It seems like movie ticket prices become more and more unreasonable every time I walk up to the ticket booth. What used to be a cheap way to entertain myself for 2 hours now costs me almost $20 a date provided we dont get a drink or popcorn. As a result the number of movies I regularly see has dropped dramatically, but I still find it hard to resist the allure of the movies greatest night, "The Midnight Showing."
Attending the midnight showing of any movie is a glorious feeling because its like movie goer graduation. As a kid you have to convince your parents to spend the time and money to go to the movies with you. As a middle schooler your parents no longer accompany you but you still have to rely on them to pick you up and drop you off. Even after you get your lisence you may be have a kerfew stopping you from attending the holy grail of a movie experience the midnight show is.
I've been to 2 midnight shows this summer, Transformers 2 and Harry Potter 6 and both have been incredibly entertaining, sexy, action packed, over produced and full of plot holes that dont need explanation because really all anyone wanted to see was giant robots fighting and Snape killing Dumbledore.
When I arrived at Transformers it was 11:15 and the theaters were already packed with no more than 2 seats in a row anywhere to be found and I ended up sitting in the 2nd row with a neck cramp: Lame.
So for Harry Potter I refused to make the same mistake. My friends had agreed to meet at 1030 but I decided to go at 10:00 and make sure we got a good spot in line. Mission Accomplished, I stood alone for about 45 min alone waiting for friends to arrive but it was worth it to be 20th or so in a line that stretch halfway through the parking lot.
As 11:00 drew closer (when they'd let us sit down) people in front of me had their friends join them as well pushing my group to about 50th in line. Still not bad I thought, the movie is in 10 different theaters, we'll definitely have our choice of seats right?
When 11:00 finally rolled around the line rushed forward frantic to get the best seats. When we approached they said to stop. They needed to make sure they had enough room in the first theater they were filling up.
We held our breath, if they needed to count it was because they were either full or almost full, we'd either be the last people in that room or the first in the next. "30 more!" crackled through the ticket tearer's walkietalkie. We all looked horror struck visualizing the front 3 rows that must be left for us to sit in.
This is where things started getting a little unfair. Instead of being directed to one of the stadium seated rooms we were sent to the room at the end of the hallway where 4 week old movies go to die.
To our fortune whoever counted 30 definitely couldnt count because there were at least 50 seats left and we found our selves near the center row. Not bad we rationed except that it was the row behind the handicapped seats meaning wheelchairs taller than than our seats with exceptionally large people occupying them (this is in no way meant to be deragotory or to poke fun, just descriptive of the situation).
As we sat, necks stretched out to see the on scree magic I couldnt help but feel cheated that people who'd arrived probably 30 min after me were getting prime seats in other theaters around me when I had specifically arrive 2 hours early just to avoid the seats I was now sitting in.
So what do you think? Is it fair for the employees to seat you according to their convenience after you've wasted hours waiting in the lobby for the opportunity to pick your own seats on the spectacular cinematic experience that is the midnight show?
I say NO! Movies seats should be delivered on a first come first serve basis. Not a luck of the draw based upon where you were standing in line. This is a crime againt movies in my opinion.
In any case Harry Potter 6 was very entertaining and I'd reccomend seeing it if you at all a fan of the genre, but please let me know what you think!
