Reserved Seating at Move Theaters - C/D?

I fucking hate this reserved seating trend when going out to a movie. When I go see a film, half the time I'll go alone. I like to get there 5 or 10 minutes early scope out the place and choose a seat far from anyone else.

When I saw King Kong in Vietnam recently I noticed my theater changed over to reserved seating. I chose a seat in the middle of a row that, as far as I could tell from the kiosk, had no-one else around the seat I chose. I get in the theater a couple of minutes prior to its start time, find no-one else in the theater and go to sit in my assigned seat. One minute later a group of people arrive and sit right next to me. Now, this wouldn't bother a normal person, but I'm like, "really?" I just changed seats after the movie started, but its still annoying.

I can see if you're one of those people who sees a film the weekend it comes out really liking assigned seating. You can get good seats in advance and not have to worry about arriving a half hour to an hour early, but I rarely see movies until they've been out for weeks.

First time I saw this was in Singapore.

It's bad. It's un-American. 🦅

I have two local theaters I liked going to. About a year ago one of the theaters went assigned seating. I basically just stopped going to it as I had the other just-as-good theater. Now both have changed over.

Our new favorite places for matinees all have reserved seating and liquor licenses.

I still swear by the old school Uptown One for anything Star Wars though

I will pretty much only go to reserved seating movies since Arclight opened in Hollywood about 15+ years ago. I never have to worry about getting stuck with a bad seat and I don't have to get to the theater early - this really saves a lot of time. I don't have to worry about saving a seat for myself or friends, etc etc etc. So much better. I'm even more adamant about it now that ticket prices have all increased and I go so infrequently - i.e. if I'm going to schlepp to a movie and pay $15, then it had better be a good experience.

I basically hate how this has made it customary to buy tickets online beforehand and pay a booking fee, BUT I am a fan of being able to walk in and get a seat 2 mins before the feature starts, and not have to run out of the cinema two or three times going "LA LA LA LA LA!" if a trailer for a film I already know about and want to see comes on

Do you really run out of the theater? I mean, I totally respect your commitment to avoiding spoilers, but surely closing your eyes and plugging your ears would suffice???

There are some big advantages (reserved seating made it possible for me to take my very immobile grandparents to see a James Bond movie in theaters, which was cool). But it's also made it almost impossible to see a prime showing of a popular movie without planning at least days in advance, which isn't really how I like to see movies. I do miss the days when you could just show up, first come first served.

Also at some theaters the lines and ticket kiosks get wayyyyyyyy backed up because of how much longer it takes people to buy tickets when they have to pick out their own seats and slowly have the process explained to them.

Do you really run out of the theater? I mean, I totally respect your commitment to avoiding spoilers, but surely closing your eyes and plugging your ears would suffice???

sometimes they're really loud!

good for if you're like me and always run late. bad if you like inviting friends cos then they either all have to commit in advance so you all sit together or just wind up skipping it

xpost

Haha, true. But you should just LA LA LA LA even louder!

I think I may start skipping all movie previews as well. They have gotten out of hand with revealing the entire freaking plot.

I saw a movie at a place like this (recently converted from a regular-style theater, I think) tonight and realized that another bad thing about it is it sort of subtly upscales the moviegoing experience. My ticket was $18—the most I've ever spent to see a movie, I think. And while it's nice to sit in a leather reclining seat, is it really necessary? I'm probably overreacting but the people who run these places certainly seem to come up with obnoxious ways of making money. (Also shoutout to the OP re: unexpectedly sitting next to ppl being very unpleasant.)