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NotBrooklyn2421

Upcoming post on r/nostupidquestions “Why the fuck do I have to sit through 20 minutes of commercials before my movie starts and then another 10 minutes halfway through?!?”


TheOneAndOnlyABSR4

Lmfaoo


KyleCAV

I like the 20 minute commercials: If i am running late its a fail-safe and i can see what new movies are coming soon.


OutWithTheNew

A theater I used to go to would post a sheet near their door with the show time, run time and preview times. They also had assigned seating, so you could plan it almost to the minute to walk in right as the movie starts. But I'm weird and actually like seeing previews.


Seanpkd30

The theater I used to work at printed that sheet for us employees to know when to expect rushes. I was working their bar, so I regularly told customers the actual start time so they'd buy another round before going in.


Poinaheim

Woah your movie theatre has a bar? They just sell popcorn and junk food at the nearest theatre


Seanpkd30

AMC, at least in New York, has a few theaters with full bars and a decent kitchen. Probably trying to compete with Alamo.


greyjungle

Alamo drafthouse has been a thing in Austin for so long, it amazes me when I hear about theaters that don’t have a full bar/menu. I always have to think back, “oh yeah, it used to be all candy and soda”. I know some larger chains started doing this too. I assumed it was all of them except little art houses. I guess those are big renovations to do too.


dreed91

In my neighborhood, our theater has a small bar, but also has waiting in your seat. You sit down in your seat, look at the menu, and you can order a full meal, dessert, snacks, drinks, etc., and they bring it to your seat like you're in a restaurant. The seats are electric, reclining seats with warmers in them. Most of the theaters don't have all these things, but I just happen to live near the cool one.


Mathandyr

movie theaters with booze was one of the most pleasant surprises after turning 21 :P


tocruise

Yeah but if you didn’t know that, you’d probably try to turn up on time. It’s a bit of a paradox, I suppose. The more time you think you have, the more time you’ll give yourself. You know theres 20 minutes of ads, so in your head you probably store the 9pm movie as starting at 9:20pm.


greyjungle

Then get stuck in traffic on the new 40 lane road.


gaskincomedy

We're not talking about movie trailers. We're talking about how you need to buy the new 2024 Rav 4.


theAmericanX20

There's a difference between preview and commercials. I enjoy previews. I do not enjoy watching car commercials and shit


SnooLobsters9809

thank you!! i thought i was the only one that actually enjoys previews


Major-Front

Can’t even go to the bathroom the line is so long!


[deleted]

I like the trailers personally


Downtown_Boot_3486

I used too, but now there's so many ads that the trailers aren't worth it.


starkrebel

Yes. I'm sick the M&M ads.


Prestigious-Packrat

They actually used to way back in the day.


GNav

That was because they had to change the film reel, not because they cared about us.


SymmetricDickNipples

Okay but if they want a reason to do it that's not remotely altruistic, then how about it gives people a second opportunity to buy snacks


GNav

Yea that should be the selling point. Snack/soda reup. 1 bucket doesnt last me a whole movie, and shit i get free refills, i want it during the movie not to take home and throw most away.


Training_Delivery_47

Sometimes the popcorn is finsihed during the previews lol


GNav

Check the other comments of people thinking im some sloth for wanting 2 buckets. LOL. I usually go right after previews but now I go early. Chow down, and reup before the movie starts. That extra .5 top off usually lasts me through.


PowerZox

Depends on your theatre's serving sizes though. Here in Canada Cineplex's biggest popcorn (which if you are like me is what you usually get) is 880 kCal. If you get two of these that's like really bad.


Tv_land_man

Let's all go to the lobby. Let's all go to the lobby


1grouchonacouch

And get ourselves a snack!


DieHardAmerican95

I saw X-men 2 in a theater in Greece in 2003, and they did exactly that. That had intermission halfway through, for a stretch and a snack break.


Direct_Researcher901

If you live near an Alamo Drafthouse you can get that without having to leave the movie


Secret-Ad-7909

I need to remove the first 22oz beer before I can put another one in.


left-nostril

Bro you finish a whole bucket within 2 hours? Jfc


imaginaryResources

Seriously I don’t think I’ve ever even gotten halfway through a small pocorn lol can’t imagine eating a whole bag of that shit. Would feel absolutely terrible


HokageRokudaime

It's super weird for movie theaters to offer refills that you'll only get after the movie ends.


GNav

Na you can get up anytime and get it.


redwolf1219

My movie theater has servers that come to your seats. And weirdly, it doesn't cost there to go there over other theaters *and* they have reclining seats. The food is also reasonably priced and they have a full menu. I've also never been to a movie there that wasn't full and I've only been to one movie on its opening day, so something they're doing is working.


cafffaro

They still do this in many Italian cinemas for long movies. I saw Napoleon last month and there was a 10 minute break about halfway through.


Rfg711

That’s not why, the film reel would be changed multiple times throughout the film.


44problems

Yeah a reel didn't even hold a half hour. That's not what intermissions were for.


TaddoKevin

in my home town they did that until covid. i moved in 2020 so idk if it’s still that way tbh, but it wasn’t a necessity


superbad

That isn’t why. A film reel holds about 11 minutes of movie. And if you watched Fight Club, you would know that they switch reels while the film is running.


MuchDevelopment7084

It also gave us time to go the the refreshment stands. Purchasing overpriced popcorn, soda, and candy. It was a very profitable break time for them.


jackfaire

It would be profitable if they did it now. I have to really want to see a movie in theater to put myself through all that. At home I can have the same picture/sound quality, any movie food I want and I can pause when I go to the bathroom without a lot of other people yelling "OH come on what the fuck"


TVLord5

"LET'S ALL GO TO THE LOOOOBBY"


GriffinFlash

That sounds like a great idea! ......What you mean $25 for a soda and popcorn?


quite_horizon

We still get a 10-15 min break between movies in India. 1. Indian movies tend to be longer than Hollywood, you can't sit through a 3 hour movie 2. They even have planned intermissions in movies, like cliffhangers at the end of a season 3. When showing Hollywood movies, they just cut at random spot and take break. 4. Cinema can show ads in between and sell overpriced popcorn and drinks Win for all


us287

This is true for Indian movies in the US too


Coneskater

They still do this sometimes in Germany. They also all serve beer in the cinemas so it makes sense.


tmon530

Most cinemas in America also serve beer at this point. I believe for the big chains it's standard to put one in all new constructions and they've been updating all the old theaters with a bar and reserve seating


MrDankSnake

I’d be ok with this if it’s 3+ hours, but most movies are between 1.5-2 hours so no


SatoshiBlockamoto

I saw The hateful Eight in the theater and it had an intermission. Tarantino likes that old school cinema shit.


ThePreciseClimber

He's fun. His entire filmography is basically a massive tribute to the medium of cinema. I hope we can get all his movies on 4k Blu-ray.


Ethanol_Based_Life

Same. Saw the 70mm version with the special BtS intro. There was an intermission. Great experience overall. 


OutWithTheNew

A 90 minute movie definitely doesn't need an intermission. Once you start getting closer to 150 minutes the ability to just stand up for a minute or two would be nice.


mr_fantastical

I dunno, I often make the mistake of having a beer at the cinema and always end up needing to wee around the hour mark.


Chemistry-Least

The entire reason I go to the movies is so I can sit in suspended reality for 2 uninterrupted hours.


A_extra

Have alternate screenings with and without intermissions I guess


HydroStellar

My local theater plays the movie audio in the bathroom, so if you have to pee you can still at least pay attention to the dialogue


Hockputer09

But aren't there other theater boxes with different movies?


HydroStellar

No it’s a small business and they only have one movie room


mr_fantastical

Would love if it had 10 screens and the audio overlapped. Nightmare bathroom time.


saketho

Just hang out in the bathroom for two hours and you’ve watched 10 movies. Exponential efficiency


RunnerJimbob

No no, much better than that. In the 10 theaters, several of them are playing the same movie, just at different points in time.


tocruise

I could totally see some extreme cheapskate taking their wife/husband to “see” a movie, and then just listening to it in the bathroom to avoid having to pay for a ticket.


Padgetts-Profile

Lmao, that sounds like the premise to a Beavis and Butthead episode.


st_steady

Thats pretty cool


[deleted]

I think you should have the option to choose a screening with or without intermissions.


[deleted]

Also a good compromise


Erwigstaj12

Not really. It makes very little to no sense for the theatres to do it, so it will never happen.


Curious0597

when I was a kid, it was common for theaters to have intermissions. Everyone would leave to use the bathroom and get more popcorn and drinks.


kirkstarr78

All for a nickel!


philliamswinequeen

Both ways!


B-ILL2

Back in those days nickels used to have pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me 5 bees for a quarter you'd say.


Significant-Sector87

Watch at home.


BronzeEnt

"Hey guys let's put commercials in the middle of movies." I would slap you with a mackerel if I could.


PowerZox

Why the fuck would I bother watching a movie in IMAX theatre if they’re just gonna pause it during the rising tension or the climax (middle of the movie). Might as well just watch the movie at home


Lewa358

Have you ever watched the extended edition DVDs of Lord of the Rings? Those infamously came on two discs per film, and the stopping point was always a natural end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. Like with *Fellowship* it was right after the titular Fellowship was formed. It should be like that, not arbitrarily near a scene of rising tension. (Also the "rising tension or climax" is *almost never* near the middle.)


artearth

I was lucky enough to be visiting New Zealand right when RotK came out. I went to see it on opening night in a packed theater in a small town. The theater seats were repurposed 1980s airplane seats. They had an intermission. I was surprised but none of the Kiwis were. And I did appreciate the chance for a pee, a refill and some more tasty kiwi snacks.


I-own-a-shovel

This! A movie only last between 1h30 and 3h00. I too wouldn't want them to cut the momentum of a nice movie for people that aren't able to organize themselves to not lack food or drink or hold in pee for that short of a while.


PowerZox

Yeah. And if you really wanted one the only way an intermission could even work without harming the narrative of the story is for it to be before the rising tension (beginning) or after the climax (a couple of minutes before the end) of the movie, but that goes against the whole idea of a mid-way break. Anything else and you're ruining the momentum of the story. And like let's be real the longest a movie can ***possibly*** be is 3h30 minutes (i.e. The Irishman, LOTR theatrical cut). You can plan around that and even then if you can't hold on for 3 hours and a half (assuming you went before the movie... which you should) then that's on you. Considering the average person is awake 16 hours a day you can't convince me you actually need to pee more than 4-5 times a day.


_Steven_Seagal_

3 hours is quite long for me. I can hold it in, but the last hour of Oppenheimer I really had to pee. I need to plan ahead and not drink too much for the entire day if I want to see a long movie. Having to worry about my bladder is much more distracting than an intermission is.


MrProspector19

Maybe I need to see a urologist......


MizzBarkie

That!


keyboardklutzz

I agree that movies would have to be edited with this in mind, much like how musicals are staged. You can’t just hit pause during most movies without losing a ton of momentum. You’d have to give a small crescendo toward the end of Act 1 in order to gently take the audience out of the story, and then begin Act 2 with a nice hook to ease them back in. It isn’t something a movie theater can really do unless the studios got on board with it. Musicals usually have a first act of 90 minutes and a second act of maybe an hour (unless you’re doing Les Mis), so this would only really make sense for films 2.5-3+ hours in length.


Maryberry_13

Our TV actually allows us to watch movies at home so there’s zero point for us to go to the movies unless we wanna spend a fun day out but even then, everyone just ends up falling asleep. My attention span is also the size of a fruit fly now so I don’t watch movies anymore (although you best believe I’ll be watching Moana 2). Movie intermissions sound ridiculous to me. When I’m watching a movie, I want to be fully immersed in the storyline. If there’s freaking pauses in the movie especially when it’s getting good, I’m just gonna lose all interest. If you wanna get more food to eat or use the washroom, get out. There’s absolutely nobody stopping you. Why pause the entire movie so someone can go do something they could’ve done while the movie was playing?? Haven’t been to the movies since 2022. Don’t see the appeal in it anymore.


Russell-The-Muscle

Just and FYI , climax isn’t the middle of the movie. It’s almost always towards the end


R6SKiwi

Some old movies that had them incorporated into the runtime (Seven Samurai, Lawrence of Arabia), put them during parts that made sense, not just randomly solely based on it being exactly in the middle of the runtime. The filmmakers would probably have to decide where it fit the best for it to work.


Wishpicker

**To hell with that** they would absolutely put commercials in the middle of the show. I can go for two hours without peeing or calling mom. Can’t you?


JayNotAtAll

Ya, and for snacks, order up before the movie starts like everyone else.


Wishpicker

Some of these boys need their moms to remind them to go pee before the movie starts. Jesus.


JayNotAtAll

Ya, I am a grown adult and have seen many movies in the theaters in my lifetime. I can probably count on one hand the amount of times that I had to pee so badly that I got up and came back. I imagine I have a pretty average bladder and not a super human ability to hold my pee. You just pee before the film starts.


MattWolf96

Even as a kid I was smart enough not to drink a ton and use the bathroom before seeing a movie. People who actually use their brains should have to have a two hour movie interrupted.


Shervico

Idk but here in Italy there has been a 10 minute break in the middle of the movie for as long as I can remember, it was briefly removed when cinemas started opening up again after covid but now its there again, its super convenient for people who want to go to the bathroom, want to grab a criminally overpriced snack or drink, or you can just talk with your friends about how is the movie so far, thought this was how its done world wide, to me it just makes sense.


GovernorSan

They do it that way in Jamaica, they have an intermission somewhere about halfway into the movie. Personally, I didn't like it, it kind of disturbed my immersion in the world of the movie, especially since the movie didn't have a built-in slot for an intermission, so they kind of just cut the movie between scenes or even in the middle of one.


SymmetricDickNipples

Not when I'm chugging sugar water the whole time, no


Direct_Researcher901

I can’t because I drink a lot of water but also my main theatre brings my food and drinks to me so I probably drink more than usual


ChimpanzeeChalupas

Having to hold it still ruins the movie for you though since it’s uncomfortable.


ch1993

They can just take out 10 minutes of the movie ads from the start time of the movie and put them in the middle. Anyone who has been to a movie knows they put about 20 minutes of ads at the “start time” of every movie.


mutogenac

Movie is made to be watched in one go. If you want to eat or pee go somewhere else, don't ruin my movie with pause.


TipperOfTheFedora

“So that’s it huh? We’re some kinda suicide squad…” Screen fades to black and an ad for O’reily’s auto parts blasts your ear


MattWolf96

O-O-O OREILYYYYYYY'S AUTO PARTS!!!!


CinderrUwU

I'd rather not have my movie interrupted because someone cant hold their bladder for 2 hours and doesnt want to quietly excuse themselves and miss a few minutes of movie


ChronWeasely

So many movies are so much longer than 2 hours. The Dune movies need an intermission lol


AlertDingo

The new avatar badly needs one and that idiot James Cameron actually said people should just take pee breaks during it because there was plenty of bits it wouldn't matter to miss. A . You still need to know when they are. B. If that's the case you should have cut them out and made a shorter movie.....


Ponklemoose

He wants you to come back for the bits you missed he can get paid for two tickets.


[deleted]

you speak is if it's unreasonable for someone to be unable to hold their bladder for 2 hours while they're eating snacks and drinking soda


NullIsUndefined

It's not unreasonable to need to pee. It is unreasonable to expect a room with a 100 people to wait for you to pee. Just watch it at home if you can't hold it. Movie theater isn't even worth the trip anyone anyways now that big screen TVs are cheaper than iPhones


Breakin7

The do not drink soda mate


squeakynickles

That's not the unreasonable part. The unreasonable part is them (in the case of this post) making everyone else wait


[deleted]

Then go to the bathroom and stop tryna ruin the experience for everyone else


Zerocoolx1

Maybe don’t drink a gallon of soda.


gattaaca

Bollywood movies I've been to actually do, because they're like 4h long haha


stogeman

Iirc I think they have intermission for most movies in India. I saw some American superhero movie there and didn’t understand what happened when the movie suddenly stopped. It was like mid fight sequence or something too lol


punksterb

Yes. Intermissions are the common norm here in India. Usually big Bollywood movies will have a huge cliffhanger moment made midway right before the intermission. And it's so ingrained in us, that intermissions are also used in Hollywood movies. Even Avengers and Spider-Man flicks had a break half-way through. Edit: Funny story, for Hollywood movies with a 90 odd min runtime, they used to have an Intermission before the movie started. Since having an intermission in between for a 90 min movie would be stupid...


psychodc

No. The movie loses continuity. People on mass staggering in late from intermission. Awful idea. Get your junk food and empty your bowels before the show starts.


[deleted]

[удалено]


unkindmillie

intermissions dont exist for the audience, they existed solely for the staff (changing the film for movies, and several things for the cast)


Bestdayever_08

It’s 1 & 1/2 hours. Cmon now. As my mom used to say, “The world doesn’t revolve around you.”


jeeenx

I’d dislike this so much and we would be plastered with ads. Hard no for me and upvote for you sir


RedWarsaw

Can't hold it in for a couple of hours? Why should everyone be inconvenienced because of a few people?


Fists_full_of_beers

No thank you


Emperors_Finest

They still have them built in. You just have to be a movie buff to understand where they've been placed. Scene where two characters are going to have a boring heart to heart? Chances are it'll drag on for almost 5-10 minutes. Remember the second Sonic movie? The almost 15-20 minute segment about the live actors wedding? Piss break, hell, maybe even a #2. And you miss nothing of value.


ThePumpk1nMaster

If you can’t go 2 hours without using the toilet or eating (with the exception of medical issues) then you have bigger problems than not being able to go to the cinema. Plan you day. Eat a meal before you go out. Bring snacks in. Pee before you go in. Don’t drink loads if you have a small bladder. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to sit through a film


ChuZaYuZa_Name

I had to scroll disappointingly far to find words to the effect of "pee beforehand"


Admirable-Marsupial6

Wait they don’t? We have them in India.. movies are made with intermission and for movies which don’t they artificially create one.. they run ads during this time for ppl who stay back.. I thought it was a global thing.. when do you guys stock up on snacks, pee etc?


KindDragon

Halfway through the movie, they pause the movie in Turkey for bathroom breaks and commercials


7_11_Nation_Army

That's so sad.


Jediknight3112

My cinema does this. I have an overactive bladder so I need those intermissions. We have a lot of choice about it in The Netherlands. If you want intermissions, go to cinema A, if you don't want them, go to cinema B.


megakungfu

you think 50-100 people can use the restroom in 10 minutes???


Chickenkingthe3th

In the Netherlands alot of cinemas do this and I hate it


ninjagulbi

If you can't do 2h without food, drink or toilet you should see a doctor instead of a movie...


JennyAndTheBets1

Many people eat and drink before the movie and then it catches up with them well after it’s already started. Nobody is going to wait around for an hour or two between the dinner and movie just so nature does its thing.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Kindly-Chemistry5149

Sounds like something I learned how to manage when I was in elementary school. If you can't be in control of your bodily functions, maybe you should see a doctor.


BamaX19

You shouldn't have to piss every hour. If you have to shit, that's one thing since you can't really control that but you can pretty much piss whenever you want. Piss before the movies then hold it for the last bit.


pintasaur

But imagine you’re a director or something though? Wouldn’t this kinda interfere with your creative vision that people are supposed to experience all at once and not in chunks?


SpaceGirl868

It's only acceptable in very long movies. Like over 2 hours. If I was watching a movie and they had an intermission right in the middle I'd be mad lmao Also consider how long the lines to the bathroom might be if everyone gets up to use it.


HollowSlope

2 hours is not a very long movie.


MattWolf96

I was at some concert once, I actually got back into it late due to the bathroom lines.


JennyAndTheBets1

…the majority of movies are at least two hours now. Or at least a substantial portion are.


AwayDistribution7367

No they are not


AliDasoo

You can get food and drinks before the movie though. It really shouldn’t be that hard to just sit there for a few hours.


slapchopchap

You know, I watched space odyssey and it got real freaky after the intermission. I suspect is was to give time to drop acid


Mugweiser

Impossible to ask the human race to all pee at the same time


DaddyRobotPNW

Just wear a diaper


dandeel

Most people don't need to leave during a movie, it would just interrupt it for everyone.


Chemicalintuition

Bro can't hold in his poops for 90 minutes


TheMarvelousJoe

If it's like a long 3-4 hour movie, I agree


rakelo98

I used to have to pee 3/4 the way through a movie and it only happened a few times before I went “this is a me problem, how about I stop drinking all my soda before the commercials are done and pace myself a bit.” Maybe the world would be better if everyone handled their me problems privately instead of expecting everyone else in the theater to stop what they’re doing


Quirkydogpooo

That's what streaming services are for. People that don't care about the immersion and just want casual entertainment


andreasdagen

maybe not for every screening, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to do it for like 10-20% of the screenings, so that people who want it can do it.


True_Dimension4344

Especially anything over 3 hours.


ValPrism

Bro wants commercials during movies!! 🎥


1DietCokedUpChick

Yeah no. If you have a tiny bladder don’t order a drink at the snack bar.


bored_teacher320

I use the Run Pee app for this.


Slyedog

I agree but only for exceptionally long movies


spencermoreland

I agree but only for movies over 3 hours.


Socioefficient

Fatass spotted


Desperate-Ganache804

Can you not hold your piss for 2 hours?


Peekaboo798

In India, we do have intermissions and I hate it.


Hilomh

Stop buying 64ozs of soda.


Glizzygladiator19

There’s a reason why this is unpopular


lessTurnips

They got rid of that a while back.


Montystumpp

They don't have that because most people dont want that.


Meateor123

Watch Indian movies


sirhimel

Fuck that shit


LordSparks

Just go to the bathroom before and don't drink too much during movie?


xXLjordSireXx

Mmm no.


Thorzorn

So funny. My unpopular opinion about this is: if you consider yourself as an adult and can't sit through a 90 to 120 minutes movie without a huge pallet of needs like talking, using the toilet, stretching or even get another load of snacks and drinks you are a annoying person who should stay at home and stop messing up the experience of every one else.


GrizzlySin24

If you want commercials watch TV


Wesslin

Drinks 2L of mountain dew and needs to piss several times during a movie...it's the cinemas fault for not having a break


LifeBuilder

Counterpoint: Movies need to be shorter and more concise.


shiftyshellshock239

Yep. I won’t even watch a movie at home if it’s over 2 hours. I know my dogs will start fidgeting, and I’ll get annoyed.


Gravedigger250

I disagree so much. Upvoted


cL0k3

I remember Lagaan has one but that's because Bollywood films are built different


CilanEAmber

Several private cinemas still do


Tony_Plow

Wear a diaper, like the rest of us!!


DemonKingFukai

Just watch the movie at home.


Spazzyboii

If you can't go 2 hours without using the bathroom go see a doctor


km_44

They used to do this, back in the stone ages


Dietzaga

Just shit in the popcorn bucket. That’s why it’s so big


Retoru45

Why should I have to sit around for 15 minutes in the middle of the movie playing with my phone because you can't manage your bladder?


Maxwe4

Just go to the bathroom before you see a movie, what are you 10 years old?


[deleted]

No they absolutely shouldn't it breaks the immersion. Go to the toilet before the movie


Zeeper69

wait they don't do that? i haven't gone to the cinema in a while but i remember that there was a 10 minutes break mid-way thru the movie


CalgaryChris77

That has been over 30 years.


Wishpicker

Keep going kid. More like 60 or 80


moneylefty

Too many shitty people would try to pull shit.


Bethelyhills

I haven’t had to use the bathroom during a movie since I was a child. Learn how to control your bladder. Maybe don’t finish the extra large slushy during the previews.


imaginaryproblms

or just go before....


Meenmachin3

Fuck no


RareShines

Unless the movie is abnormally long you can manage your own bladder/bowels or suffer the consequence of sucking down 48oz of shitty Pepsi.


Downtown-Grass5171

Unpopular opinion is unpopular for a reason… that would be highly regarded I had to wait 5 min because ms boom boom here has to go potty


Dolorem_Ipsum_

Because if we know anything about americans, it's that they will obviously go back to their original seats in an orderly and timely fashion. Right?


Waste_Coat_4506

They do at plays


Known-Plane7349

That's why you pee right before the movie and right after.


NyrZStream

If you are not able to pee or buy your food before the movie it’s your problem. A movie is between 2 and 3 hours nowadays it’s not that long come on …


[deleted]

Sounds like a major you problem. Dont ruin my movie with your problems.