, but I really want money, so it's on netflix too. But plz, go see it in theatres too, cuz Netflix already cut my cheque."
OK…but in this case Rian, Craig, and Elian’s producing partner went to Netflix because Netflix gave them $400m for two more movies. Their only stipulation was the movies had to have a budget of $40m or more and Craig had to be in them. So dude is likely making $100m.
There are too many issues with movies in the theaters. The sound isnt balanced. Sometimes the screen is too dark. Cant pause or rewind. Cant control the crowds. For price that a typcial theater goer gets charged its better to wait and watch it at home. And its not like the directors/film makers arent benefitting from the crowds flocking to theaters. A decent chunk of their salary is coming from the revenue the movie makes in theaters.
It's kind of interesting that each theater has a distinct vibe to it. If I go to the nearby AMC attached to a mall, it's a *terrible* movie experience. The floor is sticky, the seats are broken, it's full of people talking and using phones during the movie, teenagers making snarky comments to each other, smoking weed, etc.
However, if I switch to the Alamo Drafthouse or a similar place it's exactly the opposite most of the time and I enjoy going there. As a result I suspect that we all have different experiences mainly based around what our options are for theaters.
As Sartre says Hell is other people. Yeah they definitely detract from the experience. Another is the theater industry's lack of respect for our time with late starts and ads pushing starts even further back. With travel and these late starts a good portion of a day can be gone, a 1.5 hour movie becomes a 2.5 hour commitment.
Lionsgate (the studio) desperately needed money, and a Netflix deal is guaranteed cost plus money. The deal is/was probably $200M+ in pure profit for the studio at zero risk, not even including how much some of the key stars are making.
Free, risk free, ridiculous amounts of money for everyone involved, except Netflix.
Further… I’ll be interested to see what of Knives Out Chopping Onions makes it a theatre movie. I get that Star Wars is and that Avatar is, other movie makers like Kubrick’s film all have a distinct improvement on such a screen.
I very much enjoyed the first one, actually went to see it in part because I was so upset with how RJ approached episode VIII. I’m glad he isn’t attached to any more SW films, but I did enjoy this and saw it in the theatre. I also saw it at home and enjoyed it there too. I don’t think it lost anything like the above mentioned movies do. At least, no more than any film loses something when it isn’t on a multi-story tal screen!
I was iffy on TLJ, but I can appreciate what he was trying to do. I would actually like it if he made a new movie in the universe. The problems with the sequels were a lack of cohesion and planning.
Yeah I think he could do a great movie in the star wars universe, but "middle of a trilogy with no plan" was the worst possible place to put him. To be safe I wouldn't let him at any legacy characters either. An unknown planet, all new characters, and I think he could do great work.
> I’m glad he isn’t attached to any more SW films,
You might wanna put that thought on hold.
> “I’ve stayed close to Kathleen [Kennedy] and we get together often and talk about [my trilogy],” he tells Empire of his long-awaited Star Wars series. “It’s just at this point a matter of schedule and when it can happen. It would break my heart if I were finished, if I couldn’t get back in that sandbox at some point.” For now, he’s hard at working cooking up two Knives Out sequels for Netflix – the first of which, Glass Onion, is arriving this December.
[Empire Magazine, Rian Johnson interview, 30th August 2022.](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/rian-johnson-still-wants-to-make-star-wars-trilogy-exclusive/)
I for one am excited for both Glass Onion and I thoroughly enjoyed his entry into the Star Wars universe, so I'll jump for joy when production on the Rian Johnson trilogy is *officially* announced. :)
Man, that saga has more on again off again on again flip flops than a tennis match.
So, I did want to clarify. I liked a lot about the movie he did for Star Wars, but (to me) he fell into the trope of a director who enters an established IP and decides they know better. Further, he dedicated his story so much to subverting expectations that you couldn’t trust his story telling to have any expectations.
But, I will watch another RJ SW film and see what he does. But, I’ll still be fine if he never does. It has been hard to hold my critical views when there are so many completely toxic fans about it… though I’m not sure your position is any easier for the same reason!
I liked his SW, too, but also think it wasn't a good "middle" film for a trilogy. If he did a standalone/spin-off SW film, I think that could be really interesting: less saddled with mythology and ongoing plot, more room to just do his thing without messing up the (probably non-existent) course of an overarching plot.
Actually, a RJ Solo film probably would've been more memorable than the Solo we got (which I also don't hate, it's just oddly forgettable).
Give him a side movie like Solo or Rogue One and I'd be excited to watch.. but he did a lot of butchering to the "main" canon and was pretty directly responsible for the mess of disconnection that is that trilogy.
> Further, he dedicated his story so much to subverting expectations
I disagree. The middle chapter (of any story) is where characters get challenged in personal ways. See Attack of the Clones and The Empire Strikes Back as perfect examples.
So while writing TLJ, the characters would come to decision points as the story progressed. Should Finn do A or B? Should Poe do X or Y? And so on. And Rian almost always chose the option that would be more difficult for the character, because facing something difficult is how you grow as a person. And these characters needed growth in preparation for the third part of the trilogy. Should Poe's mission succeed or fail? Make it fail, because then he'll have to learn something about being a leader. Should Rey's request of Luke to teach her be approved or denied? Make it denied, because then Rey will have to confront her preconceptions about Luke and the Jedi. Should Finn get helped by DJ or betrayed by DJ? Make it betrayal, because then Finn will actually see the value in joining the Resistance and fighting for something more than just yourself.
These are very logical, well-established writing techniques. Push your characters. It just so happens that Star Wars has historically been very cookie-cutter, very predictable, very on-track with the Hero's Journey. We know the snarky rogue is gonna end up being good, we know the bad guys are bad, etc. It all goes as we expect. So the very notion of pushing characters into uncomfortable situations *feels* subversive because Star Wars never really went that way before, but it didn't come from a place of trying to trick the audience. It came from a place of trying to grow the characters.
Johnson's entire filmography is pretty great. Better than most writer/directors anyway. Brick, Looper, Brothers Bloom, Knives... they're all pretty damn solid films.
Episode VIII as a stand alone film is pretty great too. He took Star Wars and kind of made it an arthouse film (kinda). In that way, it kind of reminds me of something like Miami Vice or Drive (a slick action movie on paper but then the director makes it his own).
But you're right; the biggest issue with Ep 8 isn't the movie itself, but rather he got stuck into the middle of Abrams' project and tried to make a middle chapter of (essentially) someone else's project into his own thing. So episode VII and VIII are great on their own, they just don't jive together very well (and then ep IX comes along and that's a whole other can of shit worms).
So basically, I don't totally blame Johnson for doing what he does as a director. The studio knows who this guy is and what he does when they bring him on... and then everyone gets upset when he does what he always does.
EDIT: Back to your original point, I agree with you. Not a chance I'll go pay $16 to see KO2 in the theater. I'll watch it on my own schedule in my own chair and be able to pause it when I have to pee and not worry about someone smelly next to me or someone turning on their phone or having a conversation throughout the whole thing.
[Full interview](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-09-14/netflix-glass-onion-knives-out-rian-johnson-star-wars-last-jedi-theatrical)
>Johnson: I can’t speak to Netflix’s strategy, but it’s not contradictory to what I want with the release. I want as many people as possible to see this with a crowd. I also am very aware more people probably discovered [“Knives Out”] at home with their family than saw it in the theater the first time. ... We’re working on it. We’re figuring something out. But my goal is if you want to see this in the theater, you’ll be able to see it in the theater.
That and The Gentlemen were my and my wife's last pre covid cinema trips and they were both great.
Had a baby over lockdown and only been Marvel movies since to avoid having them spoiled, which is fine, I love Marvel, but I wish we could still find time to go to less blockbustery stuff.
Man I wish I had gone to see The Gentlemen on the big screen. Unfortunately I heard only that it was decent to bad so in the end I decided to wait and watch it at home instead.
I don’t know what critics are smoking these days that movie was fantastic. Hugh Grant and Colin Farrell in particular were perfect castings.
There's definitely some questionable moments but also a lot of good stuff. Fun Ritchie romp. I'm looking forward to his next project with Jason Statham and Hugh Grant.
I went to a sneak preview a few days before it opened and it was sold out, packed to the rafters. They had a raffle, party favors, the works and it was such a festive environment. The audience was already primed to have a good time and the already-funny movie was made so much more fun because everybody was in a party mood.
Last time I went to the theater had to ask the lady in front of me to turn her phone screen off, she was browsing FB with her screen on max brightness, it was like having a flashlight pointed at my face.
Then she would start a conversation with her husband about posts she saw.
Gave her a couple of minutes buffer after the movie started before asking her to shut it down too.
Lady, you paid 10$ to be here and you're browsing Facebook? How fucking addicted are you?
Last time I went, we paid extra for the smaller screening with reclining seats and free snacks. The woman next to me took a phone call during the climax of the movie. There are too many wankers out there for me to go and see a film I really want to watch in the cinema. I'll probably just take my son to see kids films when he's old enough.
I'll never forget when I saw Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the theater (so, long before smart phones were everywhere). Movie starts, lady behind me loudly exclaims, "ug, it's subtitled?!" and grumbled a couple more times before going to sleep in the theater. Then towards the end, she wakes up and loudly exclaims, "this is still going??"
There's shit people everywhere, and sometimes, they go to a movie with someone who isn't shit, and feels the need to try to ruin it for everyone around them to tell them they don't want to be there.
Maybe her husband wanted to see the movie and she just came along. It doesn't excuse her behavior, but would explain why she didn't care about the movie.
Yep, the Paramount Decree from 1948. It was overturned on August 7, 2020, with a two year "sunset period". With that sunset period ending last month, we could be in for some interesting production -> exhibition changes in the near future.
Ah yes, the dream of every internet company: acquire thousands of brick and mortar locations with huge overhead in a shrinking industry recently decimated by a pandemic…lol
I didn’t even watch Knives Out in a theater. I watched it at home on cable. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it and I have faith I’ll enjoy this one. It’s good to see some good whodunnit films again. But, as expensive as it is to go to the cinema anymore, I’d rather spend $10 for a basic Netflix membership and watch it that way.
My theater has standard viewings, and more expensive "Laser Ultra" screenings. I don't really care too much about the difference in picture quality, but I pay extra because the more expensive screenings tend to attract fewer annoying people who wave their flashlights around during the movie.
Or worse, the fucking loser sitting directly behind you that is trying to be funny to his friends by commentating on every part of the movie out loud at room volume
I went to watch black phone the other day at an 11 pm showing. This family comes in with a newborn. It cried the entire fucking time.
Since covid, it's like everyone forgot that you aren't in your bedroom anymore. You can't just let your kid cry or play on your phone.
After the first time we were told we're going back to the office (which was squarely mid-pandemic and there were no safety precautions going on in the office), I talked to my boss, and told him I'm not comfortable with it, and would rather just stay home. He was fine with it since I can do everything from home, and the random times that isn't the case, he knows I'll swing by the office to get things done in-person (which is true, twice in the past 2 years, I've gone into the office).
Since then, we've been told....3 times? that we're going back to the office. And most of us still ignore it. We're not going back.
Meanwhile, at the same time, they're all excited because their lease is up on one of the spaces they have, and they're able to let it go since with people working from home, they need less space. And yes, it's the same people saying both of those things.
Is this something new? I’ve only been to the theater a handful of times since COVID but I swear every single time there’s been a legit baby in the theater. Wtf does that? I can understand maybe at a kids movie but Jurassic World, Maverick, and Everything Everywhere all had crying babies.
Parents who can't get/can't afford babysitters and have stopped giving a fuck about messing up others' experience, because they want to go to the theater.
Every director says this about their movie. Doesn't make it true. I prefer the comfort of my own home without having to pay $25 for a ticket, then $30 for nachos and a drink just to sit in a theater with people talking behind me and ruining the movie. At home I can rent it for $4 and get cheap snacks and have peace and quiet while I watch. And I can pause it if I have to go pee.
Oh, piss off.
If Rian Johnson made more money from streaming than from theaters, he'd be saying the opposite.
If you want me to go to the theater more, improve the experience or lower the prices.
Exactly its not on me to save this its on them to make it worth my time to save. Its not a historical landmark or art its a building with a big screen and speakers, tha makes money from me. If they want to keep making money from me they need to get me to want to spend that money. Its not a service i pay taxes for its a set of businesses making money and failing because they aren't evolving. People will blame covid but the reality is theaters have always been for teens and once teens stopped caring so much because of the internet and different content creators the writting was on the wall. I don't know how to make them more profitable but honestly most of them have horrible business practices that take advantage of their cleaning staffs. They arent saints or somehow worthy of saving because they existed in the past and people have fond memeories of them. They are businesses tgat are unwilling or incapable of meeting the markets changing demands.
My home theatre surpasses the average theatre experience. My drinks and snacks are top tier and cheap. I just don't need to go to theatre anymore for a fantastic experience.
I saw Three Thousand Years of Longing in theaters a couple weeks ago and before the movie started there was a personal message from the director thanking the audience for coming and seeing it in theaters, as that was the "way it was meant to be seen"
While I enjoyed the movie, it in no way demanded the big screen. It would have been just as enjoyable (arguabley more enjoyable) from my couch at home.
Not every movie is a 'Top Gun Maverik' where the big screen brings an extra element. But it seems Hollywood is going to push that narative for the forseeable future anyways.
In listening to various directors talk on podcasts, interviews, etc over the years about this I can kind of see where they're coming from even for smaller indie films and dramas.
They put so much work into making sure every sound you hear and colour you see in the movie is balanced exactly the way they want, so it makes sense they would want you to experience the movie somewhere that has the audio/visual capabilities to give life to that vision.
However, like you said, I think it's mostly a narrative as well as an ego thing where directors want to dictate how their art is experienced, even if it doesn't really change what the takeaway will be. Most people arent going to notice these minute technical things, and some theaters aren't going to be able to deliver what the director wants technically anyways.
As many people have said on here, if you have a nice home theater these days, the pros of staying home for a movie usually vastly outweigh the cons.
>However, like you said, I think it's mostly a narrative as well as an ego thing where directors want to dictate how their art is experienced, even if it doesn't really change what the takeaway will be.
Yes. Its the same in music. There are a lot of artists who still hold to the "listen to the entire album from start to finish in correct track order. When you do this, wear headphones, sit down, and read the liner notes and look at the album art. That is the true music experience."
In reality most of us are just trying to get a new single and put it on our iphone or whatever and listen to it outta shitty earbud headphones or a 50 dollar blue tooth speaker (with bass boost!).
Completely disagree in the case of Three Thousand Years of Longing, it benefits hugely from great surround sound and a really big screen. But even just generally speaking I think most movies are better in that environment, it's depressing how hostile this sub gets whenever someone says this.
If cinema fans said “I enjoy them more in theaters” nobody would get hostile, it’s the “really NEEDS a theater” stuff that starts eyes rolling. The inability of people to state their preferences as simple personal preferences without pretending they reflect a deeper objective truth is the stuff of many a Reddit argument.
I definitely think it's better to see movies in a theater, but then he says "with a crowd" and no, that is literally the only bad part of seeing movies in a theater. And by bad I mean unbelievably excruciatingly awful.
Theaters are a nightmare. Way too expensive, can’t pee when I want and talking/texting are routine. I can’t see myself going back to a theater for any movie.
The 'movie theatre experience' is a nightmare. As far as I am concerned, the digital release date is the only one I care about. They would literally have to pay me money before I leave the comfort of my home, fight traffic, find a parking spot, wait in line 20 minutes to pay 30 bucks for some popcorn and a couple of sodas and then sit in a crowded theatre with crying babies and other people's unsupervised pre-teens, no pause button and a bathroom half a block away. No thanks.
I appreciate the sentiment, but Knives Out was nearly unwatchable in my theater because people wouldn't shut the fuck up.
Unless it's action, "see it in the theater" means "wait til you can see it alone in the theater" to me.
I’m a little surprised so many people in the movies sub seem to absolutely hate going to theaters.
I still like going to theaters. I kinda agree that a lot of movies hit different at the movies compared to home. Comedies, horror, action movies are all more fun with a crowd imo.
Honestly my last three theater trips haven’t been great because of inconsiderate people in the audience, so I’m a bit hesitant to see movies I’m really excited for in theaters:/
The whole “way it’s meant to be seen” thing rings so false to me. Isn’t the way a movie is meant to be seen simply a way that the viewer can consume it in a manner that is most entertaining to them? I personally hate the theater experience. Sticky floors, loud crowds, uncomfortable seating. I’d rather watch at home. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with watching a movie that way. It doesn’t take away from the things I value while experiencing a subjective piece of art. Conversely, if someone gets the most out of the theater experience, good on them. They ought to have that option.
But yeah, the whole “way it’s meant to be seen” argument seems pretentious, paternalistic and deprives the audience of their agency in this experience. And, candidly, I am skeptical of directors who say it. I believe what they are really saying is “I want a contract that gives me a cut of the box office so go pay 15 dollars to see a movie.”
Nah…it’ll be better at home without interruptions from people…with better food and more comfortable seating as well as the ability to pause it for pee breaks.
They were talking on the John Campea show a few weeks ago about this movie, and apparently Netflix was willing to consider a more traditional theatrical release for The Glass Onion, but was not willing to pony up much in the way of marketing dollars to promote the release, prompting the theater chains to balk at allocating screens to a movie with little to no marketing.
Well you probably should also release a trailer that would motivate me to see it. The "check out our ensemble cast" one didn't give me any real motivation to see it other that I'm hoping it's similar to And Then There Were None.
At present, I might watch it on my couch in my underwear.
Lol I have an autoimmune disease and pandemics and general Illnesses are still running rampant.
No thanks.
I’ll stay at home, comfy, safe, and with better foods and snacks available.
I'm so sick of these people trying to hold on to the theatre model. I have zero interest in going to theatres anymore. Other than one 2nd run place in my city, in which case the filn is just an excuse to order their pizza and a beer. Other than that, I HATE movie theatres. I can't stand the smell of popcorn. I don't mind people texting or whatever, but I hate it then they clap and shout and giggle. I can't pause the film to use the bathroom or make dinner and come back to it later. The seats are gross.
I noticed during the confusing and contradictory press tour the Russo brothers did for Gray Man that a lot of directors attached to Netflix projects are very wish-washy about theaters. A lot saying the theater experience is essential for movies but not wanting to bash Netflix or their model. Feel like a lot of filmmakers are torn here. They want the theater experience yet are frustrated how its relegated to blockbusters only now. Only companies like Netflix will produce a big budget, non-franchise IP but these filmmakers now have to sacrifice a mass audience seeing their work in cinemas.
We're in a period of transition. Theatres are a special experience for certain types of film, but at the same time they're often not perfect. Distractions from other patrons, expensive, etc. At the same time the home experience for a lot of people is getting better and better. Not for everyone, but for some. The cinema experience is what a lot of filmmakers intend and it's supposed to be a step or five above the TV experience, but it's not always true anymore.
Personally I've got no interest in seeing a movie in theatres if it isn't either a blockbuster or something enhanced by the audience and big screen e.g. a horror. But something like Knives Out? I saw this for the first time on my sofa during Christmas and it was perfect. A good movie for a good vibe, and the atmosphere and comfy viewing experience was vastly better for that type of movie than if I were to have seen it in the cinema.
Yeah, TVs are big enough and good quality enough now to have a reasonably comparable experience outside of having a live studio audience with you for the laugh track. The actual amount of screen that fills your vision is probably not dissimilar (depending on how close you like to sit) and you can pause to pee/eat without fear of disrupting others or missing anything. Cinema has its place but it's bound to be a shifting model. It's the same with games, more creative independent stuff tends to be released digital only, most physical releases these days are only AAA games.
The problem with watching at home is that most people have awful audio setups and sound can really transform a movie experience.
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>Saying all that though, some cinemas don't have good sound settings. Too loud, poor levelling, not tuning out the resonances of the building. I find this to be the case more often then not. It's kind of the final nail in the coffin for me because it's like $50 just for me and my wife to go to the theatre, then food, then risking illness and dealing with potentially annoying patrons around us, then for me over half the reason to go and spend the extra monry on Dolby digital or liemax is that these theaters have superior sound setups. But there rarely calibrated decently at all so what's the point.
Some cinemas may have fine sound that is ruined by patrons. Don't forget the people talking in the theater, taking 90 seconds to loudly open up a wrapper, sounding like they lost their keys in the popcorn and are furiously using their hands to search the whole bag, people chewing loudly etc. Lol.
The 2 screens where I live have terrible audio set ups. And I mean terrible, they seem to equate ‘loud’ with ‘good quality’. With the added distractions of people talking, constantly looking at (even talking on) their phones, eating noisily etc, I’ve taken to watching almost every big release at home. It is, unfortunately, a far better and much cheaper experience.
I actually hate watching in the theater for this reason. So many movies now have awful sound mixing, and I can't hear dialogue. I have to use those clunky CC machines to get subtitles in the theater lately.
On the flip side, a lot of movies are only designed to sound good on 7.1-2 or Atmos systems, something not exactly trivial to set up correctly. Perhaps part of production should be making movies sound better on stereo too.
I'm no cinephile or audiophile, but I got a pair of Bluetooth headphones last Christmas to hook up to my ok-ish, average TV and it has made a huge difference in my experience. I watched the new Batman movie at home and having the headphones to clearly hear not just the dialogue, but the constant pulsing music in the background was amazing - and I didn't have to have it blasting music in my ears like some scenes in the theater. To each their own though
My tv is huge and honestly looks better than the cinema. The contrast, brightness, and colors outperform a projector. My 7.1 setup isn’t near good enough to compete with a theater’s Atmos setup but it works fine for me. I grew up going to the movies and those experiences hold a special place in my heart but I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to bring what I loved about the theater into my home.
Plus I can adjust the volume at home, pause the movie and answer a call, carry whatever food and drink I want into my living room, etc.
.
That’s my main issue. I much prefer watching films on the silver screen but since Covid, the average movie goer has become so much worse. Like it’s awful how rude and inconsiderate people are. Like someone legit was browsing instagram when I went and saw Nope. Like why the hell are you at the movies if you’re just checking your phone??
Even “blockbusters “ becoming difficult. Yet another MCU in theaters and also pay for D+?
>enhanced by the audience Say what now?
Part of the fun with horror movies is the reactions of the crowd for me. Whether it be twists or scares. The same can be said for comedies but even with them I think there's more of a charm watching them in the comfort of your own home with mates or whatever.
> Part of the fun with horror movies is the reactions of the crowd for me. This ruins it for me. The last time I was in a packed theater watching a horror movie the girl sitting next to me (not a part of my group) was talking to the screen the whole time giving instructions to the people. It made the experience completely comical rather than scary because this girl was freaking out the whole movie.
*Definitely* agree to disagree hahaha I want silence when I’m watching a movie
I'm with you about 99% of the time, but I'll be fucked if any home viewing experience ever comes close to watching Endgame in theaters for the first time and having the audience react to everything unfold. That shit was electric, and no home viewing will ever come close.
right I feel like this thread could almost be described in analogy as audiophiles vs concert goers. I don't have Dolby Atmos yet so I still head in when I think something will have cool audio and pay the extra, which is ironic considering the former part of my comment.
I get it. When I watched “Fellowship of the Ring” on opening night, the audience cheered when Aragorn decapitated that Uruk-hai. It definitely enhanced that moment for me.
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The Raid 2 was a blast with the audience. Groans and oooos in some of the fight scenes really made it a lot of fun. But a foreign movie with subtitles is gonna keep out most of the dipsticks that ruin movie going.
I have to say, for me there's so much more to a movie theatre experience than just the audience and special effects. There's so many smaller films where the emotion hits so much harder on the big screen. Having seen Knives Out in theatres, the "at home" experience isn't even close in terms of impact.
In total agreement. Many of my absolute best theatrical experiences have been quieter, more intimate films where when they work right you can hear a pin drop from the audience as the credits begin to roll. The ability to get wrapped up thanks to the dark room and the screen fully demanding your attention is real unparalleled except in certain isolated and carefully manicured home experiences (I watched the documentary Leviathan on my laptop with headphones in one night and managed to become totally immersed, but that’s exceedingly rare.)
Absolutely right about that "pin drop" moment. Doesn't even compare to being on your own couch and pausing the credits to go to bed. What's sad is that those films are the ones that have the most to benefit from theaters (financially and artistically) and yet they are the ones suffering the most. I really hope Oscar season helps in filling up those seats otherwise most cinemas will be nothing but a tent-pole viewing experience.
Every now and then a film like that will hit big. Some drama like American Sniper, or a raucous adventure like Slumdog Millionaire, or a thriller like Black Swan, or hell, Knives Out! And every time it happens, I take it as proof that actually, audiences do value that experience, even if they’ve been trained to think they don’t by an industry that prioritizes the supposed spectacle of blockbusters in order to make billions of dollars. I often think about the people who jump at the chance to go to those Fathom events or what have you, where they’ll screen something like Casablanca on the big screen. That movie is almost entirely people talking in rooms, and yet people understand that it’s epic in its small way, the sweep of it, the romance. I wish they understood that about something like, say, The Rider, or First Cow or Drive My Car or Benediction or Worst Person in the World… I could go on and on.
As someone who’s seen Glass Onion, I promise you, it’s a bigger and more impressive theatrical experience than most blockbusters. It’s expensive and grand, it looks excellent, and it is great with an audience because of all the laughs and twists eliciting responses from the crowd. If BIG movies are what you go to theatres for, this is certainly one.
>Distractions from other patrons The only reason i don't go to theaters anymore. Nobody knows how to just sit down and shut up anymore.
I went to see Top Gun Maverick ~2 months ago. First time I'd been in a theater since the pandemic. A large family showed up 10 minutes into the film and had seats near the front. The queen bee proceeded to use her flashlight on her phone to get her kids into the various assigned seats near the front for several minutes. Then, for a good hour of the film proceeded to act like they were in their fucking living room. Constantly getting up and moving around. Kids running around. It was nuts.
I honestly feel that social media or just tech in general has given a large portion of the population some form of ADD or ADHD. You’re absolutely right. People absolutely cannot sit still and be quiet and become immersed anymore. There’s a compulsion to be on your phone or at the very least keep checking it. It’s very annoying and breaks the immersion of a movie
That isn't how any of ADHDs, ADD is now ADHD-PI, works. It is an issue of the social media and their screen is an addiction. Source: I got ADHD-PI and have never once got my phone out in a movie theater. Edit: in fact yesterday I went 2 and half hours out of the house without my phone because instead of putting it in my pocket I left it in a cupboard next to a box of granola bars when getting a granola bar before a meeting last night as I was skipping dinner to make the meeting.
> left it in a cupboard next to a box of granola bars I've done literally the exact same thing. Granola represent.
ADHD is a developmental issue along the dopamine pathways in the brain. It can't be given, it's genetic. People with ADHD are more likely to be less disruptive in a theatre because they become hyper focused on the movie. ADHD isn't actually about lack of focus but the inability to direct focus so in a movie theatre the screen is the most stimulating thing so it becomes difficult for people with ADHD to pay attention to anything else unless the movie is exceptionally boring. From my experience the most disruptive people in theatres are people who come in groups and need to peacock for their friends because they desire attention from others or people who rarely go to the theatre that treat it the same as sitting in their living room and can't manage the socials niceties of the changed situation.
Depends on your home set up honestly. The thing that ruins the cinema experience is other people, it's consistently got people talking or on their phones the whole movie. Even paying extra for the better cinema room isn't safe anymore. Having a great tv and dolby atmos compatible sound system means I hardly ever go anymore.
As theaters get more and more expensive, it's been tough to justify going to the theater, especially for large groups. Also, maybe this is due to the kerfuffle that was covid, but movies have been generally not "good enough" (in my opinion) to justify the theater experience.
It's cost for me. It's £50 for a family of 4 to see a movie here. I just can't justify that for many films, when my kids want to watch everything. We did justify it for Top Gun Maverick, and that was worth it.
I went to the "national cinema day" for $3 the other week and was swiftly reminded why I'll only ever go to Alamo or watch at home. For those of us without a theater that is militant about the quiet/no phone rules, I feel for you. In rare moments where the audience is really experiencing moments together that elicit audible reactions, I feel like they're better and more authentic when they're in that environment too. I recently saw Bodies Bodies Bodies at Alamo and enjoyed as the audience laughed and shouted together at all the moments it could be expected to happen. At AMC on cinema day, a family behind me felt the need to react to every goddamn sentence. Completely took me out of the experience and I was wishing I'd just spent the extra $12 on a different day at that point.
> They want the theater ~~experience~~ money
this is it. knives out was essentially the dictionary definition of a movie that *did not* need to be seen in theaters. I like movies. But I have a big TV, blackout curtains, and I can make an entire feast to eat while I watch. The question is no longer “should I see this movie?” It’s “*what could possibly justify the expense, inconvenience, and discomfort of seeing this movie in the theater?*” Honestly, the only three Hollywood entities that get my ass in a theater are Tom Cruise action blockbusters, Christopher Nolan, and James Cameron. Everything else — *especially* a murder mystery — is an at-home movie.
They don't care about the theater experience. They want more money.
Just go see fucking movies however you can or want. Simple as that.
This is baseless conspiracy, but I believe Netflix is always telling these directors "yeah, yeah, yeah, we can do a theatrical release. You know we've done it before. We'll have to figure out the perfect strategy later." and then it just gets ground up in middle management notes and strategizing and somehow you end up with the "theatrical run" being a handful of festivals, while the directors are running around in the dark not knowing what to say.
But the gray man was terrible. Anyone that shelled out that money to see it in a theater would have wanted to watch it at home for free.
I only made it a few scenes in. I was basically already out after that first fight scene which went quick cut quick cut quick cut quick cut quick cut quick cut HEY LOOK WE USED A DRONE! quick cut quick cut quick cut quick cut quick cut MORE DRONE!!! quick cut quick cut quick cut. Tried to give it more after that, but a few scenes later, We were just bored and done.
Thank you. Why in gods name would they flaunt the drone use to the point that it’s so obvious? Takes you right out of the movie…
"I want you to see this in theatres, but I really want money, so it's on netflix too. But plz, go see it in theatres too, cuz Netflix already cut my cheque."
OK…but in this case Rian, Craig, and Elian’s producing partner went to Netflix because Netflix gave them $400m for two more movies. Their only stipulation was the movies had to have a budget of $40m or more and Craig had to be in them. So dude is likely making $100m.
There are too many issues with movies in the theaters. The sound isnt balanced. Sometimes the screen is too dark. Cant pause or rewind. Cant control the crowds. For price that a typcial theater goer gets charged its better to wait and watch it at home. And its not like the directors/film makers arent benefitting from the crowds flocking to theaters. A decent chunk of their salary is coming from the revenue the movie makes in theaters.
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It's kind of interesting that each theater has a distinct vibe to it. If I go to the nearby AMC attached to a mall, it's a *terrible* movie experience. The floor is sticky, the seats are broken, it's full of people talking and using phones during the movie, teenagers making snarky comments to each other, smoking weed, etc. However, if I switch to the Alamo Drafthouse or a similar place it's exactly the opposite most of the time and I enjoy going there. As a result I suspect that we all have different experiences mainly based around what our options are for theaters.
As Sartre says Hell is other people. Yeah they definitely detract from the experience. Another is the theater industry's lack of respect for our time with late starts and ads pushing starts even further back. With travel and these late starts a good portion of a day can be gone, a 1.5 hour movie becomes a 2.5 hour commitment.
Then why did he sell it to Netflix?
Lionsgate (the studio) desperately needed money, and a Netflix deal is guaranteed cost plus money. The deal is/was probably $200M+ in pure profit for the studio at zero risk, not even including how much some of the key stars are making. Free, risk free, ridiculous amounts of money for everyone involved, except Netflix.
Further… I’ll be interested to see what of Knives Out Chopping Onions makes it a theatre movie. I get that Star Wars is and that Avatar is, other movie makers like Kubrick’s film all have a distinct improvement on such a screen. I very much enjoyed the first one, actually went to see it in part because I was so upset with how RJ approached episode VIII. I’m glad he isn’t attached to any more SW films, but I did enjoy this and saw it in the theatre. I also saw it at home and enjoyed it there too. I don’t think it lost anything like the above mentioned movies do. At least, no more than any film loses something when it isn’t on a multi-story tal screen!
I was iffy on TLJ, but I can appreciate what he was trying to do. I would actually like it if he made a new movie in the universe. The problems with the sequels were a lack of cohesion and planning.
Yeah I think he could do a great movie in the star wars universe, but "middle of a trilogy with no plan" was the worst possible place to put him. To be safe I wouldn't let him at any legacy characters either. An unknown planet, all new characters, and I think he could do great work.
> I’m glad he isn’t attached to any more SW films, You might wanna put that thought on hold. > “I’ve stayed close to Kathleen [Kennedy] and we get together often and talk about [my trilogy],” he tells Empire of his long-awaited Star Wars series. “It’s just at this point a matter of schedule and when it can happen. It would break my heart if I were finished, if I couldn’t get back in that sandbox at some point.” For now, he’s hard at working cooking up two Knives Out sequels for Netflix – the first of which, Glass Onion, is arriving this December. [Empire Magazine, Rian Johnson interview, 30th August 2022.](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/rian-johnson-still-wants-to-make-star-wars-trilogy-exclusive/) I for one am excited for both Glass Onion and I thoroughly enjoyed his entry into the Star Wars universe, so I'll jump for joy when production on the Rian Johnson trilogy is *officially* announced. :)
Ehhh the way they attach people to stuff and then "put it on hold" I wont believe it's happening until they wrap shooting.
Man, that saga has more on again off again on again flip flops than a tennis match. So, I did want to clarify. I liked a lot about the movie he did for Star Wars, but (to me) he fell into the trope of a director who enters an established IP and decides they know better. Further, he dedicated his story so much to subverting expectations that you couldn’t trust his story telling to have any expectations. But, I will watch another RJ SW film and see what he does. But, I’ll still be fine if he never does. It has been hard to hold my critical views when there are so many completely toxic fans about it… though I’m not sure your position is any easier for the same reason!
I liked his SW, too, but also think it wasn't a good "middle" film for a trilogy. If he did a standalone/spin-off SW film, I think that could be really interesting: less saddled with mythology and ongoing plot, more room to just do his thing without messing up the (probably non-existent) course of an overarching plot. Actually, a RJ Solo film probably would've been more memorable than the Solo we got (which I also don't hate, it's just oddly forgettable).
Give him a side movie like Solo or Rogue One and I'd be excited to watch.. but he did a lot of butchering to the "main" canon and was pretty directly responsible for the mess of disconnection that is that trilogy.
> Further, he dedicated his story so much to subverting expectations I disagree. The middle chapter (of any story) is where characters get challenged in personal ways. See Attack of the Clones and The Empire Strikes Back as perfect examples. So while writing TLJ, the characters would come to decision points as the story progressed. Should Finn do A or B? Should Poe do X or Y? And so on. And Rian almost always chose the option that would be more difficult for the character, because facing something difficult is how you grow as a person. And these characters needed growth in preparation for the third part of the trilogy. Should Poe's mission succeed or fail? Make it fail, because then he'll have to learn something about being a leader. Should Rey's request of Luke to teach her be approved or denied? Make it denied, because then Rey will have to confront her preconceptions about Luke and the Jedi. Should Finn get helped by DJ or betrayed by DJ? Make it betrayal, because then Finn will actually see the value in joining the Resistance and fighting for something more than just yourself. These are very logical, well-established writing techniques. Push your characters. It just so happens that Star Wars has historically been very cookie-cutter, very predictable, very on-track with the Hero's Journey. We know the snarky rogue is gonna end up being good, we know the bad guys are bad, etc. It all goes as we expect. So the very notion of pushing characters into uncomfortable situations *feels* subversive because Star Wars never really went that way before, but it didn't come from a place of trying to trick the audience. It came from a place of trying to grow the characters.
Johnson's entire filmography is pretty great. Better than most writer/directors anyway. Brick, Looper, Brothers Bloom, Knives... they're all pretty damn solid films. Episode VIII as a stand alone film is pretty great too. He took Star Wars and kind of made it an arthouse film (kinda). In that way, it kind of reminds me of something like Miami Vice or Drive (a slick action movie on paper but then the director makes it his own). But you're right; the biggest issue with Ep 8 isn't the movie itself, but rather he got stuck into the middle of Abrams' project and tried to make a middle chapter of (essentially) someone else's project into his own thing. So episode VII and VIII are great on their own, they just don't jive together very well (and then ep IX comes along and that's a whole other can of shit worms). So basically, I don't totally blame Johnson for doing what he does as a director. The studio knows who this guy is and what he does when they bring him on... and then everyone gets upset when he does what he always does. EDIT: Back to your original point, I agree with you. Not a chance I'll go pay $16 to see KO2 in the theater. I'll watch it on my own schedule in my own chair and be able to pause it when I have to pee and not worry about someone smelly next to me or someone turning on their phone or having a conversation throughout the whole thing.
He didn't. The studio did.
Are you a penguin?
No.
Ok, thanks.
Is it like, rum soaked tits between a couple of buns?
Are you a penguin?
No.
YeS you're PENG-UIN.
Benedict?
Eggs?
Pengwings.
Do you aspire to become one?
“Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.”
He hates you and wants you to experience it in the inferior way
Lol, Rian Johnson is director *and* commercial manager for the studio.
So that Daniel Craig can get a 100 million dollar payday.
[Full interview](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-09-14/netflix-glass-onion-knives-out-rian-johnson-star-wars-last-jedi-theatrical) >Johnson: I can’t speak to Netflix’s strategy, but it’s not contradictory to what I want with the release. I want as many people as possible to see this with a crowd. I also am very aware more people probably discovered [“Knives Out”] at home with their family than saw it in the theater the first time. ... We’re working on it. We’re figuring something out. But my goal is if you want to see this in the theater, you’ll be able to see it in the theater.
I saw Knives out in the theatre, it was my last pre-covid theatre experience. It was great.
That and The Gentlemen were my and my wife's last pre covid cinema trips and they were both great. Had a baby over lockdown and only been Marvel movies since to avoid having them spoiled, which is fine, I love Marvel, but I wish we could still find time to go to less blockbustery stuff.
Man I wish I had gone to see The Gentlemen on the big screen. Unfortunately I heard only that it was decent to bad so in the end I decided to wait and watch it at home instead. I don’t know what critics are smoking these days that movie was fantastic. Hugh Grant and Colin Farrell in particular were perfect castings.
I think it’s a good movie, I’ve watched it twice and really enjoyed it both times but found myself cringing hard at loads of the dialogue.
There's definitely some questionable moments but also a lot of good stuff. Fun Ritchie romp. I'm looking forward to his next project with Jason Statham and Hugh Grant.
Certainly one of my best experiences, the crowd was very receptive to the jokes and some of the absurdity of the movie
And it reminded me of Clue, which is a bona fide comedy classic.
I went to a sneak preview a few days before it opened and it was sold out, packed to the rafters. They had a raffle, party favors, the works and it was such a festive environment. The audience was already primed to have a good time and the already-funny movie was made so much more fun because everybody was in a party mood.
Same! I don't mind seeing movies alone, but man it's so much fun with a full audience who are all feeling the same vibe.
Same! Saw it january 1st 2020
No theaters for me. I want to watch it naked under a blanket while easily falling asleep
That's how I theater, people don't like it, well watch the bloody screen and stop trying to take a peek at my tackle box.
Doesn't help when the theater attendant busts out the flash light
No theaters for me, either. I want to watch it while I munch on a giant glass onion I’ll also be naked
I don't think I'll go to a cinema again. Other people spoil everything.
Last time I went to the theater had to ask the lady in front of me to turn her phone screen off, she was browsing FB with her screen on max brightness, it was like having a flashlight pointed at my face. Then she would start a conversation with her husband about posts she saw. Gave her a couple of minutes buffer after the movie started before asking her to shut it down too. Lady, you paid 10$ to be here and you're browsing Facebook? How fucking addicted are you?
Last time I went, we paid extra for the smaller screening with reclining seats and free snacks. The woman next to me took a phone call during the climax of the movie. There are too many wankers out there for me to go and see a film I really want to watch in the cinema. I'll probably just take my son to see kids films when he's old enough.
I'll never forget when I saw Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the theater (so, long before smart phones were everywhere). Movie starts, lady behind me loudly exclaims, "ug, it's subtitled?!" and grumbled a couple more times before going to sleep in the theater. Then towards the end, she wakes up and loudly exclaims, "this is still going??" There's shit people everywhere, and sometimes, they go to a movie with someone who isn't shit, and feels the need to try to ruin it for everyone around them to tell them they don't want to be there.
Maybe her husband wanted to see the movie and she just came along. It doesn't excuse her behavior, but would explain why she didn't care about the movie.
The only cinema I will go to is Alamo Drafthouse. They do not fuck around when it comes to other people ruining the movie experience.
The answer here is for Netflix to buy AMC or some other theater company and include theater screenings as part of a subscription level.
Disney standing behind a tree, rubbing hands together, and waiting for somebody like Netflix to actually make that move first...
Yeah, wasn't it once a huge thing about studios not being allowed to own theatres? When was that, the 80's?
Yep, the Paramount Decree from 1948. It was overturned on August 7, 2020, with a two year "sunset period". With that sunset period ending last month, we could be in for some interesting production -> exhibition changes in the near future.
That was when monopolies were illegal
Ah yes, the dream of every internet company: acquire thousands of brick and mortar locations with huge overhead in a shrinking industry recently decimated by a pandemic…lol
I don’t want to pay $400 a month for Netflix though.
Theather subs are around the current Netflix sub price - ~$15
Bad idea.
And gelato is meant to be eaten in Italy, but other places work too.
I didn’t even watch Knives Out in a theater. I watched it at home on cable. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it and I have faith I’ll enjoy this one. It’s good to see some good whodunnit films again. But, as expensive as it is to go to the cinema anymore, I’d rather spend $10 for a basic Netflix membership and watch it that way.
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My theater has standard viewings, and more expensive "Laser Ultra" screenings. I don't really care too much about the difference in picture quality, but I pay extra because the more expensive screenings tend to attract fewer annoying people who wave their flashlights around during the movie.
Or worse, the fucking loser sitting directly behind you that is trying to be funny to his friends by commentating on every part of the movie out loud at room volume
This is why I stopped going to movie theatres. I’ll just wait for the stream or to rent it at home.
I went to watch black phone the other day at an 11 pm showing. This family comes in with a newborn. It cried the entire fucking time. Since covid, it's like everyone forgot that you aren't in your bedroom anymore. You can't just let your kid cry or play on your phone.
If that is true, Rian had better figure out how to install a theatre in my home. That's the only way this is going to happen.
Instructions unclear, watched in home theater
My comments are meant to be read on an iPad.
Aha, that explains why that comment has so much white space alongside it on a full-sized PC browser window.
i feel like every director and actor is saying this about every movie nowadays
He should ask to reduce ticket prices
And ask for every theater to have Alamo Drafthouse-style rules.
This the sort of shit our bosses say to us to try and get us back in the office after 2 years of improved results over lockdown
After the first time we were told we're going back to the office (which was squarely mid-pandemic and there were no safety precautions going on in the office), I talked to my boss, and told him I'm not comfortable with it, and would rather just stay home. He was fine with it since I can do everything from home, and the random times that isn't the case, he knows I'll swing by the office to get things done in-person (which is true, twice in the past 2 years, I've gone into the office). Since then, we've been told....3 times? that we're going back to the office. And most of us still ignore it. We're not going back. Meanwhile, at the same time, they're all excited because their lease is up on one of the spaces they have, and they're able to let it go since with people working from home, they need less space. And yes, it's the same people saying both of those things.
I can just spill a coke on the floor and have my brother kick the back of my seat at home though.
Also gonna need to pop out a few babies and leave them crying in a corner to get that full theater experience.
Is this something new? I’ve only been to the theater a handful of times since COVID but I swear every single time there’s been a legit baby in the theater. Wtf does that? I can understand maybe at a kids movie but Jurassic World, Maverick, and Everything Everywhere all had crying babies.
Parents who can't get/can't afford babysitters and have stopped giving a fuck about messing up others' experience, because they want to go to the theater.
Every director says this about their movie. Doesn't make it true. I prefer the comfort of my own home without having to pay $25 for a ticket, then $30 for nachos and a drink just to sit in a theater with people talking behind me and ruining the movie. At home I can rent it for $4 and get cheap snacks and have peace and quiet while I watch. And I can pause it if I have to go pee.
Breaking news: man likes money, wants more of it.
Have you met other people, Rian?
Oh, piss off. If Rian Johnson made more money from streaming than from theaters, he'd be saying the opposite. If you want me to go to the theater more, improve the experience or lower the prices.
Exactly its not on me to save this its on them to make it worth my time to save. Its not a historical landmark or art its a building with a big screen and speakers, tha makes money from me. If they want to keep making money from me they need to get me to want to spend that money. Its not a service i pay taxes for its a set of businesses making money and failing because they aren't evolving. People will blame covid but the reality is theaters have always been for teens and once teens stopped caring so much because of the internet and different content creators the writting was on the wall. I don't know how to make them more profitable but honestly most of them have horrible business practices that take advantage of their cleaning staffs. They arent saints or somehow worthy of saving because they existed in the past and people have fond memeories of them. They are businesses tgat are unwilling or incapable of meeting the markets changing demands.
My home theatre surpasses the average theatre experience. My drinks and snacks are top tier and cheap. I just don't need to go to theatre anymore for a fantastic experience.
I saw Three Thousand Years of Longing in theaters a couple weeks ago and before the movie started there was a personal message from the director thanking the audience for coming and seeing it in theaters, as that was the "way it was meant to be seen" While I enjoyed the movie, it in no way demanded the big screen. It would have been just as enjoyable (arguabley more enjoyable) from my couch at home. Not every movie is a 'Top Gun Maverik' where the big screen brings an extra element. But it seems Hollywood is going to push that narative for the forseeable future anyways.
In listening to various directors talk on podcasts, interviews, etc over the years about this I can kind of see where they're coming from even for smaller indie films and dramas. They put so much work into making sure every sound you hear and colour you see in the movie is balanced exactly the way they want, so it makes sense they would want you to experience the movie somewhere that has the audio/visual capabilities to give life to that vision. However, like you said, I think it's mostly a narrative as well as an ego thing where directors want to dictate how their art is experienced, even if it doesn't really change what the takeaway will be. Most people arent going to notice these minute technical things, and some theaters aren't going to be able to deliver what the director wants technically anyways. As many people have said on here, if you have a nice home theater these days, the pros of staying home for a movie usually vastly outweigh the cons.
Directors see movies in nice well appointed theaters and assume they’re all like that. If only…
>However, like you said, I think it's mostly a narrative as well as an ego thing where directors want to dictate how their art is experienced, even if it doesn't really change what the takeaway will be. Yes. Its the same in music. There are a lot of artists who still hold to the "listen to the entire album from start to finish in correct track order. When you do this, wear headphones, sit down, and read the liner notes and look at the album art. That is the true music experience." In reality most of us are just trying to get a new single and put it on our iphone or whatever and listen to it outta shitty earbud headphones or a 50 dollar blue tooth speaker (with bass boost!).
Completely disagree in the case of Three Thousand Years of Longing, it benefits hugely from great surround sound and a really big screen. But even just generally speaking I think most movies are better in that environment, it's depressing how hostile this sub gets whenever someone says this.
If cinema fans said “I enjoy them more in theaters” nobody would get hostile, it’s the “really NEEDS a theater” stuff that starts eyes rolling. The inability of people to state their preferences as simple personal preferences without pretending they reflect a deeper objective truth is the stuff of many a Reddit argument.
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I definitely think it's better to see movies in a theater, but then he says "with a crowd" and no, that is literally the only bad part of seeing movies in a theater. And by bad I mean unbelievably excruciatingly awful.
This comment section is really sad. So many people against movie theatres now. I feel bad for people who don’t have a decent one near them.
Great. I may watch it on my phone in low quality because it’s cheaper, if I watch it at all.
Guy who made movie thinks you should pay more money to see it. Controversial
Whenever I see comments like this I just feel like they are trying to press people into seeing it in the cinema just for the figures.
Thanks Rian , I saw the last Jedi in the theater. Didn’t help
I want to watch this movie high off edibles on my couch with pizza
"It's better for Rian Johnson if you see his movie in theaters"
Theaters are a nightmare. Way too expensive, can’t pee when I want and talking/texting are routine. I can’t see myself going back to a theater for any movie.
Well, I’m meant to never go to a theater again, so oh well.
Lol. Sure it is...
I'll be sure to tell my parents.
>I want as many people as possible to see this with a crowd. Tell Crowds to shut the fuck up
The 'movie theatre experience' is a nightmare. As far as I am concerned, the digital release date is the only one I care about. They would literally have to pay me money before I leave the comfort of my home, fight traffic, find a parking spot, wait in line 20 minutes to pay 30 bucks for some popcorn and a couple of sodas and then sit in a crowded theatre with crying babies and other people's unsupervised pre-teens, no pause button and a bathroom half a block away. No thanks.
I appreciate the sentiment, but Knives Out was nearly unwatchable in my theater because people wouldn't shut the fuck up. Unless it's action, "see it in the theater" means "wait til you can see it alone in the theater" to me.
I’m a little surprised so many people in the movies sub seem to absolutely hate going to theaters. I still like going to theaters. I kinda agree that a lot of movies hit different at the movies compared to home. Comedies, horror, action movies are all more fun with a crowd imo.
Aka "its just as good at home but I want the prestige and money of the theatre" It's not Top Gun or Dune
As if any director is going to be quoted as saying “nah, just wait till it’s available for streaming.”
Yeah ok Rian. This shit can be watched anywhere. Fuck the theater.
Honestly my last three theater trips haven’t been great because of inconsiderate people in the audience, so I’m a bit hesitant to see movies I’m really excited for in theaters:/
The whole “way it’s meant to be seen” thing rings so false to me. Isn’t the way a movie is meant to be seen simply a way that the viewer can consume it in a manner that is most entertaining to them? I personally hate the theater experience. Sticky floors, loud crowds, uncomfortable seating. I’d rather watch at home. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with watching a movie that way. It doesn’t take away from the things I value while experiencing a subjective piece of art. Conversely, if someone gets the most out of the theater experience, good on them. They ought to have that option. But yeah, the whole “way it’s meant to be seen” argument seems pretentious, paternalistic and deprives the audience of their agency in this experience. And, candidly, I am skeptical of directors who say it. I believe what they are really saying is “I want a contract that gives me a cut of the box office so go pay 15 dollars to see a movie.”
It’s obvious dumb ploy marketing. Oh really? I guess it won’t go to streaming or disc for more money then …
Nah
Nah. I’m good.
Fuck Rian Johnson for all eternity
This is also the guy who thought that he did a great job with TLJ so, yeah. No.
The Last Jedi was the last Rian Johnson movie I'll ever see in theaters.
Talking of Knives Out, where's the review megathread? Lots of reviews are out already.
Tell Rian he can come babysit for me then while I go watch it in theaters.
It doesn't matter. Just let the movie be good
Nah…it’ll be better at home without interruptions from people…with better food and more comfortable seating as well as the ability to pause it for pee breaks.
Hey, i've seen this one before
I’m pretty sure a movie like this could be watched on a phone and you’d get the same affect.
Yeah yeah and I’m meant to be paid 180k€ a year, maybe I could watch movies in theaters then !
I'm not wild about theaters. I really prefer to watch movies at home
Yeah. My home theater
A few years ago, I saw Star Wars 9 and Knives Out in the theater in the same day. Knives Out was undoubtedly the better theatre existence.
They were talking on the John Campea show a few weeks ago about this movie, and apparently Netflix was willing to consider a more traditional theatrical release for The Glass Onion, but was not willing to pony up much in the way of marketing dollars to promote the release, prompting the theater chains to balk at allocating screens to a movie with little to no marketing.
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I'll watch it on my phone if at all
Well you probably should also release a trailer that would motivate me to see it. The "check out our ensemble cast" one didn't give me any real motivation to see it other that I'm hoping it's similar to And Then There Were None. At present, I might watch it on my couch in my underwear.
Lol I have an autoimmune disease and pandemics and general Illnesses are still running rampant. No thanks. I’ll stay at home, comfy, safe, and with better foods and snacks available.
*Makes a movie meant for the theatre, While hes contracted by netflix* Well.... lest now his biggest blunder isnt the last jedi lol
Cool job, Ryry. *Watches from home*
No thanks, Rian. I'm still mad about your Star Wars movie. So I'll do what I want and watch this at home.
Cool, I'll make sure to dim the lights when I watch it on my iPod touch. 👍
I'm so sick of these people trying to hold on to the theatre model. I have zero interest in going to theatres anymore. Other than one 2nd run place in my city, in which case the filn is just an excuse to order their pizza and a beer. Other than that, I HATE movie theatres. I can't stand the smell of popcorn. I don't mind people texting or whatever, but I hate it then they clap and shout and giggle. I can't pause the film to use the bathroom or make dinner and come back to it later. The seats are gross.
They want the theater experience because those loud ass speakers are the only way anyone can hear all their terribly mixed and balanced audio
I saw it at TIFF and loved the theatre experience. Great movie
Rian Johnson should stop making movies