Fwiw, can report the same experience from the Midwest - the ticket kiosks next to the forlorn box offices, the inconsistent pre-show timing, the empty matinees. My favorite theatres are 7-15 minutes away and my rule of thumb is to leave the house right at showtime for studio films, five minutes earlier for indie and smaller releases. In another level of vicious cycle, I often end up at the largest chain because it has more of those matinee (and late-night) showtimes than our local art house. I have a more flexible schedule than most, but even I can't pull off only two choices of a 2pm or 4pm (and I'm only so interested in what Helen Mirren has going on anyway). And I'm far from the first to say it, but what's with AMC showing the same TWO previews for themselves right before the film?
This is related to your points above which is when the theaters treat the audience like they're never there, they will tend to reinforce that impression. Even though as Barbenheimer demonstrated - and to a lesser degree the cult around the Nicole Kidman ad - audiences are primed and ready to explode when given the right conditions. My overall two cents (and your same qualifications, only less so) is there needs to be an injection of personality in the process, and I think that's where it's the theaters' turn to step up. Theaters, frankly, definitely did not have the personality factor in my (and arguably the nation's last) theater-going heyday, the late 90s and early 00s. That's when the multiplexes became extremely multi, when things like stadium seating was introduced, and they accommodated more butts in front of more screens without adding a whole lot more to the process (other than more expert projection, as you noted). But the movies, and specifically the studios, brought the extra personality with a wide array of genre movies and counterprogramming to major releases and small word-of-mouth hits.
Well, they aren't doing that at the moment, but I have hope that they will, partly because this year was a stronger and more interesting year than any sense at least the pandemic, and partly because smaller players like A24 and Neon are showing an ability and willingness to play at the highest levels with more interesting fare. But until the movies supply it more regularly, it's incumbent on the theaters to cater to the audiences rather than act like they're waiting around for someone to hand them a blockbuster or put them out of their misery. Spread the showtimes around a bit more, sell out the big movies and encourage the audience to spill over into other things (another problem that won't go away - you can tell if a movie is sold out before you get to the theater, no box office bump for backup plans). Hire knowledgeable and staff and put them front and center instead of those box office storage rooms. Host film clubs and discussion groups. It's never been easier to reach film nerds and slightly-above-casual goers, but the best theaters seem to be putting in maybe 40% of the work to make that reach. And now you can sell them beer!
Anyway, an unworthy rant to your more coherent thoughts. Thanks, and hope to see you at the movies.
Fwiw, can report the same experience from the Midwest - the ticket kiosks next to the forlorn box offices, the inconsistent pre-show timing, the empty matinees. My favorite theatres are 7-15 minutes away and my rule of thumb is to leave the house right at showtime for studio films, five minutes earlier for indie and smaller releases. In another level of vicious cycle, I often end up at the largest chain because it has more of those matinee (and late-night) showtimes than our local art house. I have a more flexible schedule than most, but even I can't pull off only two choices of a 2pm or 4pm (and I'm only so interested in what Helen Mirren has going on anyway). And I'm far from the first to say it, but what's with AMC showing the same TWO previews for themselves right before the film?
This is related to your points above which is when the theaters treat the audience like they're never there, they will tend to reinforce that impression. Even though as Barbenheimer demonstrated - and to a lesser degree the cult around the Nicole Kidman ad - audiences are primed and ready to explode when given the right conditions. My overall two cents (and your same qualifications, only less so) is there needs to be an injection of personality in the process, and I think that's where it's the theaters' turn to step up. Theaters, frankly, definitely did not have the personality factor in my (and arguably the nation's last) theater-going heyday, the late 90s and early 00s. That's when the multiplexes became extremely multi, when things like stadium seating was introduced, and they accommodated more butts in front of more screens without adding a whole lot more to the process (other than more expert projection, as you noted). But the movies, and specifically the studios, brought the extra personality with a wide array of genre movies and counterprogramming to major releases and small word-of-mouth hits.
Well, they aren't doing that at the moment, but I have hope that they will, partly because this year was a stronger and more interesting year than any sense at least the pandemic, and partly because smaller players like A24 and Neon are showing an ability and willingness to play at the highest levels with more interesting fare. But until the movies supply it more regularly, it's incumbent on the theaters to cater to the audiences rather than act like they're waiting around for someone to hand them a blockbuster or put them out of their misery. Spread the showtimes around a bit more, sell out the big movies and encourage the audience to spill over into other things (another problem that won't go away - you can tell if a movie is sold out before you get to the theater, no box office bump for backup plans). Hire knowledgeable and staff and put them front and center instead of those box office storage rooms. Host film clubs and discussion groups. It's never been easier to reach film nerds and slightly-above-casual goers, but the best theaters seem to be putting in maybe 40% of the work to make that reach. And now you can sell them beer!
Anyway, an unworthy rant to your more coherent thoughts. Thanks, and hope to see you at the movies.