Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not going to the cinemas anymore

127 replies

carrotcakecream · 29/08/2021 19:50

I used to go the cinemas quite regularly years ago but over the past five years I reckon I've gone about 3 times in total, the last film I went to watch was Rocketman. Is anyone else the same as me?

OP posts:
KingdomScrolls · 30/08/2021 07:28

I hate the cinema, I don't want to go and sit in a dark room with loads of other people for two hours, I want to be able to not just sit directly face on to a huge screen, get up and make a drink, pause the film if I need to, not pay £8 for popcorn, nor listen to the person behind me chomping loudly while the couple in front block my view by leaning all over each other/snogging like teenagers. If DH wants to go he usually goes with friends or alone, if he really wants me to go it's the Everyman.

MsTSwift · 30/08/2021 07:31

It’s a good bonding activity with teens. We all went and saw a film dd1 wanted to see. Had lovely evening and gave us lots to discuss. We have a super expensive fancy cinema which makes a great treat venue. Cinema takes you out of yourself very different to watching it at home.

KingdomScrolls · 30/08/2021 07:33

Our local odeon is £9 each and it's old and the floors are sticky, some of these cinemas are so cheap

Doomscrolling · 30/08/2021 07:33

I love it! Going today with my young adult son. I’d say I go every two to three weeks.

SamMil · 30/08/2021 08:20

I love going to the cinema. We have gone less in the last 3 years after having a baby (although we did do baby cinema until she was 1).

I've been 3 times this year though - 2 kids films and one adults.

Onlinedilema · 30/08/2021 08:24

Wow the last time I went it was £11 per ticket, no wonder the cinema was virtually empty.
I'm not a fan at all and only go for dh who loves it.lo
I much prefer the theatre, which again is expensive.

MyFloorIsLava · 30/08/2021 08:27

I absolutely love going to the cinema. I triple my Tesco clubcard vouchers into cineworld vouchers which makes it affordable. In the last couple of months I've been to see Black Widow (twice due to double booking myself), Paw Patrol (with the children, surprisingly not bad), The Suicide Squad (utterly dreadful), and am going to see Shang-Chi next week. Woohoo!

As you can tell I love a Marvel/big franchise film.

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 30/08/2021 08:29

I never go, I'm sick of the very high cost and people ruining the film by talking all the way through and eating non stop.
I'd rather pay to watch a film online at home.

MattDamon · 30/08/2021 08:30

I haven't been for about 4 years. Maybe it's just my local, but the talking, phone checking and flashing apple watches (or whatever they are) in the dark have just gotten out of control in the years leading up to Covid. In one of my last viewings, three women in their fifties talked through the entire film. Even teenagers were telling them to shut up and they just ignored it.

It's just not worth it anymore when we have a big screen at home and films come to streaming so quickly.

CrackerGal · 30/08/2021 08:33

I love going to the cinema & was so happy when our cinemas reopened a few months ago so I could go again ... everything we've seen so far has been abysmal though 🤣
We've watched Woman In The Window, Old, The Conjouring The Devil Made me do It and The Night House.
The night house started out so promising first half then bombed second half!
I did however take my daughter to see Croods 2 & it was excellent!
I really want to see Candy Man and Free Guy - does anyone recommend them?

CrackerGal · 30/08/2021 08:35

@thenightsky

Apparently our local Odeon is the most expensive outside of Leicester Square, but the price seems to have come down since covid. Used to be £12, now about £9. An Everyman opened a few months ago, but nobody goes as its £16, which is ridiculous.
Odeon is crazy expensive! I could believe how expensive when I was over in the UK a few years back. Our cinemas are a lot cheaper in comparison.
Demelza82 · 30/08/2021 08:37

No, I still love going to the cinema. Nothing beats the experience. Anyone moaning about the cost probably wastes far more on stupid, frivolous things. You don't use it, you lose it

CrackerGal · 30/08/2021 08:37

@MsTSwift

It’s a good bonding activity with teens. We all went and saw a film dd1 wanted to see. Had lovely evening and gave us lots to discuss. We have a super expensive fancy cinema which makes a great treat venue. Cinema takes you out of yourself very different to watching it at home.
Completely agree!
Neverrains · 30/08/2021 08:39

@Demelza82

No, I still love going to the cinema. Nothing beats the experience. Anyone moaning about the cost probably wastes far more on stupid, frivolous things. You don't use it, you lose it
That’s the point though… i’m not bothered if we lose it, because we don’t use it 🤷🏻‍♀️. And I probably do spend money on other frivolous things, but that’s because those frivolous things are worth more to me than a trip to the cinema.
SuperLoudPoppingAction · 30/08/2021 08:40

I enjoyed free guy - fab actors and a fairly good plot. Dd liked it more than Ready Player One.

I go once or twice a week. I love films but struggle to concentrate at home.
I just watched the courier. I really liked that.

Watching 'our ladies' today.

I've noticed the guardian will give decent films a 3* review and make snobby comments. Like 'our ladies' - should have taken the me too movement into account apparently.
But the book was written in the 90s?

Anyway I try and ignore that, watch the trailer and see if I fancy it.

I have odeon limitless which is only 9.99 a month just now. Also if you have a disability you might be able to get a cea card to bring a companion for free.
So for me it works out about £1 per ticket on average.

I wish they would stop serving hotdogs but thankfully not many people buy them.

I used to go to the independent cinema more but they make it really hard to use the cea card so I've been put off, and the chairs aren't as comfy.

magicstar1 · 30/08/2021 08:42

Before lockdown we went almost every week. I also went to a lovely restored Art Deco cinema, which served alcohol and food. They show old movies on a Friday afternoon with Prosecco, and I’d bring my mother along. I can’t wait until they start again.

DarkDarkNight · 30/08/2021 08:46

Before lockdown I used to go a lot with my son. I really enjoy it, especially in winter when the weather is bad. Haven’t been since lockdown, I’m not avoiding it, I will go back and my son has been asking.

I used to love to go to the cinema before I had my son as well but I am single now and don’t have anyone to go with. Yes I could go alone but getting someone to watch my child so I can go to the cinema alone seems a bit indulgent.

CrackerGal · 30/08/2021 08:56

@SuperLoudPoppingAction

I enjoyed free guy - fab actors and a fairly good plot. Dd liked it more than Ready Player One.

I go once or twice a week. I love films but struggle to concentrate at home.
I just watched the courier. I really liked that.

Watching 'our ladies' today.

I've noticed the guardian will give decent films a 3* review and make snobby comments. Like 'our ladies' - should have taken the me too movement into account apparently.
But the book was written in the 90s?

Anyway I try and ignore that, watch the trailer and see if I fancy it.

I have odeon limitless which is only 9.99 a month just now. Also if you have a disability you might be able to get a cea card to bring a companion for free.
So for me it works out about £1 per ticket on average.

I wish they would stop serving hotdogs but thankfully not many people buy them.

I used to go to the independent cinema more but they make it really hard to use the cea card so I've been put off, and the chairs aren't as comfy.

Thanks I'll go see Free Guy! Would you say its appropriate to bring kids to or not? Odeon limitless sounds well worth it then
isthismylifenow · 30/08/2021 09:07

@CrackerGal

I love going to the cinema & was so happy when our cinemas reopened a few months ago so I could go again ... everything we've seen so far has been abysmal though 🤣 We've watched Woman In The Window, Old, The Conjouring The Devil Made me do It and The Night House. The night house started out so promising first half then bombed second half! I did however take my daughter to see Croods 2 & it was excellent! I really want to see Candy Man and Free Guy - does anyone recommend them?
We went to see Free Guy last weekend. It was in 3D which made it even better. Ds is a gamer and a lot of the quirks went over my head as there are a lot of clever gaming references. But I did enjoy it nevertheless.

But then again I am a huge Ryan Reynolds fan.

I saw Hitman's wife's bodyguard a few weeks ago, really enjoyed that. It was hilarious.

CrackerGal · 30/08/2021 11:00

Great thank you so much for the recommendations!
I'll definitely bring my teens to see Free Guy - would it be suitable for a 9 year old too?

DrMadelineMaxwell · 30/08/2021 11:19

9 should be fine. There's violence but not blood and gore type as it's video game style. And a swear word or two.

I've seen it twice as I really enjoyed it.

valadon68 · 30/08/2021 11:21

I can't recommend Picturehouse membership enough! It more than pays for itself with the initial free tickets and then numerous free or discounted screenings throughout the year.

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 30/08/2021 11:29

We loved Free Guy, it's like an action packed Truman show.

For a 9 year old I'd say if they've seen Marvel films then the action and fighting is on a similar level but there is a bit more swearing. No nudity or sex though.

LindaEllen · 30/08/2021 11:33

We've hardly been since we got our Firestick, as you can get everything on there, great quality.

The only things we will go and see are if there are really really highly anticipated films out - the last thing I went to see was Avengers End Game which I really did want to see on the big screen.

In a few weeks we'll have our own big screen anyway so that'll be that, probably!

SolitaryTree · 30/08/2021 11:43

We go fairly often, our local cinema is £5 a ticket and we take our own snacks and drinks.
The last time we went was Saturday, we went to see free guy and really enjoyed it!
I haven’t been to the cinema alone since before covid though, I always enjoyed that. The last film I went to see alone was joker.