Viewing Preferences - Home

[Andrew]

Just realized that other night that I have a definite preference when sitting down to watch a movie.  Unless it is something like a rainy day and I am going to watch films all day, I like settling in after dinner.

Snack Food
I usually have salsa (medium, sometimes hot) and chips.  

Drink
If I am drinking alcohol, it is almost always JD, black label, with coke.  I drink in moderation, because being drunk is pointless.  One or two drinks over the course of the evening is fine.

Seating
Usually the reclining end of our couch.  If not, usually due to Katie being there, I am in a huge beanbag chair that I found at a beanbag store.  It is naugahyde, though I was tempted to get denim.  The naugahydge just seemed like an easier cleaning job.

Lighting
One or two lights on.  I do not like the pitch dark, unless I am in a theater.  Sort of related topic: recently replaced most of our bulbs with the energy efficient ones.  My 100 watt living room lights went to 27 watts.

People
Three, unless it is "B-Movie Night" and we have a rowdy crowd over.

Food
Katie is real good about B-Movie Nights.  She usually makes a nice dinner that feeds everyone, like homemade beef stew or custom lasagna.  My wife's cooking (usually) rocks.  She has "attempted" things that did not turn out right.  I remember hissing, like an angry cat, at one meal in particular; that seemed to hurt her feelings.

So, am I unusual here, or does everyone have preferences?

[Chadzilla]

Compare and contrast

Andrew wrote:
>
>
> Snack Food
> I usually have salsa (medium, sometimes hot) and chips.  
>

Popcorn, or peanuts (shelled, unsalted).  Sometimes we get fancy - cheese and crackers.
 
> Drink
> If I am drinking alcohol, it is almost always JD, black
> label, with coke.  I drink in moderation, because being drunk
> is pointless.  One or two drinks over the course of the
> evening is fine.
>

Juice (orange or lemonade) or water, sometimes coffee  (but it can make me cranky)

> Seating
> Usually the reclining end of our couch.  If not, usually due
> to Katie being there, I am in a huge beanbag chair that I
> found at a beanbag store.  It is naugahyde, though I was
> tempted to get denim.  The naugahydge just seemed like an
> easier cleaning job.
>

This is bone of contention.  I like seating solo, my wife likes to cuddle.  If I sit in one of the chairs, I get cranky looks and "Why aren't you sitting with me?"  So I sit on the sofa, which is uncomfortable and snuggle (which isn't).  But what really blows my fuse is when my wife gets all questioning about the movie, something happens "If you saw that, what you do?"  "If that started to happen, how would you feel?"  etc.  This during movies like Eight Legged Freaks or something.  Great ready for Friday Night Fights.  Do we learn, nah.
 
> Lighting
> One or two lights on.  I do not like the pitch dark, unless I
> am in a theater.  Sort of related topic: recently replaced
> most of our bulbs with the energy efficient ones.  My 100
> watt living room lights went to 27 watts.
>

Lights off, for that movie theater feeling.

> People
> Three, unless it is "B-Movie Night" and we have a rowdy crowd
> over.
>

The fewer the better, sometimes I watch 'em alone with the headset on.
 
> Food

Snack stuff platters, buffet.

[J.R.]

If I'm watching a movie for the first time, or it's a DVD with really good picture and sound I sit in pitch black with the volume cranked in my recliner, with a giant glass of iced tea and either pretzels or peanuts. Sometimes i like to lay in bed with the cats; they seem to enjoy horror movies.

[Andrew]

J.R. wrote:
>
Sometimes i like to lay in bed with the cats; they seem to enjoy horror movies.
>
Katie's cat seems to like "Star Trek" movies.  I am watching my way through the original cast films and the cat just sits there and watches the screen.  I have rarely seen her do that.

No, it is not the TV series episode with the tribbles, nor the one with the white rabbit.

[Fearless Freep]

Snacks: Rarely, sometimes chips

Drink: Rum, Rum&Soda*, or Vodka in V8 splash

Lighting: All lights out or a single light from the kitchen or hallway

Seating: One end of the couh or the other.

People: Just me. Wife doesn't like my taste in movies abnd the kids are too young yet.


*Soda - Somtimes Coke but usually a Hansen's Black Cherry or Rasberry

[Brian Ringler]

"Drink
If I am drinking alcohol, it is almost always JD, black label, with coke. I drink in moderation, because being drunk is pointless. One or two drinks over the course of the evening is fine."

Good choice you can't go wrong with jack

[Dano]

Snack Food
Snow caps.  I don't eat candy at all except when I go to the video store or theater.  Then it's snow caps.  They are the perfect candy.  Sometimes chips and guacamole.

Drink
Water - or if I'm drinking drinking, Seagrams 7 and 7-up.  I'm from Jersey where that drink is big (you see them order it a lot on the Sopranos - this is authentic).  It's good if you've never tried it.

Seating
Couch, feet on coffee table if the wife isn't around - and if I'm watching a bad movie, she almost certainly isn't.

Lighting
Dont like watching TV in the dark.  They say it's bad for you, but even so I don't like it.  Also, it isn't like it's going to make any of these movies any scarier.

People
Sometimes just me, rarely the wife, and I have one friend who shares my taste for garbage-movies who comes over for them so we can bounce our jeers off one another.  Man, I wish I had a bunch of friends who liked that stuff.

Food
I don't usually watch TV during dinner, but sometimes Chinese or pizza.

Movies
When I go to the video store, I usually try to get something that looks actually good (last time out Frailty was my pick - not bad, but predictable ending) and something that looks like it could be cheesy and funny (last time out Dog Soldiers which was a very pleasant surprise in my opinion and only funny where it wanted to be).  I also print up Andrew's or a Reader review if the movie has been reviewed here so I can follow along.  Last time I did this was Skeeter - "his body was drained of precious salsa" had my buddy and I rolling.

Annual schedule:
Halloween:  Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin, Halloween and another horror movie - last time Sleepy Hollow but usually something gorier.
December 23-24: Charlie Brown's Christmas, George C. Scott's A Christmas Carol followed by Mr. MacGoo's version.
Night before first golf outing of the year: Caddyshack
Holy Saturday: Watership Down, hehhehheh...
June 6: The Longest Day (addictive theme song is usually purged by August)

[Vermin Boy]

Snack Food
When I have friends over, we usually get an industrial-sized bag of Smartfood and pass it around as needed.

Drink
Soda, preferably something caffeinated (can't go wrong with Coke or Mountain Dew), or anything by IBC.

Seating
When I'm alone, usually pretty close to the screen, looking up; with friends, I like a vantage point where I can see their reactions (usually the far corner of the couch).

Lighting
Either pitch black or warm lighting, depending on the movie, how much company I have, whether there's actual food, time of night, etc.

People
I like watching with two or three friends, usually either my band or my filmmaking buddies. I also watch alone, but that's not half as fun, especially with b-movies.

Food
I usually pop in a small frozen pizza for each person. Always nice to have something red and gooey while subjecting friends to something like Re-Animator or Dead Alive...

[J.R.]

<>

I once flipped over to IFC when they were showing Dead Alive while eating spaghetti. Bad move.

[Mofo Rising]

Snack Food
I don't generally eat while watching movies.  In the theater, popcorn.

Drink
Maybe a soda if I'm thirsty.  If it's alcohol, it's beer.  Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a good choice.

Seating
On my couch, shifiting positions as comfort dictates.

Lighting
On.  If it's a horror movie I generally turn the lights off, or if it's a movie I want to give my full attention.

People
Just me, sometimes my roommate.  If we've got friends over, we're usually drinking and watching comedies.

I wouldn't say I have any preparation for watching movies, so this question probably doesn't apply.  I just sit down, throw 'em in and hope I don't have to go to the bathroom for the next hour and a half.

[Goon]

Snack Food:
      A realy huge bowl of popcorn with unhealthy levels of garlic-salt and butter.  I usually can't finish it in one sitting.

Drink:
      Root Beer.

Seating:
       The big armchair.

Lighting:
       Lights on if I'm still eating, off if I'm done.

People:
       My dad is pretty good at pointing out errors and MSTing.  My little sister has learned the fraise "brother's Bad Movies"  and likes to join me if the movie is tame enough.  (Her: "Godzilla eats people?"  Me:  "No, he just steps on them.")  Other then that I go solo.
----ooo-'U'-ooo------Kilroy was here.

[J.R.]

<>

I like to douse popcorn in Mongolian Fire Oil (available in most grocery stores' condiment shelves), crushed red pepper, garlic salt  and Tobasco chipotle sauce. It clears up the sinuses and ensures I'll be the only one eating it if there are others around.

[Neville]

I can watch action films with friends, having ice coke and pop corn a plenty and with natural light. Under that conditions, talking and pointing out goofs or errors is not only welcome but also encouraged.

But when it comes to horror or science-fiction, I can be very picky. Best hour is late afternoon or just after dinner, the room has to be completely dark and isolated, the only sound and light must come from the TV. Nothing to eat, nothing to drink, as little talking as possible and no "I have to go to the toilet" breaks. No wonder I always watch them alone. But I enjoy them much more after all these steps.

[Evan3]

Snacks: usually none, but popcorn is appropriate sometimes

Drinks: Root beer or water, dont like alcohal during movies (which says a lot since im in college)

Seating: Usually next to a girl and if it is my girlfriend, than I hold her hand, she loves scary movies and is scared by all of them which has increased the viewing of otherwise awful movies (Forsaken, Texas Chainsaw Murders).

Lighting: Lights must be off, ensures greater concentration and movie feeling

Food: I love eating wings, Wild wings (yep tha means super hot) and ranch dressing. It is my favorite movie food.

People: As many as can stay quiet, let me tell you, I get pretty mean if I dont get quiet during a movie, I rarely watch them alone if I can help it.

Two other things, I always like it in the theatre better and one of my friends has the uncanny ability to go to the bathroom at the most intense scenes and/or the climax, oh it annoys  me to no end and he ALWAYS does it, not on purpose, how can I counter this? Any ideas?

[Evan3]

Snacks: usually none, but popcorn is appropriate sometimes

Drinks: Root beer or water, dont like alcohal during movies (which says a lot since im in college)

Seating: Usually next to a girl and if it is my girlfriend, than I hold her hand, she loves scary movies and is scared by all of them which has increased the viewing of otherwise awful movies (Forsaken, Texas Chainsaw Murders).

Lighting: Lights must be off, ensures greater concentration and movie feeling

Food: I love eating wings, Wild wings (yep tha means super hot) and ranch dressing. It is my favorite movie food.

People: As many as can stay quiet, let me tell you, I get pretty mean if I dont get quiet during a movie, I rarely watch them alone if I can help it.

Two other things, I always like it in the theatre better and one of my friends has the uncanny ability to go to the bathroom at the most intense scenes and/or the climax, oh it annoys  me to no end and he ALWAYS does it, not on purpose, how can I counter this? Any ideas?