Terror Must Be Maintained...It is the Logic of History

by mssickels on Jul 11, 2025 11:23 AM EDT Comment 80 comments

My operatives would avenge my death...and some of them are Vulcans.

JERI here!

It's Sunday, John's on a trip, and I'm dealing with the blog today. I'm tired and don't want to think up a baseball question. It is clear that some of you enjoy arguing for no good reason, so let's do that!

Let's talk about something that annoys almost everyone: MOVIES! Specifically, prices in general and the whole 3D craze.

I'm a science fiction fan. I get the desire for over the top special effects, and I get the fact that these effects cost money. However, what the BLEEP is the deal with all the 3D movies?!? How many of these movies really needed to be in 3D in order to be fully appreciated? Even the 'regular D' movies are insanely priced. I'm getting really really PISSED OFF that going to the movies is becoming a rich man's sport.

We have an 11 year old, as you know if you have been a fan of John's for any length of time. We also have a 4 year old, but he is not allowed to go to the movies yet. There are a lot of movies released recently that Nicholas would love to see. He has recently gone to see two: The Karate Kid and The Last Airbender (in 3D!). Nicholas and John and Nicholas' friend went to see the Karate Kid. After paying to get in, and drinks and a treat, the cost was just pennies over $50. If I had gone and we had hired a sitter, that would have been an extra $10 for me to get in(I don't eat popcorn, and the theater doesn't have Diet Dr. Pepper, the only soda worth drinking!), and $15 for the sitter, so we would have been looking a $75 dollar night just for a movie. That's INSANE! We always have looked at movie nights as a special night out for the kid, so we assume treats as part of the whole deal.

When it was time to see The Last Airbender, I was the adult in charge, so I dug out my big purse, smuggled in drinks and candy for Nicholas, and we went to a matinee. just Nicholas and I went, and John stayed with Jackson. The tickets were up-charged $3.50 each for the 3D effects (read a review and see how ironic that is), so two tickets for the matinee, one adult and one child cost $21. I got Nicholas a popcorn for $5.50 (the small one, which is admittedly too big), and when the counter girl tried for the third time to upsell me I finally asked for some smelling salts so I might recover from sticker shock. She quickly gave me the popcorn and got me the hell away from the counter, clearly so that my sanity would not infect the other dazed and broke parents. Final tally for Airbender (tickets plus popcorn plus convenience store treats of 2 bottles soda and two packs skittles): $32.50. 7 dollars of that was because of the 3D effects, which we would gladly have forgone, but the theatre was not showing a non-3D version.

That's a lot of money for either movie. Even without treats, that's a lot of money. An adult ticket price should never exceed the minimum wage, in my not so humble opinion. We clearly had the choice to stay home, and if we had not been able to afford to go, we would have. However, why the Hell should we be forced to make that choice? Why should any family be denied simple entertainment because the price is so out of control? I guess there are two different issues: movies cost too darn much and unnecessary 3D effects should not be used just to drive up the prices.

If the movie industry has started to price itself out of the middle class comfort zone, cut back on extra costs. Does any actor NEED $20 million? Get an unknown! Heck, since we are already forced to watch commercials at the theatre, charge more for those, and keep the movie going experience available to most families.

As for 3D effects, QUIT IT! They are not necessary to the story telling, and in only rare cases actually do anything for the movie beyond making the viewer say 'Wow! It looked like that was coming right at me!' And, as a personal note, they kind of make me carsick.

To recap: Movies are becoming a rich man's past time, much like Polo. 3D is being overused, and I believe it is partly an obvious attempt to condition movie goers to accept paying $10 for a child's ticket, so that when the 3D craze goes away, the ticket prices will still be elevated and parents won't complain about being totally hosed by ticket prices.

Thoughts? Am I just out of line with my expectations of affordable family entertainment? Before you guys yell at me and tell me that we always have the option to stay home, I would direct you to reread the article where I say that.

By the way, John will be tweeting from the game, assuming it doesn't get rain delayed. More baseball stuff tomorrow, or maybe even later today.

Best Regards,

JERI

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Movies

Going to a movie theater isn’t any different from any other form of entertainment, cost wise anyways. You’ll pay a premium for food and a reasonable price for the entertainment.
No offense Jeri but you’re making yourself sound like an old battle axe crying "Back in my day … "
Movies aren’t that expensive.
Regarding the 3d craze. Movies in 3d are lame and gimmicky, it adds nothing to the story and runs up the price of the flick. Take Avatar for example, good movie, but the 3d did nothing for me, if anything, it took away from the actual story.

by daman316 on Jul 11, 2025 11:59 AM EDT reply actions

From what I hear, the story in Avatar was the worst part of the whole thing.

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2025 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions

There was nothing wrong with it. Pocohontas is a damn fine story.

by ThomasG on Jul 11, 2025 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions

^Pocahontas

by ThomasG on Jul 11, 2025 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow

What an unabashed apologist. Ticket prices have risen considerably, even in the past few years. Movie tickets are, even in your analogy to other forms of entertainment, overpriced. I could buy the DVD to any new movie for less than it cost my wife and I to go see it…without drinks or popcorn. I could rent the movie for $1 at Redbox after it comes out for rental. Movie tickets at theaters are expensive comparable not only to other cinematically related entertainment, but are also disproportionately high when compared with other activities. I went to see my wifes favorite band in concert for a total of $36. And, movies aren’t even that good over the past year or so especially. You aren’t getting anywhere close to what you paid for.

by turambar85 on Jul 11, 2025 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I have no idea where you go to see a movie, but it's very possible to see a movie for $7 a person

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2025 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I can’t see a new movie during the day (matinee prices) for under $7. There are a couple of older theaters that play movies after they have been out a while with ticket prices lower than normal but I’d rather wait another couple of weeks and just buy it at that point.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Its market based

Obviously NY/LA would be more, but I live in one of the richest counties in the country and the AMC offers $5 and $6 pre-noon showings here. Cinemark 24 in Arundel Mills offers their first showing of the day for $6. AAA, Entertainment books and Costco offer discounts as well.

AS with baseball tickets (or pretty much anything) smart shoppers can do it cheaper.

by ADLC on Jul 11, 2025 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions

You have to remember, those larger markets have more options, thus more competition for business. I live in WV, you have 1-2, maybe 3 options without driving some distance. Keep in mind, it is also one of the poorest states, so you can’t really blame it on the size of the market or the economic well being of the area.

It isn’t about being a “smart” shopper, besides, throwing out examples of showings the vast majority of people in the area can’t or don’t want to see doesn’t defeat Jerri’s point. You can buy a boot legged version of a movie for a couple dollars on the street but that isn’t evidence that movie prices aren’t increasing at a fairly alarming rate.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions

$7 a movie?

Not in a big city. $13 bucks in Toronto. I live in london and go to the ‘cheap’ afternoon shows and pay just $6 but what really blows my mind is the cost of popcorn and pop. Over $10!! I could buy a bag of popcorn for $1.99 and a can of pop for .80 cents in any convenience store.

by tuna411 on Jul 11, 2025 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Go the Beach Theater in toronto

It is only $9.95.

by King Billy Royal on Jul 11, 2025 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I think they are getting expensive. It’s $18 dollars per person for Imax I believe around here.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I am an old battleaxe, thanks for noticing!

Yes, prices go up, and I am ok with that, but I still think the prices are disproportionately high. The average family with 2-3 kids should be able to see a movie without worrying about running short for the month. There have been a lot of times in our lives when a 50 dollar night would have been a deal breaker. As we have gained in financial stability over the years we have tried hard to remember the days when things were a lot tighter. Really, how many of us are just one bad month away from ruin? Probably more than we’d like to think!

And yes, the 3D made Avatar harder to watch. Nicholas and I faithfully watched the show on Nickelodeon. They tried hard to wrap up a 20 episode season into an hour and a half. I guess it must have been pretty difficult, lol.

John's Wife and Email Secretary

by mssickels on Jul 11, 2025 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Thoughts

While I do enjoy 3D movies, I do admit that the effects are often overused. Theaters who charge more for 3D movies should give the option of the 2D experience for those who either do not like 3D effects or do not want to pay the extra cost.

However, I think that charging 10 dollars for a movie is not too much to ask. Studios are investing big money in movies and they deserve to charge enough to recoup their investments. Saying “charge more for commercials” isn’t really realistic. The theaters are already charging as much as they can to generate maximum revenue. If they increase the price they may have a few companies agree to pay, but they will lose out on others who feel they are not receiving the necessary return on their advertising expenditure. Saying “don’t pay 20 million for an actor” is also silly. I would much rather pay $10 to watch somebody like Depp or Daniel Day Lewis then some little known actor, or even worse, Ashton Kutcher. These actors tend to be paid high salaries because they bring in revenue in a global marketplace.

Also, people sneaking food in the theater is another problem. That is revenue that is supposed to be generated in food sales. Could you imagine 4 people buying one PDF copy of John’s book and just sharing it? That doesn’t properly compensate John for his time and investment, just like sneaking food in doesn’t compensate the theater fairly.

I would recommend checking different theaters in your area as some of different prices (the theater by my house is $9.95 as opposed to $11.95 at other local theaters). Also, a lot of theaters have matinee deals or Tuesday night specials where they charge half price.

by King Billy Royal on Jul 11, 2025 12:06 PM EDT reply actions

sneaking food vs. sharing pdf

You actually are right, in principle. Both are examples of taking earnings away from the one doing the work. However, there are degrees…we are not charging $65 a pound for John’s book, and the last time I saw a calculation that’s about how much movie soda costs per gallon.

I would be willing to pay a fair market price, if the theatres were willing to charge such, but I really am not willing to pay gouging so that they can make up the shortfall that comes from paying too much money for a movie that didn’t have to cost that much to make. We price John’s book in such a way as to help us provide a living wage for our family, but we are certainly not pricing it to get rich. If we were trying to get rich off of it, you’d all notice a steeeeeeep price increase.

That said, does that negate that it is ethically wrong of me to sneak in sodas that the theatre could make $10 off of? Nope. Does that mean that I’m going to pay $10 for soda the next time I go to a movie? Nope. Does that mean that you can share John’s PDFs? NOPE. :-)

John's Wife and Email Secretary

by mssickels on Jul 11, 2025 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I admire your honesty

However, imagine if everybody attempted to sneak sodas into the theater. They would no longer be able to stay in business and many people would lose their jobs, taking away from their ability to work. Theaters make the majority of their profits off concessions and would not be able to stay in business without the large mark ups. Are they unreasonably high? Perhaps but nobody is forcing people to purchase them. That said I don’t begrudge people who sneak in drinks, etc. It is just something I choose not to do.

by King Billy Royal on Jul 11, 2025 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I think the biggest problem here is your perception of what the industry should be charging. You don’t get to set the price, they do. If you aren’t happy with it, don’t go to the movies. The movie industry doesn’t owe it to you to price their product so you can afford it necessarily. I agree the prices are getting out of hand but listening to you complain about the price of basically everything they offer makes me think this problem is definitely in your own perception of what a trip to the movies should cost.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions

…I guess I should add, like someone says below, the only influence you have over their pricing is by not paying for their product until it comes down. I glossed over that but it is what I meant by the 3rd sentence.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Of course it is!

First, Let me quote from the article:

“We clearly had the choice to stay home, and if we had not been able to afford to go, we would have.”
AND
“Before you guys yell at me and tell me that we always have the option to stay home, I would direct you to reread the article where I say that.”

NOW: of COURSE this is about my perception….about whose viewpoint should I write? Yours? John’s? The movie industry should be accountable to its fans, just as any industry should. Should they make a profit? Of course! I’m just saying that movies have typically been a social outlet for the masses, and these prices are making it harder and harder for a large segment of the masses to enjoy them. Instead of going to 7-8 movies a year, we typically go to 2. Many many people with children can’t even afford that much. It’s a shame. It’s really just a darn shame. That’s my point; NOT whether or not my little post on a sports blog will change the hearts of movie execs everywhere. We’ve had a really interesting discussion here today. That’s why we are here. At least, that’s why I’m here.

John's Wife and Email Secretary

by mssickels on Jul 11, 2025 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Eh, I don’t know. I don’t think the movie industry owes you anything but the product itself. It isn’t up to them to make sure every family can afford to go to the movies. I don’t want to say it seems hypocritical to say “we could have stayed home” and still go to the movies and complain but it really shouldn’t bother you enough for it to stay on your mind. The prices are high, I forget about it as soon as the lights dim. If it truly bothered me, I wouldn’t go anymore.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t think the movie industry owes you anything but the product itself. It isn’t up to them to make sure every family can afford to go to the movies.

The problem with this line of thinking is that if they price families out of their product, the families stop buying. If people can’t afford your product, you go out of business. We don’t need to get emotional about it - if the movie industry wants to destroy itself, it’s their business. Although it would definitely suck not to be able to go to the movies, but hey - there’s always a baseball game, right?

Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.

"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09

by buzzdeadwax on Jul 12, 2025 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions

That is on the industry though. If they out price families to the point they stop going, prices will fall or they go out of business. You can’t just expect a business to keep their prices below what they may feel is the price equilibrium because some movies are marketed towards kids (not all are, in fact, most probably aren’t). Your only influence on the price is whether you agree to pay it.

Besides, based off the article thejd44 posted, they couldn’t drop their prices much anyway.

by jfish26101 on Jul 12, 2025 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

You can’t just expect a business to keep their prices below what they may feel is the price equilibrium because some movies are marketed towards kids

This is very true - theaters can’t (won’t?) charge different prices for different types of movies. Every movie is priced for the guy taking his date to the movies. What’s he going to do, admit to his date that he’s too cheap to spend $15 on her? Of course not. That is why parents have to pay big prices for bad movies. What are we going to do, spend 2 extra hours locked in the house with our children? Of course not…

Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.

by buzzdeadwax on Jul 12, 2025 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Talking about "movie prices" being too high and then going on to mention the overpriced food sorta changes the argument

The only way the theater owners make ANY money is by gouging on food prices, but here’s the thing: don’t buy it!

This is like when people complain about how expensive it is to take a family of four to a ballgame, then in that description of price they say “4 tickets, parking (find free parking and walk, take public transportation, etc.), hot dogs, beer, soda, a pennant, a program, two jerseys, and a special scoreboard message is EXPENSIVE!” Well, duh. Because you’re getting extras.

$21 for two people to go out and enjoy a movie is not that expensive, and this is coming from someone who really struggles to pay the bills each month.

Now, 3D movies: Coraline in 3D was amazing, but that was an animated film. I think this is where the 3D effects should stay. It just seems to work better for the animated stuff. I don’t have any particular love for 3D or wearing the goofy glasses for 2 hours. I’d much rather just see the actors act.

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2025 12:32 PM EDT reply actions

Great call on Coraline

I remember the scene with the sewing needles was exceptionally creepy. That movie was really aided by 3D.

by King Billy Royal on Jul 11, 2025 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Most movies are using 3D as a gimmick

But it doesn’t have to be a gimmick. Once animators and directors get more used to using the effect well we will probably see more movies that really take advantage of it.

by oplaid on Jul 11, 2025 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Well...

Bad argument. It is legitimate to consider food and drink costs when talking about entertainment when said entertainment is often around mealtime (baseball games are usually around noon-1, or 7-8 in start time on the east coast) and is in an environment where you aren’t allowed to bring in refreshments of your own. It isn’t fun to sit at a 3 hour movie (especially if you get there early for a good seat) and not drink or eat anything.

by turambar85 on Jul 11, 2025 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Eat somewhere else. I almost never get anything to eat or drink at a game or a theater, and my experience isn't lessened at all.

I go to a movie to watch a movie, a ballgame to watch a ballgame. I go to a restaurant to eat.

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2025 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

I eat at the park, or at least grab a few drinks.

I don’t know why anyone would want to eat at a movie theater honestly. Even the candy sucks, it’s just horrible quality.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

But the point is that those are luxuries, NOT necessities

And just because one likes to do something doesn’t mean it’s valid to include that in a complaint. The fact remains that you can go to a movie or a ballgame, see the thing you went to see, and not have food or drink. It’s not right to include that in a complaint about cost.

It’s like going to Best Buy to pick up a CD and then complaining all the appliances are overpriced.

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2025 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

They aren’t luxuries, they aren’t necessities no but neither is the movie or the ball game or John’s book or nearly anything we buy. Realistically speaking, the food at the theater is more of a necessity than the movie itself.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Luxuries or necessities

As the father of 5 year old, 3 year old, and 7 week old, one thing I fear is my children perceiving that they have or deserve less (or more!) than others for the inevitably awful reasons that tend to build to a middle-school breaking point.

You can teach your children well, but having the only kids in the place without popcorn because of cost is tough to swallow. Some lessons are just too tough for toddlers.

Did you ever not get something when you were a kid? How’d you feel?

by Johnny Tuttle on Jul 12, 2025 6:14 AM EDT up reply actions

I was a kid, my parents knew I may not understand then but would when I was older. Besides, you forget after a couple of months. Spoiling your kids doesn’t help them long term either…in fact, once a year we had to round up some of our toys and give them to a homeless shelter so we learned not everyone has it as good as we did.

Having to make decisions and teach your kids lessons like that is just part of being a parent.

by jfish26101 on Jul 12, 2025 7:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Buying them popcorn is not considered spoiling.

by King Billy Royal on Jul 12, 2025 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Buying them things because other kids have them, or because you don’t want them to do without something they don’t need, is spoiling to me.

by jfish26101 on Jul 12, 2025 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions

…I guess I should add that it isn’t necessarily a bad thing either, just saying it isn’t any less harmful than explaining to them the value of money or the difference between a need and a want. I’m sure everyone does that to some extent, just saying denying a child an $8 popcorn at the movies when you could go get a $3 ice cream cone or whatever isn’t something I would lose sleep about. If you want to get into the issue more, he probably shouldn’t have the popcorn anyway health wise.

by jfish26101 on Jul 12, 2025 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions

I often didn't get things. I rarely asked my parents for money even if they had it.

Once when I was 6 or 7 they gave me $20 to go to a game with a friend and his parents. At some point during the day before we left for the game, I lost the money. Was I upset I couldn’t buy a program? No. I was bummed that I had wasted my parents’ $20 on nothing (sidenote: we actually ended up finding it outside my friend’s house the next day).

Maybe kids at the ages you mentioned can’t understand the value of money, but I could when I wasn’t much older than that. The worst thing in that whole experience was knowing that I had failed to use that money “properly.” I didn’t even care that I missed out on buying things.

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 12, 2025 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions

I wasn’t meaning to suggest kids don’t understand the value of money, just suggesting that is an opportunity to reinforce it. You don’t need popcorn to enjoy a movie, and kids don’t need everything their friends get. People have a choice to purchase something or to not, if you decide to purchase it you sort of forfeit your right to complain much about it.

by jfish26101 on Jul 12, 2025 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions

I feel like this is a little ironic on a baseball site

Considering food prices are like, twice as expensive at baseball games and baseball tickets are way more expensive than even 3D movie tickets. What happened to the day when the middle class family could take their kids to the ballpark, or the local kids could afford to go to the game on their own?

by oplaid on Jul 11, 2025 12:56 PM EDT reply actions

Well...

This is a minor league site, and I dont know about you, but in my neck of the woods minor league tickets are a pretty good deal. Bowie is $6 for kids, $9 for adults, and the food/drink prices are decent. Plus there is a giveaway for promotion most nights and they don’t care if you bring your own food in.

And that “middle class family” can still go to a baseball game at Camden Yards cheaply, those $150+ studies include 4 drinks, 4 hot dogs and 4 hats.

http://mlb.mlb.com/bal/fan_forum/dugoutclub.jsp is $17 bucks a kid and includes a hat and tickets to 10 games (plus other stuff). I buy it for my neices for christmas each year, and their father can get tickets for like $5 bucks to take them. We still bring in our own drinks and food.

by ADLC on Jul 11, 2025 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Jays Tickets

The Jays are still really affordable. They offer 500 level seats for around around $10. Also, you can bring food to the ballpark as long as it is within the rules (no bottles), etc.

by King Billy Royal on Jul 11, 2025 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Most places do prohibit outside/food drink, except sealed bottled water is usually ok

But still, even if the face value of a ticket is a little expensive, go on StubHub. I bought 2 tickets for a Rockies/Cubs game at Wrigley for $7 a piece (so after fees, it was $12 a piece). I feel it’s not too insensitive to say that anybody who can’t afford $12-15 for a game a couple times a years should be worrying about more than going to a ballgame.

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2025 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

My Many thoughts

First, let me say that I benefit from living 2 minutes from a 14 screen, 5 minutes from a 17 screen and 15 minutes from a 24 screen theater, so I always have the option of 2d versions. Plus IMAX (which is $5 more then regular).

I’ve discovered two things about my movie going experience.

1. 3D only matters for big sci fi/action, and only if its filmed in 3D. Yes, UP and MvA were both aided by 3D, but it didnt justify the $5 for me. Same applies to Clash of the Titans, which had the 3D added post-filming, and added nothing except during the credits. Avatar on the other hand was worth the extra $10 for IMAX 3D, but

2. I can’t justify regular price for any movie. The AMCs near me offer $5 movies before noon, and I take that deal all the time. I’m not dating atm, so if I’m going to a movie with friends/fam/goddaughter Im going to the early showing. The lines are short, theres usually lots of room to spread out/put my feet up and I can still do something with my day,

As to why 3D is happening more, its our (customers) and technology’s fault. Personally, for things like The Killers (which I actually saw as a free preview and thought was really quite fun) or Grown Ups its really not worth even $5 to go to the theater. I can wait 4 months, get it on Blu Ray from Redbox or Netflix and watch it on my big HD on my couch with friends and a high quality snack of my choice (last nights was lemonade with frozen strawberry’s and sweet potato crusted chicken fingers). There are very few movies I HAVE to see right when they come out (Star Wars, Avatar)

by ADLC on Jul 11, 2025 12:58 PM EDT reply actions

As an aside

I took my two year old Goddaughter to Despicable Me yesterday morning. PACKED theater with a ton of fathers with little kids. Yeah, there was a bit more noise/movement then I usually expect, but with an animated movie its not like it takes you out of the moment. Fun movie for adults and kids, she loved watching the minions do slapstick, even if she didnt follow the plot.

by ADLC on Jul 11, 2025 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Where are you going to the movies

that price is an issue?

I can get into a movie and unlimited popcorn and soda for 8$ if its during the day and 11$ at night. If I skip the popcorn/drink its 5$/8$. 3D to me isn’t that exciting. I saw Avatar first without 3D and then again in 3D and the difference wasn’t that significant.

Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend

by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Jul 11, 2025 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

By the way, you don’t have to see the 3-D versions correct? I’m pretty sure they have the normal version with the standard rates in addition to the 3-D version with the increased rates.

I agree the 3-D movies for the must part are a complete scam but kids love it and that sounds like why you are going. I think you need to factor in your son’s enjoyment when trying to justify the cost. I still think the 3-D and IMax movies prices are getting out of control but I almost always opt for the standard film.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 2:12 PM EDT reply actions

Theater prices are pretty varied

Up here in RI, it’s tough to find a nighttime ticket for under $10, and they don’t have student discounts. But when I’m down at Wake Forest, the student ID knocks tickets down to $4 (and these are brand new movies) at night. It’s cheap enough for me to justify going once a week, and I’m a poor college student.

by RedSoxFaithful on Jul 11, 2025 2:17 PM EDT reply actions

Where the money is

I don’t think the movie theaters actually make much, if any, money off the movies themselves- hence the extremely high concession prices. The money from ticket sales probably goes primarily to the studio. If the theater balks at this, they probably get the equivalent of blacklisted for that studio’s movies- or something to that effect. The studios make money hand over fist, but they’re still wary of creating the next flop that fails to recoup its multi-million dollar budget.

To hedge against the risk, they film another movie in a franchise, sign the biggest/most marketable stars (more millions), put money into special effects (Avatar, Transformers), or perform some combination thereof, while incessantly hyping the movie’s non-stars (Megan Fox in the first Transformers) or blatantly misrepresenting the movie in trailers to lure people in (The Road).

There are still good movies out there made by people without especially big names, some of them even make it into widespread distribution, and a few might actually be commercially successful (most likely a low to medium budget comedy or formulaic romance/romantic comedy). More likely, though, is that Transformers 3 will be produced and be enough of a marginal success to justify its production in the first place, and the studio will latch onto another franchise until it runs its course.

Current week’s top-earning films:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/movie/box_office.php

Note that critical merit of a film has virtually no correlation with the film’s success. Films 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 9 are franchises of one sort or another… they already have a built-in audience that will see it, almost irregardless of how terrible the movie is. Numbers 4,8, and 10 are comedies that won’t cost as much to make, and are pretty safe and surefire moneymakers. That just leaves number 5, which is an attempt to make a movie off of two actors that used to be bona fide stars: Cruise and Diaz. The next 10 more or less replay this formula, though it’s easier for a non-comedy/romcom to sneak its way in- earning a tiny fraction of what the first few earn.

I’m sure that if you looked at the year’s (or even the decade’s) highest grossers, you’d see the exact same pattern.

by anjichpa on Jul 11, 2025 2:23 PM EDT reply actions

I’m not sure. I know movie theaters used to really get ripped off but a lot has changed since the beginning. I think movie theaters do fairly well or they wouldn’t stay in business. The largest theater where I grew up was almost never full (I can remember 3 times my whole life when I was in a full theater there: SW Episode I, Fellowship of the Ring, and 2 Fast 2 Furious), yet they have been there since I can remember, and even expanded and/or upgraded their equipment several times.

I would be curious to hear just how it all works but I don’t think you can assume they make very little off the movie itself. Obviously the markup on food is very profitable, I agree with that.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Movie theaters get by on concessions. Licensing fees are so high that they really don't make anything on movies.

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2025 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Where are the facts? I don’t deny they make more off the food but I don’t buy that they make nothing, or next to nothing off the ticket sales.

by jfish26101 on Jul 11, 2025 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I read an article in the NYT a few years back about this. Basically, during the 1st 2 weeks of a movie’s run, the studio gets almost all of the money from ticket sales. Theaters get almost nothing until after that. And since there are too many screens in the U.S., everyone sees new movies in the first 2 weeks. So, by the time a movie has been out long enough for a theater to make a profit on the ticket, no one is buying tickets for that movie anymore.

by ozzman99 on Jul 11, 2025 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Here

A bit old, but I don’t think anything has changed (Except the prices of everything have gone up in a fairly uniform way): http://money.cnn.com/2002/03/08/smbusiness/q_movies/

The movie at a theater is like soda at a grocery store. Grocery stores make little money (sometimes they take a loss) when they sell soda on the cheap, but they use that to get people in the store. Movies are used to get people to come and buy concessions.

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 12, 2025 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions

I’ll take a look later if I have time. Thanks.

by jfish26101 on Jul 12, 2025 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Disclaimer

That could very well be true. I should probably disclaim that my post was more just observation/inference/speculation than actual knowledge.

That said, I still would guess that most of the money from ticket sales does go to the studio. Popcorn and pop (midwest FTW), are probably the two biggest sellers at most movie theaters, and both are dirt cheap. It also doesn’t cost anywhere near $8 to make a pretzel.

by anjichpa on Jul 11, 2025 2:51 PM EDT reply actions

And I don't know how to hit reply

apparently

by anjichpa on Jul 11, 2025 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I think there's a glitch because I DID hit reply

And it still put my post at the bottom of the thread.

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2025 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Where we see movies

We see movies in Lawrence, KS, and there is one multiplex and one artsy movie theatre, and it shows movies that I describe as ‘bummer flicks’ but patrons would describe as ‘life changing’…I go to movies for shallow fun, darn it!

Our theatre does not, to my knowledge, show pre-noon movies, although taking the day off of work to see an early movie might sabotage the price savings. Our theatre didn’t show Avatar in 2D, so we didn’t have a choice.

We typically prefer to wait until the DVD comes out, but there are some movies that you just know you will see in the theatre. If there is a flick being advertised that one of us is really super excited about seeing in a theatre, then we will try and do that. As for concessions, true, you don’t NEED concessions, but before we commit to going we know that a bag of popcorn is just part of the experience, at least for Nicholas…and we want to keep it that way.

I would, by the way, go see an interesting looking movie with an unknown actor. If it is good storytelling, good performance, the name will become big.

John's Wife and Email Secretary

by mssickels on Jul 11, 2025 3:11 PM EDT reply actions

well...

I was talking about pre-noon on weekends. Again, its a matter of looking for the savings. I got to a lot of movies and rarely, if ever, pay full price. Its just figuring out how.

If you belong to Sams Club/Costco they offer books of tickets for about $8 each.

And I agree with you on concessions. The moment they offer a healthy snack option or water for under $4 I’ll buy food.

by ADLC on Jul 11, 2025 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions

babysitter

Can you give me a name of your babysitter becasue I have a 2 year old and I cant find a 15 dollar babysitter. Maybe 15 an hour in KC. I would consider that a cheap date if I could take my wife and 2 older boys to a movie for 75 dollas all night. Hell I pay 75 to my babysitter alone to take my wife out to a 30 dollar dinner!

by bigphisig on Jul 11, 2025 3:29 PM EDT reply actions

NOPE!

No way am I sharing my sitter! Then she would never be available for us! She charges 5$ per hour per kid so the 15$ was assuming we would be gone for between 2-3 hours for the average movie outing. She makes out likea bandit when we go out for a longer evening to a club or something and don’t get home until 1 am.

John's Wife and Email Secretary

by mssickels on Jul 11, 2025 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Same thing with baseball games

Price wouldn’t be so high if people didn’t pay it. I won’t pay to go see a movie. There is rarely a movie that I need to see bad enough that I’d pay the ten bucks to see in a big room surrounded by high schoolers texting. I am a crotchety 20 year old :p

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by Dttl89 on Jul 11, 2025 3:41 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Texting at the movies

That drives me insane. It is way too distracting.

by King Billy Royal on Jul 11, 2025 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Our local theater was reasonably priced before they closed

Like most things in our small town, people seem to prefer driving half an hour to an hour to go elsewhere and spend more money on entertainment/dining. There is a 7 screen theater 20 minutes away and then 9 screen/7 screen/6 screen theaters about 30 minutes away also. Matinees aren’t really an option schedule wise, and I don’t think you can get a ticket less than $7-10 at the lowest(haven’t been in a couple of years though).

Luckily we have a drive in theater about 15 minutes from us that runs double features Friday and Saturday from May thru October(they add Thursday and Sunday shows during the summer). When my wife and I started dating 6 years ago the cost was $14 a carload which was a great deal. It’s gone up every year since, now at $22. As long as they run two movies you want to see it’s still a good deal, especially since you can bring in your own food and drinks. Unfortunately, it’s been awhile since they’ve run two movies we want to see at the same time.

We’ve moved more to Netflix and Red Box to watch movies anymore. $16.99 a month gets us 3 DVD’s at a time with unlimited rentals, we can usually run through 6 discs a week between movies and tv shows. We have two Red Box locations within 6 blocks or so, which means it’s easy to grab new movies as they come out if we can’t get them through Netflix right away. There just isn’t a much more economical way to do it, if you don’t mind waiting for a movie to hit DVD.

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by gatling on Jul 11, 2025 4:38 PM EDT reply actions

Almost all 3D movies are a waste

With a few exceptions like Avatar (which, hell, that was the only reason to go see it), don’t spring for the 3D glasses. I kinda dodge some of the expenses by going during the week- the theaters by us have $5 movies Monday through Thursday, and unless there’s a midnight showing of something really good (Inception, for instance), I can wait. I don’t know how Lawrence compares to my town (it’s a suburb of Charlotte, NC) but finding the right theater can make a big difference in price.

Assist. Editor, Minor League Division, Bless You Boys

Free Scott Sizemore.

by David Tokarz on Jul 11, 2025 5:01 PM EDT reply actions

+1

And if the theater doesn’t have ticket discounts, there’s usually something there to discount the concessions. The one I go to (with the aforementioned $4 student tickets) have $1 popcorn/soda refills on Tuesdays, which only makes it a better value.

by RedSoxFaithful on Jul 11, 2025 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions

you are not alone Jeri

I stopped going to movie theaters years ago, not just because of the rising ticket prices(in NY they charge us $12 now); but there’s not a movie out there that just makes me go “wow”. the only movies I saw in recent years in theater was the LOTR series, but that’s about it.

To me, Hollywood just makes tons of remakes, recreations, sequels, prequels and books to film adaptations, and or attempt to ruin good anime/cartoon series to big screen. on rare occasion they make a good film, but not much that makes me scream, “Let’s go to the movies!” All of this can be rented down the road or ripped from youtube anyway.

I just wait 4-8 months for the DVD to come out and 1-2 years for it to come out on TV.
but it helps that I don’t have family to entertain.

"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"

by feslenraster on Jul 11, 2025 6:48 PM EDT reply actions

"but there’s not a movie out there that just makes me go 'wow'"

Every single year there are at least a handful of fantastic movies out there. They haven’t stopped making good movies just as they haven’t stopped writing good books. The key is to just ignore the crappy blockbusters (oddly enough, there’s a crappy movie/abominable book combination in The Twilight Saga that just so happens to be the big thing right now) and find the actual good movies that do exist.

www.zekeishungry.com

by thejd44 on Jul 12, 2025 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Drive Ins

Just an extra point (cause I like this topic).

This place is about 25 minutes from me, and the best way I know to see a movie. http://www.bengies.com/

$8 tickets for a double feature, $4 for kids. $12 large (and I mean large) pizza and reasonable prices for other things.

by ADLC on Jul 11, 2025 7:09 PM EDT reply actions

Who cares? Hang this traitorous pig!

… All this well-reasoned argument about movies (drivel, mostly), the cost to get into them (go before 6, pay $8.50 here in Hartford; who knows how much 3-D “Toy Story 3” is at 7 PM?), the hammering one’s wallet takes for snacks (unlimited popcorn and soda yesterday cost $11.50), and assorted other debits (child care, dinner immediately after “Julie & Julia”, etc.)

… and no one remarks about Bad Spock ("Mirror, Mirror) as recipient of an ironic sentence in light of this discussion: “In every revolution, there’s one man with a vision. Be that man, Mr. Spock.”

by Caballero Guapo on Jul 11, 2025 7:10 PM EDT reply actions

HAHAHAHA!

You do bring up a fine point, sir….

John's Wife and Email Secretary

by mssickels on Jul 11, 2025 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions

But does Mr Sickels ...

… refer to you sometimes as “The Captain’s Woman”? ;-)

by Caballero Guapo on Jul 12, 2025 9:16 AM EDT up reply actions

yes

yes I do sometimes

by John Sickels on Jul 12, 2025 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Movie Nights

Jeri, here’s the solution. Make an event at the casa. Movies are a family event and marketed as such. Let’s be honest, there are so many films to show our kids that exceed the quality of the films produced today. Buy a projector and present the golden age of hollywood. Just be creative, the little ones will bite it hook line and sinker. If it’s the adults that want to catch the newest flick, I don’t know what to tell you. Every kid in 2010 has seen Karate Kid{this special effects version} but how many kids have seen Lord of The Flies at 11?

"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers."

by fourfingerwoo on Jul 11, 2025 7:31 PM EDT reply actions

Another excellent point....

But I guess my thing is NOT how can I, with Sickels family enjoy the movies….it’s a general lament that family night at the movies is something that is a good thing, but that fewer families will be able to enjoy, and I think it’s sad. Just another facet of life that seems to be going away. And, as always, my point is to get some stuff started… ;-)

John's Wife and Email Secretary

by mssickels on Jul 11, 2025 7:51 PM EDT up reply actions

3D movies...

are just straight up disgusting. There’s nothing amazing about it and there’s absolutely no way it can be good on the eyes.

by SenorGato on Jul 12, 2025 1:00 AM EDT reply actions

As far as going to the movies...

I avoid it at all costs (none). I’m not married, I don’t have kids, and the internet exist. The prices are really disturbing. I have no idea how they expect to last with what’s being done to TV’s. In twenty years I’m sure it’ll be standard for a TV to function as an entertainment computer console type thing. Maybe even ten years…probably even ten years.

by SenorGato on Jul 12, 2025 1:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Another Sign of the Times

20 years ago, my ex-wife’s then-boyfriend (don’t ask, please) said contrarily that movie theaters would still be around now (he managed one). Bingo: They are (or else he’d be a greeter at Walmart and so would his concessions clerk (again, don’t ask, please) ).

Senor Gato es correcto — We with the monster viewscreens will have films piped into our houses digitally for a price (Comcast Xfinity now at $120 A MONTH?), and those without will still have buildings to visit to see them, although the cost (particularly of concessions) will be enormous. And we’ll decide whether to go as a treat or a curiosity (the aforementioned “Avatar” looms large).

by Caballero Guapo on Jul 12, 2025 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions