PART TWO: SIT DOWN, STAY A WHILE

One of my real concerns on this topic is the shortening attention span of the public. Try to show up for the movie before it starts, and stay until it ends. Just a concept. So many folks are so focused on getting to the parking lot before everyone else that they miss the finishing touches on a film. I’ve noticed that we’ve all become very sophisticated in our knowledge of cinema techniques, whether we realize it or not. We have been trained by all media to know when the film is ending. The scene pulls out to a wide shot, the music flourishes, the camera tilts to the sky, and… “Grab your coats, kids, we’re leavin’!” The family has made it to the exit before the first credit rolls.

I guess you people are smart enough to spot the end of a film before it happens. But be warned—many films are now fooling audiences with extra scenes past their expected “big finish”, even running epilogue scenes under the credits. So stay! Remember, you paid ten bucks for this, so at least get your money’s worth. You will enjoy yourself so much more if you treat a movie like an experience to be absorbed, rather than a way to occupy your brain for two hours.

And here’s another idea: go to the bathroom before the movie. If you’re an adult and your bladder can’t last two hours, plan ahead. Don’t sit in the middle of the row. And get that checked out, for pete’s sake.