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So me, my friend, and my nephew went to go see Man of Steel the other day in a small theater we've never been to. It mainly caters to college students so you see alot of young faces, kind of a chill atmosphere, and a cool rustic feel that just feels different from your average cinema.
Anyways, we are both pretty decent cinephiles and love to go a little early to get the best seat in the house (near the top/right in the middle), discuss the merits of the movie, decide if its worth buying on DVD (or just torrenting), shit like that. We even waited a few weeks specifically because we didn't want to catch the assholes that undoubtedly catch movies in the opening week and do obnoxious shit.
This is the only important part:
Movie theatre starts filling up quick, nearly max capacity (maybe 50), then about 10 min. into the movie this older lady and her boyfriend ask us to move over a seat so that they could sit. See, we were 3 people taking up 5 seats and there was only the neckbreaker seats at the very front left.
I didn't really know what to say immediately because I literally had the best seat in the house (pretty sure the theatre designed the chairs to bless this one seat goddamn), but my friend abruptly told them that we wouldnt move because we came 15 min. early to get the seats.
Next thing you know this older lady makes a fucking scene and eventually gets two chairs very close to us. Cue the murmurs and groaning from various people in the crowd/her. Then after the movie ends she very loudly thanks the guy that moved over a seat for her and starts shit talking us.
Was it that wrong for us to feel like we earned something by coming early to grab it? I personally feel like she felt entitled as fuck and shouldn't have asked anyone to move in the first place (i.e. grab the fucking neckbreaker seats and learn from your mistake). Were we the assholes?
Not that life-breaking a question I know, but I really just don't know what I would've or should've done.
Interested to see what others think.
 
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This may sound somewhat shallow, but how old was she? If we're talking 40s-50s, I'd say you're in the clear. If we're talking 60s or above, I think the elder card comes into play.
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How much worse was it really to move one seat over versus the seat that you had? I can't imagine it being so much worse that it's worth not being courteous.
I probably would have moved unless you were moving to a seat that was behind a pillar or something.
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As you yourself said, you were 3 people taking up 5 seats. That basically makes you the assholes.
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Going to the theatre 15 minutes early does not entitle you to the best seating any more than going there on time. I don't know what the theatre policy is, but it should make sense that you have priority over her because there are still seats available elsewhere in the theatre. So I believe that you were technically correct in refusing to move, but it would have been a good courtesy to do it anyways for the benefit of others. By the sounds of it, the lady was an asshole, so I wouldn't feel bad about it.
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when you say you wouldn't move over 1 seat for some people when you are taking up 5 seats for 3 people it kinda makes it hard to sympathize. I don't think you need to move though, it's just generally expected if there is room to move over to create space.
I go really early to movies as well to do the same thing you do but I've been asked to move a single seat a couple of times and honestly that extra couple of feet has never affected a movie for me.
Also yeah I agree with Farv here, you make her sound like she's 60+ but mention her boyfriend so 40's/50's? That would actually come into play, if she's actually really old your just dicks xD
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She certainly has the right to ask politely. There is nothing wrong about that. There also is nothing wrong about denying the request although it certainly would have been a nice thing to do.
Making a scene however is unjustified.
How exactly was the situation, anyways? You said your seat was the best in the theater, but you also say you were taking up 5 seats for 3 people. No matter where your single seat is, assuming that those 5 seats are in one line, the other 2 can move such that there will be 2 adjacent seats free.
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i dont understand the situation, did you really take 5 seats or did you just have like 1 free seat, then you 3, then 1 free seat?
because in university, there were always those annoying idiots coming in late and insisting that everyone moves so they can sit with a friend.
Which i never did. People that are late can take whatever seat is free and be thankful that they can join at all.
If you just broke up the free seats, then the woman was very annoying and in the wrong.
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It really doesn't make much sense. You say you were 3 taking up 5 seats, but then say there were only the neckbreaking seats on the front left. It doesn`t seem like she asked you to get up and sit on the front, she just asked you to move to the seat right beside you since you were 5 taking up 3 seats. I don't see the reason for being so melodramatic about seating slightly to side of your original position.
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The situation isn't entirely clear to me, as SKC mentioned, it's a little murky on the details.
However, you already know the answer to your question. You only came here in hopes of finding someone that agreed with what you actually did so you could feel better.
You should have moved, and she shouldn't have asked.
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On July 11 2013 03:25 WolfintheSheep wrote:
As you yourself said, you were 3 people taking up 5 seats. That basically makes you the assholes.
i agree with this.
i assume you guys were sitting: X_X_X
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It was 1 seat, 3 of us, then 1 seat: _XXX_Wall
We didn't anticipate that the theatre would get so full considering it was 15 min. to showtime and there were only like 10-15 people in a 50 seater. She ended up asking another couple of 2 to move and they did... on the edge. So she essentially could have done that in the first place and I was just full of WTF the entire time.
And she was most likely late 30's-40's.
Well I don't believe it to be a melodramatic situation. I think it's just a principle you either stand by or don't. I'm kind of deciding that now. For instance, you could be standing in line at Starbucks 15 min. early because you know that the good brew is specifically the first batch at 6AM is godlike (to you, maybe not to others, but you perceive a difference). Some lady doesn't make the arrangements, gets there late, and asks to cut you in line anyways (for whatever reason). I see now that I'm just probably an asshole though lol
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I'm also puzzled about how you guys were sitting, when you three were taking up five seats. Was it:
X _ X _ X
?
I'm generally a fan of the whole "I got here before you, so this seat is my seat", but if you're purposely isolating single seats that you're not using, I have a problem with that. I've never purposely left empty seats between my friends and me.
There's three of you, so you can use up 3 seats. Taking up two extra seats is a little inappropriate.
I probably would have moved over and let them sit together (as long as the new seats still had a good view of the screen), since it was just one seat over and all three of you could still sit together.
I don't think her making a scene was an appropriate response either, but that's ex post facto.
EDIT: So it was "_XXX_Wall"
How the hell are those the best seats in the house? You're not even in the middle of the row/ theater! 
Could you have just moved your group one seat over to the left (away from the wall)? That way you didn't have to worry about the neckbreaker angle?
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On July 11 2013 03:28 spinesheath wrote:
She certainly has the right to ask politely. There is nothing wrong about that. There also is nothing wrong about denying the request although it certainly would have been a nice thing to do.
Making a scene however is unjustified.
How exactly was the situation, anyways? You said your seat was the best in the theater, but you also say you were taking up 5 seats for 3 people. No matter where your single seat is, assuming that those 5 seats are in one line, the other 2 can move such that there will be 2 adjacent seats free.
Yeah I think you said it best. I think I felt bad overall until she started that passive-aggressive shit.
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On July 11 2013 04:35 DarkPlasmaBall wrote:I'm also puzzled about how you guys were sitting, when you three were taking up five seats. Was it: X _ X _ X ? I'm generally a fan of the whole "I got here before you, so this seat is my seat", but if you're purposely isolating single seats that you're not using, I have a problem with that. I've never purposely left empty seats between my friends and me. There's three of you, so you can use up 3 seats. Taking up two extra seats is a little inappropriate. I probably would have moved over and let them sit together (as long as the new seats still had a good view of the screen), since it was just one seat over and all three of you could still sit together. I don't think her making a scene was an appropriate response either, but that's ex post facto. EDIT: So it was "_XXX_Wall" How the hell are those the best seats in the house? You're not even in the middle of the row/ theater! Could you have just moved your group one seat over to the left (away from the wall)? That way you didn't have to worry about the neckbreaker angle?
So it was a small theatre with an odd seating arrangement:
30 or so seats in the front space, then 3 rows of 5:
Screen
~30seats
Railing
StairsOOXXXWall Ramp to front <---- She ended up sitting here (O's)
Stairs_XXX_Wall Ramp to front <---- We were here
StairsXXXXXWall Ramp to front
Can't implement spacing so this is the best I can do, and then pretend the middle seat of the upper seating was perfectly in line with the screen and its borders. It was fucking magical seriously.
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On July 11 2013 04:00 danl9rm wrote:
The situation isn't entirely clear to me, as SKC mentioned, it's a little murky on the details.
However, you already know the answer to your question. You only came here in hopes of finding someone that agreed with what you actually did so you could feel better.
You should have moved, and she shouldn't have asked.
I will say that asking is perfectly fine. She shouldn't have made a big deal out of it though.
I just don't see how XXX__ would be that much worse than _XXX_, but I don't know the layout of this movie theater. I can see how she would have seen you guys as dicks for not moving a single seat to the right, but she shouldn't have made such dramafest about it.
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If it were me, I probably would have just moved to the empty seat. I don't think you are "required" to do so, but would the movie really be that different from 1 seat down? I think you're placing too much importance on this one spot being so amazing. It can't really be THAT much better a seat right next to it.
So, technically, no, I wouldn't say you were required to move. However, most people come to movies to enjoy it with someone, and you're basically blocking that so you can have a seat slightly better than the one next to it. I think their enjoyment of the movie, by sitting next to the person they came with, would be greater than your slightly better seat.
So, it's a pretty selfish move in that regard.
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On July 11 2013 04:48 SwizzY wrote:Show nested quote +On July 11 2013 04:35 DarkPlasmaBall wrote:I'm also puzzled about how you guys were sitting, when you three were taking up five seats. Was it: X _ X _ X ? I'm generally a fan of the whole "I got here before you, so this seat is my seat", but if you're purposely isolating single seats that you're not using, I have a problem with that. I've never purposely left empty seats between my friends and me. There's three of you, so you can use up 3 seats. Taking up two extra seats is a little inappropriate. I probably would have moved over and let them sit together (as long as the new seats still had a good view of the screen), since it was just one seat over and all three of you could still sit together. I don't think her making a scene was an appropriate response either, but that's ex post facto. EDIT: So it was "_XXX_Wall" How the hell are those the best seats in the house? You're not even in the middle of the row/ theater! Could you have just moved your group one seat over to the left (away from the wall)? That way you didn't have to worry about the neckbreaker angle? So it was a small theatre with an odd seating arrangement: 30 or so seats in the front space, then 3 rows of 5: Screen ~30seats Railing StairsOOXXXWall Ramp to front <---- She ended up sitting here (O's) Stairs_XXX_Wall Ramp to front <---- We were here StairsXXXXXWall Ramp to front Can't implement spacing so this is the best I can do, and then pretend the middle seat of the upper seating was perfectly in line with the screen and its borders. It was fucking magical seriously.
That does sound like a pretty cool layout.
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what the hell is with all of these incredibly rude dickheads posting blogs lately?
yes, you are an asshole for that. it is over one seat. wtf??
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Osaka27139 Posts
You were a jerk for notmoving over and leading by example.
Your friend was a jerk for being abrupt with a woman who wants to find a seat in a tiny theatre.
The woman was a jerk for talking about the problem after sitting down, and giving you the deathglare afterwards.
All in all, stress was injected into a situation where you should have been having a good time, so much so that it probably took away from the movie a little bit, and caused you to dwell on it long enough that you wrote a blog. Take that stress out of your life man, it isn't worth it.
Moral of the story? Lie and tell her you have another friend coming who is running late.
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EPT
