Selecting the Best Auditorium

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See movies when they first come out for the best possible auditorium.: Theaters place popular movies in the largest auditoriums. Generally, attendance levels diminish as more patrons see the film. So watching the movie when its first released usually gets you the biggest auditoriums.
If the movie you want to watch doesn't do very well during the first week of release, be sure to watch it immediately. Theaters tend to drop these films quickly.
Early people get better seating.: If the best seats are important to you, ask for when the earlier movie ends. Get there before its done.
Theaters are cleaned shortly after they let out. After that, moviegoers are allowed in.
Advanced tickets don't necessarily mean good seats.: Purchasing a ticket reserves a seat. It doesn't reserve the location.
When deciding on which theater to watch a movie in, look at the sound designations.: Sound designations to look for are SDDS (Sony Dynamic Digital Sound), DTS (Digital Theatre Systems), & SR-D (Spectral Recording Digital aka Dolby Digital). Usually the theater will advertise the movie as Digital. The sound difference can be related to cassette vs. compact disc.
THX (Tomlinson Holman eXperiment) reigns as another designation. Usually mistaken for a sound format, THX simply certifies the sound systems within separate auditoriums. THX TAP (Theatre Alignment Program) comes out and tests the auditorium to ensure amazing sound reproduction, extremely low background noise, and superior acoustics.
Look for auditorium layout designations.: Stadium seating, cupholder armrests, and loveseats improve the moviegoing experience.
Stadium style seating becomes a factor when the auditorium nears capacity. Ever experience a person's head blocking the lower part of the screen? Stadium seats rise well above the row beneath them.
Cupholder armrests allow you to place drinks on the armrest rather than the floor.
Loveseats rule! They allow you to lift the armrest that separate you and your significant other.
Compare auditoriums when more than one plays the same movie.: Movie theaters come in all different designs. Be sure to ask the person in the box office about the size and sound designation of the two auditoriums. Avoid 100 seats or less.
Modern theaters rock!: Newer theatres tend to have better auditoriums. Modern equipment, newer seats, and cleaner auditoriums enhance the immersive experience of movie theaters. Well maintained theaters also offer an excellent atmosphere. Renovations keep them on the edge of the moviegoing experience.
Curved Screens are superior.: Curved screens spread the bright area at the center of the screen. Commonly refered to as the "hot spot," this uneven lighting occurs due to the lens on a movie projector. With proper screen curvature and alignment, the bright area gets spread across the picture. It also improves the focus on the sides of the screen.

Observe the image quality which may vary significantly between auditoriums designs regardless of a flat or curved screen. Especially watch for brightness fluctuations within the same scene. This signals that the projector's light bulb should be replaced. Unlike a 300 watt halogen that costs dollars to replace, two thousand watt Xenon bulbs cost several thousands of dollars.
Film image quality remains important.: Visible scratches on the film print ruin a great movie. Try to watch it elsewhere but understand that its a specific instance. Sometimes the film's misthreaded and this leads to scratching.
As far as image quality, the focus, brightness, and color depth should be excellent. Some auditoriums have designs that enhance these aspects. Others... well, we won't go into that.
Get to know your local theaters.: Differences exist between theaters. Generalizations work but to gain the most from your moviegoing experience, spend some time learning about the movie cinemas you frequent.

In general, I prefer large auditoriums but poorly designed ones ruin a great movie.

When examining your local theater, pay close attention to the acoustics of the auditorium. THX designations help but many theater owners are unwilling to pay for THX certification and subsequent inspection fees.

Notice the spacing between you and the next row. Some auditoriums have cramped seating areas. Also, your feet shouldn't stick to the floor. You may want to contact the corporate office if its a common occurance at the theater you frequent. Most of all, sit back and enjoy the show. With a little research, you should be sitting in a great auditorium!

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The Moviegoer's Guide to Movie Theatres

Selecting the Best Auditorium

See movies when they first come out for the best possible auditorium.

Early people get better seating.

Advanced tickets don't necessarily mean good seats.

When deciding on which theater to watch a movie in, look at the sound designations.

Look for auditorium layout designations.

Compare auditoriums when more than one plays the same movie.

Modern theaters rock!

Curved Screens are superior.

Film image quality remains important.

Get to know your local theaters.