If you choose to watch Wonder Woman 1984, PLEASE support a local theater and buy a theater gift card for later use. Our theaters need your support to stay alive after everything gets back to normal.
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To each their own I suppose… but for me, for at least the last couple of decades, I’ve never really understood the appeal of going out “to the movies.” You can’t pause; they’re rarely clean and the floors are sticky; people are distracting with their coughing and inapporpriate mobile phone use and their incessant chatter; the concessions are stupidly priced (never mind the price of a ticket.)
The last movie I saw in a theatre was “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” which came out in 2016. And I only went to a theatre to see it because we were visiting Montreal at Xmas time and there was nothing much else to do on a Sunday afternoon.
It’s unfortunate for theatres that they’re in a dying business during a pandemic where people can’t make use of their service, but to me, buying a gift card that can only be redeemed later at a business likely to fail (before a redemption could happen) doesn’t seem like one would be exercising good financial planning.
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I have to agree with @PHolder on several points. With our Sonos surround sound system, 65" 4K flat panel, and comfortable recliners, all is just fine. Only thing I will admit, the movie house popcorn will always be better. And after watching 20-minutes of WW84, sure am glad I didn’t have to pay for a ticket.
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I loved the movie. Yet in regards to the theater with “sticky floors” and all the other things you listed as reasons that keep you from the theater. I have experienced those types of theaters and they have lost my business. Yet the theater I love to go to offers a wonderful experience holding all patrons to a code of conduct. No cell phones on (unless you want to sit in the back row).
But the heater for me is a nostalgic experience. Gone are the days when I had to wait 2 showings for the empire strikes back. But the big sound, in some cases dining experiences in the balcony with my friends or a date. The larger than life sound experience makes it worth it.
As far as ticket and concession prices. I thought that the theater makes their revenue from sales outside of the ticket cost. (please correct me if I am wrong). But there you see the reason for a $5 small box of raisinettes.
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Gotta agree with you on this one
I have had neck problems that got worse about 3 years ago. So, I cannot go to the theater anymore, because I cannot sit in 1 place for that long. I end up having to move from 1 side to the other… And then switch again back to the other side…
It is easier for me to just wait and see it at home… Then I can walk around the room as needed…
It is unfortunate, because I used to love going to the movies.
Never cared for the theater experience like my peers. I get it, though. They’re hurting. So sad. Rooting for all small businesses. 
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I feel for the theaters (all of them, movie, broadway, etc). However, I very rarely go to movie theaters anymore. Cost is something to do with it. Mainly, it has to be a movie where I want that experience. While I might not necessarily agree with the decision for movies to stream on HBO MAX at the same time they are released in the theater, around here I don’t think I would have had a choice as our theaters are still closed. Plus, for this particular movie, I probably would have waited for streaming anyways, so no additional business lost from me.
As I’ve said elsewhere, I for one miss going to the theater; it’s like a temple for storytelling. I love Dolby Atmos theaters, IMAX theaters, art house, multiplex, little local screening room, whatever. Give me a big opening night crowd or an empty matinee, leather recliners or creaky old cloth seats; doesn’t matter. There’s nothing like walking through that door, smelling the popcorn, ripping the ticket, the whole ritual (which now includes shutting down the phone, blessedly).
I recently upgraded to an even larger TV with 4K and Dolby Vision, and I have long had a nice 5.1 system, comfy seating, good popcorn, beverages, etc. It’s just not the same. It’s a little bit like going to Sunday church services online-- you’re doing all the same stuff, more conveniently and comfortably, but there’s some experiential piece that is just missing. Or you can view thousands of the worlds most famous paintings on a beautiful hi def screen, but it’s not the same as going to a museum.
Okay, having watched Wonder Woman 1984 I take it all back. 
I had such high hopes after the first one.
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I tried watching it yesterday and turned it off after 30 minutes. TERRIBLE!
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Gotta say I’m kinda with the others in here that aren’t a big fan of theaters. I don’t remember the last movie I went to where there wasn’t someone constantly turning their phone screen on in my field of vision. Totally destroys the immersion for me.
Although I did run up to NYC a few years ago to experience a Dolby Atmos flick in a limited seating theater. WOW! I would probably pay up to $50 for certain films for a setup like that. But I’m pretty sure the margins just aren’t there.
Probably going to invest in a real home theater setup pretty soon. A shame to see an industry die, but change is change.
Maybe I go to a lot of matinee showings or the people here are more considerate, I don’t have a big issue with people using their phones. On the other hand I don’t think my wife has sat through ten minutes of any show or movie at home and not had her phone on, which I find way more distracting right next to me in my living room than in a large theater with a giant screen.
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I just personally find the Marvel movies much better than the DC superhero ones…
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Well, at least, martial strife aside, you have the option to explain how you feel and ask for a change. I wouldn’t advise that at a public theatre…
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I’ll take my chances with the public
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I would t advise it a home either!!!
The modern Marvel films aren’t my thing. For me, Lynda Carter will always be Wonder Woman.
I discovered home theatre in the mid 90s and have constantly had a better experience at home since then. I can sit in comfort, I have better sound, better image quality and I wasn’t disturbed by muttering, coughing crowds. Now, I have my other half asking questions every few minutes!!
We used to still go to the cinema a few times a year, when “something special” came along, or we fancied a night out together. But the experience was more and more disappointing. Those “special” films seemed to get worse every time we went to see them, to the point that we actually walked out on two films from 3, that was in 2010. Since then we have, maybe, seen a dozen films in the cinema.
I guess it was my fault, we went to see a Will Ferrell film. Mistake, big, huge! We left after about 20 minutes. The Sandra Bullock film held us there for nearly 30 minutes.
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I’m with you on this
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Ars Technica does an annual death watch article, and this year has the theatre chains first: