Paranormal Activity 3 AKA "Girrl, Don't Turn Around!"

[kybearfuzz]

The Cincinnati Movie Bears went to see "Paranormal Activity 3" on Saturday night. I thought it was an okay movie, not as good as the other two, but I thought there were some pretty fun jump-worthy moments. In the second half of the movie, when all the weird stuff began to escalate, there was a gaggle of teens in the back. They'd scream during a scary bit, giggle and talk amongst themselves after, but the last straw was the one girl who talked to the screen during a very scary moment.

"Girrl, don't turn around! Don't Turn Around!!" right as a character reached for a young girl whose back was to the camera. I had had enough.

"SHUT UP!" I screamed (okay, I screeched). cincycub sitting next to me jumped, but I couldn't tell if it was the movie or my sudden outburst.

When the movie was over, I left the group and marched to the customer service desk to complain. I stood there and told a trio of kids who looked like they were 16 at best about what happened. While I detailed what was going on, two adult couples came up behind me to complain as well. I had my own little mob, some validation that it was not just me who was irritated. One of the guys even shook my hand for yelling at the teenage brats in the theater.

One of the 16 year old counter employees returned with free passes for everyone. I had the others in the movie bears group go get their passes as well. Overall, they probably gave away a dozen passes for that showing alone.

The rest of the evening I was not in the best mood. On the one hand, I'm happy to have to tried to get the brats to hush, but I also think I embarrassed some guys in the movie group. After dinner, I went to meet a couple of friends out for their birthdays, then home.

When I got home, I was still fuming a bit. I've been to the AMC theaters so many times and it seems like this always seems to happen. I guess my tastes in movies run to those that bratty, ill-mannered teens love to hit as well. Unsatisfied with just the pass and the apologies of teenage movie clerks, I hopped on the AMC website and left a formal complaint. I expected nothing from it, but it made me feel good.

Last night, while I was packing for a work trip, I got a phone call from Tina, a manager at AMC Theaters where we were Saturday night. Tina has a high pitched voice and sounds like she would be unable to legally buy alcohol because of her age. She called to apologize about my experience.

"Hi, um, I just wanted, um.. to say we're sorry that you.. um... didn't... like... have a good experience at AMC," she rambled.

My call from her wasn't any more satisfying than dealing with the clerks. She stated that her computer had lost my email I'd sent, so I explained what happened that night. She stammered through her explanation that they had an usher in the movie, but they were understaffed and needed him "on the floor." She offered me free passes, but I told her that I'd already been given free passes.

Being an inspector, I often listen to corrective actions that companies plan to fix problems. I always point out any flaws or ask why they haven't fixed anything in the past. This situation brought out the argumentative part of me. I explained to her that this was not the first time that a movie I'd paid to attend got ruined by teenagers. I continued that there was no reason that they can't predict what movie teenagers will attend, especially a horror movie near Halloween on a Saturday night. I also commented why an usher would sit through the first part of the movie, when typically it's the latter half that is more exciting.

She ran out of things to say, other than she would "send an email to the staff" to try to remind them to usher the movies more often. Then came a weird awkward silence from her. I think I rattled her.

"Is there anything else we can do for you?" she asked.

I told her that there wasn't but that I appreciated the call. She said that she hoped that she would see me again at AMC.

"Don't worry," I replied, "you will." Afterward, I wonder if that sounded ominous to her.

Comments

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Good for you! I've done the same thing. My rant included placement of a church ad prior to the movie.

[barak.livejournal.com]

It used to be that you could avoid such shenanigans from bratty teenagers by going during the week or by waiting a week or two after the movie opened because they are usually in the group that NEEDS TO SEE IT FIRST.

It sounds like they don't do that so much anymore.

The sad thing is, in order to rectify the issue, you have to get up and leave the theatre during the film, when you might miss key scenes, to hopefully flag down an usher who *might* take care of the problem. I've had mixed luck with this- once they actually stopped the movie and came in and yelled at the kids. Once they wandered in, and wandered right back out. It doesn't help that more often then not, these theatre chains hire kids who are so afraid of any kind of confrontation that they would rather give out free passes than kick the assholes out.

Shit like this is pretty much one of the many reasons why I don't go to the theatres anymore. You pay $10 for the privilege of having someone disrupt your theatre experience. That, and well, usually the guy next to me who keeps talking to me during the film.

[qbear.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you did about as much as you could. This has happened to us more than once, and while free passes are nice, it still doesn't solve the problem.

Unfortunately (and I'm going to sound like a crotchety old man) kids these days aren't raised with the manners and consideration of others that we were. Coupled with the fact that they grew up with DVDs and home theater systems where they can watch a movie, text and chat all they want, they have no concept of how to behave in a public performance.

Same thing with bratty, screaming children in restaurants, but that's again the parents' fault and a whole different rant.

[jccub1.livejournal.com]

Good for you :)
I bet you'd look fantastically handsome in a suit of shining armor on a white steed ;)+

[putzmeisterbear.livejournal.com]

Kids aren't taught how to behave in public anymore for the most part. Parents let "Grand Theft Auto" do it. OK. End of my old guy rant.

[designerotter.livejournal.com]

LOL - congrats...you did right! There are a lot of people these days who have no idea that proper film etiquette even exists; they think they're in their own living rooms.