Do you believe watching a movie in the theatres has more of a special effect?

I’d rather watch a movie at home, where I have control of the remote, and I can go to the can without missing anything. And if the floor is sticky, I probably know why, as in a theatre, you can only guess. =)

I now prefer home also. The sound tracks seem to have gotten loud enough to hear 100 miles away from the theatre; there is also the issue of people feeling free to talk, to themselves, to neighbors, on cell phones.

cant forget the crying babies gail :P

@uberbatman. Too true.

There are choices other than the theatre and computer with earbuds..

@gailcalled, yes, it’s true there are other choices besides those two that I picked, but those were just the ones that popped into my head when I thought about this.

Aside from the extreme volume, the jackass kicking my seat and talking behind me, and the 17 hours of commercials and previews, I prefer the movie theater to home.

I like that a movie in a theater is total immersion- there’s no where else to look and not much else to think about. And I like the group aspect of everyone laughing/gasping/crying together, except for that one guy who laughs loudly when nothing’s funny.

My preference is for viewing on someone’s nice home theater, the quality of image and sound systems is so great these days but for particular movies with a lot of image detail, I want to see it as was intended on the big screen. Movies like City of Lost Children and Pan’s Labyrinth wouldn’t have been the same. The other night I saw Cirque Du Freak and don’t think I’d have caught the same details on a smaller screen. Unless people are really loud (old lady furtively gobbling and smacking popcorn like some crack monkey) then I tend to tune out and tune into the screen to where I almost feel alone with the movie.

Personally, I prefer the movie theater experience. Yea, it may be loud and expensive and other people may be talking or playing with their cell phones or babies may be crying, but if you go when the movie has already been out a couple weeks there usually isn’t as many people there.

I like having the huge screen take up my whole viewing range and especially with the new high definition and technicolor technology that some theaters have.

I also like not having the people I am watching the movie with talk too much. Because when watching at home with family and friends, it’s easy for them to make remarks and such and distracts me from watching the film. I usually like to immerse myself into a movie and think for myself about what’s going on.

It’s just a fun overall experience to see a movie in the theaters, especially big budget action and comic books films.

I like it better in the theatres. Personally, I cannot stand watching a movie on TV/Computer unless it’s really worth watching, because of the quality of the sound and image. The only negative thing about going to the movies is that, yes, people talk. But that depends on the day, the time and the location of where you are watching the movie. Obviously, on a Saturday night, you’re likely to encounter a handful of teenagers in a R-rated movie on their cellphones and yelling/screaming.
Oh yes, and also the overpriced movie snacks.

If it’s the right movie. Huge Mega Blockbuster special effects movies are designed for a large theater and are really lost on the small screen. I still remember Independence Day on a HUGE screen with surround sound. It was completely awesome to see the White House blown to smithereens. And as a kid the first Star Wars was like a spiritual experience when CGI was in its infancy. Amazing

What would be awesome is if sound was transmitted simultaneously to remote headphones that one could bring to the theater. I think background talking noise, along with the seat kicks as likeradar mentioned is the only downside.

I rarely hear babies crying. But if someone brought a baby to the Matrix I would question their sanity.

honestly there is no difference to me. it just depends on how patient i am and how badly i want to see the movie

In my opinion, the difference is the experience of being completely enveloped, completely engaged. When I’m watching movies on my computer, which I do frequently, thanks to Netflix instant play, I find myself quickly flipping to other webpages, checking my email, chatting on instant messanger, and doing other things that might distract me. In a theatre, I usually have nothing else to engage me, except maybe the occasional (whispered) comment to whoever I’m seeing the movie with. I think the scale has a lot to do with the experience too; some movies are really seen better on a huge screen like that. (Sunshine, for example). I guess I don’t really have a preference, per se, but I understand the advantages and disadvantages of both.

I don’t believe it has more of a special effect. I do enjoy seeing movies in the theater though. It’s rare that we go to them, we used to go minimum once a week. It’s just difficult with childcare now.

Of course they are better. Better picture, better sound, the darkness, the popcorn, the rule about no one making noise so that you can fully immerse yourself in your suspension of disbelief.

Watching a movie in a theater is far far better than hijacking some stolen copy to watch on your tiny laptop.

for me it spoils it. personally i like to watch my movies alone, very late at night when i’m very tired.

Depends on the movie. I try to see the big action and special effect movies at the theater, and there is definitely a difference between my small little TV and the big screen and huge speakers. Other movies, like for instance Michael Moore movies, not so much. However, if I am really looking forward to a movie or it’s something I really want to see (which rarely happens) I go to the movies for the big screen, darkness and snacks. I go more the movie going experience than the movie in these instances.

I like the greater visual effect and excitement of seeing a movie in a theatre but I hate it when people around me start talking. I also have problems – being short – with people who are taller than me sitting right in front of me. The ideal is to go at a time when there is virtually no one else in the theatre

If it is a ‘big” movie with lots of special effects,I like watching it better in the theater. Your plain old movies are better at home so you can take pause them and take breaks when you want/need to. We plan of going to see the new Scrooge movie in theater because it’s 3-D, and I don’t want to miss out on the fun of it. We get free movie tickets on tuesdays from our cable company, so we will see it next week.

Event movies like LotR and Harry Potter play better for me on the big screen. Everything else I can watch at home.

@Likeradar that guy laughing? That’s me, sorry.

@Psychedelic_Zebra Boooo!

I would choose my living room over a theater anyday. Comfy couches, free popcorn, nobody talking, kicking my chair, or crinkling their snack bags…Yep. I definitely choose my place.

As it happens, I have long legs, the theatre rows are closer and closer together, and unless I am sitting on an aisle, I poke the people in front of me whenever I recross my legs.

@gailcalled I have short legs and I still find it hard to not bump the seat in from of me! So I know what you mean.

Watching at home is not the same as in that darkened space, eating junk, immersed in the effects. When I watched the exorsist ,my abiding memory is of leaving the cinema with no sound other than the shuffling of feet. Everyone was dumbstruck.
Close encounters and Alien was not the same on a small screen, No movie with big effects ever is.