I haven't been in a theater to see a movie in years. We watch occasionally on television and/or Internet. The Internet has change the landscape enormously, and with a projector and decent speakers, the experience is at least as good as in a theater.

We also do not buy movies on DVD or Blueray. The studios' paranoia about piracy means that these have become unusable - you cannot just copy them to your media server, and they've made the ads impossible to skip. So - like many people - in order to get a better quality product, we pirate.

That said, it's older stuff I pirate. Perhaps it's age, but I find that the quality of movies has crashed. The last "new" action film I saw (a couple of years old, on television) has so many absurd plot holes that I thought I was watching a piece of Swiss cheese. They also screwed up *all* of the science and engineering. Really pathetic.

The expense and dislike of crowded theaters keep me away from anything but matinees. Most of the movies I see are in the comfort of home.

When I do go see a movie it's either an IMAX theater, or a local theater playing something I've never seen on a movie screen (recently saw Singin' in the Rain).

Lastly top notch TV series are now at least on par with the best movies out there.

In LA, there's usually also parking hell associated with going to a movie. We once got stuck for an hour getting out of the garage at the Westside Pavillion, where Landmark cinemas are.

Last night, Gregg came over, made me lamb chops, and we watched "Justified."

We've been to one movie in the last four years. A toddler and the quality of certain TV series contribute to that.

i went from 1-2 movies a week to almost none last year. a big part is i want to disappear into the story and not come out until the last frame. when you introduce a light into a darkened theatre your eye reflexively moves to it. i can tune out people getting up and going to the bathroom no problem. but the first cellphone light that forces my eye over to it and i'm done.

but i'm also not watching the films at home, and not watching any more or less TV.

i haven't quite figured out why the steep drop-off.

The problem is that producers only want to fund "sure bets", and therefore movies have become as formulaic as a romance novel or pocket western. When I say the modern movies are formulaic, I mean that literally; there is a book on the specific "beats", and "times" in the movie where those appear, and as a_random_guy noted, to put in those beats introduces plot holes like a swiss cheese.
Link
Add to that the PC preaching, and I'm done. I still watch older movies & TV series, and enjoy them, but am uninterested in the new ones.

I live two blocks from a nice multiplex and haven't set foot in it for maybe 5 years. here in NYC, it's expensive to go to the movies, but that aside, I can no longer stand the twenty minutes of trailers at ear-splitting volumes, the rudeness of people that talk or check their phones during the show, the fidgety offspring they cart along and the overpriced snacks. it doesn't help that movies these days are usually nothing more than big-budget, made-for-TV movies only with more special effects or higher-salaried "stars".

plus, with so many TV options, few movies are must-sees. I'd much rather stay home and wait until Christmas when my L.A.-based brother comes back east bearing screeners he gets bombarded with prior to the Oscars (he does get to vote) or pay-per-view something and watch it in the comfort of my home. it's especially sad, because my major in college was film history and I used to love the whole experience...

It's the combination of moviegoing becoming so unpleasant and expensive; the quality of home TV and sound systems increasing; and the fact that there's a lot on TV that's better than anything at the movies. I haven't been to a theater for at least 5 years.

This year I saw Llewyn Davis and Blue Jasmine on screeners. First one was good, the second not so, but Breaking Bad and Enlightened were both far better. And I'm eating up True Detective. I really think the creative freedom these days is on the small screen.

My in-theater movie consumption has changed quite a lot. First, I'm a guy, so my tastes run towards things that either go fast, blow up, or go fast then blow up.

The last movie I saw in-theater was the second Hobbit movie. Before that...may well have been the first Hobbit movie. I missed all the summer "blockbusters", even Ironman 3 and Thor 2.

I'm not really motivated to plunk down $10+ for an evening show, or $7+ for an afternoon matinee. Especially when much of the stuff is warmed over remakes.

Either price will cover the cost of Netflix. And I'm a member of Amazon Prime, so I've got access to their library, so I don't necessarily need Netflix.

And that doesn't even cover the cost of other people or if I would like some popcorn.

And I'm really just not in the mood to support people who slag on me because they disagree with my politics. And I'm really in the mood to support an industry that at every turn is begging for a tax break, even as they whine that other's aren't "paying their fair share". Puhleeze!

I think the last time I was in a theater was at a morning software demo in 2004. I have been in one to see a movie since the 90's.

Even back in the VHS days, it was still cheaper to rent two or three movies, pop your own popcorn, get you own adult beverages out of fridge, pause to go to the bathroom (or other interruptions) and have a more enjoyable time.

Add to that the PC preaching, and I'm done. -- Steve at March 2, 2014 7:48 AM

Just look at the film Non-Stop. The guy going to Amsterdam is the bad guy. A discharged Army Ranger causes the terrorism on the plane. The Islamic guy is one of the good guys. Does anyone think that would really happen?

**** Spoiler Alert ****

But with all that being said -- I can find out all the bad movies and not waste my time or money watching it.

I'm waiting for an intelligent thriller without a politically correct villain, impossible gymnastics, more car wrecks than a demolition derby and firefights that expend more ammunition than an infantry battalion can carry.

Everything others have stated here.

Movie going is too expensive and unpleasant.

The other movie goers aren't the nicest people in the world (not the worst, but not nice either) with their incessant talking, texting, kicking the back of your seat, etc.

And, yes, the movies today aren't that great. Not only are they too predictable; but, an otherwise good movie will just be ruined by the writers including some sort of anti-American or, in the very least, some sort of anti-Republican comment or rant. I'd much rather not give my money to folks who "hate" me or my beliefs.

And, lastly, there are plenty of other options instead. TV has so many channels, including movie channels. YouTube has a tremendous amount of material - I've taken to spending way too much time watching British sitcoms and panel shows. I'm spending too much time watching clips of QI and UK TopGear a lot. (and, of course, reading and commenting on blogs!)

As for the Oscars (or any other "awards" show), I've never really watched, and never really cared what the "elites" think of themselves. For all I care they can trip over themselves with their fake kudos and nasty backstabbing and "political correctness" (if ever there was an idiotic phrase that is it). They all deserve each other.

I still occasionally go, but not as much as I used to.
Why? Too many friends only do opening weekend shows, which I don't like. But then half of the movies are gone if they didn't blockbuster that weekend.
$15 for a popcorn and drink.
As several have mentioned having political agenda shoved down their throats is one.
Another is the idea with special effects it must be bigger louder and more important. If in #1 you saved a family, in #2 you have to up it to save a city, by #3 you have to save the country/world. There's always some suspension of disbelief, but eventually it has limits.
Then there are the reboots.

We go a lot. And we're the crowd that's there for the midnight premiere, or the marathon leading up to the midnight premiere if possible. I like the experience of stupid action or lush animation with amazing sound on the big screen.

It probably helps that our local theater is an Alamo Drafthouse. They have a very no nonsense policy for distracting other patrons, the dinner and drinks prices are on the high end of reasonable, and they are doing special events all the time. I shrug off the any political messages and usually bring earplugs because movies really are very loud.

Actually, we opt out of the system from the other end. We do not get cable. I don't even bother hooking up our antenna for anything but the Superbowl. If I can't watch it on (free) Hulu, I'll wait until it's on Netflix streaming, or Amazon Prime, or I can buy it on DVD. (And hoping for the day that HBO can tell the cable companies to stuff it and start streaming). I won't be watching the Oscars obviously.

Seriously, I can't fathom why someone would pay, monthly even, for cable.

We go to the theater maybe three or four times a year, and that hasn't changed too much over the years. While the crowds here are generally well-behaved, it still costs an awful lot of money. I still like that deadly movie theater popcorn, though, and I can't make anything at home to match it!

My biggest problem is the same as Random's. I don't want to walk out of the theater realizing that what I've just watched was actually kind of stupid (I'm talking to you, Jeffrey Jacob Abrams!).

My husband and I both seem to be suffering from adult onset ADD. 90 percent of the movies out there are not interesting enough to hold my complete attention for two hours.
It is easier for me, and more fun, to watch parts of something when I have the time, or roll it back too see something I missed because I got distracted.

I have been to the theatre twice in the last four years. Both times were to see movies where I had read the books first.

Reading the book first is the only way I can enjoy a movie all the way through, the first time. It gives me a framework that I seem to need to follow the plot.

Oh, by the way, if you absolutely must, Food Network says that while movie theaters use butter-flavored oil on their popcorn, clarified butter works just as well. For those not terribly skilled in the kitchen (like me), here's how it's done.

I'm waiting for an intelligent thriller without a politically correct villain, impossible gymnastics, more car wrecks than a demolition derby and firefights that expend more ammunition than an infantry battalion can carry. ~ Posted by: MarkD at March 2, 2014 9:10 AM

It's the desire for international distribution has left very few groups around the world that movie makers can use as villains. For example, if you want the movie to do well in China (with millions of potential viewers), it can't have a Chinese villain. Same with Russia. Middle Eastern villains are politically incorrect and clash with the imperialist guilt and multiculturalism of Europe. So, North Koreans, evil corporations, and homegrown US hate groups are all that's left.

It also means that, because of language and culture differences, the movie can't be heavy on dialogue or cultural references - so movie makers increase the tempo, the number of explosions and car chases, and leave the movie intellectually vapid.

We also do not buy movies on DVD or Blueray. The studios' paranoia about piracy means that these have become unusable - you cannot just copy them to your media server, and they've made the ads impossible to skip.

In fact, for the ones I want a copy of in my iTunes library I tend to rip it myself vs wasting time with the horrible Ultraviolet crap they're trying to use instead.

I don't go to the theater anymore myself. It's been a few years and the last time was a work thing they paid for. I do purchase some movies if I really want to see it, but I tend to rip them into my media library and watch most stuff via my apple TV. The last few times I've used a disc directly were to watch the 3D version for kicks (sometimes the 3D is ok, most of the time it' just a gimmick).

I don't help people pirate or don't pirate unless it's something I'm willing to pay for that they won't offer for sale. e.g. I torrented the old Max Headroom show years ago, but then bought the disc set when they finally released it a couple years later.

@Miguel: Yes, I know I can break the DRM, but why should I have to bother? Given the marginal quality of too many movies, it just isn't worth the hassle.

Why do the studios make their product unnecessarily difficult to use - are they really that stupid? Apparently so...

For those of us not in the US, let's not forget region codes. For anyone who doesn't know, this is a simple numerical code included on a DVD that says what country it is meant for. A disc bought in the US won't work on most players here in Europe, and vice versa.

The supposed purpose of this is to allow the theaters in different countries to release a movie at different times; with local release on DVD only available after the theater release.

When my kids were small, relatives in the US sent them numerous children's DVDs, which didn't work here. As with DRM, you can get around this, but it is yet another unnecessary PITA.

The practical effect? Yet another reason not to buy DVDs.

No point in seeing a movie like Gravity on a small screen.

"I'm waiting for an intelligent thriller without a politically correct villain, impossible gymnastics, more car wrecks than a demolition derby and firefights that expend more ammunition than an infantry battalion can carry"

Take your pick: North by Northwest, Vertigo, or Rear Window. Seriously, no one today can do a thriller that compares to even the more mediocre efforts in Hitchcock's filmography. My wife and I hardly ever watch anything more recent than about 1980; nearly all of our movie watching is via Turner Classic or AMC.

And yeah, then there's Youtube. My latest kick is the 1950's version of Dragnet -- much closer to Jack Webb's film noir roots than the later version.

Movie theaters have become dark rooms of torture filled with ill-behaved toddlers and squalling babies in R-rated movies, teens chatting and texting, and fatties crackling their candy wrappers while slurping their 92-ounce soft drinks. The wife and I quit going entirely about four years ago.

Most movies are insipid and insulting to a non-liberal. I find the current crop of superhero movies very goofy, and struggled to get through that silliness called The Avengers. The only recent movie I have any interest in watching is Gravity, but it'll be fine on the 52" living room TV.

We don't spend a whole lot of time at home, but when we do, we mainly binge-watch quality shows like Breaking Bad on Netflix. I absolutely cannot stand the utterly predicable and sanitized big-three network sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother (all of which are calculated to make men look like buffoons).

No point in seeing a movie like Gravity on a small screen. ~ Posted by: KateC at March 3, 2014 5:17 AM

Nope. You should definitely see it on your big screen with your surround sound home entertainment system - on your couch at home with no crying children, coughing sickos, sticky floors, etc.

I have only gone to see one movie in the theater in the last 3 years where I paid (e.g. work paid for the others as team building activities or whatever). Come to think of it I have $15 from work for admission...which makes no sense. An early show is $9 and a regular one is $12. Had it about 6 months now and have not bothered to use it.

My friend used to work a second job as a projectionist and would tell me what I would like to see and also could usually get me a steep discount. After he moved and couldn't do this any more my movie watching went drastically down. Then when the local art house theater moved much more to just be a theater that pretty much quashed the rest.

The really high prices and generally bad experience caused by other patrons (talking, phones, etc) has made it just not worth it.

In the same time frame my TV watching and even DVD watching has also gone down quite a bit...I just don't seem to have the time to get hooked on shows so don't make much effort.