Turn off your F-ing phone in the cinema!

[Forwardthinkingturtle]

I went to see Wicked today. Lots of kids in the cinema; they were beautifully behaved and was a lovely atmosphere. However, at least three grown adults repeatedly got their phones out on full brightness to have a little scroll and a text conversation.

It’s rare to go to the cinema and this NOT happen these days. Is nowhere sacred?! We have a real problem if the general public cannot go a couple of hours without checking their device…sets a real example to the kids too. The worst one was a couple of years ago at a Star Wars film and a woman was sat next to me playing a game on her phone(!). I politely asked her to stop and was met with abuse. She did stop when a member of staff came over but then muttered about me under her breath for the next half hour!

I haven't been to the cinema since 2014. I'd love to see Wicked but I'm not paying to put up with other people's shitty behaviour. It's a shame people can't behave themselves for even a couple of hours

So yet more events type one diabetics can’t access.

Was it me?
Were you watching the 4:15pm showing at the Depot?

I have stopped going to the cinema now because of people checking their phones etc, so distracting. We have a lovely 65" tv with Sonos soundbar etc, comfy sofa, much better watching films at home now.

It's not just that it's people who start having a conversation on the phone. I know they obviously don't care people are around them and are trying to watch a film but at the same time..

So you’d have it in dark mode, & sit somewhere you could get out easily if necessary?

I've stopped going to the cinema too. Generally quite expensive for a rubbish experience spoiled by other people. Much rather watch the film at home.

They do say on the adverts to switch phone off but it's obvs not enough.
There should be a member of staff occassionally popping in to see if things are ok but no doubt there isn't.

We saw Wicked yesterday. Every person was warned as they went in that no phone use would be tolerated and if anyone was seen taking pictures or recordings of the screen they’d be removed immediately. People were still using their phones and a member of staff was telling them to put them away. Same in the theatre at half term, staff patrolling and telling people to stop using their phones.

It’s sounding as if locked pouches might be the only answer in cinemas too.

When I was a teenager & babysat for the neighbours pre-mobiles, they always left the number of wherever they were going. Although that’s probably a lot trickier than it used to be.

Yep. Brightness turned right down.

This with the phones. Plus the smell of popcorn makes me gag. Then once during a 100 min film, a kid in front of me (guessing he was 6) went to the toilet with his DF THREE times.

This is why I watch movies in the comfort of my home. If I need a wee, I can pause the film.

Think people with medical issues, should be able to carry their phone for ICE.

This drives me nuts. The glare of a screen is so distracting. It takes you out of being immersed in the film. I really wish there was a way of banning phones in cinemas.
Ditto people playing music or having speakerphone conversations on mobile phone on public transport 😬

I did use my phone in the cinema yesterday 🫣 . I messaged my sister who had messaged but I did turn the sound off and turned the brightness down.

Was the Star Wars movie experience in Eastbourne?

Yesterday at the cinema for Wicked in the row infront of us there was a 13/14 year old girl who walked in and out to the toilet multiple times, tripping and fumbling her way through in super slow motion past all the people in seats every time. It was irritating enough for us sitting in the seats behind her, but it must have been even more irritating for the people in the same row. Up down up down up down. Bloody hell.
Then on one of the times she stood up - bold upright standing right in front of us - she started talking to her mum about the pros and cons of taking her 5 or 6 year old brother to the toilet with her.
Mum said loudly "Can you take Rufus with you?"
Girl said "I mean, uh, I mean I could, but like, uh, like does he actually need a wee?"
Mum says "I'm not sure, shall we ask him. RUFUS DO YOU NEED A WEE?"
Rufus (5 seats along) said he didn't know.
Mum says to girl "What did he say?"
Girl told her Rufus doesn't know.
Girl, who's as tall as me, 5ft 6 or so, stands there making no attempt to get out of the way, and says to mum "What should I do then?"
Mum says "Ummmmm, ahhhhhh, ummm............Oh just take him with you anyway, just in case he does need to go'".
Girl says "But what if I take him and then he doesn't need a wee?"
Mum says "Just take him anyway"
Girl says "But then he'd miss the film"
Mum says "Oh. True. Hmm. Ummm. Oh. Oh just take him, he'll probably have one".
So then the girl walks back along the line of 5 seats stumbling and tripping over them to get to Rufus.
Then she stumbles and trips all the way back along the row with Rufus in tow and leaves for the toilet.
It took everything in me not to lean forward and say "SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET OUT OF THE FUCKING WAY!!!!!"
The only reason I didn't was because there were kids everywhere.
Guess what.
10 minutes later the girl returned without Rufus and stood in front of us telling mum Rufus was asking for mummy, cue another conversation about what to do.
All at completely loud levels of conversation.
Oh my fucking God.

Nobody wants those recordings 😂 they're shite. Learn to enjoy the actual experience

How did they manage before smart phones?

Yanbu. Although my phone never leaves my side as I'm a lone parent. If my kids need someone it's just me.

We went to see the comedian Henry Rowley the other night and he called out a woman who was texting near the front during his act - she even continued completing the text while he addressed her!!

Also so many people during his act getting up to (I assume) go to the loo or buy a drink - so rude!! He was brilliant and only on for 90 minutes - I thought it was very disrespectful.

I stopped going to the cinema years ago because of the poor behaviour of other cinema goers.
Mobile phone use, flashing kids trainers, slurping from buckets full of coke, having the back of my seat kicked, constant getting up and down to go to the toilet (mostly down to buckets of coke) and I was expected to pay an extortionate amount of money to endure this behaviour. No thank you.

When travelling recently in mainland Europe, we stayed in a small hotel run by a lovely elderly gentleman. He had a hatred of mobile phone use in his dining room. He actually told one guest, who was sitting at the table having breakfast, to stop scrolling on her phone and talk to her friend! Sounds a bit Basil Fawlty, but it really wasn't, and I think he made a good point. Mobile phones are taking over peoples' lives and not always in a good way.

I've stopped going to the cinema now because people just treat the place like an extension of their living room. Phones, yapping away, endless trips to the toilet, munching noisily on food, it's expensive to put up with this shit.

One guy beside me during Joker turned his brightness right down but still checked his emails every 5 minutes. It was so distracting. I eventually snapped and he put it away but it ruined the experience.

Phones absolutely should be banned/left outside. I've got sympathy for people with medical issues but Type 1 diabetics managed before smart phones and if you really have to be contactable that you can't not check your phone for period of the film then just don't go and ruin it for others.

These days I only go to the cinema at times when there will be few other people there (11 am weekday showing for Wicked). Not an option for everyone. Unfortunately moronic behaviour has even crept into opera audiences, but at least the staff intervene when someone has their phone on. Such a shame, as there is something special about seeing a film at the cinema, or a live opera.

Why didn't you wait until the film had finished?