Comments on: Texting at the movies: Has Twitter made it acceptable?

By: Enjay

Enjay — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:48:03 +0000

I’m with the folks who liken this to Mystery Science Theatre 3000 … that’s genius stuff…I don’t Twit but I’d watch a movie with commentary by The Human Giant in a heartbeat.
I don’t know if the ergonomics of the thing worked well — many video games do an excellent job of integrating a heads-up-display without detracting from gameplay… so I imagine deploying twitters effectively and aesthetically is its own art.

By: Lia

Lia — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:04:55 +0000

You paid to watch the movie, so watch the movie. If you didn’t pay to watch the movie, shut up, chew quietly, and put your bloody phone away because I did. How tech pitiful are you if you can’t leave it alone for 2 hours?

By: entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com

entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 21:34:54 +0000

Who cares as long as people don’t talk during a film. Personally I think Twitter is ridiculous. Although instant reaction is starting to pop up on blogs after a preview movie screening from people Twittering!
http://www.entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com/
chuck

By: Movie_Dearest

Movie_Dearest — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:17:08 +0000

This sounds as inviting as Blu-ray Live … can’t any one just watch a movie in peace these days?

By: Jennie (cont'd)

Jennie (cont'd) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:04:19 +0000

And yes, I just caught the irony of my own comment. >>How anyone can simultaneously pay attention and absorb what they’re watching AND tweet about it is beyond me.<< Which is probably why I should stop live-tweeting TV shows. But I figure there's a big difference between watching American Idol at home and trying to feel the movie-going experience in a theater with crowds of people. Anyways. No. No theater-texting. And to Toni down there–ever heard of the lemmings defense? Just because other people are doing it doesn't make it okay for you to do it. Just because babies are allowed in theaters doesn't give you the moral free-for-all to interrupt/disrespect/disturb people in your own way. I don't care if you're a New Yorker, either.

By: Jennie

Jennie — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:58:26 +0000

I completely agree w/what LJ said below about Twitter: >>Everyone is so enamored with their own astounding wit and desire to hilariously document their experiences that they’re not really experiencing anything.<< So true! I find myself live-tweeting things like American Idol or House when I'm watching at home, and I'll usually tweet a quickie review of a movie (AFTER I'VE LEFT THE THEATER!!!), but you gotta wonder *why* we do that kind of stuff. How important are we, really? I go back & forth about Twitter being worth my time, but in terms of live-tweeting a movie? H e l l to the no! Uh-uhn. A) you are not as fascinating as you think you are, B) your screen is totally harshing my movie-going experience, C) did I mention you are not as fascinating as you think your are? and D) WATCH THE EFFING MOVIE YOU JUST PAID 9 BUCKS FOR, DUDE! How anyone can simultaneously pay attention and absorb what they're watching AND tweet about it is beyond me.

By: HarlequinTwilight

HarlequinTwilight — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 10:20:48 +0000

The MuVChat thing seems fine to me, since you sign up at the door, you know what you’re getting yourself into. But as for texting in the theater, RUDE RUDE RUDE RUDE RUDE! It’s one thing if it’s an emergency and you have to check it once, but these people that sit there and text constantly are another. If you want to tweet or text, be considerate like the kids that want to make out and sit in the back! Turn the background light on you phone down, so it’s not so bright if texting is life and death, but it’s rude to disract the other people that pay $9 to see the movie! Gah!

By: Matt S.

Matt S. — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 10:15:39 +0000

ok. the conversation about this incident should stop now:
Alex Billington from FirstShowing was in attendance, and explains that “It was coordinated as a big group effort, the back few rows where we sat were even separated from the main section by a big aisle, everyone was dead quiet (except for the normal laughing or cheering), and not a soul knew what we were doing.”
-via slashfilm.com

By: Matt S.

Matt S. — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 09:39:19 +0000

“Red” brought this up earlier, so I feel it needs to be reiterated.
They were sitting at the top row of the theatre. I don’t know if anyone was sitting next to them, it depends on how big their crew was, but it seems like they were left to their own devices.
This particular case of theater-texting probably doesn’t deserve the amount of negative commentary that it’s received.

By: jen

jen — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 05:46:54 +0000

the MuVChat thing is ok, because it’s special screenings that you sign up to participate in. i would do something like that for a movie i’ve already seen. but hopefully texting/twittering in the movies in general doesn’t become a big thing, because if someone is sitting right next to you doing it the whole movie, that would just be a b*tch… there should be no talking, no clicking, and no little bright screens in the corners of your eyes.