Carmike Wynnsong 12

What happened with the traditional ‘Go out to watch a film on the weekend’ mentality?
I’ll tell you.
I went to watch Indiana Jones 4 yesterday (which I didn’t hate as much as everyone).
So, what happened?
For almost as much as the price of a DVD, you buy the cinema ticket, hoping to be able to stroll in and peacefully watch your film.
The reality?

You show up. There’s popcorn already plastered over the seat that you’re not even guaranteed to get.
You sit down. The claimed start time really just means the start of 15 mins of ads.

So, you have two options. Arrive early, get a seat, and watch 30 mins of ads, or get there when the film starts, and you can’t get a decent seat.

So, about the ads. When watching TV, it’s understandable, as the free feature is being subsidised by those ads. But how about when you’re paying to see it? Should they continue to make money from you?
So, you pay for the ticket and then they make a fortune by charging ridiculous amounts for any food/drink (and don’t allow you to bring in any, thus eliminating their need to maintain reasonable prices), but, they also make a bunch of money from the ads they show.

one word: ridiculous.

So, what does this have to do with the Wynnsong?
Let me tell you.
We’re past the ‘start’ time, watching ad after ad, when some employees bust in, turn off the sound and announce that they’re collecting money for a charity (they fail to mention which).
They lay a guilt trip on us about how their goal was to collect $12,000, and are a long way off (to which my brother says ‘it is not our fault you set your goal too high!').
They stay there for at least 5 mins hassling everyone. meanwhile, we’ve probably missed the last 10 ads.

What does this matter?
Not only are they soliciting for some unknown charity, but they’re actually stealing at the same time.
No, I’m not talking about the audiences money. I’m talking about they advertisers money.
The advertiser paid a lot of money for their product to be shown before the feature film. Wynnsong gladly accepted the money, and then stopped the audience from watching it.

In my book, that’s stealing.

In today’s day and age, I soon see the day when Cinema’s will become extinct. They’re just pointless.
With Hi-Def TVs, and broadband internet, I’d much rather stream the film and watch it at home.
And, I can watch Indiana Jones 4 in the allotted 124 mins, instead of sitting next to people who smell like cheap butter popcorn for 3 hours.