One of my favorite past times is attending movies in the theater, even once I get past the commitment of $62 for just the tickets and a drink. However, going to the movies is a bit more challenging with the continued popularity of social media.
People go see movies that have been relentlessly hyped via Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram and then they come home and hammer out their expert reviews, thus encouraging more people to go see the movie.
The end result, at least for us… three angry adults and a crying toddler.
I’m not saying the social media has caused the tears of my three-year-old niece, but it has created a situation where we don’t simply “test the waters” anymore. We look to others to formulate an opinion, rather than give that new movie/restaurant/store its own fair shot, and yes, social media is responsible for that. Hence, the crying toddler. When something is raved about on social media, it sends people out in droves.
Such as the case when we went to see Beauty and the Beast. Shortly after its release, my sister, brother-in-law, niece, and I headed out to the local theater to see the live action version of Beauty and the Beast. Oh, you haven’t heard about it? Welcome back to civilization after living under that rock for several years! We approached the first theater in our journey nearly an hour before the movie was scheduled to start, and there was a line around the building. I approached the window to request information about tickets and they said there were five left. Hmmph, onto the next.
We headed to another theater, and we purchased tickets. At no point did they mention that the movie would be shown in the smallest theater they had. They also failed to mention that overflow from previous sold-out shows would spill into that very venue, as well. It was two hours until the show, so we decided to grab a quick bite. We arrived back at the theater with forty minutes to spare.
The theater was jam packed. People were using the adjacent seats for purse storage, and many of them were refusing to move, not even for the increasingly agitated three-year-old. With her big tears ready to burst, my sister (yes, Stephanie, the consummate Southern girl) approached the manager and asked why there wasn’t enough seating. He ignored her and offered replacement tickets to the later showing. Big sister to the rescue (and here, I left my cape at home)! I asked, politely, for a refund and asked why the movie was showing in the smallest theater in the building. The manager seemed frightened by my wide-eyed, somewhat maniacal stare, and told me that they had used an extra reel of the movie and “created” an extra show time. I got my refund and spent it on a trip to Wal-Mart to satisfy my niece.
Today’s online chatter has generated more hype around blockbuster movies and restaurant openings, which has lead us to consider (or not consider) experiencing new things. I have only one request… If y’all could stop trying to enjoy new things at the same time I want to experience them, that would be fantastic.
**Note: We DID get to see the movie yesterday, and my niece thoroughly enjoyed dancing with her best friend through the pivotal moments of the movie.
