Sunday, January 18, 2009

2008 In Review -- Movies

So, after a sharp spike in the number of movies I saw in 2007, I returned to previous form in 2008. I caught 55 movies last year, just over one a week. Once again, my perpetual Rock Band habits chewed up a huge portion of my free time.

As is my habit, I saw the vast majority of those in the theater -- again, by about a 2-to-1 margin.

2008's "dry spell" came in April, where I didn't see a single movie, period. Of course, that's the month I was moving into my new place, so no real surprise there.

Best movie of 2008? That would be Doubt, the only "grade A" film of the year.

I never did get around to getting the Netflix subscription I'd been pondering, but I think here in 2009, that's finally going to change. I went to a movie earlier this afternoon, and was mildly shocked by yet another hike in the non-matinee ticket prices. While I'm sure I will continue going to the movies, it did make me realize that I only have to get through two movies in an entire month to get more for my money than two trips out to the theater. If "getting my money's worth" was the silly excuse I was using, that seems pretty thoroughly crushed at this point.

3 comments:

Roland Deschain said...

Yeah...especially if you're doing the 3-d gig, huh? It's hard to swallow when it's $12.50 for a 3-d ticket at United Artists. Or that senior tickets at AMC are now $9.00.

All to sit through a movie with talky schmucks, screaming kids, ringing phones, and people shooting at you.

Eeeeeeyeah. And I love movies, but man - they're being priced in a way that live theatre is almost becoming a viable alternative.

Interestingly enough. ;-)

Anonymous said...

those 3-D movies are the only ones you "have" to see in the theatre, since the technology doesn't exist yet to get the same quality 3D in you home. I just would like them to have a regular-price-because-I-already-have-the-stupid-glasses ticket rather than charge you more and give you ANOTHER set of those glasses!

the mole

Roland Deschain said...

Mole -

And yeah, I've tried the "I own the glasses so why should I pay the surcharge" bit. It's a circular argument.

"You're paying for the glasses."
"I have the glasses already."
"The price is still $12.50."
"So I'm paying that for the ticket?"
"No, you're paying for the glasses not the ticket."
"Grr...fine. I'd like a ticket for Paul Blart."

*sneaks into My Bloody Valentine*