If there’s one frequent problem at the movies, it’s that Gal Gadot keeps getting jobs. But if there’s another, it’s the use of cell phones. At this point, phones are practically glued to our palms and you can’t go anywhere without people staring and scrolling. And while many of us consider the cinema a sacred place, it’s so frequent there that it has ruined the entire experience for even the most seasoned patrons. Just ask Martin Scorsese, who says that cell phone usage in movie theaters has kept him out of public screenings.
The news that Scorsese won’t go to a movie theater because of constant cell phone usage – and some other key issues that distract him – comes from film critic Peter Travers in his new blog. As he recounts, “Once, in deep conversation with Martin Scorsese, I asked the maestro why he doesn’t see movies in theaters anymore and he went all raging bull about audiences who babble on phones during the movie, leave to order snacks and vats of soda, and keep up a noise level loud enough to drown out the actors. ‘Come on, Marty,’ I said, ‘we couldn’t keep our mouths shut when we were kids.’ His eyes darkened. ‘Yeah, maybe,’ he conceded, ‘but when we talked it was always about the movie and the fun we had chewing over the details.’”
Chatterboxes are annoying, but most of us can agree that occasional whispers to your buddy are fine. But using your cell phone in the movie theater – whether it’s to see the time or, for whatever reason, checking your socials – is a true sign of addictive and selfish behavior. Imagine you just spent $16 for a ticket and then the asshole one row in front of you decides to whip out his iPhone just as the opening credits roll. What is the point there?
Because of cell phone usage like this, we (well, not us, right, JoBlo.com readers?) are pushing one of the most pure cinema lovers ever away. Isn’t that the ultimate sin for a moviegoer? This is why the folks at the Alamo Drafthouse have banned cell phones outright from their movie theaters. Hell, I don’t even like seeing them during the previews, but during the movie itself is just a blatantly disrespectful and unforgiveable move. No wonder most people would just rather stream it at home!
What do you make of modern cell phone usage in the movie theater? Do you find it to be a frequent issue when you go?
