You’ve heard of a previous bad experience I’ve had in a theater when I saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in London last year. Well, unpleasant experiences doesn’t just happen in theaters, it also happens in cinemas! In France this time, while watching Guillermo Del Toro’s latest feature, Crimson Peak. So what happened, you ask?
Well, it was a Tuesday night, I got to the cinema complex near my house, hoping to enjoy Crimson Peak in peace. Well, I had another thing coming my way! Not only did I leave the movie somewhat pissed, but the whole experience ruined my first screening of a film I’ve really been waiting for.
So I decided to put together a little list of how to properly behave when you go see a movie (according to me, of course). Here are the top five movie etiquette rules:
TURN YOUR PHONE OFF!
Seriously! That’s literally the number one movie etiquette rule. I don’t understand why a person would pay to go to the movies and spend their time on their phones, it’s beyond me! Not only do you miss seeing the movie but the screen light is extremely distracting for everyone else! Half the jump scares in Crimson Peak didn’t affect me because I was so mad at the person next to me. And if you’re asking, yes I did tell him to turn it off (yep I’m that person, enough is enough. Not that he actually listened to me though…). So please, be kind to your seat neighbors and care about their movie experience too!
DON’T HOLD A MEETING WHILE WATCHING THE MOVIE
This one goes out to the same guy that was using his phone next to me. Every 10 minutes he went outside to do I don’t know what with his phone and come back to show it to his girlfriend that would do the same thing. The whole movie. I also don’t understand the point. If you need to leave the room because of an emergency, just leave.
DON’T TALK OUT LOUD
Talking is generally not recommended while in the movies. I mean, you’re not in your living room. I mean, if you want to make a comment or something in your friends ear, well who am I to judge? As long as you don’t bother the people around you… But talking out loud, in a room full of people who really don’t want your opinion and giggles about Tom Hiddleston’s arse, it’s a bit disrespectful.
RESPECT THE SPACE OF PEOPLE AROUND YOU
3 categories of people here! I get that Crimson Peak is scary (like I said, lots of jump scares), but please be careful not to throw your fist at your neighbor’s face, especially when you don’t know the person. Same goes for you gents! Please, gather your legs! I cannot count the times I had to squeeze myself into my seat because the guy next to me had his legs wide open, and I just couldn’t tell them to keep it together. And please be mindful of the people in the seat in front of you. Having someone kicking your seat every few minutes, it’s annoying as hell.
BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR FOOD
Ok, most movie theaters don’t really allow you to bring your own food, but really, everyone does it. That fact doesn’t allow you to be gross and wasteful with your finished or unfinished snacks. I arrived in the room and there was popcorn and wrappers everywhere on the floor. It’s really not cool for the staff, it’s even quite disrespectful! Plus, they don’t clean up all the time, so spending 2 hours stepping on crunchy popcorn, it’s not the best.
All of those happened to me at this Crimson Peak screening, and it did affect the way I perceived and analyzed the movie. To be honest, I was hoping for something else, it didn’t meet my expectations at all. But I also spent a good hour after the movie, wondering if it wasn’t because I had a bad experience. If I think about it, I wasn’t focused and I was angry.
Most of what I noticed were little elements that made me cringe, in a sea of good ideas and scenes. It’s still a good movie, with incredible performances! The most mesmerizing performance being Jessica Chastain’s as the deranged and cold sister, how she can express so much coldness and control with only her expressions, it’s truly art. Also, I had a bit of a Supernatural fangirl moment when Jim Beaver showed up. Until he got murdered quite brutally, that was rough!
Guillermo Del Toro really knows how to create this gothic, very special aesthetic, that was very close to the universe of Pan’s Labyrinth. However, I thought the film lacked a little something, and even if I can’t pin down what it is, it’s also what lead me to be a bit disappointed.
So guys, keep in mind all my little tips when you go to your next cinema adventures!
Crimson Peak Rating: 3/5
WHAT ANNOYS YOU WHEN YOU’RE WATCHING A MOVIE?
Feel free to use these image if you need to give someone a hint ;)
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