People on Their Phone During Movie...

[CT]

Whether they're texting, on facebook, or checking a website, what are your thoughts on people using their phone during a movie? And I'm not really talking about at the theater because that's so obviously immature and rude as f*ck. I'm talking about watching a film at your house with friends or family that everyone has agreed beforehand to view, especially when it is a good movie nobody has seen. It's a bit different if you're watching a movie on cable that everyone has seen. I'd probably be surfing the net on my ipad in that case.

[HNT]

Normally, I don't really care if I am in my home. Unless I am setting up the full theater experience, lowering the curtains to block all light, and doing the whole home theater thing. In that case, I might get mad if somebody ruins the mood. Normally, though, I am eating dinner, finishing up some work, cleaning, playing with the cat, getting in some of the only cuddle/sex time I'm likely to get all week, getting on the treadmill, etc. during the movie myself, so I can't complain too much. The idea that I can simply sit down and spend two hours watching a movie without doing anything else at all more productive is simply not remotely realistic.

[GL]

Can't really offer up a comment here, I've never experienced it. The only time I get to showcase a movie to someone other than myself is when my nieces come over because they know I've got good stuff they've never seen before, and when that happens I'm usually providing a commentary on the movie so that they know what's going on or how the scene itself was shot. I used to do that as well when my sister brought me along when she had slumber parties and I provided the movie marathon, but now that she's older I just give her the DVDs and let them watch them alone, so the only time I get to partake a movie with company is when family comes over, and that's once a year if I'm lucky.

[CT]

Jul 17, 2012 9:40:34 GMT -5 HNT said:

Normally, I don't really care if I am in my home. Unless I am setting up the full theater experience, lowering the curtains to block all light, and doing the whole home theater thing. In that case, I might get mad if somebody ruins the mood. Normally, though, I am eating dinner, finishing up some work, cleaning, playing with the cat, getting in some of the only cuddle/sex time I'm likely to get all week, getting on the treadmill, etc. during the movie myself, so I can't complain too much. The idea that I can simply sit down and spend two hours watching a movie without doing anything else at all more productive is simply not remotely realistic.

Yeah I guess I do some of those things while I watch movies too but I feel like none of them, other than maybe sex and finishing up some work would take up as much of your attention as being on your phone texting, checking websites etc. You're not going to play with your cat for 2 hours straight. Some people could easily be on their phone for 2 hours straightAnd if you're on the treadmill you can still devote 98% of your attention to the film since walking/jogging really doesn't take much thought. How could you ever follow a movie like Inception the first time you're seeing it if you're doing something else?

[Jen]

Well, I think I have mentioned we can hardly ever sit down and watch a movie straight through anymore, we always have to pause it a couple of times at least......and I suppose I don't really care what others are doing....but I have never been able to do anything else while watching a movie or television show. If I have something else to do, I hold off and wait until I can devote more time to it. I don't want to miss anything. There are a lot of subtle moments that can make or break a movie for me.

[CT]

Watching a movie in more than one sitting out of necessity is understandable and I do that often especially if the movie is 2 hours or more and even sometimes if it's not.

But you hit the nail on the head with the subtleties comment Jen and that's what I was getting at. There are so many subtle moments that can make a film whether it's subtle comedy from a character or a slight plot twist. These things can't be picked up if you're checking facebook on your phone.

I guess I shouldn't let it bother me what other's are doing but here's a situation I find myself in often and it pisses me off:

A friend is over and we can't decide what to do so the friend suggest watch a movie. It's their idea and they pick out the movie. They pick a really good movie they haven't seen yet. However it's one that's kind of hard to follow and requires your attention. We put it in and start it and they have their face buried in their phone 75% of the time or more and I can clearly observe them missing key things in the movie. When the movie is over, the conversation goes like this.

ME: What did you think?

FRIEND: Meh, it was alright.

ME: What didn't you like about it?

FRIEND: [blank stare]

ME: But the part where ______ happened was great, wasn't it?

FRIEND: I don't remember that part

ME: Oh, but the twist at the end was awesome wasn't it?

FRIEND: [blank stare]

I guess what pisses me off is that people insist they can absorb the subtleties or even main points of a film while being on their phone the whole time even though all the evidence points to the contrary.

[HNT]

Yeah, I agree that can be very annoying. Generally, I don't let that happen more than once, though. If somebody who does that tries to pick the movie a second time, I usually cut them off and tell them that it requires more attention than they are likely to pay. I especially find it frustrating when people pick foreign subtitled movies and then fail to pay attention. I always give the heads up that somebody digging in my collection has selected a foreign film. Sometimes they still want to give them a watch, which is fine with me, but annoying if that person doesn't make the effort. Especially because that is the one circumstance where somebody else's lack of attentiveness can distract me from enjoying the film.

[stinger]

Personally, when I'm alone sometimes I like to use my tablet while watching a movie, tv show,etc. Bottom line, if I had company I wouldn't do that sort of thing and I would like the same courtesy. If it happened I would find it kind of pointless to watch the movie to begin with because I would find that really distracting. I can't really complain though and I would probably just ignore it. Sometimes, say for instance my mom might be watching a movie and I'm busy cooking, cleaning, etc., making noise. I know its rude but I can't do anything about it, things have got to get done.

[CT]

Jul 17, 2012 12:30:23 GMT -5 HNT said:

Yeah, I agree that can be very annoying. Generally, I don't let that happen more than once, though. If somebody who does that tries to pick the movie a second time, I usually cut them off and tell them that it requires more attention than they are likely to pay. I especially find it frustrating when people pick foreign subtitled movies and then fail to pay attention. I always give the heads up that somebody digging in my collection has selected a foreign film. Sometimes they still want to give them a watch, which is fine with me, but annoying if that person doesn't make the effort. Especially because that is the one circumstance where somebody else's lack of attentiveness can distract me from enjoying the film.

Yeah, that's the type of thing I was getting at.

Jul 17, 2012 13:26:34 GMT -5 stinger said:

Personally, when I'm alone sometimes I like to use my tablet while watching a movie, tv show,etc. Bottom line, if I had company I wouldn't do that sort of thing and I would like the same courtesy. If it happened I would find it kind of pointless to watch the movie to begin with because I would find that really distracting. I can't really complain though and I would probably just ignore it. Sometimes, say for instance my mom might be watching a movie and I'm busy cooking, cleaning, etc., making noise. I know its rude but I can't do anything about it, things have got to get done.

Yes, well said Stinger. If I'm alone I'm probably on my tablet as well especially if it's something I've already seen or am not particularly interested in because it's sub par. But with company, watching a new and nuanced movie, it's just plain rude and distracting. I just ignore it too because freaking out on someone over a film isn't considered socially acceptable but I'm voting "swift kick" since that's what I really want to do! And as far as needing to cook or complete some other activity, that's fine, things need to get done as you said. I'm more talking about when everyone has agreed to sit down for a movie together.

[Jen]

Jul 17, 2012 12:30:23 GMT -5 HNT said:

I especially find it frustrating when people pick foreign subtitled movies and then fail to pay attention. I always give the heads up that somebody digging in my collection has selected a foreign film. Sometimes they still want to give them a watch, which is fine with me, but annoying if that person doesn't make the effort. Especially because that is the one circumstance where somebody else's lack of attentiveness can distract me from enjoying the film.

Okay I admit this drives me crazy as well.

I do have a friend that I simply refuse to watch movies with anymore.....it helps she's still in Georgia. But it's more because she just doesn't appreciate movies all that much at all. So of course, she doesn't pay attention to movies all that well, and then afterward she insists that the movie is completely stupid.