Movie Roulette

I used to go to the movies frequently...back in undergrad, it was almost a weekly thing with me and a few of my friends.  That's not the case anymore, but I do still enjoy a good cinematic experience.  Who doesn't?  (Actually, my friend, Damien, doesn't enjoy going to the movies and I find that to be quite odd...but I digress)

Typically for me, Sundays are frequently spent with family - most often it's just me and my parents since my brothers usually opt out of said family time (or simply have "better things" to do with their time).  Personally, I like having some routine in my life and Sunday family-time is one that I enjoy.  I appreciate it much more after having lived away from my family for so long.  Off track again...

Anyway, today, I went to see 'Date Night' with my parents.  (Yes, a little odd to go to a movie titled 'Date Night' with one's parents, but oh well!)  My parents (i.e., my mom) like to get to the theater early enough to catch "The Twenty" before the film.  Personally, unless it's a movie that's likely to be quite full, I see no reason to arrive 20 minutes early just to watch mostly commercials and an occasional "exclusive look" at what's likely to be a film I have no interest in seeing.  But I still show up early to keep Mom happy...

However, this is not a post about the movie I saw, what I thought of it, etc.  No.  This is a post about all the random people that you encounter at the theater.  In particular, those people that choose to sit near you.  As I mentioned, I arrive early when I'm seeing a flick with my folks.  As such, once we've settled into our seats, it's only a matter of time until the surrounding seats are filled by others...and that's what I like to call movie roulette.  You never know who you're going to get.  It could be the loud popcorn muncher, the guy/girl that fidgets nonstop (I've probably been guilty of that one from time to time), the person that thinks the "no phone calls or texting" rules don't apply to them, the guy that thought a hot dog was appropriate movie fare (that odor should not be introduced into an already suspect environment), or the worst of them all...the constant talker and/or loud laugher.

When you arrive early, you're leaving it to fate to decide who your closest movie-going companions will be.  Today?  Today, unfortunately, was the loud laugher.  I knew there was a potential problem on our hands when the pair of ladies that sat directly behind us were thoroughly enjoying a very non-funny preview.  Given that 'Date Night' is a comedy, my concerns were quickly validated just a few minutes into the film.  Yes, I get that it's a public theater and people are more than entitled to laugh...but if you're laughing so loud and for such an extended period of time that I can't hear the follow-up punchline, we've got a problem.  Such was the case today.  I lasted all of about 5 minutes into the film before getting up and moving over to the side seats to escape the relentless cackling behind me.  Does that demonstrate a lack of tolerance on my part?  Or a lack of manners/perception on theirs?  I'm not sure which it is.  But I do know that I enjoyed myself much more after swapping seats!