Saturday, September 17, 2005

Sleeping With the Light On Tonight

Today C, Ka and I went to see the Exorcism of Emily Rose. I am happy to report that I emerged with clean britches - but the film is quite a mind bender.

As you may have already heard, the movie focuses on the trial part of the story. This allowed me to emerge from my scary movie gear and relax at times instead of being wound up for the entire 2 hours. I'm not going to discuss it in detail here other than to say that I really liked the movie.

When we were buying our tickets, C was trying to figure out why the guy was charging us full price for what we believed to be a matinee. There was a sign posted on the window saying matinees were any show before 5:30 p.m., and we were buying a 4:55 p.m. show. The man behind the window just kept saying "read further down". It turned out that the part about Saturday and Sunday shows was on the bottom - and you basically have to see a movie at 10:00 a.m. on those days. It wasn't that we had to pay full price that annoyed - it was the teeny tiny print at the bottom of the sign that had the weekly prices in huge print on the top, making you THINK you might have a chance at a matinee.

As we walked away from the window, C said "I almost told him "Just TELL me the rules instead of making me read your silly matinee conversion table."

The commericals they play before the movie starts did not have any sound. I went to the customer service desk to tell them and was routed the the oldest living human being working in customer service. He said "SO, you want to make a complaint?" I said "Nooooo, I just want to tell someone so that it is fixed before the movie starts." he said "THAT is a complaint." So I had to say "Ok then. I want to complain that we have no sound in our theater."

With this, he started rolling around back there [his office like chair with wheels] and saying "where's my radio? where is it?....wheeeeerrreee is my RADIO?" He asked me what theater number and I told him "10". Then he literally asked me again. "10" I said, and offered up my ticket stub so he wouldn't forget again. He didn't even want to look at it. He gave up looking for his radio and picked up a telephone. Why he couldn't use that in the first place? So he looks at me and says AGAIN, "What theater number?"

If I have to pay $10 for a ticket, $50 for a soda and watch commercials before the movie starts, WHY CAN'T THEY HIRE COMPETENT PEOPLE TO RUN THE PLACE? Or at least give me a fair chance at a matinee on Saturday and Sunday.

5 comments:

Ms. Amanda Tate said...

I have to concur about the whole racket of seeing a movie in the theaters anymore. You might as well prepare to participate in a blood sacrifice at some point between the box office and the opening credits, everything is so freaking expensive. Not to mention the absolute ABSENCE of any kind of courtesy, customer service, or facsimile thereof. It's such a huge joke. AND THE COMMERCIALS. Did I miss a meeting? I certainly missed a memo, because last time I checked, the LAST place I want to see a freaking commercial is at the movie theater. Don't try to sell me any more Coke with the updated jingle (I'd like teach the world to chill?) --- I'm already a die-hard Coke (the typo on that word was so funny, and I almost didn't correct it, but no one needs an accidentally NC-17-rated rant from Rev. Brandy who clearly has things OTHER than Coke on her mind!) fan. And I don't play videogames more sophisticated than Ms. Pac Man. I don't have a PlayStation or any of that shit; I don't want to see ads for new videogames.

I am glad you liked the movie. I really wanted to see it, too, and even thought about trying to see it this weekend, but I have too many weddings to write . . . and I'm still recovering from "Million Dollar Baby." Whew!

ZooooM said...

My Rev sister is ON FIRE!

Here's the worst part. I am at the movies. I want to forget about things, mostly WORK. So the theaters are now advertising to "us" that corporations should hold their corporate monkey meetings in Movie Theaters! Wheeeee, "you'd be soo dang cool _________ corporation, if you did this."

GREAT. And I hate the "Twenty" with a passion. I don't know if you guys have that, I'm sure you do...it's that poor man's Entertainment Tonight that they load up with commercials and show you before the film. I HATE IT.

If I have to get there early, I'd rather bring a book. That's what I used to do before the commercial playing started.

Theresa said...

I have to really want to see something on the big screen to venture out of my house for a flick. We get free cable because the man works for the cable company. It's hard to justify paying for anything when we get every frickin' movie channel in the universe.

ZooooM said...

I'm with you Super T. Free cable would definitely keep me out of a theater.

Unknown said...

I really hate going to the movies anymore as well. But there is definately better about seeing some movies on a big screen.
"The Wall" is definately better on the big screen, so is "Jaws". A couple of weeks ago, I convinced a bunch of the youngin's I work with to go see "The Blues Brothers" on the bigs screen (Special showing for 25th anniversary). Some having never seen the movie before (verry scary) liked it. Those who had only seen it on TBS, thought it was better on the big screen. My biggest pet peeves are
1. No beer in most regular theatres here and I'm getting a little old to smuggle in a sixer and I always forget about my flask.
2. The Ginormous size of the popcorn and soda - This is part of "the man's" great conspiracy. The popcorn is very salty , so you gotta drink this vat of soda, then ya gotta pee, miss part of the movie, then ya gotta go see the movie again to see the parts that you missed.
3. People who ask "What did they say" or "What's gonna Happen" - shut up and watch the damn movie.
4. The Twenty - I gotta agree, who ever came up with this craptastic idea should reside in at least the 7th ring of hell