Archive for November 2011
The Best Way to Look Up Movie Times on Your Smart Phone
There is an increasing amount of apps related to movies available for smart phones. You can even go to a theaters website through your browser to look up movie times if you want. Others such as fandango and yahoo both offer movie times through their websites. But, the easiest way is to download an app that will access all the information for every theater in your area. You can search by movie or theater and all the times will pop up for you right then and there. There are two apps that are superior to the others, Flixster and Fandago’s movie app.
Flixster’s app is very easy to use and a cool feature that they offer is the ability to watch previews of the movies right there on your phone. With Flixster you are able to search by movie or theater. If you know what movie you want to see you can search for that movie and your phone will pull up all the theaters in your area that are playing that movie and a list of what time they are playing. If you look up the theater is will show you a list of all the movies it is currently playing and what time they are playing. They also provide you with information about movies such as rating, reviews, cast members, etc. Flixster even allows you to buy tickets to some of the theaters. Flixster doesn’t stop with movies in theaters. They even have a section for DVDs. You can look up when new DVDs are coming out, reviews, rating, cast members, and length of the DVD
Fandango’s app is pretty similar to Flixster’s and is also very easy to use. They allow you to buy ticket instantly over your phone to over 16,000 theaters. Once you choose which theater you will be watching your movie, Fandango allows you to get directions to that theater from your location. You can look up cast members, reviews, top box office stats, and even new movies opening dates.
Both apps are pretty similar in functionality but Flixster lacks the robust list of theaters that you can purchase tickets from over your phone and Fandango’s lacks the DVD section. Both apps are great and will not leave you disappointed.
Movie Posters, The Natural Choice for Home Theater Decor
Home theaters are becoming more and more popular by the day. What used to be seen as an extravagant room only to be seen in the homes of the rich and famous is now a common room in today’s new homes. The home theater room provides an opportunity to decorate in a way that allows you to express your interests and passions.
The movie poster, once relegated to the local movie theater wall or to the college dorm room is making a push into mainstream decorating; in fact some home owners are using a Hollywood theme throughout their entire home.
Movie posters are the obvious decorating choice for today’s home theater decor. They will allow you to showcase your favorite movies and can easily be incorporated into any number of movie theater themes. A vintage or classic theme is a very popular decorating theme. There are many nostalgic black and white movie posters as well as vibrant contrasting colors that can make a dramatic impression.
Consider not only your favorite movies, but also what about a theme with your favorite actor, actress or director. In addition to framed movie posters, you could also incorporate memorabilia or pictures from your favorites.
Movie posters are traditionally composed of bright and vibrant colors in an attempt to draw the attention of the movie going public which makes for an attractive piece of artwork for your home theater. Keep in mind that many movie posters will be offered in both a single sided poster as well as double sided. The double-sided poster will have the mirror image on the reverse side of the poster. This will ensure a more vibrant color, particularly when used with frames such as a lightbox.
A lightbox is an ideal way to showcase a poster. A lightbox will light the picture from the rear with diffused light for a dramatic presentation of your movie poster. Along with the lightbox, there are a wide variety of poster cases and movie poster marquees including some with miniature bulb chase lights to mimic the local movie theaters. A case will protect your poster and allow you to easily rotate the poster without reframing making it easy to have a now showing poster for the movie that you are currently showing to your guests in your theater.
Of course you don’t need an elaborate lit case in order to show off your movie posters. You can frame, mat and mount your poster and enclose it in glass for a classy presentation in any color or style to match the rest of your room’s d
People Skills – Movie Theater Manners
Imagine you’re in a movie theater and there is a man talking to his companion quite loudly. The person behind them leans forward and asks if they would please be quiet in the theater. The loud man then turns to his companion and states even louder, “It is amazing how rude people are nowadays!”
Was the person rude or simply asking for something they rightly should have?
Mr. Loud was obviously under the impression that asking for the courtesy of quietness while watching a movie was rude behavior because it upset the way he wanted to watch the movie.
This happens most when people are too wrapped up in themselves and their own comfort.
The person who asked Mr. Loud to be quiet wasn’t being rude, and in this somewhat less-than-courteous environment – they were being courageous. None of the other patrons spoke up – though everyone around Mr. Loud was thinking it!
Mr. Loud was the rude one, however I have a feeling he didn’t even realize how loud he was or how far his voice carried. When it was pointed out to him, instead of simply saying, “Thank you” – or “Excuse me” and being silent, he compounded the situation by calling the courageously courteous person rude.
This is a great reminder to all of us – and especially since we don’t know sometimes how we come across or how our conversations and comforts can really be offensive or rude to others.
Now that you have a movie theater in our mind – let’s touch on a couple of other things to avoid:
1. Talking during a film – when you have to give commentary on what is happening, it not only steals from the person you’re sharing with – it steals from you hearing what is being said next. Stop this habit in theaters and meetings. Pay attention – it’s a compliment to the director and actors – or meeting facilitator. It’s also courteous to your fellow attendees.
2. Using a cell phone in a theater – this is being taken care of more and more by the facility – no service inside the building, however if you are inside at an event, any event – turn the cell phone off.
3. Feet on the seat – we’ve become a very casual society and kicking your shoes off to prop them up in front of us is such a pleasure – except for the person in that seat… keep your feet down, this is not your couch.
4. Garbage – you bought it, you ate it, take it with you to the trash bin please – this will help those people walking behind you not step in yuck and make it easier for the facility to get things ready for the next showing.
What we do and how we behave in a theater affects everyone else in that place. Being aware is the key and doing all you can to be courteous will make the experience wonderful for you and everyone else too.
Happy viewing and I’ll see you in the dark!