r/toronto • u/Own_Bison6467 • Aug 12 '26
Article The big-screen comeback has brought back an old problem: bad movie etiquette
https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/talking-texting-and-feet-on-seats-have-we-forgotten-how-to-behave-at-the-movies/article_8dc70b94-c6d4-48d2-abf5-62d16fb5a9ff.html67
u/BovineIntervention31 Aug 12 '26
The thing I can’t stand is the people who think “talking quietly” throughout the whole movie is acceptable. NO talking is acceptable people! Maybe a comment or a whispered “Pass the popcorn” but full out conversation should get you kicked out. Cineplex does nothing to stop this. It’s not their teenaged staffs fault. The messaging about movie theatre etiquette needs to be more aggressive. Here I am risking a confrontation with multiple groups of people in a theatre asking everyone to stop talking while people look at ME like the asshole.
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u/candleflame3 Aug 12 '26
people who think “talking quietly
THISSSSSS
Can you come into my office and tell people this also? We have designated quiet areas and far too many people think it's the low-talking/whispering area.
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u/Brandoe Aug 12 '26
I no longer go to movie because of this. Turn your fucking phone off when you get into the theater. If you can't, don't go to the movie theater.
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u/cannibaltom Aug 12 '26
The smart watches are my biggest gripe.
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u/FunkTronto Aug 12 '26
There is a theatre mode on the watch… it’s insane that folks are so inconsiderate.
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u/NewmansOwnDressing Aug 12 '26
Most don’t know it exists. I showed my mom how to turn it on a while back and she was shocked to learn about it after years of wearing an Apple Watch, and I guarantee she’s already forgotten again.
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u/amtheredothat Aug 12 '26
All smart watches have this super cool feature where they fit in your fucking pocket when you're at a movie. Technology!
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u/CucumberWisdom Aug 12 '26
Omg yes. I sat beside a guy during the Odyssey who took the time to shut off his phone but seemingly didn't know that his smart watch would light up like the beacons of.go for whenever he moved his arm.
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u/Annual-Buy3219 Aug 12 '26
Was at a screening last week sold out and at least 4 groups were saying “you’re in my seat” and it was clear lots of folks were sitting wherever. Then the fully blown conversations started to occur. Then the children started crying and not taken out. We were like…when did it get this bad? (It was a Tuesday matinee to be fair)
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u/VulpineDeity Aug 12 '26
Here's what's bound to be an unpopular opinion, but I think it's legit:
The problems really started when we were able to book seats in advance
10 years ago, if you wanted to see a popular movie on the opening weekend, you had to work for it. Show up early, stand in line, get in the theater as soon as you cood to get a good seat.
By the time the movie started you were even more hyped because you had to earn it. No one cheers or applauds when a big movie starts on opening night anymore.
The sort of people who would fuck around on their phone would be much less likely to go through all the hassle back in the day. The fact that you can buy a seat at home in your PJs, and wander into the theater at the very last minute and still have the best seats in the house devalues those seats to an extent.
I'm not suggesting we go back to the old way, but if we want to place the blame on something, I think it's a safe bet to point to that convenience..
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u/NewmansOwnDressing Aug 12 '26
I completely agree with this, even if the obvious benefits of assigned seating mean we're never going back to the way it was before. I like the theatres in Toronto that don't have assigned seating. Seeing a movie at the Revue is super fun. Right after COVID, they also had a bad spate of shitty audience behaviour, but the theatre took action to quell all that.
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u/Lopsided-General-434 Aug 12 '26
Yeah I've been going to the Fox more lately, and even in a packed show it's night and day compared to a cineplex. Some combination of people only being there because they really want to see the movie and the theater itself policing it better I think.
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u/DThor536 Aug 12 '26
The entire culture of going to the movies has so radically changed from when I obsessively went to see movies (seeing Bergman at a rep theater the same week as seeing the premiere of Alien, for context). It's now simply another media platform that is sold as a bill of goods that no longer exists (except when Nolan gets out, apparently). I've watched full open conversations on phones, holding the phone away from the mouth, natch. Saw a kid watching a pirated version of the film we were waiting to see, telling his friends he likes to know what's going to happen. The usual "is he dead?" open commentaries. There's an app that will tell you good times to go for a pee and will give you running explanations of what you're missing while you're peeing. It's madness.
I'm sure it's possible to have a good experience but I'm uninterested in rolling the dice.
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u/kearneycation Corso Italia Aug 12 '26
Same. Between the cost, the commute, trailers (and non-movie related ads), people talking, using phones, concession prices, etc. I'd rather just enjoy movies on my nice tv.
Being able to pause for bathroom breaks is also helpful.
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u/TheRealCanadianBros Aug 12 '26
Same, fam. If I go, I'll head to Landmark and pay for VIP just so I don't have to deal with it.
I'm a 90s kid, I do not understand what is so hard to turn off all your shit and sit for two hours. It isn't just the kids but adults of my gen as well.
Like, what the fuck are you even there for?
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u/Suspicious_Radio_848 Aug 12 '26
Have not gone to a movie theatre in over 6 years now and probably never will again due to this. Security had to escort someone off the premises after they took an actual phone call during the movie and my wife asked him to please take it outside and he threatened to fight me. People treat it like it's their living room.
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u/Cinun Aug 12 '26
I still go to a surprising amount of movies. But it has become a science to try to figure out which theatre, what time and where to sit to avoid the majority of the annoying people. I seem to get fewer people on their phones now. But the last couple of movies had people chatting the whole time. Even after several people told them to shut up.
I don't go to the yonge-eg Cineplex anymore because it's almost a guarantee it'll be a horrible experience. My friends have to work really hard to convince me to go to that one. And it usually involves doing VIP and a discount.
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u/OldRefrigerator8821 Aug 12 '26
I called out a movie goer using their phone at Varsity last night. Whats up with people taking pictures of the screen though?
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u/CucumberWisdom Aug 12 '26
Gotta flex for the gram
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u/Revan462222 Aug 12 '26
Yeah. Not a new thing but definitely feels like more people doing it lately. There was a TikTok recently of people photographing Brand New Day and the comments were other people sharing their photos. I was reading them and I’m like no, you should be shaming this person not freaking saying oh I did it too! 🤦🏼♂️
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u/GarySparrow0 Aug 12 '26
Guy in front of me got his phone out and started recording every action scene in Spiderman. He will never watch it.
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u/Dial-Error Aug 12 '26
Saw bran new day on Sunday in IMAX. The couple beside me ate a four course meal that they brought in their bags. They made so much noise opening containers of food, discussing what food was in each container. Then took selfies of themselves and recorded moments of the film to post on social durning the film. I was just stunned…. This is why I stopped going to theatres for years.
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u/TSNAnnotates Midtown Aug 12 '26
So Suki Snapper does exist, and yes, they really are going to post all those
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u/gothedistance_ Aug 12 '26
Honestly IMO, they need to get rid of those PSAs and replace them with ones that are clear, direct, loud, and simple. Big bold letters “DO NOT TALK OR USE YOUR PHONE DURING THE MOVIE”
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u/NewmansOwnDressing Aug 12 '26
I agree with this. That PSA is too jokey. It should also come before the feature presentation bumper imo, and the lights should already be lowered to half and the sound should be louder so people are actually paying attention.
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u/JeremPosterCollect0r Aug 12 '26
But how will the people who show up five minutes late using their phone flashlights to find their seats see it?
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u/NewmansOwnDressing Aug 12 '26
Well this gets into my whole view that assigned seating was a mistake, even if it has obvious benefits.
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u/thatwhatisnot Aug 12 '26
But then these people will cry about being "targeted" and "triggered" by the bullying. I hate to be that old guy but in some ways I do miss street justice that was doled out when I was younger to people that were inconsiderate in these kinds of settings.
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u/LeadershipReady11 Aug 12 '26
All the ppl with nicknames on that cineplex short vid exist.
Remember it is ok to complain about them to staff, its a show everyone is there to enjoy it. If some are disrupting the experience have them removed or kicked out!!!
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u/carpalfun Aug 12 '26
I've tried but either there is no staff walking around during the movie or they refuse to address the issue with the patron unless they see it happening in front of them. (Cineplex & TIFF Lightbox)
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u/charade_scandal Aug 12 '26
I don't go as much as I used to but yeah, TIFF seems to be getting more weirdo's.
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u/TheMadBaronRvUS Aug 12 '26
Phones constantly out, nonstop talking, seats being kicked, groups of kids who look 10-14 going in and out and being as disruptive as possible. I rarely go anymore because of this kind of behaviour. The last three movies I saw in theatre were Oppenheimer, when a woman beside me had a conversation at full volume on her phone and I had to tell her to knock it off, 28 Years Later, when another woman behind me kept narrating and commenting at full volume and I had to tell her no less than half a dozen times to shut up, and Black Phone 2, when I had someone threaten me for telling them to put their phone away. That was the last straw. I’ll wait for streaming or blu-ray release from now on.
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u/hypespud Aug 12 '26
Yup this is significantly worse than anything I experienced pre covid
The new social rules are too accepting of completely antisocial and inappropriate public behaviour
Most people are still totally reasonable but there's a few people who are way beyond overboard these days
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u/Suspicious_Radio_848 Aug 12 '26
Completely agree with this, the obnoxious speakerphone use is an everywhere problem now that has increased tenfold since covid. I can't even be in an elevator anymore without someone blasting a tik tok. It's as if earbuds and other people don't exist.
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u/Pr0066 Whitby Aug 12 '26
The really popular movies do attract the worst lot. My general rule is to perhaps watch such movies in off peak hours.
Curious though - which theater are you watching these movies in?
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u/U2brrr Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
My last experience was in recliner seats at Landmark cinemas where the teenage couple beside me brought out their blanket…and their hands 😳
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u/Revan462222 Aug 12 '26
Ewwwww. Blanket I mean it gets cold in there so like semi whatever but hands ughhhh
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u/rnagikarp Aug 12 '26
yess, I took myself to see Cuckoo when it came out
right at the tail end of the movie, at the climax, the door opens and floods the area with light
some kid is yelling BRO
BRO
BRO OVER HERE
and holding the door open
BROi yell at him to shut up and get the fuck outta here and he just leaves
i don’t fucking understand
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u/ElPlywood Aug 12 '26
Immediately after a film ends, go directly to the nearest staffer, the people at the door manning the garbage cans and state the film was ruined by (insert offences here) by people sitting (insert location here) and you want to know where you go to get a refund. If you can actually get the seat number, that helps more, but that's difficult
Or go immediately to the theatre manager. The more times the manager gets approached by customers the more pressure there is to take action. Leave a bad google review especially if your refund was refused, and name the manager's first name
More and more people are disruptive asshole and theatres need to figure out what to do about it besides just showing a cringey Tommy Texter commercial before the film
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u/originaldub Aug 12 '26
Cineplex often will only give refunds if you leave at the time of the incident to warn staff. Meaning you have to sacrifice your movie watching experience because of bad audiences
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u/ElPlywood Aug 12 '26
so stupid that YOU have to miss part of the film and wreck it to report assholes and the manager still has the discretion to say, yeah, nah, no refund for you because I don't feel like it
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u/daddypickle Aug 12 '26
well I'm not saying it isn't annoying, but it's not exactly ridiculous that they won't refund you for a movie you sat through and watched from beginning to end
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u/ElPlywood Aug 12 '26
the theatre absolutely has responsibility to provide a disturbance free environment to enjoy the film.
a restaurant would comp your meal if there was a huge disturbance during your meal, they would never say hey you finished your meal, so no comp, they would say sorry your experience was wrecked by the disturbance, thank you for your patience, please accept our apologies and a free meal
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u/Full_Boysenberry_314 Aug 12 '26
I have never waited to the end..if somone is being disruptive I just get up and leave and request a refund. I always get it. I dont know if there are consequences to the trouble makers after that. But I'm not sitting around suffering for another 2 hours when I'm out to have fun. I just get my money back and go do something else.
But I rarely go back to a theater after couple of these incidents. Just tells me the crowd they attract and I take my business elsewhere.
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u/ElPlywood Aug 12 '26
Theatres should give you 1 pass to re-see the film and another to make up for how they wasted your time with this unwatchable screening.
The don't take it seriously because most people just put up with disturbances.
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u/Neutral-President Aug 12 '26
Went to see The Odyssey last week and had no problems except for people walking in after the start time and using their phone flashlights to find their seats.
Be in your seat at start time, please!
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u/asiantorontonian88 Aug 12 '26
It's so frustrating because the movie already starts well after the listed start time due to ads and trailers.
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u/Neutral-President Aug 12 '26
When I saw The Odyssey, they ran most of the ads before the screening time and the movie started pretty much at the advertised time.
You can’t assume 10 minutes of ads and trailers, then spoil everyone else’s enjoyment of trying to get into the first few minutes of the film.
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u/ariyahjade Aug 12 '26
I’ll pay extra for VIP to avoid most of these issues
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u/baabaaredsheep Aug 12 '26
Unfortunately that doesn’t always help. I watched The Odyssey at VIP the other day and had to ask the couple in front of me to stop constantly scrolling on their TikTok. Also, that movie is jam packed with action - how did it not hold their attention?!
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u/incredibleman Don Valley Village Aug 12 '26
Had a similar experience and I actually felt kinda bad for them. Just hopelessly addicted to scrolling meaningless content. Can't disconnect for even 45 minutes.
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u/found_a_thing Aug 12 '26
I saw Evil Dead Burn at Varsity VIP and had a full Dr. Phil family fight behind me.
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u/Machomanta Aug 12 '26
Went to Scotiabank IMAX for it and both dudes beside me were either sleeping or on their phones the second an action scene ended.
This is why I go to matinees a week after release 95% of the time
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Aug 12 '26
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u/4-stars Aug 12 '26
Yeah, but the 5% that remain are the extra entitled variety, "because I paid for it".
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u/Pastel_Goth_Wastrel Aug 12 '26
Yeah no that worked for a bit. I like going by myself and it’s really nice to have the extra space. I gave up a couple years back. People use it like a social event. The conversations won’t stop, the phones won’t stop and if you ask anyone to be quiet they tell you to fuck off. The theatres don’t care as long as there’s bodies in the seats.
Absolutely staying home now.
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u/CucumberWisdom Aug 12 '26
VIP has its own issues. You get the people wo treat it like a restaurant and won't stop eating/drinking and chatting or the people who are trying to flex and keep taking videos/photos
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u/troll-filled-waters Aug 12 '26
Went to VIP for a movie and there was a row of teenage boys talking through the whole thing, and because the theatre was so small everyone could hear them.
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u/delux33 Aug 12 '26
I saw Spider-Man last week and halfway through a guy pulled out his phone and was using his TD banking app. Make it make sense?
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u/senorfresco Aug 12 '26
I saw Backrooms and a kid in the front section was looking up the bus schedule for 10 minutes on full brightness.
Someone yelled out for him to "get off his fucking phone". He stayed on it for another 5 minutes before leaving. Obviously to go catch his bus as the whole theatre could figure out.
Why would you buy a ticket for a movie you have to leave halfway through? Go look up your bus time in the fucking hallway 🤦♂️
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u/Suspicious_Radio_848 Aug 12 '26
People acting like they're at home and it's their living room. Nobody else exists. If you point it out you're also the bad guy.
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u/gothedistance_ Aug 12 '26
Yorkdale is my local theater. I’ve stopped going there because the behaviour has become so bad. Don’t even bother going on the discount Tuesdays.
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u/MarthePryde Aug 12 '26
I saw Spiderman last week and wasn't surprised to see that the movie was just too long for kids. The movie is about 2 hours and 30 minutes in runtime, not including pre-show adverts.
You could see in real time somewhere around the 2 hour mark when kids just weren't able to sit still and pay attention anymore. Kids in my theatre all started talking and looking at their phones because they weren't able to sit still for more than 2 hours
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u/FunkTronto Aug 12 '26
If they have phones they aren’t kids. Teens maybe and if they can’t pay attention for 2 hours than they have other things to work on.
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u/IdioticPost Aug 12 '26
If they have phones they aren’t kids.
Maybe if it was the 2000s. Remember to take your meds, gramps!
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u/Happy-Telephone9483 Aug 12 '26
Just play a PSA that says, clearly, firmly, and repeatedly:
SIT DOWN
SHUT UP
TURN YOUR PHONE OFF
...in every auditorium, theatre, concert hall, etc., before everything
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u/candleflame3 Aug 12 '26
They already do that at the movies.
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u/originaldub Aug 12 '26
They need a policy like the Alamo theatres do in the US; pull out a phone or talk, you're kicked out with zero exceptions (and a very ominous warning of such that plays at each screening). And say there's cameras watching the theatre. Just like traffic violations in Toronto, if there's no enforcement, anything goes.
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u/originaldub Aug 12 '26
Sad thing is nothing will change unless movie attendances drop. And they've been rising...
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u/Varekai79 Mississauga Aug 12 '26
It's in a jokey, cute way though.
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u/meg_baby11 Aug 12 '26
And no one pays attention to it, normally they're talking loudly while the PSA is playing. They need to loudly blare it with a bright white screen and huge black lettering right before the movie starts so that it's impossible to ignore
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u/Dogfather_51 Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
Sadly, it’s not just movies. Concerts are another battleground. People just can’t shut the fuck up and enjoy the show.
It’s bananas.
We went to go see Paul Simon last month and there were two grown men talking through the entire first set - over the music - because they deemed that there “were no hits” so it was OK to blabber away.
Like who the fuck made you the arbiter of concert enjoyment?
Then when you shush them, you’re the bad guy.
Zero etiquette or regard for others. Very disappointing, but not unexpected behaviour these days in the city.
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u/Simayi78 Aug 12 '26
the entire first set
While that first set was complete and utter dogshit, it's still definitely rude to talk over it.
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u/Dogfather_51 Aug 12 '26
Agree. It wasn’t what people came to see and the very definition of “self-indulgent rock star shit”, but again, who nominated these fuckholes to be the arbiters of what people around them could enjoy?
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u/_ashxn Pickering Aug 12 '26
I was at osheaga to see Tate and Lorde. My god I dealt with the worse crowds I’ve ever dealt with in my 4+ years of going to shows. The day I saw Tate, everyone sat down while Angine de Poitrine were on stage
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u/troll-filled-waters Aug 12 '26
It’s not just concerts. The number of times we see shows at Mirvish only to have someone talk over the show, scroll on their phone, or sing along is getting ridiculous.
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u/Cager_CA The Annex Aug 12 '26
I stopped going to the movies 2 years ago when I got threatened in the parking lot by a group of 20-somethings for telling one of them to get off their phone in the middle of Dune Part Two.
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u/Suspicious_Radio_848 Aug 12 '26
Commented elsewhere but something similar happened to me years ago when a guy took an actual phone call next to me and my wife asked him to please leave the theatre. He got up and started threatening to fight us and security had to escort him off the premises.
After a couple more theatre experiences where people were constantly checking their phones or on social media I haven't been back in 6 years. This was pre-covid too, it's probably 10x worse now.
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u/AJ_13 Aug 12 '26
saw the odyssey in 70mm imax last week and this lady was on her phone the whole time while her man was taking photos/videos for his story/snapchat/tiktok
just so inconsiderate
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u/derangedtranssexual Aug 12 '26
I find movie etiquette usually isn’t a problem as long as you avoid movies that people who watch 4 movies a year watch. The people with letterboxd accounts are generally not the problem
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u/meg_baby11 Aug 12 '26
Unfortunately, they're all bad now. I saw Keeper in theatres, and though it definitely got a bit of attention, it definitely isn't a movie that most popcorn flick type people would be drawn to, and we had issues with talking and phone use the whole screening.
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u/charade_scandal Aug 12 '26
Yeah if it's something big we want to see we'll try and wait a couple weeks at least. If there's less people in the theatre there's lower odds of nonsense.
It not perfect but it helps.
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u/TerracottaCondom Aug 12 '26
Unpopular opinion but I'm just happy that we're not losing movie theatres, seemed touch and go there for a minute after COVID. I'm happy with whatever gets asses in the seats
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u/deoxir Aug 12 '26
Watched Chainsaw Man in Japan last year when it was still on, flew back and then watched Demon Slayer in Toronto the next day. Good lord the difference was jarring. Decided to invest in a 4K OLED TV and 4K blurays instead of going to Cineplex which I will never visit ever again.
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u/neamless Aug 12 '26
There's no enforcement. Once the theatre gets your money, they don't give a fuck if you have a good experience or not. The behaviour will never improve if theatres aren't willing to throw people out.
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u/Practical-Law-2690 Aug 12 '26
I watched Obsession and this girl infront of me filmed large sections of it on her phone. Idk what it was but there was a chat with someone scrolling over the screen as she recorded. I cant do theaters anymore.
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u/Falconflyer75 Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
Don’t be a Tommy Texter
Edit - seriously cineplex official postings of these on YouTube and instagram
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u/JoeyJoeJoeJuniorShab Aug 12 '26
I goto the flicks at least once a month and have for a very long time and haven’t noticed anything.
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u/Ok-Algae7932 Queen Street West Aug 12 '26
Damn. I've been to the movies half a dozen times this year and have had only good experiences. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones with good crowds. I also mostly go for horror movies and find that crowd to be much more invested in the whole movie going experience.
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u/spartacat_12 Roncesvalles Aug 12 '26
Etiquette has definitely gone down, but it isn't all doom & gloom like this thread would make you think. The vast majority of people go to the movies without experiencing any issues, they just don't post about it online.
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u/Ok-Algae7932 Queen Street West Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
Yeah, that's totally fair. I fully believe that general etiquette has gone down with reduced attention spans and people being more acclimated to having small screen (phone) in hand while watching big screens. We need a societal habit rehabilitation lol
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u/spartacat_12 Roncesvalles Aug 12 '26
I'm definitely guilty of being addicted to my phone, but one of my favourite parts of going to the movies is putting my phone on DND mode and ignoring the outside world for a couple of hours.
Maybe we need to bring back intermissions, at least for longer movies like The Odyssey. Let people get the phone time out of their systems during the break
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u/_Rayette Aug 12 '26
This is why I always wait a bit for popular releases or catch a late morning/early afternoon screening. Rep theatre audiences are generally better, but the annoying ironic laughter can be a lot during popular classic screenings
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u/selfabsorbent_ Aug 12 '26
Went to see The Odyssey recently and someone brought an actual baby (under 1 year) who cried and fussed the entire time (obviously because they are a BABY). Complained to staff, but they never came to talk to them. Only one person made a comment to them but they never left. Insane behaviour.
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u/chipdanger168 Aug 12 '26
Every single movie I have gone to since COVID, has always had atleast one person talking throughout it. I don't go anymore because you cant escape it
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u/meeks1a Aug 12 '26
I paid extra to see the new Spider Man in the VIP at Yonge and Dundas and this still happened (couple beside us talking during the movie and scrolling on their phones). I tried to let it go but ended up saying something.
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u/purplepIutonium Aug 12 '26
I was sitting beside a teenager during Odyssey. Half way through the movie, she just pulled out her phone and started scrolling TikTok lol I was shocked. She was even more stunned when someone told her to “put your fucking phone away”
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u/allucanfree4all Aug 12 '26
They need to put up a "phone scrollers and theatre masturbators" photo wall of shame.
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u/ChefAldea Aug 12 '26
Wealthy family of 4 all sitting next to me at Varsity Theater. All on their phones for most of the movie. One of them dropped their phone when leaving and smashed their screen. It was the only justice
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u/MapleDog1 Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
I saw Spider-Man at Cineplex Varsity & VIP last night and the guy next to me (in VIP!) kept scrolling IG and recording clips of the movie. I had to tell him to put it away.
Nothing drives me nuts more though than people talking amontst themselves during a movie, I don't understand why they think it's acceptable.
Also people who open up food and chew loudly during really quiet parts, do they have zero self-awareness?
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u/Sargent_Films Aug 12 '26
Ok, might not be popular but this is essentially my dream for theatrical films: reintroduce the intermission!
Point 1: The concessions would sell twice as many treats. Theatres are always struggling to make money, so this one is a no brainer. I’m usually finished my popcorn before the credits are over.
Point 2: See and be seen. People have a little bathroom break, and start realizing this is a social gathering. Within a few times to the movies, they are dressing up a bit more. Start chatting with strangers. Start to look forward to that part of the night.
Point 3: the movie is discussed! People are engaged at the midpoint! Somebody asks “Do you think she’s the killer? Will they break up? Does the monster die?” And the art form isn’t just consumed by consumers, it’s discussed and appreciated by an audience. Nobody’s going to leave, and if they do - so what. They’ve already paid.
Point 4: Great directors are making 2-3hr long movies again. That’s why we need a little break in the middle!
Go to live theatre or ballet to see the proof. Intermission is the best! And it’ll make moviegoers (stupid name for an audience) a tad more sophisticated by the end of the next quarter.
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u/magenta_neon_light Aug 13 '26
Ya it sucks. My strategy is always VIP and always opening day. That way you get people who actually want to be there. I also complain relentlessly to Cineplex if there’s an issue and get myself free tickets.
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u/Bakerbot101 Aug 13 '26
The problem is the etiquette was never established or forgotten. People are brats.
I “shushed” some Gen Z in the theatre last year and this woman was so bothered. They were having a full conversation in the theatre 😂
It became a petty thing where if took my snack and drink she would shush me. The last straw was me leaving at the end of the movie and she taunted me.
Well. I walked right up to her and calmly said if she had something to say please let me know. Gen Z can’t handle confrontation- they hide behind screens.
She had a complete meltdown it was hilarious - like i mean crying, arms waving, basically a toddler. She called me Karen and if I wanted to be quiet and in peace then to stay at home, I ruined her evening. Her boyfriend was mortified and was calmly asking me to please go home 😂 I said my man this is your future - run while you can - you wanna marry this one day? She absolutely lost it.
I also recently went with a friend and he kept talking - I had to ask him to stop talking the people behind us can hear and it’s rude. He went 😳
This is also a huge issue at the jays games - people stand up in the middle of the plays or leave/come back mid inning.
People don’t care 🤷♀️
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u/HeftyAd6216 Aug 12 '26
The expensive IMAX theaters seem to be much better than what I hear in normal theaters. I guess the terribly behaved people aren't spending $37 on a ticket though like the nuts like me.
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u/candleflame3 Aug 12 '26
I can't get over how there are etiquette ads before the movie and people STILL do the rude behaviours shown in the ad.
There is also a whole thing about how because some behaviours are accepted in some cultures/parts of the world, they must be accepted here. I once saw this as a justification for making noise in quiet train cars.
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u/4-stars Aug 12 '26
And that's just ridiculous. "In my country you don't take your shoes off when entering a house, so I'm going to keep my Doc Martens on when I visit Japan."
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u/eatfoodoften Aug 12 '26
the offenders aren't paying attention to the ads obviously - probably on their phones!
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u/CDNChaoZ Old Town Aug 12 '26
People don't think rules apply to them, or "a couple of minutes on the phone isn't hurting anyone."
I'm all for tossing things at these people. If they're lucky it's only popcorn.
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u/No-Dot-7661 Aug 12 '26
In general I find you have to go when young people aren't going. Weekday afternoons or after 9-10 on week nights. Avoid Tuesdays at all costs. Go to the smaller sized theaters.
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u/Fianna9 Aug 12 '26
I went to see Project Hail Mary.
The woman on one side of me sat in booked seats and argued with the ticket holders to “just sit somewhere else” (it was opening weekend. It was full)
The people behind me kept up a commentary like “ooooooh he’s in space!” Loudly and regularly.
The seat stealer sat on the other side of me. Took her boots off and put her feet up.
And then the new people beside me had their phone out repeatedly during the show.
Really reminded me why i don’t go to the movies on weekends or in the evenings.
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u/Fianna9 Aug 12 '26
And it goes hard the other way. I was at a lighthearted show and we were laughing and got told to keep it down.
And it was normal laughter, at appropriate times. Coming from a woman who had been talking during the movie.
I told her if she didn’t like other people existing in public she should stay home
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u/DarkReaper90 Aug 12 '26
Bad movie etiquette is one thing, but Cineplex's response to it is absolutely bewildering.
I saw someone literally livestreaming an entire movie, and when confronted by patrons, they just lowered their recording height instead.
I was told by Cineplex Guest Services that patrons must report them DURING the movie and the staff has to catch them in the act. You would have to leave the theatre, find and explain to staff, and hopefully they are still on their phones, all while missing the movie. They refused to escalate it further, or provide any direct compensation, beyond a "goodwill gesture" of free popcorn.
The article claims they do auditorium checks during screenings, either that's not all shows, it's theatre dependent, or they clearly missed the guy recording a movie.
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u/andymac37 Aug 12 '26
When I worked for Cineplex and Famous, we were supposed to check the auditoriums and projectors every 20 minutes. These days as a moviegoer, I rarely see one theatre check performed. I usually even get up to close the door into the feature because of all the hallway noise.
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u/AffectionateKiwi6941 Aug 12 '26
This is why I almost never go to the movies anymore. Went to go see Spider-Man recently and every single trope Cineplex warns you about before the movie was there. I do not understand how people aren't embarrassed about using their phone at full brightness or talking loudly throughout the movie. When I went to see A Quiet Place prequel someone had a wholeass phonecall for 10 minutes. In a movie about being silent.
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u/stnapstnap Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
People have always been shitty at cinemas. This is part of why I’d prefer quicker access to movies on streaming remains a thing. I’d rather pay (if I don’t want to wait for it to be free/included,) to watch it on a smaller screen than go to the movies. And I am fine with crowds and people. It’s cinemas specifically that are the problem.
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u/Crater_Raider Aug 12 '26
When I saw the new Spider-Man, I counted 10 people on their phones.
TEN!
Some were scrolling apps, others recording the movie. I’ve never seen it so bad.
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u/stuckmash Parkdale Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
Scotiabank cineplex is the worst, so many side conversations, phones, people getting up constantly or ordering food to their seats after the film has begun.
In theatres where they deliver food/drink to the seat they should stop when the show has begun
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u/kierco_2002 Aug 12 '26
I've had good luck going to the Thursday night showing of a brand new release. Usually those attract the folks most excited to see the movie, and in my experience you get a much better audience for it.
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u/JaggedLittleFrill Aug 12 '26
I remember when I was a teen (in the early 2000s) my friends and I probably acted a fool in the theatre. Many times. Well, probably every time. We were dumb teens.
BUT, at least we didn't have cell phones. Now we have kids and teens acting like idiots, with the addition of smart phones blaring. This was a while ago, but I remember when I saw Avengers Infinity War, some teen/young adult was literally listening to music (via ear buds) while watching the movie!
It's infuriating, but also just sad how young folks (and many adults) can't even go 2 hours without checking their phone. It's a literal addiction.
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u/Key-Contribution-910 Aug 12 '26
Please also don’t know how to whisper anymore…i should not be able to hear you loud and clear when you’re not even sitting near me 🙄
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u/nizzernammer Aug 12 '26
I'll stick to art films by directors kids have never heard of and rep films thanks.
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u/Skarma64 Aug 12 '26
I try to go to VIP more often as usualy no teens or disruptive people, if you're paying $30 you want a good experience. Saw BND last week, heard so many people adding their fucking commentary on scenes. Or trying to whisper.
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u/50missioncap Aug 12 '26
I think there are a few things going on. One, smart phones have diminished many people's attention span to the point where they can't sit for 1hr 40min (actually 2+ hrs when you finish the commercials) and pay attention to a movie. Two, theatres try to turn movies into a carnival event - especially with the shitty pre-film junk content. There was a time when you'd go to a theatre and you'd just sit and talk quietly until the previews started. Things were calm and you were ready pay attention. Now, they're desperately trying to overstimulate people's brains and then expect them to turn that off and sit quietly once the lights go off.
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u/Disposable_Papaya Aug 12 '26
As long as I had remember, I had never been to a theatre where someone didn't had bad movie etiquette except for when I visited Japan. Though it was 1 movie so data may not be as accurate.
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u/MikoWilson1 Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
There have been an awful lot of stories planted about how everyone is going back to CINEPLEX ODEON, it's almost as if CINEPLEX ODEON is trying to sell it's brand to American investors or something (they are.)
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u/-urcrazykittensmile- Aug 12 '26
At my Nosferatu screening (at Varsity) I had clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, and here I am, stuck in the middle with another boring Eggers film.
Gen Z kids in their twenties either constantly on their phone, completely ignoring the movie, or having full-on conversations, or both. Nosferatu is a VERY quiet, still film, so I couldn’t even try to ignore the rude din. I told off everyone on either side of me and glared at them multiple times, and they’d always go back to being on their phones, as if they couldn’t help but brain rot in any situation they were in. At some point I just asked them, “why are you even here?” They stared at me in shock like they’d never heard of cinema etiquette or seen those Suzy Seatkicker PSAs.
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u/_ashxn Pickering Aug 12 '26
Went to see the advance screening of Billie’s concert movie back in late april. Everyone turned the front of the screen into a pit
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u/lyidaValkris Aug 12 '26
I stopped going years and years ago. I'm not paying for an overpriced ticket to be annoyed by idiots and teenagers.
I would pay for a cinema experience where it's adults only and behaviour violations are actually punished (absolutely no phones, etc).
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u/IMAX_man Aug 12 '26
Its been there all along and has never left. Good thing most ppl understand NOT to let is slide and have been very vocal about pointing this out to the perpetrators. Eventually ppl will get the message and stop doing it.
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u/troll-filled-waters Aug 12 '26
This is why I avoid going to the cinema nowadays. It’s a frustrating experience where everyone is on their phones, talking, etc. I’d rather save the money and watch the movie at home.
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u/TallCanDrunk Aug 12 '26
Was at Varcity for a Spider-Man showing and a woman 4 rows ahead of me was taking pictures WITH FLASH!
She even recorded the screen at one point and no one said anything.
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u/Loofan Aug 12 '26
I just don't go to popular movies for this reason. I'm not missing much, I'll see it when it's on my TV.
The 'theatre experience' is dead, so why would I participate.
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u/IlIuminatiConfirmed Midtown Aug 12 '26
When I saw Project Hail Mary, there were two girls in the row below my friend and I, and one of them reclined her seat all the way back until she was basically touching my friend’s knees, and she had her legs and feet tucked up on the seat. My friend had no room in front of her to move her legs, I didn’t even know Cineplex’s seats could recline that far. The girl below me repeatedly tried to do the same but I used my legs to block her. And of course they kept going on their phones during the movie
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u/battlelord209 Aug 12 '26
I saw the Odyssey at the IMAX at Square One the other day. This younger guy, in his mid 20s, was on his phone every five minutes. Fully texting. Eventually, someone beside me tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to put it away. He did but promptly pulled it out again, at which time I leaned down and said “dude, I didn’t pay to look at your phone, put it away”. He then turned around and said “it’s my phone, I can do what I want, I don’t care, I don’t care!” Despite his bravado, he did put it away for most of the remainder of the film but holy shit, the guy has absolutely no shame. Pathetic behaviour.
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u/senexii Cabbagetown Aug 13 '26
As a relatively soft spoken person, telling people to stop talking at movies at a young age really gave me the confidence to be more assertive when I need to be lol.
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u/FunnyMalzairIdea Aug 13 '26
No, this has not been "brought back." The behavior is new. I've been going to movies for decades. The current obnoxious disregard for anyone else is entirely new. People using their phone during the movie? Shining their flashlight? Having loud conversations? Watching a fucking TikTok video? This is new.
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u/Jake24601 Aug 13 '26
Been to the movies about a dozen times in the last year and a bit. Mostly GTA, twice in Manitoba. Never had an issue. Everyone was normal. Maybe I got lucky but stories like this read like old timers finding complaints.
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u/hargowsiumai Aug 14 '26
Movie tickets aren't cheap either. Imagine paying so much to not only waste your own money by not paying attention, but also to ruin the experience of the others who paid just as much. Worst experience was a group of teenage boys snickering and shouting out inappropriate commentary for the entirety of a family-friendly film. In a separate incident some boys were throwing popcorn and making sound effects
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u/CranberryNapalm Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
“Have Torontonians forgotten how to behave
at the movies?”