Nate is Distracted! Why Fans of ‘The Divergent Series: Allegiant’ are better than ‘Deadpool’ Viewers

Several vinyl Popcorn Snobs are running this blog for the next 23 days, in 'The Taking of April A-Z,' for your reading pleasure. 

Happy Humpday! It’s Nate M. Stevens, your barefoot pal from the cinema and I’m back with a case for why people who flock to see Marvel Comics’ superhero flick Deadpool are some biggest douchebags in the world. As I’ve previously mentioned, going to see this movie was my very first time visiting a theater.

Although I do plan on returning -- maybe even wearing a pair of shoes next time -- the experience I had while in the presence of other men, women and *gasp* children watching Deadpool helps me further understand why many dudes and dudettes would rather “Netflix and chill” than watch movies with a bunch of strangers. I also went to see the dystopian adventure movie The Divergent Series: Allegiant on the same day that I got my Deadpool fix and, well, the differences in the level of disrespectful behavior shown among moviegoers at these two films stood out like a sore thumb.

There were only a few dozen (or less) people in attendance for the early afternoon show time of Deadpool. Several children under the age of 10, accompanied by parents or guardians, were among the attendees to see this R-rated movie. There was a talkative lady seated near the back rows who chose not to use her inside voices when addressing matters involving the children in her company. Not surprisingly, they didn’t respond to her with their inside voices. A guy sitting in the row behind me also kept kicking the back of the chair while a woman seated in the row in front of mine kept texting, scrolling through apps and doing lord-knows-what with her cell phone.

She was not discreet at all during the times when she tapped away on her bright screen. At one point during the movie, she even had the audacity to get on a phone call and engage in a conversation, albeit brief, with someone on the other end of the line.

The theater showing The Divergent Series: Allegiant became so crowded by the end of the first act that some people either walked back and forth or stood on the side just to try to find an available seat. One older man seated at the end of my row kept shouting random nonsense at the big screen. My guess is that, based on chosen words in his outburts, he is a veteran of some kind because he shared his thoughts out loud during previews and commercials that displayed content related to (or involving) the government or the military.

He became quiet as the movie progressed and would shout reactions to what was happening in a few of the scenes in the second and third act, some of which were understandable and caused many people in the audience to laugh and/or respond with similar sentiments. Needless to say, there was a moment or two during the movie when a lot of the audience members agreed with his outbursts. This evening showtime for The Divergent Series: Allegiant was comprised of mostly middle-aged and college-aged adults with the exception of a few older children and teens who came as a group with adult chaperones. Based on their conversations and interactions with each other, the group appeared to be from a school or organization that helps children with developmental disabilities.

A few times during the movie, some of the children and their chaperones left the theater but returned shortly thereafter.

They didn't seem bothered by the fact that they were missing out on portions of the movie.

To sum things up, Deadpool had less people (but way more children) and an earlier showtime but caused more distractions than The Divergent Series: Allegiant, which showed later in the evening and was a packed house. The Divergent Series: Allegiant had almost no distractions aside from the outburst from that guy and people walking in and out for (what appeared to be) bathroom breaks throughout the movie.

Bottom line: The Divergent Series: Allegiant audience is pure* while the Deadpool movie attracts damaged* people who don’t know how to behave and practice common decency when in the company of others.

*Extra brownie points for those of you who get the reference ;)

How much does the quality of the audience impact YOUR overall moviegoing experience?

Am I asking too much by demanding that moviegoers practice common decency at the cinema?

Kesha’s Crisis: The Movie Theater Popcorn and Candy Combo

‘The Taking of April A-Z’ is in full swing, as a group of vinyl hijackers (known as the Popcorn Snobs) have taken over this blog for the next 24 days. Strap yourself in and sit tight. It’s going to be a wild ride!

Hi everyone my name is Kesha West and I’m an alcoholic. Just kidding. Well, about the alcoholism, that is. I do have an addiction….to junk food. So it’s no surprise that going to the movies is a huge treat for me. The popcorn. The hot dogs. The nachos. The ice cream and all those other sweets. I can never get enough of them!

It’s become so bad that you could probably build a small chain of cinemas with the amount of money I’ve spent at the concessions counter. I knew something had to be done about my eating and spending habits when my boyfriend gave me an ultimatum – either skip the snacks altogether or we would have to share one order of popcorn. Sure, these options sound easy enough but they’re impossible for a junk food junkie like me to follow when you consider the following factors:

1. There’s no way in hell I’m giving up snacks! I mean, the whole point of going to the movie theater is munching on all of the yummy fare available on the menu. Watching the movie is just icing on the cake! (see what I did there? ;))

2. He likes his popcorn served without butter. That’s a deal breaker for me and my taste buds! Not only do I like my popcorn topped with butter, I need a sweet and salty mix of popcorn and candy. Specifically peanut M&Ms, which makes me classy, fun and in tune with the universe (at least, by Huffington Post’s standards). The combination of buttery popcorn, chocolate, candy coatings and peanuts hits the spot. Every. Single. Time.

So, I found a solution that would suit the needs of our budget without having to sacrifice my cravings for sweet and salty goodness. I buy candy in advance at retail price which is between $0.79-$0.99 compared to $4, give or take, at the theater. I later sneak the candy into the cinema, buy some popcorn, and then mix it together while the previews are playing. The boyfriend and I save money on snacks, the movie theater still makes a profit from the popcorn sales and I still get to have my combo and eat it too. Everybody wins.

Are there any other solutions that YOU would recommend to address this popcorn and candy crisis?

What is YOU favorite junk food item?

Kesha West is a popcorn snob trying to figure out why experimental films are so underrated. She enjoys DIY projects, trick-or-treating, and hanging out with friends.

Nate Goes to the Movies Barefoot

A small group of vinyl popcorn snobs have hijacked this blog for the next 25 days. As our plot to ‘The Taking of April A-Z’ thickens, sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

Hey dudes (and dudettes), it’s Nate M. Stevens here. Today I have a confession to make. I’ve never visited a movie theater. Ever. That is, until my recent trip to see Deadpool, Marvel Comics’ Sci-Fi/Fantasy flick about a superhero who wants revenge on the douchebag that subjected him to a rogue experiment with horrific side effects.

It’s not that I don’t like watching movies, I just usually wait until they’re released on DVD because I have a problem with “no shirt, no shoes, no service” policies; which tends to get me kicked out of a lot of public places including restaurants and retail stores. You see, I don’t like wearing shoes…or socks, for that matter.

I understand that footwear is important for most people….but….I grew up on the beach with everything I need in walking distance. I don’t even own a pair of shoes and on the occasion that I do wear them, they’re usually flip-flops I borrowed from strangers. So I’m sure you can understand how this lifestyle would prevent me from being able to enjoy one of the world’s most common activities….spending a night out at the movie theater. Still, I’ve been itching to find out if Deadpool is as good as everyone says, so I went to a showing and hoped for the best.

Buying a movie ticket went smoothly. I’m guessing the staff at the box office was either distracted with tending to other patrons or they just noticed me wearing a shirt and automatically assumed I had on shoes to match that. Suckers!

I made some friends at the concession stand. One of them was a cute gal named Ricarah Williams. I became nervous when she told me that their theater does have a “no shirt, no shoes, no service” policy and customers who aren’t wearing shoes probably wouldn’t be able to see a movie there. So, I told her I bought a ticket and I already washed my feet that morning; at least they don’t smell funky. Now, that would be a cardinal sin!

I also promised to not put my feet up on the seats in front of me; I heard that’s one of the crazy things people do at theaters (according to Zoe).

Ricarah said doing so is rude because "people don’t want your feet on their heads." She’s been to the movies with a friend rested their feet on the seats but it wasn’t crowded. Since they were wearing shoes, I decided to listen to her advice and keep my toes planted firmly on the floor at all times.

A cool dude named Chris Rountree tried to hook me up with his sister but I already have a girlfriend and, unbfortunately, she isn't about that polyamorous life! When I mentioned my promise to Ricarah, Chis told me that people putting their feet up on the seats doesn’t bother him. “Its fine, depending on how crowded it is in [the theater],” he says. 

Chris even does it but he keeps his shoes on. 

While he’s also witnessed both men and women putting their feet up on the seats, sometimes wearing shoes “here and there,” this movie snack expert said it's normally men who do it.

I figured it would be best to not try my luck since I didn’t have any shoes with me.

In the end, I was able to see Deadpool starring Ryan Reynolds, who did a great job in his role as this vengeful and comedic superhero. While I can’t pinpoint what made this visit go smoothly without any incidents, I do wonder if my theater friends put in a good word for me or just decided to let me off with a warning. I kept my word and didn’t put my feet up on the seats, which would have brought additional, and unwanted, attention to the fact that I wasn’t wearing shoes.

How often do YOU notice people resting their feet on the seats at movie theaters?

Are there any unspoken rules YOU like to adhere to when it comes to feet and public places?

Nate M. Stevens is a microwave popcorn snob that wants to know what’s so special about Blu-Ray discs. He likes tattoos, pool parties, surfing, and bonus features.