To think that people have forgotten basic cinema etiquette.

[HelloThereObiWan]

I've noticed that since the pandemic people seem to have forgotten basic cinema etiquette and it seems to be getting worse.

I went to see Lightyear today. I know, I know, it's a kid's movie and some chatter, trips to the toilet etc is to be expected for these showings but we had a child in our row talking loudly throughout the performance with no attempt by the parents to shush her. Other children kept getting up to walk around, multiple people got up to go and get more snacks (it's not a long movie for crying out loud how much sugar do you need?) plus a general low level of chatter throughout. At one point someone's phone rang loudly. The child behind me kept kicking my chair and quite a few people turned up late.

It wasn't just today though, I've been to other showings recently that are less child focused and I still had people getting up repeatedly, talking, using their phones, coming in after the trailers have done and dusted and the film had been running for ten minutes, chatting away to their mates etc.

Is it just my local cinema that's shit or are they all like this now?

A shusherette 😂 Love it!

Had exactly this experience today! A group of pre-teens beings nuisances throughout (someone braver than me told them to shut up eventually and they did) about five people dropped their phones - cue torches on from their friends and lots of scrambling about. There was lots of talking and a kid who would not sit still, whose dad kind of half-arsed told him to sit down. It feels worse to me post-pandemic, but I could be less tolerant these days. Apart from the inconsiderateness, I just don’t understand why you’d pay to see a film and then not watch it?! Now we’re on the train home and no-one seems to have heard of headphones either - I DESPAIR

I've definitely noticed it more recently. I don't mind noise in a cinema if it's everyone laughing at a joke or maybe a little cheer if something great happens but all I've experienced recently has been like people aren't even caring about watching the movie.

During Black Widow there was a group of teen girls who just kept having normal volume conversations through the movie and taking constant selfies with their flash on.

Then at Sonic 2 with DD (14) we were one of only two families in the screen. We purposely chose the latest screening (around 8/8.30pm) as we figured any younger children would have been at the earlier showings. The family had a young girl, maybe around 4 or 5, but she sat quietly while the two adults had a conversation and looked things up on their phone, all while resting their feet (without shoes) on top of the seats in front of them.

Both times I actually lost my rag and shooshed them (very out of character for me). The ones at Sonic left shortly afterwards although took forever to find their shoes in the dark. 🙄 Black Widow ones eventually left too.

It's not just cinemas though, I've noticed it at theatres recently as well. We saw a woman having to be physically removed at one show and another time we were at a musical and everyone was singing along so loudly you couldn't hear the actual performers. It's really starting to put me off going anywhere like that now.

One of my small pleasures in life is shooshing people who talk at the cinema.

I've given up on the cinema and most theatre for this reason. People have forgotten how to behave. It was a problem long before covid

I have gone a bit deaf in my old age, and when I switch my hearing aids on to the cinemas hearing loop system, all I can hear is the film so clearly! It has really improved my cinema experience, it is sort of immersive, no sweet paper rattling, popcorn crunching, or chattering at all!

Going on my experiences of the cinema over the last 20 years,I think a sizeable proportion of people forgot their cinema etiquette long before the pandemic. Or maybe never even had any in the first place! Slurping drinks,chomping crisps/snacks,rustling sweet wrappers, kicking the back of your seat,throwing popcorn at people,pissing about with their mobile phones, putting feet on the backs of seats in front of them,arriving 20 minutes after the film has started and making everyone stand up so they can get to a seat.
The most bizarre thing I have ever experienced was when myself and a friend went to see a film about 10 years ago,I can't remember what it was,but there was only us two and about 20 others in a 100 seat auditorium. My friend and I sat at the back,leaving an empty seat between us to give us more room. Some weirdo guy comes in just before the film started,and proceeded to try and sit in the empty seat between us,despite there being at least 70 odd other empty seats available! My friend and I were like 🙄 um no,I don't think so.

I got felt up in a cinema once. That was rubbish to put it mildly.

I tried that but still had some moron answering her phone with no intervention from the ushers.

On another occasion though, I went to an Everyman theatre and there was just us and another couple there. Bliss!

I go to the cinema a lot and haven’t noticed this (unless it’s a kids film), it’s loud till the film starts then everyone shuts up.

Do you ask people to be quiet? In the past I’ve done this and it works

I voted YABU because my experience is that it's always been this way. That's why I don't go unless my friends are desperate to see something and invite me along.

i went to see downton abbey the other day. 2 older ladies sat next to me and talked to each other throughout it, but about the film, ‘ooh, where’s her husband theN?’, ‘ooh he’s handsome’. It was rather endearing as they were obviously having a smashing night out, but it was like sitting next to them in an episode of Gogglebox.

I haven't been since pre covid, when it was bad enough. None of you are inspiring me to go now.

but I do love the sound of big screen movies... it just help if you can hear it!!

and people & their phones, it was annoying beforehand!!

I went to see Top Gun in 4DX the other week and the woman sat next to me was constantly messaging on her phone which then pinged loudly every time she had a reply. I had the last laugh though as she picked the precise moment the seats started to really move to take a swig from her coke can. She got covered in it, shrieked loudly and was told to shut the fuck up by the person behind her. Instant karma.

TBH OP it isn’t just cinema etiquette. Peoples manners and expectations generally are worsening and becoming more demanding. I’ve been shocked by the way customers speak to retail staff recently. Going on the train, passengers are barging on before you’ve even gotten off. It’s really declined.

It wasn't too bad here but I was not watching kids films

I wish they should have something which disables mobiles in cinemas.

Many children aren't being taught basic manners and to be considerate of others, sadly.

I will only go to the cinema at off-peak times and when a movie has already been out several weeks so it’s no longer rammed in the auditorium. Monday afternoon is fab, maybe a 4.30 showing.

Going on a Saturday night, no thank you - ignore that song by the Drifters.

Not only cinemas but in theatres and at gigs as well. I can’t understand the logic, you’ve coughed up a sizeable amount of cash for the being able to see something in person/on a better screen/immersive experience and yet you can’t PUT YOUR DAMN PHONE DOWN? I am an unapologetic “shusherette” (thanks pp) 😆

Cinema has always been awful place though. People throwing food, leaving rubbish all over sticky floors filthy seats, overpriced chappy snacks shoulder yo shoulder with complete strangers. Grim.

Do you ever get it?

Went to see Cinderella in London last week just before it closed.

4 women in front of me texted all the way. The light from their screens was so distracting.

It's an expensive theatre show. Tickets were hard to find. Why go if you're not interested?

I don't think going to the loo should be on your list.
The rest, yes, which is why I have always hated the cinema.
But going to the toilet is not some kind of luxurious treat. People who have urgency issues end up missing bits of the movie so the person that loses out most is them.