Let's go to the movies

It is safe to say I have missed blogging, and that I have re-caught the blogging bug.. two blogs in like three days - that's a record!

I hadn't intended on blogging so soon after my last post, but Ian and I went to see Monuments Men last night (it was awesome, but that's not what this post is about) and there were three middle aged women sitting behind us who didn't stop talking for about 90% of the movie. I am assuming the other 10% was time used to eat popcorn and sip drinks. They are the inspiration for this post - yet another rant and etiquette guide about how to attend a public movie theatre. 

We should have known when they talked through the previews (hands down, the best part of every movie), that Chatty Cathy, Talkative Tammy and Doesn't-Shut-Up Debbie would be a problem through the actual movie. Seriously, why is it necessary to not only talk through a movie, but actually describe things that are happening on the screen? "Oh, look, a bike! Oooh and a suitcase!!!!!" Thanks lady, I really couldn't tell if that was a bike or a T-Rex. So, rule number one: NO TALKING. Movie related or otherwise. (But there is a slight exception which I will get to...)

I can understand that sometimes a character says something and I miss it so I have to ask the person next to me, "What did she say?" Totally acceptable. However, if you are asking this question at least once every five minutes... and you aren't whispering, rather, you are speaking loud enough for nearly the entire theatre to hear, I'm going to go out on a limb here and just say that maybe that's not the smartest or most courteous route to go. Especially for the person you are asking. I guess last night since the women just kept talking the whole time anyway, it didn't bother them that they couldn't hear because they could easily just ask their friend... but for normal people, it probably gets pretty annoying pretty quick when the person you went to the movie with keeps asking what was said. Eventually, all your explaining will cause you to miss part. And I don't know about you, but when I paid $20 to see a movie and eat popcorn that I didn't have to make for myself, I don't want to have someone talking in my ear the whole time asking what is happening. PAY ATTENTION. Plus, you might get a blog post written about you.

Next: feet on the seat in front of you. It is my strong opinion that in order for it to be socially acceptable for you to put your feet up on the seat ahead of  you, there should be THREE empty seats. One for your feet, and one on each side. There is nothing worse than seeing someone's shoes in your periphery. Know what else sucks? Having someone kicking the back of your seat throughout a movie. So let's all just live by this rule: Unless you've got three empty seats in front of you, not only should you refrain from putting your feet up, but you just shouldn't touch the seat AT ALL. In regards to kicking the seats in front of you.. a) it is loud, so don't do it and b) if there is any single person sitting in the row ahead of you, definitely don't be kicking the seats cause it is like an echo and you can feel it through the entire row. 

So here is the dilemma I faced last night: When is it okay to just say, "Hey, I would appreciate it you could stop what you're doing."  I am not a confrontational person. Nine times out of ten, if someone is doing something I don't like or agree with, I'm just going to let it slide because I don't feel like triggering a psycho. The dilemma I am talking about here is that I was totally ready to turn around and politely ask the women to please stop talking, or at least just whisper instead of speaking like they are on a playground - but I wasn't really sure if that was appropriate. I mean, sure, their talking and interrupting my movie experience wasn't very nice - but who am I to just turn around and ask a person to shut their yap? I mean, helloooo not too long ago a man was shot dead in a movie theatre because he wouldn't stop texting - and this was before the movie even started. I don't mean to freak anyone out, I'm sure that is something that happens to like every 1/3 of a person in a zillion movie goers but my point is: when someone is doing something you don't necessarily approve of, how are we even supposed to approach it? Can I get an instruction manual for this?

Is being able to just go up to a person and say what you feel an admirable trait or is it something that most people are like "Oh my gosh, that person is crazy. I can't believe she just went and took that popsicle from that child." and totally turned off by? Thought of the day! What would you have done if you were me?

Happy Sunday, folks.