Carmike Cinemas

[montanadave]

In my hometown, we have two theaters, both cineplexes, both owned by Carmike, one with 10 screens and one with 14. It's supposed to rain this afternoon and I thought my wife and i might catch a show. With 24 screens, Carmike has a total of eight showtimes (with neither of the movies we had any interest in seeing), all between noon and one, and those eight showtimes include three of the same movies.

WTF?

I checked around at some other Carmike locations around the country and the offerings and times were just as pathetic. I don't go out to the movies very often so, admittedly, I'm out of touch with the theater business. But has it gotten that pathetic or is this a Carmike management thing that they don't offer much on Sundays or what's the deal?

Hell of a business model. No selection, no showtimes, and they want to charge $30 for a couple of tickets, popcorn, and a soda. I'm off to Hastings to rent a DVD. Carmike can suck it.

[rjacobs]

This is the reason I stopped going to the movie's years ago. I can think of 4 movies I have seen in theaters in the past 7-10 years(40 year old virgin, knocked up, some disney movie about the sea similar to Planet Earth, and maybe The Town).

I have no desire to pay 10-15 bucks per ticket plus what ever god aweful price they are charging for popcorn/candy/drinks/etc... and you could be in it for 50 bucks to go see a movie with 2 people. ridiculous. I would rather spend 50 bucks to take my RV out for 2 days.

[SteyrAUG]

As a kid who went to the movies "at least" once a week I completely agree, most movies today suck and I think every multiplex has the same shitty selection.

And prices have gotten stupid. I probably see a movie once a year now and for the price I can have a good steak dinner.

As a kid we used to love the multiplex because we'd see 2 or 3 movies a day for the one admission. If you worked out the schedule you could sit in on the start of another movie after yours ended. With current ticket prices I've been tempted to do this today but honestly I can never find a second movie I even want to see.

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

I havent paid for a movie in a theater for 3 years so I couldnt tell you. Wounded Warrior and Ultra Star Cinemas in Oceanside CA give my wife and me a free movie every wednesday night, so w/e's on is what we watch.

[6933]

We haven't been to a movie in years. I don't feel like going to jail for beating the snot out of some loudmouth. I can watch a movie at home, pause it, piss, get a drink, etc. and be much more comfortable.

[MarshallDodge]

I have seen less than 10 movies in a theater in the last five years. We are Netflix subscribers and enjoy being at home relaxing without dealing with crowds, etc. I'm not the type to have to see a movie the day it comes out so I have no issue with waiting for Netflix to release it.

A good friend was a manager at a local theater and said that their main source of income is the concession stand. They make very little off of ticket sales.

[sadmin]

Its hard to top the image / sound quality that your living room can provide these days as well; we only still go to "get out" and make it a date night.
I agree though, times usually suck and they show the same movie on 3 screens if its popular. Its also nice my living room doesnt smell like pickles and puberty. :D

[ucrt]

.

The last time I was at a movie I was waiting (and waiting) in line to get drinks and popcorn. The guy in the line next to me was a recognizable guy that owned about 6 large car dealerships in the area.

I said to him loud enough for the counter people to hear, "Mr. x, if you had a bunch of idiots like us in line to pay $4 for a 50¢ Coke and $4 for 25¢ worth of popcorn, would you make them wait."
As on cue, he replied, "Hell no!".

I'd like to be able to speak at one of the cinema's corportate board meetings after listening to them cry about attendance going down. They're pitiful, don't really deserve to stay in business.

But maybe it's just me...

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

.

The last time I was at a movie I was waiting (and waiting) in line to get drinks and popcorn. The guy in the line next to me was a recognizable guy that owned about 6 large car dealerships in the area.

I said to him loud enough for the counter people to hear, "Mr. x, if you had a bunch of idiots like us in line to pay $4 for a 50¢ Coke and $4 for 25¢ worth of popcorn, would you make them wait."
As on cue, he replied, "Hell no!".

I'd like to be able to speak at one of the cinema's corportate board meetings after listening to them cry about attendance going down. They're pitiful, don't really deserve to stay in business.

But maybe it's just me...

I don't know why they take so long to give you prepared food and boxed snacks, when Burger King can get you to-order food almost as fast. I don't know what it is.

I used to get irritated with the workers, but then I started thinking that I get to walk away- they are stuck with a bad case of the slows & dumbs for the rest of their lives- what could I possible do to make their lives worse.

I travel alot so I see movies as a way to kill time in the evening when I haven't brought a handgun along to take to a local range.

[austinN4]

I have seen less than 10 movies in a theater in the last five years. We are Netflix subscribers and enjoy being at home relaxing without dealing with crowds, etc. I'm not the type to have to see a movie the day it comes out so I have no issue with waiting for Netflix to release it.
You just described me; although, you have seen 10 more movies in a theater in the last 5 years than I have.

I sure don't miss the jerks talking loud to each other or on a cell phone while the movie is playing. The pause feature on my DVD player sure is nice also. I still prefer the actual DVD's due to the really good special features on some of them.

I am getting hard of hearing and confess to using the subtitles also. They help me in the really quiet dialog parts and with accents such as a harsh cockney or something similar.

[J-Dub]

We have a Carmike in Abilene. You couldnt pay me to go watch a movie at that shit hole.

[Heavy Metal]

There is a Carmike Cinema 6 miles from me. I drive 40 to go to a Marquee Cinema. Much better facility with better showtimes.

http://www.marqueecinemas.com/

[montanadave]

I still think there is an ambience to watching a great film in a nice theater and it's a shame those opportunities have become so few and far between.

There are a group of investors in my town who are renovating one of the old theaters downtown for use with both live performances and some film screenings. The showtimes will still be limited and the movie selections will most likely be old classics and newer "artsy" films, but I might give it a shot. They're trying to preserve all the old moldings, columns, and such to invoke the atmosphere of the old theater back in its heyday in the '50s and '60s. It's one of the theaters I went to a lot as a kid so I have fond memories of the place.

[Honu]

only been to a few movies in theaters ?
with kids for a fun family day and before kids once in a while ?

spent about 10K on a nice HT setup screen audio and projector
this way watching at home is nicer than a theater :) one day would love a dedicated theater room but have to say very happy I spent the coin and enjoy it quite a lot

[Spiffums]

The only movies I go see at the show are the ones where you want to be a part of the crowd. Like Lord of the Rings was great standing in line talking about what we liked, didn't like and hoped to see in the films.

Harry Potter movies is the same way. Like the night the book goes on sell, your there for the crowd and the experience of that "event".

[RD62]

Our local Carmike sucks ass with their selection and is a dump to boot. Old theaters, dirty, etc.

However, movies in a theater in general border on the insane! It's kind of like the pay-phone industry in the 90's. "Our business is in the crapper, what could boost our revenues? I know lets double or triple our prices, that should have consumers flocking in!".

As you mentioned its $4-5 for a box of freaking candy and $7 for a box of popcorn and don't even get me started on fountain drinks! I can buy a whole box of microwave popcorn and a couple of 2 liter soft drinks for what they want just for a drink! I can also buy the freaking movie on DVD for the price of a single ticket and then I get to keep the damn thing and watch it as many times as I like, whenever I like! Oh, but I will have to wait maybe a whole 2 months for it to come out on DVD or Blueray.

The only time we go now is to take the kids. We took them to see Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D a couple weeks ago. We had buy one get one free adult admission, my 6 year old daughter and my 2 year old son (who gets in free) and admission was still $24!!

Insulting!

Hell they can't even make a movie anymore that isn't a sequel, a copy of a 70's or 80's tv show, or a freakin comic book.

[Honu]

the other thing about the last few movies is the rudeness of the crowds cell phones jerk offs swearing out loud at a PG movie for your kids to hear chatting loudly during the movie !

the whole experience anymore just is not fun for the insane amount of money they want and the quality we get at home is nicer :)

[J-Dub]

The main thing that pisses me off about our Carmike is, it is a complete dump (shitty chairs, crappy concessions, ect) but they still charge what "nice" places charge.

I wont pay 8 bucks for a sore back.

[PaulL]

We go to one of these movie theater/restaurant combination places. Every other row has been replaced with tables and they serve real food and alcohol. A lot of the typical gripes still apply, but they don't allow kids under 5, and kids under 18 have to be with a parent. For some reason, the annoying adults don't seem to go there, either. If you're gonna pay a premium, it's the only way to fly. Www.starcinemagrill.net if you're in Houston.

[Icculus]

We go to one of these movie theater/restaurant combination places. Every other row has been replaced with tables and they serve real food and alcohol. A lot of the typical gripes still apply, but they don't allow kids under 5, and kids under 18 have to be with a parent. For some reason, the annoying adults don't seem to go there, either. If you're gonna pay a premium, it's the only way to fly. Www.starcinemagrill.net if you're in Houston.


Same here. I'm not going to spend a fortune for the latest movie and crappy popcorn. The only place I go now is http://ashevillebrewing.com/2011/index.html. Movies are $3 (used to be $2). They have lots of great beers including 4 or 5 they brew right there and great pizza. One bar is out in the restaurant and then the second bar is in the theater. They only have two movies each week--usually a kid friendly movie that they show at the early time slot and then the regular movie around 7:30 or 8. Usually seem to get movies in that window of time between when they leave the normal theaters and when they show up on DVD.