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 think that having your phone on silent/vibrate and quickly checking it is fine. I'd even forgive a quick text - it's easy to cover up - put your phone under your jumper or coat or cover it with your hand. I wouldn't do it myself, I always turn my phone off.

However, scrolling through Instagram and constantly messaging your mates, like the gal in front of me was yesterday, is not OK! She was on her phone for most of the film. The film was 2 hours 40! That's a lot of phone screen time.

I wish there was a way of getting no signal in the cinema or theatre. Would not stop someone playing a game or checking emails, but no chance of phone calls being received.

Even if cinemas were to refuse bookings from those who behave in such a way, given it is usually internet bookings another family member could book, so almost impossible to enforce a ban.

Agreed - nothing worse than enjoying your film and suddenly someone is trying to get past you and treading on your toes!

That's a fair point. I think a lot of the time I'm sitting through kiddie films I'm not particularly bothered about and that's why but yeah I'll probably put it away next time. This time though it was Paddington which I quite enjoyed.

Also I think so many of us are addicted to our phones and I agree that it is not good.

@EmpressaurusKitty Not a problem if you are by yourself, but this person was sitting at a table with just her friend and completely ignoring her to look at her phone.

But just because you aren’t bothered by the kiddies film doesn’t mean you can just reply to messages on your phone. The cinema is still dark and your phone is still a nuisance to others whether you are enjoying the film or not.

@Stickseas0n

I hope you were the person in front of us at Paloma Faith and your recording was enhanced by the people behind saying "cunt" over your shoulder.

Which is why I turned down the brightness to zero. I am not inconsiderate. Anyway like I said it's made me think twice for next time as clearly it's a faux pa.

We don't go to the cinema anymore because of the selfish behaviour from so many others who think they're entitled to do as they want. I personally don't care if cinemas close, the morons will need to find something else to ruin. A shame for the people who don't disrupt other people though.

Hell really is other people.

Four of us friends had gone to see Death in Venice, midweek, first showing, hopefully not busy.
As always there were a lot of ads and trailers, but as soon as the film started a woman about 3 rows down got out her phone and started texting!
The film is dark and atmospheric, so the bright screen was very distracting, I leaned over and said 'Will you put that phone away, the film has started " The woman shut it down without a word, my friends and I just looked at one another and nodded, no words needed.

Why were you on your phone in the cinema?

It used to be an unwritten rule that phones were not used in cinemas. Sadly standards have dropped and because most people don't wish to be confrontational, the culprits think no one minds because no one says anything.

I won't say anything, not because I'm scared but because I don't want a mouthful of abuse that will get my adrenaline up. Not worth it

As an adult you are also responsible for modelling (hopefully good) behaviour to your children.

If they see you doing it, they will copy it when they get phones. Please don’t encourage them.

I rarely go to the cinema but went with my son,,2 lads in front had a v noisy picnic and phones out was so annoying. But everywhere i go no one looks where they are going because faves stuck in their phones they walk into you then huff like it’s your fault, can’t be bothered with it. People only seem to experience life through their phones. I sound like my mum I know

I've actually stopped going to the cinema as I just can't stand the phones, munching, rustling and talking. Not to mention the up and down people!

I just wait and watch the film when it's available to rent on Sky cinema.. peace and quiet in my own living room.

Have not ventured to a cinema since Covid. The last time I went to a cinema - a woman in front of me was constantly texting and she had the key button noise on!

I get annoyed by this! Feel the need to either a - switch off the sound or b throw it away

And also don't sit in someone else's seats Especially when you have the WRONG DAY!

Went to Wicked yesterday. Someone in our seats. The woman argued and argued until management eventually realise she has the wrong day. In the meantime my coffee has gone cold and my kids are almost crying.

Haha this happened to me at the cinema. Couple were sitting in our pre booked seats, we politely asked them to move and they insisted the seats were theirs. They went on and on and on until they finally got a staff member over who told them they werent their seats.

They didnt even say sorry, just huffed and puffed and made a huge issue of moving as if it was our fault!

Omg I would want to THROTTLE them! What is wrong with people?

I hope the phone pouches/lockers don’t become the norm. Like other posters, I have good reason to always have my phone on me, and switched on (and OF COURSE it is on silent/vibrate - in fact, it’s usually on do not disturb (with exceptions for key numbers)). I have had to leave performances (of all sorts) before now, and wouldn’t be able to attend at all if I had to be uncontactable.

Those posters who are completely unable to imagine why someone may need to have their phone with them at all times (and there are many, many reasons) have obviously led very sheltered lives.

I had to leave part way through a film today as the woman next to me was alternating playing on her phone (multiple times), digging something out of her bag to eat (multiple times) wrapped up in loads of crunched up paper, on all fours with her phone torch for something she’d dropped, talking to her daughter (aged 9 or 10, the child was perfectly behaved!) …I gave up and left.

Oh, she.was also in the wrong seats and was moved next to me.

I haven’t been to the cinema for a couple of years, but decided to take my elderly disabled mum to see Wicked this afternoon. Settled in our seats on the end of a row towards the front about 15 mins before the film started. (All seats are allocated on booking)
just as the lights went down a family clambered over us to reach their seats further down the row. 10 mins after the film started another family (complete with stinky nachos) ask the first family to move as they are in their seats. They clamber over us again, and 2nd family then clamber over us to take the seats.
Throughout the film there is a steady procession of kids and parents going to the loo and buying more stinky nachos and slurpy drinks. The lady next to my mum was watsapping at regular intervals, and another lady just across the aisle was scrolling through videos.
As we left I noticed piles of nacho/popcorn boxes, sweet wrappers and drink buckets all over the floor.
Not sure if it was an experience worth repeating!

plumlipstick · Yesterday 19:31

Haha this happened to me at the cinema. Couple were sitting in our pre booked seats, we politely asked them to move and they insisted the seats were theirs. They went on and on and on until they finally got a staff member over who told them they werent their seats.
They didnt even say sorry, just huffed and puffed and made a huge issue of moving as if it was our fault!

I had that at Aladdin, at the Sunderland Empire last year! They knew and just said that they wanted to sit where we were and that we could have their crappy seats instead! There were five of them together and they had the seats of a mother and two girls, as well.

They eventually moved and said we'd ruined it for them, by making such a fuss!