A few months ago I wrote a long diatribe on one of the most annoying things that occurs while watching a movie—teenagers texting one another over and over during the film. I’m blaming teens as I seem to notice they are the main guilty party when it comes to people flipping open their cell phones and reading texts and then quickly writing in some silly shortened, bastardized “text English”.A few nights ago I went to see Run Fatboy Run and noticed when I entered the theatre a large group of “teens” at the back. I took a seat as far from them as possible as I knew phones were going to be going off and talking was going to happen. Good plan, right? Unfortunately, four of them decided they needed to sit in the second row as soon as the credits started.
Two teenage couples, maybe the worst sight and most annoying thing on earth, who promptly began to gibber, giggle, read their texts, reply to their texts, hold hands, get into an argument, storm out of the theatre after argument, make up, change seats, read some new texts and reply to those life or death important texts. You get the picture?
These teens would hold their phones up in the air slightly, never having done that I’m guessing to see them better with the light of the image on the screen. This is just a guess from a texting novice. They would show the people next to them the text, push a few buttons in response and then flip it noisily closed. Over and over.
When the film ended and I was strolling out, I noticed they were exiting at the same time. “Enough is enough,” I thought as I stepped up to a female and male and without warning launched into a little rant along the lines of: “Do you know that every time that you open your cell phone to check a text, you are annoying the ENTIRE theatre? Could you please lower the phone or better yet, not read those important texts until AFTER the movie?”
The problem: I quickly noticed these two were about 14 years old after I started my first sentence. It was too late to stop so I just went on with my etiquette lecture as I figured I was doing my civic duty. As I walked off after delivering my blast I heard the boy, barely into puberty, ask the girl, “What did he just say?” “Something about not checking texts during the movie!” I heard a lot of muffled conversation after that.
Maybe I was being a tad over zealous? I don’t think so though. This ceaseless talking, answering your cell phone and taking texts has got to stop! If it takes me having one confrontation at a time until either we are rid of this scourge of rudeness or I’m beaten/shot/stabbed/arrested, I will not give up!
3 comments:
I think we both suffer from Theater Disturbance Rage (TDR). Perhaps there is some kind of 12-Step we could join to help us overcome it?
I don't know why people pay good money to go to a theater and talk, text, sleep (!), etc. It kills me. My blood boils merely at the thought. It's one reason that I don't go to see films at the theater as often as I'd like.
Ha. Yes--TDR. I due suffer from that disease and it's getting worse and worse.
I have definately altered my theatre going--opening night? Forget about it.
So, was Run Fatboy Run any good?
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