'I work at a movie theater and this is a regular occurrence...': 10+ entitled moviegoers who ruined the experience for everyone else

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Dec 31, 2024 8:00 AM EST

Let 2025 be the year we get movie theater etiquette under control. Seriously, there is no better illustration of the decline of basic courtesy and self-awareness in public places over the years than at the movies. It used to be that the most annoying thing you might experience after the lights begin to dim was the crinkling of candy wrappers, the crunching of popcorn, and the late arrival of other moviegoers. We come to this place—as Nicole Kidman says in her iconic AMC ad—to expect that kind of behavior. We have since normalized it at the cinema and cannot be upset when it occurs.

However, we can be upset about the advent of other unnecessary behavior people seem to be exhibiting in these spaces, thereby ruining the moviegoing experience for everyone else and convincing more and more folks to just stay home and stream whatever subpar streaming movie has been released instead. This kind of behavior includes using phones and laptops (yes, laptops) during the movie—a subject of online discourse that became especially noisy during the opening weekend of Wicked. Then, there are the people who take their shoes and even socks off and put them up behind the seats of other customers. There are even moviegoers who cannot help but sing along during musical numbers or leave their trash everywhere like this is their bedroom. 

Keep scrolling below for this collection of mildly infuriating moviegoing experiences. For more content like this, take a look at this list of adulting mishaps.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10447738880
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    This guy used a laptop throughout a movie last night. I was on the other side of the theater but noticed he was on one when I came in.
    via ItsDomorOm
  • 03
    It was a pretty big theater and I could see a faint light once the movie started but I kind of thought it was just an aisle light. When I went to leave I noticed he was still on it. Took this as the credits rolled.
    via ItsDomorOm
  • 04
    Note: he also had earbuds in but took them out right before the picture.
    via ItsDomorOm
  • 05
    Cheezburger Image 10447704320
    via ItsDomorOm

  • It's one thing to scroll on your phone when you're watching TV at home. It's also acceptable to browse on your computer as you're watching Netflix in the background. However, to bring your laptop to the movie theater and to take it out in a crowded venue like that is about as audacious as it gets!

  • 06
    This guy in front of me at the movie theater. He had the brightness all the way up.
    via Akirex5000
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10447704832
    via Akirex5000

  • Shoutout to people who have their phones on full brightness during a movie. You are the worst among us! It truly ruins everyone else's perception!

  • 08
    I work at a movie theatre and this is a regular occurrence...
    via Key-Disaster-3682
  • 09
    Cheezburger Image 10447705344
    via Key-Disaster-3682

  • You know, people got worse and worse when it comes to cleaning up after themselves over the last several years. If you can't pick up your snacks when you leave after a two-hour movie, you shouldn't be allowed to go to the cinema at all!

  • 10
    Went to cinema, got called 'negative' for asking 3 people to stop talking and using their phones
    via deathcastle
  • 11
    I went to see Barbie at an Everyman Cinema last night (fancy cinema with double seater lounges and excellent food) - I was with my wife and our two friends, and we were sat beside 3 people who looked to be in their early twenties.
    via deathcastle
  • 12
    They were having a really loud conversation all the way through the trailers, and I said nothing, even though I thought it was a bit - much the movie started, and for about 30 seconds into it they were taking photos of the screen,
    via deathcastle
  • 13
    and recording, and using their flashlights on their phone to see their food. They were also talking at what I would say is regular conversation volume, not a whisper by any means.
    via deathcastle
  • 14
    I leaned over and said "please stop using your phones and stop. talking" in a pretty curt, but non- aggressive manner. They stopped for about 2-3 minutes.
    via deathcastle
  • 15
    They started talking again - at the same volume... my wife and I both leaned over and my wife said "oh my god" while I said "stop talking!" - the response from them was an aggressive
    via deathcastle
  • 16
    one. The guy replied "What's your problem!?" While one of the girls repeated multiple times "you're just negative, you're being negative, you're bringing a negative vibe"
    via deathcastle
  • 17
    I immediately got up, walked out to the staff, and explained the situation instead of engaging with them further. 3 staff followed me back in, and said they would keep an eye on it.
    via deathcastle
  • 18
    They stopped mostly, but throughout the whole film they did still chat here and there, and even at one quiet part where the film was a bit emotional, the guy had his phone make a loud noise which sounded like he was watching a video and unmuted for a bit.
    via deathcastle
  • 19
    They kind of ruined the experience - and it just flabbergasted me that their response was to ask what my problem was, and say "you're just negative"... I can't believe people like this exist.
    via deathcastle
  • 20
    Luckily, it was our second time seeing Barbie, but our friends first time, so I'm glad we were at least sat next to them instead of our friends.
    via deathcastle
  • 21
    Guy refused to move from my seat at the movies claiming it is his seat
    via 18k_gold
  • 22
    Went to the movies today with my kid. Picked center seats, when we got there, there was a guy already sitting in one of our seats. I informed him he was sitting in our seat, showed him my ticket stub. He said no this is my seat, go sit somewhere else. I
    via 18k_gold
  • 23
    showed him my stub again and said this is my seat. Can I see you ticket stub? He reluctantly took his stub out but was trying to cover the movie name with his finger but I could make out the last few letters. He goes see it's my seat. They must have sold the
    via 18k_gold
  • 24
    same seat twice. I pointed at the time and told him that his is for the 11:30am showing and this is the 2:30pm showing. Also you are in the wrong movie. His facial expression changed like he just
    via 18k_gold
  • 25
    got caught with his hand in the cookie jar but says, they must have printed me the wrong stub. He apologized got up and moved a couple of seats over.
    via 18k_gold
  • 26
    Yeah right, wrong stub, he just walked into this theater after his earlier movie finished. Why would he even argue knowing he is in someone else's seat? That is how you get caught. He could also easily check online to see which seats were available as they are all assigned. I guess he just wanted the best seats thinking we wouldn't check his stub.
    via 18k_gold
  • 27
    r/mildlyinfuriating • 7 alaninspace Laptop @ the Movies
    via alaninspace
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    Cheezburger Image 10447712256
    via alaninspace
  • 29
    Movie was supposed to start at 8:55 and it's 9:25. Somebody left and asked the concession guy what was up and he just said sorry and gave her a free banana. Just sitting here ig
    via BaconMan420365
  • 30
    Cheezburger Image 10447738112
    via BaconMan420365

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