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December 26, 2009 at 11:42 am #31719RabidKittenParticipant
Cheap. Miser. Penny pincher. Cheapskate. Pinchfist. Money Grubber. Tightwad.
Whatever. I could rub two pennies together and probably come up with a nickle. And movies are no different. But sometimes, being a penny pinching son of a jackal is seriously awesome.
I don’t know how you all feel about cheap second string theaters but I love them.
You know the ones. The movies that everyone saw for $8 a couple months ago that you get for $1.50, sit back in cruddy chairs with the sticky floor, the walls usually painted with some novice mural of old movies that make you laugh, the awesome popcorn from the stand that’s run by the guy who also runs the ticket booth and the reels. It makes me happy. I don’t know why but I LOVE that kind of charm and ‘lived in’ feel. Plus, if you make friends with the vendors, you can usually get free sodas or popcorn.
The one that I go to actually gives out old movie posters and shows much older films on the big screen (we’re talking Star Wars 4 and Labyrinth) at 11pm on Wednesdays for 7.50, which is still less than the cost of a new movie in the theaters over on the strip. By the way? Those movie posters make fantastic wallpaper for my apartment.
Now, sure, there are still movies I want to go in and see within the first week, or on imax. Sure, I let my friends drag me to the new star trek flick and laughed my ass off about Sylar and Harold in imax until my friend threatened to beat me. But for the majority of them? I can wait a month and hang out at the second run theater. In fact, I prefer to. not just for cost, but for the charm of it all.
I honestly believe there is something terribly wonderful about the feeling of old run down theaters and tiny shops. They feel well-loved. And in a place where everyone’s obsessed with upgrading to the newest and the best and the freshest whatever the SECOND it comes out…I really love it.
Why do I think about this? I have no idea, honestly. My local buck-fiddy theater isn’t playing anything I’m really looking forward to this week. Not even on their Insomniac showing (Which happens to be the Shining with Jack Nicholson), but there is something fantastic to me about being able to run to the theater, do a double feature for under $5 with friends and paying more for popcorn than you did for the tickets of both shows. buaha ha ha ha.
C’mon, guys, I can’t be the only one who loves these things. They’re still in business after all! What was the last cheap-seat theater show you went to? Why do you love them? Why do you hate them (HOW DARE YOU!)?
Kidding. (Or Am I!?)
No, really, I am (!?)I went to a double feature for 9 (Which I loved, except for the semi-preachy ending) and … darn I can’t remember, but it was that B-ish school of arts movie based on a stage musical? FAME! That was it. Yes. Which I found to be rather depressing at some points and not as satisfying for my feminine side that craves musicals/dance movies. Yes, I have a feminine side.
STOP LAUGHING. No, it’s okay, you can laugh. I was joking.
I just went home and watched Glee, anyway.
Opinions, guys?
December 26, 2009 at 5:54 pm #176479Jeff HesterKeymasterI love a good deal. I like to (jokingly) refer to myself as a “cheap bastard” — although some might say it’s no joke.
And here in OC we pay $9.50 for a movie ticket. Ugh. And the “cheap” theaters are few and far between. There is one about 20 miles from my house that offers a “$6 before 6pm” price, but I’d spend more in gas than I would save.
Another cheap option? Netflix. True, you don’t get the newest movies, but if you have an xbox 360, you can stream a TON of movies right to your TV.
And for those who are not encumbered by morality or the law, there’s the interweb (pirate bay and it’s ilk), which has tons of stuff that’s “free.”
Personally? I’m thinking of making my own entertainment. Watch for it in a theater near you. 😉
December 27, 2009 at 7:02 pm #176480TigerbladeParticipantThe budget theatre closest to me has two-dollar Tuesdays (though it’s now two-dollars-and-fifty-cents Tuesdays, but that doesn’t quite roll off the tongue) that I used to go to whenever there was something interesting. We saw Zombieland there a few weeks ago – absolutely hilarious.
Then the big theatre just down the street from me has $5 showings before noon on Saturdays and Sundays, even on the new releases. Spend $10 for Avatar on opening Friday night? How about half that the next morning?
And YES to the Netflix streaming. I suspended my subscription a few months ago (just got too busy to keep up with my queue) but I do miss the ability to stream movies to my blu-ray player (which is Netflix-compatible). SO nice.
December 28, 2009 at 7:00 am #176484NessaParticipantI used to go to the $1.50 movies occasionally but don’t go to the movies as I used to. I usually wait until their out on DVD now unless it’s a must-see for me – then I usually spare the $5 dollars (perks of using a student ID) and watch it on the opening weekend.
I went to the movies in Mexico (they talk in English just Spanish caption) – way bigger screens than we have here for some reason (including I-MAX which that screen is still bigger over there…) – movie was $2.50 per person (including all new releases like Avatar, New Moon, etc) – and these aren’t crappy theaters – nice reclining seats and all.
That second paragraph is a bit random but had to vent somewhere lol
December 28, 2009 at 11:16 am #176482RabidKittenParticipantOh, Jeff. I’d never call you a cheap bastard. At least not to your face! *beams*
Oh c’mon, you guys! Yes, netflix is amazing and RedBox works just as well (which I had never even seen until I moved to vegas), but the whole reason to go to a second-run theater is for the ambiance! For the sticky floors, the bad seating and all those charming little things that we love to get out of the house for. I find that in a world where everyone’s obsessed with making things MORE comfortable and MORE homey, that a little rustic charm goes a long way. I abuse the internet with the best of them, but getting out of the apartment is nice. Promise.
It also tends to take a little time to hunt down second run theaters in your area, which can be a little trying unless you already know every place in your town. I guess it just depends on your area. I know there was one in Rochester and there’s at least one in Vegas. There are six in orange county, the same company that runs the one I like in vegas. Just as an example as to how varied it can get, I suppose.
December 28, 2009 at 4:59 pm #176481TigerbladeParticipantSami, depending on who you live with, you don’t have to leave the house to find sticky floors. (I’m so glad I have my own place, with no roommates.)
December 29, 2009 at 8:31 am #176483RabidKittenParticipantPocket. Gross.
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