Join my Slow Movie movement... eventually

Margaret Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 08:40 PM EST

I've been doing Saturday matinées for a while. The theater is mostly empty because people are either sleeping off Friday night or trying to corral their kids for the afternoon showings. I saw Dark Knight for $5. Freaking sweet!

ketra412 Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 08:30 AM EST

Count me in! As a working mother with two young kids my theater-going experiences are few and far between. But I do try to schedule a respite every so often around a movie I'd like to see just never when it first comes out because to go through all the trouble just to sit in the first row next to people texting their friends is not worth it. I've missed a few things I wanted to see that way. However, for things that are really important to me, such as Harry Potter films, I always make it in time.

Cheap Seats Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 01:07 PM EST

In the suburbs, there's theaters that plays older movie (2-3 months old) for a cheaper rate. Too bad there's none in NYC.

Alan Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 11:27 AM EST

You're screwed no matter what. If you see a big blockbuster right away, you have to line up and then you get squashed in into a full theatre in the front row, separated from your friends......But if you wait too long to see, you may miss it.....And if you see it in a second-run discount theatre later on, god bless em, but let's face, those theatres are gross, old, smelly, and they usually don't have stadium seating so you have big heads that block your view. SIGH

It's All About Kristi Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 11:18 AM EST

To IndianaJenn - I used to rent movies from the library as well. Warning: the late fees on movies are 3 dollars a day and you may only check them out for a week. I felt the full brunt of this rule once and it has been engraved on my soul for all eternity.

Its All About Kristi Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 11:15 AM EST

Ha! I have this problem too. I got blockbuster.com for this very reason and now it rules my life. I will join your slow movement immediately thereby flying in the face of everything the movement stands for! All joking aside, I live in NY so if you are going to arrange some kind of belated belated premiere showing (on the side of a bridge perhaps)- I am there. I am there with my picnic blanket and my bag of organic popcorn.

kara Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 09:15 PM EST

hah! I used to live in Rochester and I went to that theater all the time! Good times, great oldies. It was really convenient though, I wish I could find another theater like it where I live now.

IndianaJenn Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 08:38 PM EST

I'm into it- I'm so slow I just saw Superbad this weekend, on a rental... from the library! I'll probably see Baby Mama the same way.

Martha Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 07:17 PM EST

I'm with you on this, Annie - I can't even get my a** in gear to catch movies at the dollar theater these days.

Crystal Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 06:38 PM EST

Cheapo $6 theater - Holla! Shout-out to the Culver theater in Culver City CA!

Benny Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 04:55 PM EST

There's a two dollar theater in my city too, and it's not so bad. You can actually sit all the way upfront and you won't get your neck hurt. Plus there's barely any kids in there!

Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 04:00 PM EST

I'll join. My friends all hate that I refuse to go to big movies on opening weekends. I learned my lessons when I spent Titanic crammed into a row of screaming children, The Mummy Returns right behind a bunch of chatty teenagers, and The Fellowship of the Ring right in front of a bunch of preteen girls who seemed to think that the hobbits were a boy band.

Raven_Moon Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 03:57 PM EST

There are second run theaters. There is one here showing "Baby Mama" for $2 admission.

Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 03:42 PM EST

I believe they exist and they are called dollar theaters

Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 03:39 PM EST

I agree that movies leave theaters too quickly, but I quit attending the multiplex when the matinee price rose to $8. I'll be seeing Baby Mama for $3 at the Laurelhurst theater--a 10 minute walk from my home. 4 screens + pizza & beer = perfect evening out.

Christa Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 03:35 PM EST

Yes, count me in. We rarely see movies in the theater...too hard to get a babysitter, too expensive, blah blah blah. Now that the kid is getting older and will sit through grown up movies with us (Okay, so superhero movies are as grown up as we get), it's getting easier. I actually prefer watching movies at my home. The snack bar is better, I can stop the movie to pee anytime that I want, and I can knit during the whole movie without worrying about dropping a needle and having to crawl around underneath the feet of strangers in order to find it.

Broadway Baby Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 03:08 PM EST

I have kids. I see movies when they run on TBS in the middle of the night. Explains why I've seen Footloose sixty-two times but have yet to see Iron Man.

megan Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 02:32 PM EST

we still have baby mama- our cinema and drafthouse (in northern VA) plays slightly older movies after they've finished their run in regular theatres for as little as $1 and people bring you beer. Pretty sweet!

Snarf Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 02:21 PM EST

I usually try to see movies within a week of opening only because...
1. Spoilers seep into my radar
2. It prevents me from setting my expectations too high.

The very few times I've recently gone to see a movie late in it's theatrical run, they've ended up comming out on DVD inside of six weeks after the fact.

Rasha Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 01:53 PM EST

I would love to, but if there’s a movie I really want to see, I’m there the second it opens. I’m the geek with a regular 8-to-5 who’s going to the midnight screening of The Dark Knight just because I’m a sucker for superheroes and hype. I used to be that person though, so I feel your pain.

Oh, can this movie theater serve Pizza Hut, Burger King, Auntie Anne’s, and Cinnabon in addition to plain ole overpriced popcorn?

Matt Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 01:52 PM EST

There is a theater here in Tallahassee still showing Baby Mama, and its only 50 cents! Come on down! Its also still got Horton Hears a Who, Speed Racer, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall... all movies from earlier in the year.

Anna Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 01:47 PM EST

Unfortunately for me, If I'm feeling too lazy to drive 15 minutes to the theater, I'm certainly not going to be up to driving 40 minutes to the nearest budget theater (All the ones nearby closed), so I get stuck with DVD more often than not. That's generally not a problem except some movies just don't work as well on a small screen. One day I guess I'll stop being lazy.

Arsenio Billingham Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 01:45 PM EST

Nice shout out to Movies 10 in Rocha-cha! That theater was awesome when it first opened, and movies there were only a dollar. Then it became kind of scary (at least by Rochester standards). But they let you sit and watch movies all day if you want, so that's a plus.

bre Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 01:21 PM EST

hey, come to Iowa. I am pretty sure we have theaters that have been running "The Goonies" for the past 23 years or so.

LadyTiger Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 01:19 PM EST

Yep, the budget movie theater is the way to go if you're late seeing it during the opening weeks but still want to see it on the big screen.

Kate Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 01:16 PM EST

That theater in Rochester is right down the street from where I sit here typing this at work...yet still too lazy despite my love for all things Tina Fey

Kai- Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 01:13 PM EST

I was working overseas in Guam for most of May and early June so I missed Indiana Jones and Sex & the City and now neither one is playing at my local mall theatre complex. Both will probably show up at the dollar threatre soon, which by the way Baby Mama is now showing.

Elizabeth Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 01:00 PM EST

You're just fashionably late - you want to make up your own mind after all the hub-bub has died down.

snarky Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:50 PM EST

We used to have the dollar theater here, but I think it closed, so you are forced to see the movies with the masses. If I miss the first few weeks of a movie, I usually just write it off to DVD. Annie - having seen "baby mama" - spare yourself the drive and just wait a few months. It was funny, but not worth all that effort.

ena Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:41 PM EST

Considering the last time I saw a movie in the theater it was Order of the Phoenix, I am in on the slow movie movement, I have much catching up to do.

Winona Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:28 PM EST

Great, now you've reminded me of Oregon Trail and I'll be wasting my afternoon at virtualapple.org. Back on topic: YES - I would totally go to the Theater for the Lazy. Especially with having a toddler around, it's hard to get out to movies (thankfully we already have a babysitter scheduled for The Dark Knight!).

Johnny Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:27 PM EST

I would totally join seeing as how I am just getting around to movies released in May. Last week I finally saw Iron Man & Indiana Jones, and tonight I am seeing Sex And The City.

Strepsi Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:24 PM EST

The entire system is out-of-whack, with everything riding on Opening Weekend. And -- EW -- you are part of the problem! If your mag and site spent half as much energy giving a movie legs, as you do fawning and betting over Sales numbers, we wouldn't be in this mess. EW is good to TV... I remember it championing underdogs like Everybody Loves Raymond until they became hits. But with movies? EW -- become part of the SOLUTION. That is all.

T-rav Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:21 PM EST

I was totally thinking the same thing yesterday when I saw that commercial with Tina Fey and Martin Scorsese. I really wish I would've made time to see it. Oh well, I will soon enough.

Stef Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:20 PM EST

I thought that is what the dollar theater was for, us lazy/cheap folks that don't make it to the regular theater.

AA Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:16 PM EST

We have a budget theatre here too. Movies tend to play probably just before their DVD release, but it only costs 3 bucks to see them (2 for 1 on Tuesdays).

Vicky Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:07 PM EST

Are there any budget theaters in NYC? Usually if you miss a movie the first time around in normal theaters, the movie heads over to cheapy budget theaters for a couple of weeks. Plus, it'll cost you less to see the movie.

BrandonK Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:07 PM EST

I missed Baby Mama in the theaters, too! I'll definitely be watching it on DVD, though.

Amy Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:01 PM EST

Old school Oregon Trail! Hollah!