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Original poster

Shouting, cheering and clapping at Minecraft movie

345 replies

netherite · 04/04/2025 21:33

I'm actually on the fence about how I feel so rather than aibu I guess I'm just wondering what others think/thought.

Took DS (6) to the Minecraft movie tonight - this isn't a question about taste or quality of the film! Obviously Minecraft is enjoyed by a wide range of ages, and in particular there were large groups of teenage boys there, I'd say between 13 and 17 at a guess. They were generally polite in any contact (Ie; saying excuse me to get past etc) but when the film started, every time there were particular references there would be loud cheering, shouting, clapping and repeating the line - to the point of not being able to hear the film. I had briefly seen reference to this online and a friend who took their child to a different cinema also experienced it previously. I guess it probably happened about 15 times throughout the movie.

Now on the one hand, it was a bit of fun, they've paid their money too and it was an experience - I guess similar in vein to Rocky Horror audience.

On the other, there were lots of children around my D's age and some (D's included) were quite startled, upset and didn't understand why people were doing this - some left early, some were tearful and for D's it definitely spoilt his evening a bit.

I don't really know what a solution would be to make it so both groups enjoy it, but I think ultimately I'm a bit annoyed. Have others experienced this and what did you think? (For the poll purposes - iabu would be it's fine people are just having fun, ianbu would be that it's a bit annoying and antisocial

OP posts:
HamptonPlace · 07/04/2025 17:21

helpfulperson · 07/04/2025 07:57

The difficulty is the mismatch of how people want to enjoy this type of experience. We see it with Wicked and with musicals in the theatre. Some people want it as an interactive singalong experience and others want to sit in silence and enjoy. Neither is wrong. Maybe venues need to advertise specific showings as specific things ie Audience Participation and Non Audience Participation. There used to be specific singalong showings of films which I loved.

Edited

Singing along at a live theatre event (unless explicitly designated as such) a TOTAL no-no (IMHO)

HamptonPlace · 07/04/2025 17:19

The film is meaningless (and so i imagine unenjoyable) without familiarity with the game. Cheers and clapping at our viewing too, but DSs 9&12 loved all of it. In jokes were great :)

BestOfTimesBlurstOfTimes · 07/04/2025 15:45

My DS (11) went to see it on Saturday with a group of friends. He said they joined in with “Flint and steel!” “Release!” and “chicken jockey!” parts, and clapped and cheered at the Technoblade tribute. That’s all. They had a blast.

helpfulperson · 07/04/2025 14:48

crumblingschools · 07/04/2025 09:36

@helpfulperson theatres don’t normally want the audience singing/dancing along until you get to the encores

Not generally no but there are musicals and films that are put on with express intention that the audience will sing along and are great fun. If some performances of a musical were listed as feel free to sing along and others as sing and you will be asked to leave that would work.

crumblingschools · 07/04/2025 09:36

@helpfulperson theatres don’t normally want the audience singing/dancing along until you get to the encores

helpfulperson · 07/04/2025 07:57

The difficulty is the mismatch of how people want to enjoy this type of experience. We see it with Wicked and with musicals in the theatre. Some people want it as an interactive singalong experience and others want to sit in silence and enjoy. Neither is wrong. Maybe venues need to advertise specific showings as specific things ie Audience Participation and Non Audience Participation. There used to be specific singalong showings of films which I loved.

sharkanado · 07/04/2025 07:11

This happened when I saw Barbie.

TheWelshposter · 07/04/2025 07:02

My son's aged 6 and 9 were so excited to see this movie so would have hated for it to be ruined for them. I took them early on Sunday morning and there were only young kids there, hardly any teens. Very peaceful showing which was a pleasant surprise!!

crumblingschools · 07/04/2025 06:58

The problem is how does the cinema define what is interactive with this film? A singalong version of a film is pretty obvious what it means. But the behaviour during Minecraft film is being fuelled by TikTok with audience being encouraged to be disruptive, so in less extreme ways by clapping and cheering at various points but now in some showings more extreme behaviour which people then film to share on SM.

alwaysdeleteyourcookies · 07/04/2025 06:33

AthWat · 05/04/2025 11:24

Yes, pretty much, because if something like this is going to happen, nobody should be unwitting. The cinema should tell them on point of ticket purchase. If the cinema has not publicised that this showing welcomes this behaviour, they should stop it. If they tell everyone coming it will happen and people still go, then it's on them.

Show quote history

Agree with this.

TertiaryAdjunctofUnimatrix01 · 07/04/2025 05:58

I took a bunch of 11 year old girls on Friday. The theatre was packed with kids of all ages. It was interactive with clapping, laughing, and the odd bit of dialogue chorused. No one was out of control, or a nuisance. Everyone gathered up their rubbish. I didn’t know it was a TikTok thing. To me it was a shared, fun experience of a hammy, silly film, and we all enjoyed ourselves.

Princessconsuelabananahammock9 · 07/04/2025 04:47

user2848502016 · 06/04/2025 20:28

I think anything apart from a quiet chuckle or gasp is unacceptable at the cinema!

I know you didn’t mean to be funny but I find this hilarious.

A quiet chuckle or a gasp?

I can’t tell if you’re super uptight or typically see dull movies.

celticprincess · 06/04/2025 22:24

My 12 year old went with her 14 year old friend. She said this happened too. She said the film was so bad it was good. She basically said it was some bloke just naming all the Minecraft things!! I think something has been on tik tok to have encouraged this. My DD didn’t say it ruined anyone’s viewing though. Just that it was a bit random.

SueSuddio · 06/04/2025 21:54

I love this! It's not often you get this in films so I'd enjoy it and hope my DS felt excited too.

I remember people clapping and interacting during: Independence Day, Snakes on a Plane, Titanic, etc.

Yeah, go for it, I mean it's hardly Citizen Kane so it couldn't make the experience any worse?

SaraSosej · 06/04/2025 21:44

I went today with my DD8 and DD10. I didn’t know about the clapping before I went. The girls enjoyed the audience interaction and liked joining in. I thought it was fun! I loved the movie too, a real fun watch!

ThriveIn2025 · 06/04/2025 21:30

imnotwhoyouthinkiam · 06/04/2025 13:54

Weren't there any staff in the foyer to say something?

Show quote history

There were staff in the foyer, trying to upsell food and drink at the serve yourself machines. They ignored the kids making a noise.

Oh and yes, people at the back threw things in our cinema too. Looked like empty cups from where I was sitting.

Original poster
netherite · 06/04/2025 20:40

Quite the mixed bag then! I can see more and more on social media people being bothered by it, so it's definitely wider spread. It's a real shame that some groups have taken it way too far and caused actual damage. I saw a comment from one woman that groups had been throwing cups and one had hit her.

To be fair to ds - he's been going to the cinema since he was 4 (he's nearly 7 as well, I appreciate the comments about the game rating, just clarifying that he's not a young 6) and has no issues with the noise of the film/can sit perfectly well through a film no issues, it was the sudden outbursts that startled him and he was annoyed he couldn't hear for those bits.

It also just happened to be teenage boys I noticed - nothing to say the girls would be different.

OP posts:
Itsjustnotthevibe · 06/04/2025 20:33

I'm sorry that your DS was startled by it. We went to see it today and there was a lot of clapping and cheering but it made for a great atmosphere, everyone was having a great time. It wasn't that disruptive but a member of cinema staff made an announcement at the start that people would be removed if it got too rowdy so I think it probably wasn't as bad as it might have been.

user2848502016 · 06/04/2025 20:28

I think anything apart from a quiet chuckle or gasp is unacceptable at the cinema!

Bowies · 06/04/2025 20:00

Go when the teenagers are still in bed. It’s very hyped right now, Minecraft was obviously a big thing when they were younger.

I would just put it down to bad timing.

Having said that, sorry your DS was startled, maybe the cinema is not the best environment for him, it can be very noisy and unpredictable at the best of times.

AnonbecauseIamlackinginspiration · 06/04/2025 19:48

Normally I would probably agree with you but I think it’s targeted at 9 plus so on this occasion YABU. The pre teen/tween age group have so little aimed at them, they deserve to have a bit of fun with this one. And if younger kids were scared it’s probably because it’s PG.

Single50something · 06/04/2025 18:52

I took my son on Friday. He said it could happen when the memes were said..and it did. He didn't join in but we both smiled and had bit of a laugh about it. It's apparently the thing. But since I've seen local cinemas saying to keep noise down etc..

Timeforanotheraliasnow · 06/04/2025 18:44

I went with my 19 and 22 yo DS’s. There were a couple of outbursts, otherwise pretty quiet. BTW, it was easily the worst film I’ve ever seen.

indigovapour · 06/04/2025 18:26

PeonyTruffle · 05/04/2025 18:23

I took my 10yr old today, we couldn't hear the film, talking non stop through out, clapping, cheering, shouting the lines, foot stomping, filming the movie on phones. Lady behind me took a phone call and had a chat. It was so bad that it was almost funny.

We complained and got complementary tickets, other people also complained so not just us. Cinema man said that it was even worse yesterday and did look quite fed up with the ridiculous behaviour.

Sadly it was the teens on their own, the younger kids were all sat nicely.

This just sounds awful. We really do seem to be raising a generation of entitled little shits who think they’re the only real people in the world and you can see how it’s happening given some of the responses on this thread from the half-arsed parents.

“They’ve grown up with Minecraft” - no they haven’t. They haven’t grown up at all.

Lollipop81 · 06/04/2025 18:21

ThirdCoffeeThisMorning · 05/04/2025 08:07

Thanks for the heads up, I'll be mindful of the timings when booking our tickets.

I took my 5 and 6 year old to a 1 o clock showing today, there were plenty of teenagers and adults but I didn’t experience this. I think the only part where people repeated the line was the I am Steve part.
my kids really enjoyed it.