Singapore Expats

Just wondering what others do when you go to watch a movie, and you have a row of kids in front, behind and to the side chatting throughout a movie.

I mean, what is it with todays youth that feel the need to only half watch movies and spoil it for everyone else by talking loudly throughout.

At one point tonight I turned around and asked the group, "Will you be chatting throughout the WHOLE movie tonight??" to which they went quiet.... for a whole three minutes.

Has anyone found a solution, or have you given up going to the movies? (or worse, have you joined the DARK side and become a chatter yourself?)

Haven't been to a movie since the first "Ice Age" came out with my son. I just gave up. Now just wait for them to come out on DVD's or my daughter to bring them home. I don't have the patience needed to keep my cool in a movie theater and at my age that's not too good.

I ask them to be quiet nicely -- that usually works. The sad part is, most the kids (and adults!) have no idea their talking through the whole movie is disruptive.

Learn their behavior.
What time do they most frequent.
What day.
How long after the movie is released is attendance down.
Then adapt.

The problem here is the same as it is in the states. Everybody just grins and bears it. THat or they give up.

Complain to managment and say they should be excused from the theater.

Yes you will have to miss parts of the movies, but it will be for the betterment of your fellow movie goers that insist on a terrific cinematic experience.

But think abou it. If everyone complained and insisted that disruptive behavior lead to ejection than how long do you really think that the word would take to get around this little island.

In the States (At least my home town) distruptive behavior is not tollerated.

We (my family) personally have not had but 1 or 2 bad experiences. We have learned to wait till the 2nd or 3rd week of the movies being released.

We also try to pick the showtime of around 4 oclock. It works pretty good for us. With the exception of movies that are geared for children. It is a given that it will be talky.

one843 wrote:Learn their behavior.
What time do they most frequent.
What day.
How long after the movie is released is attendance down.
Then adapt.

The problem here is the same as it is in the states. Everybody just grins and bears it. THat or they give up.

I disagree, why should I adapt to their bad behavior? If you grin & bear it, then you're part of the problem, no matter where it happens.

Go outside and complain to management. Ask for a refund. Unfortunately, that is the way it is, today's environment. I use to go during the day when most likely the children are at school.

go to Gold Class, a bit more expensive, but no disruption and a better experience

sillingw wrote:go to Gold Class, a bit more expensive, but no disruption and a better experience

I second that one. The best remedy in Singapore.

Ill third that no kids, no talking, no mobiles ringing, comfy seats, and of course a bar

Maybe it's retribution... now we know what it was like for the adults when we were young and annoying the hell out of them! Recently I found myself getting irritated by noisy kids and suddenly I realised perhaps I'd forgotten what it's like to be a kid. Scary...

I was taught from a very early age not to talk in the movies, or church or when someone else was speaking for that matter. Many children now grow up with out these common manners. I shouldn't have to pay for a gold class ticket just because someone else has bad manners. The theatre should deal with it, if the behavior is truly disruptive. That solution only shifts the responsibility off of the offending parties and on to the person behaving. Not good.

I don't really like the idea of paying $60+ for 2 tickets in Gold Class, for a movie I could have watched for $15.

And, the problem seems far more worse here in Singapore than elsewhere I've lived.

If you tried talking on your mobile phone for 5 minutes in an Aussie cinema while people were trying to watch a movie, for example, you would either get thrown out by the ushers, or worse punched in the head from behind.

Have to say, I can put up with only so much at the cinema, a few people with handphones etc ok, but if there are a group of noisy teenagers, then I complain to management and tell them I want something done. So far, surprisingly, it has worked.

I have also been to a couple of movies where someone else (bigger and male with a loud threatening voice, much better than mine) has got up and told them off, and quite a few of the patrons cheered him (including me) when he did so. It worked a treat.

It doesn't matter what you pay to go to the cinema, it is just common courtesy to let others enjoy as well as you. If no one says anything then these noisy people (whether they be teenagers or otherwise...and in many cases it is older...had one guy using his computer!!!) will continue to do what they are doing thinking it is OK.

With the state of good LCD and Plasma TV's these days, when plugged into your hi-fi it may be better to enjoy movies at home. It's certainly more flexible in terms of getting a drink, taking a "pit stop" and enjoying a pizza etc.

Stresses involved with going to the cinema quite often make it a burden, almost like flying to get on holiday....... you begin to think whether it's really worth the effort or not.

By not going to the cinema you hit the company in the wallet until they learn to make the environment more enjoyable. You shouldn't need to pay extra for civility.

But, there is nothing like seeing some movies up there on the big screen, you can't beat it. No matter what home theatre you have, except of course if you have a real full size one at home...but then some of us only dream of that...