Your Favorite Movie Theater Experiences

[Dr. Jones]

For my personal tastes, and this is not hyperbole, I would rank almost every single movie I've ever watched above Seven. Off the top of my head, I'd place it right there with "Santa Conquers the Martians" and "End of the Road". But, yeah, I might be a Russian bot.

You are dead to me.

 

[Southpaw]

Rocky Horror Picture Show many times.

 

[Southpaw]

For my personal tastes, and this is not hyperbole, I would rank almost every single movie I've ever watched above Seven. Off the top of my head, I'd place it right there with "Santa Conquers the Martians" and "End of the Road". But, yeah, I might be a Russian bot.

Wait a minute. You would rank Shawshank above 7?

 

[AZCrazy]

93-97 was a great era for memorable films. '95 alone had three or four of my top twenty.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Wait a minute. You would rank Shawshank above 7?

Yep, it just squeaks in - several thousand spots ahead of it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

You are dead to me.

Well, that's gonna be hard on me. Do I have to ship you my head in a box as proof? Oh wait, you probably meant metaphorically. Never mind.

 

[AzStevenCal]

You can't just say that and move on. WHY do you equate it with horribly-made z-movie schlock? I've never met anyone that would classify that movie so.

I thought I made it clear that it was based just on my personal tastes. I'm a huge movie fan but I'm not a student of the art nor would I pass myself off as a critic. I watch movies to be entertained, Seven didn't and by a very long shot.

It was a powerful movie and it kept me in front of the screen for the whole 4 hours which probably has a lot to do with why I so detested the experience. The movies I chose to compare it with weren't similar in style, they were just movies that I managed to watch from start to finish and disliked immensely. I guess I could have used Home For the Holidays and Oceans 12 instead.

 

[Chaplin]

I thought I made it clear that it was based just on my personal tastes. I'm a huge movie fan but I'm not a student of the art nor would I pass myself off as a critic. I watch movies to be entertained, Seven didn't and by a very long shot.

It was a powerful movie and it kept me in front of the screen for the whole 4 hours which probably has a lot to do with why I so detested the experience. The movies I chose to compare it with weren't similar in style, they were just movies that I managed to watch from start to finish and disliked immensely. I guess I could have used Home For the Holidays and Oceans 12 instead.

I’m just wondering why you just disliked it so much. It’s dark, no argument there, but it’s actually really well-made, and I’m wondering if were even talking about the same movie. I kind of figured you saying four hours as sarcasm but not entirely sure.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I’m just wondering why you just disliked it so much. It’s dark, no argument there, but it’s actually really well-made, and I’m wondering if were even talking about the same movie. I kind of figured you saying four hours as sarcasm but not entirely sure.

Yes, it was a joke. My favorite thing about Se7en is they didn't make an Ei8ht.

 

[Chaplin]

Oh I guess I should also mention my 2007 premiere of the film I produced and edited at the Laemmle on Sunset. Film never went anywhere but it was quite an experience to see what we created on the big screen to a full house.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

How do you expect anyone to take you seriously when you omit Seven and instead add Under Siege 2, Judge Dredd, Sudden Death, Tommy Boy and ASSASSINS to your list?? Are you a Russian bot? Because I cannot fathom how any human being could put at least half of that list ahead of Seven...

How can you denigrate TOMMY BOY?!?

 

[AzStevenCal]

How can you denigrate TOMMY BOY?!?

I figured someone would question my inclusion of Waterworld or Sudden Death but Tommy Boy? Humor is in the ear and eye of the beholder but TB is one very fun and funny movie. And very quotable too whether we're talking about that's going to leave a mark or icing down the marbles.

 

[Beaver]

Earlier this year I took my 2.5 year old son to his first movie, How to Train Your Dragon 3. It was at an old theater downtown that only has one screen. He had his little snack tray that went over his lap and his water cup and blanket. Think I watched him more than the movie. I was surprised he stayed for the whole thing.

 

[Chaplin]

How can you denigrate TOMMY BOY?!?

I knew that would come up. You think Tommy Boy is better than Seven?? If you do, I can't respond to that nonsense. But if you don't, my post was 100% reasonable.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I knew that would come up. You think Tommy Boy is better than Seven?? If you do, I can't respond to that nonsense. But if you don't, my post was 100% reasonable.

I don’t think you can compare them. That’s like comparing a slurpee and car oil. I want to drink one and I want to use one for my car. Like/need em both.

 

[Chaplin]

I don’t think you can compare them. That’s like comparing a slurpee and car oil. I want to drink one and I want to use one for my car. Like/need em both.

I wasn't the one comparing them, remember? Steve put it up as being better than Seven. By definition, that's a comparison.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I wasn't the one comparing them, remember? Steve put it up as being better than Seven. By definition, that's a comparison.

Wrong. WRONG. WRONG. I never once said any of those movies were better than Se7en. I was just talking about my personal tastes, nothing more. I've watched a lot of movies in my life and there are only a few where I left the theater less entertained than I did with Se7en, which says nothing about the quality of the film. And Chap, I made that point multiple times so I don't know why you're going back there.

 

[Chaplin]

Wrong. WRONG. WRONG. I never once said any of those movies were better than Se7en. I was just talking about my personal tastes, nothing more. I've watched a lot of movies in my life and there are only a few where I left the theater less entertained than I did with Se7en, which says nothing about the quality of the film. And Chap, I made that point multiple times so I don't know why you're going back there.

Don't use semantics and then go crazy with the text. Why do you need to go THERE?

Forget it. Didn't mean to get you all upset all of a sudden. Sheesh.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Reading that made me think of our friends who took their 7 year old daughter to Saving Private Ryan. They had confirmed prior to going that there was no real sex or nudity so they felt safe with their decision. BIG OUCH.

OMG. I watched that once and won't ever watch it again. Just one of those movies.

 

[Jersey Girl]

My favorite in-theater movie experience was, wait for it, Teen Wolf, mostly because I was finally ALLOWED to go to the movies with friends for once. (I was 14.)

The Star Wars Trilogy was probably the biggest deal for me.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Oh I guess I should also mention my 2007 premiere of the film I produced and edited at the Laemmle on Sunset. Film never went anywhere but it was quite an experience to see what we created on the big screen to a full house.

That was definitely a great theater experience. Can't remember driving 400 miles to see a film before/since. Great night.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Most of my favorite movie experiences involve theaters which no longer exist.

Saw so many blockbusters (and an all-day Star Trek marathon) at the original Cine Capri in Phoenix. Original trilogy, Aliens, Blade Runner, etc.

Also saw plenty of films at the second largest screen in the state - The Kachina in Scottsdale. I'll always remember the lines for ROTJ going around the building twice.

Then there was the third largest screen in the state - The El Camino, also in Scottsdale. Seemed like every Harrison Ford film on the planet played there, but mostly I remember The Gods Must Be Crazy playing there for literally a solid year when it was released. LOL

As a kid I was a regular at the old Los Arcos Mall (pre-renovation). Used to pay like $5 to see 10 films during the summer. Downstairs theater, just below the Superfun arcade. Movies were everything from Pippi Longstocking to the old Sinbad adventure films to Jason and the Argonauts. Ton of fun. Also saw many foreign films in that theater - Das Boot, Trois hommes et un couffin (Three Men and a Cradle), etc.

Vividly remember seeing Tom Horn as a kid at the Thomas Mall Theaters. I was 8 seeing a pretty graphic rated R film. Never really bothered me as I understood from a young age that it was all acting and the same actors would be different characters in another release soon. Still, it was pretty graphic. LOL

I saw a lot of great films in Scottsdale at the old UA 5 Theatres which is now an art gallery/museum. Breakfast Club, Reds, Platoon, WarGames, etc. Saw a special premiere of Dudes there and got to meet/talk with one of its stars - Catherine Mary Stewart (also from The Last Starfighter). Most of the people were crowding around Jon Cryer but myself and a couple of other lucky teens were just chatting it up with Catherine.

As a kid, my dad would take me to drive-in movies. Saw a lot of cool movies on the big screen with a window-mounted speaker for audio. Those were the days. I remember seeing Star Wars, Tron, The Boogens, Mother Lode, etc. Late 70's and 80's at the drive-in - great memories.

Some of the best experiences were all of the advance screenings we have seen over the years. We used to regularly see films at least a couple of weeks before they were released to the public. We actually still see a few a year, but many years ago we saw nearly every blockbuster (Lethal Weapon, Splash, etc.) well before their release date. Have seen a handful of special advance screenings where you are literally sworn to secrecy and shown a film months before release and in an unfinished form (special effects not complete, etc).

Still nothing like seeing a movie with a large audience that's really into the film/experience. When we recently saw Knives Out the crowd was electric - gasping at the right moments, laughing at just the right time for others. Definitely enhances the movie-going experience, IMHO.