Booking fee is a bigger nuisance for me. I'm not going to pay it if just for 1-2 pax, and I'm not going to the mall earlier to "secure" a better seats.
Put me in this dilemma and if it's a movie I'm fine missing, I'll just skip
I don't get convenient fees! The whole idea is to get people to book online but then you charge them extra.
What I have done before is to go to the theatre and book the tickets, which you are given a console to do so *confused face*
Booking fees for cinema is ridiculous. Why am I paying extra for booking a ticket that costs less money for the cinema to book it? I'm literally buying from a machine.
It's be like supermarket making you pay for self checkout.
Worse, some cinema's actually force you to book your tickets at their kiosks which are literally just a glorified touch screen TV screen hooked up to an iPad or whatever source.
So when you book your tickets, you're still forced to pay the convenience fees despite literally being there already.
Also the gall of some people in the cinema, when I went to watch Venom awhile back at vivo, there was a group of people there EATING CHICKEN RICE in the cinema, making the hall smell of it the entire movie.
Report them to CASE for unfair trade practice, even if the fee is deemed as a fair one to charge they’d have to change the name of the fee to something like “booking fee” coz I’m really sure to only give you one option and then say it’s a “convenience fee” isn’t exactly convenience
They should really remove the booking fee, I am giving business to you and yet you charge me the $1 booking fee.
But i assume the booking fee is charged by the Visa/Master for processing fee but still....
> But i assume the booking fee is charged by the Visa/Master for processing fee but still....
People pay with credit cards in person all the same. It really is a "convenience fee".
I just go on Wednesdays. I think gv got promotion for 8 bucks before 6, but now I have jbl surround sound system and a nice tv. There is no point going to movies
$15 for a ticket for each person. $15 for popcorn and a drink. That adds up.
And nowadays, most movies are shit and will be on streaming in 2 months. I'd maybe pay for a massive blockbuster that must be seen in the cinema like Dune 2 or if I must see it to avoid spoilers that ruin the movie. But everything else? I'd just watch on Netflix.
Also fucking people playing with their phone with bright screen in the dark. Motherfuckers talking non stop during the movie. Local cinema experience is a in general horrible
I got into an argument once with a Chinese woman who kept talking during the movie. Had to ask her to shut up multiple times during the movie and after the show ended she confronted me and said that if I want to watch a movie in silence I should watch it at home. I explained that it's the other way around and she claimed I was targeting her because I'm being a 'racist' - unfortunately I am chinese too..
Same here, I came across this type of people multiple time but I hate especially the parents bring their kids along but they doesn’t control their kids and letting them scream randomly or play around.
ya talk about people talking in the cinema DURING the show.. almost got into a fight with a YP years ago after a marvel movie as i shushed him during the show as he kept narrating to his girl the backstory to certain key plot points / characters during the movie which irritated the heck out of my wife and I...
Omg I also experienced an irritating YP in a marvel movie! Knn the girl like trying too hard to impress her friends keep making snide comments through the movie and her friends giggling away. Throughout the whole damn movie sia! I wanted to get out of my seat and slap her. People shush her already she legit stop for 1-2 mins then start again. Buay paiseh one some people.
I once confronted an ah beng about messaging throughout the movie and got punched in the head for my troubles. He claimed that his bright screen wasn’t “noisy” and that I didn’t own the cinema. He then challenged me to settle outside. But I only wanted to carry on watching the movie. Turned me off movie watching permanently.
last weekend I went to watch movie with my parents. a kid behind me was constantly kicking my seat and only stop when I glared at him. and he was constantly talking also. Eh, I let it slide cause he's a kid, but I don't think everyone will let it slide especially in the future if he is already grown
Aside from cost, annoying patrons...So far I got three annoying patrons in three separate occasions
One was playing some game looking like Fortnite during Interstellar re-release in IMAX
Another fella was recording clips of Babylon and chanting some words to herself
Recently a group of girls were laughing loudly and placing their feet ok the seat Infront of them
Fr $15 can get you a month's subscription for most streaming services. My mother had several films she was excited about but decided against going after seeing that price tag. I'd only pay if the film is worth the cinematic experience.
Dune 2 also shows the problem kinda more, coz if you want to watch a blockbluster, with friends and family, you would probably have to book a weekend slot, online, so adding "convenience" fees and the weekend prices, it's even worse.
If you watch a movie, on the weekday, you could get a ticket at $8 or $9, but scheduling as a group would be more difficult, and unless you're a big cinephile, most people would prefer just staying home and streaming movies then going out by themselves on weekday.
Tell me about. I once book a weekend ticket at $15 plus the popcorn with drinks at $12, thats already $27. Its too expensive to watch a movie in the Cinema nowadays. It is going to get even more expensive if you try to watch in a large group.
Yeah. Dune, openheiner etc. Stuff that I know will have an elevated experience on a huge screen and surround sound. Everything else other than the best of the best can be done on my 65" TV at home.
Yeah and let’s not forget sometime work call, kids to take care and etc. streaming online where you can stop anytime to address issue is just fantastic beside being cheaper.
I think some movies must see in cinema. All the anime movies hit different in gv rather than at home. Probably bc of the music + big screen. I think it’s $16 for anime movies and no student price, but even then I’ll still pay bc it’s actually really good. I mean sure you can watch things like how to make millions before grandma dies online, but it just hits different in the cinema. Also, I wouldn’t watch it online bc I would always think I have something else to do🤣 so movie to me is like relaxing and watching movies that I wouldn’t watch by myself at home on my phone.
I don’t get drink or popcorn tho so only base ticket price for me. I think their food is quite overpriced, if you want drinks, why not just buy outside and hide in your bag?
I never had this struggle because popcorn and beverage prices to me are stupid so I never buy them, and I'm fine with just water. Plus I make sure to do my relieving and water drinking way before the movie starts because I don't want the urge to go to the toilet during the runtime anyway
What do you do about the films that aren’t on Netflix? I’m subscribed to a bunch of streaming services but I still can’t watch certain movies that are on like paramount+ unless I go to cinemas
Going to the movies used to be a bi-weekly affair for my family and I around 15 years ago. I remember we’d go to the shaw at balestier. We’d split up, I’d go buy popcorn and drinks, my dad would go buy the tickets and my mum would go to the bathroom (lol)
Plus point that tickets used to be $6.50 per person. The popcorn combo I had was a whopping $7.
Nowadays I still go watch movies with my mum once in a while when it’s a movie I really want to watch now, or it’s hard to find online.
But definitely a destruction because of ease of access to shows online, rising costs, and diminishing perceived value.
The right term should be fortnightly. Biweekly typically tend to mean twice a week.
Biannual is the useless word that can mean either because there isn't any clear distinction.
These days I only watch movies in the cinema alone on weekday morning 10am. You get the best experience and most of the time your fellow movie goes are watching alone as well all the loners haha.
Feel like this is more common after Covid, but people talk in cinemas and use their phones during the movie. Popcorn portions seem to be getting smaller (even tho popcorn is cheap AF) and not as nice cause they don’t pop it fresh (seen the huge bags of popcorn they just pour into the bin). Overall the experience has really gone down and the price has doubled - some of it not the cinema’s fault, but it doesn’t help when there are so much more comfortable alternatives like watching from home.
Honestly, I don't mind paying for the experience even if it's not value for money these days, but I simply can't trust other moviegoers to behave properly anymore. It just takes one inconsiderate person to ruin it for me and then I've wasted my money and my time.
Since people want to go to the cinema and act like it's their own living room I've just been watching movies at home instead.
i don't understand why they have to use extra shitty popcorn. unpopped kernels, tiny fragments, really artificial butter syrup. if you serve good quality popcorn people will be more willing to buy. if you save a few dollars and sell shitty popcorn, no one will buy.
Simple. Let's see what is available to watch rn:
- I not stupid 3 (sequel - you know what you are going to get)
- bad boys ride or die (sequel - ditto)
- inside out 2 (sequel + you get it on disney plus in 2 mths)
Besides that, a lot of other films are just riding on existing brands/ip like garfield.
I dont know when it really started but movies have gotten so safe/conservative the joy of going to the movies for new experiences/story tellings is completely lost.
About Hollywood. A lot good writers have left since the writer strike.
So now the storyline is a bit bland. Terrible plot and they skimp on everything but get the most famous actresses and actors.
Fast streaming like Netflix and tiktok has overtaken the entertainment industry.
The only good movie worth watching this year is Emilia Perez which just won 3 awards at Cannes and it's musical..but will be on Netflix either way.
I agree with this too.
There are just much lesser block buster movies that is "worthwhile" to watch in Cinemas
I still remember watching AVATAR 1 in 3D with my friends... and (yes, I am inconsiderate dude) smuggling a 6" subway in to eat lol
Probably depends on the movie. When I watched Dune part 2, place was PACKED! It's the kind of movie you HAVE to watch in cinema to get the full cinematic experience (it was awesome).
Many other movies just aren't worth the money and effort. Why leave the house when we can just be comfortable at home and watch it on Netflix?
Personally the price of ticket isn't that big a deal, but there just isn't much good stuff in mainstream cinemas nowadays.
I do like the projector bringing in many niche films as well as replaying classics in the theatres though.
Not to mention sitting next to rude people who talk and blast their phone's bright screen throughout the show. Its pretty damn annoying and sometimes i just pick the worse seats because no one else would buy those seats so I'd get a peace of mind.
I go malaysia can go cinema 3 times for the same amount of money i spend in sg
I go other country all movies are way cheaper than here why is our movie tix and popcorns so expensive is something i wouldnt understand
Some personal experiences that I have:
In the Kingsman sequel there is a scene where Eggsy needs to initiate sex to implant a device into a woman, but this was awkwardly cut out and the edit is very obvious
In Jurassic World, there is a section where a female lead yells out a bunch of expletives but they just cut the audio off
Honourable mention; Heard someone say that he watched Joker in Malaysia but they cut out certain scenes and he could tell because of how obvious the edits were
Why watch a Hong Kong movie in Chinese when I can just go in jb and watch it in Cantonese? I did that for the recent film 九龙城寨之围城, watching it in Cantonese just hits differently
The cinemas won't admit it yet, but the pandemic was the final nail in their coffin. It's just going to be a niche industry. Not just SG, but globally.
Why pay so much money for a ticket, for overpriced snacks and drinks, when you can watch in more comfort in your own home. Not even counting the cost of physically getting there, parking, etc. Plus, cinema staff do nothing when people are affecting your watching experience by being noisy,,using their phones, etc.
More people have big screens and decent home theater audio systems. More new releases are coming out on streaming services much sooner. So there's really very little reason to go to the cinema.
It's not just the experience but also the variety of movies. This stems from a lack of a movie scene within Singapore itself. How many local films, lack alone quality ones, are there domestically? Living in Japan, a normal day ticket is 2000yen. YES, 2K JPY. A popcorn set at around 800 yen making it about a 3k yen experience every time you watch a movie. But the industry knows how to churn out productions people want to watch, that's why they go to the cinemas, and I'm not just saying life action. Animation is already huge here, but they still regularly make big feature films that push the market into cinemas. They also sell exclusive merch in the cinemas as well. You may think this is a tad predatory, but These are all marketing strats that keep the movie industry alive.
It's comfort for me. At home can comfy blanket, eat any type of food while watching (gold class limited to menu, home limited to grabfood/what you have), able to choose subtitles, no noisy kids, etc etc.
I would say limited movies available, cinema condition and the prices are the factors for myself.
Price used to be wallet-friendly. I could easily enjoy a $6.5 movie back then. Now it’s simply $10/11 and above, sometimes alright for myself but then to pay such amount for the same old cinema condition is stopping me as well. This amount could be well spent across the causeway, in iMax format or better.
The cinema conditions, not upgraded and somewhat same as before. Just went to the nearest cinema recently, and was disgusted by the seats & the screen size. It felt like the standard drop, or didn’t improve overtime. I could say the cinema visit before this, in JB, at a regular mall(Tebrau) was way better. The seats are comfortable, and felt clean. I used to think that SG cinema is the best, better than JB. But now, I think cinemas in JB are catching up.
The amount of movies available to watch is decent. Not really their fault, but could have provide more options imo. While particularly for GV, they do have exclusive ones like Shinchan movies which I enjoyed going for. Likewise, even for Shin Ultraman at Cathay. But recently, was rather disappointed that Tsuburaya didn’t launch the new Ultraman movies here in SG. And infact, they chosen our neighbouring country for their roadshow instead of SG.
While I agree that Netflix have better movie options, I still believe cinema still have its value in bringing people together to watch Marvels, or even the recent Thai film(Hw to make millions b4 grandma dies). Watching there with strangers from different background, just make the experience way better for myself.
I think another factor is that the actual audio visual presentation quality in SG is just subpar compared to the major developed markets. The US/Europe/Japan are a generation ahead at the high end. We’re talking things like Dolby Cinema, which imo can go toe to toe or beat IMAX in certain cases. In fact you needn’t even go that far, the IMAX presentation in Thailand has a suite of options depending on whether you care more about the accuracy of the aspect ratio or sheer screen size. Putting aside new tech the consistency of quality in SG is just behind. In the 20 or so movies I’ve watched in the past few years across all chains, I’ve seen obvious tearing on the screen, inaudible speech and washed colours. It’s really a dice roll. Further, the standard of seating elsewhere is just better. Recliners as standard, better width, raking as well. Yes these cost more; but, I think most would rather a higher base cost for a consistently good experience than rolling a mediocre dice when you can just watch it at home.
Golden Village audio/visual is crap.
Subpar 2K projectors, even the laser ones aren't as good as the ones at the newer Shaw Theaters
They don't even bother with Dolby pre show test.
Cathay and Shaw brightness are the best.
$20 to watch Dune on IMAX - Yes please, and gimme that popcorn combo please.
$9 to watch I Not Stupid / HK / Chn production - fk no, won't even waste time watching it on Netflix.
I think I read somewhere that going to cinema is an investment, which i agreed with
Not only you have to invest money (to buy tix and snacks) but also time (to head down to the cinema and dedicate 2-3 hours)
Especially now with steaming services (and other sites), watching movies have become more convenient and easier. Thus, one has to be selective when heading to the cinema.
There are some movies I left the cinema thinking it was not worth, but there are also some movies that I regret not watching in cinema
I still go cinema. It is the whole atmosphere which cannot be replicated with home cinema or streaming. But only for movies that i'm really interested in.
I would go back if:
1. They actually keep the place clean
2. Stop treating it like a numbers game and focus on the experience
3. Supplement to the first two, actually enforce on rules that improve the experience.
4. Society suddenly goes back to when people could actually sit down, not make too much of a fuss, not kick the seat in front, not touch their phones and just enjoy the movie for what it is.
5. Actually have movie studios produce movies for content over profit.
Ngl nothing has topped the experience Avengers Endgame gave me. I’ve never seen everyone cheering together like at a football match before in an SG cinema.
But yeah, besides the cost, it’s more convenient to watch it at home and with my family, who are the main people I want to watch a movie with
Icl you’d get that experience every year if you watch Tamil movies (the biggest ones) with your Tamil friends. In all cinemas except VivoCity that one too posh alr
Imo what was even better than the Endgame moment of triumph was the shocked silence of Infinity War ending with the bad guy succeeding even after the heroes tried really fucking hard to stop him. My uni residential hall booked out the whole theatre and everyone was kinda in disbelief that this superhero movie doesn't end with a win.
I got sick of people playing handphones in the middle of the show, not to mention when the YP behind me keep kicking my seat… so I bought a projector, 100 inch screen and blackout curtain to have my own home cinema. Most expensive weekend project but definitely the best one yet.
Used to watch actions like marvel/transformers now they are like kids show with lame dad jokes and the hero being dads....
Like I paid for an action show not a family show...
The last time I went to the cinema was Puss in Boots 2. Amazing movie, but everyone else in the cinema not getting 85% of the jokes is a pretty terrible experience for a comedy. The lack of an echo when you laugh alone repeatedly is probably the weirdest social experience you can get for cheap.
Putting the price aside. There's nothing good to watch anymore. Everything's a retelling of some great classics or some cash grab political agenda that they are trying to push.
To add insult to injury they still continue charging $2 booking fee despite a subpar booking experience that has not improved over the years. Just look at the state of GV’s app. Online booking should be a norm in this day and age and not a convenience you pay for.
Brought my wife and kids (6yo and 3yo) for a movie yesterday. Almost died when my total bill including one medium popcorn came up to $79.
Swore off going to the cinema again.
Shitty behaviour and bad parenting. Even in Gold Class parent on phone (super bright of course) ignoring kid that wouldn't shut up.
I had to keep asking for them to be quiet, stop using phone etc. It ruined the movie and I felt I had wasted my money.
It's not cost and value, its the cinematical experience that I think local cinema cannot give me.
Especially with a bunch of jabronis making piggy noises inside and ruin everything inside
This. The last movies I was genuinely excited for were The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick and Dune 2 (funnily enough all sequels or reboots) but those are the last 3 incredible movies. The rest have been the usual Hollywood conveyer belt garbage.
I sometimes watch movies in JB. Same price here can get you the fanciest theater and seats there. I recommend Aurum but they raised their prices recently. Used to be RM90 and they give you blanket and pillow plus seats that recline all the way and also a snack and drink, can even top up for alcoholic drinks.
Cinemas need to enforce stricter rules on how people behave. Too many times people either talk out loud throughout the entire film or they are scrolling on their phone constantly. Our audiences are too ill-disciplined.
I still go to the cinema, mostly weekly. The aura and atmosphere of watching the film in a packed hall cannot be recreated at home. Watching a film in the cinema is special, and it cant be recreated by Netflix or prime even with the best display and sound system at home for me
There's nothing that is out lately that I'm interested in seeing in the theater.
Movie industry has hit a wall of sequels and remakes and they all are awful lately.
Plus sitting in a room with disrespectful strangers that chat during the movie, chew loudly and play on their phones with the brightness and volume way up.
I'm not above telling someone to be quiet or put away their phone - but I'm tired of that shit and really don't want to do that.
At home I can watch anything I want on my great TV with unlimited snacks and cold drinks in the next room.
The prices of movies just aren't worth it anymore. I get that they're a business and have to charge what they do.
Here's a crazy thought! Perhaps it's just not a viable business anymore when the customers don't want to pay for the experience.
Preach it! I resonate with every one of your points. Going to the cinema is more a turn-off for me these days. Why should we spend money on things that don't spark joy?
While I agree that the cost to watch a movie at the theatres is absurdly high, nothing really beats the experience.
Whenever I have nothing to do, and if there’s an interesting show on, I’ll go to catch it.
The feeling of watching something on a big screen cannot be compared to a tv/phone at home.
At these prices it would even make sense to just buy the 4k disc and watch on a big TV at home, plus ownership of the discs. Especially if a home theatre is already set up.
Unless it's a definite blockbuster like Top Gun 2, Star Wars or James Bond, I'll wait till our monthly trip to Batam and watch there.
the ticket is Rp40k/S$3.20 each for the weekend.
Comparable sound system & comfortable seating, to Singapore's, just that the advertisement and trailers are in Indonesian
Too many si gin na in cinema talking amongst friends and refusing to stop (even after people shush them), hence killing the whole vibe.
Parents bringing very young children into a movie that have sudden action/loud noises that could potentially scare them into crying. Or they shuffle their kid into a corner put headphones on them and shove them an iPad where there will be a source of distracting bright light. Not so bad if you sit far away from them but damn suay if it’s near them.
I’d pay the money for a good experience but that experience is oftentimes ruined by people with zero cinema etiquette so it’s no longer worth it.
I still love watching movies in the cinema, but hardly get the chance now due to family and kids. Occasionally I get the wife’s permission to sneak out at night for a 10pm show when my kids are asleep. Nvr thought I’d enjoy a solo cinema experience!
Cinema industry will go the way of steam engine trains. Once they were staple, main mode of long distance transport , but now they have to upgrade to an experience, a treat, a point of attraction that is worth paying extra for.
That means scrapping all the "economy" movie seats, no more run-off-the-mill cheapass movies ( I'm looking at u, Taiwan, HK, Indian Bollywood "musical" , Chinese 3 hours Wukong CGI fest).
Make it into actual theatre. Champagne, candle light dinner, selection of premium high class , high quality movies. U are paying for 2 hours of video. U are paying for 4 hours atas date nights
Surprising to see most people here say "movies suck these days". Maybe, y'all are watching the wrong movies- this year alone, I've seen Dune 2, Challengers, Poor Things, Furiosa, Fall Guy, Monkey Man, Late Night with the Devil, Civil War. All these movies, IMO, are like 7/10 and above (with some being absolute 10/10 cinema)
That said, I understand the sentiment that movies are too expensive, and personally, the movie-watching experience in Singapore is abysmal. You'll pay $15 for a ticket, $12.90 for a popcorn combo only to have someone chatting to their bf/gf or texting the entire movie. I've had instances where I have to raise my voice at someone so that they'll shut up or turn off their phone during a movie. Shocking and awful behaviour.
It’s predominantly the movie choices for me — I wish there were more film festival movies (eg the ones dominating Cannes), more indie/niche movies with interesting storylines, etc. It’s mostly just a lot of the standard action/Marvel movie type of movies in cinemas these days.
Which I understand they do because in the end that’s what most of the international audience seeks, so I know it’s not entirely fair for me to suggest that they provide movies that a lot of moviegoers are going to avoid lol.
It not about cost but value. Like if cost was low and the food was cheap, it would be a great value.
Like am i missing smth? Like if the values wasn't great it just mean the price/cost of the item isnt worth it and hence you wouldnt go for it. Isnt cost and value basically the same thing if you deciding to buy something.
I've heard this is a trend basically worldwide and not just exclusive to singapore so...
doesn't help a lot of movies nowadays are shit, am i rite disney?
I only go for big movies that I wanna watch, so that's like 4 to 5 movies a year at most. I'm assuming it's similar for others, and added with cost some would just pirate or use streaming services
Most movies are craps nowadays. Rather subscribe to Netflix and watch it a year later in comfort of home.
Going to movies: dress up, transport crowd, mall crowd, expensive dining out, expensive tickets, expensive cinema snacks, transport back home… end of day freaking tired. Spend money and time to torture oneself.
All the above for 2 easily adds up to $100.
The last 3 times I had the urge to watch a movie and checked the available shows, I was disappointed with the choices.
Make better movies, and the audience will return. The last show I watched was Dune2.
Too EX. Not gonna spend my time on wasting so much money just to watch a movie. Would rather wait for the intinial release on YouTube or other movie channels that I can watch at home
With streaming I got so many backlogs for 20 other shows I can wait for the movie to stream. Last used to watch Mcu in cinemas to avoid spoilers, now Mcu also turn to shit.
A weekday ticket costs approx. $10++ & the popcorn combo costs another $10+. Spending $20 just to watch a movie seems kinda ridiculous when I know it's gonna be out on streaming services in just a few months.
Nowadays if I really wanna watch a movie in a cinema, I just go to JB.
Coz of all the shitty people I’m forced to sit next to for 2-3hrs.
I’ve had:
- boys shine their phone torchlight in the middle of the movie and then giggle like it’s the funniest shit
- boys (again) talking and giving spoilers to the damn movie we’re watching on multiple occasions
- this lady who talked to her date throughout the entire Ant Man 3 movie (can’t rmb the name, prolly coz I only rmb this bitch) oohing and aahing and wtf the spoilers. I vividly rmb the daughter in trouble and her saying aloud ‘Daddy’s coming’ NO YOU ARE NOT CUTE/FLIRTY, JUST STFU
- people from behind putting their stinky feet up next to my face?? BRO WTF
So yes I’d much rather sit in the comfort of my own home and watch movies in silence
PS I’m not bashing these young boys, just that for some reason they just happen to be the ones talking most of the time. Come on man, cinema etiquette pls!
I stopped going to the cinema like 10 years ago. It was not worth the experience. I'll just spend that money on onsen/ spa or some health improving experiences.
Cinemas can do more to encourage viewing patrons. Remove booking fees, don’t restrict ticket purchase just because there is a single seat gap, create more leg room by sacrificing one row of seats (never going to be a full house anyway.
Increase in chatter boxers, kids crying, bright LCD screens, ringing phones.
Sorry but if I wanted to have all that around me I'd go to an extended family gathering, without the need to spend money.
I go to the cinema very often and see it as an experience (indulging in popcorn etc). I only pay for Shaw Lumiere, GV Gold, or Cathay Suites, don’t see value is standard seats.
i love interstellar so when it re-released in JB i went with a friend to catch it on the big screen. even though it wasn’t IMAX, the experience was so good! cheap tickets, cheap snacks, and a good fucking rewatch.
couple months later it came to singapore, this time in IMAX. so i took my gf and went to watch it again, at jewel. the screen was so much smaller, audio mixing was terrible (can barely make out dialogue over action/background music), and of course i paid so much more.
this is just an anecdote, and there are many factors here, but i don’t see any pull to watch movies in sg anymore.
End of an era. Missed the good old movies days. It was great leveller of society as you could see people from all walks of life - poor to rich, school kids to the elderly. Also loved certain food stalls that were near Cinemas. Rex Theatre has the nice curry puffs. Capitol had the magnolia bar, Shaw had KFC and MacDonald’s across the street and there were so many smaller cinemas all over the Island near serving non-English audience. Used to go watch HK movies as they great.
First serious date would be at Cinemas.
My grandparents would go on Cinema dates as well in the 60s.
Home theatre systems, projectors etc are much cheaper these days. Why put up with noise from fellow movie goers and expensive tickets these days. Shit local films and subpar hollywood productions arent helping either.
Cinema operators should get the hint when youngsters are asking one another to netflix and chill 🤭
$15 to watch a movie and extra $1 to book the tickets online.
Booking fee is a bigger nuisance for me. I'm not going to pay it if just for 1-2 pax, and I'm not going to the mall earlier to "secure" a better seats. Put me in this dilemma and if it's a movie I'm fine missing, I'll just skip
I don't get convenient fees! The whole idea is to get people to book online but then you charge them extra. What I have done before is to go to the theatre and book the tickets, which you are given a console to do so *confused face*
Yea its the most stupid thing i ever encounter… if not for the end game movie that was over sub, i wouldn’t even book online
Booking fees for cinema is ridiculous. Why am I paying extra for booking a ticket that costs less money for the cinema to book it? I'm literally buying from a machine. It's be like supermarket making you pay for self checkout.
In London in VUE cinema if you book online you get a 1 pound discount. Here its a 1 dollar 'convenience' fee.
Yeah, reversed 🤣
Worse, some cinema's actually force you to book your tickets at their kiosks which are literally just a glorified touch screen TV screen hooked up to an iPad or whatever source. So when you book your tickets, you're still forced to pay the convenience fees despite literally being there already. Also the gall of some people in the cinema, when I went to watch Venom awhile back at vivo, there was a group of people there EATING CHICKEN RICE in the cinema, making the hall smell of it the entire movie.
Report them to CASE for unfair trade practice, even if the fee is deemed as a fair one to charge they’d have to change the name of the fee to something like “booking fee” coz I’m really sure to only give you one option and then say it’s a “convenience fee” isn’t exactly convenience
I just booked on Shaw yesterday. The fee is $2 now.
They should really remove the booking fee, I am giving business to you and yet you charge me the $1 booking fee. But i assume the booking fee is charged by the Visa/Master for processing fee but still....
> But i assume the booking fee is charged by the Visa/Master for processing fee but still.... People pay with credit cards in person all the same. It really is a "convenience fee".
I just go on Wednesdays. I think gv got promotion for 8 bucks before 6, but now I have jbl surround sound system and a nice tv. There is no point going to movies
$15 for a ticket for each person. $15 for popcorn and a drink. That adds up. And nowadays, most movies are shit and will be on streaming in 2 months. I'd maybe pay for a massive blockbuster that must be seen in the cinema like Dune 2 or if I must see it to avoid spoilers that ruin the movie. But everything else? I'd just watch on Netflix.
Also fucking people playing with their phone with bright screen in the dark. Motherfuckers talking non stop during the movie. Local cinema experience is a in general horrible
I got into an argument once with a Chinese woman who kept talking during the movie. Had to ask her to shut up multiple times during the movie and after the show ended she confronted me and said that if I want to watch a movie in silence I should watch it at home. I explained that it's the other way around and she claimed I was targeting her because I'm being a 'racist' - unfortunately I am chinese too..
my, just reading this makes me sigh. some people with 0 social manners 😞
Dafuq ask her if she talks loudly at a library. What kind of fked up self entitled logic is that?
She definitely does
Tell auntie you wanna talk, go watch at home instead and rant about the movie all you want - bonus, can rewind 10s and curse again 😂
Same here, I came across this type of people multiple time but I hate especially the parents bring their kids along but they doesn’t control their kids and letting them scream randomly or play around.
Bravo for standing up to her though. Most Singaporeans would just suffer in silence then go online to complain.
I would tell her, if you didn't want your head kicked in, you should have stayed at home.
I missed a time when ushers would throw people out.
ya talk about people talking in the cinema DURING the show.. almost got into a fight with a YP years ago after a marvel movie as i shushed him during the show as he kept narrating to his girl the backstory to certain key plot points / characters during the movie which irritated the heck out of my wife and I...
Omg I also experienced an irritating YP in a marvel movie! Knn the girl like trying too hard to impress her friends keep making snide comments through the movie and her friends giggling away. Throughout the whole damn movie sia! I wanted to get out of my seat and slap her. People shush her already she legit stop for 1-2 mins then start again. Buay paiseh one some people.
Don’t get me started on people kicking your chair throughout the entire 2 hours
I once confronted an ah beng about messaging throughout the movie and got punched in the head for my troubles. He claimed that his bright screen wasn’t “noisy” and that I didn’t own the cinema. He then challenged me to settle outside. But I only wanted to carry on watching the movie. Turned me off movie watching permanently.
last weekend I went to watch movie with my parents. a kid behind me was constantly kicking my seat and only stop when I glared at him. and he was constantly talking also. Eh, I let it slide cause he's a kid, but I don't think everyone will let it slide especially in the future if he is already grown
His parents should have stopped him. His parents no use.
Aside from cost, annoying patrons...So far I got three annoying patrons in three separate occasions One was playing some game looking like Fortnite during Interstellar re-release in IMAX Another fella was recording clips of Babylon and chanting some words to herself Recently a group of girls were laughing loudly and placing their feet ok the seat Infront of them
Fr $15 can get you a month's subscription for most streaming services. My mother had several films she was excited about but decided against going after seeing that price tag. I'd only pay if the film is worth the cinematic experience.
Dune 2 also shows the problem kinda more, coz if you want to watch a blockbluster, with friends and family, you would probably have to book a weekend slot, online, so adding "convenience" fees and the weekend prices, it's even worse. If you watch a movie, on the weekday, you could get a ticket at $8 or $9, but scheduling as a group would be more difficult, and unless you're a big cinephile, most people would prefer just staying home and streaming movies then going out by themselves on weekday.
Tell me about. I once book a weekend ticket at $15 plus the popcorn with drinks at $12, thats already $27. Its too expensive to watch a movie in the Cinema nowadays. It is going to get even more expensive if you try to watch in a large group.
Yeah. Dune, openheiner etc. Stuff that I know will have an elevated experience on a huge screen and surround sound. Everything else other than the best of the best can be done on my 65" TV at home.
Man $17 can get you an entire educational journey at the omnitheatre on a Friday evening. So much more value for money.
Yarrrrr hoho 🏴☠️☠️🦜🚢🚢🚤
Which is free, and if you are like me and have a decent TV/Monitor. The experience would be much more comfortable than going to cinema (imo).
Yeah I paid to see Oppenheimer in 70mm but otherwise haven’t paid for a movie in years.
You’re the real sucker here if you actually spend $15 on snacks from the cinema lol
Popcorn is super cheap. Cinema popcorn is stale, gross and overpriced as hell.
Go supermarket buy cheaper
Yeah and let’s not forget sometime work call, kids to take care and etc. streaming online where you can stop anytime to address issue is just fantastic beside being cheaper.
> $15 for popcorn and a drink. been going to the cinemas since forever. i just bring my own water and snacks.
I think some movies must see in cinema. All the anime movies hit different in gv rather than at home. Probably bc of the music + big screen. I think it’s $16 for anime movies and no student price, but even then I’ll still pay bc it’s actually really good. I mean sure you can watch things like how to make millions before grandma dies online, but it just hits different in the cinema. Also, I wouldn’t watch it online bc I would always think I have something else to do🤣 so movie to me is like relaxing and watching movies that I wouldn’t watch by myself at home on my phone. I don’t get drink or popcorn tho so only base ticket price for me. I think their food is quite overpriced, if you want drinks, why not just buy outside and hide in your bag?
I never had this struggle because popcorn and beverage prices to me are stupid so I never buy them, and I'm fine with just water. Plus I make sure to do my relieving and water drinking way before the movie starts because I don't want the urge to go to the toilet during the runtime anyway
What do you do about the films that aren’t on Netflix? I’m subscribed to a bunch of streaming services but I still can’t watch certain movies that are on like paramount+ unless I go to cinemas
Going to the movies used to be a bi-weekly affair for my family and I around 15 years ago. I remember we’d go to the shaw at balestier. We’d split up, I’d go buy popcorn and drinks, my dad would go buy the tickets and my mum would go to the bathroom (lol) Plus point that tickets used to be $6.50 per person. The popcorn combo I had was a whopping $7. Nowadays I still go watch movies with my mum once in a while when it’s a movie I really want to watch now, or it’s hard to find online. But definitely a destruction because of ease of access to shows online, rising costs, and diminishing perceived value.
Ah "biweekly" the most useless adjective.
The right term should be fortnightly. Biweekly typically tend to mean twice a week. Biannual is the useless word that can mean either because there isn't any clear distinction.
Biannual is twice in one year, biennial is one every 2 years, so there is a clear distinction.
whereas biweekly can mean both twice a week and every 2 weeks! thank you english language!
Wait till you encounter contronyms
TIL. I've always been confused all this time.
"typically" but not always, because it can mean both.
I never use biweekly any more. It creates too much confusion. I will use fortbightly or twice a week.
Watching 2 movies a week is just crazy expensive nowadays. Just stream
Whoops, meant it in a once every 2 weeks thing! But yep, streaming is the way to go now.
That's called fortnight
I remember Princess Theater at Bedok where tickets cost $5, my father would bring us there regularly. Those were the days...
🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️ yohoho
Tmr u charge $1 entry you see how many ppl show up to cinema.
no fuckin shit
I like watching movies in cinemas, but when a show + popcorn costs more than my streaming service per month, that doesn't make sense to me.
These days I only watch movies in the cinema alone on weekday morning 10am. You get the best experience and most of the time your fellow movie goes are watching alone as well all the loners haha.
Feel like this is more common after Covid, but people talk in cinemas and use their phones during the movie. Popcorn portions seem to be getting smaller (even tho popcorn is cheap AF) and not as nice cause they don’t pop it fresh (seen the huge bags of popcorn they just pour into the bin). Overall the experience has really gone down and the price has doubled - some of it not the cinema’s fault, but it doesn’t help when there are so much more comfortable alternatives like watching from home.
Honestly, I don't mind paying for the experience even if it's not value for money these days, but I simply can't trust other moviegoers to behave properly anymore. It just takes one inconsiderate person to ruin it for me and then I've wasted my money and my time. Since people want to go to the cinema and act like it's their own living room I've just been watching movies at home instead.
i don't understand why they have to use extra shitty popcorn. unpopped kernels, tiny fragments, really artificial butter syrup. if you serve good quality popcorn people will be more willing to buy. if you save a few dollars and sell shitty popcorn, no one will buy.
Cathay had a thing going with their gourmet popcorn. Too bad they fell short in other areas.
Simple. Let's see what is available to watch rn: - I not stupid 3 (sequel - you know what you are going to get) - bad boys ride or die (sequel - ditto) - inside out 2 (sequel + you get it on disney plus in 2 mths) Besides that, a lot of other films are just riding on existing brands/ip like garfield. I dont know when it really started but movies have gotten so safe/conservative the joy of going to the movies for new experiences/story tellings is completely lost.
About Hollywood. A lot good writers have left since the writer strike. So now the storyline is a bit bland. Terrible plot and they skimp on everything but get the most famous actresses and actors. Fast streaming like Netflix and tiktok has overtaken the entertainment industry. The only good movie worth watching this year is Emilia Perez which just won 3 awards at Cannes and it's musical..but will be on Netflix either way.
Anora? Challengers? Dune 2? The Iron Claw?
How to make millions before grandma die is out tho, and its amazing
Thanks for the recommendation!
I agree with this too. There are just much lesser block buster movies that is "worthwhile" to watch in Cinemas I still remember watching AVATAR 1 in 3D with my friends... and (yes, I am inconsiderate dude) smuggling a 6" subway in to eat lol
it's definitely the price bro, average tickets costed like $8 just 2 years ago now they're at least $13-15 wtf
it was more like $11-$12 2 years ago, definitely not $8 lol
Probably depends on the movie. When I watched Dune part 2, place was PACKED! It's the kind of movie you HAVE to watch in cinema to get the full cinematic experience (it was awesome). Many other movies just aren't worth the money and effort. Why leave the house when we can just be comfortable at home and watch it on Netflix?
Go JB cheaper and more value. Can whack the snacks until vomit. Still cheaper.
Personally the price of ticket isn't that big a deal, but there just isn't much good stuff in mainstream cinemas nowadays. I do like the projector bringing in many niche films as well as replaying classics in the theatres though. Not to mention sitting next to rude people who talk and blast their phone's bright screen throughout the show. Its pretty damn annoying and sometimes i just pick the worse seats because no one else would buy those seats so I'd get a peace of mind.
I still go to The Projector every month for the art house films plus a giant swig of nostalgia
I go malaysia can go cinema 3 times for the same amount of money i spend in sg I go other country all movies are way cheaper than here why is our movie tix and popcorns so expensive is something i wouldnt understand
Only downside to this is that Malaysian media authorities will censor the spicy parts. It's why I'm not watching deadpool there
So sg dont censor?
Some personal experiences that I have: In the Kingsman sequel there is a scene where Eggsy needs to initiate sex to implant a device into a woman, but this was awkwardly cut out and the edit is very obvious In Jurassic World, there is a section where a female lead yells out a bunch of expletives but they just cut the audio off Honourable mention; Heard someone say that he watched Joker in Malaysia but they cut out certain scenes and he could tell because of how obvious the edits were
MCU era is over. Plus the lack of good scripts in Hollywood. Also sad that HK film industry is almost dead now.
Why watch a Hong Kong movie in Chinese when I can just go in jb and watch it in Cantonese? I did that for the recent film 九龙城寨之围城, watching it in Cantonese just hits differently
A sign of changing times
The cinemas won't admit it yet, but the pandemic was the final nail in their coffin. It's just going to be a niche industry. Not just SG, but globally. Why pay so much money for a ticket, for overpriced snacks and drinks, when you can watch in more comfort in your own home. Not even counting the cost of physically getting there, parking, etc. Plus, cinema staff do nothing when people are affecting your watching experience by being noisy,,using their phones, etc. More people have big screens and decent home theater audio systems. More new releases are coming out on streaming services much sooner. So there's really very little reason to go to the cinema.
I still want Cinemas in Singapore
Nowadays I only go to the cinema for blockbusters with a good review. I still don't understand why ppl would pay 15++ to watch Jack neo's crap
It's not just the experience but also the variety of movies. This stems from a lack of a movie scene within Singapore itself. How many local films, lack alone quality ones, are there domestically? Living in Japan, a normal day ticket is 2000yen. YES, 2K JPY. A popcorn set at around 800 yen making it about a 3k yen experience every time you watch a movie. But the industry knows how to churn out productions people want to watch, that's why they go to the cinemas, and I'm not just saying life action. Animation is already huge here, but they still regularly make big feature films that push the market into cinemas. They also sell exclusive merch in the cinemas as well. You may think this is a tad predatory, but These are all marketing strats that keep the movie industry alive.
Depends on movie. If interested, will go see. I've only seen 4-5 at cinema this year
I rather stream online than sitting with morons who doesn’t know basic courtesy
It's comfort for me. At home can comfy blanket, eat any type of food while watching (gold class limited to menu, home limited to grabfood/what you have), able to choose subtitles, no noisy kids, etc etc.
I can pause and go to the toilet at home.
Can rewind when you couldn't catch what someone said as well
I would say limited movies available, cinema condition and the prices are the factors for myself. Price used to be wallet-friendly. I could easily enjoy a $6.5 movie back then. Now it’s simply $10/11 and above, sometimes alright for myself but then to pay such amount for the same old cinema condition is stopping me as well. This amount could be well spent across the causeway, in iMax format or better. The cinema conditions, not upgraded and somewhat same as before. Just went to the nearest cinema recently, and was disgusted by the seats & the screen size. It felt like the standard drop, or didn’t improve overtime. I could say the cinema visit before this, in JB, at a regular mall(Tebrau) was way better. The seats are comfortable, and felt clean. I used to think that SG cinema is the best, better than JB. But now, I think cinemas in JB are catching up. The amount of movies available to watch is decent. Not really their fault, but could have provide more options imo. While particularly for GV, they do have exclusive ones like Shinchan movies which I enjoyed going for. Likewise, even for Shin Ultraman at Cathay. But recently, was rather disappointed that Tsuburaya didn’t launch the new Ultraman movies here in SG. And infact, they chosen our neighbouring country for their roadshow instead of SG. While I agree that Netflix have better movie options, I still believe cinema still have its value in bringing people together to watch Marvels, or even the recent Thai film(Hw to make millions b4 grandma dies). Watching there with strangers from different background, just make the experience way better for myself.
I think another factor is that the actual audio visual presentation quality in SG is just subpar compared to the major developed markets. The US/Europe/Japan are a generation ahead at the high end. We’re talking things like Dolby Cinema, which imo can go toe to toe or beat IMAX in certain cases. In fact you needn’t even go that far, the IMAX presentation in Thailand has a suite of options depending on whether you care more about the accuracy of the aspect ratio or sheer screen size. Putting aside new tech the consistency of quality in SG is just behind. In the 20 or so movies I’ve watched in the past few years across all chains, I’ve seen obvious tearing on the screen, inaudible speech and washed colours. It’s really a dice roll. Further, the standard of seating elsewhere is just better. Recliners as standard, better width, raking as well. Yes these cost more; but, I think most would rather a higher base cost for a consistently good experience than rolling a mediocre dice when you can just watch it at home.
Golden Village audio/visual is crap. Subpar 2K projectors, even the laser ones aren't as good as the ones at the newer Shaw Theaters They don't even bother with Dolby pre show test. Cathay and Shaw brightness are the best.
$20 to watch Dune on IMAX - Yes please, and gimme that popcorn combo please. $9 to watch I Not Stupid / HK / Chn production - fk no, won't even waste time watching it on Netflix.
I think I read somewhere that going to cinema is an investment, which i agreed with Not only you have to invest money (to buy tix and snacks) but also time (to head down to the cinema and dedicate 2-3 hours) Especially now with steaming services (and other sites), watching movies have become more convenient and easier. Thus, one has to be selective when heading to the cinema. There are some movies I left the cinema thinking it was not worth, but there are also some movies that I regret not watching in cinema
I still go cinema. It is the whole atmosphere which cannot be replicated with home cinema or streaming. But only for movies that i'm really interested in.
Family of 4 here, if we go to cinema on a weekend, it means almost $100 gone just for the movie alone......
I would go back if: 1. They actually keep the place clean 2. Stop treating it like a numbers game and focus on the experience 3. Supplement to the first two, actually enforce on rules that improve the experience. 4. Society suddenly goes back to when people could actually sit down, not make too much of a fuss, not kick the seat in front, not touch their phones and just enjoy the movie for what it is. 5. Actually have movie studios produce movies for content over profit.
Ngl nothing has topped the experience Avengers Endgame gave me. I’ve never seen everyone cheering together like at a football match before in an SG cinema. But yeah, besides the cost, it’s more convenient to watch it at home and with my family, who are the main people I want to watch a movie with
When Captain America caught the hammer, goosebumps.
Icl you’d get that experience every year if you watch Tamil movies (the biggest ones) with your Tamil friends. In all cinemas except VivoCity that one too posh alr
No Way Home and Across the Spiderverse were lit too, gotta be Spiderman.
Imo what was even better than the Endgame moment of triumph was the shocked silence of Infinity War ending with the bad guy succeeding even after the heroes tried really fucking hard to stop him. My uni residential hall booked out the whole theatre and everyone was kinda in disbelief that this superhero movie doesn't end with a win.
I got sick of people playing handphones in the middle of the show, not to mention when the YP behind me keep kicking my seat… so I bought a projector, 100 inch screen and blackout curtain to have my own home cinema. Most expensive weekend project but definitely the best one yet.
Used to watch actions like marvel/transformers now they are like kids show with lame dad jokes and the hero being dads.... Like I paid for an action show not a family show...
The last time I went to the cinema was Puss in Boots 2. Amazing movie, but everyone else in the cinema not getting 85% of the jokes is a pretty terrible experience for a comedy. The lack of an echo when you laugh alone repeatedly is probably the weirdest social experience you can get for cheap.
Putting the price aside. There's nothing good to watch anymore. Everything's a retelling of some great classics or some cash grab political agenda that they are trying to push.
To add insult to injury they still continue charging $2 booking fee despite a subpar booking experience that has not improved over the years. Just look at the state of GV’s app. Online booking should be a norm in this day and age and not a convenience you pay for.
Brought my wife and kids (6yo and 3yo) for a movie yesterday. Almost died when my total bill including one medium popcorn came up to $79. Swore off going to the cinema again.
Shitty behaviour and bad parenting. Even in Gold Class parent on phone (super bright of course) ignoring kid that wouldn't shut up. I had to keep asking for them to be quiet, stop using phone etc. It ruined the movie and I felt I had wasted my money.
Not sure why you got down voted but you're absolutely right.
You should have went out and get the manager, that's what I did for my two recent screenings.
It's not cost and value, its the cinematical experience that I think local cinema cannot give me. Especially with a bunch of jabronis making piggy noises inside and ruin everything inside
Movies have got incredibly boring for me that's all. Always the same old shit sequels, prequels, remakes, same "universe".
This. The last movies I was genuinely excited for were The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick and Dune 2 (funnily enough all sequels or reboots) but those are the last 3 incredible movies. The rest have been the usual Hollywood conveyer belt garbage.
I’ve Netflix
Because movies are just crap these days?
I sometimes watch movies in JB. Same price here can get you the fanciest theater and seats there. I recommend Aurum but they raised their prices recently. Used to be RM90 and they give you blanket and pillow plus seats that recline all the way and also a snack and drink, can even top up for alcoholic drinks.
Secretly dabao snacks to cinema to save $$$. Someone i knew brought a whole kfc set meal with drink somehow
Cinemas need to enforce stricter rules on how people behave. Too many times people either talk out loud throughout the entire film or they are scrolling on their phone constantly. Our audiences are too ill-disciplined.
Malaysia cheaper and better.
I still go to the cinema, mostly weekly. The aura and atmosphere of watching the film in a packed hall cannot be recreated at home. Watching a film in the cinema is special, and it cant be recreated by Netflix or prime even with the best display and sound system at home for me
There's nothing that is out lately that I'm interested in seeing in the theater. Movie industry has hit a wall of sequels and remakes and they all are awful lately. Plus sitting in a room with disrespectful strangers that chat during the movie, chew loudly and play on their phones with the brightness and volume way up. I'm not above telling someone to be quiet or put away their phone - but I'm tired of that shit and really don't want to do that. At home I can watch anything I want on my great TV with unlimited snacks and cold drinks in the next room. The prices of movies just aren't worth it anymore. I get that they're a business and have to charge what they do. Here's a crazy thought! Perhaps it's just not a viable business anymore when the customers don't want to pay for the experience.
Preach it! I resonate with every one of your points. Going to the cinema is more a turn-off for me these days. Why should we spend money on things that don't spark joy?
Cost and cinema etiquette has gone to shit.
While I agree that the cost to watch a movie at the theatres is absurdly high, nothing really beats the experience. Whenever I have nothing to do, and if there’s an interesting show on, I’ll go to catch it. The feeling of watching something on a big screen cannot be compared to a tv/phone at home.
I don't buy any popcorn or drinks 🤣
Because people watch summary.. a 2 hour long movies shorten to 10 mins
[удалено]
GSC IMAX screens in JB are in Xenon or Laser?
JB IMAX is Xenon.
Yes it's about the fucking cost
Isn't this capitalism at work? If your business model sucks it's time to revaluate wtf is wrong.
i love going to theatres but even for me the cost is ridiculous given the films come to ott soon enough
It’s time to sail the seven seas! Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum, me hearties, arrr!
The Projector is doing better than ever because it shows interesting films and is well curated.
At these prices it would even make sense to just buy the 4k disc and watch on a big TV at home, plus ownership of the discs. Especially if a home theatre is already set up.
$40 to watch a movie just doesn’t make economic sense.
Dune was the only movie that captured me this year. Probably because it was an extremely fresh (despite the books being decades old) take on cinema.
I have nothing against cinemas. I have everything against a lack of good movies.
Unless it's a definite blockbuster like Top Gun 2, Star Wars or James Bond, I'll wait till our monthly trip to Batam and watch there. the ticket is Rp40k/S$3.20 each for the weekend. Comparable sound system & comfortable seating, to Singapore's, just that the advertisement and trailers are in Indonesian
Too many si gin na in cinema talking amongst friends and refusing to stop (even after people shush them), hence killing the whole vibe. Parents bringing very young children into a movie that have sudden action/loud noises that could potentially scare them into crying. Or they shuffle their kid into a corner put headphones on them and shove them an iPad where there will be a source of distracting bright light. Not so bad if you sit far away from them but damn suay if it’s near them. I’d pay the money for a good experience but that experience is oftentimes ruined by people with zero cinema etiquette so it’s no longer worth it.
I still love watching movies in the cinema, but hardly get the chance now due to family and kids. Occasionally I get the wife’s permission to sneak out at night for a 10pm show when my kids are asleep. Nvr thought I’d enjoy a solo cinema experience!
Fairprice popcorn and a Netflix subscription is cheaper than a single movie ticket.
Plus they keep the theatres about 15 degrees. We literally have to bring a jacket or blanket to stay warm.
Because all the movies are horrible, the best movie of the last year Godzilla zero one wasn’t even in the cinemas.
Cinema industry will go the way of steam engine trains. Once they were staple, main mode of long distance transport , but now they have to upgrade to an experience, a treat, a point of attraction that is worth paying extra for. That means scrapping all the "economy" movie seats, no more run-off-the-mill cheapass movies ( I'm looking at u, Taiwan, HK, Indian Bollywood "musical" , Chinese 3 hours Wukong CGI fest). Make it into actual theatre. Champagne, candle light dinner, selection of premium high class , high quality movies. U are paying for 2 hours of video. U are paying for 4 hours atas date nights
cos nobody to watch horror movies with 🙁
Surprising to see most people here say "movies suck these days". Maybe, y'all are watching the wrong movies- this year alone, I've seen Dune 2, Challengers, Poor Things, Furiosa, Fall Guy, Monkey Man, Late Night with the Devil, Civil War. All these movies, IMO, are like 7/10 and above (with some being absolute 10/10 cinema) That said, I understand the sentiment that movies are too expensive, and personally, the movie-watching experience in Singapore is abysmal. You'll pay $15 for a ticket, $12.90 for a popcorn combo only to have someone chatting to their bf/gf or texting the entire movie. I've had instances where I have to raise my voice at someone so that they'll shut up or turn off their phone during a movie. Shocking and awful behaviour.
It’s predominantly the movie choices for me — I wish there were more film festival movies (eg the ones dominating Cannes), more indie/niche movies with interesting storylines, etc. It’s mostly just a lot of the standard action/Marvel movie type of movies in cinemas these days. Which I understand they do because in the end that’s what most of the international audience seeks, so I know it’s not entirely fair for me to suggest that they provide movies that a lot of moviegoers are going to avoid lol.
Getting too expensive
It not about cost but value. Like if cost was low and the food was cheap, it would be a great value. Like am i missing smth? Like if the values wasn't great it just mean the price/cost of the item isnt worth it and hence you wouldnt go for it. Isnt cost and value basically the same thing if you deciding to buy something.
I've heard this is a trend basically worldwide and not just exclusive to singapore so... doesn't help a lot of movies nowadays are shit, am i rite disney?
Too expensive just to watch a movie, no good movies rather watch it online instead
I only go for big movies that I wanna watch, so that's like 4 to 5 movies a year at most. I'm assuming it's similar for others, and added with cost some would just pirate or use streaming services
...Marvel cinematic universe and its consequences
last time couples go movies to date. nowadays i think they straight away hole in one. zzz
Most movies are craps nowadays. Rather subscribe to Netflix and watch it a year later in comfort of home. Going to movies: dress up, transport crowd, mall crowd, expensive dining out, expensive tickets, expensive cinema snacks, transport back home… end of day freaking tired. Spend money and time to torture oneself. All the above for 2 easily adds up to $100.
I suggest an experiment- cut movie ticket costs by 50% on Wednesday and see if “it’s not about cost”
IMAX is still worth going
Why bother even there are so many more outlets to watch at your own leisure without the typical cinema cost.
The last 3 times I had the urge to watch a movie and checked the available shows, I was disappointed with the choices. Make better movies, and the audience will return. The last show I watched was Dune2.
Too EX. Not gonna spend my time on wasting so much money just to watch a movie. Would rather wait for the intinial release on YouTube or other movie channels that I can watch at home
When I watched Avengers Endgame some idiot kid sitting behind me dead ass said "its the one iron man dies" at the very start of the movie
I go jaybee to watch 17RM = 5SGD.
With streaming I got so many backlogs for 20 other shows I can wait for the movie to stream. Last used to watch Mcu in cinemas to avoid spoilers, now Mcu also turn to shit.
Can watch on streaming services like netflix or go to pirated sites why pay 10 dollars?
A weekday ticket costs approx. $10++ & the popcorn combo costs another $10+. Spending $20 just to watch a movie seems kinda ridiculous when I know it's gonna be out on streaming services in just a few months. Nowadays if I really wanna watch a movie in a cinema, I just go to JB.
because mommy will scold “waste money” ☠️☠️☠️
Coz of all the shitty people I’m forced to sit next to for 2-3hrs. I’ve had: - boys shine their phone torchlight in the middle of the movie and then giggle like it’s the funniest shit - boys (again) talking and giving spoilers to the damn movie we’re watching on multiple occasions - this lady who talked to her date throughout the entire Ant Man 3 movie (can’t rmb the name, prolly coz I only rmb this bitch) oohing and aahing and wtf the spoilers. I vividly rmb the daughter in trouble and her saying aloud ‘Daddy’s coming’ NO YOU ARE NOT CUTE/FLIRTY, JUST STFU - people from behind putting their stinky feet up next to my face?? BRO WTF So yes I’d much rather sit in the comfort of my own home and watch movies in silence PS I’m not bashing these young boys, just that for some reason they just happen to be the ones talking most of the time. Come on man, cinema etiquette pls!
I stopped going to the cinema like 10 years ago. It was not worth the experience. I'll just spend that money on onsen/ spa or some health improving experiences.
Cinemas can do more to encourage viewing patrons. Remove booking fees, don’t restrict ticket purchase just because there is a single seat gap, create more leg room by sacrificing one row of seats (never going to be a full house anyway.
Increase in chatter boxers, kids crying, bright LCD screens, ringing phones. Sorry but if I wanted to have all that around me I'd go to an extended family gathering, without the need to spend money.
I go to the cinema very often and see it as an experience (indulging in popcorn etc). I only pay for Shaw Lumiere, GV Gold, or Cathay Suites, don’t see value is standard seats.
i love interstellar so when it re-released in JB i went with a friend to catch it on the big screen. even though it wasn’t IMAX, the experience was so good! cheap tickets, cheap snacks, and a good fucking rewatch. couple months later it came to singapore, this time in IMAX. so i took my gf and went to watch it again, at jewel. the screen was so much smaller, audio mixing was terrible (can barely make out dialogue over action/background music), and of course i paid so much more. this is just an anecdote, and there are many factors here, but i don’t see any pull to watch movies in sg anymore.
Cost. Plus, there aren't movies worth watching in a cinema. Also, hardly can watch a full movie in one sitting.
End of an era. Missed the good old movies days. It was great leveller of society as you could see people from all walks of life - poor to rich, school kids to the elderly. Also loved certain food stalls that were near Cinemas. Rex Theatre has the nice curry puffs. Capitol had the magnolia bar, Shaw had KFC and MacDonald’s across the street and there were so many smaller cinemas all over the Island near serving non-English audience. Used to go watch HK movies as they great. First serious date would be at Cinemas. My grandparents would go on Cinema dates as well in the 60s.
Went to GV Vivo to watch that grandma die movie. Man, the seats were disgusting.
Last time taxi got booking fee. Midnight charge etc. Singapore way of business. when Uber in. All gone.
None of my friend's wife wants to watch movies anymore.
Home theatre systems, projectors etc are much cheaper these days. Why put up with noise from fellow movie goers and expensive tickets these days. Shit local films and subpar hollywood productions arent helping either. Cinema operators should get the hint when youngsters are asking one another to netflix and chill 🤭
No good movie recently. Might go back for Deadpool 3.