Toddlers and preschoolers at the Star Wars movie.

[Bouncy Ball]

Just got back. Toddlers tend to scream, squeal, want to get down and run around, and get very grumpy. It's their nature. And I haven't met a toddler yet who can sit through a 2 1/2 hour movie. So why take them to Episode III? Beats me. Before anyone thinks I'm criticizing kids, I'm not. And I'm a parent myself. We didn't take our daughter to movies when we thought she'd disrupt them.

But I can tell you they screamed, squealed, whined to get down, got grumpy and cried a lot at the showing I just saw. It was unnerving. A lot of adults did the "SHHHH!" thing, but it was to no avail.

Preschoolers tend to yell out "SPACESHIP!" and "WIGHT SABER!" a lot. That's their nature, too. But they were old enough to find parts of the movie very disturbing, but not old enough to stop from screaming and crying.

The dad next to me was reading the prologue out loud to his son, because he obviously wasn't able to read yet. Or well enough to do it on his own.

I could overlook that. But then the dad EXPLAINED every single damn thing in the movie to his kid. In a normal voice.

I turned to him and whispered "Sir? Sorry, but could you not do that? I can't hear what they're saying when you do." He said "Oh yeah, sorry, it's just that Kevin doesn't understand all of it and I'm trying to help him."

I wasn't sure if that meant he'd stop or not. I found out pretty quickly it meant he wouldn't. The theater was packed, there was nowhere else to go.

The teenager behind me constantly kicked my chair. I turned around and got a good look at who was trying to put their foot in my kidney. I finally asked him, VERY politely, if he would refrain. He didn't even respond.

That's when I got up to find an usher. I couldn't find one. Looked around for a few minutes and finally found one. Guess what the response was? "Oh management told us we're not allowed to say anything."

WHAT? I'm thinking this is all a not very funny joke. I said "I paid money to see this movie and I've got someone slamming their foot into the back of my chair, there are VERY young children in there crying and screaming to the point that it sounds like a very crowded nursery."

He shrugged his shoulders and said "Well, it's the matinee."

Yeah, the movie was good. And you sure don't miss a whole lot by missing Lucas' dialogue. LOL! But to the Father of Kevin, I say fuck you very much for talking in a normal speaking voice through the whole fucking movie. Kevin didn't understand it even WITH your explanations, as he looked to be about four.

It looks like we're going to have to completely give up on seeing movies in the theater, seriously. Or we'll wait until it's been out so long, most people have seen it and we have the theater mostly to ourselves.

My husband's eyes did light up like a kid at Christmas when General Grievous (what a name!) busted out his four light sabers. LOL.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Woohoo! A chance to watch the knee-jerk hyper-emotional assholes

come out of the woodwork!

WHY DO YOU HATE CHILDREN, BOUNCY BALL?!?!?!?!?! HOW DARE YOU CRITICIZE CHILDREN!!!!!

DON'T YOU KNOW THAT ADULTS ARE RUDE, TOO?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Anyway, when I saw it, there were also some kids sitting right in front of us with their dads. They were probably around 4-5 years old.

I was kinda worried, but other than being squirrely, and every now and again asking "Why is _______?", they were really qite good, and the parents - two dads! - helped manage them very well.

I wanted to compliment them at the end of the movie, but as soon as the credits started, they bolted. The kid's attention lasted about 2 hours 15 minutes...not quite the length of the movie! So the dads knew they had to get out quickly!

I'm sorry you had such a miserable time.

And I think five years old is too young for that movie. But then, none of those three kids seemed scarred, so who knows?

[Bouncy Ball]

3. The kids in my theater ranged from about 18 months old

on up.

My 10 year old did fine, but we even warned her some scenes might be a bit intense and she assured us she felt she'd be fine and if she wasn't, she'd cover her eyes. Well, she didn't even cover them during the Anakin part.

But to me, five and under is just too freaking young to take to that movie.

By the way, the husband came home and immediately popped in the DVD for Episode IV. :D Even though he's seen it a million times, he wanted to see it right after seeing III.

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. I really wanted to see Episode IV right after, too

But it was nice outside, so I sat on the lanai and had a Martini or two then had dinner and by then I was tired and went to bed.

[Bouncy Ball]

11. Well, um, he's asleep on the couch and the DVD is still running.

:D

But I was interested, too. They did a good job of making III run pretty seamlessly into IV.

Although I had to chuckle at how Leia, the daughter, has the makeup and stylings of the 1970s.

But I notice stuff like that. III was better than I thought it would be.

[Pithlet]

19. Yep

This thread is just crawling with them.

[Bouncy Ball]

20. Eh?

Well, I'M NOT a child hater, and I hope you aren't implying that. I love kids. What I don't love are parents bringing very young kids to a movie they can't sit through, get scared by, scream and yell through, etc.

[Pithlet]

23. No. I wasn't implying that at all

I was responding to the implication by someone else that the parents of DU are hyperemotional. I was being sarcastic. I totally agree with you.

[Bouncy Ball]

25. Oh sorry!

Mea culpa!

:blush:

[Pithlet]

26. That's okay

:)

[JVS]

105. Yay! Flamewar!

[Kingshakabobo]

2. I had pretty much the same experience when I saw...

I had pretty much the same experience when I saw Jurassic Park 3 and it wasn't even a matinee. I had some 8 rear old'ish little girl behind me narrating the whole film with color commentary from her dad.

Crap like that can spoil a movie. Unfortunately, I want to see Star Wars on the big screen. I guess I'll have to go to a midnight showing.

[Bouncy Ball]

5. And you might want to wait a little while.

Wish we had. :-(

[MrSlayer]

4. I had to shush adults at the showing last night.

Nothing more annoying than idiots who have to talk to the screen or give their opinions out loud.

[Bouncy Ball]

7. I was worried about one family near us.

They were three teens and the parents and they yakked it up ALL through the trailers. But as soon as they movie started, they got quiet and never said a word.

Whew!

When we saw Signs, I think it was, there was a woman sitting next to my husband (I was on the other side of him) and during the scary/surprising bits, she kept screaming and grabbing his arm! I was giggling, because he was looking at me like "What do I DO?"

:rofl:

[name not needed]

6. Child hater!

:D

[Bouncy Ball]

8. Yep, that's me.

:rofl:

Nah, I just wish parents would get a babysitter or don't go with toddlers. Or preschoolers to a PG-13 movie. We didn't. And we didn't have regular use of a babysitter, so we just missed out on a lot of movies until they got to the rental store. We put in our time in movie theater exile.

[Deja Q]

10. And for the expensive shows they won't stop the kids either.

I am going to see this movie in trepidation. It's a lot of money for a lot of computer effects that, at least in the last two SW flicks, looked utterly phony.

[Bouncy Ball]

12. I'd have to say it was WAY better than I and II.

I was pleased.

And I still don't like Yoda being a computer graphic. To my eyes, he should be that puppet. But they couldn't have him having light saber fights as a puppet, so :shrug:

It was much more worth the ticket price than I or II. Try to go to the very latest movie you can, or wait a week or so AND go to a late movie. Then maybe you won't run into the toddler/preschooler crowd. :grr:

[gollygee]

13. Why on earth would someone take a very young child to a movie like that

first, it seems potentially pretty scary.

Second, I'd want a chance to enjoy it and if I brought my daughter I most certainly wouldn't.

Third, people expect kids if htey go to the Care Bears movie or something, but it isn't fair to take kids to a movie obviously intended for adults.

Crazy crazy crazy. The thing to do I suppose would be to complain to the management and have an usher pull them out, but then you'd have to spend your time up in the lobby instead of watching the movie.

I think it would be fair to say that kids under 5 aren't allowed at any movie rated PG-13 or higher. It's really too old for the kids, and if the parents are desperate for htem to see it they can rent the dvd when it comes out, and it isn't fair to have toddlers and preschoolers disrupting everyone else's movie experience.

And I'm one of the ones who thinks kids should be allowed at most restaurants and shouldn't be expected to be silent.

[Bouncy Ball]

18. I was going to talk to the manager after the movie but

totally forgot. You get swept up in that crowd of people headed to the exit and by the time I remembered, we were driving home.

[Mutley]

14. I've been told that the movie is too violent for little kids

did these kids seem to be bothered by that?

[Bouncy Ball]

16. Heck yes.

Well the preschoolers were. The toddlers were oblivious. Except the loudness seemed to be bothering one little girl, located right in front of me. She looked to be about two and had her hands clamped over her ears whenever it was loud (which was a lot) and she'd scream. She looked like she was in pain. She was on her feet in the chair (which made her about adult height, so no big deal) and facing ME the whole time, not the screen.

But it was the kids about 3 or 4 on up to about 6 (I am guessing ages by appearance) who were pretty scared. At one point in particular, which I won't mention because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, a little boy in the row ahead of us was just screaming "AH! AH! AH! AH! AH!" over and over.

[Mutley]

34. who would take their little kids to see that?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

108. There are an exceptionally high number of really bad parents out there

When I went to see Sin City, there were quite a few children under the age of 12 in the theater.

Now, I haven't seen the new Star Wars yet, but there is no way that Sin City was even vaguely appropriate for anyone under the age of 15 or 16.

Hell, I'm 28, and I was pretty disturbed by some of the stuff in that movie. I felt bad for the nightmares that some of those kids were surely going to be having.

[Radical Activist]

15. You should have asked for the manager.

You might have gotten your money back. I also would have asked the Dad next to you to refund your ticket for ruining the movie. He wouldn't have done it, but it would have made the point. But I'm a smartass like that.

[Bouncy Ball]

17. I was so torn.

I knew every moment I was out in the lobby I was missing the movie and I REALLY didn't want to miss a second of it.

Grrrrrrr.

[Radical Activist]

21. Oh yeah, of course not during the movie!

Just afterwards. Wasn't it great though? I loved it.

[PittPoliSci]

22. I just got back myself.

Lots of kids there, although the ones there were very VERY well behaved, much to my surprise. My father was actually talking more than the kids in front of us were.

[Bouncy Ball]

24. LOL!

Were you shushing your dad?

[PittPoliSci]

99. Yeah I was.

I also had to point out stuff that I thought was obvious (regards to the last scene with Darth Vader in it). He's still my favorite person to watch a movie with though.

[tigereye]

81. that's cuz kids are so good here in SWPA!

I would never have taken a toddler or 5-6 year old to that movie. I was worried about parts in Episode 2 - but fortunately my kid had to go the bathroom at the crucial moment.

:hi:

[Pithlet]

27. Someone brought their baby to Saving Private Ryan

when I went to see it. Some people are morons.

[gollygee]

36. I can see a baby more than a preschooler

a baby might very well sleep through a movie. No amount of noise would wake up my daughter when she was a baby. If I had her in a baby carrier and I nursed her if she woke up, she would have basically slept through a movie. I didn't ever take her to one but I've had friends who have taken babies to movies without any problems. If a parent took the baby to the lobby if/when the baby made noise, that would seem OK to me.

But there is no way to expect a toddler or preschooler to stay quiet through a movie or even stay in his/her seat. A toddler or preschooler just can't do that.

[Pithlet]

43. The baby was crying

I forgot to mention that. If a baby slept through a movie, then you're right, that's no big deal. The reason I knew the baby was there was because I could hear the poor thing.

[gollygee]

46. Yes that would be a problem

Isn't that a classic standard rule - that you take a crying baby out of a theater?

[China_cat]

82. Whatever happened to crying rooms?

When I was growing up all the movie theaters had them. They were sound-proofed glass fronted rooms, usually upstairs, where you sat if you had a baby with you. The sound was piped in and everybody got to see the movie in comfort.

And when there were no babies there, the crying room was a great make-out spot.

[hertopos]

64. My daughter is now 2 years old and

I won't take her to the movie for quite sometime. My husband and I have to see Star Wars in turn. Funny thing is I already managed to saw it twice since it has been his school's final week.

I took my daughter to 'Lost in Translation' and she was mostly ok. ( I hold her most of 2 hours...and standing right next to the exit so that I could go out as soon as she cry.

We also tried to take her to F911 and she started crying and my husband took her out. That was the last time we tried to sneak in our baby...

Back to the movie. Let's put it this way. For some reason, I loved it more than any other Star Wars movies. I am not saying it is better than Ep5 but I like it better.

I found Hayden Christiansen very intense and his transformation was really really tragic.

Yes, I already watched Ep6 and Ep4 after I saw Ep3. Thank god for DVD version since I skipped the part. Basically, I had to see all Darth Vader/Emperor and Obi-one related scenes. Trust me on this. After watching Ep3, I see Darth Vader very differently and my hatred for emperor is very very dire...

Hertopos

[KurtNYC]

107. Somebody brought three pre-schoolers to Batman 2

Rated R for extreme violence. The poor kids were traumatized. Really freaked out. After the Joker goes into that vat of acid they wouldn't stop crying and about 45 minutes into the film the parent decided to pack it in.

[SarahB]

28. I agree.

My youngest is almost four. I can't imagine taking him to that at this point. There's something to be said for what smart parents and early childhood educators know to be necessary in child-rearing. It's called age appropriate expectations!!!

People who do this stuff are thinking about themselves, not the child. Next time either 1. get a babysitter or 2. wait for the DVD.

[Bouncy Ball]

39. VERY well put, SarahBelle.

It's not the toddler's fault. Like I said, it's just how they ARE. They want to get down, run around, they're squirmy and they fuss if you try to restrain them that long. They have no concept of "maybe I shouldn't scream out right now."

Their very nature at that age just makes them ill-suited for any activity which requires relative stillness and quiet besides sleeping. And most toddlers would be awakened by the sounds in Star Wars. A baby, maybe not so much, but a toddler sleeps a bit lighter.

[Lisa]

109. plus, most multiplexes crank up the sound

Very young children and loud unexpected noises don't mix. Unless they've slipped the kid a mickey (in which case, they do have major parenting issues!), or the child was born with a hearing impairment (and even then the images onscreen can still be scary) -- they're just asking for a crying jag. If a child won't sleep through "Finding Nemo", a movie where lots of things get blown up real good won't be any better.

As you say, Bouncy -- older kids and adults know when to make a discreet exit, or they can sit there and resign themselves thinking "This'll soon be over". Small children don't have that kind of perspective, and it's not fair to expect them to think like grownups.

Sometimes parents tend to minimize the problems their kids are causing. I think this is a defence mechanism so they don't hurl themselves out of windows, in extreme mortification (when I think about what I put my poor mom through!). Or they may genuinely believe that little Jake or Jennifer are way mature for their age and can handle it. My friends and I used to dish about our experiences dealing with the public as tour guides, ushers, etc. -- and there were a lot of parents (not the majority, but a surprisingly high number) who would get irate if anybody expressed concern about their taking their toddlers to a 3-hour movie, monster truck show, ballet performance, or trail hike. I guess they viewed it as a criticism of not just the child, but their own judgement.

[FizzFuzz]

96. Word.

I would have gone to the manager and insisted on a replacement ticket. I ain't losing 10 bux to jerks that have no manners, don't believe in taking them out of the place if they can't behave in public, and think its ok to inflict their kids on everyone else.

(ehh, actually, I don't go to movies that are going to be crowded like this in the first place. And by the time they come out in the captioned theatre, they're not prime box office anymore. Ahh. Much more peaceful.)

[DeaconBlues]

29. these are some of the reasons I go to the 10 p.m show and wait 2 weeks

before attempting to go to a "blockbuster."

[ScreamingMeemie]

30. I CONFESS!!! I took my daughter to the movie "Avalon" when she was 9

months old...I really wanted to see it, no babysitter-she slept through the whole thing. Not a peep. And the movie was excellent. :hi:

[Pithlet]

31. I'd bet a lot of money, though

that if she'd started screaming her head off, you would have removed her from the theater. From your posts here, I gather you are definitely not one of the morons.

[Bouncy Ball]

35. Nine months old is very different.

A nine month old can sleep through the entire movie.

I told my friends, who are about to be new parents "go to all the movies you can stand now. Then go to them when the baby is VERY young, because once they're a toddler, it's babysitterville or wait until they are old enough to sit through a movie."

They're taking my advice and going to lots of movies right now! LOL!

I took my daughter to movies when she was really young. She did the same thing, slept right through.

[CTLawGuy]

32. solution to problem =

topless scene with natialie portman

= R rating

= no kids allowed

can't let the Murrican children see the "devil's pillows" :)!

but I'm sure there are many reasons NOT to implement that solution
:)

[Ready4Change]

33. Those parents were the kids watching Episodes 4,5 and 6

Think about it. Ep4 came out in 1976. A 10 year old then is 40 now.

These parents are sharing the experience with THEIR kids.

Sounds like they are over-sharing the experience with you though. Sorry 'bout that.

:)

[Bouncy Ball]

38. Little quibble: I think it was 1977.

And I was that kid, too.

But in 1999, when my daughter was five, I didn't take her to see Episode I. She was in a particularly rambunctious stage and didn't seem to understand the concept of "whispering." I take it back, she was four and a half. From about 13 months (or mobility) to about six years old, we didn't take her to many movies.

So we just waited until it came out on DVD.

[Ready4Change]

44. I stand corrected.

I was a high schooler in that audience, too enthralled by the movie to notice the kids I'm sure were misbehaving in the fashion you described.

And I agree, a conscientious parent wouldn't take a child who couldn't be expected to behave to a movie. They don't realize what kind of child they are raising by acting that way. Lord help those parents when their kids get into the teenage years.

"I want you home by 11:00."
"Whatever, Dad."

Be glad you only were exposed during a movie. Those parents have got another 10-20 years of hell to get through. (Self imposed hell, at that.)

[Placebo]

37. There is hope yet!

Sundance to start theater chain

[Bouncy Ball]

40. Wow, that sounds great!

:thumbsup:

[Dukkha]

41. I was entertaining the kids this weekend

Last night and today I worked a local theater in Stormtrooper costume with others in my Garrison. I didn't see too many in the "terrible twos" so to speak. I always enjoy watching kids faces light up and get real excited when they see us. All the kids and adults wanted their pictures with us and the kids love touching our props & costumes. It's a great hobby reliving your childhood and seeing it through the eyes of the kids around you.

So I say bring them to the movies. Thats what it's all about. Just use parenting common sense and you'll be fine. After all this will be their fondest memories when they grow up.

Here we are at the midnight premiere. I was the Emperor that night.
http://www.arenagrand.com/includes/starwars.htm

[Bouncy Ball]

So it would be ok with you if you were trying to watch a movie

and there were several preschoolers yelling out "WHAT DAT?" and "OOOOOOOO!" and "SPACESHIP!" and such? And you do know how loud those little voices are, right?

I don't mean one or two times, I mean several of them throughout the entire film.

When I wrote the opening post, I felt like a grumpy old lady. But I'm not, and I adore kids. But there are certain events not well suited to the nature of very young children. I'd say a PG-13 movie that runs over two hours would be one of them.

I didn't see or hear ANY parent of these kids trying to shush them. In fact, they'd just explain "WHAT DAT" to them.

I think we agree here, but there is a certain age at which kids start to understand not to yell out. It depends on the kid, but happens AFTER preschool age for most. I'm sure there were 8-12 year olds there I never even noticed, because they weren't screaming.

It just seems if I pay to see a movie, I should be able to hear it.

[Dukkha]

49. no it would not

I'd move to a different location, which is obviously not an option at Star Wars since most are sold out shows. Some places wont let babies in at all. That I'd like to see more enforced. I'm just saying grade school kids are my minimum and they usually are quiet. One kid I know is generally antsy at movies but loves Star Wars so much he not only was totally silent he wore a Vader mask through the whole movie.

[Bouncy Ball]

51. Grade school is fine.

They are usually old enough to sit through the movie and understand it's not cool to yell out or scream.

[Groggy]

42. That's why I won't go to this movie....

right now. I'd rather wait till the theatres are less crowded!:7

[CanuckAmok]

45. I solved a problem with disruptive teens at a movie thusly:

There was a group of teens a few rows ahead of us at "The Apostle", which certainly didn't seem to be a movie teens would enjoy. Probably more likely they were dropped off there by some church counselor or something... anyway...

they had no interest in the movie, kept takling, using their cells to play games and make calls, and, most annoyingly, they kept getting up, leaving, and coming back, one or two at a time.

So, after about an hour of this, when I saw one of them get up for his third or fourth time, I discreetly stuck my let out and tripped him. He did a faceplant, and slowly stood up holding his bloody nose. Most of the people on our side of the theatre laughed, and some even applauded.

That was the end of their disruption; they sat as still as church mice for the rest of the movie.

All's fair in the movies.

[Bouncy Ball]

47. Wow.

Yeah, I BET that got their attention!

I'll never forget the sap who came in late to the third LOTR movie and started talking loudly to his date. It was during the REALLY quiet scene when Gollum is speaking to his reflection in the water and he's explaining a lot of stuff.

He turns to his date and fairly yells "SO DO YOU WANT ANY POPCORN?"

I found out (and he did) that you do NOT fuck with LOTR fans. They will eat you alive. He was shushed so loudly from so many different directions, I couldn't believe it.

He was so stupid, he KEPT talking to her like that and several people yelled out "SHUT UP!" I don't mean they said it loudly, they yelled it at him.

A woman got up, I think to get the usher and he shut the hell up. He and his date scurried out just as the credits started.

LOTR fans are hardcore.

[CanuckAmok]

52. Some people are just so fucking obtuse.

This is a bit of a non-sequitur, but I was at a Remembrance Day ceremony two years ago, and about 500 people surrounded the Cenotaph. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY was silent for the 11:00 minute of silence. Kids, teens, toddlers...everybody...

...EXCEPT one woman who just yapped to her friend about absolutely nothing, completely oblivious to the fact that over 500 people surrounding her had become very, very quiet. She didn't even notice the several hundred pairs of eyes who turned to her as she bleated and quacked.

:roll:

[Bouncy Ball]

53. I'm usually the person standing there wondering

HOW does one NOT notice something like that?

How can anyone be that oblivious???

[alarimer]

48. I noticed the same thing last night

Not too many very little kids but a LOT of cell phones. What is it with people? They tell you to turn off the goddamn phones but most people don't. I heard several ring and one guy next to me actually answered. What is so damn important that you have to take a call in the middle of a movie? Why not leave the theater so you can at least hear the person on the other end? Better yet, theaters need to install phone jammers. Problem solved. I can't figure out what to do about people talking though, except to tell them to shut the hell up.


I've come to the conclusion that people are just assholes. For some reason there is complete and utter lack of any kind of civility anymore.
I have become a curmudgeon. I cannot stand being around crowds of people anymore. They are too noisy, rude and obnoxious. So I avoid movies theaters except when I think something really will be better on the screen than on DVD and Star Wars is one of those.

[Bouncy Ball]

50. We always put our phones on vibrate.

But we don't answer them even if they DO ring. People can leave a voice mail, for crying out loud, that's what it's for.

There were a few cell phones going off, but the kids screaming and talking loudly made me hardly notice them.

[CanuckAmok]

76. This may sound paranoid and freeperish, but...

I am 37. I have also noticed a complete lack of basic civility among adults...and by adults I mean people around my age, and older.

I think one of the main problems is that people my age have been told over and over, from a very young age, that they (we) are unique, special individuals. That they (we) arew far more important than the people around them (us), and that the world revolves them (us). While that philosophy is good for helping small children develop self-esteem, it isn't actually true. To quote Chuck Pahaniuk, we "...are not beautiful and unique snowflakes". We are a generation raised to believe the rules do not necessarily apply to us. Very few of us have actually had parents who have taken the time to teach us that our needs are important, but no more important than any one else's. And that's why people leave their cell phones on in theatres, or yap all the way through a movie or play. "The PSA about turning cell phones off during a movie? That doesn't apply to me, because my calls are important!"

[alarimer]

78. What? You mean I'm NOT a unique snowflake??

LOL.
Now I'm in a tailspin.

I never thought of it like that- I just thought people had shorter attention spans or something.

I personally blame Republicans- "I got mine- now screw you!"

[FizzFuzz]

98. I think it has something to do with overpopulation

as crowds are ever more difficult to avoid, the stress of masses and masses of people everywhere creates more low level anger, resentment, acting out and a need to assert oneself in the face of the faceless throng. And that's on the mild end of the spectrum.

Out in the country, where there is some elbow room (for now....), people are noticeably more polite. (unless they're freepers grinding some stupid axe, or fundies screeching at someone who scares them by being different...but that's a rant for another day)

[MountainLaurel]

83. Oh yeah

I work in a college library, and one day sat in on a colleague's class as part of a grad school assignment. While she was teaching, a student's cell phone rang. He not only answered it, but sat and talked for five minutes. This was in the back of the room, and neither the teaching librarian nor the class's professor noticed. I was appalled and was about 30 seconds short of smacking him when he finally hung up.

[XemaSab]

86. My O Chem teacher

would answer people's phones "He's in class right now! He'll call you back later!"

[MirrorAshes]

54. I remember seeing a family at the South Park movie a few years ago

Mom, Dad, and 3 young kids, probably between 5 and 12. I really couldn't believe it. They finally got up and left at the "Uncle Fucker" song. heh.

I really can't stand packed theaters anymore. I wanna see ROTS so badly but I won't go until I can have a quiet, easy experience.

[Bouncy Ball]

55. YIKES.

I can imagine! I'd be more horrified if they stayed!

[MirrorAshes]

56. I really think the parents had no clue what they were getting into.

Must have just thought "Oh, its a cartoon, it must be for kids!"

They stayed through some pretty hardcore stuff though. Jeeze.

[LeftyMom]

57. I thought about taking LeftyKid

He's absolutely in love with Star Wars, so he'd love it, but I can't reasonably expect him to sit still for two+ hours or to keep quiet the whole time for what would probably be on of tthe most exciting things he's ever seen.

Our solution: we're taking him to see it at the Drive-in. That way we can bring our own snacks (LK has food allergies, and probably couldn't have any of the theater stuff) and he can sit in his carseat or up front on our laps, talk about lightsabers and not annoy anyone. :)

[Bouncy Ball]

63. DRIVE-IN?????

You still have a drive-in movie theater?

Well color me jealous. I would LOVE to have one of those.

[LeftyMom]

69. Well, it was expected to close last year

It's still there, but likely to be torn down in the near future, it's right off the highway in a busy area and god knows we need another shopping center. :eyes:

[Arkana]

92. Drive-ins are the BEST experience...

My parents, sister and I go maybe three times during the summer, but it is SO much fun. The only problem is parking the damn car so everyone can see the screen.

Do you do the radio sound thing, or do you do the "speakers in the car window" thing at your drive-in?

[MrScorpio]

58. I feel ya

The guy next to me coughed throughout the entire movie

I was expecting to see a lung plop out on the floor

[nytemare]

60. ROFL!! I went with my Dad, it has been a tradition since the original

and there was a lady behind us with a nasty phlegm choke going on, and it didn't sound like she was covering her mouth. My dad was sitting there putting his shirt collar up over his mouth. It was funny.

[Dukkha]

67. Maybe it was General Grievous

coughing in surround sound behind you :P

[nytemare]

68. Nah, she was doing it before the movie too!

:)

[LynneSin]

59. Hell, I've had that same exact problem at the 10pm shows too

People have no idea just how fricking inconsiderate they are when they bring young children to see movies that are clearly too "old" for them to see.

DUer Ramsey, her husband and myself went to see 'Underworld', a Werewolf and Vampire movie about 2 years ago at a late show. Sure enough in walks a woman to this gory R-rated film with an infant and 2 toddlers. This isn't a movie for a young kid and surely you'd think a show starting after 10pm is just too late for these kids. Ironically the whole audience started to boo her out of the theater before the movie started.

I can appreciate that there are families out there that are challenged when it comes to seeing the movie they want to see plus figuring out what to do with their young children. There's a movie theater near Hershey that actually has a maintee time set aside once a week specifically for parents to attend movies and bring young children. They also ban young children from R-rated movies and all shows after 9pm.

I've yet to see the new Star Wars and I'm figuring I'll wait until it dies down just a bit til I go see it. I don't want no packed audience with screaming kids when I see it

[ContraBass Black]

104. How did the children like the partial decapitation?

[shanti]

61. well.....

i remember being a brand new mom back when the very first star wars came out in 1977. since we were dirt poor and military, we couldn't afford a sitter, so we took noah with us. he was a colicky baby too, so it was either me watching, and hubby out in the lobby, walking with noah, or vice versa. neither of us saw the entire movie, but it was opening night and we HAD to go!

oh well, some things never change!

[Bouncy Ball]

65. You are overlooking something here.

You TOOK him out into the lobby.

These parents KEPT screaming, yelling (no exaggeration) toddlers in the theater the entire time. No one took a single child out. I probably missed more than half of the dialogue.

The quiet scenes between Anakin and Padwa? No idea what they were saying.

[XemaSab]

88. Uh, how tragic....

God forbid you should miss any of the poignant dialogue between two actors whose names sound like menu items at a thai place.

[Debbi801]

62. That's terrible...

Not that you're irritated, but that parents would take kids that young to a movie, especially that movie. My son is 3 and we still haven't taken him to the movies--because we know he would not be able to sit through it without disrupting everyone else. When we want to go to the movies ourselves, or take our 10 and 12 yr olds to the movies, we get a baby sitter for the toddler.


My husband took the 10 & 12 yr olds to see this movie, and there were parts that freaked out my 10 yr old. I cannot imagine what kind of bad dreams the little kids are going to have after seeing it.

Sorry for your experience.

Debbi

[Bouncy Ball]

66. Our 10 year old did fine.

But then again, after her father letting her see Lord of the Rings :grr: nothing would scare her now. I was VERY pissed off that he let her see the DVD of the first LOTR. I thought it was WAY too violent and scary for an eight year old, but of course she had to prove me wrong by acting like not a bit of it bothered her and he said "See? She's fine!" Then she had bad dreams for a week. :grr: He admitted maybe she was too young to see it and she hasn't seen two and three.

[LizW]

70. My kids still have a problem with the LOUDNESS of some movies

and they are 12 and 10.

When we went to the first Lord of the Rings, my husband and older son had to go out to go to the restroom. As they were coming back in and starting to cross the front of the theater (this was one of those rather smallish, stadium seating theaters) the wraiths on their screaming horses suddenly came on screen. It was incredibly freaking loud and sudden.

My son leapt like he was shot. He was silhouetted against the screen as he vaulted bodily across the entire width of the theater! It was like when you startled a cat and they leap up in the air, clawing in all directions!

My husband lost it, and so did I. It was the funniest thing ever and we could NOT stop laughing. I had to leave for a while to collect myself. Even my son thought it was funny, once he was safely back in his seat.

[Bouncy Ball]

71. I know why do they have to be SO loud?

[Lisa]

110. I carry a set of industrial earplugs for moviegoing

You can get a pack of disposable ones for only a couple of bucks -- most hardware stores carry them. If you half-insert them, it screens out the high-decibel outbursts but you can still hear the dialogue.

A health and safety study recently measured theatre amplification in my town, and some places had the sound cranked to over 90 decibels for some action sequences. I don't think I'm being excessive with my precautions, because this is enough to cause hearing damage (or at the very least, headaches).

[fortyfeetunder]

72. Thanks BB for the confirmation

I read a post on another bulletin board where the parent took a 10YO and it was too intense for the kid.

I know my kid does not like loud noises, so I know if I tell him Revenge of the Sith has a lot of loud noises, he'll probably decide not to go. (keeping my fingers crossed)

[mcar]

73. I took my 7 year old to the matinee yesterday

and it was barely 1/2 full so I didn't mind his mooching around and whispering comments to me because we were 5 rows behind the next group of people.

Today, I took my son to a nearby science museum. The IMAX movie, which was awesome, was rather crowded, the rows are very steep and he ended up kicking the back chair of the lady in front of him. Inadvertendly and just because he was mooching. I quickly moved him to my other side, where the row in front of us was empty. There were younger children there but closer to the front (we always sit in the last row; it's the best view).

Suffice it to say, I was embarassed, but I was paying attention to his mooching and moved him quickly.

I think part of the problem is that kids are so used to seeing movies at home they don't know/aren't taught to behave in movie theaters. Also, most of the movies I take him to are matinees of kids movies so it's usually filled with other kids or not crowded. I didn't even think about instructing him on theater etiquette before we went in. I will in the future.

The adults around you should have been more conscious of their children's noise and teenagers can just be jerks sometimes.

I'm sorry your experience was bad; it would have annoyed me too.

[crispini]

74. Yeah, I'd never go to see a matinee of anything that

parents will bring kids too. Now, I had really good luck with the midnight showing of the last Harry Potter movie because the little littles fell asleep and the bigger kids REALLY wanted to be there and they were quiet and watched. :shrug:

[-..__...]

75. Theaters should sell kiddie sedatives at the concession stand...

right next to the Ju-Ju-Bees and Snowcaps.

Either that or issue the ushers Tasers.

Can't control your kids (or yourself), stay at home and wait until the DVD comes out.

[xmas74]

77. I was at the midnight showing

and there were about 7 preschoolers and 3 kindergarteners at the showing. My four year old was at home w/ a babysitter.
WTF were these parents thinking? Lucas stated that young children should not go in the first place. That raised a questions right there for me. I decided to see it at midnight thinking there would be no children around to ruin it. Plus, I thought that if I saw it first I could then decide if it was appropriate for my child (it's not).
I also wonder about why a parent would have their child up and out at midnight. The kids were grouchy and cranky throughout the whole movie. They yelled and a few started crying. It ruined the experience for everyone in the theater.

[Book Lover]

79. More proof, as if any were needed, that

movie houses should have designated family showings. Dammit but I can't find the name of the movie house in Oakland that has this.... I haven't experienced it myself yet, but when my child's old enough to go to movies at all, that's where we're going to go. Everyone knows that kids will be there, and those are the times you take your kids. Fair to all involved.

[Starry Messenger]

84. I think you're thinking of

The Parkway theater. It's awesome. Pizza, beer and couches. And baby night.
http://www.picturepubpizza.com/baby/index.html

MPK

[Book Lover]

95. Thank you!

All I could think of was the Paramount, and I knew it wasn't them :-)

[Missy Vixen]

80. Bouncy Ball, I can only imagine what it must have been like

We have basically abandoned going to the movies now unless it is something VERY special. (For instance, the last time we were in a movie theater was to see "Sideways" shortly before the Oscars. I posted about the apres-activity. :bangshead:.) Before that, we saw "Fahrenheit 9/11", and that was the first I had been in a theater for almost a year.)

We'll be seeing the new Harry Potter the day it opens. I expect yelling, crying, etcetera there; it's a kids' movie. Interestingly enough, we were seated next to four pre-teen kids at the last Harry Potter. My husband and I smiled at them, I said, "Aren't you excited about the movie?" and those kids didn't move a muscle for two and a half hours.

When we were going to the movies more frequently, I made it a point to seek out the manager over disturbances inside the movie theater. After they give a few refunds ;-), they will typically monitor what's happening in that showing a little more closely, and deal with it as a result...

Julie

[MountainLaurel]

85. My secret to peaceful HP showings

For all three films, I went to the last Sunday evening showing at the small art-house theater that was literally 1/4 mile from my apartment. First time, there were only three of us in the theater. Most recently, there were about 12 people, including a group of goth college students, but no little ones.

[HeeBGBz]

87. I had to sit near a junior high boy w/friends

Who was trying to be cool and impress somebody with his incessant noisemaking. The guy in front of him turned around and said something which sort of toned him down. That and getting into the movie.

[miss_kitty]

89. It reminds me of the kids in the audience when I went to see

Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip. Several women apparently were unable to find babysitters.
Damn. Those kids would be close to 30 now, maybe older...

[XemaSab]

90. Almost justifies

the scene with the kids.

"This is what happens to children who TALK IN THE MOVIES!!!!!!!!!"

[KaliTracy]

91. So inappropriate for kids that young to be at a movie with so much

violence. I know it wouldn't help, but perhaps if you had asked to speak to the management, his tune would have changed. Since movie theaters aren't into Rain Checks - not sure if you could have gotten your money back. There is no way that my 5 year old will see this movie at this age. He's a pretty reasonable kid (tells me when things are "make believe") but I feel that the imagery is just too much for young kids to handle.

[ChoralScholar]

93. I wonder what the esteemed Dr. Dobson's opinion on it would be?

[BiggJawn]

94. No.

If there's no Care Bears, Simba, Tinkerbell, Big green guys cracking adult jokes or Meercats eating grubs on the screen, then get a babysitter, PLEASE!

I did when MY kid was that age.

[proud2BlibKansan]

97. We stopped going to the theater a long time ago

because of nonsense like this. Last movie I saw in a theater was F9/11. It had been 4 or 5 years since I had been in a theater before that.

I am with you 100% on this. When we went to see Batman, the guy behind us was reading the credits to his kid - and the guy could just barely read. He stumbled over 'producer'. And he just butchered 'cinematography'.

We also didn't take our kids to movies when they were small. When we finally took the oldest for the first time to see one of the Muppet movies, he was 4 or 5. We told him he had to stay quiet and watch the movie. He was sitting there looking angelic and as soon as the lights dimmed and the movie started, he yelled "Mom, where's MY popcorn? These people are not very nice. They aren't sharing." LOL We didn't take him to another movie for a loooong time after that.

[R. A. Fuqua]

100. you know something really weird?

lately I have been seeing a lot of abnormally GOOD children. Children who are so quiet and well behaved that it makes me nervous!

The other day I was at Supercuts getting a haircut (yes--I am cheap--I don't have lots of cash to spare right now) and there were two children sitting in the front--a boy and a girl--probably 6-8 years old. They sat so quietly--with their hands folded on their laps while they waited. I was amazed--I know that I (and my siblings) could never have behaved like that as children.

I think sometimes we just notice the bad--but when we see really good, well-behaved kids--we should really compliment them. I wish that I had!

[barackmyworld]

101. At my theater the ushers acted the opposite

They said that if anyone's cell phones or star wars props were disturbing people, they would get put out of the theater!

[UdoKier]

102. Kevin's dad has a point. Why see it at the matinee?

See it at night or at least a weekday matinee. Saturday matinees are full of kids, esp a flick like Star Wars (no matter how "dark" or PG-13 is is)

As for me, I will not be taking my 5 year old, because I think the Anikin lava scene is too intense, but my 7 year old will be going with me. He's not prone to nightmares, etc. and has a good grip on reality vs. fantasy.

[Vektor]

103. I don't go to theaters anymore.

For those very reasons you described. Nowadays, I just wait for the DVD and watch my movies at home on the big screen TV. Pets ARE allowed, and if I have to pee, I can pause the movie!!

I don't miss the theaters at all!

[Fleshdancer]

106. I like what the Alamo Drafthouse does here in Austin....

Every Tuesday at the local movie theater is "screaming baby Tuesdays". It's a great idea to market one day a week where everyone knows kids will be in the movie so that the stay-at-home parent can indulge in a movie every now and then. Plus, I know when to not go to that particular theater. ;)

As far as bringing young children to see this particular movie...weren't there plenty of warnings prior to the movie coming out saying this movie wasn't appropriate for young kids?? I haven't seen it yet so I can't really say though.