I can't remember the last time I went to a movie theater ...

... except to remember that it was an unpleasant experience, with people yelling back at screen dialogue and answering their cell phones. And these were not kids. I won't go to a theater again.  I'm not prone to motion sickness but the new 3D and IMAX presentations are just not for me.

Thanks to a fortuitous electrical scramble (and a reluctant insurance company), we replaced three analog sets with flat screens.  Movies and TV shows here have never looked better, via cable and NetFlix and AmazonPrime and RedBox.

So I should pay $10 to $20 a seat for a first run movie in a theater...why?  Especially when the same flick will show up on DVD within months for $1. And pay $5 for a small box of popcorn and $4 for a small soft drink when Orville Reddenbacher and Coke (or Budweiser) provides the same for cheaper supermarket prices served in the comfort of my own home?

Man, it was a gas to get together with my buddies when I was a kid and surrender a quarter for admission and a quarter for popcorn to see the Saturday afternoon monster movies at The Roxy in Maple Shade.  But that was the 1950's. Yay, Godzilla, anyway!  Big Japanese man in a rubber suit, oohrah!

Somewhere along the road it all got out of hand and I refuse to take out a credit card or bank loan just to watch a movie. Or two or three.

So as much as I want to see Cowboys & Aliens, I'll wait until it's on DVD, at RedBox, for a buck.  I have pretty good luck there, with first-day releases.  Battle:Los Angeles, for example. Good movie, watched it twice, first day of release.  For a buck.

Spent Saturday doing an online-movies marathon:  six movies, no waiting.  None of them award winners, just flicks I wanted to see (or watch again), all from services I'm subscribed to.  Great day. No theater.  Paused occasionally for chow and necessary beverages and "out" times for me and Tasha.

How about you?  Last time you went to the movie theater was, when?  Won't go there anymore, why?  How long can Hollywood last serving idiots like me?

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