worst theater experience.

[mogwai]

this movie sucks.

[MacGuffin]

Disney film-goers get R-rated sex flick

A South Jordan, Utah, movie theater said patrons attending the opening of Disney's High School Musical 3 were instead briefly shown a sexually explicit film.

Managers at the Megaplex Theatre said they switched a showing of the G-rated Disney musical film Friday night to a larger auditorium but they forgot to switch out the reel of the previous film, the R-rated Sex Drive, the Deseret Morning News reported Tuesday.

Patrons said the opening moments of the film included nudity.

I could not carry my little children out before they were exposed to extremely vulgar and sexually explicit material, one parent said after the screening, the report said.

Managers at the theater said they apologized to the audience and distributed free movie vouchers and concession coupons.

Megaplex spokesman Jeff Whipple said greater supervision will be given to employees charged with switching reels in the future to prevent further occurrences.

[Stefen]

lol@Utah moviegoers.

Some poor dad trying to shield his family from nudity. Doesn't have enough hands to cover the eyes of his daughter and two wives.

[MacGuffin]

Phila. man shot because family talked during movie

A South Philadelphia man enraged because a father and son were talking during a Christmas showing of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button took care of the situation when he pulled a .380-caliber gun and shot the father, police said.

James Joseph Cialella Jr., 29, of the 1900 block of Hollywood Street is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and weapons violations.

"It's truly frightening when you see something like this evolve into such violence," said police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore.

Police were called to the Riverview Theatre in the 1400 block of Columbus Boulevard about 9:30 p.m. where the gunshot victim, a Philadelphia man who was not identified, told police a man sitting near him told his family to be quiet and threw popcorn at his son.

After exchanging words, Vanore said Cialella allegedly got out of his seat to confront the family when the father got up to protect them. That's when the victim was shot once in the left arm, sending others in the theatre running to safety.

Cialella then sat down to watch the movie. Police arrived a short time later and arrested Cialella and confiscated his weapon, Vanore said.

[Reinhold]

 

[MacGuffin]

An Open Letter to the Three Jerks Who Sat Behind Me at the Movies Yesterday
by Scott Weinberg; Cinematical

Dear jerks,

I totally get that you, a middle-aged couple and their rotten little 13-year-old, spike-faced offspring, just HAD to go see The Uninvited at 4:50 on opening day at the AMC Franklin Mills 24 theater ... but why did they have to be so stunningly obnoxious about the whole excursion?

You're probably wondering what made me so angry, so because you're unbelievably stupid, I'll tell you: Your loud wife and snotty teen felt the need to pretty much NARRATE the entire prologue of the film, which is clearly a dream sequence and therefore not beholden to logic. Your repeated queries of "Huh?" and "What's goin' ON?" were not answered by the giant movie screen, and so you replaced your questions with simple assertions.

"That's creepy," is what I hear when a shadow moves across the screen. "That bikini is pretty small," you helpfully inform me when a girl in the film appears wearing a bikini. And yet, not only five minutes earlier, I asked you (politely and with a SMILE) if you'd please stop talking. But you took that as a challenge to be subtle.

After about seven minutes of actual quiet, Mom and Teen had hatched a plan: Ugly daughter would fake-cough very loudly and dryly, while stupid mother would pat her on the back (very loudly) as if some sort of gastronomical emergency was taking place. Dad, for his part, probably a little worried that the "shush guy" one row ahead might actually have a firearm, did nothing. On the other hand, he sure didn't tell his wife and kid to stop acting like monumental ass-faces.

By the time teen daughter had taking to CRUNKLING UP her popcorn bag really loudly, but well after I started to realize that they were focusing more on annoying me than they were on The Uninvited ... I just snapped. I'm surprised I didn't throw a soda right in the sneering little harridan's face. "So you're just gonna make SPITE NOISE until the movie ends, huh? Just because I had the ignorance to ask you to stop talking during a movie. And you, the parents, condoning it. Brilliant." The young one tried to mumble a response like "Hey, we paid for our tickets TOO, y'know," as if this someone gives a moron the right to harass an entire audience, but I was too livid to respond. Plus there were at least five other people in the auditorium, and I felt bad about bothering them.

So I ran to the AMC security-looking guy, who promptly went in and chastised the family. I felt good. Then the manager gave me some free passes and I finished watching the damn movie. I feel even better. Oh, and thanks, jerks: I actually have to review this film, and now all I can think about is beating that snot-faced brat with a stick.

But I will keep fighting the fight. The one that says "You know what? Public auditoriums are not your freakin' family room! Shut UP!"

[Gamblour.]

Geez, more like Scott Whineberg.

J/k.

[Stefen]

I would have punched that snotty little 13 year old girl IN THE FACE.

[SiliasRuby]

Boo ya bitch! Boo ya!

[private witt]

A South Jordan, Utah, movie theater said patrons attending the opening of Disney's High School Musical 3 were instead briefly shown a sexually explicit film.

[picolas]

Onion AV's Worst Moviegoing Experiences

http://www.avclub.com/articles/avqa-worst-moviegoing-experiences,24745/

if you read only one, make it As Good As It Gets.

[MacGuffin]

Movie theater, other businesses in Anderson 'disconnect' cell phone use
Source: Independent Mail

ANDERSON COUNTY — AmStar Cinema is cracking down on cell phone use as local government bodies and other businesses in Anderson do the same.

Patrick Clifford, the day shift general manager for the AmStar in Anderson, said a new policy took effect Sept. 18 prohibiting the use of cell phones in the movie auditoriums at the theater. Under the policy, if a theater staff member sees a customer using a cell phone, the patron will be asked to leave without a refund.

All of the AmStar Cinemas and The Grand Theaters in 18 locations across the nation are now following the same policy, Clifford said.

Only one person has been caught so far in the Anderson theater at 193 Civic Center Blvd. That customer was let off with a warning in September because it was the first week the theater was enacting the policy, officials said.

"For it to be consistent, we have to stick to it regardless of the excuse," Clifford said.

Before the new policy was enacted, he said, he heard complaints two or three times a month about residents interrupting a movie with cell phone use. Customers now receive notice of the new policy with their movie tickets, and signs are posted within the theater.

Clifford said more than a dozen customers have told him they are happy that the new policy is in place. People are allowed to use their cell phones in the hallways of the theater and in the lobby.

Marion Strickland, 57, of Anderson said she is glad the theater is trying to crack down on cell phone interruptions. She walked into the AmStar in Anderson on Thursday to see a movie.

But kicking customers out of the theater for cell phone usage may be a little harsh, Strickland said.

"I would give them a warning," she said. "It doesn't bother me when they go off."

Heidi Trull, the owner of Grits and Groceries restaurant in Belton, said her business also has a no cell phone usage policy. Customers are confronted with a clanging cowbell on first offense, she said. On second offense, customers are asked to place their cell phones next to the cash register until they leave.

"My opinion is most people have 30 minutes for lunch," Trull said. "I get up at 4 o'clock in the morning to cook it. I believe you should spend your 30 minutes enjoying lunch."

A large sign in the restaurant lets customers know cell phone usage is not permitted, she said. She came up with the creative cell phone policy because she was bothered by cell phones ringing in other restaurants, she said.

Anderson County Council Chairman Eddie Moore said he has a strict stance on cell phone usage at council meetings because he has a right to a quiet council chamber.

"I think if somebody won't cut their cell phone off, I have the right to ask them to leave," Moore said.

He also said in July that audience members at council meetings could no longer use electronic devices at meetings because it is distracting, and the cords could create tripping hazards.

Anderson City Manager John Moore said cell phones have only gone off a few times in city council meetings since 1991. A cell phone usage policy is not in place for city council meetings, but under city code the mayor has the right to preserve order and remove residents who are out of order, Moore said.

Marcus Brown, the owner of Marcus D. Brown Funeral Home in Anderson, said his staff members must keep their cell phones on vibrate or silent during services at the business. The employees are asked to step away from a service if they need to use a phone.

Ministers remind people to silence phones if any ring at a service, Brown said.

Crystal Hamon, a public relations manager for Cornerstone Marketing and Advertising Inc., a public relations firm for AmStar Theaters, said the new policy at the theaters was put in place because of complaints from customers across the nation.

"People are looking for an experience when they go to the movie," Hamon said. "They are paying for an experience that is being intruded on by people around them."

She said the policy will be enforced if staff members witness cell phone usage or if a customer complains about another customer's usage. Under the policy, people cannot text, e-mail or turn on a cell phone screen during a movie presentation.

[Stefen]

Movie theater, other businesses in Anderson 'disconnect' cell phone use

"I would give them a warning," she said. "It doesn't bother me when they go off."

That's because you're a dumb bitch.

[ono]

I wouldn't go to a restaurant that doesn't allow cell phones.  It's not that it's important to me.  They're two totally different venues, and people talk all the time in restaurants anyway.

[Stefen]

Yeah, you're supposed to talk in a restaurant. Why go to a restaurant with someone to talk to if you're not going to talk? A restaurant is not the dinner table at your moms new boyfriends house!