this post was submitted on 02 Jul 2025
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[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 hours ago

Finally! Free movies for the masses paid for by ads. That's def a move in the right direction. Lots of people will be going back to the theaters now I bet. /s

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 10 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Tvs are gigantic, projectors aren't all that expensive anymore, people are sometimes obnoxious in public, and it's a lot of fun to piece together a good sound system. Fuck theaters.

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 5 points 6 hours ago

And since I don't have to drive anywhere if I'm already home, drinks are back on the menu.

Can also pause when I have to take a piss in the middle of a 3-hour movie.

[–] etherphon@lemmy.world 5 points 10 hours ago

Lol what? I guess I haven't been to the movies in longer than I thought, it was like 10 minutes max before. Well, no reason to go back now I guess.

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 8 points 12 hours ago

Well they're already doing it so at least they're being open about it now I guess.

[–] Bwaz@lemmy.world 6 points 12 hours ago

A reason not to go to theaters and stream or rent dvds instead.

AMC has been in hard times but now theyve totally lost the plot and make times way worse.

[–] LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world 6 points 13 hours ago

Just solidifies my hatred of theaters even more lol

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 16 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

The ad industry is destroying every form of entertainment or data access available. Even within the entertainment itself we get product placement for cars, foods, etc.

[–] mrodri89@lemmy.zip 1 points 12 hours ago

Have you seen the beaches at Miami? That shit is dystopian.

[–] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 3 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

The early couple decades of cable TV divided the audience into an ad-free overclass and an ad-inflicted underclass. Streaming services, once the province of the overclass, are now dividing their audience the same way.

[–] nucleative@lemmy.world 14 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

If the sentiment in this thread is representative of the population, it seems like theaters no longer have a value proposition. Home theaters are good enough, we have streaming, and we have budget limitations.

[–] tiramichu@sh.itjust.works 20 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

There's an independent cinema near me which is doing it right.

The venue is a heritage building which has been refurbished to a high standard, and they have reasonably priced food and drink, including beers.

They participate in film festivals and show a lot of niche and foreign movies that would be impossible to find otherwise, so it's actually worth going to see something different or interesting.

To support accessibility they have child-friendly showings with zero ads or trailers, autism-friendly showings also with no ads, brighter light and less volume, and even pay-as-you-can tickets that go down all the way in price to completely free if you ask for it, so everyone can see a movie, even people who have nothing.

To me, making the cinema experience actually appealing again like that, and an actual part of the community, is the only way for cinema to thrive going forward.

Of course, the big chains can't possibly adapt to that, but as far as the big chains go, then fuck 'em.

[–] insaneinthemembrane@lemmy.world 3 points 12 hours ago

That sounds amazing!

[–] ramble81@lemmy.zip 16 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

To all those people saying “well I’ll just show up late”, wait till they start denying entry if you are past a certain point with no refund, forcing people to sit through the ads.

[–] realitista@lemmy.world 9 points 18 hours ago

That's the day movie theaters die

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 5 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Pop in earbuds, pull out phone, and find something else to do for (hypothetical required minutes prior to main feature).

Eject me due to using phone during compulsory ad viewing time? I’m never coming back to the theater again.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 hours ago

They shouldn't even really call it public masturbation if it's quite dark in there.

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 1 points 10 hours ago

That's been the norm in the UK for years, and the main reason I no longer go.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 6 points 17 hours ago

Movies used to be fun

[–] Zier@fedia.io 44 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I won't sit through an ad, at home, in my underwear. I most certainly am not putting on pants, leaving the house, and paying admission to see ads.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 3 points 9 hours ago

The bar to get me to put pants on keeps rising.

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 66 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Seems like a major selling point for theaters could be that they DON'T show ads, and that would be a draw.

They're competing with my big TV at home, my comfortable couch, surround sound, private bathroom, control over the volume, ability to pause, great snacks, and no annoying people. The only thing they have is first access, and I'm more than willing to wait to get all the benefits of watching at home.

[–] ramble81@lemmy.zip 10 points 18 hours ago

Alamo Drafthouse already does this. Their pre-movie things are all related to the movie being shown, usually featurettes or meme videos related to it.

[–] bytesonbike@discuss.online 79 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Movie theaters: "Why are movie theaters dying?"

(Also Movie theaters)

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[–] Talaraine@fedia.io 66 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Their website literally said a movie started at 7 pm tonight so we get there at 7. Unfortunately it was a mistake and the movie started at 6:30.

We got to our seats with 3 trailers to spare.

[–] lurch@sh.itjust.works 4 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

Back before covid I went to the cinema almost every week to watch some 3D movie, always late past the trailers/ads and with a sub hidden in my backpack. Fool me once.

[–] AlecSadler@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 22 hours ago

Sail the high seas.

[–] j4k3@lemmy.world 35 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I didn't think there was anything worth watching before. I'm certain now. All ads are insults to your time and intelligence.

[–] Bonesince1997@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Most didn't even notice the 12 mins of every hour taken for ads on TV (old stat; could even be worse now). And if you brought it to their attention, something about doing chores during them or somehow accepting them as the only way in which you'd receive your entertainment was what you heard. Any moment of most ads is an insult to your mental as far as I'm concerned. And others just don't want to protect themselves.

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[–] hark@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago

I think the saddest of all is when they roll ads for themselves. I'm already in your shitty theater, why are you advertising how "magical" your experience is? Just reeks of desperation and won't convince me to visit more frequently, there are many reasons why I very rarely go to AMC theaters and wasting my time advertising yourselves while I'm already there won't change my mind.

[–] SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

I now warn AMC to expect more yarr 🏴‍☠️

[–] LuxSpark@lemmy.cafe 21 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I don't mind previews much, but ads? No.

[–] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 9 points 1 day ago

I still remember the first time I saw an actual ad in a movie theatre. It was a car ad. I wanted to set the screen on fire.

[–] ech@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's been ~25 minutes of trailers since 2010. All that's new here is the transparency.

[–] remotelove@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It been 30 mins for ads and trailers for as long as I can remember and I am in my 40's.

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[–] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Same "logic" that expects me to watch ads for a streaming service I pay for at home.

I can get ads for free, capitalists. You're not even playing your own game anymore. You're playing some bullshit home version and hoping we don't see the difference.

[–] douglasg14b@lemmy.world 7 points 21 hours ago

I recently watched cable television at a hotel.

Honestly, appalled. The ad segments are, as an aggregate, SHORTER than YouTube.

How tf did we get to this point, media fragmented across 20 different streaming services that want $10-$25/m to see their Alice of the media you're interested in.

Shits ridiculous

[–] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well...I'm never going to see a movie in any theater ever again.

[–] doingthestuff@lemy.lol 6 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

It's already been a decade for me. Doubt I'll ever go again.

I genuinely don't remember the last time I left a theater saying "that was so great." I saw Inglourious Basterds and Zombieland in the theater when they were out, enjoyed both, haven't seen either movie again in any format, and I don't have any concrete memories of walking into a theater since then. If I've seen a movie since what was that? 2010, 2011? It didn't leave an impression.

I used to be a big movie buff, now I'll occasionally rewatch Army of Darkness and that's about it.

[–] Lodespawn@aussie.zone 8 points 1 day ago

"Oh boy, here I go [pirating] again"

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

This comment section seems to think this is news. 15 minutes of trailers is probably the least I've ever seen in my life at a chain at least. 25 minutes has been pretty standard for years. Doubt it's increased very much over the past ten years.

[–] PP_BOY_@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

Fine by me. At least my local AMC theatre only does reserved seating, so now I know there's really no rush. Plenty of time to stop by the grocery store for candy on the drive over

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