Are we seeing a decline in cinemas yet?

ThestigGT999 · 27 Dec 2016 at 13:15

cineworld staples corner recently closed

tho Vue North finchley is walking distant plus living in london, you sort of spoiled by choice

Caged · 27 Dec 2016 at 13:17

I rarely go to the cinema as frankly I'm happy to wait a few months for a film to become available to rent/buy/stream. When I do go though, I go to a proper cinema, pay more for it, sit in the bar before the screening, and sit in a room with maybe 200 large leather seats.

Pottsey · 27 Dec 2016 at 14:34

At the price of tickets these days it’s cheaper to buy and setup your own projector. The price for us to watch 20 films or less then 1 film a month for 2 years is around the same price as a good projector. For us at least cinemas have made them self redundant by overpricing. Its far cheaper to setup a home cinema and works out better.

Zatoichi.uK · 27 Dec 2016 at 15:09

Just saw Rogue 1 at the IMAX which whilst good was an expensive trip. £3.80 for M&Ms is some kind of joke.

I also annoyingly needed a poo halfway through but didn't want to inconvenience anyone. How terribly British.

Bonjour · 27 Dec 2016 at 15:41

I also saw Rogue One this evening. Good film. I'd be interested to see the director's original cut, as apparently they had to rework a lot of the special effects due to it being too dark. I felt some of the bright special effects didn't sit so comfortably with the other scenes. Satisfying film, nonetheless.

adolf hamster · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:03

Still go regular enough, its a different experience on the big screen, its like the difference between a live comedy or music gig and watching it on telly, its just not the same when you arent in a big room full of people.

I would get a drink normally, whats the point of going somewhere specifically to do something and not making the full go of it? Although i do hate popcorn, always have always will

rickjames · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:09

You lot realise you can go to literally any supermarket beforehand and buy whatever food you like?

Also I still can't imagine not seeing certain films at the cinema, I saw La La Land available the other day but the idea of watching it anywhere but the big screen kinda horrified me.

chaparral · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:13

rickjames said:
You lot realise you can go to literally any supermarket beforehand and buy whatever food you like?

Also I still can't imagine not seeing certain films at the cinema, I saw La La Land available the other day but the idea of watching it anywhere but the big screen kinda horrified me.

Very much doubt a cinema will let you in with pop corn bought from somewhere else...

Be the same as going into a pub and sitting at the bar drinking a bottle of whiskey you bought cheap from a shop down the road ..
Or walking into a restaurant and sitting at a table with a bag of fish & chips

ZeroG · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:16

chaparral said:
Very much doubt a cinema will let you in with pop corn bought from somewhere else...

Be the same as going into a pub and drinking a bottle of whiskey from the shop down the road ..

I often walk into a cinema with a plastic carrier bag with drink/food in it and have never been stopped or checked so they wouldn't know. There's a Poundland near the Vue here so I pop in there before hand. Same stuff at a 1/3 of the price at least. Same with the two local Cineworlds, never been stopped from taking my own stuff in.

rickjames · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:17

chaparral said:
Very much doubt a cinema will let you in with pop corn bought from somewhere else...

Be the same as going into a pub and sitting at the bar drinking a bottle of whiskey you bought cheap from a shop down the road ..
Or walking into a restaurant and sitting at a table with a bag of fish & chips

Take a bag with you? It's really not that hard.

I'll often only take in a bottle of water in my hand and I've never been pulled up once

Kemik · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:18

The only reason we visit our local cinema is because they have huge recilining seats and the ticket price is £6.50 on Sunday to Wednesday. Shame you can't book online at those prices though - it's always sold out these days

Jokester · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:20

You're also committing an offence afaik taking alcohol into a pub to drink and so would the pub if they knowingly let you drink it on the premises.

I've never seen people turned away taking there own drinks/snacks in, I've walked in with a a Costa often enough and the ticket checker has never said a thing.

Firestar_3x · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:38

We have unlimited cards so go quite a bit, can't see big cinema chains going under anytime soon.....

Caged · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:45

I think (hope) you will see a resurgence of the smaller venue in cities rather than the out of town leisure park multiplex - it's much easier to make an impulse decision to grab a film after a quick evening beer if it's a 15 minute walk down the road. The events that they put on as well are often very good. I am lucky enough to work close to the BFI and the seasons they do of certain directors work are brilliant.

regulus · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:49

Go about 1-2 a year. Not the price so much as whether other people know how to behave or not. Try and pick a time that's inconvenient to most people, e.g, 11pm on a Wednesday night or something to enjoy the silence and getting away from pigs stuffing their snouts throughout the movie or chatting to their idiot mate.

Popcorn or other crap - I don't even look at it. Just there for the movie.

Although over Christmas I bought myself a very decent and expensive home theatre setup so I'd imagine my cinema-going are fast coming to an end.

Clipsey · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:49

Jokester said:
You're also committing an offence afaik taking alcohol into a pub to drink and so would the pub if they knowingly let you drink it on the premises.

I've never seen people turned away taking there own drinks/snacks in, I've walked in with a a Costa often enough and the ticket checker has never said a thing.

I haven't been in a long time, mainly due to two small kids and we now have a cinema in the basement. However, I used to regularly sneak in a flask of bourbon, buy a small coke or whatever and mix, sit back and relax

Pottsey · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:50

rickjames said:
You lot realise you can go to literally any supermarket beforehand and buy whatever food you like?

Also I still can't imagine not seeing certain films at the cinema, I saw La La Land available the other day but the idea of watching it anywhere but the big screen kinda horrified me.

That depends on the cinema our local ones don't allow supermarket or any external food. I would have thought for most people its easier and better to setup up home cinema then go out to one. Most people don't realise how easy it is to have a big screen at home.

rickjames · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:55

I'll often take in a few bevvies as well, when I saw Blue Velvet a few weeks ago a couple of staff members walked in and sat down (their shift must have finished) and again said nothing.

Caged · 27 Dec 2016 at 16:59

It's the availability of the movies though that people go to the cinema for - if someone wants to watch Rogue One then they aren't going to wait a few months for a Blu-ray release.

I think the idea of the £50 stream of a new movie at the same time as the cinema release has a lot of potential as people build out their own home cinemas. With a few friends round, some bringing dinner and others bringing the drinks you've spread the cost around enough.

Clipsey · 27 Dec 2016 at 17:09

Pottsey said:
Most people don't realise how easy it is to have a big screen at home.

...Or how cheap it is.
People see my 135" screen and are amazed by it....in reality they are not expensive at all.....the surround sound on the other hand