What has happened to the American Cinematic Experience over the last ten years? I can't STAND going to movies anymore. If it wasn't due to the prices, the lack of quality movies, and the bad seats and sticky floors, it's now because of the people. People with phones, people who go to movies in big groups to now watch the movie but chat, the people who bring babies to rated R movies. I really could go into 5 pages worth of rant, but you know what i am done. I'm boycotting the movie theater experience. Not hard to do considering i have to drive half an hour to go see a movie. But here are my demands before i head back:

1. Charge more money per ticket. That's right, it goes against my logic in paragraph one right? Well here's the logic behind it. If my ticket costs 20 dollars, I know that kids can't pay to go see movies, and that it becomes a small investment. Which means if you're on a date, you just dropped 40 dollars, and you ought to be less inclined to sit and chat on your phone or text the whole movie. The second part of the logic is that if a theater can make more money, they can clean the floors and have better seats, and all sorts of advantages that make the movie experience unique.

2. Get Hollywood to stop making crap. well i might as well just vow to never see a movie again right? okay lets modify this. Get Hollywood to make LESS crap. i don't want to see sequels to every movie ever, I don't want to see remakes of things that made our childhoods unique. I want to see a great twist on original concepts. If the big guys out there would just take a few minutes to think before they approve half the movies they do, they would make more money, and they would be respected. Who approved the first incredible hulk? i don't care, fact is, right now they're starting from scratch because the franchise was so poorly done. Heck you're average movie goer won't go see the new one because they remember the last one. might as well call it "The Incredible Hulk: the good one".

Things I see impeding my trip to the theater: 1. bad movies, bad reviews, bad acting. 2. the availability of movies on DVD several months after being in theaters. It's sad that i have to weigh waiting 4 months against sitting in a theater surrounded by kids and cell phones... it's sadder that waiting for the DVD has been winning more and more. 3. The availability of movies from Asian countries that shall not be named. Hey, if I can get a quieter copy of your movie from out of country a week before it hits theaters here, i might think about taking it. Odds are the movie sucks anyway and i'm out the cost of a movie ticket. If it's a good movie, i'll buy a DVD copy several months later.  4. at the current prices of near 12 dollars to see a movie, i can pay for a month of entertainment from video games, i can eat 2 meals, i can do all sorts of things than see your movie. It costs me about 8 dollars to travel to the theater alone, and if we include having to buy a small popcorn and drink for another 8 bucks and a ticket for the date i'm out 40 something dollars. i'm fine with that... if i get to enjoy my theater experience... which i haven't the last few movies i have seen.

Alright, i think i got my thoughts out there. To summarize: the theater experience is pure crap nowadays for its price. Raise both and maybe i'll rethink going to see a movie, or heck keep the price the same and just regulate in the movie better (an usher wouldn't hurt now and then).

By the way, i liked Iron Man a lot. And i'd go see Prince Caspian, Dark Knight, and about 10 other movies this summer if it weren't for my boycott. I just can't take it anymore, i think i'm well past the point where i should have punched someone for talking on their phone. Not going anymore is the least i can do.

-Jeff (AMC Movie watcher, and visitor of United Artists, Carmike, Edwards, and others)