Movie going in Madison is one of my favorite pastimes. I love motion pictures of all kinds.  Western, war, action, drama, comedy, you name it and I’ll watch it. My tolerance for horror movies has even grown in the past several years with the more sophisticated additions of the Silence of the Lambs and Scream franchises. They are a far cry from the old Dr. Blood’s Coffin or even the Texas Chainsaw Massacre with all their blood and guts. It’s not only these horror films that have been improved on. I appreciate the enhancements theatre and cinema owners have made through the years to improve my movie going experience. 

I have found that many theatres and cinemas are going with the larger UltraView screens that provide a larger display for viewing. I’m not some kind of movie screen connoisseur who, at first glance, can tell whether that owner has selected a pearlescent vs. silver screen or even whether they have a flat vs. torex screen. I leave that to the experts. I am looking for a screen that simply allows that “bigger than life” feel for all the Clint Eastwood action movies I like to view.

I found out a few years back where the “best seat in the house” is. This alone has enhanced my movie going experience. It turns out the sound techs set volumes, etc., by taking the center seat, two-thirds of the way back from the screen. So I choose the seat just two or three left or right from that center seat for the best effect. Go early or there will be someone just as wise as you taking that favored position. 

There are some negatives in my cinema and theatre experiences I want to share, too. The prices charged for both admission and refreshments are getting out of hand. The price of a ticket for an adult 12-59 years of age is an average of $8.75 in the Madison area. And if you’re not taking advantage of the $2.00 Tuesday’s being offered in some theatres (where you get a popcorn and soda for $2.00 each) you may have to take a small loan out for your treats. Okay, maybe it’s not that bad, but the price of candy, popcorn and soda has really skyrocketed. I complain, but the frequency of my movie going hasn’t slowed much. There is something about the big screen and big sound that I can’t duplicate at home and there is just some kind of magic that takes place for me as I settle down in my seat, with popcorn in hand, that I won’t give up.